I’m sorry, but sometimes my Georgia Way posts just write themselves. Take Mark Fox Decision Time, for example.
McGarity, who attended the postgame press conference and stood outside the locker room afterwards, also demurred when approached about Fox’s status.
“I just haven’t even thought about it,” McGarity said.
Told a media member didn’t quite believe that was true, McGarity responded, “This is not the right moment.”
Oh. And when might that be?
Fox has two years remaining on his contract. Georgia would owe him $1.2 million if it fires him before the end of this month, according to a reading of his contract.
Hey, it’s not like another coach is gonna win any games in the next three weeks, amirite?
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UPDATE: It sounds like they’re gonna eat the million bucks after all. Times are really tough, I guess.
Get The Picture 
Before the NCAA Scandal broke; I was 100% in this same camp. 9 years is plenty of time to get the recruiting side right. But since the scandal broke, it has given pause.
(1) Georgia graduates their kids. And like it or not; they are students first and athletes second.
(2) It is very clear that Coach Fox does not cheat. And while that may not seem like a big deal, if you believe that what we have learned so far is ‘just the tip of the iceberg’; then it becomes a very big deal.
(3) How do you know who is cheating and who isn’t. In other words, let’s say you go and get Jeff Capel from Duke. He’s the coach in waiting there. And you offer him $5MM a year for 5 years and he bites. Well… Duke is on the list of potential big violations. Is Jeff part of that? What about Thad Matta? Ex-OSU coach has been out of the game for a year. So far nothing has come up – but what if it does?
(4) Because of this investigation, you are now playing ‘Coaching Roulette’ at a whole new level. Before, you were gambling that the coach you selected would be able to come in and take your program to the next level. Now you are still gambling this AND gambling that he wasn’t part of this nightmare that is coming around the corner.
(5) Recruiting has strengthen over the last couple of years. During this tournament, Georgia was playing 3 freshmen on the court together for lots of minutes. And if Fox stays, there is a good chance that UGA gets the 5 Star (Hagans) back on board.
(6) What was the real weakness of the team this year? Scoring? Well yes, but why. No true point guard. Get Hagan’s on board and if he moves up to 18 – that’s a nice fix. (I recognize that it is Fox’s job to have a point guard on board and ready to go).
(7) There is not Kirby Smart in waiting on the basketball side. Not close…
(8) What happens if you give it a year, maybe even the extent of the contract? You learn a LOT more about this investigation. And then based on that information, Fox’s performance during that time – you can make a much smarter LONG TERM decision regarding Georgia’s Mens Basketball program.
Just my thoughts…
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7, certainly not a fact…
Anyone could win zero tourney games in 9 years
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Exactly. Nine years isn’t quite enough for Fox to get the talent he needs? So a tenth year is magically going to make it happen?
SEC POTY this year. One of two teams (Kentucky was the other) to start two All-SEC players last year. Previously we had an NBA lottery pick at guard, plus other high draft picks. What has that gotten us? Two quick NCAA tournament exits and a couple of NIT bids.
It’s the coaching.
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Fox,like all of us,builds a resume that follows him and us like a shadow…when he left his previous job to come to UGA,I hoped he would take advantage of the opportunity to be measured in a stronger conference in the spotlight of better competition…9 years was very revealing…he can’t say he didn’t get his shot…
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Mercer, Georgia State, and even Georgia Tech won more NCAA tourney games during Fox’s tenure at Georgia.
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The problem with all that is if you keep Fox, you have to extend his contract or recruiting disintegrates.
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Wait – what recruiting? At least CMR had some actual players. I don’t mean that we have no players, but they are mainly good players that can fill roles. Hell Yante deserves the POY award just because he did as well as he did under Fox’s tutelage. I’m just saying that saying recruiting ‘will take a hit’ isn’t much of an argument in this case.
This bandage is starting to fester – time to rip it off. I don’t want us to hire a proven cheater like Pearl, but I am really tired of the Foxy ‘pooch kick’ approach to calling plays.
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The recruiting that was bringing in a blue chip big next year (Ngumezi, 4* and #111 in rivals), along with the apparently trying to reclassify (5*, #6 rivals PG Ashton Hagans), and a blue chip wing for 2019 (Elias King, 4*, #39). Also we’re (slightly) favored for another highly regarded big in that class.
Fox’s recruiting wasn’t very good for most if his tenture but it has turned around in the past few years. A lot of that is apparently Jonas Jennings, whom a new hire might consider keeping. Hagans and King seem like they may stick if he does. Crump and Harris were 4* Rivals 100 guys a couple of years ago (Harris was like #53), Hammonds was a 4* last year and ranked 66.
Note: this is not an argument to keep Fox. But you can’t say “what recruiting” anymore, it really was going better. You can say “well Crump and Harris didn’t seem to be developing evenly”, certainly. Or “Fox’s rotations wut”. Or “Why does our offense look sort of incidental”, certainly.
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Harris is a perfect example of what Fox does with talent. If any of the freshmen show the least bit of improvisation, they are immediately benched. Same for screwing up. Yet Turtle stays on the floor because he runs Fox’s “turtle” offense.
Fox coaches like he has no talent. After a few seasons under him, it becomes self-fullfing.
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What does Jonas Jennings know about basketball? Lol
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You don’t have to have one-and-dones to win. Gonzaga, Villanova, Virginia, West Virginia, Xavier rarely have those players (to name a few). Look at Tennessee and Auburn this year.
You need a good fucking coach who knows how he wants to coach, wants to coach in a way that’s not totally outmoded a la Paul Johnson/Mark Fox, and can recruit players to play in that system.
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Seems to me pretty much everyone agrees it is time though. This team had so much potential. I actually hate it for Yante, as much blood sweat and tears he poured into his career and especially coming back this season and carrying this team as far as he could to not even get to play in the NCAA tourney… Because had Yante left, I don’t think Fox would have even made it to the SEC schedule. It is time for a change… and now. What happens if you give it a year and everyone learns a lot more about the investigation? And a lot of prominent basketball schools have job openings? What do you think the odds are of Georgia hiring a competent basketball coach over the likes of Duke or UNC? You can’t live your life scared of what ifs all the time. If you’re fine with finishing 12th in the SEC in basketball, no postseason, but graduating all of your kids and not cheating (which should be the case anyway) by all means keep Fox around. But if you want our basketball program to make it to the next level and compete in the SEC and beyond, Fox has had 9 years and has NOTHING to show for it. Time to give someone else a shot.
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Yante, D G Dawg
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This is essentially the same argument made when CMR was on the hot seat. Wait until X or we just need Y or there isn’t a better alternative. Excuses. I hear them all the time in business. You either get things done or you don’t. Yes, you give people a chance to turn things around, but that time has long passed for Fox.
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Thank you.
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You lost me at (1). They may graduate (and I’m glad they do), but your second sentence is lunacy.
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If the program has reached a plateau is the AD’s standard for making a change, Fox should be out on Monday if they don’t make the NIT or the day after the team loses in the NIT.
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I think he should be out either way, but they do need to wait until the season is over.
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Get him out if they make the NIT that gives Jonnas Jennings a look see. ADGM needs to go after Billy Donovan
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Do you mean Jonas Hayes? Jennings was an OT under Donnan and is on the football staff now.
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Fire Fox…..
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9 years
2 NCAA tournament appearances
0 NCAA tournament games won
3 NIT appearances
2 NIT games won
3 seasons of no NCAA or NIT
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In addition, during the time Fox has been the coach at UGA, Ga Tech, Ga State, and Mercer have WON games in the NCAA tournament. It’s time for a change.
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Yep. Beat me to it.
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“He gone”
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Looks like it based on ESPN and the AJC
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Rest assured, our rainy day has arrived and the ‘reserve’ fund needs to be replenished.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for more rain. It’s a great day to spring ahead some cash and #COMMITTOTHEG.
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He is gone and let us BB fans hope, a decent person is hired to replace him. I know the AD has to say, “yeah we have not reached that point, blah, blah blah”, but that group he hired to find Smart(ha-ha) better be working really hard.
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Just find a coach who can recruit Atlanta. That’s all you have to do to win.
Fox’s recruiting “prowess” was pathetic.
Yante didn’t come to UGA because of Fox. He came because, apparently we have a great herpetology department.
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We’ve had one or two good players at a time. The issue is also what kind of offense and defense the coach plans to implement. A big part of Fox’s problem was trying to run an outdated offense.
But better recruiting is an issue, too, yeah.
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I wonder if b ball tickets will cost more next year. The real question for me is – shouldn’t the new athletic director pick out the new basketball coach?
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Fox is a good man. If it was all about molding student athletes like the NCAA propaganda says he would be a success. It isn’t and he isn’t. Time for everyone involved to move on.
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Rick Pitino is available….
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His son might be for the right price. The sins of the father should not be laid on the son.
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+1
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ESPN reads my blog posts: https://www.dawgnation.com/mens-basketball/espn-analyst-rick-pitino-name-keeps-popping-relation-georgia-opening
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I am so tired of hearing this mularkey about this investigation. They ain’t doing nothing people. There is too much money involved.
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Two categories only need apply: Thems that’s proven clean and the rest. Our AD, GOBs, and our dis-stinguere alums have the choice of buffet lines if someone will just pull the curtains so as not to see which category that is chosen.
Hope the desperation for winning doesn’t come with a trip down Harrick Lane again. Good luck, boys and girls.
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Just heat up McG’s rear and shit gets over with. You do realize, don’t you, that the signal that his rear is heating up occurs when he spits out those shekels. Each one accounts as a mark against his record that adds up with each acknowledged failure (firing someone you hired always counts on the hirer’s record as a failure – i.e.,his management shares in the fuckup).
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Hire Hugh Durham, if he is still alive. Hell, hire him if he is not alive… I am tired of losing..
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He was on with Loren this morning (maybe taped). He said the Celtics offered him but the $42K was less than he was making here with camps and radio show. After he turned them down the drafted Bird, Parrish and McHale!
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I officiated at his camp at Stegman and it was highway robbery of the kids.
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Fox’s winning percentage is 1.8% better than Ron Jirsa and below 50% in SEC games. If anyone believes that is an acceptable record after 9 years start watching Upward basketball games, you ll get more out of your time.
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Good man. Good dog. Suspect coach. Time to move on.
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I really like Mark Fox and I’m sad to see him go. Granted, it’s probably time to get some new blood in here to shake things up. But damn, I wish it woulda worked out. Just like there’s no coach I’d rather win a title with than Richt, there really hasn’t been a basketball coach I would have rather have seen succeed than Fox. Not that he was a failure. It’s been said a thousand times over the last two weeks, but he’s leaving the program wayyyy better than he found it. He was a players’ coach and not in the way that usually means. He graduated them, cared about them, and I always got the sense that the vast majority really liked him. And before anybody says “they didn’t like him enough to play hard enough to keep his job”, that’s just bullshit. Sometimes you just don’t click as a team. And to me that was always the problem. In nine years he never seemed to get that engine tuned up just right. Sometimes it was his coaching, sometimes shit just happened to screw it up for him.
I hate to see him go but it was time. I hope he goes to some mid major and makes tourneys left and right. Seth Emerson seemed to suggest sticking around Butts-Mehre in some capacity was a slight possibility. It doesn’t feel like that would happen but I’d like to see it. Learn the ropes on that side of the building and who knows where that might lead. I’m not saying I’d want him to replace Mcgarity in a few years. But give him 7-10 years learning that trade and who knows. But it probably won’t happen that way. But I’d like it to work out. As much as I would have liked to have Richt do the same thing, that situation was too divisive. He’d always be a flash point. But with Fox, the passion isn’t as strong so he could hang around without being the Phantom of the Opera.
And I really thought he always got Georgia. He got that basketball was #2 and always would be. He didn’t whine about attendance as much as other coaches (even when whining would have been justified). For him it wasn’t a which came first the chicken or the egg. He knew that with a jilted hoops fanbase, winning had to create the environment before the environment could help the team win. So yeah, he got us.
Good luck whatever you do, coach.
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“I just haven’t even thought about it,” McGarity said.
Either he’s lying again or someone has taken the hiring decisions away from him.
Probably both.
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He just likes to tweek y’all..
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Now you understand why everything he’s said about Richt’s firing and Smart’s hire is utter bullshit.
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Yep.
The moral superiority of The Georgia Way just shines right through.
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Are we talking about “value” or a classless AD, who can lie as good as Hillary Clinton.
Like it or not a good move for both. UGA can move in a new direction, good or bad who know yet. For Mark Fox who by all accounts is a good coach and a solid person. He gets a buy out of a substantial sum.
So who had the better value here. Both.
You would always like to see a man like Fox and his family get the best.
Not sure if the AD has left Gainesville. He is using a search group out of the Gators back yard. Would like to know a bio on some of those dudes.
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This makes no sense what so ever but Jay Williams reported on ESPN this morning that Pitino is being considered for the Georgia opening. What the hell!?
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Your issue is that you think they’re talking about Senior, but they’re really talking about Junior, right, the current coach at Minnesota? No one’s ever touching Senior again.
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Thad Matta is apparently interested at coaching BB in Athens. He’s the kind of HC that could make the Dawgs not only relevant but a power in the SEC. Hire Matta!! PLEASE!!!
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Tom Crean.
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Oh, I just noticed that Steve Forbes is on that list. Forbes would be outstanding.
I fully expect McGarity to fuck it up and hire Jonas “Jennings” Hayes, though.
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