Bradley’s Buzz: Having won once, the Jackets look safe
Here's Derrick Favors, seen wreaking havoc on the hapless Tar Heels. (AP photo)
Greensboro, N.C. — You can go insane trying to process every permutation. If Cincinnati had beaten West Virginia last night, would the Bearcats be in and someone else be out? If Utah State falls in the WAC tournament, which major conference team gets bumped? But here, as of Friday morning, is all you need to know:
Georgia Tech is in the NCAA field.
Jerry Palm of CBSsports.com has the Jackets as a No. 10 seed, and that’s safe ground. Even if Tech loses to Maryland tonight, it won’t be viewed as a bad loss. (Maryland tied for the ACC regular-season crown and has an RPI of 19.) Bracketology 101 has the Jackets among the last four in. (Though as an 11th seed, which seems odd. The final at-large invitees are generally 12th seeds.)
Andy Glockner of SI.com has Tech as a No. 12, but he believes it “probably needs to beat Maryland to hold on to its spot in the bracket.” (Mr. Glockner and I disagree.) But esteemed former colleague Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com has moved the Jackets to the “should be in” classification on his Bubble Watch. Writes Schlabach: “Because of the carnage taking place in other conference tournaments, the Yellow Jackets are suddenly sitting in pretty good shape.”
And what of the famous Joe Lunardi, also of ESPN? He still has the Jackets as a No. 11 seed and puts them third among the 14 bubble teams, of which seven figure to be invited. (Latter link requires registration.)
Bottom line: For a team that trailed by 10 points halfway through a game Thursday night that would have meant NCAA exclusion, Tech is rolling in clover. It has 20 victories (19 over Division I opponents). It has an RPI of 40 and its strength of schedule is 20. That’s enough to get in, I maintain. And I’m never ever wrong, as we know.
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127 comments Add your comment
nickz
March 12th, 2010
10:33 am
first?
mmgtfan
March 12th, 2010
10:33 am
First
mmgtfan
March 12th, 2010
10:34 am
Ah photo finish
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
March 12th, 2010
10:34 am
top 5 ?
nickz
March 12th, 2010
10:35 am
woo!
Tech will get in, but probably won’t go far…barely getting by a weak UNC squad won’t cut it in the tourney…
UGA on the otherhand looked good last night, Vandy better bring there A game tonight or they’re going down. UGA with a possibly 2nd SEC Tourney Championship in 3 years…who would of thought…
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
March 12th, 2010
10:39 am
if tech goes in as a 10 or lower and then goes on a elite 8 or final 4 run would they be considered cinderella or underachievers who happened to come together at the right time ? what if they really shock the world and win it all is hewitt then the best coach ever and does he get a raise ? probably won’t happen but its fun to think about
Paul Hewitt
March 12th, 2010
10:39 am
Why are you so mean to me Mark? I hate the big bad Atlanta media!
nickz
March 12th, 2010
10:43 am
victory is sweet!
Tech will get in to the tourney, but won’t get far. Barely pulling out a win against a terribly UNC squad won’t get it done in the tourney, no matter who they play 1st round. With all that talent, you wonder were the motivation is….Hewitt isn’t getting it done.
On the other hand, UGA looked good last night. Vandy better bring their A game or they’ll be going home. Could it be….2 SEC Tourney Championships in 3 years for the Dawgs…who would of thought.
GT in CT
March 12th, 2010
10:44 am
Mark has been relatively diplomatic toward Hewitt compared to Yahoo Sports.
Herschel Talker
March 12th, 2010
10:45 am
They’d still lose to UGA. Yet again.
73-66
Mark Fox > Paul Hewitt
WR
March 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Mark, I disagree with most of your post, I challenge your opinion most of the time, but your earlier post on the Jackets is head on. In all of my years in the state of Georgia this has got to be the strangest team ever, if you go beyond the 70’s don’t include me, but your right its weird that this Tech team could be at least an elite 8 team or at worst not even in the NCAA. Personally I like Hewitt, I still haven’t given up on the team as for this year, but I can’t help but wonder was Hewitt’s earlier twitter fiasco much the same as the final days of Jim Mora Jr. My question to you Mark, is it Hewitt, which many of us believe it is, or is it his assistants, as some may say, whatever it is and whether the Jackets are in or out should there be changes.
Skeezix
March 12th, 2010
10:56 am
Hey Mark: Congratulations for Georgia Tech’s win over UNC last night! (I figure if Hewitt is going to blame you for the losses, then you ought to get credit for the wins).
shadydave
March 12th, 2010
11:04 am
if Tech gets the ball inside to Favors and Lawal, they can win this thing – less jump shots!!
nickz
March 12th, 2010
11:06 am
Can I get a kudos???
UGA over Vandy tonight…getting closer to 2 SEC Tourney Championships in a 3 year span…not too bad
Liebs
March 12th, 2010
11:10 am
Mark, I think what’s really stinging many Georgia Tech fans is that, even if we make the tournament, we haven’t shown anything to prove we could be a single NCAA Toureny team. I mean, the best team we’ve beaten outside of the Thrillerdome is UNC, which doesn’t say much this season.
Joe Fan
March 12th, 2010
11:11 am
Lots of water under the bridge maybe enough to wash away Hewitt’s job. However, a win over Maryland and a couple of wins in the NCAA’s will buy him another year. The problem is next year will likely bring a worse record and DRAD having to do this all over again but this time he will have no choice but to find a new coach. Will be interesting come Monday to see if there is an annoucement from GT about rolling over Hewitt’s contract.
Brock
March 12th, 2010
11:11 am
If tech wins tonight they have a good shot of making it to the title game. But that is a big “IF”.
Brock
March 12th, 2010
11:13 am
Have I been blocked?
Brock
March 12th, 2010
11:13 am
I guess that answers my question.
Brock
March 12th, 2010
11:17 am
As I said before, if tech wins tonight they have a darn good shot to make it to the title game. That is, however, a big “IF”.
Please Paul, adjust to what the other team is doing. If they don’t hit outside shots get out of the man d and play some zone. 1 3 1 looked good when Northwestern played it against Indiana yesterday. Really caused a lot of turnovers and got ‘em back in the game to go on and win it.
aztec
March 12th, 2010
11:23 am
mark, do you think my AZTECS are in?
drew
March 12th, 2010
11:25 am
Tech getting in will bump a more deserving team from the field. Last night’s game showed me nothing except that UNC is even worse than Tech. I’m a Tech fan, but I expect one and done in the NCAA’s. Maybe, just maybe, if CPH had developed one of his point guards (Miller/Udofia) instead of trying to make a PG out of Shumpert, they’d look like an actual team. This is not a TEAM…CPH has taken a mess of talent, and created a mess.
Terp Fan
March 12th, 2010
11:32 am
Maryland will kick your a@@ tonight. It won’t come down to the buzzer again. Until you fire old Paulie, the Jackets are going Nowhere. Gary is God. Go Terps
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
11:32 am
Herschel Talker
I’d love for Tech to have another shot @ UGA away from athens. Was UGA’s win last night their first away from Athens this year? By the way, it doesn’t say much when they beat a terrible Ark team. Even as bad as UNC is, they are still better than the lowly SEC bottom feeders (UGA, Ark, LSU). I won’t argue about Mark Fox > Paul Hewitt. I really can’t stand Hewitt, but that’s who Tech has.
Terp Fan
March 12th, 2010
11:33 am
Go Terps
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
11:33 am
Mark,
Who do you think would win in a rematch on a neutral court?
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
11:36 am
Herschel Talker
I’d love to see a rematch with UGA away from Athens. Was UGA win last night their first away from home this year? Even as bad as UNC is, their still better than the lowly bottom feeders in the SEC (UGA, ARK, LSU). I won’t disgree with you about Mark Fox > Paul Hewitt. I can’t stand him but, that’s who Tech has.
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
11:38 am
Herschel Talker
I’d love to see a rematch with UGA away from Athens. Was UGA’s win last night the first away from home? Even as bad as UNC is, they’re still better than the bottom feeders in the SEC (UGA, ARK, LSU). I won’t disagree with you on Mark Fox > Paul Hewitt. I can’t stand the guy, but that’s who Tech has right now.
MalibuGT
March 12th, 2010
11:40 am
i still feel like they need to beat Maryland to get in. And of course with this team they could do it, or lose by 20.
i’d prefer getting in the NIT, beating UGAY and getting Hewitt fired to getting into NCAA, being one and done, and no change with Hewitt
VJacket
March 12th, 2010
11:41 am
good lord these uga fans are annoying
collegeballfan
March 12th, 2010
11:44 am
Tech will not beat Maryland.
Tech does not have that elusive “chemistry”. I have always believed chemistry comes from the coach. I claim I learned that from Joe Hall.
But that was a long time ago.
Next years team could be OK. Could be. Depends on who the coach will be.
sidewalk74
March 12th, 2010
11:44 am
The thought of another year with Hewitt is making me depressed already. Also, under Hewitt kids have constantly left the program for the NBA before they are ready. Don’t be surprised if Shumpert leaves for the NBA along with Lawal and Favors.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2010
11:46 am
Belated kudos, nickz. I ducked down to the workout room and missed the “first” dash, which was close.
And thanks to you, skeezix.
BigTimeTECHFan
March 12th, 2010
11:51 am
VJacket – Are you just now figuring that out.
7PM game tonight – Jackets will win, I’ve got a filling the UNC win helped a lot.
Gordon
March 12th, 2010
11:53 am
Winning by 4 over a horrible UNC team that doesn’t score a basket for the last 5 minutes gets you into the NCAA? Tech’s RPI actually went down last night. This is a year when they are looking for 65 teams, not deciding which ones deserve to go. Tech looked terrible for a large part of that game.
Like sidewalk74, I will be depressed if Hewitt stays. At least I won’t be wasting any money on them next year.
junebaby
March 12th, 2010
11:54 am
is there anyplace on this site where we can see the boxscore? no offense, but m.bradley has a vendetta against p.hewitt and never talks about the good things hewitt has done at ga tech. so i would like to see the boxscore to see how certain players are performing, instead of counting on the writer’s perspective. i have no certainties why he dislikes hewitt so much, but i have my theories. yes ga tech should be a major power in basketball, but there are reasons athletes choose not to attend tech, and it’s not p.hewitt. but i agree ga tech has to do better than it has done the last few years, and that falls squarely on the head coach. it’s part of the job description
BobinBuford
March 12th, 2010
11:55 am
nickz:
Vandy could beat UGA bringing their C game. They are playing the SEC tournament in Nashville, which I believe bascially makes this a home game for Vanderbilt. And we all know how well UGA does on the road.
Good luck in the NIT, or CBIT, or whatever 3rd rate tournament UGA gets into.
Gordon
March 12th, 2010
11:57 am
Junebaby,
Good athletes ARE attending Tech. That’s the problem. We back into the NCAA in a year that the ACC is down and we have an experienced, deep, talented team. This is as good as its going to get under Hewitt – at least the Hewitt of the last 5 years.
Benjamin
March 12th, 2010
11:58 am
UGA basketball is an interesting setup.
If Tompkins and Leslie can both stay long term, I think they’ll have something to watch next year, especially with the way Coach Fox has brought the team together.
Wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2010
12:00 pm
A loss to MD tonight and a one and out in the NCAA. Whoop dee do.
Any ACC team other than UNC would have won against Tech last night.
reebok
March 12th, 2010
12:02 pm
mark, i am afraid you are right and the jackets are in, which means one-and-done in gutless fashion in the dance, PLUS we are stuck with “coach” hewitt for at least another year.
Wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2010
12:03 pm
Losing to UGA early in the season was a shock until we learned that this team can’t play together. Losing to UGA now would be expected.
Our football team has a much better chance of beating UGA that this
round-ball squad.
GTMAN:
March 12th, 2010
12:04 pm
Eat your hearts out puppies, as your team sux azz! THWG! GO JACKETS. Play a real schedule with SOS of 17 or 18 instead of 90. I am surprised your fans can count that high! Have fun in the NIT if you make it and if you get lucky and win the SEC, which you won’t, I win a ton of money, so either way it’s a win for me. I can decide if I would rather win 1k or watch you lose and weep and sob and cry like the babies you are. Tuff decision. THWG!
Go Jackets
March 12th, 2010
12:04 pm
Beat Maryland
Wreckmaniac
March 12th, 2010
12:05 pm
Terp Fan: Tell us something we don’t know. Such as when will UNC beat
MD again ?
Jackets2010
March 12th, 2010
12:05 pm
Favors is improving with every game.
The ACC tourney jitters will be gone tonight as they took a half to shake.
We’ll give the Terps all they can handle like last time.
Guys, my threshold for calling for the firing of the coach comes when a team quits like with Bill Lewis.
This team has not quit at all.
They might learn not to take every three and get somewhere.
Notre Dame’s burn offense has them 6-0.
Go Jackets
oldfart
March 12th, 2010
12:06 pm
Tech is not mediocre because of the athletes that have or have not chosen to go there. They simply don’t play good fundamentals and they are drawing from an excellent pool of talent. The excess turnovers, etc. are all on the coaching. Making the tournament this year is a prime example of backing into it.
no Cinderella story
March 12th, 2010
12:09 pm
for 1.25 million a year, one would certainly assume a coach will get his team in the tournament that picks 64(65) teams. I think, however, DRAD should deduct this years salary from the 2-14 disaster of last season which didn’t deserve to be paid minimum wage.
Brad
March 12th, 2010
12:10 pm
Was reading an article quoting from the press conference where Favors was asked about the game in it’s implications on Tech getting in the NCAA for which he had no answer. Hewitt’s response “Derrick doesn’t watch a lot of basketball… I can tell you he doesn’t understand the implications of this game” ??
Isn’t that what the coach is supposed to help with….I would hope the players would know..if not maybe the coaches could maybe highlight it. How could you NOT know?
I was at game and was disappointed how good Tech made Carolina look…poor choices and sloppy play. Maybe they’ll understand implications of tonights game or maybe it doesn’t matter.
Benjamin
March 12th, 2010
12:11 pm
UNC will beat a lot of teams next season, Wreck. This was a one year anomaly.
Benjamin
March 12th, 2010
12:12 pm
Don’t get me wrong, GTMAN. I’m a supporter of Tech, too. One of those people who can root for both teams and justify it.
Georgia’s basketball program is on the rise. They’ll be back in the tournament next season.
Yurtle_the_turtle
March 12th, 2010
12:14 pm
The way I see it Mark is that Hewitt won last night but GT lost. Had we lost to UNC, Hewitt would be in more trouble and perhaps fired. Once Hewitt gets fired, GT wins!.
Dacula Jacket
March 12th, 2010
12:14 pm
Gordon
Experienced? A team loaded with freshman and only two seniors is not experienced.
With or without CPH next year, GT will be a better team. Lawal, Shumpert, Oliver, Rice, Udofia will be back, plus Holsey and Daniel Miller will be added. Don’t forget Jason Morris off the bench as a true freshman. The team will be loaded with talent. All we need is a coach (and staff)!
Kay
March 12th, 2010
12:15 pm
Thanks for all the updates, Mark.
Brad
March 12th, 2010
12:16 pm
Interesting comments from Hewitt in post game – Favors didn’t respond when asked if that game made the difference in Tech getting into the NCAA. Hewitt stated Favors doesn’t watch a lot of basketball “I assure you he doesn’t know the implication of this game”..?? Really? Great job coach.It’s the freaking ACC Tournament and NCAA berth could have been on the line.
Tech played like it didn’t know the position it was in. Sloppy play and poor choices made Carolina look better than they are. Glad they pulled it out..but it is questionable which team will show up to play. That’s coaching.
wesleywhatwhat
March 12th, 2010
12:18 pm
what is the point of kudos for the “i’m first” morons? or is MB trying to encourage as many idiots as possible to comment on his column?
lame. keep it up and people will question your bona fides.
Ron
March 12th, 2010
12:21 pm
You uga idiots thinking you will win the sec tourney are crazy. It’s bad enough the football fans think their program is at some top tier level. Now you are talking up a 14-16 basketball team. You need help!
Harris
March 12th, 2010
12:22 pm
Mary Land 85
Yech 66
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
12:23 pm
wesleywhatwhat
I guess your right. He encouraged you to comment. haha
Gordon
March 12th, 2010
12:28 pm
Dacula Jacket,
The following people get significant playing time: Bell-Sr, Peacock-Sr, Lawal-Jr, Miller-Jr, Shumpert-So (with a lot of playing time under his belt). Favors, Udofia, Oliver, and Rice are all freshmen but have played all year. This is March, not December. Tech is above average when it comes to experience on the court. Youth is not an excuse, or if it is it can be used by almost every team.
As you said, this team will be better if we get better coaching. And by the way, I don’t know if Lawal is coming back or not. If I were him, I would come back if Hewitt didn’t and not come back if he did. He has hurt himself this year.
MorningJacket
March 12th, 2010
12:32 pm
None of the sportswriters/ESPN ever get it right….they always are “shocked” every year when a certain team doesn’t make it. I remember one year during the Cremins era when Bradley/AJC writers wrote that a mediocre Jackets team was a lock, and they didn’t make it. There’s always the possibility of nobodies winning conference tournaments (see UGA) and then bye-bye Tech. Play tonight like you’re playing for your lives, guys, and don’t listen to these pretenders. They’re not the selection committee.
Matt
March 12th, 2010
12:40 pm
Terp fan is the loser herschel talker.
Alabama Jack
March 12th, 2010
12:40 pm
The only thing on the rise from UGA is manure stench.
Jackets2010
March 12th, 2010
12:42 pm
Tech 88 Maryland 72
Jackets2010
March 12th, 2010
12:44 pm
Jacket jitters out of the way plus Favors getting better with each game plus better trey shooting equals Terps one and done.
AMG
March 12th, 2010
12:50 pm
Mark, Talent wise would you say Tech is a top 5 or 10 team? If so, does that not figure into CPH job standing? Tech will lose the opening round of the NCAA Tourney with a team that if well coached would have benn a top 5 type team.
UGA89
March 12th, 2010
12:55 pm
nickz
March 12th, 2010
10:35 am
woo!
Tech will get in, but probably won’t go far…barely getting by a weak UNC squad won’t cut it in the tourney…
UGA on the otherhand looked good last night, Vandy better bring there A game tonight or they’re going down. UGA with a possibly 2nd SEC Tourney Championship in 3 years…who would of thought…
- – - – -
Yeah, just like the 2008 football team was supposed to win a national championship.
Grey Dog
March 12th, 2010
12:56 pm
Don’t fire Hewitt !!!
JacketSteve
March 12th, 2010
12:59 pm
Obviously, Hewitt has no clue on how to coach big time basketball like the ACC. In what everyone knows is the most important game of the year he says his most acclaimed player doesn’t know the implication of the game. He should be fired for that comment alone. DRad needs to take charge and fire every assistant coach if that’s possible. This would put Hewitt in a position to bring in a staff that can coach to make up for his lack of ability or leave.
PJ
March 12th, 2010
1:03 pm
Sidewalk 74 – which coach has ever caused a player to leave early or to stay with a program longer if that is their wish to Jump to the Pro league early. I have read a lot of stupid comments on this blog but yours win top prize. Please understand that every year several athletes leave school early because in their minds they are ready for the NBA or the NFL only to be disappointed. Do you remember C.J. Williams the running back who left early and entered the NFL draft, he was one of those and not even George O’Leary could convince him that he was not ready for the NFL. So whether or not Shumpert leaves his decision will have nothing to do with what Hewitt say or how he coaches.
matt r
March 12th, 2010
1:05 pm
B101 has GT a 12 today, 11 was yesterday. They were an 11 because of grouping issues: you can’t have more than 4 teams from a conference in either of these groups: 1-4-5-8-9-12-13-16 , 2-3-6-7-10-11-14-15
jarvis
March 12th, 2010
1:10 pm
They’ll be one of the 64 losers this tourney provides annually.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
March 12th, 2010
1:27 pm
Tech 78 – Maryland 68 … or quite possibly … Tech 56 – Maryland 57
Dawglasville
March 12th, 2010
1:32 pm
To quote the great Athens philosopher Michael Stipe, “Everybody hurts sometime.” Maybe we should all be kinder to each others when he blog about tournaments, bowl games, coaching changes. One thing is for sure, you should be kind when your up because your time in the barrel may just be around the corner.
JACKETS IN!
March 12th, 2010
1:36 pm
The Jackets are in the NCAA–mark it down! The only question is the seed–I’m hoping for a 5 or 6, which means an easy first round blowout!!!
jasont13
March 12th, 2010
1:39 pm
It’s hilarious to hear Tech fans trying to dis UGA especially when your team lost to them. I’m a true believer that you need to have a winning conference record in order to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Charles
March 12th, 2010
1:46 pm
Rematch! The Techie rallying cry…
Monticello Dawg
March 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
Lots of UGA envy/jealousy on any article featuring the state’s flagship university.
Jackets2010
March 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
Neutral fans want to see Favors in the Big Dance.
Hewitt is right that the game seems to be slowing down for him and he has really started to step up.
There are jitters in the ACC tourney.
I believe Tech is in good shape for an upset tonight having dealt with their’s at halftime and come out smoking in the 2nd half.
Maybe they will disappoint me but I think we are a dangerous team.
We won with poor trey shooting.
That should improve tonight too.
scott
March 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
what if you had a losing conference record and then went on to win your Conference tourney? some wieght has to be given to end-of-season improvement. (Which Tech also did not demonstrate at the end of their season, for that that’s worth)but if they actually won the tourney . . .well it won’t happen this weekend for Tech. No way.
But it does happen, as we all know what occurred in the SEC not too long ago.
Bay Bay is a stupid nickname
March 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
Is there such a thing as a bad-enough loss? If Maryland beats Tech by 20+, a true blowout, would that be enough to knock them out? First, the ACC is horribly weak this year. A really, really bad year for ACC teams/strength. Maryland is not a good team, they are average, but look much better because they did well in a horrible ACC and look better because people love to overrank the ACC in basketball.
So Tech is getting credit for beating Clemson…it’s being called a “quality win” and Clemson was horrible in the weak ACC, as they usually are,a nd then Tech lost to that same Clemson on the road. The same exact thing with Wake…a mediocre team getting credit for being in the ACC. Tech did beat Duke, a good quality win, but give me another?? There isn’t another quality win on the schedule. Not one.
Maryland is overrated. They are the second tallest midget in the ACC. And if Tech loses to Maryland by 20+, which is very possible, will the tournament committee see that Tech is not a good team and keep them out? I’d rather the tourney take USF, who was comptetitive in the very tough Big East, rather than another weak -A ACC team like tech. But at least I know that if Tech makes the NCAA tourney, I will have a free win in the first round of my brackets as Tech will lose to whomever they play.
sidewalk74
March 12th, 2010
1:50 pm
Hey PJ,
It reflects the type of player that Hewitt recruits. Every year Hewitt speaks of how young his teams are. Maybe he should try recruiting some players that want to play at GT for 4 years and not players that will only stay 1-2 years until they can get to the NBA. This seams to work pretty well for Duke. And for some reason Florida and UNC both got great groups of kids to come back one more season to achieve something special. That will NEVER happen under Hewitt.
scott
March 12th, 2010
1:50 pm
oops, I meant “weight” not wieght. and that comment was in response to Jasont13
matt r
March 12th, 2010
1:51 pm
5 or 6 seed, due you are dreaming. GT needs to be competitive today or they might be left out. Read the seedings above.
Jackets2010
March 12th, 2010
1:51 pm
Lots of Dawg fans on the Tech blog since they hate arguing with Gators with their pathetic 3-17 record and National Champ Bama after the blackout beatdown of last year.
Couldn’t even beat Kiffy so they have to spend their time with us.
I going for a run so have at it with your putdowns but be sure and avoid Gaotr and Bama blogs.
jasont13
March 12th, 2010
1:54 pm
Scott, I failed to mention that only if you win your conference tourney and have a loosing conference record you should be allowed in the NCAA Tournament. It’s just bad that you are awarded for loosing 9 or 10 games in your conference only because 2 or 3 teams in your conference are really good.
jasont13
March 12th, 2010
1:57 pm
Jackets2010 you can’t be a Tech grad with all those grammer mistakes. I don’t mind arguing with any Bama or Florida fan actually married to a Florida grad.
Tug McGroin
March 12th, 2010
2:03 pm
Dat Tebow is one dumb white boy per the wonderlic…..
DRC
March 12th, 2010
2:04 pm
I think Tech and uga should play a 3 game series against one another every year. Each team would play a home game each and play the third game at a neutral site like Phillips or Gwinnett. Would generate more interest watching them than some of those cupcake games they play.
VT Yellow Jacket
March 12th, 2010
2:05 pm
“Having won once”….Sounds like PH’s idea of a successful 2010 NCAA tournament.
FalconUGAFan
March 12th, 2010
2:05 pm
You Jacket fans crack me up…Your team won last night and all you can talk about is UGA and the UGA fans… Go enjoy your win, folks.
nickz
March 12th, 2010
2:06 pm
BobinBuford – You’re right…UGA has no chance against Vandy tonight. That’s why all the Vandy players were praying Arkansas would beat UGA so they wouldn’t have to play them. If I recall, UGA has already beaten Vandy this year and also lost by 2 in overtime at Vandy (a game they should have won).
UGA has no chance…very good argument by you Bob
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
2:07 pm
jasont13
In the ACC, a 7-9 or 8-8 record is considered fairly decent and normally gets you in the NCAA tourney if the non-conference record is good. What if a team has a 9-7 conference record and has a bad non-conference record. Does it deserve to get in the tournament? I’d love to see a rematch with UGA. Tech definately didn’t have their heads in the game that night. You can’t tell me that UGA has better players or team across the board than Tech. Yes they won the first meeting but that was a long time ago.
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
2:14 pm
Bay Bay is a stupid nickname
The same argument is made every year about the SEC in football. Yes, the ACC is down this year, but it’s still better than the weak SEC. Big East and Big 12 probably stand out the most this year. Then the ACC. How can you say that Maryland is not a good team? They could hang with anyone in the country. It definately sounds like your just another jealous UGA fan that hates Tech and the conference their in. Go back to your own dam blog if your going to make BS comments.
GA PEACH
March 12th, 2010
2:18 pm
Ok Im going to think positive. I hope that GT have an amazing game tonight and beat Maryland. Even if its by 1 or 2 points. They MUST work as a team and concentrate on getting the ball inside to Favors and Lawal. They MUST stop taking the wild shots and trying to get the ball in themselves….Get the freakin ball to the inside man and lets WIN. They MUST get the right men on the floor. They MUST stay out of foul and turnover trouble. And they MUST keep that wild Udofia on the bench. Wheeewwwwww! Now lets say a prayer, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. Lets Go Jackets!!!!!
Cremins - Do you Miss Me Yet
March 12th, 2010
2:22 pm
Mark,
Tech didn’t look like they were safe last night. Hewitt continues to coach his talent down to his level. At this point, I really don’t care if Tech makes it to the NCAA tourney. Tech’s not going past round one or two. The turnovers this squad has shows a true lack of coaching!
Ramblinwreck83
March 12th, 2010
2:24 pm
FalconUGAFan
We wouldn’t have to mention UGA or the obnoxious fans if you would stay away from our blogs. You come on here and rip our team. What do you expect Tech fans to do? I believe UGA fans would do the same if we went to your blogs.
Paul Johnson's Johnson
March 12th, 2010
2:35 pm
Will someone just knock Grevis Vazquez out….I cant imagine hating another player more than that cocky piece of ****
Paul Johnson's Johnson
March 12th, 2010
2:42 pm
Sigh. Is there any player, ever, whose swagger was more disproportionate to his skill? If Greivis was 1/10th as good as he thinks he is, he’d be an All-American. As it is, he’s just a mediocre guard on a mediocre team, with a penchant for doing more harm than good for his own squad. I really don’t think I’ve ever disliked a player on one of my own teams more than I do Vasquez.
Tech Buzz
March 12th, 2010
2:46 pm
Georgia recruits from the same pool of players as Tech, but their program is nonexistent, they had a terrible year and will not even make the NIT. question: how can ga fans criticize tech BB, since Tech will be in the NCAAs?????
bobby brown
March 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
If we make the Dance, get ready for another year of Hewitt ball. His joke of a contract says you have to give him 30 days notice before April 14th! Or you owe him the full six yr buyout instead of 5 yrs. Tech can not afford to pay that much less the 5 yrs. This stinks. I want Tech to do well but come on. Tech needed to lose last night for hime to be gone. Dave Braine should pay the buyout not Tech, got to be some kickbacks going on!
FalconUGAFan
March 12th, 2010
3:17 pm
Ramblinwreck83-You missed my point. Of course we are all over each other’s blogs, but why worry about it? We each have our obnoxious fans. Enjoy your team! BTW… I dare you to find where I have ever ripped your team. I’m always very complimentary of the Jackets.
Tech75
March 12th, 2010
3:18 pm
Someone earlier asked if Hewitt might get a raise (or at least not get bought out) if the Jackets make a run.
What about this: if they make the 8 or the 4, offer a rewritten contract with first-year 15% increase, then 10% each for 3 years; bonus him $250K each year he posts a winning ACC record, but no auto-rollover.
Sluggo
March 12th, 2010
3:19 pm
So you’re saying that a team with a losing conference record is going to get an at-large to the NCAA tournament? Why not reward a mid-major with a winning league record that’s had a great season rather than some middle of the pack ACC team that could not win games on the road?
theTruth
March 12th, 2010
3:34 pm
7-9 Record in the ACC=NIT, book it.
snapshot
March 12th, 2010
4:03 pm
Tech Buzz the reason mutts criticize Tech is because Stupid is as Stupid does. I rest my case!
Matt
March 12th, 2010
4:07 pm
I’m pulling for Miami to win the acc and take tech’s spot. Illinois could do the same in the big 10.
Born2Buzz
March 12th, 2010
4:24 pm
MB, I still think you are wrong here. Beating a weak UNC did nothing for the RPI. That was a non-factor win. But at least it was not a loss. We get a chance to really punch the ticket tonight.
I would love to see us make the dance and have a really strong showing, even if it means Coach Hewitt will stay on board. I think we all agree that his record and his coaching has been poor recently.
This all got me thinking about what has actually gone wrong with Hewitt. He came on the scene 10 years ago to a program that was in a 4 year rut with Coach Cremins (we can discuss what happened with Cremins his last 4 years another time) and I was instantly impressed with his coaching ability. That first year he took a team that had not done anything under Bobby and made it to the NCAA. The team played an aggressive pressure full court style, he played a lot of guys, and they always seemed to get a good shot coming out of time outs. The 2nd year was not as good but he played a lot of young kids and had a nice string of W’s at the end of the season. His 3rd year those kids were sophmores and he had super frosh Bosh. The team was mildly successful and made the quarters of the NIT. Again, the type of play was aggressive pressure full court, lots of subbing and general good play. And then came 2004 and the magical run to the Final 4.
After that magical run we thought we had a great young coach and the sky would be the limit. Braine locked him up with what we all know now is a ridiculous contract. But at the time nobody howled in protest. This guy was the toast of the town. But something went awry from that moment on.
In 2005 we all thought we had a team to make another run at the NCAA title. But we all know what happened. Some blamed injuries. I thought the key was losing the outside shooting of Marvin Lewis and C Moore. But still we made the tourney and things weren’t totally bad. We had some stud recruits coming in and some good young guys.
But here is where it appears Paul lost his way. He seems to have decided that he was a big time coach and we were a big time program and we should do things the way big time programs do them, like Carolina and Duke and Kansas. He went for the big time recruits. He stopped with the full court pressure and went more traditional with his style of play. He stopped thinking like the guy who won at Sienna by building a program and the guy who won in his first 5 years with solid players that would stay in the program for a full 4 years. He recruited McDonalds All Americans and promised them they would be the stars (see Shumpert) and apparently forgot that you need a full team with solid roll players to compete at the highest level.
Now can he re-find his way or has he for lost it for ever. I personally like the guy and hope he can turn it around, but I know that most Tech fans have lost the faith and are ready to move on.
DRad will do the right thing and we will all find out on Monday, March 15th.
Gordon
March 12th, 2010
4:50 pm
Born2Buzz,
I believe it was the top two assistants leaving that did Hewitt in. Keener left after 2004 and Warren left after 2005. As you stated, there was a clear dropoff after 2005, not a slow descent. We are barely over .500 since, and haven’t won an NCAA game having only played in one.
I don’t see how he can return knowing his boss hasn’t publicly supported him, and the majority of fans have turned against him. I think some donors have put together a buyout for about half of the total amount and he will take it. Both he and Tech need to start fresh.
Justin
March 12th, 2010
4:56 pm
Georgia Tech is not in. Because it’s not Sunday afternoon yet, and they don’t have a strong case to be in. They’re not necessarily out if they lose tonight either. They have an “in by default” resume in a down year for bubble teams, so if enough crazy things happen, they’re out. Win tonight, and they are in no matter what happens anywhere else. Tech must see tonight as a must-win game.
Terrapin ale
March 12th, 2010
5:16 pm
Terps 84
Yech 59
No ncaa for yech. Bwahahahaha
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2010
5:33 pm
Born2buzz, beating Carolina bumped up the RPI a bit — form 43 to 40 — but losing to the Heels would have dropped the RPI under 50. And that would have been Tap City, to invoke the late Mr. McGuire.
Live from Day 2 of the ACC tournament: Fear the Techsters! | Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2010
5:36 pm
[...] half and by 10 at halftime. But I think the Jackets will relax and play tonight. They’re OK, NCAA-wise. (Know who wouldn’t be OK if it hadn’t won in Atlanta seven days ago without its [...]
John
March 12th, 2010
5:50 pm
Actually the win last night did do something. It gave tech 20 wins which most think is a must have to make the tourney.
John
March 12th, 2010
5:51 pm
Mark do you think Illinois is in by beating Wisconsin?
John
March 12th, 2010
5:51 pm
Tech’s win did one thing. It gave them 20 wins which many think is a must have to get in the tourney.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2010
6:09 pm
I think the Illini are now in, John.
GTMAN:
March 12th, 2010
6:13 pm
nicz: your are one clueless UGAG fan! Barley beating a weak UNC team. UGA’s schedule is a joke and so is the team. If you think they will win the SEC, go smoke some more ganja, coz ur clueless. Heck, you won’t even make the NIT unless your sorry azz team wins tonight. Your SOS is 90, as well as your SAT score. LMFAO! THWG! GO JACKETS
GTMAN:
March 12th, 2010
6:17 pm
Terrapin ale: You shouldn’t be talking crap, when you roverated team got lucky to beat GT in MD in front of 20,000 MD fans when Tucker hit the lucky azz 3 pointer. By the way, we are in and we will beat your Terps tonight. Bet on it. Hey, put Tucker in again. Vasquez and Hayes are all u got. bring it on! Terps Smerps! Turtles touchin cloth, gotta run.
Paul in RDU
March 12th, 2010
6:17 pm
Mark – Is Pat Riley going to be scouting players tonight? There are a bunch of big men likely to play in the NBA on display – Lawal, Favors, Smith, Alabi and Singleton
Simon Bar Sinister
March 12th, 2010
7:02 pm
D-Rad still needs to stop the automatic renewal of Hewitt’s contract. If he proves himself over the next three years, then they can add on-demand extensions. This automatic thing has to go.
$7 million man
March 12th, 2010
7:11 pm
Has DRad raised the cash he needs yet for the buyout? Hopefully he gets it soon, before another year of rollover causes tech to owe more millions for this moron.
Jacket13
March 12th, 2010
7:22 pm
GTech needs to stop making dumb mistakes and they can emerge as a sleeper in the tourney. Freethrows, turnovers, bad passes, head scratchers!!!
Jacket13
March 12th, 2010
7:30 pm
Thats exactly what I mean, the guy clanks three freethrows
Jacket13
March 12th, 2010
7:37 pm
I have to admit, when i saw Favours the first month of the season I was like what a joke. but the last month of the season he has been unstoppable!
snapshot
March 12th, 2010
9:32 pm
a win is a win and several on here said Tech would not win.
Reality Tech
March 12th, 2010
9:34 pm
Tech’s in the semifinals, will go the NCAAs, but somehow geogia will claim “they had a better season” even though they will not even make the lowly NIT!!! Amazingly funny!!