It’d be better for Hewitt and Tech if the two sides part ways
Even millionaire coaches need to be loved. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
It would be better for both parties if Paul Hewitt leaves. Better for Georgia Tech, which would be free of an increasingly unpopular coach and his onerous contract, but also better for Hewitt, who could return to New York as the people’s choice. As coach of St. John’s, he wouldn’t be viewed as the guy who hasn’t really delivered since 2004; he’d be the man from Queens come home to save the Johnnies.
There was a time when Paul Hewitt seemed the savior of Tech basketball. In his first season he took Bobby Cremins’ remnants and turned them into an NCAA tournament team, and in 2004 he took a team of his own creation to the championship game. And for all those who’ve looked at Tech lately and decided Hewitt cannot coach his way out of a paper bag, the memory of 2004 stands as a golden counterpoint: That team was a triumph of coaching.
I’ve said it before, but here it is again: I don’t know if any other coach could have taken Tech further than Hewitt did in 2004, but I can think of three dozen who could have done better since. Tech hasn’t finished above .500 in its conference or reached the Sweet Sixteen over the past six seasons. His record over his first five seasons was 96-66; his record over the past five is 81-78.
Even more distressing has been Hewitt’s penchant for seizing every crutch. Tech’s too young. Or it’s overscheduled. Or it has injuries, or academic issues, or players who’ve left early. Or it’s just “snakebit.” This willingness to explain away mediocrity has always seemed bizarre, given that the 2004 Jackets were handed a gold-plated excuse — leading scorer B.J. Elder sprained his ankle in Tech’s third NCAA game and didn’t score another point until the final against UConn — and persevered.
There are no perfect collegiate teams. The aim isn’t to see who can cry the deepest river but who can maximize what it has. Thad Matta took an Ohio State team without a true center — or even a real forward — and won the Big Ten; Hewitt took a team with the nation’s best complement of big men and finished seventh in the 12-team ACC. On Sunday, Matta’s team spotted Hewitt’s eight points and won by nine.
Hewitt wasn’t Chan Gailey, who was unpopular among Tech fans from the start. Hewitt was warmly received at the start and beloved after the Final Four, but there was never a follow-through to the daring deeds of 2004. It took Jacket backers a while to get impatient, but they’re there now. They’ve seen the same game lost the same way too many times over too many winters, and they’ve read about his never-ending contract and they wonder if the underachieving will ever cease.
This gifted team was Hewitt’s last best chance to persuade his doubters, and all it did was give rise to deeper doubt. If he couldn’t win big with Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal, what will happen next season when both figure to be gone? Will it ever get better for Hewitt than this? And is 23-13 good enough?
St. John’s isn’t a better job per se, but for Hewitt in 2010 it’s a better situation. He can leave the ACC, in which he has a career record of 67-93, and try the Big East, for which he has great affection. (He was an assistant at Villanova under Steve Lappas.) He can charm the New York media, which has the reputation of being nasty but is a pushover for a return-of-the-prodigal yarn, and he’ll recruit well and have the Red Storm back in the Big Dance soon enough.
Six years ago there seemed no better fit than Paul Hewitt for Georgia Tech, but today the two need fresh starts. No coach wants to fall into the disfavor of his constituency, and no constituency wants to root against its coach. But that, sad to say, is the reality at Tech. Paul Hewitt wasn’t Chan Gailey, but Paul Hewitt has become Chan Gailey.
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567 comments Add your comment
Jerome
March 23rd, 2010
5:42 pm
Tech better not run off Hewitt if they want to keep the African-American players coming to Atlanta. They want to play for an African-American coach, not some white dude who doesn’t understand where they are coming from!
Daniel
March 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
Not sure race has anything to do with it, Jerome. Calipari doesn’t seem to have trouble getting black players. He’s a slimeball, but still….
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
Use the regular season to “cultivate talent”? The only reason we won a tournament game was because we went a RIDICULOUS 24/25 from the line. Are you saying he really wasn’t trying to win in the regular season; that they were practice games? If that’s the case, he IS a perfect fit for the generals.
Brent
March 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
Wow, we made it over an hour before some jerk plays the race card
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
5:45 pm
Herschel Talker > Jerome
Daniel
March 23rd, 2010
5:46 pm
Brent, he might be a jerk but he’s definitely a moron.
mimi
March 23rd, 2010
5:47 pm
With all that said………next BOBBY KNIGHT or TUBBY SMITH should replace Hewitt and take GT to level of play needed for ACC competition.
"Chef" Tim Dix
March 23rd, 2010
5:48 pm
Mark, the perception of you being a Hewitt hater couldn’t be more wrong and NOW is the time for Tech… On so many levels… to make this happen. Modified buyout, whatever… Techies, this has come to you like,”Sugar falling from the sky”, could save you millions… Can you hear me now?
Old School
March 23rd, 2010
5:48 pm
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
“road records and conference records are merely process indicators”— what does that mean?? It’s wins and losses. Again, please, read my words: I don’t expect Tech win more than it loses in conference play season in and season out. BUT…one ACC winning season in an entire decade!! Please. You are missing the entire point. One in 10 years!!! That is NOT anywhere near being competitive.
And I am still waiting on an example— any single sentence or even a vague, subtle line– that shows Bradley “was on a mission to run Hewitt out of town.” Again, I am far from a Mark Bradley apologist, but if you are going to make a blatant charge like that then back it up. As a formal journalist, that kind of crap rubs me the wrong way.
Navigator
March 23rd, 2010
5:49 pm
Mark, I absolutely agree with you. The hand writing is on the wall that PHewitt will not be here beyond his contract.
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
5:49 pm
Douglass- To say he uses the regular season to “cultivate talent” is silly. Surely you’re kidding. If not for the ridiculous and highly uncharacteristic 24/25 from the foul line, we are one-and-done. That would be like the Braves winning a World Series game 2-1, because Belliard homered twice.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
5:50 pm
@Daniel
That team was loaded man. He put the wheels in motion for that team in 2001. Plus, like Marko said, he did the best COACHING JOB IN GA TECH BASKETBALL HISTORY in 2003. Period.
In reality, Paul should receive legendary status from you all given his accomplishments at Tech.
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
5:53 pm
Accomplishment(s)…plural???
F-105 Thunderchief
March 23rd, 2010
5:53 pm
He’s going to stay, because he likes to torture Tech fans … while getting richer on their dime. Bwa-ha-ha!
Jerry-NJ
March 23rd, 2010
5:56 pm
Paul’s a good man and a good coach and deserves better than this.
Rabun Dawg
March 23rd, 2010
5:57 pm
Since I have no “dog in this hunt”, I will not wade in on this except to say that the biggest indictment of Coach Hewitt’s program is his losing record against UGA. Man, I find that hard to fathom considering the state of UGA program over the past decade! That being said, I would think that with the talent Tech brings in , the program should be head and shoulders above those of VA. Tech, Clemson, Wake, FSU, etc. Maybe only UNC and Duke above them, but the others? Like most Tech fans, I thought this years team was set for a great season, but appears the chemistry just wasn’t there. With CPH being from the Long Island area, maybe St. John’s would be a better fit for him.
Brent
March 23rd, 2010
5:58 pm
You are exactly right Jerry, but who’s to say “better” doesn’t mean a fresh start in NYC
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
5:58 pm
Jerry- Apparently you didn’t watch much GT basketball this year. Hewitt a good man? absolutely.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
5:58 pm
@Old School
That was not my statement friend. BUT, the media has been pretty tough on THE BEST COACH IN GA TECH BASKETBALL history. If you accept the fact that regular season games are “practice”, ACC tourney is a tune-up and the NCAA championship is EVERYTHING…then the criticism does not match the accomplishments.
T-Bone
March 23rd, 2010
5:59 pm
Fredrick (Bailey) Douglas – I know I’m a little late on this, but I had to get it in… You called yourself a diehard Tech fan but referred to Brian Oliver in one of your posts as #11. Sorry, but if you are a diehard fan, you don’t know much about “your team.”
For everyone else… If Paul Hewitt leaves, it will be a good thing for everyone involved. The fans don’t want him, and, judging by his comments over the past two weeks, he’s not too fond of the fans either. If he stays and has another disastrous year in ‘10-’11, he’ll find it more difficult to find a big-time job like St. John’s.
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
6:00 pm
Rabun- I think the biggest indictment is one winning record in conference in 10 years. The fact that we play dumb and ugly basketball doesn’t help his cause, either.
J W
March 23rd, 2010
6:01 pm
No question about it, Coach Hewitt IS a class act and has brought no discredit to the Institute. It is a shame that so much negative comment and attitude has come his way recently and I’d not blame him if he says enough-is-enough and leaves. We all want to be wanted, and appreciated, but since he was not hired by Radikovich, he will never get his respect.
I don’t want him to leave and am not looking forward to a program without him. And no, I wouldn’t trade him for Calipari or any of those folks either.
Here is what I would like to see for 2010-2011: Coach returns. Derrick returns {he ain’t ready for the NBA} and can be the star on the team, with experience and leadership. True point guard arrives and is paired up in backcourt with Rice and Iman is moved into #3 swingman. Insert a center. And, perhaps most of all, get adequate, knowledgeable, technique teaching assistant coaches! The programs that succeed usually have multiple assistants that are in demand for head positions, and GT has not had many of those, especially not from major schools.
Techster
March 23rd, 2010
6:01 pm
Come on DRad you gotta get this deal done! This is a once in rollover contract chance! Get her done!
Jesse Stone
March 23rd, 2010
6:02 pm
Who accepts the fact that regular season games are “practice”?
Daniel
March 23rd, 2010
6:02 pm
What are his accomplishments, Frederick Douglass?
Big Al
March 23rd, 2010
6:03 pm
Yes yes… Hewitt is a class act but PLEASE!!!! Lets get a new coach. Let Hewitt be a class act somewhere else.
LongTimeJacketFanatic
March 23rd, 2010
6:05 pm
Please Paul Leave!!! Thank You Very Much!!!
james G
March 23rd, 2010
6:06 pm
MB. As a native Atlantan, and having become aware of the sports scene since the 70’s. I can appreciate the challenge that any coach will have at Tech. Bobby Cremins who did great things for Tech was given more time than you are giving Hewitt before being forced to leave and he did not take Tech as for as Hewitt. I think that it is time for you and what’s left of the AJC to part company with Atlanta.
GTPhenom
March 23rd, 2010
6:07 pm
Frederick Douglas, please let me get whatever you have been smoking recently. I know that every single other Tech fan on here has pointed this out, but HE HAS HAD ONE FREAKING SEASON WITH A WINNING RECORD IN THE ACC!!!! Even this year with the good talent he had and the good team he had together, he still could not have a winning record in the ACC. No one is talking about GT all of the sudden becoming UNC or the Dookies. What we are talking about is having a few good season, instead of one every 10 years. Name me ANY current ACC coach who has done worse in the past 5 years than Hewitt, and then tell me if they still have their job. Guess what? There aren’t any. Any coach who had a worse record than Hewitt was laid off. Look, I had no problem with the Hewitt’s personality (although his recent skirmishes with the press are starting to make me wonder) but the guy just can’t coach. Period. So I see no ifs, ands, or buts about this. It is far past time for Hewitt to go. He has literally close to NO fan support, and his name is even being booed at home gams. End of Story. Time to move on.
Buzzzed
March 23rd, 2010
6:07 pm
That contract killed CPH. Why perform when he doesn’t have to to keep his job?
Gordon
March 23rd, 2010
6:07 pm
Mark,
This was an excellent summary of the situation. It’s too bad Hewitt doesn’t read the AJC. I just can’t imagine that he would want to stay.
To all the posters imploring Radakovich to make this happen: I don’t think there is anything he can do at this point other than remove the $3.5M buyout as an obstacle. The ball is in Hewitt’s court.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
6:11 pm
@Jesse Stone
As a GA Tech basketball fan that has to root for 1 maybe 2 blue chip players on a team at any given time….WE SHOULD.
@ Daniel
4 NCAA appearances
1 NCAA Championship Game appearance*
1 ACC Coach of the Year Award
*Best basketball coaching job in GA TECH history
So really…who are you going to bring in to do any better? Give me a name.
Old School
March 23rd, 2010
6:12 pm
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
My humble apologies. Knew I had the wrong person right after I hit “submit.” That statement was meant for Btg69–who either disappeared or his scouring through past Bradley columns.
As for your comments, Hewitt has neither produced during the regular season “tuneups” in conf play or in the ACC tournament, if you consider going beyond going beyond “one and done” much, much more often than not. As for NCAA play,well, with two exceptions in 10 years it hasn’t been pretty or competitive. And as for him being the “BEST COACH IN GEORGIA TECH HISTORY” if you only consider one appearance in the title game as your one and only criteria then you are right. If you consider the overall record, the record in ACC regular season play, the record in ACC tournament play, and the # of apperances and record in NCAA tournament competition then Paul Hewitt is clearly NOT the best coach in GT history. To prove this, go to the official GT Athletics website, go down the right side of the men’s basketball page, and click on the 2009-2010 Media Guide. It’s all in the records section. I urge you to do this. It’s all there in b/w.
Again, apologies for chastising you for something you did not write in regard to that specific statement. Other visitors are probably tired of our back-and-forth, so I will bow out. Enjoyed the verbal jousting within the Tech family. Obvious that each of us wants all GT teams to do the best that they can do.
GTPhenom
March 23rd, 2010
6:13 pm
Ok, Hewitt has had accomplishment(s)?!? I point to one run in the Big Dance as his ONE accomplishment . . . 6 years ago!!! Next, regular season games are practice?!? Then why the hell is entry into the NCAA tourney based ON the regular season? Also, you want to talk about the big dance for Hewitt, fine then. 5-10. That is how many times he has been. One time past the Sweet Sixteen. I’m sorry, but once again, only half the time isn’t cutting it. Once again, I’m not expecting Duke/UNC numbers, 9-10, 10-10, etc. But their is no reason, with the talent they had year in and year out, for him not to be 7-10, or even 8-10, for making the NCAA tournament. Next excuse as to why Hewitt should stay Frederick, because this is boring me.
Rabun Dawg
March 23rd, 2010
6:13 pm
Jesse, I was trying to be kind! You are correct, one in ten in the conference is quite an indictment!!
Brent
March 23rd, 2010
6:13 pm
Frederick- Guess you never heard of a guy named Cremins
RTR!!!
March 23rd, 2010
6:15 pm
It seems underachieving with phenomenal talent is a common theme in Georgia athletics. First at UGA with Richt and now with Hewitt at Tech. Though both these guys have provided disappointing results to their fan base, they are excellent recruiters who will be very difficult to replace. Everyone thinks their team will be better with some unknown, unidentified person. In the words of a real coach, “The grass is always greener on top of the septic tank.”
Buzzzed
March 23rd, 2010
6:16 pm
james, james, james. Tech’s dime went much further with Bobby. It’s all about the contract and expectations.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2010
6:16 pm
Mark – You have written an excellent blog and I sense that you have had this going around in your mind for some time, but didn;t really want to write until there was an active possibility of Hewitt leaving. It will be a sad day if Hewitt leaves but I think it is the best for both sides. CPH is saying all the right things about wanting to stay at GT, happy in ATL, family settled here, etc. but if he is offered the job at St. John’s he needs to ask himself what kind of pressure he’s going to be under next year if he doesn’t make the NCAA. I am sure that Hewitt thinks he can turn GT around but he has to know of the discontent in the fan base.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
6:17 pm
Later Old School.
Realist
March 23rd, 2010
6:17 pm
MB, why are you STILL playing the “talent” card? Favors is good, but you cannot deny he was raw. He may have been considered better than Cousins in high school but he simply did not come to college as ready to dominate as Cousins did — and he faced tougher competition in the ACC. The rest of the guys have some potential, but THIS IS NOT 1991 UNLV. There are other groups of talented players out there in college basketball. Tech underachieved, yes, but it’s not like this team was destined to make the Final Four or something. You seem to be obsessed with the potential of these guys, without noticing the obvious flaws they have in their games, especially the freshmen.
Realist
March 23rd, 2010
6:20 pm
Or, to put it another way, if Duke hadn’t laid an egg against Tech at the thrillerdome, Tech would have had exactly one quality win this year: against Maryland in the ACC tournament (a game in which it didn’t even play that well for most of the game). Sorry, but even with bad coaching, a team as talented as you believe it was would have more than one decent win over 35+ games.
I Bleed White and Old Gold
March 23rd, 2010
6:21 pm
CPH told us coming in that his preferred style was run, run, run and press, press, press. He acknowledged that this style gave up turnovers, but caused turnovers. He needs a deep bench for this style. Go back and look at his remarks if you don’t remember.
This style works (some) when your recruits aren’t quite as good as your opponents, or if you are coaching a mid-major hoping for occasional upsets.
To be a major college power a different style is more useful. Seven to eight players (unless you are Dean Smith, then 10 is preferred.) A strong tall front line, one or two shooting guards, and a point guard skilled in ball delivery. Players who NEVER (almost) commit turnovers. Good fast break finishers, but really skilled half-court players. Mostly a deliberate style, but able to take available breaks.
After 10 years, I would hope CPH would be flexible enough to change his coaching style.
TomB
March 23rd, 2010
6:22 pm
Frederick(Bailey)Douglass: Get your facts straight. Bobby Cremins had by his fourth year won an ACC championship and an elite eight appearance in the NCAA tournament. He did this after resurrecting one of the worst basketball programs in the ACC and the country. In addition, he went on to win two more ACC championships , a final four and three additional sweet sixteen appearances. By any measure Hewitt pales in comparison.
I’m still waiting on Hewitt to place higher than third place in the conference. This happened only once.(2004). Zero ACC championships under Hewitt.
Brent
March 23rd, 2010
6:25 pm
Frederick is just pulling everybody’s chain, nobody is that ignorant
MiamiJacket
March 23rd, 2010
6:25 pm
Hopefully St Johns offers somewhere around $3 million per year to Hewitt. Because that’s probably how much it will take to make him walk on his $7 million golden parachute that Braine gave him. He’s making $1.375 million per year at Tech right now. Obviously we are going to waive his buyout to Tech. In fact we should probably tell St Johns that we’ll pay his first year’s salary if they do hire him. Let’s all hope that the Catholics still have some of that legal settlement hush money left over.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
6:25 pm
@TomB
ok, duly noted. Give me a name of a qualified replacement.
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
March 23rd, 2010
6:26 pm
@Brent
Give me a name of a qualified replacement that would take the Tech job.
Brent
March 23rd, 2010
6:28 pm
How many people ever heard of Paul Hewit before Tech hired him?
Techster
March 23rd, 2010
6:28 pm
Gordon,
Paying anything less than 7.1 million is good money.