Georgia’s hiring of Fox quick, unexpected
Well, that one came out of left field, at least for me it did.
I didn’t start getting strong indications about Nevada’s Mark Fox until late in the afternoon Thursday and I initially discounted them. As the night wore on, it grew more and more plausible and the pieces started coming together. It took a while to get the hire confirmed but, once I looked into just who this guy was it started to make a little more sense. Now whether he’ll make a good fit for Georgia, I’ll let Mark Bradley and our other columnists opine on that. All I can say for now is what everybody else is saying – “didn’t see that one coming.”
It appears Fox is at least the fifth person approached about the job, or at least among five. Georgia is known to have had extensive talks with Missouri coach Mike Anderson before he Anderson decided to remain with the Tigers, who offered him a new seven-year contract at $1.6 million a season. The Bulldogs or their representatives also had preliminary discussions with Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, Clemson coach Oliver Purnell and Miami coach Frank Haith. None, it appears, were interviewed.
Here’s a few facts on Fox:
- He was 123-43 in five seasons at Nevada and never won fewer than 21 games there. He went 29-5 in 2006-07.
- Nevada competes in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and Fox’s teams won the league four of his five seasons. They finished second to Utah State this past season.
- The Wolf Pack[cq] played in the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons but not the past two. They reached the second round in 2005 and 2007.
- Fox’s teams played Georgia’s twice, winning both times. Nevada beat the Bulldogs 58-47 in Athens on Nov. 26, 2004 and 68-62 on Dec. 21, 2005.
That’s the gist of it. But we definitely want to know what you guys think.
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156 comments Add your comment
GradyGrad96
April 2nd, 2009
10:10 pm
Huh? Well, a coach is better than no coach. As an alumnus not really sure what to think about this one. How is this guy going to recruit in state? He has no ties to the south. My guess is he doesn’t know anything about the south. Well, at least he will have something in common with Felton – inability to get in-state kids to stay in state.
So far, I’m not impressed. But I will withhold any real opinions for year. I want to see his first recruiting class.
At least the Clemson people can stop clamoring about taking their worldbeater of a coach.
Georgia Hires Nevada's Mark Fox As Next Men's Head Basketball Coach | GeorgiaBulldog.com - Georgia Bulldogs News, Discussion, Schedules & More
April 2nd, 2009
10:11 pm
[...] What do you think of Dogs getting Fox? – AJC Category : Basketball [...]
ArkyTech
April 2nd, 2009
10:14 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
ff
April 2nd, 2009
10:14 pm
i’m happy to give the benefit of the doubt with Coach Fox. Welcome to Georgia, hope you like sweet tea
BadgerDawg
April 2nd, 2009
10:21 pm
Best of luck, coach Fox. I hope his recruiting skill serves him well at keeping players in state. Feel free to question the hire, but this is exactly what we were in line for: a mid-major coach performing at a high level. Hopefully, he works out much better than that prototype we just shipped out.
bigboi
April 2nd, 2009
10:26 pm
once again Georgia couldn’t get it done. We had our chances to get Mike Anderson of Missouri who would of been a much better fit, but Damon Evans couldn’t pull the strings. Typical Georgia…
SoCal Dawg
April 2nd, 2009
10:29 pm
I think it may take 2 or 3 years but I believe there’s hope.
SoCal Dawg
April 2nd, 2009
10:31 pm
I think we may win the SEC next year if someone gives him this website and he follows our wonderful advice.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 2nd, 2009
10:34 pm
HUH?
WHO?
FROM WHERE?
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 2nd, 2009
10:34 pm
BWHAHAHHAAHAHAA!!!!!
Coyote
April 2nd, 2009
10:36 pm
Not the big name some hoped for but I’d much rather take a shot with a mid-major guy than someone like Purnell or Haith. It’s impossible to know if he’ll be the next Billy Donovan or the next Dennis Felton but at least there’s some potential upside. Hard to have a better mid-major resume than the one he’s got so I’m on board.
Buzz29
April 2nd, 2009
10:38 pm
Why you laughing Ramble? We still have Phew. I hate all things UGA but congrats on getting a coach not named Paul Hewitt
Coyote
April 2nd, 2009
10:38 pm
By the way, for any Tech fans laughing at this, let me remind you that your coach has been a massive underachiever for years. Maybe the elite recruits will save him because the man simply cannot coach and deep down you know it’s true.
Bill Coin
April 2nd, 2009
10:44 pm
OMG! IMHO:(
lawzoo
April 2nd, 2009
10:50 pm
How much will ga. be paying this big name coach that they were in the hunt for? If it’s over a million it’s crazy. Will the ajc ever admit that their “reporting” on this story was shoddy….I’m being kind. To actually promote coaches who declined(Anderson took 1.6 and declined 2.1) the job(the hated Purcell, who the ajc wrongly said was being interviewed)was not even considered i.e., Capel, Purcell,and a cast of thousands made ga. look extremely like the crummy job it is with laughable “facilities.”
Randy
April 2nd, 2009
11:02 pm
Just priceless. The Dawg bloggers talked about Jay Wright or bringing back Tubby Smith. Maybe Butler’s coach? UGA pursued Anderson, Capel, OP, who knows who else. What, were they cold-calling?
Not even an up and coming mid-major coach wants to coach in the GA b-ball cess pool. This is a career ending job for up and comers (Dennis Felton), and anyone established can fall out of an airplane and find a better b-ball school.
And the result? Fox from Nevada? Wow, good thing Evans snatched him up before someone else got him! Whew, that was probably close!
HaHaHaHa! If this doesn’t provide some humility to anyone who thinks UGA b-ball deserves any respect, I don’t know what will.
gdawgs77
April 2nd, 2009
11:04 pm
CHIP, I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WOULD COULD NOT OF HIRED EITHER SEAN MILLER, BRAD STEVENS, BRAIN GREGORY OR TUBBY SMITH. ANY OF THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD!! ESPECIALLY SEAN MILLER!!!
Fox is a winner
April 2nd, 2009
11:04 pm
Welcome coach Fox! For those Dawg fans who are not excited about the hire – Fox’s winning percentage virtually the same as our beloved CMR. If Fox can match CMR’s success on the basketball court, I believe we have a good coach.
UGA
April 2nd, 2009
11:06 pm
Great Hire!!!!!
This guy can coach!
Anderson or Grant would have been good also, but this is an awesome hire!
UGA
April 2nd, 2009
11:07 pm
His name may not excite everyone, but who cares, we will win now.
Stegro
April 2nd, 2009
11:09 pm
What an utter albatrous. No wonder Georgia has always and will always suck in Basketball. No one even wanted the job, so they picked up a 2nd tier guy that even a good mid-major would not have chosen. What does that make us? Below a mid-major??
Kcc14
April 2nd, 2009
11:11 pm
His wife Cindy is from Augusta and he wants to be a Dawg!!I will take a 75% winning percentage. Unlike DFelton, he will take his coat off and hurl it into to the stands. Goooo Dawgs
BLACK AND RED DAWG
April 2nd, 2009
11:18 pm
I like the pick. Ithink that Coach Fox shoul;d hire a strong southern recruiter to go on his staff. and who knows maybe UGA basketball can be one of the top programs in the SEC maybe the NCAA. Lets give him three years to see what can happen. He’s a proven winner! GOOOOO DAWGS!!!
Mike In Valdosta
April 2nd, 2009
11:24 pm
ArkyTech and Ramble on,
Two words: Paul Hewitt
SoCal Dawg
April 2nd, 2009
11:27 pm
Kcc14 Do you know for sure his wife is from Augusta.
Pago Flyer
April 2nd, 2009
11:31 pm
Actually, we thought the AD would hire a “brother”!?
Gen Neyland
April 2nd, 2009
11:32 pm
The Fox era has begun…Hope we can welcome him to Knoxville in fine fashion.
rickyt
April 2nd, 2009
11:39 pm
I lived in Reno for 3 years and watched the wolfpack a couple of times a year. i think he will surprise people because he is a good coach and gets the most out of his players. the only trouble i see is recruiting but getting kids to come to athens will be a lot easier than getting kids to go to reno, trust me. hopefully he can get some good kids from georgia to stay and play. i think we could be competitve in a couple of years. he gets fired up on the sidelines during games which i think motivates his players. he was an assistant for the guy coaching lsu now.
turkey
April 3rd, 2009
12:06 am
See for all you doubting Thomas the search team worked. We got crazy like a Fox.
Steve
April 3rd, 2009
12:12 am
Nevada has been down the past 2 years – RPI 81 this season. Fox was stacked for next year – there top 3 players were Sophmore, Freshman, Sophmore, and the next 2 were Juniors. He doesn’t seem to play alot of bench – 7 main guys and the rest are just fillers. Not a great recruiter like he is potrayed according to their last 3 classes, but serviceable (adequate). The SEC East is tougher than ACC people like to admit. Remember Odom from Wake Forest? Great at Wake, mediocre at South Carolina. Why? Kentucky, Florida, Tenn., Vandy and now South Carolina are all perennial postseason teams, and we have to play each twice a year. Felton may have been the best game coach in the SEC East – but but losing Mercer, Takais Brown, Humphries, Singleton, and Jeremy Jacobs (who is a stud) within a year was just too devastating for the program to endure. Best of luck Coach Felton (maybe the Nevada job?) and best of luck Coach new Coach Fox! Welcome to the Bulldog Nation, you and your family! And guys, we want a winner, but lets give him 3 years at least before passing judgment. The way this team is stacked with talent and signees, we will be awesome in 2 years if everybody stays (Thompkins, Price, Barnes, Ware, Daniel Miller, Demario Mayfield, Travis Leslie, Enyaroh, and Zloravic). Stay on board team – you got a great coach.
bwell
April 3rd, 2009
12:12 am
WHAT THE @()*$$$!@, WHO IS THIS GUY! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! The WAC player of the year, just got picked up this week on robbery charges. 4 teams in 4 years in the NBA. Some recruiter! I hope it works out, I will support him. I’ll give him 4 years to turn it around.
GT Fan
April 3rd, 2009
12:18 am
Coyote, Hell man I’ll trade Paul Hewitt for Fox any day of the week. Lets deal! I’ll even go you one better, I’ll trade Paul Hewitt for any damn one that has the title Coach. I love GT and Hate Hewitt. I hope Fox does a great job at UGA.
Mike48
April 3rd, 2009
12:21 am
Dammit – I had my chair ready to throw. Maybe Fox will try and relate
to UGA fans unlike Felton who wouldn’t.
Let’s give this guy a chance and see what happens. After 38 years of
season ticket mediocrity with an occasional good team, there’s no way
to go but up. My guess is a year from now, the Humble Bumbles will be
up in arms when Hewitt flames out again with all of his new talent.
By the way, Coach, pick up a few new players on your way into town.
Without Swanzey next year we’re in big trouble! Keep Thompkins, Ware,
and McPhee and let the rest earn a spot. Rumor has it that Swanzey has
signed with a Division III program somewhere.
One more thing, please let the air out of the stupid “balloon” Dawg
that bounces around the floor on his/her/its head while we are trying
to enjoy the ass-ets of the Dawgie Dance girls. That thing looks a bit
like Barney Frank anyway, and we see way too much of that slobbering
creep during the newscasts.
Thank you in advance for your consideration – see you in December.
dawgbone
April 3rd, 2009
12:44 am
first order for coach fox is to beat yech, like coach richt does 9 outa 10 for sure, maybe we can get favors to change his mind, is it to late ?
BadgerDawg
April 3rd, 2009
12:57 am
Steve, the idea that Odom succeeded at Wake but couldn’t handle the “pressure” of the SEC is laughable. You’re right, he’s worried about having to play Vandy when 2 games each against Duke and UNC just got wiped off the schedule. I don’t like the ACC either but these comments are as dumb as the “we’re getting Pitino” ones are.
innocent bystander
April 3rd, 2009
1:10 am
I remember Coach Harbin “Red” Lawson whose recruiting was hampered because Woodruff Hall was said to be the only bb arena in America where weather was a factor. I was present in 1963 at the Coliseum Inaugural when Coach Lawson’s team upset Georgia Tech.We’ve never been a real basketball school which is sad because Georgia is a real basketball state.I’m not a prophet because I liked the Felton hire. I was impressed (as I guess Coach Dooley was) that Coach Felton had thumped Kentucky a couple of times–something we were never able to do when Tubby coached here.Relationships are everything and Mark Fox’s lack of connectedness with the South may hurt us. But he can coach. I feel much better about this than our options at Miami or Clemson.I think it’s a good hire. Let’s support our AD and our new Coach and give him time.Welcome to the Bulldawg Nation Coach Fox. May your stay be a long and happy one.
Poopy Pants
April 3rd, 2009
1:26 am
On the bright side, we can’t suck any worse than we did this year…. can we?
dawfbone
April 3rd, 2009
1:55 am
i look forward to seeing what he can do, maybe he can steal derrick favors from techs class, that would be too cool, anyway heres to beating tech at everything, crush the bugs
BarkingBulldawg
April 3rd, 2009
1:55 am
WOW is all I can say….
TechTony
April 3rd, 2009
4:47 am
Wasn’t Fox in Reno in 2004 as well when he coached Kirk Snyder and lost to Tech in the Sweet 16?
This will be either another yikes moment in the annals (or anals) of UGA basketball or a fine move, who knows? But it does seem to me, as I’ve said all along, that Evans’s future is irretrievably linked to the success of Fox.
Bamafan
April 3rd, 2009
5:39 am
The new coach at Georgia should hire Phillip Pearson as his chief recruiter and Phillip would do a great job recruiting talent to Athens. Phillip Pearson coached at Alabama under Mike G and replaced
him after he was fired. Good luck to Coach Fox he going to need it working in the SEC east against
Pearl,Calipari and Billy D.
Lane
April 3rd, 2009
5:54 am
The guy has a 75% winning %, not to shabby!!!!
I, however would have preferred Sam Mitchell
Oh, well
UGASlobberknocker
April 3rd, 2009
6:51 am
i havent been this excited about the Dawgs basketball program since…last week.
At least we will continue not having any to be distracted during spring football practice with those annoying NCAA tourney games.
Mr. Skynyrd
April 3rd, 2009
6:54 am
Better than Paul Hewitt.
Wanna trade?
Best of luck (unless you’re playing Tech).
Douglas
April 3rd, 2009
7:16 am
I hope he succeeds. But I don’t think the ticket sales office will get any major phone calls today for seasons tickets. I am disappointed.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
April 3rd, 2009
7:17 am
This is better than those other possibilities from Clemson & Miami. Terrence is going to be pissed.
Brownie
April 3rd, 2009
7:27 am
I live here and my job headquarters are in Reno. I have followed Fox’s career since he took over for Trent. I believe the people of Ga. and its fans will get to enjoy his coaching style and his coaching abilities. As far as recruiting he has been up against some of the best in the west and has done great. Lets give him a chance he is better then the last three coaches.,
Dawgdaze
April 3rd, 2009
7:29 am
This guy is probably a good coach. What? You afraid he’ll mess up the storied tradition of Dawg hoops? Dawg fans this is what you get when you don’t support a program. Divert some of the cash from the over hyped football program and build a stadium. Playing in a half empty barn everynight is a tough sell for any coach.
J. N. CORNER
April 3rd, 2009
7:34 am
ANOTHER COACH WHO HAS ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE ABOUT THE TALENT IN GA! HE IS A GREAT COACH….BUT YOU CAN’T WIN THE KENTUCKY DERBY WITH A MULE….WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE GA. BOYS PLAYING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IF HE DOESN’T HIRE SOMEONE IN THIS STATE THAT KNOWS IT!
Dawgdaze
April 3rd, 2009
7:46 am
JN Corner, coaches know that there is a mother lode of bball talent in the state. They also know that the talent ain’t coming to Athens. That’s why you have to settle for a lesser known coach. Why?? The environment number one and number two the facilities and fan support are abysmal.
Fools Gold
April 3rd, 2009
7:51 am
What a joke of a hire for the inept Damon Evans
Glen
April 3rd, 2009
7:59 am
This guy is not going to keep the Atlanta talent in state, they will still go to GT or out of state. The kids are going to see this guy and say who is this. No name recognition, his most highly thought of player from Nevada was an NBA dud. He has no connections in this state, no recruiting ties to our AAU organizations, they won’t just let him in. I see someone falling flat on his face and being gone in 3 years.
david
April 3rd, 2009
8:04 am
stupid stupid stupid.ga does it again.
dUMb DAwG
April 3rd, 2009
8:25 am
WHaT wAs dAMoN eVAns tHIkInG?
MB
April 3rd, 2009
8:26 am
Hahaha! Steve you’re a joke that’s why the entire SEC had three tourney teams total….yeah you’re dominate. Mike In Valdosta…one word, Valdosta.
Get It Right
April 3rd, 2009
8:28 am
T. Moore will not be pleased. Not “color”-ful enough.
Linda Lovelace Dawg
April 3rd, 2009
8:28 am
Hmmm another Markie Boy in the UGA sports program. I wonder if he will choke on the Big one too?
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 3rd, 2009
8:29 am
Better than Hewitt?
Hell yeah!
Felton was better than Hewitt.
The best possible scenario for UGAg is he uses them as a stepping stone.
ED SINGLETON ALUM 78
April 3rd, 2009
8:38 am
PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FIRE ADAMS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY NOT BOBBY KNIGHT OR TUBBY SMITH??????? NO MORE MONEY TO UGA UNTIL ADAMS IS GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HORRIBLE!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
April 3rd, 2009
8:39 am
I told you guys yesterday that Gomer Pyle will open the official press conference “Suprise, suprise, suprise….”
Can’t comment on the hire because I never followed Neveda or WAC basketball. All I will say is welcome aboard coach, good luck and please make us a winner in basketball. Appears to be a proven winner and successful at mid major about what we were looking for.
Kent
April 3rd, 2009
8:39 am
One thing you can count on with this hire. Tennessee Kentucky Florida, Alabama , South Carolina and Miss State have no need to worry about UGA beating them for the next several years ! Winning in the WAC is the same as GA playing Hawaii in football. No match for SEC play. Way to go GA ! Continue to give the visiting team a home court advantage ! Moore is not going to be happy either because he aint of color, RACISM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
April 3rd, 2009
8:44 am
Look there are now a ton of coaches out there that are disappointed in this hire. They won’t be able to use UGA to get their contracts doubled and renewed.
flats
April 3rd, 2009
8:46 am
Is he going to coach next year?I thought you had to sit out a year?
Jon
April 3rd, 2009
8:48 am
GG Smith wants to be a part of the coaching staff…..Damon should strongly consider him, the fans would love to have a Smith back on the bench and he would recruit GA well.
Fools Gold
April 3rd, 2009
8:56 am
Boy….. how much did UGA pay the Firm for the this great hire???? LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!
Dean Smith
April 3rd, 2009
9:01 am
I told Damon boy that I wanted to stay in retirement and coach UGA Basketball. Oh well he just dont want to listen …. Mr Adams has gotten what he deserved! How does it really feel to waller below mediocrity?
No More Moore
April 3rd, 2009
9:02 am
Terrence is going to have a field day on this hire since Fox is white!
Poppy
April 3rd, 2009
9:03 am
With support like some of these nuts are giving we couldn’t win in elementary school. Coach Fox deserves our full support until we see what he can do. Let’s give the man a chance. Our support can make or break a coach. Welcome Coach Fox. May you have much success at UGA.
Patrick
April 3rd, 2009
9:09 am
Wait just a minute! Georgia has been without a coach since late January and the best option they can come up with is a coach from the WAC? This makes no sense whatsoever! This is not the “sexy”, “flashy” hire this program needs and the fans deserve. Bob Knight would have been a better hire! Instant credibility to recruit quality talent is what Georgia needed and instead we got an AAU coach!
dap01
April 3rd, 2009
9:24 am
He obviously can coach. Perhaps he can begin the long rebuilding process. Go Dawgs.
Do you ever wonder why TECH fans are always on UGA blogs? Obvious losers. There is nothing wrong with being a Tech fan but don’t you have anything better to do than to comment on a UGA blog?
Oscar
April 3rd, 2009
9:28 am
The knock on this guy from Nevada fans is that he is a horrible in-game strategist and worthless from an x’s and o’s perspective. Is this what Damon Evans had in mind with his first big hire? I think not. Mired in mediocrity.
NewnanDawg
April 3rd, 2009
9:50 am
I think I’ll just act like a rational fan (hard for some to relate), see if I can get a hold of a little tape to observe his game time coaching style, listen to what he has to say at the press conference(s), and see how the players react. Finally, after watching a few of the first games of the season, I’ll start to have an opinion. Right now, I’ll just be a fan and support the program.
I do hope he has the personality to get people fired up and gets the players talking positively about next season. If so, he can generate some interest in filling up the Steg.
Go Dawgs!
Nevada Fan
April 3rd, 2009
9:52 am
Good luck Georgia, you will need it. Ask any Nevada fan and they will tell you that Fox rode the coattails of Trent Johnson, a truly good coach. We are not dissapointed to see him and his temper leave. Start your search now for your next coach…
BPZ
April 3rd, 2009
9:53 am
First, I would like to say that I know very little about Fox. I know he has beaten UGA twice while at Nevada. I just do not understand fans already criticizing a hire that may eventually pan out. UGA is first and foremost a football school. We fill up Sanford Stadium every game and it is from that revenue that we have been able to build one of the greatest athletic departments in the nation. I full confidence in Damon Evans. He did his research. We knew we were not going to be able to lure away a Pitino, Calipari, Capel, or any other top coach of that calliber, already. I use the word already because they all use to be no names when they were hired. We use the facility as an excuse. Stegeman is run down and old. It only seats 9000. I say we just built one of the finest practice facilities in the nation and this will attract recruits. Let’s start filling up Stegeman before we start talking about a new arena. It is simple economics. If the demand is not there, why issue more supply. We do not need to proceed and say oh, this is a bad hire. Truly speaking no one knows not even Evans. Only time will tell. Let’s quit whining about not ever hearing of the guy and give him our support for at least three years. We have got to start winning and to show our commitment to basketball at UGA. Georgia will never be a basketball school first, but we do have the resources to have winning baskeball teams that make the NCAA tournament year in and year out like Ohio St, Texas, Florida, and Oklahoma. We will always put football first just as these other schools do. Fox, welcome aboard as head coach at UGA and welcome to the great state of Georgia. Good luck.
Mercer Stud
April 3rd, 2009
9:55 am
Hail to the puppies!!! And Damon Evans, the maker of all that is good (except things related to the athletic dept). I’m just glad ya’ll kept your grimy little paws off our coach. I thought you were gonna have to take her.
Poorjeff
April 3rd, 2009
9:56 am
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Poorjeff
April 3rd, 2009
9:56 am
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Poorjeff
April 3rd, 2009
9:56 am
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» SEC links: Georgia hires Fox, Tennessee keeps Pearl John Clay’s Sidelines
April 3rd, 2009
10:00 am
[...] Chip Towers of the AJC writes on the unexpected hire of Nevada’s Mark Fox as Georgia’s new basketball coach. [...]
Otto
April 3rd, 2009
10:14 am
Kcc14 good info and I agree. BPZ good points. Chip much better article than Bradley. The more I read the more I like the hire.
Knight better really? UGA tried to get some big names which I do not agree with they’ll be out the next time more money is offered or basketball school such as UK comes knocking. Some of my fellow UGA fans were delusional on their expectations of the next coach.
What did UGA pay him?
nola dawg
April 3rd, 2009
10:24 am
This is what this hire reminds me of… the process/hire of Perno for the baseball team. Remember how long it took and how many folks turned down the job? Well, last I checked our baseball team is pretty darn strong.
I was initially shocked (I think I said on this board about 3 yesterday that there was a name we weren’t thinking about yet). But the more I read about this dude, I like. If he gets some good ass’t who can recruit, I think this will be a good hire.
gt
April 3rd, 2009
10:25 am
Good Dawg fans will give this man an honest chance. Remember way back when they got an unheard of assistant named Dooley, and a few years ago got a respected asst named Richt.
Tubby himself had won but was not a household name.
If he works out let’s hire the SEARCH FIRM as the new AD and fire BATMAN AND ROBIN.If he does not work out let,s FIRE BATMAN AND ROBIN for derelection of duty, fraud, failure, or for any reason one wishes to put forth.
We fans could have done as well as this firm- the one that ran Anthony Grant away, as I blogged yesterday.
On the plus side, if you need a job, that Search Firm maycan use you. Competence is clearly mnot a requirement.
FEDUP!Dawg
April 3rd, 2009
10:25 am
WOW! OMG! WTF! OK so Adams has a sound bite saying the qualifications are a guy from a top school whose been successful, to me that meant a major (aka BCS) conference coach. Which disqualified all mid major coaches so Grant, Few, Stevens, Miller, Gregory & the guy we hired!!! How do we fire a guy then hire a dude that has less of a pedigree coming in than the last coach? OK I understand we shot for the fences & lost out but we should have had a better back up plan that this! To me with coaches that might have listened still playing we should have waited at little while longer to at least talk to Drew & Wright. Last night I come home see Baylor playing in the NIT final & think yea he’d be a good hire then only to later see Fred Kalil on 36 saying we’re hiring WHO?!? The search firm Evans hired had burnt bridges with the guy (Grant) that we needed & wanted the job wouldn’t even talk to us then ends up at AL! Sure the search firm did its job but for who? They placed a coach who was an assistant for a guy they helped LSU hire last year. I work with a lady that has a kid that’s in at a prominent HS bball program & on a big time AAU team. Grant was already on him while at VCU, she & I both figured Grant would come to UGA. This morning she basically said with this hire UGA is now off of their list! Well guess where this kid & a lot of other ones in GA will probably go now? AL!!! (The pecking order for GA kids will be KY, UF, UT or AL then probably SC & Vandy over us as well) This is a late April fool’s day joke right? OMG! How can you have the biggest AD budget in the SEC then NOT be able to: get then indoor practice faculty built, get Sanford renovated, get Stegmen renovated or replace, get Foley filed redone, give our top assistants long term deal with buyouts while most of the rest of the conference is . Then on top of all that you make such a blunder on the basketball hire?!? Not sure if its Adams interference that’s causing all this but whatever the problem it is it need to resolved ASAP! Needless to say this will once again effect donations on top on what the economy is already doing to them. So now just like I said it would be, this is a bigger issue! Damon is NOT doing his job & its reflecting badly on the entire BullDawg Nation! If we had at least movement on some of the facility issues then there might be some benefit of the doubt given on this hire. Board of regents: FIRE ADAMS & EVANS NOW!!! Bring back Dooley as the AD & get a president that will let the AD do his job! If they won’t do it & the governor won’t force them to do it then we need to elect someone that will! OMG! I’m so FED up over the continued talk followed by lack of action then bumbling & fumbling of personnel matters!
don
April 3rd, 2009
10:48 am
I don’t think this is a terrible hire but I do think
Damon’s inexperienced showed. I think the search firm turned out to be a terrible idea. Part of their job was to quietly assess a candidate interest to avoid embarrassment from public rejections.
The second issue is why was there such little interest in Grant, when the ended up with someone not as highly regarded.
Two theories, first the search firm convinced Evans he had a real shot at a coach from a major conference, Anderson, and second the search firm had already burned bridges with Grant from a prior job search. Either way I think Damion just blew $75,000.00,and worse put a dent in the moral of the UGA basketball fans, just after finally raising their hopes for the first time in many years.
Avi
April 3rd, 2009
10:54 am
Mar who?????????????????
austindog
April 3rd, 2009
11:00 am
Three time WAC coach of the year. Give him a chance.
FireChipTowers
April 3rd, 2009
11:08 am
Chip Towers needs to be handed his walking papers by the AJC after his shameless attempt to “report” that UGA was seeking to hire Oliver Purnell or Frank Haith. He was so far from the actuality of the situation that he had to sink to “backtracking” by saying that the AD did speak with both yesteday. The is the worst type of reporting, saying stuff without foundation or substance while trying to “be the first in the know” – hopefully, the AJC brass will terminate this type of minor league “reporting”.
Gordon
April 3rd, 2009
11:10 am
Some free advice from a Tech fan: DO NOT sign him to a perpetual rollover contract if he has one great year.
NCMTNDawg
April 3rd, 2009
11:12 am
Listen, I don’t know anything abouth this guy. I wish him all the luck in the world. His resume looks pretty good.
There are two things that make me scratch my head. First, that’s a “big splash”!? All alum and fans should feel betrayed and duped by Adams. Regardless of the outcome (hopefully good), that is NOT what was promised. Next, what recruiting ties are established to the Southeast (especially Georgia/Atlanta)? Think about it…Nevada…Georgia…2,400 miles apart! It takes 35 HOURS approximately to drive campus to campus and for those who are geographically challenged, it borders CALIFORNIA!
Welcome Coach Fox and best of luck. GO DAWGS!!!
SEC links: Georgia hires Fox, Tennessee keeps Pearl | MrSEC.com
April 3rd, 2009
11:20 am
[...] Chip Towers of the AJC writes on the unexpected hire of Nevada’s Mark Fox as Georgia’s new basketball coach. [...]
Brad
April 3rd, 2009
11:25 am
It’s going to be pandemonium at the Steg in 09-10! Bring it on Calipari,Donovan, Pearl, et al. The dawgs rule. Woof! Woof! Woof!
Dorsey Hill
April 3rd, 2009
11:31 am
To those worried about recruiting, no coach at Georgia or Tech has recruited in state very well for whatever reason. Georgia is to BBall what New Jersey is to Football. So lets see how he does, it can’t get worse.
I would like to know the state of Nevada BBall before this guy arrived. Did he build it from scratch or did he just maintain a good program in a questionable league?
Andy in Ohio
April 3rd, 2009
11:33 am
I’m sure Damon Evans and co. saw something in this guy that they like. Hopefully he’s able to get his recruiting skills honed in the very competitive SEC. I do like what has been mentioned about his passion though. I’d like to see the UGA B-ball team start doing what Michigan State does in it’s drills. Forget what they call them, but they work out in football pads in every practice and work very, very hard on rebounds.
Hopefully he puts some passion into this team, he’s going to need a lot of luck. Obviously his record is very good and he’s made it to the NCAA tournament 3 times out of past 5 years, which is far beyond what UGA has done in that time frame.
BravesFan79
April 3rd, 2009
11:34 am
And to think…. UGA needed a “search firm” to find this guy?? That $$ could of been used better give 2 lucky kids academic scholarships!
This guy is probably a better coach that Jeff Capel tho. Yet probably not as good as Lon Kruger. GT will STILL dominate the state of Ga!
Scott
April 3rd, 2009
11:57 am
Tubby wasn’t called because his Minnesota buyout is $10mil
AltamahaDawg
April 3rd, 2009
12:07 pm
One of the things that this guy has in common with evey other coach bantered about in here……..the “experts” in here know about as much about him, as they did about them.
It looks to me that we made the best hire we could of the coaches that would accept the job.
steve
April 3rd, 2009
12:27 pm
Badgerdawg, I understand what you are saying, but how would explain Odom’s demise at South Carolina? Just an inferior atmosphere?
John Emens
April 3rd, 2009
12:39 pm
Mark Fox is an established, successful coach who is also a good recruiter. At least four of his players in the past four years have been drafted by the NBA. One, Ramon Sessions, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, had a triple double as recently as two days ago (and a double-double ) last night. Also drafter were Kirk Snyder, Nick Fazekas (by the Mavs, now playing in France) and JaVale McGee (Wizards). Give this guy a chance. Basketball fans out west are very aware of his. The coaches in the conference will be glad to see him go to get him out of their hair.
UGADawg83
April 3rd, 2009
1:01 pm
He’s hired. He’s here. Lets support him. More importantly lets support the program.
JB
April 3rd, 2009
1:09 pm
you will not get a five star chef to work at waffle house, and we won’t get a top tier name BB coach to Athens. Welcome coach Fox. prove them all wrong.