Hewitt talks about tweets, the AJC and his team
Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach Paul Hewitt approved a series of tweets from GTCoachHewitt on Wednesday to fans and those who have questioned his team:
- Clearly we are playing our best basketball of the season. Don’t believe what you read from the “experts.” Believe what you see.
- As we are coming to the latter part of the season, now is not the time to be judgemental. You all need to come out and support this team.
- Are you a critic or a supporter of this team? Supporters will continue to watch this team fight.
- To you critics: when athletes say some of the things you say, then you condemn them as quitters. Are you quitting?
- I believe in this team!
With what many analysts and opposing coaches say is the best frontcourt talent in the ACC, the Yellow Jackets are 18-9, 6-7 this season, which puts them seventh in the ACC this season. Depending upon which NCAA tournament blog you read, they will either safely make the field of 65 for the first time since 2007, or they are on the bubble. The team is 1-6 on the road in the conference this season, including last week’s last-second 76-74 loss to Maryland. After hosting Boston College on Saturday, the team will play at Clemson and will host Virginia Tech as it tries to secure its spot in the NCAAs. The ACC tournament starts March 11 in Greensboro.
Hewitt is 172-140 in 10 seasons at Tech, including 67-89 in the conference and 6-5 in the NCAAs. His salary is $1.375 million a year, with a buyout of close to $7 million that rolls over every year.
Tech had media day on Thursday, and Hewitt spent about 10 minutes discussing the tweets and why they were sent out. I’ve transcribed the discussion below so that Hewitt’s words will be out in cyberspace, unfiltered and mostly unedited (I cleaned up run-on sentences and thoughts that were started and then stopped).
In italics I’ve included the facts that Hewitt refers to regarding statistics for the team and other items of note, either confirming them or clarifying them.
I’ve only interviewed Hewitt three times, but he’s always come across as very cool and collected. Today was the same. It may appear that it got loud, for a lack of a better word, but it didn’t. I think in some cases Hewitt used you to refer to me, and other times he used you to refer to people in general.
Me: Can you clarify the tweets that went out yesterday?
Hewitt: Everybody’s entitled to think what they want to think. But at some point you have to protect the effort of your staff and I think we are on the verge of getting to the NCAA tournament.
We are the youngest team in the ACC. You can choose to look at it as they are underachieving. You can choose to look at it as they are performing to expectations. You can choose to look it as they are overachieving. However you choose to look at it, support the team.
These guys work extremely hard. They go out and represent their school with tremendous class, in the class room, in the community and on the court. Quite frankly, I think some of the coverage is reduced to cyberbullying. But never question what these guys are doing and the effort they are putting out.
Really, what it comes down to, which is unfortunate I think, because I’m such a fan of journalism, a lot of the coverage is reduced to cyberbullying as opposed to giving some objective facts. Someone pointed out to me the other day that 41 percent of our minutes are played by freshmen. That’s the highest of anybody in the ACC in the top half or on the verge of the NCAA tournament. North Carolina and N.C. State are the other two over 35 percent of their minutes played are from freshmen. That’s got to be worth something.
*The four freshmen average 31 points per game and average 41 percent of the available minute, according to Tech basketball assistant SID Mike Stamus. That percentage leads the ACC.
You’re talking about a team that’s one of the top 10 defensive teams in the country. Defense is all about teamwork, effort and dedication.
* Tech is tied for 85th in points allowed (64.6) and fourth in field-goal percentage defense (37.2).
Now, free-throw shooting…the San Antonio Spurs have trouble with free throws. If you want to start bash guys for free throws, you don’t know how hard some of these guys work at it to the point I have to throw them out of the gym to go and do their homework.
* Tech is 285th in the NCAA (.647) and 12th in the ACC (.647).
I just think that it’s unclear what I’m saying is not lashing out. I’m asking people to pick a side. Either you’re with us or against us. But pick a side. Don’t degrade the effort, the intelligence the dedication of anybody associated with the program.
If you choose to pick a side, that’s you. I’m not lashing out at anybody. The overwhelming majority of people I come in contact with are like “Coach, you guys are working your tails off. We appreciate how hard you guys work. Your guys are class kids.”
But again, I do think there are times, when it’s unfortunate because journalism is such a powerful tool and coverage is powerful, that it’s cyberbullying. That’s all it is.
Me: When you say cyberbullying, are you referring to…
Hewitt: Some of your writers. Some of your writers. Doug, I haven’t read your paper since 2005. After the 2005 season, when that team that went to the ACC finals and went to the second round and lost to Louisville was absolutely bashed, I said there’s no objectivity here. But, one of your former colleagues came by to see me the other day and said “I guess they went after you again, after a road loss.” I said “Really?” It’s just to the point of what are we looking at? Are we really that bad? We’re on the verge of the tournament. But yet, anything I hear out of your paper I hear is a negative slant.
We’re young, we’re a great defensive team. I’m not sure what else I can say. As far as the people who write in or comment, that’s fine. Just pick a side. If you want to come and help this team get over the hump, that’s what it’s about. There’s nothing better than when a team wins, how it brings the whole community together.
This team really goes out and plays hard to make the community proud. If you choose to be negative, and choose not to support, that’s your prerogative too. Just pick a side.
Me: If may ask one more question, when you ask about picking a side it seems most of the people who responded on twitter are dividing the players from you. They say they support the players but don’t support you for a variety of reasons.
Hewitt: That’s your perspective. The guy who runs the account for me says a variety of them are supportive of me and the team.
I’m just telling you what the guys tell me.
Me: There were a few that supported the coach, but there are equally dividing it up between you and the players.
Hewitt: Why does it have to get down to the issue of blame and judgment?
Me: Well, the tweets went out, telling people are you a critic or a supporter.
Hewitt: It’s not lashing out, believe me. It’s about simply, you’ve got to protect your staff and players. Especially when you know, and I hope you write this, that you’re not letting the facts get in the way of the true story. Again, we’re the youngest team, one of the top defensive teams. We just played a killer game against the second-best team in the league right now and lost on a tough shot. Now, because you can read a scoreboard and because the scoreboard doesn’t come out the way you want to, you can criticize what’s going on with the team. I’m not sure that’s objective. Anyone who saw that game or was at that game would say they played their butts off and took a pretty good shot to beat them.
If it’s about reading the scoreboard, my 11-year-old can read a scoreboard and come down on one side.
Coley Harvey of the Macon Telegraph: ….Were you thrown off by this reaction?
Hewitt: I had a couple of people who follow us, some in the media, who are friends of mine said this stuff’s out of hand right now. I was like “What?” Again, I don’t read you. You have to decide. This type of cyber-bullying undermines recruiting, not with this group but I can see where it undermines the fabric of a team.
[Hewitt told an anecdote about Vinny Del Negro]
We’re recruiting here. We have people who are trying to determine between us and other teams. The truth is we have a young basketball team that’s playing really well. You mean to tell me that if Cliff Tucker misses that shot it changes the reality of where we are going?
Now, if we come out on Saturday and play flat, don’t play hard, turn the ball over all over the place and don’t look prepared, that’s different. Second half of Miami, Wake Forest, North Carolina and Maryland, those are the best stretches of basketball we’ve played, gosh, in two yearas. At least be objective and say there’s something going on right here.
The scoreboard is important, don’t get me wrong. Even if you read the scoreboard, we’re the third-ranked APR team in the ACC. People pretty much have us solidly in the field. Am I wrong? So then, why all of this ‘The plane is going down.’
Paul Griffin, my assistant AD, says we have the toughest strength of the schedule in the ACC and perhaps the nation. Come on now, tell the truth at least. your thoughts of me, your opinion of me might be one way. That’s fine, I understand that. But at least tell the truth of what’s really going on with the team.
*Tech’s SOS is 14th in the nation and the RPI has their non-conference SOS is fourth in the ACC.
I’ll make one last point, and what your guys don’t understand, when you undermine a program you’re not hurting the coach. You’re hurting the kids that have a chance to play this game. The coaches go on. Those kids have 1-4 years to have a great experience. I can list guys who had to deal with it and went on and they’re doing fine. But what about the kids who are on the team in the program in the heat of a season and allow doubt to creep in from outside.
That’s what Bill Parcells always talks about, you fight three things: you fight the vision from within, you fight the other opponent and you fight outside influences. You’ve got to address those outside influences at some point, especially during critical junctures in the season, especially when they’re not true.
Me: He also says you are what your record says you are, and you’re less than .500.
Hewitt: That’s the NFL. There’s balanced schedules in the NFL. Everybody plays two times. You’re not going to tell me that our schedule isn’t the same. It’s just not true. There’s a classic example of understanding the facts and not reporting the facts. There’s a big reason why Strength of Schedule is a big part of the NCAA equation. That quote about ‘you are what your record is,’ that’s the NFL. That’s the NBA.
Years ago, that was the ACC. That is not college basketball today. You guys very well know that. Am I right or wrong?
Now again, personal feelings aside, report the facts. Report the facts. That’s all I’m asking.
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170 comments Add your comment
PJ
February 26th, 2010
12:15 am
The lack of support for these players is what Hewitt provides… that and hot-air to the fans. Been to almost every home game since 1971… gave the tickets up this year and will not be back to watch him ruin this proud tradition.
BTW… seems as if our friends in Athens have found a quality COACH… wonder what he could do with the TALENT GT has????
PJ.
February 26th, 2010
12:25 am
Are the Fans that are booing the coach real Tech Fans, or just Morons? You have a darn good coach who is trying to develop a young team. Ask any person with a good Basketball mind and they will tell you that the only thing Hewitt may be faulted for is the fact he never recruited at least one more back court player who could help this team. College Basketball depends on good guard play so does the NBA. The Tech team that went to the finals some six yeras ago had two back court players who are now playing in the NBA. The Hawks have played much better since getting Mike Bibby as its Point Guard, despite the efficiency of Joe Johnson as a shooting Guard. Secondly, despite the promise of Derek Favors his adjustment to the college game has not been easy, like it has been for some players, like the freshman Cousins up in Kentucky, and his brilliance is helped by the very excellent guard play by John Wall and Bledsoe and with patterson on the wing. Paul Hewitt is undoubtedly the best coach to ever coach at Tech, and I would say to those calling for him to be fired, please be careful what you wish for.
Tech Forever
February 26th, 2010
12:50 am
The only possible way anyone could currently be a supporter of Paul Hewitt as Head Mens Basketball Coach at Georgia Tech is because you absolutely are happy with the way he runs the program and the way his teams play. PERIOD. Saying you support him BUT they COULD do this better or that better DOES NOT WASH!!!!!! Why? Because it’s been 10 FREAKIN YEARS!!!!!!!!! His teams make the same mistakes now as they did 10 years ago. Free throw shooting, turnovers, inbound issues, poor time management, poor substitution patterns…..it never changes….FOR 10 YEARS!!!!
So, if you support Paul Hewitt as Head Coach then you have to be saying, even with 10 PROVEN years of history, that you are happy with the way things are and you’ll be happy with a 4 (tops) conference win season next year. And don’t tell me to wait and see. You sit there in your cubicle and wait and see. If we had listened to you happy people we’d STILL have Bill Lewis when it was people like me who KNEW he wasn’t the right man when they hired him and who wanted him gone immediately after the ‘93 UGA debacle.
And one more thing, several of you have added the whole “well he’s the best we could get” or “who else would coach here” to justify your satisfaction with Coach Hewitt. What a joke!!! Are you telling me that for $1.35 million dollars per year Georgia Tech couldn’t get a better coach than Paul Hewitt? So you’re saying Hewitt is better than Coach K…who made $1.2 million last year??? He’s better than 10 of the 12 coaches in the Big 12??? Scott Drew at Baylor….better than him?? Really? Better than 9 of the 12 coaches in the Big East??? Wow. If that’s true…if Paul Hewitt for nearly $1.5 million per year is the best coach Georgia Tech can do then for my household budget’s sake I’m glad I chose to spend that season ticket money on more worthwhile pursuits…..like lawn maintenance.
I REFUSE to believe ANY coach is as good as GT could do. You call yourselves “Tech fans”. BAH!!! You’re a Paul Hewitt fan, but it’s obvious you’d sell out to mediocrity and poor coaching….so how could you be a fan of Tech when Tech deserves better?
Pope UGA XXIII
February 26th, 2010
1:34 am
Please stay for another 10 years @ Tech, please
GTHoopsFan
February 26th, 2010
2:36 am
Send the email DRad@athletics.gatech.edu. We support the players. We don’t support Hewitt.
Bill
February 26th, 2010
3:19 am
Wow….up early and I read Hewitt’s comments. Journalism reports the facts. Paul’s teams are at the bottom of the ACC since the ACC went to 12. We get losing players early is a part of this, but sooner or later, the bottom line in athletics is the W-L’s. The record is quite frankly, atrocious. Hewitt is feeling the heat. Bashing out at people who love Tech isn’t going to endear fans.Trying to deflect away from what is stark reality and blaming others for lack of support smells of sad desperation. I have always supported the man and I will as long as he is Tech’s coach. But this is demeaning. Getting to 8-8 with a very talented Tech squad is a disappointment in a down year for the conference. I don’t think Coach Hewitt has shown his usual class at times this year.He blasted the team’s effort vs Virginia when the staff failed to put the kids in a position to win.You can’t come out and play poorly vs Miami when Wake is next on the schedule.There was no urgency and it cost Tech. The team may well have played its’ best game vs Md, but that team was tired playing their 4th game in 8 days. Tech should have run Md in the first half so they would have had tired legs in the last 10 minutes. Hewitt didn’t and let Md stay around with energy to spare. I appreciate what he did at Tech through 2005. But facts are facts. It’s really time to shut up and put up. Your grace period is long gone. Give us a reason, Coach Hewitt, to believe in your team.You haven’t the last 5 years. That is an eternity in sports.
Amused Bystander
February 26th, 2010
3:38 am
I am a regular follower of the AJC blogs including UGA, GT, Braves, and Falcons. I do it as a fun hobby. My impressions of those who are the chronic complainers (no matter if its Hewitt, MR, or Bobby Cox) is that they have little else to do with their spare time. Of course, they are free to complain and I am not knocking what they do. Its just an observation on my part
On the other hand, those who respond in defense of the coaches being criticized, probably do so
(at least in some cases) just to perpetuate controversy.
The point I am making is that its a lot of fun to read all of this stuff realizing that most of it is written as opinion only with no real inside knowledge of the situation.
Bill
February 26th, 2010
3:43 am
Just wondering Amused Bystander….why are you commenting about wasting time when you say you read so many different blogs? Opinions are free and many people who love Tech are frustrated with what has transpired the last 5 years. We had a nice man named Gailey coaching our team for a few years. Wasn’t horrible, but wasn’t very good, either . Coach Hewitt is in the same boat. You don’t have to be an “insider” to see this.
add14jazz
February 26th, 2010
7:12 am
All this stuff from Hewitt is a bunch of silliness!
He needs to quit spending time worrying about journalism, which he is NOT an expert of, and worry more about coaching his basketball team, which a lot people are starting to believe he isnt an expert of either.
Journalism isnt about support. Columnists give their opinions. You dont like their opinions, well, too bad. That’s their opinion. Why is Hewitt worried so much about their opinions???
Coach your team, man! Stop trying to be a journalism professor and be a basketball coach!
* Tech is tied for 85th in points allowed (64.6) and fourth in field-goal percentage… | Wolfpack Sports
February 26th, 2010
7:44 am
[...] The AJC inadvertently makes a succinct case for tempo-free stats. February 26th, 2010 | Category: Backing The Pack, NCSU | Leave a comment [...]
William Casey
February 26th, 2010
7:49 am
I happen to agree with most of what Coach Hewitt said. Here are the questions I wish were asked:
“Coach, who is responsible for the fact that on the last in-bounds pass by Maryland, Derrick Favors did not overplay a half step toward the baseline, taking away any pass directly toward the basket?”
This would have forced Cliff Tucker to take the final shot from at least 5 feet further with his momentum carrying him away from the basket. I like our chances though he might have hit the shot anyway.
This is exactly the same mistake Lewis Clich made vs. FSU in last year year’s ACC tourney.
“Did you, or an assistant, coach Favors (and Clinch) on this point?”
BeeLover
February 26th, 2010
8:10 am
Great guy but an under-achiever……he’s got to go…..Dan, just go ahead and do it.
lanier
February 26th, 2010
8:24 am
It looks like Paul thru his actions and words has just gotten Stale. Tech’s alumni and big contributers won’t stand for Stale very long. see Bobby Cremmins and they named the court for him.
Tech people are ever aware of their image especially with the 1000# gorilla to the northwest.
Afraid change is right around the corner
BB's
February 26th, 2010
8:26 am
I have two words for Dan Radakovich. Steve Alford. Go get him. CPH is a moron without a clue. He is correct about one thing. The kids give great effort, especially on defense and rebounding. Very few have questioned this. But the total lack of cohesion on offense is mind-boggling to those of us who have played and coached the game. How can aa team have so much trouble simply attempting to throw the ball inbounds. They have not scored on an inbounds play in who knows how long. Call Steve Alford as soon as New Mexico is eliminated from the tourney (which will likely be after GT is gone, if we make it at all).
Hoops Guru
February 26th, 2010
8:29 am
Whether you fail….or whether you pass
You can’t cheat the guy in the glass
Look in the mirrow Hewitt Nobody, and I mean nobody, has said fire the team….it’s the coach of this top 5 recruited team. Those Freshman you keep pinning it on…After 25 games…they ain’t Freshmen no more.
Ed McCuen
February 26th, 2010
8:32 am
I have been a Tech fan since before PW was born. Who the hell does he think he is to tell me how I should support my team. If I think getting rid of PW is whats best for my team, then I will proudly scream from the roof tops.
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 26th, 2010
8:33 am
well, there goes my hope of Phewitt resigning.
If he could make free throws like he does excuses.
Kenny D
February 26th, 2010
8:36 am
Hewitt obviously does not understand the pent up hostility of the fan base…. It appears that he believes that if TECH had won the Maryland game all would be good; this is simply not the truth. This hostility does not come from the last game or even the last year, it comes from Hewitt’s entire body of work over 10 years.
All the TECH faithful understand the general nature of college basketball has changed and that truly great players rarely stay more than one or two years. This makes it imperative that in a year where TECH has superior talent over most any other team in the conference that the WINs should be piling up.
But instead Hewitt is producing mediocre results once again. His teams have historically demonstrated poor free throwing and high volume of turnovers. Increase the free throws success by just 6% (up to 70%) and decrease the turnovers by 4 would easily result in 5 additional wins for TECH. Both of these factors are coaching responsibilities.
Hewitt you have had your turn, do the honorable thing and bow out gracefully at the end of the season
Hoops Guru
February 26th, 2010
8:42 am
Mentioning the in bounds pass that was allowed to penetrate the offensive zone against Maryland….You are right Favors should definitely have overplayed the passer. Go back to me years ago in Phillips when Tennessee beat us from half court with no time on the clock. Check the tape…..Hewitt failed to put a defender on the inbounds passer. A big time college coach and it appears the big time coach had never visited that senario before. Ten years later and all he seems to be able to accomplish is to have his tie hanging two inches below his belt.
nelson
February 26th, 2010
8:50 am
CPH has had 10 years which is long enough to get it done. I think he is a good man. He represents GT well. So did Chan Gailey. That is simply not enough. His refusal to let Mark Price come and help our FT shooting is why GT is where it is. CPH makes big money but has done at best a middly job. If GT misses the NCAAs we need a change.
Kenny D
February 26th, 2010
8:56 am
Nelson,
Even if we make the NCAA it is just forestalling the inevitable; Hewitt will not this much talent available in the years to come and we will once again sink to the bottom ¼ of the conference.
Tech Fans in 4 Years
February 26th, 2010
9:00 am
“should we really have pushed Hewitt out of the door because we wanted the old coach back? Bobby did come back, but he is not what he was 20 years ago, and the recruitting classes are not that impressive”
All of you pushing for Hewitt to be fired or quit really don’t understand Basketball. You are with out a doubt GREAT TECH fans, but you really really don’t understand basketball. I know this push to get rid of Hewitt is because some of the Alumni see Bobby is coaching again and having some success, and want him back so they can relive some old passing memories.
TECH FANS are some of the worst Fair Weather Fans that I have EVER!!! seen, even worse than Philly fans
Sluggo
February 26th, 2010
9:05 am
I don’t care what league you’re in, but come time when all the talk begins about “bubble teams,” if you are not at least .500 in your conference games then there is no “at large” bids for those teams. Go to the NIT or one of the other new tournaments out there. Let’s get more successful mid-majors in the NCAA rather than a bunch of sub .500 ACC/SEC teams. Tech is a good example right now at 6-7 in the league. If they finish sub .500 then they better win the ACC tournament or get ready for the NIT.
old tech fan
February 26th, 2010
9:19 am
From my perception and that of many of other fans, it seems that our team is not improving. I’m just not talking about this year. The last 4 or 5 years have been dissappointing. As others have pointed out–foul shooting and turnovers have always been a problem. Improve either just a few percentages and we have 3 or 4 more wins a season. We go from our average conference record of 7-9 to a respectable 10-6. That’s not alot of difference but one that Hewitt has been unable to reach.
I thought Hewitt was a good hire and for the first few years it seemed like it was. But for whatever reason, something has changed and even with this outstanding Freshman class, we are still struggling with the same problems of 4 years ago–foul shooting, turnovers and fundamentals. I don’t want to hear excuses about playing young guys. If they are not cutting it, start the veterans that are sitting on your bench and who have been starters.
I want Tech to win–I watch their games but I will admit that I don’t have a lot of confidence that they will. That is the perception that many of us have, I’m sorry to say. I think we have some great talent on this team but Hewitt has been unable to get the best out of them.
As they say in basball, it may be time for a location change.
Tech First
February 26th, 2010
9:21 am
I think Hewitt is a hell of a recruiter and I love the team we have Atlanta is a sports town and we love basketball with the talent we have I hope we are prime for a run by all accounts it looks like Hewitt will be the coach One thing I ask coach hire an exp offensive coach and WE’LL SUPPORT YOU FOR THE NEXT 10 YRS WE NEED THAT FIRE AND TO THE NCAA CHANGE THE RULE AND MAKE IT 3YEARS BEFORE U CAN LEAVE JUST LIKE FOOTBALL BC TOMORROW LETS GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!
wordy
February 26th, 2010
9:25 am
Wonder what coach will be tweeting when he is looking for a job in April.
Paul Johnson
February 26th, 2010
9:27 am
I think we should hire the Navy basketball coach!
T3
February 26th, 2010
9:28 am
Daer Coach:
It’s not about the players…it’s about YOU !!
And for crying out loud…..
PUT THE SHOVEL, DOOOOWWWWNNNNNN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
T3
February 26th, 2010
9:33 am
And, another thing….
All this time WASTED on “tweeting,” should be spent on Free Throw practice.
If GT is playing some its BEST ball right now as CPH as stated,
it’s going to look REEEEAAAALLLL BAD if GT struggles down this last stretch.
Paul Johnson
February 26th, 2010
9:37 am
Just punch them in the nose, coach. Be a tough guy like me.
T3
February 26th, 2010
9:39 am
At THIS point, I’m not in the “Fire CPH” camp.
But…something is CLEARLY not working with this team.
Watching road games and attending home games, this team just seems to be APATHETIC.
And…THAT…is TOTALLY on the HC.
Hoops Guru
February 26th, 2010
9:43 am
Whoever Tech fans in 4 years is….you haven’t got a clue. I have forgotton more basketball than you will ever know. I have never,,,never….never…heard bring Bobby back. You have posted the dummest blog I have ever seen on Tech. tell you wife to put you back in the closet with the vaccum cleaner…jyou are obvously better at cleaning than commenting! Stupid!!!!!
Joe Fan
February 26th, 2010
9:51 am
Ever think PH is trying to get fired with his comments? Better to collect the $7 million over 5 years without the embarassment of pretending to coach.
JEWELL ROLLEN
February 26th, 2010
10:01 am
WHAT I “SEE” IS A TEAM THAT CONSISTENTLY HAS MORE UNFORCED TURNOVERS THAN ASSISTS. I SEE 6-8 POINT BLANK MISSED LAY-UPS PER GAME. I SEE A TEAM THAT SHOOTS LESS THAN 60% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE. I SEE 3 MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICANS THAT CANNOT WIN ON THE ROAD. HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING?
snapshot
February 26th, 2010
10:08 am
the athens cesspool fired their basketball coach and he was actually doing better than the coach they have now. I am not sure firing coach Hewitt is the answer.
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 26th, 2010
10:23 am
Hoops Guru, thanks.
Tech Fans in 4 Years…doesn’t know the first thing about RESULTS!!!
Kenny D
February 26th, 2010
10:25 am
snapshot, Hewitt called Rick Fox and told him not to worry because UGA has just been “unlucky”
sliderule
February 26th, 2010
10:29 am
Hoops guru: I have for years pointed to that play in a Tennessee game as when
I had my first doubt about Hewitt. We had a high school coach who didn’t cover
the inbounds passer and consequently lost several games; however, I digress.
I can’t seem to remember or find the year of that game. Please post if you would.
eggguy
February 26th, 2010
10:31 am
Winning comes down to three words……coaching….coaching….coaching! Everybody’s got talent, PARTICULARLY Georgia Tech.
Coach Hewitt says he does not read the AJC blogs….he needs to, then he would realize the readers are NOT criticle of the players! It’s the pathetic coaching!
His record speaks for itself….not acceptable. Leadership is missing on this team, I’m talking about the kind that comes from a good Head Coach!
I’m guessing 8-8 going in to the ACC tourney, lose the first game because it will be a “road game”, then who cares what happens after that? Who they going to beat in the NCAA’s…….they’re all “road games”!
FIRE HEWITT NOW, GET DAVE BRAINE TO PAY HIM HIS $7 MIL.
I’m picking a side Coach, it’s siding with the present players, and the future players.
Christy H. Dodd
February 26th, 2010
10:41 am
As a supporter of Tech basketball, I will be in attendance at tomorrow’s game cheering on my Jackets!
JEWELL ROLLEN
February 26th, 2010
10:53 am
PLEASE DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SUBSTITUTION PATTERN (OR LACK THERE OF). BASKETBALL IS A GAME OF FLOW AND RYTHUM. HOW CAN YOU HAVE EITHER IF A PLAYER IS ON THE FLOOR FOR 1 MIN, 2 MIN, THEN OUT?! I ONCE HEARD PW SAY MOHOMMAD FAYE PLAYED A GREAT 2 MINS!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! WHAT KIND OF FLOW CAN YOU GET INTO IN 2 MINS? BRIAN OLIVER HIT 3 STRAIGHT 3′S AND GOT TAKEN OUT! GREAT MOVE COACH…..
sliderule
February 26th, 2010
11:03 am
Hoops Guru et al: Found it. Dec 15, 2002
Hewitt’s third season.
Bill
February 26th, 2010
11:12 am
Hoops Guru…that Tn game is one that is perhaps Hewitt’s lowest as a coach. Not only did they NOT put a man on that full court in-bounds play with .5 left, after Elder mised the first FT, he should have been instructed to intentionally miss the 2nd at that point. If he missed the2nd, Tn gets the rebound and has to hurl a 90 ft ball at the basket. Instead, Elder makes the FT, TN gets to set up and hits a half court shot that should have never happened if Hewitt was aware of the situation. Granted, every young coach makes gaffes like this, but this sort of thing has been happening annually . Tech wins the Md game if Hewitt runs MD early. They were tired from 4th game in 8 days. Normally, Md wins a track meet at home. But the circumstanes were different that day. The staff , honestly, blew a huge, huge opportunity vs Md.
Be For Real
February 26th, 2010
11:38 am
You people are just dumb. He took a team at GT to the championship. That wasnt good enough. He has a young team, with very good young talent and they are ncaa bound. That’s not good enough. He is a good coach. He wins. His guys play hard. Youll always seem to forget that GT under the great bobby crimins would have a good year and then a down year. its the nature of the game. Is roy williams any less a coach becaus ethey are having a terrible year? is Coach K any less a coach when he had his down years? You as fans need to be content with a team every year that is competitive and has a chance to get hot and win. What more could you want? Be great college basketball fans and join the game with your team and your coach. You deserve it. Dont tear them down just because they dont win every game.
Scott
February 26th, 2010
11:41 am
FIRE PAUL HEWITT !
The kind of talent we have, our record should be better.
Hewitt has had plenty of years to make the basketball program a consistent, winning program and has underachieved.
After many of this years players leave school for the NBA next year, Hewitt’s program will return to medicrocy.
Good programs reload, his will have to rebuild….as usual.
GO JACKETS !
TP
February 26th, 2010
11:41 am
If CPH considers 64% free throw percentage good, then the kids are not working hard enough on that aspect of the game. Consistent winners shoot above 75%. As for the good defense, I just don’t see it on the road. That could be a result of lack of poise in a hostile environment.
Overall, I think it’s time for a change. CPH has become complacent.
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 26th, 2010
12:02 pm
Be For Real, you’re an idiot. Cremins went to the NCAA’s 9 years in a row when it was 48 teams.
oh yea, 3 ACC Championships.
Jacket Dad
February 26th, 2010
12:11 pm
Evidently Hewitt is feeling the heat. He needs to. To comment about the posts he has not even read is crazy. Based on my experience, 90% of the negative comments fall squarely on his back. If he’s really a man, address the comments directly. Man up, instead of offering excuses.
As most have posted – he does not coach fundamentals and his teams never seem to gel. That, coach, falls on your back.
The truth shall set you free...
February 26th, 2010
12:16 pm
Why does everyone think we can’t buy out Hewitt’s contract? We have some of the richest and most giving Alumni of any school…I know for a fact my boss would buy out Hewitt’s contract if someone asked. The school has over a $1.4 Billion endowment almost completely funded by Alumni. Just to add some color, we managed to raise $4 million from Alumni that had graduated JUST FROM OUR FRATERNITY for a new house. We even had one graduate donate money for a local fraternity chapter house, so he could have a local chapter by his beach house. There may be plenty of reasons why we don’t get rid of Hewitt–DRAD maybe able to enlighten us–and even though the AD financials are in a mess, getting the MANY, MANY rich GT Alumni (an informal straw poll conducted by the Alumni Association showed that pre-financial crisis, 1 out of every 5 GT alumni were millionaires by liquid net worth 25 years after graduation) means that the lack of pecuniary resources isn’t one of them.
CBI Cadet
February 26th, 2010
12:48 pm
Not so fast Ramble On… The NCAA tourney switched to 64 teams in 1985. Cremins led Tech to 10 NCAA tourneys in 19 years but failed to make the tourney his last four years, prompting bozos like on this board to cast him aside. Cremins was fantastic. Jury is still out on Hewitt (four trips in nine years, looking for five in 10). Both led Tech to a Final Four. As I stated before, let’s see how this plays out. The fair-weather Techies might be singing a different tune if the Jackets make a run in the tourney.