Georgia Bulldogs: The Problem And Promise Of Tom Crean In Athens
By W. M. Lawson
The Georgia Bulldogs Men’s Basketball team has gone through a serious situation of transition and change. New Head Coach Tom Crean embodies all of it.
It’s funny. Folks want to argue about 5 * players leaving the state. And it hurts. I had a buddy, who is a Kentucky fan rub it in my face. Two 5 Stars in 2 days. While I’m traveling. My response is: Who didn’t expect this? And now, what does Georgia Bulldogs Basketball do? What does new Head Coach Tom Crean do? His response will define his hire.
Full disclosure: Tom Crean might be a good dude, a good family man, and a good coach. All of those things may be true, but I didn’t think he was a good fit.
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Whatever the decision making process, and this writer is far removed, from that process, it was a curious decision. Some called it brave. Some called it obvious. Because of Coach Crean’s “pedigree”. I still remain unconvinced.
The reality is, though, that Coach Crean, has failed to land two of the best basketball players in the country, and they happen to be from Atlanta.
In a sick, Ironic way, the thing that got the former guy fired was that he “couldn’t recruit local”.
Tom Crean has been given a Tabula Rasa. A clean slate. But there are expectations. You don’t hire a dude, pay him money, and him give a press conference like that, and it not pay off.
Jonas Hayes chose to leave because a culture change in the basketball program is in the building. And, hopefully, he can progress his career.
Here’s the thing, though. The dude is a coach. And hiring Chad Dollar was a statement.
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This is Head Coach Tom Crean’s team now, We’re about to see what that looks like, because it is different than the last 15 years. I can promise you that.