Looking at arguments against Hewitt
On every blog I post about Georgia Tech’s basketball team the comments usually turn into a roulette wheel of all the reasons that coach Paul Hewitt should be fired. Of course, that means that athletics director Dan Radakovich must pay the $7.2 million buyout that Hewitt’s contract demands, unless a settlement can be reached.
With this season drawing to a close, I thought it might be interesting to bring up some of the most-oft used reasons and do some more research to find out what has credence and what doesn’t so that the conversation might be more balanced.
1. He doesn’t develop players/look at how well his players do in the NBA: I think these two things are related because many of you see a player like Chris Bosh, who is one of the most effective big men in the NBA, and ask “why didn’t he do more of that at Tech?”
Since Hewitt took over, seven players have made the ACC’s All-Freshmen team. Just one of those players, B.J. Elder, later made the All-ACC team in a different year(s), which is one arbitrary way to measure if players are developing. Would Ed Nelson (2002, before transferring to UConn after the 2003 season), Chris Bosh (2003), Thaddeus Young (2007) and Javaris Crittenton (2007) made a few more all-conference teams had they stuck around, in many of their cases for more than one season? Seems plausible. The same is true for Derrick Favors (2010).
On the flip side are players like Jarrett Jack and Gani Lawal, who didn’t make the all-freshman team but developed into two-time all-conference performers later.
Many of those players are having productive NBA careers.
There have been 12 Yellow Jackets drafted or signed as undrafted free agents since the 2001 NBA Draft, which would be the first draft after Hewitt had a full season to coach.
Have other coaches done more with less talent? Yes. Have other coaches done less with more? You betcha. Since many of you seem to think Tech should be the equivalent of North Carolina in basketball (and I can’t think of two schools that are more different), how many national championships did Dean Smith win compared to all the talent that came through Chapel Hill? Jim Boeheim at Syracuse is another example. How many years before John Wooden won a title? (Again, using national championships as the barometer).
I’m not saying that Hewitt is the greatest developer of talent. I have no idea if he’s good at it or not. I can see why some of you are infuriated with the results when you look at the rosters.
I also know that it’s hard to build teams and maintain expectation levels when players can leave and start their career after just one season. Which brings us to our next big complaint:
2. He recruits too many one and dones: Of all the reasons thrown out, this is the most bizarre to me. Everyone may think they know what a 17- or 18-year old is going to do, but until they do it, you can never be certain. If Hewitt weren’t trying to recruit NBA talent he would be villified for that. When he does, and gives a young man a chance to decide if he wants to continue his education, fans come down him for providing an opportunity. Yall can’t have it both ways.
Remember that until 1995, NBA teams rarely selected college underclassmen. The next year the floodgates opened on that possibility. So those teams that are held up as examples of what is possible at Tech likely wouldn’t have done as much if the NBA’s draft rules and philosophies were different.
Why do the players leave Tech? There are many reasons, including it’s a very, very hard school that offers few majors for the “right-brained” that plays in arguably the toughest conference in the country. And please don’t think that if the NFL suddenly lowered it’s “3-year rule” to more closely resemble the NBA’s “1-year rule” that players would stay in college instead of pursuing a paycheck? Please.
3. His win-loss record in the ACC is horrible. Yes, it is. Even going against three Hall-of-Fame coaches every year in Mike Krzyzewski, Gary Williams and Roy Williams, it’s hard to understand how the Jackets are 70-102 in the ACC w ith just one season with a winning conference record, since Hewitt took over. There aren’t a lot of stats that can wipe that one away. I guess had a few of those players stuck around that record would likely be much better, but who knows?
I don’t envy the decision that Radakovich must make.
On the one hand, he’s got a fan base that is in upheavel. Paid-attendance has dipped below 6,000. It’s similar to Bobby Cremins’ last year when paid attendance averaged 6,399. There are many reasons that fans aren’t coming as they once were, but dissatisfaction with the program is a popular one. And it’s understandable.
I’ll bet there’s not more than 4,500 fans at tonight’s game against Virginia.
Plus, how difficult might it be, should he decide to go in a different direction, knowing that the team doesn’t have a home game next year. Games will likely be split between Philips Arena and Gwinnett Arena while AMC is gutted and re-built. Attendance next year will likely be even lower, I would think. If you were a potential candidate on Tech’s list, would you want to start your Tech career with no home and playing in front of potentially half-filled arenas? Granted, the next year the $45-million Hank McCamish Pavilion will open, but still.
Plus, there’s the amount of the buyout itself. To fire one man would cost the Georgia Tech Athletics Association the equivalent of 13.1 percent of its annual operating budget. That sum wouldn’t be paid out in a lump, so it’s not like there’s one big hit. But remember that the GTAA is still paying former football coach Chan Gailey. The last payment on that buyout occurs Jan. 2012.
I’m sure some of you will again say that I’m a Hewitt apologist. I’m not anyone’s apologist. I’m just trying to bring some civility and level-headedness to your conversations.
– Doug Roberson, AJC
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349 comments Add your comment
brent cunningham
February 23rd, 2011
6:03 am
Mark Price would coach, and coach well, for less to help with pay out.He wouldmake an excellent coach to teach the fundamentals of the game.I think this is how duke and nc get the job done on a consistant basis, all their teams over the years look alike, because they are taught the same things over and over and it pays off.
Basketball fan
February 23rd, 2011
6:22 am
“I’m just trying to bring some civility and level-headedness to your conversations”. Didn’t you just write about Tech making it back to the NCAAs? LOL
I think most Tech fans knew we were in for a long season when Kennesaw State beat us. I think they have won just eight games this year. Paul Hewitt is a good man, but we need to go in a different direction. Nothing trilling about the Thrillerdome anymore.
JustSaying........
February 23rd, 2011
6:45 am
Didn’t Avery and Brand leave Duke early?
JustSaying........
February 23rd, 2011
6:48 am
What about the 1st kid Duke signed from Alaska……….I can’t remember his name……….
Blizznaki
February 23rd, 2011
6:49 am
GT football season ticket holders – did you notice that your tickets cost almost $100 more for 2011? Maybe they’ll use that $$ to get rid of Blewit. I sure hope so.
Larry
February 23rd, 2011
6:50 am
“I’m not saying that Hewitt is the greatest developer of talent. I have no idea if he’s good at it or not.”
No idea? NO IDEA??
Then what on earth qualifies you to initiate a blog on this subject matter?
Sanjeev
February 23rd, 2011
6:55 am
Weird how these other coaches have no problems with 1 and dones and making Final Four runs. Yea I’m sure those academics at Tech are nowhere near Duke’s level.
Just fire his sorry butt already!!
JustSaying........
February 23rd, 2011
6:57 am
It’s been more than 3 players from Duke leave early, but it’s time for change at Tech. This should be PH last year. Next season will be really like a transitional season for Tech (playing home games off campus), so this will be the ideal time to do a “complete” transition. The question is who’s the next coach? Look at NCST and WF just to name a few……..it’s not that simple.
JustSaying........
February 23rd, 2011
7:05 am
I thought Steve Lavin would have been an excellent choice, a guy that’s known from coast to coast (can recruit any where), and who seems to be familar with the AAU circuit. I know he’s at St. Johns now…….just wishful thinking.
Gordon
February 23rd, 2011
7:08 am
From what I understand, the “we are still paying Gailey” argument is not valid. He is being paid from donations made specifically for that purpose, so when he is paid off has no effect on the operational budget, including paying off Hewitt.
If we can’t afford to pay off Hewitt, then so be it. Until donors step up we will be stuck with him while our program slowly dies or he decides to leave for a lesser buyout. But the debate about whether he should stay based on his ability as a coach is long since over. I am thankful he has run a clean program and would rather have our situation than UConn/Calhoun, but our record speaks for itself. He did fine the first 5 years, but after Keener and Warren left he has simply failed. I believe the program will take a long time to recover if he doesn’t leave now.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
February 23rd, 2011
7:39 am
“I’m sure some of you will again say that I’m a Hewitt apologist.”
If you truly think Hewitt should not be fired, then not only are you his apologist, you must his houseboy.
wombat
February 23rd, 2011
7:39 am
Regarding #2, we ALL knew Bosh, Young, and Favors were gone before they sat in their first calculus class. Only Crittendon caught people by surprise. If Hewitt thinks otherwise, then there’s reason number 47 to let him go.
Road Scholar
February 23rd, 2011
7:41 am
Doug, how many of those “one and done” came to that conclusion since , during their first year, they recieved no coaching? Also, it appears during the games that the assistants have no authority to even talk to the players. How do the players get feedback and make it a learning experience?
the murf
February 23rd, 2011
7:42 am
To your first point, I don’t really give a damn what Tech players do in the NBA. I don’t watch it. I care what happens when they are at AMC. Hewitt’s time at Tech is over.
Road Scholar
February 23rd, 2011
7:43 am
wombat: And how is that working out for Crittendon?
Reality Bites
February 23rd, 2011
7:53 am
I want him gone….like two years ago, but who we gonna get? Is the Butler guy the answer here? Does he have ther inroads to recruiting here in the ATL? And will he let HIS asst coach, or just hold clipboards like the “genius” we have on the floor now?
JROLL1
February 23rd, 2011
7:56 am
HEWITT HAS NOT PUT ANY PLAYERS IN THE NBA…THEY WERE GOING TO BE THERE ANYWAY…..
Ptjackets
February 23rd, 2011
8:00 am
Here is a news flash! If Tech wins the fans will come where ever they play!
I personally will not watch on TV or go to any more games as long as Hewet is there as coach.
Also if he is there next year I will not renue my season tickets.
And as a side note I can’t even give my season tickets away this year thats how bad it has got!
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
8:01 am
I bet St Johns is thanking God every single day they didn’t hire this guy and they got Lavin….they are headed back to the NCAA tourney while Hewitt is about to be fired.
He’s horrible:
1. Worst win/loss percentage since expansion
2. His players don’t graduate
3. The fans are turning away in droves from the product
4. The only…the absolute only thing that has kept him around is the CONTRACT and ONE GOOD YEAR…that’s it.
Ptjackets
February 23rd, 2011
8:02 am
Just another short note why would he leave for a lesser buyout! He’s a bad coach but he is not stupid! He knows he can have his cake and eat it to! Who ever made this deal with him to start with was the idiot.
BehindEnemyLines
February 23rd, 2011
8:03 am
“trying to bring some civility and level-headedness to your conversations.” The fact that no one has set fire to Coach Useless’ office with him in it is more “civility & level-headedness” than his performance has earned. And since you “have no idea if he’s good at it or not”, then do the world a favor & don’t write about college basketball ever again. If you can’t reach some conclusion on that point then you’re as much an empty suit in that role as he is in his.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
8:05 am
@Ptjackets…..exactly…..this contract has put him in a situation where there is little to NO incentive to work hard to win. If I know I’m going to be guaranteed $7 million….no matter what happens it does impact behavior. We have incentive contracts to encourage behavior in the other direction. He’s got a contract that has essentially rewarded pathetic basketball for years.
mwh6767
February 23rd, 2011
8:09 am
It really doesn’t matter what his record is at this point. The only record that matters is the attendance record and that one he has llost. Tech fans have given up, period. It doesn’t matter if he stays next year and takes the team to the final four. Tech fans won’t show up the following year. Tech didn’t always win before Hewitt got here but at least they where exciting to watch. I watched the VT game and it was like watching a train wreck! The fans are done and we aren’t coming back until Hewitt is gone.
Ohio Jacket
February 23rd, 2011
8:12 am
As a Tech grad living in Ohio, I recently went to a game at Xavier Univ. Looking around, I could not help but think about how Xavier is a better program in so many ways than Tech right now. But, even though XU is a top 25 team and they won that night, too, the atmosphere at Xavier was nowhere near the fervor of the Thrillerdome at Tech in years gone by. And, of course, no one would argue that the A-10 is a better conference than the ACC. The point being, Tech is still a program with tremendous advantages and potential – and yet it has consistently underachieved over the last five years. Doug, your facts are reasonable, but GT fans aren’t coming and won’t be coming because they see nothing to suggest that aforementioned potential of the program is being truly cultivated and built upon. They are renovating AMC? Who cares? Give GT fans a team that is competitive each and every game, each and every season, and those seats will be filled again.
Cancer
February 23rd, 2011
8:12 am
About keeping Hewitt around 1 more year to save a new coach the non home game feeling…my response is this: If you find a cancer in your body and you know it is bad…do you wait to get treatment or do you get surgery to get it out ASAP! …I’m just saying.
Yellow Britches
February 23rd, 2011
8:13 am
If the problem is the lump sum buyout how about this as a solution. Keep Hewitt and pay him his annual salary. Just give him other responsibilities and duties. He can file records, design stationary and sell refirgerator magnets with the Buzz logo on them. Just keep him away from the actual duties of the head basketball coach. Hire someone else for those duties and responsibilities and call him the “Commander of the Men’s Basketball Team at GT”.
mwh6767
February 23rd, 2011
8:14 am
He isn’t going anywhere until Tech fires him. He won’t take a lesser buy-out. Why would he, after the hatchet job he has done with tech basketball he isn’t getting another big confernce job. He is done and he knows it. Get all the money he can, sit on his butt for a couple of years and then he will resurface at like a southwest maryland state type school. No big school will touch him after he is fired from tech.
mwh6767
February 23rd, 2011
8:17 am
Yellow, I would make his life absolute h$ll! He would do everything in the athletic offices but get near that basketball team!
Stake
February 23rd, 2011
8:17 am
THis is a bunch of garbage. There’s one thing you need to look at. Record and results. That’s what matter. And ph has been an epic failure at that. What is his record against uga. nuff said.
Mack
February 23rd, 2011
8:20 am
The ? is how much the tech players lost by having hewitt as a coach and not getting drafted higher thus making a more lucrative nba contract.
Jake
February 23rd, 2011
8:23 am
one nba analyst questioned blewitts coaching after watching anthony morrow flourish in the nba his first season.
Brian
February 23rd, 2011
8:29 am
Yeah those previous tech coaches before blewitt didn’t have to coach against mike k, dean smith and gary w. they started coaching at 2000.
Oh and if anything paul hewitt has been lucky cause he got 3 years of unc without roy and of course the first year will be an easy one.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:31 am
@ doug
Joe Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:31 am
CPH has lost the fans and right now it seems the players seem to be just waiting for the season to end. It seems there is no rhyme or reason to his offense and the defense is consistently breaking down. The games might as well be played on the playground because that’s the way the team is playing. DRAD has no choice but to say so long to CPH if he wants the fan base back.
Ben
February 23rd, 2011
8:31 am
Buyout is a Sunk Cost Doug!! We have to pay the buyout sometime. Better to go ahead and swallow the bitter pill now and try to start the rebuilding process of the team and the fan base.
Calculus
February 23rd, 2011
8:34 am
Fire Paul Hewitt = Cry over Tuitt
Goldrenrod
February 23rd, 2011
8:35 am
I dis-Heart Paul Hewitt. You provided some great starts Doug, hopefully D-Rad will realize these and know that we can no longer afford to take a backseat to the University of Georgia on the football field or the basketball court.
Fire Hewitt Now!
Remarkable
February 23rd, 2011
8:38 am
Don’t make the AJC writers your enemy. They will write about you loosing your job night and day untill you do.
Saint Mark Richt
February 23rd, 2011
8:39 am
Ole Saint Mark Richt here. As someone who supposedly recruits elite talent and wastes it on an annual basis I support Paul Hewitt. I know how it feels to be in his position.
I know my program is overrated, and only my fan base thinks were relevant outside of the South, but who am I to tell them that? I mean they surely realize that this “great” program as they call it only has 1 National Championship per the NCAA (1980).
I’ll have my excuses ready for everyone in just a mere 6 months when Boise State and South Carolina pound us to open the season. I’ll continue to defend my joke of a DC in fat Grantham in the process. I mean we all know he has never been successful as a DC at any level. But hey, my fans will continue to be in denial that I wasn’t looking at 4 other DC’s before settling on my boy fat Grantham.
Time to elevate the expectations in Athens next year 7 wins (with a bowl win) should do it. Maybe one day my program will actually live up to the hype. Too bad it will be when I’m coaching elsewhere.
How about my overrated, over hyped Dawgs!!!!
KJ
February 23rd, 2011
8:42 am
what will the excuses be when shump goes on to succeed well at the nba while having 2-3 great games out of 35 per year in college. hewitt breeds lazyness, sloppy play, no fundamentals, little hustle. he would have been fired 3 years ago if that contract wasn’t in place.
Pryor
February 23rd, 2011
8:45 am
Saint Mark
What will happen when they start 0-2 is, well it’ takes time. He needs at least two years with his dream team. Then before you know it, half of them are not on the team and the lone star is going pro. lol
gt basketball is uga football.
nash
February 23rd, 2011
8:46 am
lets be honest people without duke and north carolina the acc sucks this year.
Honest and Frank Discussion
February 23rd, 2011
8:48 am
LOL.
Doug, you need to find a career.
On the first topic, you ignore guys like Morrow, Lewis Clinch, Jeremis Smith, RaSean Dickey, Zam Frederick, Alade Aminu, and Zach Peacock. Even guys like Gani Lawal, Thad Young, Iman Shumpert never really hit their full potential. Looking at how many Jackets made the NBA doesn’t prove your point at all – Hewitt’s had tons of NBA talent that would have gone to the NBA without him as a coach. I can only think of a few examples, like Mario West, where they wouldn’t have gone without coaching – but I believe West was a product of since departed assistant coaches. Name a player in the last 3-4 years who has gone to the NBA from GT who didn’t project to do so out of high school?
Your second point is even worse. Everyone and their mother knew Favors and Thad Young would be gone after a year. I don’t think he recruits too many one and dones, but they have certainly hurt his teams’ performances. Could have done much better, imo, going harder after guys in the top 25-50.
And he wouldn’t have gotten villified by it at all. Look at college baseball coaches. They have to stray from recruiting top talent all the time (because it goes pro). Guys like Danny Hall have to balance going after the best v. going after guys who will stick around for 3-4 years. They are more villified when a bunch of recruits leave early than they are when they settle for a lesser class.
Larry
February 23rd, 2011
8:50 am
Do you goobers not realize that Hewitt WANTS to be fired! Would you quit if you were doing a poor job and surrender the rights to 7 million, or would you wait for the inevitable firing and the 7 million check that comes with it?
Anyone with a brain can clearly see in Hewitt’s body language and indifference that he’s waiting to get fired…and paid well for it!
Good grief!
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:52 am
When a GT fan says Hewitt does not develop players i laugh..Mario West was a walk on..Big Luc could barely run when he got to Tech…The AJC wrote an article about how Favors and Lawai both hated the refs in the ACC..i have been with the GREAT ATLANTA CELTICS for 12 years…Everyone noticed how Favors and Lawai, both CELTICS were given bad treatment by the refs…Its a monster right now at South Atlanta..he is also a CELTIC..he has crossed GT and the whole ACC off his list die to the refs.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:53 am
1.when a idiot gt fan say he does not develop talent i laugh..Mario West and Big Luc are examples of hewitt developing players
RambleOn84
February 23rd, 2011
8:54 am
True, nash, but Tech and Hewitt are a big part of the problem. Tech SHOULD be a very good program. When we’re not, that’s just one more team that underachieves and casts a negative light on the ACC.
The ACC has some of the best talent in the country, but the coaches have fallen off dramatically in the last few years.
Pryor
February 23rd, 2011
8:55 am
you can say that about every conference nash except for the big east. but watch for them to choke in the big dance as they almost always do.
RambleOn84
February 23rd, 2011
8:55 am
Hewitt Fan,
Mario is playing better (and more minutes) in the pros than he did at Tech…try again…
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:55 am
i have been with the GREAT ATLANTA CELTICS for 12 years…everyone in our program was pissed at how the refs did Favors..He wanted to stay 2 years..Gt will never get another CELTIC ever regardless of coach..Its the ACc we have a problem with…