Bradley’s Buzz: Hewitt delivers least bang for big bucks
Big contract, smallish results
It has been this correspondent’s contention that Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt has underperformed for five consecutive seasons. In three of those he has finished with a losing record, and in the other two — 2004-2005, when the Jackets returned four starters from a Final Four team, and 2006-2007, when Tech had four future NBA players on the squad — he manged to lose 12 games each time. But now Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal has gotten all analytical and determined that, lo and behold, Hewitt is the most overpaid coach in college basketball.
Futterman measures a coach’s contract — Hewitt makes $1.3 million — against his team’s annual RPI to ascertain that the Institute is paying its coach $288,888 for what he calls “each [rating] point beyond the threshold of mediocrity.” Futterman writes that Hewitt declined a request to comment, but Tech publicist Mike Stamus writes in an e-mail that,”Matthew asked to speak either to Dan [Radakovich, the AD] or Paul, and Dan volunteered to speak for us on that subject. We never presented the request to Paul.”
(Here’s what Radakovich had to say in January about Hewitt’s status and his massive contract.)
The WSJ also ran this chart, and it should be stipulated that Futterman ranked only those coaches who have been at their schools for four or more seasons and whose million-dollar contracts could be verified. Meaning: Kentucky’s Billy Gillispie isn’t featured. But Bruce Pearl of Tennessee is rated the best bargain. And now the thrifty Vols have surely pulled off another coup by hiring the crafty Lane Kiffin.
Kidding about the last part.
Capel to Georgia? Um, not so fast
The Bulldogs are reportedly prepared to offer Jeff Capel $2 million to leave Oklahoma and come to Athens, and that might not be such a deal, either. According to Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com, Capel “simply cannot coach.” And it must be noted that, even with the presumptive national player of the year in Blake Griffin, the Sooners didn’t win either the Big 12 regular-season or tournament title.
Full disclosure: I saw Capel’s Sooners play Louisville in Round 2 of the NCAA tournament last March and wasn’t impressed with his team. Neither were the Cardinals, who won 78-48.
Last week at the ACC tournament I asked Jason Capel if his older brother was UGA-bound. He said he didn’t think so. “I don’t think Oklahoma will let him leave,” Jason Capel said.
And here’s another Georgia semi-update, this from Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald: The Bulldogs might be interested in the Hurricanes’ Frank Haith. Me, I’d rather re-up Pete Herrmann than hire Frank Haith, whose team didn’t even make the NCAA tournament. But maybe that’s just me.
Enough basketball! More draft!
According to Russ Lande of Sporting News’ War Room, Matthew Stafford won’t be the first player taken in the April NFL draft or even the ninth. He’ll go 10th. And Mike Mayock of NFL.com, who famously championed Matt Ryan last year, went on the Dan Patrick Show and said Stafford isn’t worth the No. 1 overall pick and contends, evocatively enough, that “the streets are littered” with big-armed quarterbacks. Why, I believe I saw Ryan Leaf on the corner of Marietta and Spring just the other day!
Also from Lande: Tech defensive end Michael Johnson, who was thought to be cliff-diving out of the first round, is now on the uptick. And Johnson has scheduled a meeting with the Falcons, who could use another pass rusher.
National correspondent fears for your Atlanta Hawks
The partnership of Mike Woodson and Josh Smith, now in its fifth season, is ultimately doomed. So writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. And here’s where I, being just a no-name local guy, step in and say: Wait a minute.
It’s my belief that this Woody/J-Smoove thing has been totally overblown. Yes, Woodson benched him in the second half of a loss at Charlotte 10 days ago. But can anyone really say Smith won’t (or doesn’t) play for this coach?
Let me channel Matthew Futterman and look at the numbers: In the five games since the Charlotte snafu, Smith has averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds. Averaged a double-double, in other words. And he has, wonder of wonders, hoisted only one three-pointer in that span.
Can Smith be capricious? Yes. Can Woodson be obstinate? Absolutely. But I see no reason to believe these two can’t continue to co-exist. And those five games? The Hawks won all five.
And now a word from the Fiasco sponsor (namely, me)
If you haven’t entered the 22nd annual Final Four Fiasco, please take a moment and do so here. You might not be glad you did, but we folks at the ol’ AJC sure will.
Oh, and here’s who I’m picking. More important, you’ll discover who Elizabeth Bradley, who has outdone her dumb dad each of the past two years, is picking.
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183 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
3:08 pm
Regarding Hewitt and North Carolina: Lately he has beaten the Tar Heels twice in the ACC tournament (2004 and 2005) and he beat them in 2007 during the regular season.
StingerSplash
March 16th, 2009
3:09 pm
And Mark (glad you’re keeping an eye on the blog. Not even DOB is that hawk-eyed), there is truly nothing like that Saturday, with the semis in the morning and the finals at night.
HVACjacket
March 16th, 2009
3:12 pm
Hewitt is 6-10 against UNC, 6-3 away from Chapel Hill. I’d say that’s pretty good. That said, he needs to go.
StingerSplash
March 16th, 2009
3:13 pm
Another comment on Hewitt, aside from his under .500 record in league play and the number of losing seasons at The Flats (yes, I’m bored at work. So sue me. My lawyer’s better than yours.)
How many ACC tournament championship games have the Jackets been in during the last 10 years?
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
3:13 pm
You’re right, Stinger. I went to my first Sweet 16 in 1963. I was in the second grade. I sat in the first row of the Maysville section in Freedom Hall as we beat Clay County on Bobby Hiles’ free throws. Louisville Seneca played the next game and had a center named Wes Unseld.
And Ron King of FSU was introduced as an ACC legend Saturday at the Dome. I told Brian Oliver (Tech’s legend), “I saw him score 44 points against Ohio County in the 1969 state championship.” And I did.
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
3:15 pm
One ACC title game for Tech since 1996, and the Jackets lost to Duke in that one in Washington, D.C.
Gordon
March 16th, 2009
3:20 pm
StingerSplash,
I think it is 1, in 2005. A 5 point loss to Duke. Cremins got there at least 5 times I remember in his 19 years. The 3 times we won it and 2 1-point losses (once to Duke, once to Wake).
BravesFan79
March 16th, 2009
3:25 pm
Hewitt hasent proven he could coach at the highest level since his top assistants left!
Its like a football coach loosing his longtime defensive and offensive coordinators and trying to replace them with inexperienced guys he believes he can groom himself. Terrible mistake!
Our assistants might not be on a NAIA level…. much less ACC level! This is why were Constantly outcoached by the likes of Sidney Lowe….. ugghhh…. i mean you expect coach K to outcoach u… but the likes of Sidney Lowe??
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
3:28 pm
I’ll say it once more: It took some doing to lose 14 conference games.
Concerned
March 16th, 2009
3:44 pm
1 winning conference record in 9 years!!
By what resonable standard should CPH not be fired?!?!?
Every year and every game, it is Groundhog Day.
It will cost the same to fire him today, tomorrow, next month, next year, or in 5 years…SO FIRE HIM NOW!!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 16th, 2009
3:51 pm
Mark, the reason why GT has stunk since ‘04 is due to Hewitt getting to full of him self. BCA President, calling out Dick Vital, he thought he was better than Coach K. and took everything for granted. He quit working and now he’s scrambling. I wish it wasn’t so, but the truth hurts.
Last year, when he was reassuring us, GT Basketball was in “fine shape” and the AJC criticism was due to having to “sell newspapers”, and for some crazy reason, throwing Fox News under the bus too.
He’s been humbled, but only as much as 1.3 million dollars will allow you too be.
DawginLex…you pray every night CPJ will turn out like Hewitt. CPJ has won ever place he’s been, and he’s taken over Georgia. 16 players coming back from last years 45-42. You will now have to compete with Ga. State for Second place in this state. Get use to it.
Gordon
March 16th, 2009
3:52 pm
You recently said you were cautiously optimistic about Tech next year, Mark. I think you based that on the presumption that Keener was coming back, but I haven’t heard anything from Hewitt, Keener, or you since then to support that. In fact your “Keener mind” column said that Hewitt thought the problem was all recruiting. I also don’t believe Radakovich is going to force him to do anything with his assistants (and I don’t believe he should – that’s Hewitt’s job).
You obviously see a problem with Hewitt, so are you saying we will be successful despite Hewitt with all the new talent, or have you downgraded you outlook? What’s Elizabeth’s opinion, since she obviously has the “keener” basketball mind in the family?
hope
March 16th, 2009
3:53 pm
Next year will decide if Hewitt stays. He will have had a PG for a 3rd year(miller) and a blue-chip class. We should be a top 4 team in the conference.
scott
March 16th, 2009
4:02 pm
I think Hewitt will be given one more year, given who is coming next year. But if they don’t make the tourney next year, then I bet even Siena won’t take him back. Maybe Siena High School? Their hand will be forced. Another 2-win season in the conference cannot be tolerated, despite the most generous termination clause in world history.
That said, I hope Tech has a great season next year. And they might. But then it will be at least 3 more years of Coach Hewitt and not just one.
Left to Right
March 16th, 2009
4:03 pm
I think every college basketball coach in the country looking to get a raise and/or extension is going to have his agent “leak” his name to the media as a possible candidate for the UGA job.
jt
March 16th, 2009
4:09 pm
Mark, your an idiot. In your article, you wrote that Hewitt has had players leave early each year. How can you build a successful program if your players dont stay. Hmm…Duke players stay in college, Duke has great basketball. Do you see a correlation?
PMC
March 16th, 2009
4:11 pm
no doubt David Braine is responsible for that contract too….. nice.
I think Hewitt can get it done again but he’s really got to get his teams more consistant from year to year. All good teams lose players to the NBA. To his credit he never blames his players… but a lot of them came up short this year.
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
4:15 pm
Duke players who left early for the NBA: Luol Deng, Elton Brand, William Avery, Corey Maggette, Shavlik Randolph, Josh McRoberts, Jason Williams. It happens to the Dookies, too.
GTgrad'10
March 16th, 2009
4:23 pm
Thanks for the post, Stinger. Iman has talked about his past only twice to me, but both times he had tears streaming down his face. I only gave the PG 13 version, but let’s just say he has had it rough. And that kid LOVES his mama lol.
Even the people who aren’t associated w/ Ga.Tech should root for this guy to make it to the next level. Lord knows he has earned it.
FullMetalJacket
March 16th, 2009
4:26 pm
There is no doubt that Tech’s Hewitt is the most overpaid coach in the land. And I would agree completely with your assessment of Hewitt’s performance since 2004–it has been truly underwhelming, and the last three years are an embarassment to the Institute. I did not see the WSJ piece until you referred to it, but there was at least one “Vent” or AJC blogger in the past couple of weeks who had made the point that with only 2 conference wins in the regular season this year he must be the most overpaid coach in the country. Taken with his (only slightly better) performance since his arrival at Tech (2004 being the only high point, and that with a 9-7 ACC record), the truth and proof is clear. His fat wallet apparently keeps him from feeling the hot seat.
StingerSplash
March 16th, 2009
4:26 pm
I don’t think the BCA stuff has much of anything to do with Hewitt’s failings. I think it falls squarely on Hewitt’s lack of strategic and tactical mastery. If anything, look at the number of minority coaches in the 300-plus Division I ranks, where a majority of the players are African-Americans. Who would have thought 40 years ago that there would be this many minority coaches in the ACC?
MB, I’m sure you read Pat Forde’s long but quite readable and very, very good piece on the Kentucky team from the hills on espn.com. Very well done. He glided over Clay County’s championship with Richie Farmer, who now is the state’s ag commissioner and yes, even then and now, he could run for governor.
A friend of mine and I were on the way to the Sweet 16 about 10-12 years ago and we stopped in Clay County. There’s a little store there with a picture of the Clay County state championship team on the wall. As we walked in, my friend said something to the effect of “it’s here somewhere” and the lady behind the counter said, “You want to show him Richie?” meaning the state championship photo. Yep.
StingerSplash
March 16th, 2009
4:28 pm
And yet, all those players, all that talent now in the NBA, and only one ACC championship final appearance in the last 13 years? Even Gailey got us to one football championship game in seven years (and, of course, was roundly outcoached by Jim Grobe.)
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
4:30 pm
Well, yes. There was that 9-6 loss to Wake — the worst game in the history of college football.
WreckHorn
March 16th, 2009
4:34 pm
There is another politically incorrect reason why CPH has struggled at Tech. Would Mark Price, Matt Harpring, the Barry boys, Craig Neal (you get my drift) have ever been recruited by Hewitt? Clearly, the last 9 years has shown he would not have recruited them, though if they had walked on, like Causey, they MIGHT have got some playing time. Hewitt’s social agenda and BCA ties have not served the Institute, the team, or the players well.
DawginLex
March 16th, 2009
4:35 pm
One fluke loss followed by your sorry team getting run in the Chicken Bowl. What is there to be afraid of? Not Tech, that’s for sure.
Bernie Matt
March 16th, 2009
4:36 pm
I’ve been telling people for years, Hewitt was a joke!! The thing is, the people I’m telling already know because he let them hijack the program. That program is run by AAU coaches, whom I won’t name because their friends of mine, and they are getting paid good money by Paul to get McDonald’s AA’s like Javaris, Thad and Derrick. What tripped me out though is seeing how Paul paid for Peacock and was then forced to start him, thinking he had something, and really, screwed the team up, not to mention causing dissension among the guys who were there before, like Rashaan Dickey. Hell look at Zam Frederick and the impact he had at SC, he might not be an NBA talent but solid ballplayers are what make a program, hell most guys don’t go to the league. When I’m arguing this point with my boys, they just laugh and tell me to get off their guy(pigeon).
BuzzBitesDawg
March 16th, 2009
4:42 pm
While I doubt Wreckhorn’s assertion of a race-based agenda, it would be generous to say that at the least CPH has not had his primary focus on the basketball team’s success. It really doesn’t matter whether it is incompetence, distraction, or lethargy that is the cause. I am even more disappointed with his lack of success in graduating players and developing character in individuals, which would be at least some consolation albeit no excuse for poor records. Hewitt used to represent the school well, but now he lacks either on-court or off-court success and that undermines his credibility and the program’s bottom lines: making men out of boys and making a profit.
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 16th, 2009
4:49 pm
How bout Roddy Jones running another 16.9 yards per carry for another 3 years. BBWWWHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
GPB
March 16th, 2009
4:51 pm
“Well, yes. There was that 9-6 loss to Wake — the worst game in the history of college football.”
Come on Mark, what’s your criteria for that decision? Lots of field goals being boring? We could just as easily use these as criteria – Most boring game: Auburn – Miss State 3-2. Biggest beatdown: GT – Cumberland College 222-0. And many other games with many different criteria.
Mac
March 16th, 2009
4:52 pm
Mark, last year the national sportswriters said Atlanta HAD to take Matt Ryan, because you HAVE to rebuild around a franchise quarterback. OK, why does that not apply to Detroit this year? Is Stafford considered that much worse a prospect than Ryan? If so, why? What’s wrong with him? Or, are all these draft experts full of $#%&?
pws
March 16th, 2009
4:55 pm
Hey Mark:
Change of subject, I read an article this weekend about how Kenny Anderson is trying to get his degree from some college other than GT. He stated that he wanted to be a coach somewhere, and have his jersey retired at GT. As a GT grad, I hope he understands that to have his jersey retired, he needs to graduate from GT! I have sent DRad an email about this, I hope he understands the retired jersey policy, or there will be some really upset GT grads. The point is, that GT diploma isn’t the same as one from UGAG, or anywhere else!
FullMetalJacket
March 16th, 2009
4:57 pm
Bernie Matt, I hope you are right. At least in that case the school might have some recourse for ethical violations to avoid paying out so much rollover buyout bread (thanks, Braine). Surely a little NCAA inquiry is in order, eh?
George P. Birddog
March 16th, 2009
5:10 pm
Once Braine and Tech handed Paul Hewitt that bottomless golden envelope, he has not produced. Perhaps a part of him would even welcome getting a pink slip and check for 9.5 million bucks to go away. There is not a Divison 1 NCAA school who would pay him half his current salary, I bet, based on his performance. I admit it must be mighty tempting to just phone it in when your paycheck is guaranteed and your employer lets you talk your way out of everything without question. I would like to see the AJC and other media sources really put him on the spot and give us a glimpse of his take on his failure. So far, he seems to be in denial that he’s a failure and not earning his keep.
BuzzBitesDawg
March 16th, 2009
5:13 pm
Separated at Birth, or One in the Same: CPH and AIG. I’ve never seen them in the same room together, and they both have a penchant for bilking good people out of big bucks while taking big rewards for themselves.
PMC
March 16th, 2009
5:23 pm
Mark You were hanging out at the Cheetah with Ryan Leaf??
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
5:34 pm
I’m not trying to put words in Hewitt’s mouth, but it’s my belief that he believes the program is in good shape.
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
5:35 pm
And I remember more than a few writers saying the Falcons shouldn’t pick Matt Ryan because he was too great a risk. (I was the contrarian: I thought they should.)
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
5:53 pm
Please note that Tech publicist Mike Stamus e-mailed me to say that Hewitt did not turn down the Wall Street Journal’s request for comment — as Matthew Futterman wrote in the story — but that such a request was never put to Hewitt. Buzz has been updated to reflect as much.
IndyGT
March 16th, 2009
5:58 pm
I saw that article the morning of the FSU-GT game, and was hoping it would prove motivational for CPH.. guess not. I’ve been fairly supportive of CPH, and willing to let this season slide because of all the other issues. All the while maintaining that these are a result of CPH’s mistakes, and he needs to remedy them. Next year, and the following couple of years after that are going to be very important to him.. I’m not calling for his head just yet. But, I will be pretty soon if we have more years like this. As for the ‘politically incorrect’ assertions.. people, come on? CPH has recruited players that were white.. Nelson, Luke, Causey, Sheehan, etc. Obviously not near as many black players, but you recruit the best players you can get for your system that you play. I don’t think there’s a concerted effort by CPH to bring only black players in.. I know I’m going to hear about Duke.. but Coach K goes after guys that fit well into his system.. which is geared around 3-pt. shooting, team defense, and they play well as a team.. but very few of those players are gifted potential NBA stars. And Coach K as much as I hate him, is a helluva coach.
Mark Bradley
March 16th, 2009
5:58 pm
One last thing, and then I’ll shut up: Dave Leitao of Virginia, No. 2 on the WSJ’s list of overpaid coaches, resigned Monday.
UGAIsSoLastYear
March 16th, 2009
6:00 pm
DRAD is an ass for keeping Hewitt. Who cares what DRAD said in Jan – want to hear what DRAD and Paul say to this Wall St article!!!!
StingerSplash
March 16th, 2009
6:16 pm
If UVa asks D-Rad permission to speak to Hewitt about their vacancy, by all means, let them have it (and if they do, that means it’s a fait accompli. Rarely do schools ask for permission unless there’s already some sort of deal on the table, usually arranged by a third party, like Barzini brokering the deal between Tattaglia and Don Corleone).
terpfan
March 16th, 2009
6:18 pm
Look at the talent level at Maryland and GT. Maryland doesn’t have anywhere near the talent level that GT has but Gary Williams has them in the tournament. The bottom line is….. what can a coach do with talent and what can some do without? You be the judge. GT didn’t even get a NIT bid.
Marky Mark
March 16th, 2009
6:32 pm
A blog writing about what other people have blogged about? Mark, I missed your old columns. You were one of the bests
GT 84 Alum
March 16th, 2009
6:35 pm
I hate to say it that Paul Hewitt is the black Bobby Cremmins. A great recruiter that consistently gets talent, but cannot coach a game to save his life. The end of the Florida State game in the ACC tournament looked like a bunch of guys how just met each other in a pick up game. If we could build a “FrankenCoach”, I would take Paul Hewiit as a recruiter and Gary Williams of Maryland as my game coach. We would end up in the top 3 of the ACC consistently and would have a least one championship banner. There is no reason that with the talent that GT has, that they don’t make the trounament every year.
UGAIsSoLastYear
March 16th, 2009
6:40 pm
It’s true. Really liked Bobby but it became apparent, with him too, that he was a great recruiter and an average coach. His last years were brutal. It is apparent with Hewitt now – so time for him to go too.
Steve
March 16th, 2009
6:49 pm
On the Capel to UGA comment, I don’t think Dennis should have been fired. Seriously. He was the victim of 4 gimpy ankles before the season began, and a DUI where he did the right thing and kicked the guy off the squad. On recruiting of student athletes has gotten superb the last 3 years, and he was finally a year away of having the program that is needed with UGA’s academic requirements.
That being said, the man for the UGA job is John Thompson III. Coached at Princeton. Awesome recruiter. And he is loaded at Georgetown for next year. No, he didn’t make the tournament this year, but he still played the 4th best schedule in the country, with a winning record, and no Senior contributing significantly. Get him. You’ll be glad you did.
kenny
March 16th, 2009
6:50 pm
hewett either recruits uncoachable player or is a terrible coach..either way, he needs to go..does antbody really believe a bunch of young freshmen will save the day? they will need better coaches than we have now…
and why does the ajc not cover tech baseball any better?
Go Jags
March 16th, 2009
7:04 pm
I am as big a Tech fan as there is, but I want you guys up in Atlanta and Athens to know that there is one GREAT basketball team in the state of Georgia, and it’s not in either Atlanta or Athens. Even though Division 2 athletics may be looked down on by many, the Augusta State Jaguars are proof of what a good coach can do with an average to good bunch of players: he can build a TEAM. Augusta State lost to UGA in the final seconds IN ATHENS last year and ended up finishing second in the country in Division 2. They are one win away (Tuesday night) from returning to the Division 2 Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass next week. I got sick and tired of going to Tech games this year, even though a season ticket holder, and I started attending ASU games for the first time ever. WOW!!! I had forgotten how much fun a basketball game can be. Mark, you should check them out.
steve
March 16th, 2009
8:58 pm
Hewitt is a great recruiter, not a good coach. He has no program with so many 1 year and out guys. Even the guys he has kept the duration, don’t seem to develop under his tuteledge. Favors will be great, but I think he is another 1 year and out guy. If Hewitt doesn’t make the NCAA’s next year, I think he should do the right thing and resign.