Yet another chapter in the bleak tableau that is Tech hoops
The Tech student section Wednesday just before pregame introductions. (Photo by M. Bradley)
College basketball is supposed to be fun. What’s happening at Georgia Tech is not fun. It’s sad.
After Virginia beat the Jackets 62-56 Wednesday, players from both teams spoke of the difficulty in playing before such few fans. (Attendance was announced at 5,537. It seemed rather less.)
It didn’t feel like a basketball game between members of the conference that takes basketball the most seriously. It felt like one of those September games back in the middle ’80s when the Braves were in last place and there were 5,000 folks in the old stadium and you could sit anyplace you liked and you wondered, “Is anybody in the world watching this on TV? If so, why?”
As for this game: Tech didn’t play all that horribly. It outscored Virginia from the field and took 13 more rebounds. The Jackets made only 10 turnovers. There was no reason to lose, but they did. They led 46-43 with seven minutes left. When next they scored, the basket came inside the final two minutes and cut the visitor’s lead from nine to seven.
To its credit, the Jackets made a little rally. They usually do. Glen Rice Jr., who hadn’t played much due to a disciplinary intervention, stole the ball on the press and fed Moe Miller for a three-point play. Rice scored — his only hoop — to cut it to three. With fiveseconds left Mfon Udofia picked up a loose ball and hoisted a wild three-pointer while drawing a foul, and if the shot had dropped he’d have had a chance to tie the game. As it was, he had three free throws. He missed all three. (Only the last, presumably, on purpose.)
And so: Another Tech loss, this in a game in which it was favored. Another Tech loss, this to a team no more talented than the Jackets. (Virginia had lost eight of 11 games.) Another Tech loss, and at its end there came no cascade of boos. There was only more of the numbness that has come to enshroud this once buoyant program.
I feel for Tech fans. I feel for Tech players, who are trying hard with not much to show for it. I feel for everyone involved in this bleak tableau. There’s nothing fun here.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
285 comments Add your comment
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
11:58 am
Hewitt Fan–do u wish for Hewitt to stay with no support? Give it a break. He has lost support- PERIOD.
Ahnald
February 24th, 2011
11:59 am
Here is a potential….How about Steve Robinson at UNC ?
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
11:59 am
amen! Mark
RR
February 24th, 2011
12:02 pm
Here’s the moral delima…. MONEY! Hewitt is a crook for continuing to drive this program into the ground and not holding himself accountable. Man up, step down, and move on. You have more money now and you won’t starve. But you are starving the hungry fans of GT and it’s love for basketball. I’m beyond mad. I’m beyond sad. I’m severely depressed that a man can honestly think he deserves this contract. This isn’t economics. This is highway robbery and greed at it’s finest. White, black, green, or purple.
HEWITT FAN
February 24th, 2011
12:02 pm
@Mark Bradley
Gt has won 1 outright regular season Acc title no way around it.they tied 1 more year..the refs took the 2004 Acc championship game from hewitt as well as last year when Singler, a jump shot shooter,set an ACC record for most free throws shot in a acc championship game….Mark, you have a lot of power in the GT program, I wish when the next coach gets here, you should write a article about how bad the refs are in the ACC….GT fans only respond to you..Im serious..Oh yeah i remember you saying the Ohio State game was badly officiated.
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
12:02 pm
Hewitt fan–I’ll bet my X-wife Drads will get a damn good coach. Oh, My X- was damn good to at somethings.
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
agree with RR…
Hal
February 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
As for who was watching on TV last night. It’s like going by a crash site on the highway. You just have to look at it.
GT hulk
February 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
To think if Blewitt would have gone to St. Johns, we might have got Lavin, they are #23 ranked.
Herschel Talker
February 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
RAMBLE ON!!!:
Do you have the answer to the question? It seems like no one can answer whether or not Tech actually has the cash to get this done.
HT
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 24th, 2011
12:12 pm
HT,
The grapevine says the big donor’s have ponied up the dough to get this Thief out of town.
Will see.
slothtosser
February 24th, 2011
12:13 pm
HEWITT FAN: who is UV? If you’re referring to UVA, they hired their coach from the Pac-10, where he had already won National Coach of the Year honors.
And given he has some of the worst talent in the entire league right now (with his best player out for the season), he’s done a great job of COACHING. Even when they lose, they play teams like Dook and UNC close. Unlike Hewitt.
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 24th, 2011
12:16 pm
I WAS PRYING ST. JOHNS WOULD TAKE BLEWITT.
But, know body is that stupid.
They did it as a courtesy. No offer was extended, period. Blewitt just trying to save face and used his wife as an excuse.
Is there any excuse he won’t use?
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
GT can’t afford to keep Hewitt..they better get the money $$$$$…….
Stan H
February 24th, 2011
12:19 pm
Nobody loved Mark Price more than me…..But i dont think he is the answer to Techs problems…..I takes leaders to compete day in and day out and we dont have one….Look at Duke…Cant you take a hint?….Yea its black and white
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 24th, 2011
12:21 pm
No body is that stupid….whoops
Outside Observer
February 24th, 2011
12:21 pm
Hewitt Fan, you are an idiot. One, you support Paul Hewitt. What has he done to merit any support from the fanbase? Two, your grammar is almost unbearable. Three, Mark Bradley has no control over the GT fanbase. People wanted Hewitt fired long before Bradley wrote articles criticizing him. Four, what makes you so certain GT will never recruit another Atlanta Celtic? It is a good AAU program in the Atlanta area, and the best basketball program in the state is Georgia Tech (not currently, but again, that would be Hewitt’s fault). I thinks that’s a rash assumption to make before a coach is even hired. And plus, it’s not like every star player from the Atlanta Celtics has gone to GT. Remember Chris Singleton? Finally, there is no way you can have any intelligence if you think GT is heading in the right direction. It is in a downward spiral that can only be fixed when the driver is taken out. Goodbye Hewiit. You screwed over the program, and now you get to enjoy seven million dollars for it. I hope you sleep well at night. I wouldn’t…
Coach Cool
February 24th, 2011
12:22 pm
Wow! I didn’t know my pic was going to be in your blog today!
Dadgum.....
February 24th, 2011
12:23 pm
Hewitt and Drad have already talked and Hewitt knows that GT is going in a different direction next year. That is fact. There is no grey area. The official announcement will come on or before March 14th. The only question is the settlement which could be a negotiated buyout vs. the 1.2 mil a year over 6 years.
Chris Collins of Duke will get an interview as will Cliff Warren so I have been told. Drad is in the process of making the short list. I can only tell you that some serious boosters are trying to bolster the chances for Mark Price. Price is apparently not on the short list yet. If I hear any other rumblings that have credibility I will pass it along.
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
12:25 pm
Thats dadgum…of Insider info. Hope you are right.
GTBob
February 24th, 2011
12:26 pm
The money argument is getting tiring. Keeping Hewitt at this point is a bigger financial blow then letting him go. I don’t see any way possible that DRad lets the new arena open in front of 4000 fans. Hewitt will be fired either in a couple of weeks or at the end of next season. If he isn’t fired this year then DRad is basically telling us that there is no need to pay any attention to GT basketball next season and we should all come back in 2012.
Ahnald
February 24th, 2011
12:26 pm
Dadgum…..please tell me GT will NOT hire a Dookie, we need to keep the ACC ” Non Dookied “….this would be akin to Abe Lincoln hiring John Wilkes Booth, just saying……..
GT Buzz
February 24th, 2011
12:27 pm
“Thanks” dadgum
HEWITT FAN
February 24th, 2011
12:30 pm
@Mark Bradley
I know Virginia won at GT…But i did my homework buddy just to show you all the ACC is bs..One again only Duke and Nc win on the road..
Acc road records in conference
BC 0-5
Clem 2-4
Coach K 5-1
NC5-2
fsu2-3
gt0-6
mary3-3
Wake0-6
vt3-4
uv1-5
ncst1-5
Mia 2-4
GT Trumpet
February 24th, 2011
12:31 pm
There was a game yesterday??? Actually I knew there was, as did most of the students. We just don’t care anymore. It’s very sad…
O-me
February 24th, 2011
12:32 pm
Hewitt Fan—You need to get off mark’s back and leave with your friend Paul.
HEWITT FAN
February 24th, 2011
12:34 pm
@slothtosser
Yeah you are right…
5150 UOAD
February 24th, 2011
12:35 pm
Looks like the days with Sammy Drummer and Brook Steepe on the court. I don’t get why we have not just fired Hewitt and get the search going for a new coach. I know the money is an issue, but more people would care if Hewitt were already gone.
Wolfman
February 24th, 2011
12:36 pm
I’m a Techie, and I like Mark Fox. I like CMR. But I never like to see UGA win
. Go Gators!
Ahnald
February 24th, 2011
12:38 pm
HEWITT FAN…..I know you studied and did your homework and all….BC beat Maryland @ Maryland this year
Wolfman
February 24th, 2011
12:39 pm
To be honest, I’m not sure Mark Price would be interested…
hey hewiit fan
February 24th, 2011
12:39 pm
your an f’n dimwit.
gt under cremins won 4 acc championships you dumba$$. 2 outright championships and 2 tourney championships. the fact that you dont no squat says it all as far as your opinion goes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Cremins
any hog can find an acorn and hewitt did just that in 04. funny how when he loses his white assistant the next year the program fell apart. true dat.
explain why hewitts job performance fell drastically AFTER he got his golden parachute of a contract. could it be he got a case of the infamous black aSS once he was set with that contract?
04 and before hewitt averaged 5th in the conference while using some of cremins players. since 04 hewitt has averaged 9th in the conference. hewitt as had ONE winning record and 3 break even seasons in 11 seasons in the watered down acc. under bobby we had 6 winning seasons an 4 break even seasons.
as far as the celtics go….. you can have them. nothing but a bunch of gun carrying drug using cheating dumbed down thugs. of course they mimc their coach and their entourage. btw how is your boy favors doing these days eh? he has worked out so well for new jersey that they farmed him an 2 other players for a malcontent from jerry sloans old team. this malcontent was so bad he caused jerry sloan to retire yet it was a 3 fer 1 deal. now tell me again how many nba stars have come from tne celtics.
ZEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO just like YOU.
i think it was a case of both issues.
as far as winning records …. under cremins we had 6 winning records and 4 even records in the acc.
hey paul in R
February 24th, 2011
12:40 pm
Enter your comments here
Tech Man
February 24th, 2011
12:42 pm
Hewitt: “My pay day is coming. I sure fooled Dave Braine, didn’t I.”
Paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
12:43 pm
The photograph of AMC last night is a very sad sight. I was at GT during Duane Morrison’s last year and it was the same – although the team was much, much worse back then. I am not sure what was worse, “the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” when GT lost at home to Baptist College 51-74 (it was something like 40-12 at the half) or the final home game when Dean Smith started his back ups.
This season can’t end soon enough for GT and Coach Hewitt.
hey paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
12:43 pm
there is another fine example of a great black coach for ya…. bob wade. than we have that wacko from arkansas with the hewitt mentality (whitey is out to get me) in the name of nolan richardson. or maybe we should mention hewitts cheating mentor george raveling.
lets face it guys…. but for a few exceptions black’s just dont have the where with all to be good coaches.
jeff c.
February 24th, 2011
12:48 pm
I have never heard either of their names mentioned for being the next coach, but I vote for either Jon or Drew Barry. I want 8 guys on my team that played like those two did.
Jacketbacker
February 24th, 2011
12:50 pm
Dadgum…..i hope you’re right……personally, i would love to see Mark Price get the job if he’s interested…..Tech folks would rally around him and then create some excitement again for this program……regardless, Hewitt MUST go……last night was an absolute embarassment…..NOBODY cares anymore and this is at an ACC school where bball used to be a big deal….. Come on DRad, do the right thing and dump this guy and make a good hire……Mark Price!!
hey....
February 24th, 2011
12:53 pm
agree with earlier post……NEVER, EVER hire a black coach unless you want to see your program fall apart…..does anyone really think Hewitt represents GT alumni, students, etc…..NO…..
HelluvaEngineer
February 24th, 2011
12:55 pm
I’m actually listening to Hewitt’s radio show. They’re not even soliciting calls or emails. The GTAA gets the picture. This rube will be out soon. Now if we can only persecute David Braine…
Keep Paying
February 24th, 2011
12:57 pm
Hand over the team to Mark Price or John Salley (they may not demand as much $$ considering their status)….at least those guys would generate some national interest in the program, because right now GT is one of the most insignificant college basketball programs in the country..
HEWITT FAN
February 24th, 2011
12:59 pm
@hey hewiit fan
lol you are a idiot…he only won 1 out right ACC regular season title, 6 winning seasons in 19 with a overall losing record in the ACC..he deserved his name on that court . ….you are 100% right, the great Atlanta Celtics have produced no stars… , Joe Johnson,Amare,Josh smith,travis outlaw,BJ Elder,Ismail muham,Derrick Favors,Javaris Critt,Randolph Morris all are pumping gas right now…they are all receiving food stamps…dont worry GT will never get another one
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1981–2000)
1981–1982 Georgia Tech 10–16 3–11 8th
1982–1983 Georgia Tech 13–15 4–10 6th
1983–1984 Georgia Tech 18–11 6–8 T–5th NIT 1st Round
1984–1985 Georgia Tech 27–8 9–5 T–1st NCAA Elite Eight
1985–1986 Georgia Tech 27–7 11–3 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1986–1987 Georgia Tech 16–13 7–7 5th NCAA 1st Round
1987–1988 Georgia Tech 22–10 8–6 4th NCAA 2nd Round
1988–1989 Georgia Tech 20–12 8–6 5th NCAA 1st Round
1989–1990 Georgia Tech 28–7 8–6 T–3rd NCAA Final Four
1990–1991 Georgia Tech 17–13 6–8 T–5th NCAA 2nd Round
1991–1992 Georgia Tech 23–12 8–8 T–4th NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1992–1993 Georgia Tech 19–11 8–8 6th NCAA 1st Round
1993–1994 Georgia Tech 16–13 7–9 6th NIT 1st Round
1994–1995 Georgia Tech 18–12 8–8 5th
1995–1996 Georgia Tech 24–12 13–3 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1996–1997 Georgia Tech 9–18 3–13 9th
1997–1998 Georgia Tech 19–14 6–10 6th NIT Quarterfinals
1998–1999 Georgia Tech 15–16 6–10 T–5th NIT 1st Round
1999–2000 Georgia Tech 13–17 5–11 8th
Georgia Tech: 354–237 134–150
HEWITT FAN
February 24th, 2011
1:00 pm
Oh I forgot Dwight Howard
S'paw_99
February 24th, 2011
1:01 pm
Dadgum,
Do you know of any other names on the short list. I would assume that “Noodles” Neal is on the list, he doesn’t have any HC experience but a alum w/ several yrs as an assistant.
I think Price would need to be an assistant for a coupla yrs before becoming an HC. The only way I could see that working is if U bring Bobby back for 3-4 yrs w/ Price under him. The understanding would be Price is the “HC in waiting” to take over when Bobby retires.
Paul in RDU
February 24th, 2011
1:07 pm
Hewitt Fan
You claim that road teams don’t win in the ACC and put the numbers up showing that the road team is 24-48 (33.3%). Well guess what, road teams don’t win many games in most conferences. Let’s take the Big XII for example – the conference you said earlier as being much better than the ACC and that the Mizzou coach would never leave for GT
Baylor 2-5
Colorado 2-5
ISU 0-7
Coach Self 5-1
KSU 2-5
Mizzou 1-5
Neb 1-5
OU 1-6
OKState 0-7
TX 5-1
A&M 4-1
TT 2-4
Overall is 25-53 (32.1%)
Ahnald
February 24th, 2011
1:09 pm
Everyone help me here….How many big time College coaches have ever gone back to the same HC job after they have “retired” from that school ?
Fan
February 24th, 2011
1:10 pm
It’s sad, I go to the games more out of habit,to see the other team, and I spend time on my iphone watching other games sometimes. , The team plays hard but there is a lack of execution, which sad to say is expected. Frankly, the worst is I no longer get upset after a loss like Wed. night, I’ve come to expect it. Although I’ll renew my season tickets next year, doubt I will attend any games at Gwinnett it’s to inconvenient to get too. Hopefully, Tech will bite the bullet and get a new coach for the following year, if not then the new arena will not matter.
One other thought, after all the great games and fan excitement at Alexander over the years it’s sad to see it go out this way with a whimper, it and Tech Fans deserve better..
Buckeye
February 24th, 2011
1:12 pm
Back in the day ( Price, Salley, Lethal Weapon 3) it was fun to pull for GT. They filled that post-football season void. The Duke and NC matchups were great. I remember staying up for that late game against (? was it UNLV). I’ve watched zero Tech games this year compared to several uga. I remain a loyal Howard ( before I was Trey) Thompkins fan.
GT Trumpet
February 24th, 2011
1:12 pm
Well. This comment section has suddenly become racist. Especially about a school where there is such a significant black, asian, indian, and latin population? Cmon guys, race means nothing. Never has, never will.
Ted M
February 24th, 2011
1:14 pm
HEWITT FAN = HEWITT RELATIVE