Thanks Coach Pastner

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,348
I have mixed feelings about Pastner's dismissal. I would have been okay with giving him another year to see what he could do with a strong group coming back next year. He seemed to really care about the school and enjoyed coaching at Tech. He may have had a big fall off after next year if he had stayed and not much coming in to back fill.
He is a class guy. He just didn't win enough in a very competitive career choice. I wish he had been more successful here.
 

Peacone36

Helluva Engineer
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10,332
Location
Maine
I have mixed feelings about Pastner's dismissal. I would have been okay with giving him another year to see what he could do with a strong group coming back next year. He seemed to really care about the school and enjoyed coaching at Tech. He may have had a big fall off after next year if he had stayed and not much coming in to back fill.
He is a class guy. He just didn't win enough in a very competitive career choice. I wish he had been more successful here.
This is an example of people and personalities. I simply cannot fathom this train of thought. It’s unreal to me. I’m not criticizing I’m just saying it’s foreign to me how differently fans think. Good guy sure, also a perfect example of needing a talented staff. Also…….ugh……quirky Jewish guy in Atlanta. Who thought that was a good idea?
 

jacketup

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,529
This is an example of people and personalities. I simply cannot fathom this train of thought. It’s unreal to me. I’m not criticizing I’m just saying it’s foreign to me how differently fans think. Good guy sure, also a perfect example of needing a talented staff. Also…….ugh……quirky Jewish guy in Atlanta. Who thought that was a good idea?
The same athletic board that has a 25 year record of bad decisions.
Does Homer Rice have a son that is an athletic administrator?
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,916
Thought experiment.
W past budget we suck except for brief good periods.
If we cut budget will we just suck and not have any good
With a much larger budget will we suck worse?

Lack of funds and the alimni wonder why we suck sovthey blame the coach.
 

kg01

Get-Bak! Coach
Featured Member
Messages
14,332
Location
Atlanta
We better be on the phones with Rick [Pitino].

I'm kinda scared we'd call for Rick and Richard would answer the phone.

Angry Hang Up GIF by Hyper RPG
 

gte447f

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
922
Pastner was and is a class act and a great person. As a Tech man, I am proud of his association with the Institute. He was a great representative of Georgia Tech. I wish he could have achieved more success and stayed longer, but it’s probably time for change. I hope Josh finds great success at his next stop.
 

Hjacket

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
71
This is copied from a Facebook post and expresses why this is a huge loss. Of course, ‘as a quirky Jewish guy born in Atlanta, according to some, I don’t count. The post:

While some may be pleased with the dismissal today of Josh Pastner, I’d like to share why I am very sad about this decision. It is not because of the “basketball” decision, although I thought he had earned the right to at least one more year. It is instead because of the decision to let such an extremely fine man go. Bear with me if you will as I explain why I say this.

A friend and fellow GT Alum’s wife was fighting a courageous battle with cancer. My friend Jim was a long term GT basketball season ticket holder and GT basketball had long been a favorite past time of this lovely couple. Knowing my friend and his wife Sandra were in Houston at MD Anderson valiantly fighting her cancer, I reached out to Coach Pastner via e-mail. I had never met, spoken to him, or e-mailed him before. He had no earthly idea who I was other than I told him I was a GT Alum. I am not a current season ticket holder either. I simply explained the situation to Coach Pastner and provided my friend’s e-mail address. Frankly, I was shocked to find a response within a few hours. Coach Pastner was so gracious in his response, but he did not commit to e-mailing my friend. Instead, he pleaded with me saying “I want to call them personally. I need to call them personally. Please send me their cell number.” Think about that - he pleaded with me saying “I NEED to call them personally” - just WOW! Of course I did and of course he called them.

His number was not recognized by Jim when he called so it rolled to voice mail. I’ll let Jim’s e-mail to me explain the impact of Coach’s voice mail:
“What a great surprise it was to hear the voice message from Coach Pastner. His message was uplifting and exciting and humbling....and truthfully it made both Sandra and me cry. He called us by name, wished the best for us, and just wanted to offer us support from him and from Tech in the same manner that he said we had been offering our support to Tech.”

I didn’t intend to let Jim know I had helped arrange the call, but when he was excitedly telling a Pastor at church, whom I had shared about reaching out to Coach, about the call, well the beans got spilled and Jim reached out to me. Jim went on to say further:
“Just one more thing.......no matter what Coach Pastner’s win-loss record is, or will be in the future, I guarantee you he is our all time favorite Tech coach of any sport. Simply because of the power of a one minute and thirty second voice message....”.
I e-mailed Coach with my appreciation and he responded “we are praying very hard for them!”

Later, when Sandra lost her battle, I reached back out via e-mail and updated Coach and you guessed it - he reached right back out to Jim, who shared with me just after Sandra’s service, with tears in his eyes, that Coach Pastner had reached out again.

So now you know why I am so saddened by the fact we won’t have one of the most positive and uplifting people in the world around any more. Tears have come to my eyes writing this while rereading e-mails between me and him and my friend’s e-mail to me describing how much Coach impacted his and his wife’s lives at a time when they needed it most.

I have to agree with Jim and Sandra when they said “no matter what Coach Pastner’s win-loss record is or will be in the future, I guarantee you he is our all time favorite Tech coach of any sport!”

So long Coach - we love you!
 
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