Dan Radakovich on Tech hoops: ‘Still much to be gained’
Many among you have wondered as to Dan Radakovich’s feelings about Georgia Tech’s basketball season, which to date has fallen short of expectations. Today the athletics director responded to an entreaty for comment with a six-sentence e-mail, which reads as follows:
As has always been the case since I came to Georgia Tech, I will not get into a discussion regarding the evaluation of a program while there are still significant games to be played and goals to be reached. I intend to travel to Greensboro this week to pull like heck for our basketball team to advance in the ACC tournament. I will do likewise for as long as we are competing this season. I would encourage all of our fans who care about Georgia Tech to rally around these student-athletes and their coaches and to encourage their efforts throughout postseason play. There is still much to be gained. Any discussion beyond that will take place after the season concludes.
There you have it. Not a vote of confidence for Paul Hewitt — indeed, Hewitt’s name wasn’t mentioned — but not a win-or-else ultimatum, either. That’s about all any AD could or should offer at this point. What if Tech wins the ACC tournament? What if it advances to the Final Four? What do you say then?
The belief here is that Radakovich will not fire Hewitt no matter what happens in Greensboro and beyond. This statement didn’t change that feeling. But go back and read it again, and focus the second time on what was left unsaid.
Subtext time: It’s clear Radakovich has heard the dissatisfaction bubbling up in his constituency. He didn’t insult anyone’s intelligence by suggesting he’s ecstatic over what has transpired. And the final sentence – “Any discussion beyond that will take place after the season concludes” — may sound boilerplate, but it isn’t. It’s a subtle acknowledgment by a clever AD that discussion needs to occur.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
189 comments Add your comment
Tech Man
March 9th, 2010
12:17 pm
What? No calls for first after 7 minutes?
Mark Bradley
March 9th, 2010
12:22 pm
You got it, Tech Man. Kudos.
blackprix
March 9th, 2010
12:23 pm
I wouldn’t expect Rad to say or do anything now. But I would HOPE that he will take swift action after the season is over (no matter what happens), to remove Paul Hewitt and start looking for someone else.
blackprix
March 9th, 2010
12:24 pm
My note to Rad:
You can keep HOPING good things swill happen … you have to MAKE THEM HAPPEN …
TDone
March 9th, 2010
12:25 pm
Tech must win one game in the ACC tournament for Hewitt to keep his job; two would be better. If Tech makes into the NCAA tournament, Tech must win the first game for Hewitt to keep his job; two would be better. The NIT is not a player.
We need to come to the realization we are going to need to buy out Hewitt the same way we bought out Gailey.
Hewitt reminds me a lot of Gailey. Under each respective coach, the team on the field/court could beat anyone in the country and lose to anyone in the country.
Jon Heisman
March 9th, 2010
12:30 pm
The buyout Tech would have to pay if they fired Hewitt is like $7 million, so I think we’ll keep him. He basically has a contract for life. Forget hoops, I will continue to focus on football!
Don
March 9th, 2010
12:30 pm
My recollection of Rad’s comments from a year or so ago is that if fan apathy was setting in it would be a concern. I’d say plenty of empty seats for many ACC games in an arena that holds less than 10,000 constitutes apathy. But given the size of Hewitt’s buyout I doubt that he will get fired even if they lose to a bad UNC team in the ACC tournament and miss the NCAA tournament.
Yurtle_the_turtle
March 9th, 2010
12:32 pm
Again, as tiresome as this has become, I heard our idiot of a coach on 680 the Fan this morning on Rude’s show. Again, they let him off the hook by not asking tough questions and slamming MB for writing, what they perecived (and Blewitt) emotionally-charged articles in the AJC. I’ve read what Mark B has written and do not believe it was unfair. I don’t believe Rude, Perry, or Leo the dolt have ever read one article MB has written. I’m tired of the criticism by radio talk show hosts that turns into mush after they get someone they criticized on the air.
Anyway, Blewitt has had 10 years and has done nothing with this program. We are not better off during his tenure than before (indeed, we’re worse) and that speaks for itself.
George
March 9th, 2010
12:37 pm
Hewitt sucks. Worst coach in the acc by far. Any other acc coach would be 14-2 in conference with this team. Not blewitt. Someone needs to show Braine had dementia when he wrote the contract, making it void.
Tech82
March 9th, 2010
12:39 pm
The buyout is $7 million. It will be $7 million next year and the year after that (thank you, Dave Braine). The price of a coaching change remains the same. DRAD needs to pony up and get it done. Look at the body of work this “coach” has produced. He has ONE winning season in the ACC! ONE! Given the quality of recruits he gets, there is simply no excuse for this lack of achievement.
BobinBuford
March 9th, 2010
12:41 pm
Face it – due to Dave Braine’s idiocy with this contract, the only way that GT would even think of getting rid of Hewitt would be if they do NOT make the NCAA tournament. They would have to let him go on March 16, which is the automatic rollover day. The brackets come out on the 15th, so if Tech makes the tournament, say hello to Hewitt for at least another year, even if they lose in the first round.
How many other fans here think that the Lady Jackets will have more wins in the tournament than the men’s team??
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
March 9th, 2010
12:42 pm
whats tech’s recruiting class for next year looking like might that play a role in how much will or will not be done with hewitt? I mean its plain to see he is a great recruiter , but when is that not enough.
rainman
March 9th, 2010
12:42 pm
If we can’t progress with Gani, Derrick, and Zack as our ‘big guys’, then what happens next year when they are all gone?
GT B Ball 4ever
March 9th, 2010
12:43 pm
Yall need to stop. Tech WILL NOT find a better basketball coach. and whoever they bring in, will not do better than Hweitt did, I’d bet my HOUSE on it!!!!
Those of you who don’t know basketball, don’t teach it, never played it beyond pick up games or past High School need to SHU#$)@#$*!@#$.
P.S. Bobby Cremens is not coming back!!!
That Guy
March 9th, 2010
12:43 pm
I’m pretty sure Hewitt needs to be gone after this year. Let’s be honest, the only thing keeping him here is the run to the National Championship game in 2004. Since then, correct me if I’m wrong, we haven’t won double digit ACC road games. In 6 years! We’re an absolutely atrocious team away from home, we’re extremely undisciplined, we can’t inbound the ball, and most importantly, we have underachieved every year since 2004. The 2005 team, in my opinion, was much more talented than the predecessor. However, that team didn’t even make it to the Sweet Sixteen. 2006 – 11-16, 2007 – knocked out in the first round of the tournament, 2008 – 15-17, 2009 – 12-19. 3 losing seasons, 2 NCAA tournament appearances, and 0 Sweet Sixteens. Oh yeah, and this season, we’re a mere 19-11, 7-9 in the ACC with losses at home to Florida State and Virginia Tech, and on the road to Virginia and, you guessed it, the last place Miami Hurricanes. Did I mention we have the #4 ranked recruiting class and 3 McDonald’s All-Americans?
Please tell me how this guy can stay.
GT in CT
March 9th, 2010
12:44 pm
If the discussion takes place after the season concludes, after the NCAA or NIT, that would be after the auto-renewal date for the contract. That suggests Hewitt will be back next year. Right, Mark?
Coach BlewIt
March 9th, 2010
12:45 pm
Sounds like the late season “kiss-of-death” endorsement. One can only hope. Nothing personal against CPH, but its time for Tech to move on.
PMC
March 9th, 2010
12:47 pm
This was an excellent 6 sentence response from Mr. Radakovich. Exactly what needed to be said.
Nothing else has to be said or explained at this point. Dave Braine did essentially nothing but try to ensure Tech athletics would be mediocre for as long as possible. Talk about a lack of vision.
Paul Hewitt is trying. I have no doubt he is doing everything he can to win it just isn’t working. All you really need to do is evaluate the records since 2005 to know he and his staff aren’t getting it done. He’s frustrated, but generally he does a good job of making himself available to the media. They definately need a shakeup of some kind regardless of what happens this year. It doesn’t have to mean paying the buyout but somethings within the program are going to have to change because the ACC record the last 5 years is woefully unacceptable from any perspective.
Sienna Rocks
March 9th, 2010
12:48 pm
Maybe DanRad can tap a hot coach from a lesser known middle tier team that makes the dance, like say, oh, Sienna.
Tech82
March 9th, 2010
12:51 pm
GT B Ball 4ever – We will not find a better basketball coach? So, are you suggesting that one winning conference record in ten years is an adequate expectation for this program? Obviously, it is you that doesn’t have a very firm grasp of college basketball. Find me a coach with Hewitt’s track record at ANY other major program in a top-tier conference. You can’t. That’s because a coach posting his results would have been fired by now.
JustaThought
March 9th, 2010
12:51 pm
So “B ball” what you are saying is that the talent (other ACC teams) is just that much better than GT………….
GT FAN
March 9th, 2010
12:56 pm
I would have to agree I think a change is needed. The reason Tech moved passed Cremins was for no movement in the program- I can say at least the teams of Cremins were exciting to watch- CPH runs the same indentical plays- he continues to subsitute when the 5 on the court start to gel…every time- sub–hot hand- sub—Way too much talent on this team for them not to be 24-6 at this point. To be honest I don’t know if they beat UNC on Thursday!
AshevilleJacket
March 9th, 2010
12:56 pm
Could we get Jay Bilas to coach Tech? He always sounds so knowledgeable, especially about post positioning and working the inside-out and pick-n-roll, when he’s doing color commentary on the broadcasts.
BigJacketFan
March 9th, 2010
12:57 pm
So much of this has been hashed and rehashed: So much talent, but the players are not coached up and ready to play on game day; a crazy feeling that there is even a lack of coaching in FUNDAMENTALS; and finally, unfathonable in-game decisions with substitutions, time-outs, etc. Hopefully, DRad reads these blogs. Whatever happens from this point on in the season, there must be a change.
blackbee
March 9th, 2010
12:58 pm
Things haven’t gone as some have thought but Coach will turn this around. It wouldn’t surprise me if Tech get’s into Sweet 16, D RAD is right, let’s just root for Tech and things will work out!
Gan Chailey
March 9th, 2010
12:59 pm
If Paul gets fired I got a position open on my staff in Buffalo
Clint Castleberry
March 9th, 2010
1:01 pm
I think the athletic dept in general will be better off once anything Dave Braine had his hands on is gone from North Ave. No way to spin the last few years have been well below what I expect from Tech basketball. Maybe I should recalibrate my expectations but that is a loser mentality. half full AMC with a sub .500 ACC record year after year. Is this what we have become ?!
DaTech Man
March 9th, 2010
1:05 pm
All you haters need to get off Hewitt’s back. It’s not his fault his players refuse to listen to him. He has said it over and over… “We are young.” Lay off him.
Tech Fan
March 9th, 2010
1:10 pm
DeTech Man, clearly you are a UGA blogger. No Tech Fan would evaluate Hewitt as harshly as we do after one, or two, or three seasons…ok maybe three…but we are evaluating off TEN…A DECADE…ONE…count it on one finger..>ONE< winning ACC season in a DECADE. Go back and reread the blogs over the past several years…this is not a 'this year' issue…it's '9 of 10' years with the same lame excuses year after year. Nice try UGA troll.
Blue
March 9th, 2010
1:11 pm
“Dan Radakovich believes there’s ’still much to be gained’ from Paul Hewitt’s team this postseason.”
And I believe tonight I will have a threesome with Jennifer Anniston and Angelina Jolie.
And I belive the Detroit Lions are going to win the superbowl. ANY time.
SCBee
March 9th, 2010
1:12 pm
CPH = CCG
cannot win close games, plays down to oppontent, cannot win on the road (with anything approachng consistency), does not seem to be able to develop talent available to him, cannot beat (inferior) in-state rival. There are exceptions; CPH will talk, answer questions, and doesn’t blame his players for his shortcomings. A great guy that is gracious to the fans. A great recruiter (so was Bobby Crimmins)…just not good enough to get over the hump, or hold on to his players. Regardless of all this, CPH ain’t going anywhere, unless the Athletic Ass’n just found $7 million under a rock somewhere. See ya next year coach…please get your act together!!
JD
March 9th, 2010
1:13 pm
Georgia Tech = Train Wreck
SCBee
March 9th, 2010
1:14 pm
JD = jerk off
Blue
March 9th, 2010
1:14 pm
GT B Ball 4ever: whatever. You know you don’t have a house…
GT in CT
March 9th, 2010
1:15 pm
Hewitt could be starting two seniors, two juniors, and a sophomore if he wanted. I don’t buy the “young” excuse, which will also be used next year along with: “Look at all the experience we lost.” He builds the team and picks the players, so he has to take responsibility.
Tech Fan
March 9th, 2010
1:15 pm
DaTech Man = Da UGA Troll
Grey Dog
March 9th, 2010
1:15 pm
Hope he stays for life!
Matt
March 9th, 2010
1:16 pm
If they barely make it in and then drop their first game in the tourney do you think Raddy is going to be whistling the same tune?!?!?!
Blue
March 9th, 2010
1:17 pm
Da Tech Man; Kentucky is young too…as are many other teams that are above .500 in the conference and have one more than one road game.
BankerDawg
March 9th, 2010
1:18 pm
Radakovich has shown himself to be a very good AD, IMO.
He has also correctly tabled any comment on the status of his head basketball coach until after the season. Smart move.
I would trust him to do the right thing if I were a Tech fan. He has not given anyone evidence to doubt that his decision, whatever it may be, will positively affect the Institute, as well as the Basketball program.
FWIW, I think Hewitt has done just a terrible job over the last several years, but nothing as horrific as this year. One of the worst things to watch is wasted talent….
JD
March 9th, 2010
1:19 pm
Raddy says: “NERDS UNITE”
1990_Champs_GT
March 9th, 2010
1:20 pm
Tech will have to go to at least the Elite Eight to change my mind about Hewitt. We’ve got the talent, just not the coaching.
That “We are young” excuse doesn’t work, and if the players won’t listen, it’s his fault. If you won’t listen to the coach, there are nice, padded folding chairs you can sit on next to the assistants. Lack of playing time will make any player clean out his ears.
Tech Fan
March 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
Someone asked about recruiting for next year. All I’ve been able to find is one SF. We’ll ‘be young’ again next year, won’t we
It’s always something.
C. Tampa Ironworse
March 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
Hewitt recruits in Chicago/NYC and gets playas (pun intended) that will NEVER make it to a 3rd or 4th year at GT. They might as well cancel Senior Day from now on. Duke is a good team because none of those guys are NBA types and therefore they stay all 4 years. Hewitt gets guys that he KNOWS are leaving after 1 year and wastes a free ride on them. And Hewitt is somewhat unstable upstairs…have you heard him call into the radio stations? He goes off and doesn’t want to hear anything negative about GT. Northside…tell this guy to hit the bricks…too emotional for big time basketball.
SCBee
March 9th, 2010
1:24 pm
JD…sounds better than “leg-humpers UNITE”
tekman
March 9th, 2010
1:26 pm
This program has turned into an embarrassment! Shumpart and Lawal are head-cases and it’s sad to say but D. favors is the most composed player on the team. He will be gone next year–and who could blame him? If he stayed another year he would only regress and learn more ways to turn it over and fail in life. Why dont we hire Tubby Smith? I am afraid that we are about two years away from turning into a hopeless program. Look what has happened to NC STATE!
Ozzy
March 9th, 2010
1:27 pm
Hewitt seems like an OK guy, and damn he’s a snappy dresser.
Unfortunately, he should be coaching at Norcross, Milton or Wheeler.
His ACC results speak for themselves.
Bristol Palin 2012
March 9th, 2010
1:28 pm
Mark:
Off the subject a bit but what do you think Jeff Lebo at Auburn’s chances of returning next year are?
tekman
March 9th, 2010
1:29 pm
If Blewitt was white—he would have already been canned!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 9th, 2010
1:30 pm
What if Tech wins the ACC tournament? What if it advances to the Final Four? What do you say then?
Here is what I would say: Wow, what a crazy dream that was!! But Hewitt is still there, so of course, that ain’t going to happen.