Radakovich’s letter to fans
Tech athletics director Dan Radakovich sent this letter to fans on Thursday in The Good Word, the weekly email that goes to Tech fans. It’s also published on ramblinwreck.com. Here is the link: http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/ot/geot-good-word.html
Here is the letter:
TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
This, Tech fans, is an important edition of The Good Word, so heads up!
You have all followed the story this week as Coach Hewitt was courted by a University in his home town, where he has had and continues to have many friends and close connections. It is a school that has solicited his services as head basketball coach before – it did in 2004 when Georgia Tech made a long-term commitment to Paul. As he did in 2004, Coach Hewitt today withdrew his name from consideration at that school. But this time the circumstances are much different, and I think some honest and thoughtful reflection on what has transpired needs to be done.
I am extremely happy that Paul, Dawnette and their girls have decided to stay here in Atlanta and continue to be a part of the Georgia Tech Family. For the moment, I ask you to put aside your emotions with Coach Hewitt and the program. Let’s consider where we are and where we are going. First, understand that no one person, be it a coach, an athletic director or even a president, is more important than the Institution known as Georgia Tech. Given that, doesn’t it make sense to keep Georgia Tech at the forefront of every conversation and every decision? That premise guides our lives here in the athletic program every day.
Six years ago, after being handed an appearance in the National Championship game by Coach Hewitt and his team, Georgia Tech made a commitment to arguably the hottest, brightest and most desirable head coach on the planet. Georgia Tech made that commitment. But at the same time, Paul Hewitt, who could have hand-picked many jobs along the way — including St. John’s — made the same commitment to our Institute. He absolutely wanted to be here at Tech and to make a commitment to the city of Atlanta.
For the last year or so I have read and heard all of the concerns and comments about our basketball program. All of them. Believe me. Some are valid, some are not. Drawing on my own experience and that of my administrative staff (Paul Griffin and Wayne Hogan alone bring more than 70 years in the business), and using the valid feedback that I receive from some of you on a daily basis, I periodically counsel Coach Hewitt as I do all of our 17 head coaches. My purpose in life is to do all I can to make Georgia Tech better in every area.
I am not oblivious that we now live in a world of instant gratification. The sports world has become all about “what have you done for me lately.” In a pro sports town like ours, it is not uncommon to read about multi-million dollar salaries, $100 million payrolls and coaches and athletes who come and go on a whim. When a program or team goes through trials and tribulations the first solution has become “fire the coach.” Certainly we work in a results-oriented business. However, in some cases the best course of action is to stay the course. Unfortunately, there is a feeling by some that change would solve everything. I say to that: Not always. Not now… and especially not in the light of Georgia Tech’s commitment to this man, his family and our basketball program.
In the case of Coach Hewitt and Georgia Tech basketball, we remain together because we are Georgia Tech. Coach Hewitt remains the same bright, desirable and coveted college basketball coach he was in 2004. If you have any doubt, just read the New York City newspapers from the past week. His credentials as a human being, a family man, a leader and builder of character are impeccable. The mission here is clear. We need to win more basketball games. We will continue to do everything within our power to do that — as an organization — with Paul Hewitt as our basketball coach. It is not a one-man mission. We are all committed to scour every inch of the program, suggest and effect the needed changes and to give the coach every ounce of support. This is what we do at Georgia Tech.
So now that we know the lay of the land, I am asking you as Georgia Tech alums, fans and supporters, to get with the program. My experience has been that when a Tech man finds himself in choppy waters, the Tech family rises to help. This is about Georgia Tech. It’s about commitment. And it’s about a part of the Tech heritage — our men’s basketball program. We must pull together and continue to support this program and Coach Hewitt. This is the Georgia Tech way!
Go Jackets!
—–
Here’s a story that published in today’s AJC and has been online for a while: http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/tech-fans-might-be-404264.html
—
Daniel Drummond, a freshman on Georgia Tech’s football team, has been ruled ineligible for at least the first 10 games of the 2010 season by the NCAA for violating eligibility rules.Tech declined to comment on the reason for the ruling.
A native of Flowery Branch, Drummond redshirted during the 2009 season. He is eligible to participate in practices but not games.
Drummond, 6-3, 253 pounds, was expected to compete for playing time at B-back. He rushed for 1,102 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior at Flowery Branch.
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238 comments Add your comment
bigstack19
March 26th, 2010
11:54 pm
Bull plop!
Lil' Barry Bailout
March 27th, 2010
12:36 am
Wow, that’s some case of man-love. Are there any circumstances under which Radakovich would consider replacing Hewitt?
Hewitt Can't Coach
March 27th, 2010
12:49 am
The funny thing is Hewitt seems to be “oblivious” to the fact that MOST Tech Fans want him G-O-N-E!! He always says something like, “I got 40 messages on my Blackberry today saying they’re glad I’m staying at GT.” What he DOESN’T say is those are from fans & alums of UGAy, UNC, DUKE, etc!
Seriously, how can he NOT know so many people wish he would just leave? And just how much accountability can be demanded from a coach that has a never-ending contract? DanRad did the right thing when he sucked it up and paid off Gailey to just go off campus and never look back.
Clearly the $7+ Mill Braine-less buyout has his hands sufficiently tied on this one. Tech just can’t afford to fire Hewitt…Period. DanRad is doing all he can do by faxing Hewitt’s resume to every school with a BB program…..But is it really justified to “instruct” GT Fans & Alums to “get with the program” when they know it’s going nowhere fast?
And Hewitt “wants to stay because all of his familty is happy in Atlanta”…Yeah, right. It’s more like he wants to stay because nobody can force him to leave. If Hewitt had an ounce of self-repect, he’d just resign. 10 years of pathetic results speak for themselves. GT’s athletic standards have been lowered and DanRad wants us to congratulate him and Hewitt. You don’t see me smiling.
BC-GT92
March 27th, 2010
1:26 am
I read the comments from time to time on these articles, and I love how UGA fans call GT fans nerds, yet the same UGA fans apparently have nothing better to do than to sit in front of their computer for 7 hours posting trash talk.
Irony FTW.
Tokyo jacket
March 27th, 2010
3:10 am
D-Rad is the man. By the time I got done with that, I actually wasn’t nearly as frustrated with CPH. I would expect that D-Rad would drive at least a little accountability in CPH next year.
I found one thing VERY INTERESTING though. D-Rad had this to say of Hewitt “His credentials as a human being, a family man, a leader and builder of character.” Did anyone notice that there was this exact same line in Bradley’s blog earlier this week? I mean, WORD for WORD. Is D-Rad trolling Tech blogs? If so, he’s way connected with what we think.
Andy
March 27th, 2010
7:51 am
Here’s what a true letter would have stated:
1.) Despite having the most talent in the ACC, Tech finished in 7th place
2.) Tech finally pulled something together and made the ACC finals despite shattering the tournament turnover record
3.) Hewitt is a good recruiter and horrible coach
4.) Hewitt knows he’s a mediocre coach and didn’t want to get canned at St John’s after the same kind of performance
5.) Like it or not, we are stuck with this guy so let’s make the best of it.
Buzzboy
March 27th, 2010
8:17 am
At this point,I am not a firm believer in Coach Hewitt but I am DRad. There is not an AD in the country that I have more respect for. Therefore the basketball program as well as all our athletic programs have this Tech fans full support.
eBuzz
March 27th, 2010
8:19 am
Well crafted letter, but fails to address the actual situation, which is the need for a coaching change.
Robert
March 27th, 2010
8:56 am
Either good PR or we need a new AD.
Coach Hewitt..
March 27th, 2010
9:04 am
Come on guys,”We’ve got a pretty good thing” even though we’ll never be UNC or Duke. I’m 177-144 at Tech, including 67-93 in the ACC in 10 seasons, what more do you want from me.
-
-
-
SO………………………………………………………………
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Give me $7.1 million or STFU…I Run This School……LMMFAO…Paul.
79
March 27th, 2010
9:05 am
Y’all enjoy your “alone time” at AMC in ‘10-11……
Hewitt said, after Tech was unable to inbound the ball against (somebody…Hell, I can’t remember who…it happened in EVERY game);
“I’ve been teaching coaching them on my inbound plays for ten years….”
To which someone here in the AJC Comments wrote,
“Ten years ago these guys were 9…”
Raised a Yellow Jacket
March 27th, 2010
9:11 am
Great letter DRAD. Although I am sick that Hewitt has only succeeded in having one winning ACC season out of ten years, he otherwise is a great representative for the Institute. His ONLY problem is that he needs to win more games, and CPH needs to understand that excuses are just that. Excuses. Win more games, and every disgruntled fan will shut the hell up, and fight like hell to defend him. For many of us, GT basketball is our favorite and sometimes ONLY escape from an increasingly tough world. We want to be proud of the coach and the team. But our ACC record and other forms of underachieving are depressing. And it’s even more maddening because we KNOW CPH can win more by CONSTRUCTIVELY criticizing himself, his assistants, the team, and then making the necessary improvements in tactics, strategy, accountability, and personnel. Here’s to a winning ACC record in 2010-2011. Let’s make it happen. No excuses. Respectfully, Raised a Yellow Jacket
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 27th, 2010
9:24 am
Can Hewitt not know that he has lost the support of approximately 75% of the alum/fan base? I think he knows. They just don’t have the number for his blackberry.
Doug Roberson
March 27th, 2010
9:40 am
I’m not sure how many of you read the other story I linked to in the blog, but I went back and researched the past 10 years in the ACC. There’s Duke, Maryland and North Carolina, and then there’s everybody else. Tech’s winning percentage in the ACC is actually better than most.
I’m not sure how anyone can say Tech has had the most talent. The big three have had a lot of All-Americans, as has Wake Forest. FSU has two NBA big men on its roster, and it struggled this year.
This was only written to introduce some more facts into your conversation, not as opinion.
savannahdawg
March 27th, 2010
9:41 am
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah……………..see ya next year for another Dawg victory over the Jr. NASA boys!!!!
The contract and buzzzzzzzzzzzzing
March 27th, 2010
9:43 am
The CPH contract is a chain around tech’s neck and it is so hillarious. I mean, I thought “Tech men were bidness men, too intelligent” to sign some dumb a– contract like his. Funny. Sloppy too.
Also, your 2 Navy flyers that buzzed Grant Field, were schocked according to the flight recorder, with the 12,000 fans in the stadium when they did their DUMB thing. BUSTED and DEMOTED and GROUNDED they are. Tech men. Geeks. Waffle House grill men they all are.
Is this a pattern?
Brent
March 27th, 2010
9:53 am
Non-change we can believe in. DRAD should run for president.
BobinBuford
March 27th, 2010
10:26 am
The contract:
“Schocked”?? Talk about sloppy. They can’t do those flyovers at UGA – there are no UGA grads with enough brains to fly a Navy jet, and all the fans at Sanford would think that we were being attacked!!
UGA grads are Waffle House grillmen – GT grads OWN Waffle House.
Jack G.
March 27th, 2010
10:29 am
It is my opinion that CPH wanted to take the St. Johns job, but Mrs. CPH said NO.
Apparently she dosent read these blogs, or she would have said lets go back to NY.
OR she said wait till we can get the Golden Parachute and the go back to NY.
Larry
March 27th, 2010
10:30 am
Paraphrased:
“I handcuffed this great institution to a mediocre basketball coach with the most absurd contract imaginable so now I have become a Polly Anna cheerleader to circumvent the negative attention I so deserve for doing such. I can’t change the contract, so I’m hoping I can change your attitude about the contract. Indeed, what are my options?”
Barack Radakavich
March 27th, 2010
10:41 am
YOU WILL LIKE WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU ,MY SUBJECTS!!!
DRAD Real
March 27th, 2010
11:35 am
Drad needs to make a move on Hewitt next year, or he can hit the road too. Hewitt is sucking all the life out of the program. I’m not renewing season tickets until hewitt’s gone. Hopefully next year some other school hires hewitt and Ga tech can get out of that $7 mil buyout.
Mark Fox
March 27th, 2010
12:11 pm
Hey D-Rad, thanks for keeping my buddy Paul…I was worried you would get a real coach in there and make my job harder….Thanks to you me and my rag tag bunch of cast offs will still run this state in basketball….GoooooooooDawgs….sic ‘em….woof woof woof…
Bad day on the Flats
March 27th, 2010
12:17 pm
DRad, you can sure write a letter. Then again, that’s about like saying a used car salesman sure knows how to talk. The way you handle this situation will probably impact your next job considerably, when you do leave us here at Tech. If Hewitt performs well and the fans come back, then it might help you get the job at Michigan or Florida or Ohio State or wherever else you want to work. If it doesn’t work out, I guess it might help you get a job at East Dakota State or Montana Vocational Technical College.
Bad day on the Flats
March 27th, 2010
12:19 pm
Something tells me we won’t be seeing much of you either way, so I’ll take this opportunity to thank you (sincerely) for the considerable good you have done for Georgia Tech, including straightening out the GTAA after Braine let and hiring some fine coaches. You big mistake is going to be not firing a coach who may be a good man but who does not have the support and affection of the Tech faithful.
GT Fan
March 27th, 2010
12:21 pm
Been a GT fan all my life and will continue to support all sports except anything PAUL HEWITT has to do with. The last 3 years I have missed GT basketball but I will not support Hewitt. (The Lady Jackets have been good and getting better)
Rads has let the fans down and I have lost alot of respect I had for him. I pray Hewitt will leave are be fired.
HelluvaDisappointment
March 27th, 2010
12:23 pm
I am disappointed in both Dan Radakovich and Paul Hewitt for recruiting players who are not academically committed, in other words, for serving as an AAU affiliate and NBA farm team. Georgia Tech is much better than that. Any NCAA school should be better than that.
GetwhatUpayfor
March 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
AGREE WITH “Bad Day On The Flats”
HelluvaDisappointment
March 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
GT FAn, I am with you man. Well said. We can still be Tech fans and not finance Hewitt. As DRad just reminded us, Tech is bigger than any one person.
GetwhatUpayfor
March 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
You got that right @ 12:23
HelluvaDisappointment
March 27th, 2010
12:29 pm
Tech may be bigger than any one man, but it is not really big enough for TWO 800-lb gorillas that no one wants to talk about. The first is Hewitt’s abyssmal record with graduating players and even keeping them in school. The second is Hewitt’s refusal to recruit white and hispanic (and for that matter any non-black) players. These two gorillas are related, and both seem to be invisible to DRad and the Tech administration.
HelluvaDisappointment
March 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
It will take a major media scandal before everyone (including the AJC) to address these issues of academics and unbiased recruiting, and then Tech will suffer because of it. The writing is on the wall, with the NCAA considering the 40% grad rate rule and the changing social climate. How embarrassing for the state school which presumably holds itself to a higher standard.
Bad day on the Flats
March 27th, 2010
12:40 pm
Helluvadisappointed: I agree that A.) it is a problem and B.) that no one wants to talk about it. I’m not sure why unless it is just typical liberal academic bias (though Tech is historically not as afflicted with this as other schools) or they just don’t see any legal downside for maintaining the status quo. I would think to the contrary that with the recent successful lawsuits by athletes against UGA and other schools they might be concerned, since Hewitt et al are clearly not fulfilling the school’s contractual obligations of providing (which includes ENCOURAGING and SUPPORTING) the promised education as provided by scholarships. Perhaps when one of these NBA “bolters” gets injured early or flops in the league and decides to sue we will find out if they have a good case. Then it might be too late for Tech.
Bad day on the Flats
March 27th, 2010
12:41 pm
Then again, not even bloggers say anything about it so maybe we are in the minority and it’s not even an issue.
Techesquire
March 27th, 2010
12:49 pm
Then again, not even bloggers say anything about it so maybe we are in the minority and it’s not even an issue.
Lil' Barry Bailout
March 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
Doug Roberson: “Tech’s winning percentage in the ACC is actually better than most.
I’m not sure how anyone can say Tech has had the most talent.”
———————
Did we have more talent this year than Georgia? Georgia was pathetic this year and Hewitt didn’t get his team ready for them. Did we have more talent than Miami? Florida? Maryland? Virginia? Hewitt and his bunch managed to lose to all of them at least once this season.
Techesquire
March 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
Sports Law and Academic Law are not my fields, but since it appears to be systemic (repeated again and again under Hewitt’s and Radakovich’s watch), I think it is an area of liability (or at the least an area where Tech would be vulnerable for a claim of such impropriety). The courts are looking more favorably on athletes suing their alma maters for breach of contract in scholarships. Ma Tech’s and the GTAA’s legal counsel doubtless has it all under control, but even the claim or appearance of impropriety would be a public relations debacle for Tech.
Techesquire
March 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
NCAA Compliance has made it clear that schools have to go above and beyond to provide athletes with a (more than fair) chance to complete their degrees, even when the athletes initially lack compunction and motivation to do so on their own. So the graduation rates and targeting of unqualified students as athletes is a real area of concern for all schools, and it is about to get bigger with federal government involvement. ON the racially imbalanced recruiting issue, because of the political leanings of the NCAA and academic governing bodies in general, it is unlikely that any issue would be raised concerning that. (Unless, of course, other minorities, such as hispanic or asian entities, were to get involved.)
foreverandeveramen
March 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
Black people playing basketball? who would’ve ever thought.
foreverandeveramen
March 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
everyone knows that white kids and hispanic kids can’t play ball, and even yaoming knows that asians can’t play.
Tennessee and KY in Elite 8
March 27th, 2010
1:04 pm
What time does Maryland, GT, FSU, Wake Forest, and Clemson tip off? And can you believe some of the ACC idiots thought VPI should be in also. What a pathetic conference.
APReports2015
March 27th, 2010
1:09 pm
Georgia Tech’s new Athletic Director, Polly Anna, has just announced the renewal of Coach Paul Hewitt’s contract through the end of the 2050 season and added: “Everyone who loves Georgia Tech will continue to support our coach because they are bad people if they do not, and they are especially bad if they say he is bad. Now there are plenty of empty seats at the renovated Cremins-Hewitt Court in Alexander-Radakovich Memorial Colesium so we expect everyone to come see the team play. On a side note, our three freshman will be playing only the first five games of the season so that they can join their NBA teams for the start of their pro careers.”
APReports2015
March 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
Film at 11.
KYJelly & TennEars
March 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
boy, howdee. Kentucky and West Virgina playing in the NCAA. There will be more albino banjo players than teeth in attendance for that one.
KYJelly & TennEars
March 27th, 2010
1:13 pm
Of course the volvas will hold their own against their foe. Of course, they are always holding their own, since no one else will hold it for ‘em.
KYJelly & TennEars
March 27th, 2010
1:14 pm
itza good thing Ky football and Tn kiffinball suck or else there might be more people at spring practice than down at the five and dime watchin the games on tv.
Eliterthanyou, and a better dresser, too
March 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
Is it true that every single one of the players in the KY-WVU game is related? They all have the same sisters and mothers.
Eliterthanyou, and a better dresser, too
March 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
True story: The University of Tennessee officially changed the school song to “Rocky Top” from “On Top of Ol’ Smokey” because the school mascot (a hound dog named Smokey) was getting too tired and the coeds were getting jealous.
D-Rad is not rad
March 27th, 2010
1:24 pm
Dan Radakovich may have gone too far in casting his lot with Paul Hewitt this time. I sure wouldn’t want to base my career on the performance of a man who has performed mediocre at best in his job and whose popularity rating is sinking by the day. It seems that maybe D-Rad and Hewitt have the same “20-30″ blackberry friends telling them how good they are.
D-Rad is not rad
March 27th, 2010
1:29 pm
I can not believe that Radakovich has an accurate take on the degree and validity of dissension aimed at Hewitt’s program. If he had indeed read ALL of the adverse opinions then he could never have written such drivel and polly annish tripe. I once admired him for his competency, integrity, and candidness. I guess competency will have to be good enough from here on out.