I was wrong

[MWBATL]

To say that Gregory is worse than hewitt, or that the program is in worse shape today, is just flat wrong and overly emotional, imho.

I seem to recall Hewitt lost us a scholarship with poor APR results. Gregory has cleaned that up. Completely, from what I can tell. Look...there is no doubt in my mind we need a change, but I have to thank Gregory for what he has done for GT. He cleaned up the APR situation, did not succumb to the temptation of bringing in bad kids just to get wins (I don't claim to be close to the program, but these kids seem like solid troopers), and he has represented GT well. He isn't a good recruiter or gameday coach, but let's not let the frustrations about that cloud what he HAS given us.

 

[AE 87]

To say that Gregory is worse than hewitt, or that the program is in worse shape today, is just flat wrong and overly emotional, imho.

I seem to recall Hewitt lost us a scholarship with poor APR results. Gregory has cleaned that up. Completely, from what I can tell. Look...there is no doubt in my mind we need a change, but I have to thank Gregory for what he has done for GT. He cleaned up the APR situation, did not succumb to the temptation of bringing in bad kids just to get wins (I don't claim to be close to the program, but these kids seem like solid troopers), and he has represented GT well. He isn't a good recruiter or gameday coach, but let's not let the frustrations about that cloud what he HAS given us.

I was referring to basketball performance, only. It's a fact and not emotional at all, and certainly not overly emotional. Other than beating georgie every year, we're down. As Bradley pointed out, iirc, CBG's record has been worse than Hewitt's last 5 years.

So, let me clarify: we play better offensive sets than under Hewitt, at times, but go for long stretches without focus. It seems to me that opposing coaches know what we're trying to do and prepare their teams to defend it better than our team is prepared to execute it. We play lock-down D for long stretches, but often to no avail because we don't score well, but then leave guys wide open at crunch time.

So, yeah, I stand by my OP. I agree that we needed to get rid of Hewitt, and I agree CBG has done a lot of good for the program off the court. However, I was wrong in thinking that we had hit a cellar of how bad our team would be on the court under CPH.

 

[dtm1997]

My mistake. I have no idea what our AD really does other than he will reply if you email him.

In his defense, I was one of the few happy he was patient with CPJ. Maybe he's right again.

LOL! LazyAD was the one quick to reply to emails and be lazy by hiring Eddie Fogler, while MBob can handle it himself, while not responding to any emails.

 

[Peacone36]

Gregory was the best we could afford due to Braine's mismanagement.

I respectfully disagree. We settled on CBG. I cant speak in definites but it seemed like whoever conducted the coaching search put little effort in.

 

[dtm1997]

I respectfully disagree. We settled on CBG. I cant speak in definites but it seemed like whoever conducted the coaching search put little effort in.

It was Eddie Fogler & LazyAD

 

[mqpayne]

Didn't even interview Craig Neal.

 

[alaguy]

You don't win without in college ball without good guards.This game was typical--4 guards went 5-19 (but actually had more assists than TOs).Of course none of them produced at end either..
the PG at ncst scored 16 pts vs Lville yesterday by himself AND won game. hmmmm

 

[Ggee87]

I was referring to basketball performance, only. It's a fact and not emotional at all, and certainly not overly emotional. Other than beating georgie every year, we're down. As Bradley pointed out, iirc, CBG's record has been worse than Hewitt's last 5 years.

So, let me clarify: we play better offensive sets than under Hewitt, at times, but go for long stretches without focus. It seems to me that opposing coaches know what we're trying to do and prepare their teams to defend it better than our team is prepared to execute it. We play lock-down D for long stretches, but often to no avail because we don't score well, but then leave guys wide open at crunch time.

So, yeah, I stand by my OP. I agree that we needed to get rid of Hewitt, and I agree CBG has done a lot of good for the program off the court. However, I was wrong in thinking that we had hit a cellar of how bad our team would be on the court under CPH.

I'm not sure about offensive sets... but inbounding the ball sure has gotten better. I can barely watch our half court offense. It's THAT bad. If the talent is here like some seem to think, then how come most still can't shoot well from anywhere on the floor and still get very little penetration. We've gotten away from the robo-offense a little... but it still doesn't look smooth flowing. Even when we get good shots they tend to miss them.

 

[AE 87]

I'm not sure about offensive sets... but inbounding the ball sure has gotten better. I can barely watch our half court offense. It's THAT bad. If the talent is here like some seem to think, then how come most still can't shoot well from anywhere on the floor and still get very little penetration. We've gotten away from the robo-offense a little... but it still doesn't look smooth flowing. Even when we get good shots they tend to miss them.

coaching, imo

 

[MWBATL]

I was referring to basketball performance, only. It's a fact and not emotional at all, and certainly not overly emotional. Other than beating georgie every year, we're down. As Bradley pointed out, iirc, CBG's record has been worse than Hewitt's last 5 years.

So, let me clarify: we play better offensive sets than under Hewitt, at times, but go for long stretches without focus. It seems to me that opposing coaches know what we're trying to do and prepare their teams to defend it better than our team is prepared to execute it. We play lock-down D for long stretches, but often to no avail because we don't score well, but then leave guys wide open at crunch time.

So, yeah, I stand by my OP. I agree that we needed to get rid of Hewitt, and I agree CBG has done a lot of good for the program off the court. However, I was wrong in thinking that we had hit a cellar of how bad our team would be on the court under CPH.

Fair statement...on the court, we are indeed pretty bad. Personally, I still find Hewitt's offenses even worse than CBG's (heck, Hewitt had the infamous inbounding problem often at game's end)....however, that's a bit like saying the French army was better than the Danish Army in WWII....both turned in very ugly performances.

 

[LibertyTurns]

LOL! LazyAD was the one quick to reply to emails and be lazy by hiring Eddie Fogler, while MBob can handle it himself, while not responding to any emails.

Never emailed DRAD the "Lazyone" so I wouldn't know. Never emailed any of his predecessors either.

Have emailed MBob twice and I doubt I'll have reason to ever do it again. Has nothing to do with MBob, but for some reason twice in the last year I felt I wanted my opinion known.

First email to MBob was support for CPJ after the 2013 season and I got a nice "non form letter" reply. Second time I begged him not to punish the current players any more but regardless I'm a fan and I'm not going away. Told him he had the wisdom to make a good call with CPJ and I had faith in his judgment. Got a stock answer reply and expected nothing different. I have no way of knowing if he replied or a lackey did either time.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

There are a lot of good points here.

Idiot DB, arrogance of ph, lack of (perhaps) recruiting skills / coaching skills of CBG.

My take, this coming from someone with limited BB knowledge:

Everyone I know likes CBG - he represents GT with class.
I truly consider this his 3rd year. I know of no coach at this level that went an entire season w/o a home court.
I think in some ways he has done a good job keeping so many games so close and not having the kids totally quit. Time will tell.

If he is let go - and it would not surprise - he is the only coach I know that will have gone undefeated against his hated rival and got fired! Only "Tech Men" ......

 

[RamblinRed]

When Gregory was hired, I said it was a 'meh' hire. I also said he deserved a chance to succeed. His hire was largely an 'inexpensive' hire. GT didn't have money to pay market rate (if it did Chris Mooney would be your coach right now). AD wanted someone who would clean up the academic mess and not embarrass GT. He wasn't going to consider an asst (good move imo - I wouldn't either - ACC is not a league to have your first coaching gig).

I'll say this in Gregory's defense. I do not think he is a bad coach. I think he is a good coach -but that isn't enough. I remember someone telling me once - every coach in the ACC is a good coach, some are much better than good.
So hiring a good coach basically puts you in the bottom third of the league. If you want to compete for the top third you have to do one of two things. Either hire a coach who has already proven he is better than a 'good' coach -that is going to cost you if you can make it happen at all. Or you find a coach you believe is or is going to be a 'great' coach and give them time to build their program.

The problem is two fold right now. It is partly talent and partly coaching. You can put the players in the right position, but they have to be good enough to make the plays. Sometimes I don't think the plays are great. Sometimes I don't think the players execute the plays well. One of the concerns about Gregory would be could he recruit well enough. His first class was supposed to answer that in the affirmative - but he never followed it up with a similar class. He also made the complete misread on Solo (still think about what it might be like if Monte Morris was here instead).

 

[swampsting]

When your four-star point guard cannot hit a shot, any shot, and your big men can't finish layups and have trouble getting the ball out of double teams, you're set up for bad. I've met CBG and like him. I think he's done a lot of good things and I think this team is better at a lot of fundamentals that were either lax or languishing in the CPH era. But ... blowing a 10-point lead against a really bad Va. Tech and a 5 point lead in the final 3 minutes against a decent but not great FSU team are a result of failures on multiple levels.

Again, I'd hate to be MBob and have to decide if we're just that close to getting over the hump and could do it next year ... or is that hump just insurmountable under this staff and it's time to start all over again?

 

[awbuzz]

Georgia state has

Very true.

 

[awbuzz]

I think we are better at fundamentals but don't have a couple of players that can drive off the dribble well enough to cause defensive breakdowns.

 

[orientalnc]

When Gregory was hired, I said it was a 'meh' hire. I also said he deserved a chance to succeed. His hire was largely an 'inexpensive' hire. GT didn't have money to pay market rate (if it did Chris Mooney would be your coach right now). AD wanted someone who would clean up the academic mess and not embarrass GT. He wasn't going to consider an asst (good move imo - I wouldn't either - ACC is not a league to have your first coaching gig).

I'll say this in Gregory's defense. I do not think he is a bad coach. I think he is a good coach -but that isn't enough. I remember someone telling me once - every coach in the ACC is a good coach, some are much better than good.
So hiring a good coach basically puts you in the bottom third of the league. If you want to compete for the top third you have to do one of two things. Either hire a coach who has already proven he is better than a 'good' coach -that is going to cost you if you can make it happen at all. Or you find a coach you believe is or is going to be a 'great' coach and give them time to build their program.

The problem is two fold right now. It is partly talent and partly coaching. You can put the players in the right position, but they have to be good enough to make the plays. Sometimes I don't think the plays are great. Sometimes I don't think the players execute the plays well. One of the concerns about Gregory would be could he recruit well enough. His first class was supposed to answer that in the affirmative - but he never followed it up with a similar class. He also made the complete misread on Solo (still think about what it might be like if Monte Morris was here instead).

The Solo misread was key. It was like Romney's 47% comment. In and of itself not that big, but indicative how off base he was with what he needed to do to win.