How Hewitt can win back Tech fans – and win games, too
Yes! There's still a chance for Paul Hewitt to win friends and influence people. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Paul Hewitt is still Georgia Tech’s coach. At issue is whether Hewitt can again be the people’s choice. His dialogue with St. John’s extended hope to many disgruntled Tech fans — and there are many disgruntled Tech fans — that they might not have to witness the same underperformance next season. Those folks are now in a curious position: They’re sorry their coach is still their coach.
The onus is now on Hewitt to win back his constituency. For that to happen, these steps need to be taken:
Stop the excuses: Hewitt often acts as if circumstances are beyond his control. He’s paid to control circumstances. If somebody gets hurt, coach up the next guy on the bench. If a talented player leaves after a year, find someone to replace him. If your guards can’t feed the post, teach them how. Tech people no longer want to hear about point guard Austin Jackson choosing the Yankees and baseball over playing for the Jackets — that happened in 2005, but Hewitt brought it up just last week — or about your team being “too young” or “snakebit.” They just want results.
Shore up his staff: Is it only coincidence that the Jackets are 81-78 since assistant Cliff Warren left to coach Jacksonville after the 2004-2005 season? (Fellow Tech assistant Dean Keener departed for James Madison a year earlier.) Current assistants Peter Zaharis and John O’Connor came to Tech not as coaches but as directors of basketball operations. Both have known Hewitt from his days at Villanova. Former Tech player Darryl LaBarrie was hired as an assistant last summer after stints at Campbell and East Carolina. Put simply, there’s a need for stronger voices and new ideas on the bench.
Coach offense as hard as he does defense: With few exceptions, all Hewitt’s players have defended at a high level. His offense has functioned less well. Too often Tech doesn’t seem to know what it should be doing. Chris Bosh averaged only 9.7 shots his season as a Jacket; seven years later, Derrick Favors averaged 8.1 shots. If you’re going to recruit one-and-done talents, you’d better figure out a way to get them the ball. A creative assistant with an offensive background would be most welcome here.
Reach out to fans and alums: Hewitt doesn’t appear to have any idea how unpopular he has become. (His stock response is something along the lines of, “Everyone always tells me we’re doing great when they see me in the airport.”) But Tech hasn’t done great, or even all that good, for five years now. Hewitt needs to cultivate his base — as opposed to challenging it via Twitter — through brunches or dinners or fan-appreciation outings. He can be charming and persuasive. He needs to be both now.
Offer to renegotiate his golden contract: It’s hard to ask anyone to put guaranteed money at risk, but this would do wonders for Hewitt’s image. Too many people have come to believe Hewitt is still coaching Tech only because the athletic association can’t afford to pay him $7.1 million to go away. Hewitt should go to Dan Radakovich and offer to relieve some of the financial burden. He should say, “I’ll waive the perpetual rollover if you’ll give me a five-year deal worth $8.75 million.” That would offer Hewitt a nice salary bump — from $1.375 million per season to $1.75 million — but would remove the most oppressive aspect of his never-ending deal. And it would earn him a mint’s worth of good will.
Win more games: It sounds simplistic, but it’s a time-honored panacea. Win big and people like you. Win big and we in the media sing your praises. Nobody complained about Hewitt’s offensive sets or the new contract Dave Braine handed him in 2004. Nobody was hoping he’d leave for St. John’s back then. Indeed, Tech fans were terrified he wouldn’t stay.
Six years have passed, and there’s no way for Hewitt ever to be as beloved as he was then, but he can reclaim some of those folks who’ve grown disenchanted. He can gripe less. And win more.
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623 comments Add your comment
RonJc
March 26th, 2010
12:31 am
Wilson Dunkitt, how did you go to dinner at 7:22 and finish at 7:38? That was impressive! You must have been pushing the ball upcourt like Shumpert. I hope you didn’t have any turnovers.
Chas Ryder
March 26th, 2010
12:31 am
We ain’t got no problems that a ballsy athletic director, a big chunk of money, and a stellar point guard won’t fix. That or a meteor strike at 10th St and I-75.
Technophobia
March 26th, 2010
12:32 am
Yup, it’s hard to go far without a good point no matter what else you’ve got.
Chas Ryder
March 26th, 2010
12:34 am
16 minutes seems like a long time to walk into the dining room, wolf down some meat and bread, and get back to the television, in March anyway. but you’re right Ron, I hope he don’t have no comebacks either.
RickyBobbyOnFire
March 26th, 2010
12:37 am
Well, KState keeps my bracket alive, kinda. My goodness, it’s late. You kids go to bed, I’m halfway there myself. Good night all.
Rick Bell, GT Class of 88, BBall Walk-on 85-86
March 26th, 2010
12:37 am
I am from Queens, NY. I grew up watching & playing against some of the great ones. Kenny Smith (NC), Greg “Boo” Harvey (St. Johns), Rod Strickland (DePaul), Mark Jackson (St. Johns), Kenny Patterson (DePaul), as well as TONS who never made it…… Believe me – a GREAT PG makes all the difference, just like a Brady, Manning, Brees in football. We need the next one to step up to the plate….
billcanoe
March 26th, 2010
12:38 am
Paul Hewitt – I’m glad you are staying at Georgia Tech. You are a class act as a man and a good coach. I celebrate you and your team for what they have accomplished this year, not what some sportswriter thinks you should have accomplished. May you have many more good years at Georgia Tech.
HugoStiglitz
March 26th, 2010
12:46 am
Alright Paul. If you are staying then its time to shake things up. Bring in a new coach or two. Change some of your styles. Whatever it is, just do something. What you are doing now isnt working. We dont want another 7-9 ACC season, praying we make the tournament. We are tired of seeing dumb turnovers and missed free throws. That said, if you make the effort and turn things around then you can win the fans back.
Rick Bell, GT Class of 88, BBall Walk-on 85-86
March 26th, 2010
12:52 am
Look at John Wall. Look at Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Kenny Anderson, Mark Price. True Point Guards. Tech needs to land one of the top two nationwide PGs in the next year or so. If we can do that & have them stay two years – watch out. Unfortunately, the reality of the $$$ that awaits them in the NBA probably makes it fuitile to wish this. We’ve been getting really good 3’s & 4’s lately, but no stud PGs….
Technophobia
March 26th, 2010
12:56 am
So Rick, do any of the PG’s we have, have the potential to get the job done? In other words, do you think it can be coached or is it just raw talent that makes a really good point.
jojatek
March 26th, 2010
12:58 am
Bradley, those last two points are non-negotiable in my mind: He must offer to renegotiate his contract so that we know he is looking in the mirror and challenging himself to accomplish the other things on your list. All of that should add up to your last point: Winning…
I would also add that Hewitt would benefit from a recruiting strategy that focuses more on lesser-known “raw” talent rather than “blue chips” (something similar to Paul Johnson, who relies on a strong system and philosophy rather than top-shelf recruits). “One-and-done” simply does not work and will never be sustainable for Hewitt or for our alumni/fans…
RonJc
March 26th, 2010
1:02 am
LAST!
Rick Bell, GT Class of 88, BBall Walk-on 85-86
March 26th, 2010
1:15 am
Technophobia – I think to be “Special” as a PG at this level, you have to have a “fearless quality”, you have to really want to be the one with the ball in your hands, and want others on your team to shine…All the guys i named above had that before they set foot in college. I definitely thing the coaching that you receive in college can “polish” and “refine” those attributes, but you have to possess them to begin with… I think Shumpert at the end of the year showed flashes of being a “good’ PG. Unfortunately, since I travel for business, I did not see a lot of the games this year, but – when a guy like I listed above steps on the court & does his thing…. You KNOW IT right away when you see him….SPECIAL
Rick Bell, GT Class of 88, BBall Walk-on 85-86
March 26th, 2010
1:21 am
Jojatek – you may be right… It is a “high risk” strategy…. Look at Duke every year…they seldom if ever have impact guys leaving after 1 year….. lately that’s been all that Tech does…Back with the great GT teams of the 80’s and a few of the 90’s – they AT LEAST stayed for 2 years….I know there were exceptions like Kenny & Steph……etc…
Maybe he should concentrate on getting a core of
guys who will stay 4 years, and a stud or two who will leave after 1 or 2…….
Paul in RDU
March 26th, 2010
1:57 am
Paul Hewitt is going to be GT’s coach next year and I will support him and the team.
However, some of the people defending him on this blog seem to be immune to the facts of his record. I’m not going to compare him to Coach K, Ole Roy and Gary W – the 3 current ACC coaches with NC’s. How about comparing him to the other ACC HC’s. Dino Gaudio, Sidney Lowe and Tony Bennett have been ACC HC’s for 3, 4 and 1 year respectively. Let’s compare the ACC regular season records of the others for the last 5 years:
Leonard Hamilton 43-37 Oliver Purnell 42-38 Seth Greenberg 40-40 Al Skinner 40-40 Frank Haith 33-47 Paul Hewitt 28-52
A worse record than 4 schools (FSU, Clemson, VT and UM) that don’t care about b’ball and 1 in a town with a real pro team.
Sidney Lowe is 20-44 in 4 seasons – i.e. an 8-8 record away from equaling Hewitt
GT Fan
March 26th, 2010
2:04 am
we dont want him.
Georgia Tech vs 2011 season
March 26th, 2010
2:55 am
Hewitt is an “old dog” so to speak. He probably can’t change his ways which makes Tech the team suffer, they’ll continue to bottom feed in the ACC.
If after all these years he hasn’t changed yet, he’s not going to.
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Tech fans
March 26th, 2010
5:59 am
Beat UGA. Graduate one player. That’s what he could do. That or get that $3 million and a half dollars he would have to pay Georgia tek to leave out of his contract. That is what he has to do to win back the fans (both of them) of Georgia tek back.
$3.4 million dollars Paul Hewitt would have had to have paid to Georgia tek. This is the only reason why Paul Hewitt is staying, and that is great for UGA that he is staying. Paul Hewitt LOSING RECORD by several games now and counting, only to get worse, to UGA. Paul Hewitt Academic Progress Report APR of 914 currently, lowest of all NCAA teams and has Georgia tek on PROBATION in men’s basketball as we speak LIMITED TO ONLY 11 SCHOLARSHIPS.
Tech fans
March 26th, 2010
6:00 am
NCAA Tournament Action :
SEC 15-4
ACC 9-9
SEC Men 5-2
ACC Men 5-5
SEC Women 10-2
ACC Women 4-4
ACC has neither a winning record in NCAA Tourney Men
ACC has neither a winning record in NCAA Tourney Women
SEC has winning record in BOTH NCAA Tourney Men & Women.
SEC is kicking the butts of ACC in basketball, again.
Big East had 8 bids to the Men’s Tournament. Butler beat # 1 seed Syracuse last night. Big East have 1 left, tomorrow night West Virginia vs. SEC # 1 Kentucky. Big East also does not have a Winning Record in Men’s NCAA Tournament, just like the ACC. Neither the Big East nor the ACC are better than The SEC in Basketball. Big East is NOT the best basketball conference and NEITHER obviously is the ACC.
TheNumber34
March 26th, 2010
6:30 am
As a Georgia fan, I fully support Hewitt’s decision to remain at Tech.
rex
March 26th, 2010
6:38 am
I thought Hewitt was gone….DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN !
We still have basketball’s version of Obama….slick, articulate, handsome and in WAY OVER HIS HEAD
Gordon
March 26th, 2010
7:08 am
From last night’s smile and pretend everything is ok press conference:
“Hewitt stressed how important the practice facility is to regaining the continuity that he has said has been lost the previous three seasons.”
So now it is the lack of a practice facility that has caused the problems the last few years. Another new excuse.
We are now in the ridiculous position of having a coach is only here because his wife doesn’t want to move and his employer can’t buy him out. Over the years excitement has given way to disappointment, then to anger, and now to apathy. Until this sad situation is brought to an end, for me there will be no more games, no more money, more more time, and no more blogs wasted on the joke that GT basketball has become.
I’ll see you all at Bobby Dodd.
messin with sasquatch
March 26th, 2010
7:19 am
1. Love the media
2. Review his assistants and make some changes
3. Keep winning
4. Stay positive
5. Win in the ACC when he should.
6. Listen to his critics and play nice nice.
7. Negotiate a new contract with incentives for winning and no significant penalty to Tech if he doesn’t perform.
Empty Stand Fan
March 26th, 2010
7:35 am
I can’t tell you how many people I know that will not be renewing their season tickets next year. DRAD will be forced to let Hewitt go because of lack of attendance after next year. The team is going to be horrible with no big men and a coach that doesn’t know how to coach. Unfortunately, this is going to hurt Tech basketball for a few years. DRAD will get the message that Tech fans are done with Hewitt when there is nobody at the games next year.
George P. Burdell
March 26th, 2010
7:40 am
This article is right on the money Mark. Since he’s not going anywhere anytime soon, I would at least like to see Hewitt try a little different style and wake up to some of the criticism. I also think in a way that it will be fair for him to reap the benefits of what is to come next year that wouldn’t have been fair to put on a new coach. I think Tech has some good young talent but it is going to be nearly impossible to replace the two heading for the NBA. Good coaching can adjust to that and overcome. Next year’s team will be interesting to watch and it could end up being a pleasant surprise or a complete disaster. I don’t think any reasonable fan would expect a deep run in the tourney like we had the year after Bosh left, but then again no one really expected it then. I think next year the team will have a top level of being a 4 to 6 seed for the Big Dance if things go well or it will struggle for 4 to 6 wins in the ACC if things go poorly. It will be an emotional one for us true Tech fans because we will either be expecting some resurgence in Hewitt’s ability to revive the program or the mob will grow in wanting him shown the door. Any little sign things are going either good or bad will be overly analyzed and the blogs will enjoy a good year. I personally am looking forward to offering my own overreaching analysis all season long.
Nick Esasky got rich and dizzy
March 26th, 2010
7:41 am
Nearly 100-percent of the people on these blogs who write that they are season-ticket holders … aren’t.
2 and done!!!!
March 26th, 2010
7:55 am
bawahahahahahaha!!!!!! Yech has the two most overrated coaches in their respected sports and I love it!!! CPJ and his gimmicky offense has been exposed. He can’t win the big game unless it’s against an equally pathetic ACC team and his own recruits sucks since he’s forced to hang on to Gailey’s. Hewitt is the master of one and doners and he manages to do less with more than even Yech’s annually overrated baseball team!!! I LOVE IT!!!!
NYJacket
March 26th, 2010
8:12 am
When you are 46 years old, what you see is what you get.
If Hewitt hasn’t changed by now, he is not going to.
BigDaddy
March 26th, 2010
8:23 am
Need a New Coach – Why is it always about the color of one’s skin? Judge the man according to his performance, not his color. I want a winning team. Not a White team. Not a Black team. A winning team! Put the best 5 out there and play ball! Simple as that. Man, what a shallow mind! Just goes to show, academics has NOTHING to do with measuring true intelligence! So sad!
Hoopster
March 26th, 2010
8:30 am
Mark,
Agree with column Friday with the exception of Hewitt coaching defense effectively. The past two years we could not stop a cold, think about how many games we lost in the last few minutes last year. This year is an example of talent out performing coaching.
Hoopster
The Dude
March 26th, 2010
8:33 am
I’ll never again support Hewitt as the coach at Georgia Tech. Ever. I hope AMC is empty except for students. Students need to get in there and support their classmates. Alumni and other season ticket holders need to spend their money on football.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
March 26th, 2010
8:34 am
when is the nfl draft ? My bracket is destroyed I had tech to the sweet sixteen but I was thinking final four boy can i pick em . oh well the draft has to be coming up soon
JB
March 26th, 2010
8:37 am
Great day to be a Georgia Basketball fan.
wesleywhatwhat
March 26th, 2010
8:39 am
“We’ve got a pretty good thing”
lol. was hewitt referring to georgia tech or just himself?
Tech First
March 26th, 2010
8:39 am
Great work again Mr. Bradley Hewitt has everything he needs to win Favors or not we have a strong team battle tested coming back the fans wants “WINS” and there will be no excuses next year. Hewitt I know u have to control everything PLEASE but IMAN on the wing and Mo at the point. Ufion is still young and Foreman can play. Rice Jr. will shine at the other wing. Lawal at the four to keep him out of foul trouble. Miller or Hoseley in the paint. But Im not sold on Favors leaving if he does we need a true center with Peacock toughness. Hewitts back its time to get to work.
Coach Hewitt..
March 26th, 2010
8:44 am
Come on guys,”We’ve got a pretty good thing” even though we’ll never be UNC or Duke. I’m 177-144 at Tech, including 67-93 in the ACC in 10 seasons, what more do you want from me.
-
-
-
SO………………………………………………………………
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Give me $7.1 million or STFU…I Run This School……LMMFAO…Paul.
Black Lab
March 26th, 2010
8:49 am
Well written article.
Douglas
March 26th, 2010
8:56 am
Paul Hewitt….the Chain Gailey of basketball! Why leave? He gets millions no matter what happens!
MARK FOX
March 26th, 2010
8:59 am
Unfortunately I agree with everything you said but pissed because I wanted that job.
M. Bagwell
March 26th, 2010
9:05 am
Spot on!
Marvin Mangrum
March 26th, 2010
9:08 am
To start off, I know nothing about it! But I would never sign a player that would play one year. Not once, never. Look at Duke! Its about being a coach, and if you can not do that then, well you know! But then after my team learned defense they would learn offense, it looks to me that Tech has yet to have that class. The word flounder comes to mind! You know, you can have 10 great players and despite yourself they make the final four and then get beat soundly cause of all of the above, that does not make you a great coach, a great recruiter maybe but not a great coach. I would find out from Coach K how he keeps players 4 years then I would do that at Tech. It is Georgia Tech not lawnmower Tech!
just passing thru
March 26th, 2010
9:11 am
Well said Mark. If Hewitt would only read it and really fully understand how much the fan base distrusts him at the moment!
GTPhenom
March 26th, 2010
9:12 am
You know, I just read the article about Hewitt’s response to all that has transpired. “We have a good thing going here . . .” Well Hewitt, if you consider a losing record in the ACC and only 50% tournament showings, then yeah, we have great things going. The problem is, 90% of GT fans don’t except those kind of records. You know, I once again go to the fact that his arrogance just doesn’t let him see the truth. Right after he says, “I know there are those who are not satisfied,” he satisfies his own ego by saying, “but I was getting a lot of emails saying the opposite.” Come on Hewitt. Just recognize the fact that majority of the fans do not like you, and were PRAYING that you would leave the campus. See, he thinks that if he wins “a few more games,” that he satisfies the fans he has ostracized. Not me. It is going to take CONSISTENT increases in winning and gameplay to win me back. I want to see single digits in the loss column more often than not, an occasional trip deep into the tourney (Sweet Sixteen or better), I want to see more effort by the players, and I want Hewitt just to own up to mistakes he has made. It is always something else with him. Just say, “I screwed some things up, and we are going to fix it.” That is all it takes. Swallow your damn pride and ego for five seconds and get that message to the fans. That alone wins some people back. But if things continue like this next year. He needs to be gone. For Good. I (along with most other GT fans) are sick and tired of the mediocrity, the inconsistency, and the excuses. I have went from a season ticket holder, to a consistent TV watcher, to an occassional TV watcher. Now, I am going to have to force myselft even to watch the games on the TV. It is just always a train wreck. The only team you can watch, where you come out feeling sicker to your stomach sometimes after a win than a loss.
GTPhenom
March 26th, 2010
9:14 am
Oh, and I apologize for the long post, but reading what Hewitt said just pissed me off even worse than I already was when I learned he was here to stay.
GTSteve
March 26th, 2010
9:21 am
Great article Mark, we need to get behind this team and coach. All of the negative press and negative blogs will kill recruiting. And i completely agree that he needs better assistants, a lot of the close losses this past season could have been wins, and that would have created a much higher seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
CanHewitt
March 26th, 2010
9:22 am
GT Phenom, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Just man up already. Things haven’t been working out obviously. Just accept the fact the team has not performed as well as they should have and vow to change things to make them better. Hewitt should be accountable. Tech fans do not expect UNC or Duke’s success even though Hewitt’s getting paid like their coaches. If the team has no talent then 7-9 or 8-8 are easy to accept but when you bring in multiple NBA talents, we expect more than 2nd round out. He should man up and try harder.
Eraserhead
March 26th, 2010
9:26 am
Mark, you present some wonderful ideas. Since Hewitt claims not to read the local papers, I doubt he will act on any of them, which is a shame.
Tech Money
March 26th, 2010
9:27 am
tech would have gotten rid of hewitt, but they can’t afford $7.1 million right now–bottom line. Hewitt makes more money by hanging around tech and sucking away this salary than taking another job at some mediocre program like st. johns.
GTPhenom
March 26th, 2010
9:27 am
Exactly CanHewitt. Manning up I think is one of his key issues. I don’t know. Maybe he really is just that dense when it comes to what people think of him. Maybe he really thinks that people are ok with him, and that everything is great. But that is exactly true. We don’t expect UNC and Duke results with two or more NC each decade, but how about something closer to 7 appearances in the Big Dance each decade, and 3-4 of those actually being deep runs past the field of 32. With the talent he brings in year-in and year-out, why can’t we expect single digits in the loss column, and at least an OCCASSIONAL winning ACC record.