Hewitt is staying: Tech fans, how do you feel? UPDATED
Georgia Tech has now confirmed that Paul Hewitt has turned down St. John’s. Here’s the school’s official statement:
Georgia Tech head basketball coach Paul Hewitt said Thursday afternoon that he will remain at the Institute and is no longer a candidate for the head coaching position at St. John’s University.
Hewitt, 46, just completed his 10th season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets’ program, guiding Tech to a 23-13 overall record. The Jackets advance to the championship game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and earned a berth in the NCAA Championship for the fifth time, where it defeated Oklahoma State in the first round before being eliminated by Ohio State.
“My family and I have developed deep ties to Georgia Tech and the city of Atlanta,” said Hewitt. “I strongly believe in what Georgia Tech can do for young people, and I am committed to returning the Tech basketball program to the level of success our fans have come to expect. We took a step in that direction this past season, and I fully intend to continue on that path.”
Hewitt, who has record of 177-144 at Georgia Tech, ranks third among active coaches in the ACC in games coached and fourth in career victories. He ranks 18th in career victories all-time. He has taken the Yellow Jackets to six post-season berths, including one NIT appearance, twice to the championship game of the ACC Tournament and the championship of the 2003 Preseason NIT.
“I think what has transpired over the last few days speaks volumes about Paul Hewitt and about Georgia Tech,” Tech director of athletics Dan Radakovich said. “Paul’s credentials as a human being, a family man, a leader and a builder of character are impeccable. All of us at Georgia Tech are committed to assist him in providing an outstanding men’s basketball program.”
If you’re a Tech fan, how do you feel? Relieved that your coach is staying? Disappointed that he’s staying?
My thoughts on what Hewitt staying would mean for him and Tech will be forthcoming, but I’d be obliged to hear yours. Thanks in advance.
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538 comments Add your comment
JD
March 25th, 2010
4:22 pm
I think Hewitt said he will take the $7M before he leaves. LOL. Just like the rest of the yanks ya just can’t get them out of Atlanta.
Mark Bradley
March 25th, 2010
4:22 pm
Folks, I promised/threatened to offer my thoughts on the day’s events. Well, here you go.
Jackets2010
March 25th, 2010
4:23 pm
Lots of Tech fans were very disappointed when Price and Salley’s senior year did not get to the final four, stopped by an LSU team and a better game day coach.
Sounds familiar to now.
Johnny Weissmuller
March 25th, 2010
4:24 pm
RAMBLE ON!!!
Give me a name. Give me a realistic name.
yellow snow
March 25th, 2010
4:24 pm
This is great news for Georgia. We have a coach and Yech doesn’t!
Ole Hewitt blewitt with a chance to leave not he can just look forward to mediocrity!
Go DAWGS! 30-24 and any other sport you mention as well!
Small Johnson
March 25th, 2010
4:24 pm
You know I know you techies love to talk about the convict players at UGA. Thats fine.
Just remember if your campus wasn’t located in one of the highest crime areas of the country we would be hereing all the time of the player arrests that take place.
We all know your athletes are not passing those tough engineering classes
Unfortunatley your mess is drowned out by all the murders, stabbings, drive by’s, etc that occur right around the corner.
Coach Hewitt..
March 25th, 2010
4:25 pm
Enter your comments here
JB
March 25th, 2010
4:26 pm
Tubby would jump at the chance to coach at the Atlanta Federal Pen if was warm and the money was right. Seriously, The ACC is a tough place for basketball…..he’s lived that at Kentucky….He mat pass on something to hard…..
#1 Hewitt Fan
March 25th, 2010
4:27 pm
You guys who think Paul Hewitt should be gone are ridiculous! College Basketball is more saturated with talent across the board today than ever before. The ACC is premier conference in CB (although losing ground over the last several years) and Hewitt like other ACC schools fields a competitive squad. He’s proven what he can do on numerous occassions but you all expect him to be a Coach K. Other than Duke, what team has a coach that performs with consistency and fields a top notch team every year. Maybe Gonzaga, Texas, Michigan St, and a Calipari coached team. Of those, which ones have won a title? Mich St only. My point is there are no more powerhouses any more, any team can make a run and win a title like GaTech almost did in ‘90 & ‘04.
The coach and his philosophy are solid. I don’t disagree that improvement would be a plus but that’s with everything in life as the old cliche goes, “there’s always room for improvement”. Even Hewitt will tell you that’s the case. But geez, try being real fans for a change and support your coach along with the team. Maybe it’ll actually help them knowing that the fan base is behind them 100% versus 43.4% or whatever other absurd number it is due to all the fickleness. Saints fans, Packers fans, Browns fans all support their teams and coaches 100% win or lose. Take note from them!
NCJacket
March 25th, 2010
4:29 pm
I don’t think Tech had a very good alternative if Hewitt did leave / was let go. I’m hoping he makes some coaching changes on his staff to beef up the focus on fundamentals and discipline that we have been sourly lacking the last 5 years. I think Coach is a great recruiter, but an average day-to-day coach, which means he needs the staff to support his weakness.
All I'm Saying Is...
March 25th, 2010
4:29 pm
Besides Roy, Mike K., and Gary Williams no basketball coach in the ACC who has been head coach for at least five years has a winning ACC record. Not sure why that’s a reason to want to run-off Hewitt.
This year’s team was not the most talented team in the ACC. Its easy to say but simply not true. Besides Favors and Lawal, GT was deficient compared to NC, Duke, and Maryland. GT guards are abysmal.
Could this team have been better coached? Well, duh, yes, as its not like they went undefeated or won 25+ games. Should the players have been forced to, for example, give up their cell phones sooner? Yes. Should this team have known how to inbound the ball and play under control down the stretch? Yes. Should PH have done a better job of p.r. than those asinine tweets he put out there? Yes.
Clearly, the biggest room in PH’s house is room for improvement and the reasons I cited are legitimate ones for wanting more — but not any of the one’s given by Bradley. You GT fans need to stop listening to that guy.
Greg
March 25th, 2010
4:31 pm
I am an SEC fan from BAMA, but pull for GA Tech because I am fans of all teams in GA. I like GA Tech and think overall Paul has done a decent job. yes I know about the losing ACC record and all that, but he has value. Heck the Red Storm wanted him and not to mention today’s AD’s comments show how they wanted Paul to stay. I think you, Mark, need not to make this personal. yes you can say all you want that this not personal, but it really is. You are a writer that needs to get press to sell more newspaper, which you accomplished. But it not fair to keep attaking a good guy with good values. How many other coaches take a team to the National Championship? And before you say this, “well they have so many lottery picks on the team now that only went past the 1st round this year”, so what? Could you do a better job coaching? You think some mid-major coach that took is currently in the NCAA tourney or take their team there would be any better? NO. You want find any better right now. GA Tech fans, you have a good coach so lay off him. So he doesn’t kiss your butt like others do. So what.
MiamiJacket
March 25th, 2010
4:32 pm
Hey Johnny Weissmuller,
Here’s a list of some more qualified candidates:
1. Stephon Marbury
2. Dennis Rodman
3. Charles Barkley
4. Snooki
S Uga Fan
March 25th, 2010
4:32 pm
As a UGA fan…. we are SO GLAD he is staying! And can you be sure that CPJ stays as well? It’s a great day for us!
Tech Fan
March 25th, 2010
4:36 pm
Johnny Weissmuller – That doesn’t matter dude. Tarzan know that if all the natives dislike man walking in jungle, then man not going to be happy and neither are the natives. It’s more than clear that he isn’t wanted. What is more important than that?
Techfanplus
March 25th, 2010
4:36 pm
I reallly, really hate to say this, but I just have a sick feeling in my stomach. Will not be looking forward to the basketball season next year. I sincerely hope I am wrong about the future of our program.
Merlyn Brown IE 1960
March 25th, 2010
4:36 pm
I, too wanted Coach Hewitt to move on for two reasons: 1) I think as a coach, he has “coasted” a bit. His players are not good ball handlers and seem to lack confidence at times. To me, this falls in the realm of coaching. 2) Coach Hewitt has been “trashed” a bit much on various sites, expecially this one. Mark, you and all the experts hereon need to take a break. We should support the program and coach Hewitt, as well. Most every one hereon would do well to spend some energy on spelling and punctuation–mental energy, that is.
Mark, you love to stir the yellow jacket nest, do you not? You want to hear from others, so you can judge how much to “heap-it-on”—right?
TomB
March 25th, 2010
4:37 pm
Jackets 2010: That’s true but no one was trying to run Cremins off at that time I promise you. If you are going to compare Hewitt to Cremins then please back it up with stats. The honest answer is Cremins success should have made the job for Hewitt much easier. Before Cremins arrived from AS, the Tech program was a disgrace and honestly not even on the map. Tech entered the ACC in 1979 and Cremins was hired in 1981. In four short years, Cremins had won an ACC championship and his team advanced to the elite eight in the NCAA tournament. He went on to win two more ACC championships and this should be how an ACC coach should be judged. Cremins left Tech a very successful program and to be honest this should have made Hewitt’s job easier. The result: No ACC championships since Hewitt arrived on the Tech campus.
Johnny Weissmuller
March 25th, 2010
4:37 pm
MiamiJacket
one word….asinine
Bruce Mac
March 25th, 2010
4:38 pm
Pisson, I guess I missed those two Conference Championship CPH had. The only thing similar to CMR for CPH is that he is a coach of a team in Georgia.
Paul Hewitt
March 25th, 2010
4:41 pm
Dont tase me bro!
AE 87
March 25th, 2010
4:42 pm
It seems to me that one of the most under-appreciated aspects of the last week is the fact that, because of media reporting, Coach Hewitt’s family is the same kind of built-in excuse as the youth of his team. Now they are the reason why he’s disappointing fans from both universities. He wanted to go, but his family has put down roots.
It’s awfully similar to: the team is young, plagued by injuries etc. as the reason why almost every team for the last six years has failed to play as a team, failed to make free throws, excelled in turnovers. I mean, come on, look at how they ran that Junior-High I-formation inbounds play when it first showed up in the last few weeks of the season. Players ran to a spot and stopped.
Now as my memory holds, Bobby didn’t really begin to disappoint until after he turned down South Carolina when he really wanted to go, 1993. We’ve had a similar situation since Coach Hewitt turned down St. John’s in 2004. Sometimes mental loyalty to a school and its mission is not the same thing as heart-loyalty. It is not that he’s phoning it in for the money. It is that his heart isn’t in it. His brain is loyal to Tech. But that’s not enough.
Tech2010, I have a hard time believing t
Bunchahomers
March 25th, 2010
4:43 pm
Johnny Weissmuller….. When has anyone mentioned those names. Its not like Hewitt is the only person that has ever been able to recruit at Tech. Remember Harpring, Marbury, Anderson, Brian Oliver, Dennis Scott, Mark Price, Craig Neal, Bruce Dalrymple, James Forest, John Salley. With the talent Tech gets on a year to year basis many coaches could win at GT.
Johnny Weissmuller
March 25th, 2010
4:50 pm
Bunchahomers
Buddy, I’m on the same page with you, but no one seems to be able to asnwer my question
Give me some names of coachs that D-Rad could REALISTICALLY get to come to GT and be more successful than Hewitt (Taking in consideration ALL the factors; i.e., the $7.5M it will take to buy Hewitt out, the academic and ethical standards at GT, the level of difficulty of the ACC having to face UNC and Duke every year, etc)
Johnny Weissmuller
March 25th, 2010
4:51 pm
*coaches
GT90
March 25th, 2010
4:51 pm
I have young kids as well and can appreciate Paul not wanting to raise them in NYC. When you fired Gailey you sent a strong message that being average is not the standard at Ga Tech. Tech grads don’t tolerate average. If so they woudl have attended UGA. Dan Rad, Your the boss. Take control of this mess Braine created and fix it. Hewitt needs to move on. He is not committed to winning. He just like the comfort of living in Atlanta and the golden contract. I have not felt this bad since we lost to the mutts in football.
college of charleston
March 25th, 2010
4:53 pm
The losing
ACC RECORD CONTINUES
lex barker
March 25th, 2010
4:56 pm
bring bobby back
Chief Nokahewitt
March 25th, 2010
4:59 pm
Hewitt must go
tub of lard
March 25th, 2010
5:00 pm
Hire Tubby Smith
E.R.A.
March 25th, 2010
5:03 pm
HIRE PAT SUMMITT
BEEFENSE
March 25th, 2010
5:03 pm
SHOCKED and SICK–Tech is held hostage to a hideous contract.
COLONEL MERRY MAC
March 25th, 2010
5:05 pm
Hire that Ohio State coach that kicked his yellow tie REAL GOOD
FullMetalJacket
March 25th, 2010
5:06 pm
I literally feel ill at the thought of Paul Hewitt staying when we were so close to unloading his program-crippling contract. I take this as a sign to stay off of these blogs and avoid reading about the hoops program for a while. A long while. Until the catalyst for my illness is gone from the Flats. D-Rad, as I informed you last year, I will not renew my season basketball tickets, nor will I be contributing to any Athletic Association program that directly or indirectly feeds the basketball program and thus, Hewitt’s contract. I do not do so maliciously or with animosity, but because it is the only material way to express my displeasure. I will see you at the Spring Football Game, but I dare Coach Hewitt to show up and face the response he is bound to receive.
Cottonelle
March 25th, 2010
5:07 pm
fire the Pompous ass
rj
March 25th, 2010
5:08 pm
Oh —-! He’s gonna stay.
gtfanfrom1951
March 25th, 2010
5:08 pm
why can we not get white players also they stay with the program longer. And other teams win with them! This one and done is not getting it done!
tbjacket
March 25th, 2010
5:08 pm
his contract rolls over automatically. he never has one more year to go. he gets about 7.5 million if he’s fired. he OWES Tech about 3.4 million if he quits. do the math. he’s not leaving on his own.
Jaded Jacket
March 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
Why stay????????????
Mark Bradley
March 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
Ordinarily I’d agree: A contract is a contract, and this one was signed in good faith by both parties. But this contract is also fairly extraordinary, and it has become a flashpoint. Just the gesture of offering to renegotiate, even if no new deal was ever struck, would do wonders for Hewitt’s popularity.
pcb mike
March 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
Let’s make the decision easier. Thanks for your efforts, and you are fired.
FullMetalJacket
March 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
I just finished reading Techprof’s (rather lengthy) posts above from earlier in the day, and I am surprised more fans did not respond favorably. He makes an excellent point about the dual role of a coach in a university setting. I believe even he acknowledges that a coach must win to be effective, but I am disappointed that more Tech fans don’t hold Radakovich and Hewitt both accountable for the disgraceful, yes, disgraceful, academic performance of the players under Hewitt’s care.
New York Times
March 25th, 2010
5:10 pm
Saint Johns must be really desperate.
Jaded Jacket
March 25th, 2010
5:11 pm
Hewitt’s like that employee that you can never get rid of no matter how hard you try.
FullMetalJacket
March 25th, 2010
5:14 pm
Steve Donohue at Cornell is what Paul Hewitt should strive to be, on and off the court. That’s it for me. I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs, Mark, and debating with my fellow Tech fans (with whom I drink my whiskey clear), but this Ramblin Wreck is taking a hiatus from all things related to Tech basketball as long as Hewitt is around. The hardest parts of not kicking the s**t out of him is 1. it would be too easy, and 2. resisting the temptation to do it in the first place. So long, Jackets!
LikesThisTeam
March 25th, 2010
5:16 pm
I am so glad Coach Hewitt is staying. No doubt loyalty to his players was a big factor. Tech may have had a mass transfer or draft of the underclassmen if Coach Hewitt had left. I am hoping his loyalty to the team will be repaid by another year of Favors, Lawal, Shumpert, and all.
Johnny Hazeltine
March 25th, 2010
5:25 pm
Happy!
There are two reasons to watch college basketball:
2) Future NBA Players. Hewitt can get them.
1) Tournament. With the solid foundation of ’09s recruiting class. Expect that to occur more frequently.
Tech wins!
JacketFanPCB
March 25th, 2010
5:26 pm
I don’t like this at ALL. More mediocre, underperforming basketball. Losing to teams every year that we shouldn’t. Poor fundamentals, poor play, more disappointment
Johns Creek Jacket
March 25th, 2010
5:35 pm
I find DRAD’s assessment of CPH in the school’s official statement very revealing — “I think what has transpired over the last few days speaks volumes about Paul Hewitt and about Georgia Tech,” Tech director of athletics Dan Radakovich said. “Paul’s credentials as a human being, a family man, a leader and a builder of character are impeccable. All of us at Georgia Tech are committed to assist him in providing an outstanding men’s basketball program.”
Notice that DRAD says nothing about Hewitt’s credentials as a coach. What’s the old adage — if you have nothing good to say then say nothing at all. DRAD obviously sees the same thing we all see, a “nothing special” coach with a very special contract. DRAD is trying to make the best of a bad situation. My advice to DRAD is get some very special coachin assistants in there to run the basketball side of the operation and let CPH be the figurehead.
folkboy
March 25th, 2010
5:36 pm
No!!!
The contract is awful and a record of 67-93 in the ACC is unacceptable.