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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
349 comments Add your comment
mitchell
February 23rd, 2011
8:03 pm
“..bring some civility and level-headedness to your conversations.”
Why???????????
Hewitt is just plain AWFUL – see record
Has NO PERSONAL PRIDE – won’t quit
He is AWLFUL, and will be terminated.
The only question is – will it be March 2011 or March 2012.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:08 pm
Wait just a second, let me get up off my knees. As you all know I am a great Atlanta Celtic which makes me an expert on all things basketball. From my lofty perch I can see that the ACC Refs are in a conspiracy against Paul Hewitt and my fellow Celtics. They also shot Kennedy and spread AIDS through urban America to start a race war, but that’s another blog. I just know that kneeling down before Coach Paul Hewitt is so rewarding and filling….
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
8:11 pm
Coachie Poo, don’t let those mean ol’ rednecks and white mens force you out. You is my favorite mens on roundball and I cain’t wait til we can dribble and pass it around a little tonight.
Jarrett Jack
February 23rd, 2011
8:13 pm
I accept the head coaching job at Georgia Tech and look forward to continuing on the same way Paul Hewitt taught me… Let’s toast.
Paul in RDU
February 23rd, 2011
8:35 pm
“a team with no talent has won 9 out 12 ACC championships”
Under Coach K, Duke has had 50 McDonald All-Americans. There are currently 13 ex-Duke players in the pros.
Adios
February 23rd, 2011
8:50 pm
Nice call on the poster saying to bet against them. Talk about easy money. I took uva and the points. 1k
Ozzy
February 23rd, 2011
9:01 pm
Dang.
The refs got us again huh Hewitt fan? We’re waiting for some more rationalization.
Please Oh Great Celtic, explain to us what just happened.
Old Fashioned
February 23rd, 2011
9:04 pm
Yeah,the refs made our guys miss all of those foul shots! (How do they do this?)
Steve
February 23rd, 2011
9:07 pm
HA HA HA. ANOTHER loss. And at home this time. Ha. KEEP HEWITT! please?
Paul in RDU
February 23rd, 2011
9:07 pm
“the best players to play at Gt have been mostly Celtics…..James Forrest, Tony Adkins,Ismail Muhammad,Jevaris Crittenton, Bj Elder…Derrick Favors, Gani Lawai”
You can’t make this stuff up!. Not one of these “best players” has done anything in the NBA (unless you count Javaris “Quick Draw” Crittenton) – Favors may be different
Somehow GT managed to have some passable players who never played for the Atlanta Celtics – Mark Price, John Salley, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, Stephon Marbury, Matt Harpring, Matt Geiger, Travis Best, Chris Bosh, Drew Barry, Jarret Jack, Anthony Morrow, Thaddeus Young
Ozzy
February 23rd, 2011
9:08 pm
Was Mfon a Celtic? I know Gani was. I saw him airball more than one free throw when I still bought my tickets. I guess the Celtics don’t really work on free throws.
Too frickin funny, now there’s a Great Celtic in Utah. Bet he’ll love partying with the Mormons!!
Danny
February 23rd, 2011
9:18 pm
Awesome game. They really stepped up! And that coach. Wow is he smart!
And those clutch shots. Those free throws are so hard to make! 46% is just amazing!
37% fg %! Man those celtics sure know how to teach them playas to shoot dat ball!
STAN
February 23rd, 2011
9:22 pm
Just saw the virginia game…what a terrible basketball team!!!
No clue on offense!!
BehindEnemyLines
February 23rd, 2011
9:29 pm
@Paul in RDU — Or Favors may not be different. What does it say about the value of his “potential” that he was quickly shipped off for a guy so hard to deal with that Jerry Sloan was willing to quit to avoid dealing with him any longer? Yeah, I know, Deron is an all-star, etc. but he also looks like locker room poison. Maybe the most recent 1-and-done is the next bust.
Gordon
February 23rd, 2011
9:29 pm
Roberson’s column tomorrow: “Never mind”
hey paul
February 23rd, 2011
9:31 pm
dont be stealing my lines…. i was the first to coin ‘quick draw’ for crit. hehehe
anybody notice the attendance at the end of the game? had to be no more than 500 fans in the seats.
hey phewitt fan
February 23rd, 2011
9:42 pm
take yur boi phew an our boy bobby…… take away their 5 worse seasons and phew still aint won a thing.
meanwhile bobby won acc championships outright …. acc tourneys… went to the final 4…. went to the ncaa 9 seasons in a row when it was a small field…. coached in a more difficult acc with better coaches… owned the acc rookie of the year for almost 8-9 years….. helped coin the name thriller dome…. played in packed arenas ….. AND IS STILL BELOVED BY ALL.
and phew?
he found an acorn in 04 and more an more people hate his guts everyday.
ken
February 23rd, 2011
9:53 pm
hewitt sucks!!!
ken
February 23rd, 2011
10:14 pm
it should be plain by now that blacks can’t coach at the highest level….clemson and boston college have seen the light…..when will georgia wreck???
Lil' Barry Bailout
February 23rd, 2011
10:24 pm
I was sure that either Hewitt (because he sucks) or Radakovich (because he wasn’t able to bring in a decent coach) would be gone after this year. I didn’t factor in the no-home-games-next-year factor though, and I think that will keep Hewitt and Radakovich here for one more year.
Tech will keep Hewitt around just like a baseball manager keeps a flailing pitcher in the game to throw the intentional walk before bringing in the next pitcher. You don’t want to start the new guy off in a position of weakness.
In the end though, Hewitt sucks and must go.
Dadgum......
February 23rd, 2011
10:26 pm
I know for a fact Hewitt has talked with Drad and they are going in a different direction. Hewitt knows this. Doug said I was not accurate but truth is that I am. Did anyone else see Hewitt’s reaction upon leaving the court. Looked like someone resigned to their fate. You have to really suck as a coach to get swept by Virginia. No sense beating a dead horse I guess. Hewitt will be fired on or before March 14th and he is just playing out the games until the official announcement. Fact. Word.
Dadgum......
February 23rd, 2011
10:29 pm
Bailout….Hewitt is gone. For the very reasons you stated that is the perfect time for a change. No expectations, no pressure. Done deal.
Dadgum......
February 23rd, 2011
10:36 pm
If we can kill Khadafi, slaughter a bunch of pirates, and change coaches that would make for a great next few weeks. Don’t care what order they occur in either.
Paul in RDU
February 23rd, 2011
10:54 pm
ken – You are a racist idiot.
Ever heard of Leonard Hamilton? Tubby Smith? Lenny Wilkins? Doc Rivers?
Paul in Rd
February 23rd, 2011
10:56 pm
Enter your comments here
Paul in Rd
February 23rd, 2011
10:56 pm
Enter your comments here
ken
February 23rd, 2011
11:06 pm
hey Paul in RDU.. is that all you got? 3 good coaches out of how many? it’s not like they don’t have 70% African Americans in the NBA an in college ball and all you can come up with is the names of 3 good black coaches?
now explain to me this smart guy…. why is it that white men cant dance. white men are slow. white men cant jump. white men are not athletic and all the other white stereotypes that black players an fans spout off yet woe is we who say conversely that a black man cant coach.
which is it? can’t have it both ways.
Buzznomore
February 23rd, 2011
11:10 pm
There are no arguments..he needs to go as soon as possible. GT’s basketball is the joke of the ACC, State and Fans. Fire Hewitt before the program is completely dead………..
hey Dadgum
February 23rd, 2011
11:13 pm
I hope your right….. a classy coach would have stepped down years ago or at the least taken the st john’s job. what a guy phew is.
gt puts phew on the map an he thanks us by crapping on us. thank phew for nothing. it will be too soon the next time i see that man with the beady eyes wearing an armani suit. if there was a picture of a silk purse an a sow’’s ear it would shoe a picture of paul hewitt.
the thriller dome according to paul hewitt
February 23rd, 2011
11:17 pm
for those fans who dont know what the thirller dome has been reduced to under paul hewitt see the picture at the end of the thread.
http://www.stingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=749636#post749636
bh
February 23rd, 2011
11:36 pm
Techies, we shall fire CPH & AD if AD doesn’t fire CPH.
Shut up, intelligence handicapped UGag fans. there is none of your fkg business in keeping or firing tech coaches.
Buzz 2010
February 24th, 2011
6:25 am
These Dawgs ( Thuga’s) do a lot of talking don’t they..Let me see, I don’t think their football,
basketball or even baseball teams have been the cream of the crop in the SEC. Get new coaches
in every sport and for sure bring back Ray Goff. THUGA’s
Alabama Jack
February 24th, 2011
7:03 am
Tech sports….Ha! Ha ! Ha! Wreck in a ditch!!
Aaron Borenstein
February 24th, 2011
7:23 am
I will gladly chip in a few hundred bucks to pay him to leave.
Hewitt Fan
February 24th, 2011
8:03 am
@Paul in RDU
Willaim Avery, Cherokee Parks,Hurley,Lang,J williams,CLaettner,Sheldon Williams,Brian Davis,Daniel Ewing,Tragen Langdon,roshown Mccloud,Sahvik Randolph, were all NBA BUSTs…Now if these guys cant play when they reach the NBA, how were they so dominate in the ACC?The Refs!…
@GT21
No, if a CELTIC decides to waste his time in the ACC, we are still going to support him..But i know for a fact none of our 17u players will play in the ACC..Maybe one, and i cant say why on this blog if you know what i mean..UGA will be kicking GT a#$ for the next 10 years…Mark Fox is not a better x and o coach than Hewitt but the SEC is not about coaches…4 or 5 are headed there …Including big Jacobs…He loved GT and Hewitt, he hated how the refs handled Favors and Gani..He also read these blogs where red necks bashed Hewitt and Favors..Just watch..Gideon Gamble,(winthrop), and LaQuenten Jones are 2 examples of kids with ACC offers, but turned them down…
Hewitt Fan
February 24th, 2011
8:20 am
@Paul in RDU
“You can’t make this stuff up!. Not one of these “best players” has done anything in the NBA (unless you count Javaris “Quick Draw” Crittenton) – Favors may be different
Somehow GT managed to have some passable players who never played for the Atlanta Celtics – Mark Price, John Salley, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, Stephon Marbury, Matt Harpring, Matt Geiger, Travis Best, Chris Bosh, Drew Barry, Jarret Jack, Anthony Morrow, Thaddeus Young”
Atlanta Celtics have Done nothing in the pros?Dwight Howard,Joe Johnson(yes Joe was a Celtic)Travis Outlaw..Amare( yes he is a celtic)Josh smith all have been pretty good sir..All the Celtics that went to GT are playing pro BALL making pretty good money.I see nothing wrong with that..Favors was just the center piece of a deal for DARREN WILLIAMS…oh yeah i forgot BJ, and Ismail have degrees and are playing bball…but Hewitt graduating players and keeping them out of trouble mean nothing to “GT Fans”
gt
February 24th, 2011
8:39 am
Studies show a sport’s team increases the interest in a school. Presbyterian College goes up to division one last year and the last two years had the largest enrollment of freshmen in the history of the school. I would like to see a study of once a school has peaked out and is heading down how much punch per dollar the program gives. Who knows maybe the problem of basketball at Tech is my problem and not the school’s, maybe they are getting about all they need out of just showing up. One thing for sure they will be the only thing showing up at AMC for a while, unless it is the opponents that can’t wait to play Tech on any court any time. No easier win in the ACC or as Kennesaw State will tell ya , “we like a little of that action too”.
Ozzy
February 24th, 2011
8:41 am
Who gives a flying F what they do in the NBA? We’re talking Georgia Tech hoops.
And Hewitt graduating players does matter to GT fans, and that’s another great reason to run his underachieving ass out of here. Besides the won/loss record, Tech’s APR for the basketball team is another embarrassment to the Institute.
Tell us Oh Great Celtic, how did the ref’s cause Tech to lose to UVA, even though we were AT HOME for God’s sake?
Do us all a favor and just stop posting like you said you were going to.
If you’re truly a representative of the Celtic’s (which I seriously doubt), I hope Tech never gets another player you’ve had anything to do with.
Hewitt Fan
February 24th, 2011
8:54 am
@Ozzy
No this year was going to be a down year..He lost his whole frontcourt…Favors would have been at GT this year but he knew this is a coach K conference..name the last good big man in the ACc that did not play for Duke or NC?…oh yeah, this belongs to the AJC not a red neck named Ozzy who has nothing to do with GT bball..
Ozzy
February 24th, 2011
9:06 am
What does the last good big man in the ACC have to do with Hewitt’s won/loss record or APR…….
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
From what I hear, Favor’s never went to class, so he wasn’t going to be at Tech another year either way.
Take your bull*&^% back where you came from. You and your group will be a great fit at UGA. And please (Please God hear my prayer!!!!)take Phew with you when you go! And for the record, you’re the only one throwing race around.
Hewitt Fan
February 24th, 2011
9:19 am
@Ozzy
Thats a damn lie about Favors! you are a liar..I hate when idiots write stupid Sh$% about things that they dont know a damn thing about….GT fans are the worse..He would have stayed 2 years but hated the refs….You have never met Derrick.i have known him since he was 13 years old..Nick jacobs is from the same high school and loved tech but hated how they call the games in the ACC..especially big men….I never have played the race card…
Paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
9:22 am
Hewitt Fan
A good big man playing in the ACC who isn’t at Duke or UNC?
Just in the last couple of yeara there have been Alabi (FSU), Tracy Smith (NCSU), Booker (CU), Jordan Williams (MD)
And have you forgotten Favors and Lawal already?
How about Chris Singleton at FSU? You should know about him because he is an ex-Atlanta Celtic. I thought no Atlanta Celtics wanted to play in the ACC or is it just not at GT?
Paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
9:27 am
Hewitt Fan
Who said that Atlanta Celtic players have done nothing in the pros? I said that Atlanta Celtic players who have played at GT have done nothing in the pros. You said that the best players GT has had have been Atlanta Celtics – Interesting how you changed the subject there when you were called on it.
Hewitt Fan
February 24th, 2011
9:39 am
@Paul in RDU
all those guys were good, but none dominated…I remember Draft night last year, when Alabi was drafted, Van gundy said ” the ACC refs were not kind to Alabi” he stayed in foul trouble and it hurt his development….. Singleton is more of an wing than a post player…Chris came out before Favors..I said no more Celtics will play in the ACC..maybe one, but its other factors with this kid..i refuse to throw him or the program under the bus..if you know what i mean…..Favors is a rookie and has a bright future,Gani will produce eventually.. Jevaris was in the Pau Gasol trade then he had the incident with Arenas..So i guess you are right….
Paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
9:42 am
Hewitt Fan
Peace – I’m out
GTVegas
February 24th, 2011
10:03 am
Well, when the guy (Hewitt) only has two or three people on here supporting him in any way, that says enough. The fact that attendance is so dismal says it all, Hewitt’s record speaks volumes.
The guy needs to go. Unless “Hewitt Fan” wants to pay all of the related costs that these empty seats cost GT, he really needs to be quiet.
The bottom line is attendance. It has been shrinking under Hewitt. He is losing his customers. It is a sad thing to see Alexander so empty. I was in School from 85-89 and going to b’ball games was a real focus.
Hewitt might be a good coach, but he hasn’t shown it, IMO, for many years. While he acheived financial stability with the contract from Braineless, he also acheived professional stagnation. In my opinion, that lifetime contract gave him no reason to excel and grow as a coach. He has been too stuborn to hire good assistants or to change anything because he doesn’t have to. He has no incentive to do well other than self pride. Well, obviously that is not enough.
I lost all respect for the man when he came out and said he would hire a less qualified black assistant over a more qualified white assistant as he thought it was his duty to give those kids more of a chance since their background probably did not lend itself to getting those chances on their own. Well, he had his lifetime contract, so there really was no cost to him to do that. He is the definition of reverse discrimination. The black vs. white does not bother me. It’s the fact that he openly said this and that he had absolutely no consideration for what might be in the best interest of his customers, us. His contract terms allow him to consider his own interests first while also allowing him to completely ignore those of his customers.
He may be a great coach someday, but it isn’t going to be at GT under these contract terms. He has no reason to be any better.
As for the ACC refs…we play other teams besides UNC and Duke to similar results. If you think they just don’t like Hewitt, well, getting rid of Hewitt solves that problem as well.
As for Hewitt being “in demand” because ST. John’s made him an offer, just how does that offer compare to his deal at GT. If I am in his shoes, I would be thinking “GT has got to fire me soon the way I am doing my job, so they will be paying me for five years. I can get another salary and still get the money from GT when they fire me, ala Chan Gailey.” St. John’s making him an offer that he turns down only means that his current deal at GT is too good to leave voluntarily. Hewitt is a crook.
Left Eye
February 24th, 2011
3:26 pm
Buzz found you again, still an idiot.
Old Lefty
February 25th, 2011
12:14 am
Go get the Butler coach
No spin
February 25th, 2011
11:02 pm
Like Chan Gailey he’s probably a really nice guy. This is about coaching, not his color or personality. He’s bad business and has ruined a great program which will take years to rebuild. He has zero incentive to win and recruits one year players to groom for the NBA and as a resume builder. He does not build a team in a team sport. D’Rad needs to get off the pot and do the job he’s been hired to do or he may meet the same fate one day.