Is Jackets’ season a success, or are you waiting for more?
Georgia Tech created excitement -- and expectations -- in the ACC tournament. (AP photo)
The NCAA selection committee got it right when it made Georgia Tech a 10th seed in the tournament. Higher would’ve ignored the sense of underachievement in the regular season. Lower would’ve ignored the run we just watched in the ACC tournament.
But should just making the tournament field as a 10th seed define success for the Jackets?
Loading ...This is not a fire Paul Hewitt referendum. Fact is, I’m not sure I would’ve supported Hewitt’s exit even if Tech had failed to make the tournament. But this is about grading a season, relative to expectations. Tech’s year is still an incomplete.
In the last four games, we saw the Jackets’ upside. So let’s see where they go from here. It was a great run in the ACC tournament: three wins and a narrow loss to in the title game to Duke, one of the team’s top four teams. But the performances in Greensboro is what we expected most of this season.
So here’s the question of the day: How many NCAA tournament games does Tech need to win for you to consider this year a success? Or is it already a success?
The Jackets don’t have an easy draw. The first game is against Oklahoma State, which has beaten both Kansas and Kansas State this season. Then possibly Ohio State. Then maybe Georgetown or Tennessee. And the reward for three wins? Kansas.
Given the high ceiling projected for Tech, I personally believe one-and-done would be a disappointment. A let down. Do you agree? I’ve posted a poll, but given Hewitt has been such a lightning rod all season, I’d like to see your reaction to what the Jackets have accomplished. Thanks. I’ll check back later.
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159 comments Add your comment
justahawkfan
March 15th, 2010
9:09 am
SOME PROSPECTIVE, W22-L12 IS THIER RECORD FOR THE SEASON. MORE WINS THAT LOSES. WE MADE THE THE NCCA TOURNAMENT AS A 10TH SEED. ALMOST BEAT DEMOGRAPHIC UNIVERSITY ON THEIR HOME COURT IN GREENSBORO NC. IN A GAME THAT WAS CALLED BY THIER REFEREES. WHEN COMPARED OT LAST SEASON………?
GT Supporter
March 15th, 2010
9:09 am
A Hopps GT has great PG’s Unfortunately they have a coach who doesnt let there PG’s play to there strengths..Moe Miller and Udofia are good!! I have yet to see Hewitt allow these guards to play “THEIR” game. Cremins let his pg’s play to the max…Hewitt wants his pgs to be satisfied with passing and defense…Hewitt doesnt allow and/or prepare his pgs to be agressive offensively.
Well of course for Shumpert and its obvious Shumpert isnt a PG.
Tom
March 15th, 2010
9:10 am
George P. You couldn’t be more wrong. You can’t compare the 2 because basketball can have 3-4 games over 3-4 days. Football is just one day. What makes college football SUCK is NOT having a playoff. By the final 4 games of the season you KNOW who has a shot at the NC. And like the other poster said, 90% of the teams have no chance even if they won ALL their games. What is really a joke is the ncaa can talk about expanding to 96 teams for the bball tourney which would extend the long post season by another week AND all this happens around finals yet they can’t do an 8 team playoff in college football during a break when there is NO school and NO exams. This shows how much they lie and contradict themselves. College football SUCKS with the current system.
Hopps
March 15th, 2010
9:13 am
If you have good point guards then you are A. Able to get the ball upcourt with little to no problems
B You don’t have 24+ turnovers a game. That is a fact.
The ACC
March 15th, 2010
9:17 am
Expectations for the program? Playing in the same league and Duke and UNC means no one expects better than 3rd-6th in a given year. Tech has achieved that fairly consistently hence there are many fans who are happy with the status quo. Since 1980 we have more ACC tournament appearances, wins, and championships than anyone not named Duke and UNC.
IMO, Tech is a sleeping giant. We get the recruits locally, we even get them nationally. We can be in the tournament every year, even if we can’t compete with Tobacco Road. That is what is frustrating. We are just waiting for some coaching.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
March 15th, 2010
9:34 am
turnovers will haunt them- hopefully they won’t start the same way against OkSt like they did with Duke.
Jacket Fan
March 15th, 2010
9:37 am
Let’s hope sweet 16. Because this is a good as it will ever get w/ Hewitt. Next year, back to 3 or 4 win ACC season.
Tech Fan
March 15th, 2010
9:47 am
The ESPN broadcasters said it best, “This has to be one of the most talented teams I’ve seen all year, but their undisciplined and sloppy play must drive Yellow Jacket fans crazy.” Ground Hog Day, because this is how most of us have felt year after year for a long time now. ..anyway…Go Jackets!!
wiley
March 15th, 2010
9:48 am
Well honestly it is a success. The goal every year is to make the tournament….we did this. The NCAA tourney will define if this season is above average but any year with a tourney appearance should be considered a success. You guys do realize we only won 2 ACC games last year….sure Hewitt has wasted talent but I am already excited to see how these young guards develop for the next few years. I think Moe Miller will have an awesome senior year….when is the last time we had a senior point guard?
Rob
March 15th, 2010
9:54 am
Hewitt still needs to be fired.
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
9:57 am
I know I am going to sound extremely harsh with this judgement, but GT has to make it to the Elite Eight for me to even BEGIN to consider this season a success. I am sorry, but this team is stacked with Final Four talent, and for their season to have been what it has been, is pathetic. Now, like any other Tech fan, I was happy to see the talent show what it can do in the ACC Tourney, but the problem is not the talent; it has been there all year. The problem, until the day Hewitt is fired, is coaching. Now, I will support this team til the bitter end, but breaking two records in the tournament for most turnovers and worst free throw percentage is a testament to how bad Hewitt’s coaching is. Also, what I don’t understand is why people are posting what is and isn’t going to happen. This was a question concerning what HYPOTHETICALLY would make the season a success. And for me personally, only an Elite Eight run or better will get Hewitt somewhat out of the doghouse for me. Even then, this team has shown way too many turnovers to have me completely sold on Hewitt.
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
9:59 am
Wiley, it is not about what happened last year or making the tournament, it is the fact that this team with THREE former highschool All-Americans went 7-9 in ACC play. That is a losing record last time I checked. Anyone remember the last time we actually had a winning record in ACC play? It’s been quite a while. On top of that, look at some of the ACC categories our team led in: most turnovers, worst free throw percentage, those are not accolades I want my favorite program to have, personally.
joey gt
March 15th, 2010
10:00 am
im the biggest gt fan their is and i admit their is something wrong but its not all coach hewitt its the players also. coach hewitt can not make them make free throw and in bound the ball. tech defense in the acc tourney was outstanding , that was coaching.i dont not agree with firing coach hewitt. you supposed tech fans that are complaining after making it to the acc champ are idiot and not true tech fans.
HugoStiglitz
March 15th, 2010
10:00 am
If we go in, turn the ball over 20 times, shoot 50% free throws and have trouble inbounding the ball, and lose by 4 or 5 then yes I will be fairly disappointed.
joey gt
March 15th, 2010
10:01 am
tech has the talent to make it to the elite 8 if all comes togther and gels right
joey gt
March 15th, 2010
10:03 am
if we fire coach hewitt we start all over again and we will still have losing seasons
BrokeBackJacket
March 15th, 2010
10:05 am
Stop all the pushing and shoving….geeeze….hard as hell to tell who is trying to get on and off the CPH bandwagon!!
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:10 am
The problem with that joey is that the closest it came was in the first half of the Maryland game, and even that was negated by 15+ turnovers in 6 or so minutes. Not being able to inbound the ball, inability to run the offense without turning it over, and crappy free throw shooting all indicate that somewhere the coaching is not evident. And you know what, maybe it isn’t entirely Hewitt’s fault, but I would be willing to gamble that 95% of it is.
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:12 am
How do you figure joey? We go out and hire a coach more comparable to say, Coach K out of Duke, or even someone more closely resembling Mark Fox out of UGA, then this team is a 30+ win team by the end of the year.
Ruben Houston
March 15th, 2010
10:12 am
The most undeserving team team in the NCAA T’ment. Their coach is average at best…and their instate rival who was in a rebuilding year and finished with an under 500 record took them to the cleaners and beat them going away………How many times are we going to pick up the paper and find Tech student athletes and ex student athletes in trouble with the law. Its happening on a daily basis. What’s going on at the Joke by Coke?
BeachGuy
March 15th, 2010
10:12 am
Success/failure is not measued by the number of NCAAT wins. It is measured by playing entertaining basketball on a reasonably consistent basis and being competitive within the ACC relative to the talent level of your team and the competition throughout the year. That means beating those teams with a significantly less talent, winning at least half the games against teams with comparable talent and being at least competitive against teams with more talent. Given our inconsistency this year and the talent level that Georgia Tech has on the roster compared to the rest of the league, this season has to be considered a failure. One good weekend doesn’t make up for the inconsistency and frustration of several months. Of course it is nice to end on a positive note, but that is just not enough. More importantly, how do we all feel about the 2010-2011 season? Do you think this ACCT run means we have solved our problems?
HelluvaEngineer
March 15th, 2010
10:15 am
How can this possibly be a “success”? I’m not ready to write it off as a failure by any means – but I agree with the sentiment of going from an F to a D thanks to the ACC Tournament run. With this talent, we have underachieved in typical Hewitt fashion, and now are “rewarded” with an exceptionally difficult draw in the OSU’s. Coaching is still a real problem, and our players have very low bball IQs. Let’s see how they do in the tourney, but they have to know that 25 TOs is NOT going to produce anything close to a win.
Gordon
March 15th, 2010
10:16 am
Joey,
Ever heard of throwing good money after bad? We’ve seen what Hewitt can do. Most people think we can do better. This is a 5 year problem, not a 1 year problem.
GTPhenom is exactly right.
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:19 am
Oh yeah Ruben, because your mutt pound over there in the cesspool of the South was certainly stellar in BBall this year, right? That is the one thing that can make me proud of what the Jackets did because we quite frankly had a better year in a tougher conference than the mutts. Why even bother posting on about trouble with law? Your cesspool graduates certainly know more than enough about it. Then again, students coming into that place get into bad habits. Just look at that QB . . .
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:23 am
Actually, if we want to be honest it has been a 10 year problem Gordon. 10 years as head coach of our team, and only one winning ACC record to show for it. I’ll give him his props; he took a team to the national title. But since that run, I consider it less and less of Hewitt and more and more of the assisstants he had around him, and the talent that played for him.
GTFanInVA
March 15th, 2010
10:33 am
If this was football, we’d be calling for a new offensive coordinator. Hewitt recruits well and coaches great defense. Two out of three isn’t bad – but its not good enough. He needs to swallow is pride and get some help on the offensive side. Maybe be CPJ can come in and teach these guys the spread triple option…
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 15th, 2010
10:34 am
Even Coach K was quoted during yesterday’s game that GT has the most talent and atleticism in the ACC. Coach K doesn’t throw these type of compliments around just for psychological reasons. He believes that, and so do I.
With that said, we have grossly overachieved. The Duke team probably would not even be a top 8 seed in the dance without Coach K, and GT would probably be a top 3 seed with Coach K. I’m not a Dook fan, but I can see obvious good coaching and discipline vs. a lack of it.
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:34 am
Or perhaps spread triple threat at least, GTFanInVA . . .
GTPhenom
March 15th, 2010
10:35 am
Just imagine where that Duke team would be with Hewitt at the helm . . .
BigBlue
March 15th, 2010
10:37 am
Anyone who watched Tech in the ACC tourney…knows that GT likely loses in the first round of NCAA’s. They simply make way to many UNFORCED turnovers to win what otherwise would have been a close game. They had at least 6 turnovers against Duke on Sunday that was not caused by any defensive pressure but simply lack of court awareness. Stepping out of bounds (four times!) with no defender within arms reach just cannot happen. This amounts to given the other team more possessions each game which should mean more points than they otherwise should have had. GT could have gotten points but instead they give the opponent a chance to steal the points. Also, the horrendous free throw shooting by most of the Tech team will also lose games. But the two together and you are looking at a seriously flawed team. They may get lucky to win once against quality teams but not more. Note…they beat Maryland (good team) but the other ACC wins were sub par teams about like GT. They lost to Duke that is not as good as the normal Duke team. No way they beat Ohio State. Likely they lose to OSU by 12 or more points.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 15th, 2010
10:38 am
The poll really is flawed. If GT makes it to the sweet 16, then I will admit that they did not grossly underachieve, BUT this will not negate the gross underachievement during the season. I would probably grade this season a C- instead of a D- if we make the sweet 16. After his 10th year, this is not enough to give him another year. Yes, I know that he is going to be at GT next year no matter what, but we have to continue to express our honest opinions.
pws
March 15th, 2010
10:43 am
GTPhenom, you are right, it was the assistant coaches that carried the team to that run in 2004. And Clarence Moore. I respect Bell and Peacock but neither of them have the personality of Clarence Moore, hence there has not been that type of leadership among the players. The same thing happened to Bobby Cremins, the year Drew Barry graduated, and Bobby wanted Matt Harpring to be the leader of that team his junior year. Bobby blamed that bad year on his freshman point guard who transferred to GA state, but no one wants to admit that Matt was also to blame that year, and it was because he didn’t have the personality to be the leader on the court. Great hustle, great work ethic, but didn’t know how to communicate to his fellow players at that time. To be considered sucessful this year, they need to make it to the final four. Sadly, not going to happen.
Gordon
March 15th, 2010
10:45 am
GTPhenom,
I disagree that it has been a 10 year problem. The first 5 years he did okay when you consider what he inherited. In my opinion, the problems began in year 6 after both his original assistants had left (Keener and Warren). Something was lost at that point that has never been recovered.
But either way, I have seen nothing this year that makes me think Hewitt is the right man for the job. I’m tired of watching the type of basketball Tech plays, and won’t attend any more games until he is gone. I am a long time season ticket holder, but it just isn’t worth my time or money anymore. It just isn’t entertaining. I’ll be back when we get a coach that makes players better.
rduck
March 15th, 2010
10:47 am
It’s too bad that this team had to wait until the ACC tourny to show the tremendous potential it has. The lackluster at best showing in the regular conference season has given this team a tremendously tough draw to go through in the tournament. Way too many unforced errors and mistakes by this team to make a serious run in the bracket. They will be lucky to get out of the 1st round. Just as much asthe wins in the ACC tourney looked promising, the mistakes and TO’s during it also increased. I would love to see Tech make a run but the likelyhood of that is not reasonable with the TO’s and awful FT shooting…
wiley
March 15th, 2010
10:53 am
GT phenom…last time I checked…making the tourney is all that matters. Sure it would be nice to go 14-2 in conference play but when has that ever happened at GT!?!? Cremins had a few good years but we were never Duke or UNC! I was not happy with 7-9 but College Basketball is not like College Football. If we win 6 games in a row starting Friday….we are national champions and playing for that title is all that matters in this sport. You guys are too hung up on the regular season…get behind your team Jackets fans!
A fan
March 15th, 2010
10:55 am
Chances are that Hewitt will never have the talent that he had this year. He CAN’T get it done. Next year won’t be good, folks. Brad Sheehan may be our starting center.
Jesse Stone
March 15th, 2010
10:57 am
wiley- Making the tourney is NOT all that matters. If we win the games we should’ve this year, we would have a much more favorable draw. There is NO WAY a team this talented should be a 10 seed.
DRAD
March 15th, 2010
11:00 am
the ACC tourney was the best thing that could have happened to Tech. P. Hewitt is unfireable… Tech doesn’t have the cashmoney to deal w/ his buyout while still dealing w/ Gailey’s. Tech isn’t in the PR position to buyout P. Hewitt, while facing millions in dollars of cuts to it’s state funding for education. P Hewitt is unfireable… the problem is the Alumni want him fired. DRAD needs some cover to justify not firing p. hewitt, and this gives him that cover. Trust me, if tech had been 1 and done at the ACC tourney, P Hewitt would still be around DRAD would just have to spend more political capital to keep him here. No DRAD has his cover, Tech will prolly go 1 and done… certainly won’t win 2.
Poindexter Jugdish
March 15th, 2010
11:00 am
You dawg fans are just jealous because our players are getting a better education than your players.
When our players graduate, they can get a job anywhere, doing anything.
We do have players graduate right?
Who will be on our team next year? I hate having to relearn twelve new players every year.
@ wiley
March 15th, 2010
11:02 am
yo wiley – the lowest seeded team to ever win the tourney was an 8th seed. All Tech theoretically has to do is win 6 games in a row, but that ain’t gonna happen IRL.
GTFanInVA
March 15th, 2010
11:02 am
I don’t believe Tech showed its potential in the ACC tourney. They won 3 close games on a neutral court – not much different than what they’ve done all year. Fact is that with Tech’s talent they should have won those 3 games by double digits (UNC and NC State at least). The comments from unbiased observers is damning (paraphrased):
“Tremendous talent but an enigma” (Mike Gminski)
“Final Four level talent but NIT level offensive play” (ESPN Broadcast)
“Talent to make a run but has tendancy to shoot themselves in the foot” (ESPN Online)
AGTFan
March 15th, 2010
11:05 am
I try to give coaches the benefit of the doubt. If I knew more than them, I might be coaching somewhere. That being said, this team gives me a headache. One minute I’m marvelling at teh incredible talent and athleticism. the next minute I’m wondering how any team can be so sloppy, undisciplined, and unfocused. When they are playing up to their potential, this team can beat anyone in the country. When they’re playing without discipline or focus, they could lose to any team in the country. How can the same team be both the best team I’ve seen this year and the worst?
Price is Right
March 15th, 2010
11:05 am
GTfaninVA is right on the money..if this were football we would be looking for a new offensive coordinator. I am begging CPH and GTAA to add Mark Price to this program and let him not only recruit another Mark Price but teach him the point guard/leadership skills and utilize that role which is what this team is lacking. Someone who will be around 4 years and would have the maturity to run the floor and know how to handle each situation. Just adding Price would be a spark to this program and a great addition. WHY DOES THIS IDEA SEEM SO TABOO TO THE GTAA? DRAD, Mark Price was Mr. GT basketball. I realize you and CPH do not know him like us die hard fans, but can you not look back at the film of his games? That is one very missing link. He lives in the Atlanta area and consults for the Atlanta Hawks. To hell with the Hawks, his own school should be employing his talents, experience and what he brings to the table. Talk about someone who would get the fanbase rallying behind the troops. Price is all of that.
Good luck in the tournament and go get ‘em Jackets.
wiley
March 15th, 2010
11:07 am
Well Jesse this team is a number 10 seed and they will be playing in the tournament to determine the National Championship. Maybe you should go root for UNC or Duke if you want a top seed every year….as for me I would be perfectly fine if Tech basketball got a NCAA tourney 3 out of every 4 years. You guys have unreal expectations for Tech basketball….I mean seriously guys do you think we are UNC, Duke, or Uconn? GT basketball has never been elite…yet our fan base seems to think we should be and does nothing but complain. How about we wait and see what happens with this team before we label them a failure…
macrotech
March 15th, 2010
11:08 am
Unless this team makes it to the Sweet 16….it’s a let down. Too much talent wasted!
ASHEVILLE DAWG
March 15th, 2010
11:08 am
Well Tech got lucky in the ACC tounament. However the conference record of 7-9 still shows they were lacking. But he did make it to the championship round of the ACC. Hewitt still is the problem, some things never change.
hey THE ACC
March 15th, 2010
11:08 am
your facts which you base your entire post are wrong! obviously you are one of those who want to keep phew.
in 10 years we have finished in the top 6 only one time. ONE TIME!
so your comment about routinely finishing somewhere between 3d to 6th in the conference is pure bs. last time i looked i think our average finish over a 10 year span is 7 or 8.
i dont know about you but that is MY definition of mediocrity.
you probably ascribe to the ideas that phew teams tend to end up playing well at the end of the year. so well that we routinely are one n done in the acc tourney.
more fiction from phew fans is that he coaches his players up. ask coach karl from golden state about how well anthony morrow was coached in college. in 10 years has phew EVER developed a pg?
one only compare the turnover per game per season and the number of assists per game per season between bobby cremins teams and phew’s teams to see that phew does a piss poor job at developing guards. a good pg will not only rack in the assists but he will help keep turnovers to a minimum.
VT blanks sheep
March 15th, 2010
11:12 am
It is funny though how GT kept the Hoaxies out of the ACC football championship game and now they did the same thing to them in basketball. hahahahahahahaahaaahha Oh well, the NCAA committee could have thrown Clemson under the bus instead.
wiley
March 15th, 2010
11:12 am
Yes I know it isnt likely. But I cant ever remember a 10 seed with this much talent. I’m not sure how many 10 or lower seeds have made the final four….but I know there have been several recently…Georgia Mason and LSU. This team has the defense to make a deep run but the TOs will keep them from scoring alot. I just think its funny that our team is playing pretty good basketball in March so far but all our fans can do is complain.
coachx
March 15th, 2010
11:19 am
I’m already looking foward to the Turner vs. Anderson show down in Round #2. They are the 2 best college SGs in the country.
Tech has a tough draw in Round #1.
James Anderson is probably the 2nd best SG in all of college basketball. I saw them beat #1 Kansas by about 15 points and Anderson had 28.
If Tech has any prayer of advancing they need to find away to shut down Anderson (which I don’t think any college team can.) The guy can shoot the lights out with high releases point that is unstoppable. He can shoot over anyone with unlimited range and has the ability to play above the rim. (Rare combo for a college player).
If they do beat Okl St then they have to play the #1 SG in all of college basketball vs. Turner for Ohio St (he is a bit more raw then Anderson but just has that “wow factor to his game.”