Paul Hewitt was undone at Georgia Tech by more than losing
When Georgia Tech's slide started, Paul Hewitt struggled to stop it. (AP photo)
(LAST UPDATED: 3:45 p.m.)
There’s a point at which it’s easy to conclude, “It’s not going to work.” Georgia Tech had reached that point with Paul Hewitt.
Hewitt was fired as Tech’s basketball coach Saturday. Some of this is about bottom-line results. Hewitt had five winning records and four NCAA tournament berths in his first seven seasons; only one winning record and a tournament appearance in the next four. Even the greatest coaches can go through down periods and survive, but that requires creating a positive atmosphere and giving off signals that a turnaround was imminent.
Hewitt didn’t do that. He left little impression that he could do that. Positive energy hasn’t existed around Georgia Tech’s basketball program for the past few years. He would blame critics for that. Critics would blame him. Regardless of where the blame lay, perception was reality.
This was the fallout:
♦ There was the financial side: Fans stopped buying tickets. The decline likely would have continued next season at a time when a drop in basketball revenues has eaten into an already tight budget, and the Jackets are preparing to move into a refurbished arena in 18 months.
♦ There was the emotional side: Hewitt didn’t respond well to criticism. He fell into the common athlete trap of a borderline juvenile Twitter war last year with critics. His intent to come to the defense of his players was admirable. But his actions backfired. It was the strategic equivalent of Wile E. Coyote accidentally tying the dynamite fuse to his foot.
♦ There was the irritant side: Hewitt often came off as arrogant and dismissive in public, even though he actually could be one of the nicest and classiest men around. Some of my more entertaining debates came with Hewitt, even though they also left me with a headache. I told him on a few occasions he was one of the most paranoid individuals I had ever met. His response often was along the lines of, “The world is out to get me.”
The problem wasn’t merely a lack of belief that Hewitt could fix the problems — it was a lack of belief that he could rally the fan base into believing he could fix the problems.
Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich was so convinced a firing was necessary that he reached the decision before the ACC tournament. He met with school president Bud Peterson twice in the past week — before the Jackets played Thursday night against Virginia Tech. Radakovich recommended the firing, and Peterson signed off on it.
In Radakovich’s words, “We had come to concurrence on that.”
Regardless of what happened in the ACC tournament?
“Well, that’s just speculation. There was no finality to it.”
We’ll let you sort out the contradiction.
Hewitt’s dramatic fall has been mind-boggling. He led the Jackets to one of their two Final Four appearances and their only national title game in 2004. Coaches don’t get dumb over night.
In recent months, I’ve asked several people close to the program their thoughts on what happened. Similar themes were repeated. Hewitt tried to do too much. When he lost some assistant coaches, he replaced the bodies, but gave them little autonomy. He obsessed over everything: coaching, academics, the players’ personal lives. Much of that goes with the territory as a college coach. But Hewitt’s resistance to allow others to help hurt his ability to coach.
The only thing more remarkable than Hewitt’s fall was how quickly some fans and alumni turned on him, to the extent that several were celebrating his imminent firing. The whole thing became distasteful.
Guard Jason Morris referenced the “lack of support” from fans, and added: “[The criticism] was worse, having to deal with that on our own home court. Having fans going against our own coach wasn’t something we would ever support. No coach should ever have to go through that.”
Understand this about Tech: The program is not in disarray. Hewitt recruited well. He didn’t bring the program shame or embarrassment. He was devoted to his profession and the mission of college athletics. The problems that exist are easily fixable. But the first chore of the new coach will be to rebuild bridges and energize the fan base. There was no reason to believe Hewitt was going to do that.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
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313 comments Add your comment
GT is a 4th rate high school team
March 12th, 2011
5:29 pm
A SAD day for UGA fans. There will no longer be guaranteed seasonal win for a while. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
JSS
March 12th, 2011
5:31 pm
“Why is it Duke has one of the best basketball programs in the country and a horrible football team?”
They made a choice when Coach Wade stepped into background and Coach Forster resurrected the basketball program in the late 70’s. Then Coach K came along at a time when Spurrier was seeking greener pastures and really got them on a roll.
What Duke has needed is someone with the zeal of a Pete Carroll. Say what you like about him, he was a evangelist for his program. Can Cutecliffe do that? I can’t say? Are he is a Howard Schellenberger like bridge to a Jimmy Johnson capable coach in Duke’s future?
GT is a 4th rate high school team
March 12th, 2011
5:34 pm
GT should just join other less competitive conference that requires less money contribution from tight wad nerds where they can win and get an automatic bid to the NIT.
Michael
March 12th, 2011
5:36 pm
“But the first chore of the new coach will be to rebuild bridges and energize the fan base. There was no reason to believe Hewitt was going to do that.”
No, the first chore of the new coach is to restore basic basketball fundamentals to a rabble of poorly coached (team and individually) players.
A few might transfer, thats fine, and understandable. That would allow the new coach more slots for the type of player they need to be successful.
All I want, as a long time fan, is to see a “team” and a team strategy. The one-on-one and standing around irritated me to the point I was both embarassed and mad. Still does and it will for months. It the next coach has no better individual instruction or team strategy, I will turn on them quickly too. I can recognize a well-coached team, even if the talent is inferior. I see off-ball movement with a designed purposed, I see screens, picks, positioning, lob passes, bounce passes, feeding the post, etc. I saw those way to rarely when watching Coach Hewitt’s GT teams. A few games they looked “okay”, but usually not. The rare big wins seem to have come about due to the other team having a bad shooting night (good shots, close shots, bouncing out), rather than GT just dominating them. I can’t recall the last game (been years) that GT dominated an opponent that wasn’t a cupcake team. I can only recall a couple of cupcakes that we dominated and that is sad. Even the worst ACC or SEC or Big East teams throw a shellacking two or three times a year on non-conference cupcakes. Tech rarely did this. That is a sign, low margin of victory, it tells me wins come ONLY when everything falls into place. That is a poorly coached team (all week, all year, not necessarily game day, though that too happened often).
I would hope Hewitt arrives at a lower buyout than $7 million plus. At that high level he is stealing from Georgia Tech. He might technically be due that, but he didn’t earn it at all. I pray he has some integrity to recognize that and accept something a little less paralyzing to GT athletics. I do agree its not his fault GT made such a huge mistake in signing such a terrible contract, but counting on Hewitt’s integrity, knowing he didn’t get it done (while being payed well), that he’ll accept less pay while not coaching at all. Seems only right to me.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
March 12th, 2011
5:38 pm
GT should just be independent so they can schedule super cup cakes and assure them of super winning season at all times.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
March 12th, 2011
5:42 pm
The Nerds alumni should contribute $10 dollar each to help their school pay Hewitt.
JSS
March 12th, 2011
5:44 pm
Funny contracts are only important when holding a player to it around these parts… Pay the man and learn from your mistake like so many love to come on here crying…
GTBuzzMan
March 12th, 2011
5:45 pm
I hate to see anyone get fired unless they gave just cause. In this case, I would say that Hewitt didn’t really deserve to get fired. But, I am glad that a change is being made. I am one of the fans that stopped going to games. I didn’t even take the time to watch them on TV. Hewitt seems to be a nice guy. Now he is an even richer nice guy with plenty of time to spend with his family. I just hope that the GT basketball program comes out as good as P.H. did in the end. Funny part is now the pressure is off Hewitt’s shoulders and on Radakovich. He has to find a great coach at a bargain price who is willing to spend next year on the road for every game.
Joe
March 12th, 2011
5:45 pm
Hewitt was a horrendous game coach. He couldn’t develop a game plan to save his life, especially for big men. His offense consisted entirely of passing the ball around the perimeter hoping something happened and then when it didn’t, there would be a hapless dribble drive. It became clear as early as 2005 that all of his success was from Jack and Bynum willing those teams to victory. He can recruit his ass off, no doubt about that, but it’s astonishing how bad he was at Xs and Os.
todd grantham
March 12th, 2011
5:46 pm
as a bulldog fan, i’m sorry he’s gone.
Stinger2
March 12th, 2011
5:48 pm
Thank goodness there will be no more Hewitt bashing. Now these people who live to post blogs to hurt coaches will have to find someone else. I am sure it will not be hard for them to do and it will not be long before they have picked new targets. The UGA fans have been on CMR for quite a while and I have already noticed some on CPJ.
Get a life fans. If you do not like your coaches, find another school. Fans and the media have no clue as to who is a good or bad coach. Only the ADs who hire them are ina position to judge their performance.
Hewitt supporter
March 12th, 2011
5:48 pm
AJC’s Bradley is America’s worst columnist. His criticisms of Hewitt in recent years were not only over the line, but unfounded and exagerrated.
Hewitt is a good man and a good coach at a school where it is extremely difficult to win (ask Bobby Cremins).
Your next coach will have similar difficulties, or win by cheating.
You lost a good coach and an even better person.
louisville slugger
March 12th, 2011
5:54 pm
This is definitely not a time for celebration, but the right move was made. Coach Hewitt may not be a good coach, but he ran a clean program, and it’s not his fault he got such a sweetheart contract (I sure would love a contract like that!). It simply was time for a change.
Finkle is Einhorn
March 12th, 2011
5:56 pm
Now they have no money to get a decent replacement.
GT Dad
March 12th, 2011
5:57 pm
Sorry it had to happen, but it HAD to happen.
DRad, thanks for doing the right thing. And by the way, it wasn’t because of Shultz and Bradley that the fans turned on Hewitt – he brought our frustration due to his total lack of leadership and development of his players. I guess he’s a nice guy from what I’ve heard and read, but as a coach he just doesn’t cut it.
And yes, Tech was WAY more than fair to Paul Hewitt. I wish he and his family the best, but am glad they and GT get to move on.
D. Burdell
March 12th, 2011
6:01 pm
Leave Coach Paul Hewitt alone. He is not thinking about you nor your hateful comments. Remember, this man is human and has a family including his children. Don’t hurt the spirit of his kids. Have a heart… What goes around, comes around. Positive leadership starts at the top and trickles down and poor leadership does the same.
Have a life haters! He has 7.5m… what do you have? Shut up!!!
Buzz 2010
March 12th, 2011
6:03 pm
Who is Todd Granthams on here? Isn’t that a damn Dawg??
Veteran Fan
March 12th, 2011
6:04 pm
Enough was enough! I will now buy two and possibly four season tickets for next season wherever they play! All my friends will buy and I call on all true Techmen to fill the house every home game next year! Good luck to Coach Hewitt in the future and for your information leave the sour grapes at the door as you deposit your money which you didn’t earn!
D. Burdell
March 12th, 2011
6:05 pm
There is nothing nasty and distasteful written about him in the media. He lives a descent and honorable life. Yes, he is proud. His was raised by well-raised and classy parents. What do you expect of him. He is a product of his environment. Something some of you will never understand. You need to know the community he born and raised. What am I doing trying to explain…daaa
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:07 pm
Thanks Benjamin.
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:08 pm
FullMetalJacket — Thank you.
Buzz 2010
March 12th, 2011
6:08 pm
And who is this fool”GT is a fourth grade high school team” on the Tech blog?? Hey you
need to be in Athens on Saturday afternoons. That is visiting day where you can visit with
your own kind at Clarke County Jail.
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:08 pm
Red — I have no personal issues with Paul Hewitt.
Marvin Mangrum
March 12th, 2011
6:09 pm
Ill say this, good riddance! Now get a coach, get one who realizes that you need players willing to play 4 years. If you cant do that with recruits, get students already enrolled. Quit getting one year nerds. The only ones that do one years deals are not Techies. Why is Tech different than all the good acc teams?
gt
March 12th, 2011
6:11 pm
I don’t know why everyone is on Jeff’s back about this. Mark yes, but he was doing his job which makes for a better sport’s team in Atlanta when he does what he is paid to do. Jeff has been covering Hewitt like a player with 4 fouls. The AJC even got down last week after the Va. Tech game to just showing video when words would only aggravate what was already cancer. Tech and Georgia both have let down this state and their conferences in basketball and football. When Carolina and Duke are not playing well the ACC suffers, Tech is a best supporting actor in that league, but they have to carry a load they are not carrying now. We have fired our underachiever Georgia now if is your turn to pay your dues for the state and the SEC. Tech basketball will be back before Georgia football, watch and see.
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:12 pm
FullMetalJacket — I don’t know who your “sources” are but I know who mine are, and they’re good and high up. Very good and very high up.
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:13 pm
Todd Grantham — No, I don’t think I held out too long on Hewitt.
Buzz 2010
March 12th, 2011
6:14 pm
By the way Dawgs, I would love to see that basketball mastermind Mark Fox stay at the “red panty” school forever.
Oh and keep Richt too, he is also a fourth grade high school type coach..
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:14 pm
Folks — My daily warning: Please leave race out of commenting or I’ll close it down. Thank you.
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:17 pm
O’Brien — On St. John’s, let me answer that this way: We really don’t know that Paul would’ve failed there, do we?
Jeff Schultz
March 12th, 2011
6:20 pm
GT — “Tech basketball will be back before Georgia football, watch and see.” … That sounds like a great blog question. May have to do that one soon.
D. Burdell
March 12th, 2011
6:21 pm
shut up fools
JSS
March 12th, 2011
6:29 pm
@ POAD…
I hope you’ll do better than regarding the victims of a tragedy. That is all I have say. Oh, you can not buy it unless it was not already for sell!
JSS
March 12th, 2011
6:30 pm
“sale”
5150 UOAD
March 12th, 2011
6:39 pm
good point JSS. I guess that is why the Japanese own so much real estate in the US. The US has many people that need our help more than our competitor. Charity starts at home. I wouldn’t send a penny to Haiti either. All that money is going to the already rich on the island. Why is half that island RICH (Dominican Republic) and the other dirt POOR (Haiti)? The earth cannot sustain the number of people that now inhabit the planet. There is not enough CLEAN water right now to allow the worlds population live. Most of the water we drink has been filtered by human Kidneys and Bowls more times than we would like to admit. People have to die. If Wars don’t get rid of the excess humans, then natural disasters will. I hate it but it is true.
5150 UOAD
March 12th, 2011
6:41 pm
Bowels!!! Sorry.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
6:42 pm
Anyone who thinks he’s ready to coach at any ACC school had better be ready for a lot of glare, second guessing, and criticism. Its only natural and will never change. Nor should it. This is the pinnacle of college hoops. I know the Big East is the best this season. No question about that. But the ACC invented college basketball. To last, like Coach K , you must win, develope a system, and surround yourself with a key group of trustworthly supporters.
JSS
March 12th, 2011
6:51 pm
I won’t fight the battle over charity and geopolitics on the blogs. We’ve done a lot of good on these blogs in regards to disasters and their aftermaths. We disagree on many issues; but I hope that you will restrain yourself from trying to paint the entire house with one paint brush stroke. They old saying goes: “Either you’re part of the solution, or part of the problem.” And the Dominican is by no means: “rich.” They pick life’s “winners and losers” there. Ask anyone in “Little Dominica” in NYC. There’s a whole another story…
Back to Paul Hewitt…
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
6:54 pm
The fan who gives Tech $10 per year is getting a far greater payback that the fan that gives UGA $1000 a year.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
6:55 pm
Todd Grantham: As a jacket fan, I’m glad you’re here. Please stay.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
6:59 pm
Believe me , the up and coming coaches are lining up for this interview. DRADs phone and email will be choked Monday.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
7:03 pm
Based on what he walked away with, Hewitt should really open up a new pro athelete’s agency. He could rival Scott Boras.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
7:04 pm
Boras can only envy what Hewitt negotiated.
Big Jacket
March 12th, 2011
7:06 pm
Couple of questions. 1) If CPH lands another coaching job within the next 5 years, does Tech still owe the full pay out. 2) Not trying to punish the former Coach, but couldn’t Tech use his services in some other capacity? Don’t know what position, but can Tech reqiure him “to still come to work over the next 5 years?
Negotiate
March 12th, 2011
7:19 pm
the attorney that negotiated the hewitt deal with ga tech should wear a cape to work with a big S, not a suit. that’s a superstar contract.
wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2011
7:20 pm
GT: ” Time for UGA to fire its underachiever” Are you kidding ? Who am I going to laugh at if I don’t have UGA football fans. And CMR makes it happen.
Money Now
March 12th, 2011
7:23 pm
With hewitt’s $7 million buyout plus all the millions he’s banked from other years, he may be in line to buy the atl hawks from the worthless owner group. Can they contact him for some investment cash?
Gatorman
March 12th, 2011
7:27 pm
The coach did what he had to and so did the AD, but the one responsible for this was David Braine who did everything he could to leave Tech with venom in his heart. The long contract with Gailey and Hewitt had no merit, and has hurt the program (basketball more than football). Second, the extension of Hewitt’s contract in 2004 just added fuel to the fire. I hope Rad will exercise caution when contracting head coaches in the future.
hey paul
March 12th, 2011
7:27 pm
hey dont feel bad you know we still ‘embrace’ you.
hell you ‘embraced’ us too.
we were ‘embraced’ everytime you called a momentum killing to
we were embraced with ever road loss
we were embraced when you had us put on probation
we were embraced when our program finished last acedemically
we were embraced when our team finished with losing records in 3 of the last 4 years
we were embraced when your teams always underachieved even when you had 5 nba players on the same team
we were embraced with all your excuses
we were embraced when espn called your offense the clogged toilet offense
we were embraced when espn chuckled when they read the kennesaw state score.
yes paul you embraced us so much we kicked your a## to the curb.
finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we were embraced
we were embraced
China Tech
March 12th, 2011
7:28 pm
Let’s don’t forget that Hewitt’s only real success at GT was due to two co-point guards. He went along for the ride!