Daily Swarm

COACH HEWITT HAS CONTRACT FINALIZED
Well, the deal is done. Here are some of the highlights:
- 6-year deal worth more than $7.1 million
- $1.0 million in base compensation, which will come from:
- $400k base, $250k radio, $200k speaking engagements, $150k deferred
- base comp will rise every year to a high of $1.375 million in 2009/10
- GTAA will pay $775k of his salary in 2009/10
- rollover provisions always means it is a "6-year deal"
- buyout clause if he leaves for another college program (1/2 min.comp remaining)
- NO buyout if he leaves for the NBA
- NO buyout if D.Braine leaves and PH leaves within 2 years of DB leaving
- Charter flights for the team to get back to classes
- A new practice gym
- upgrade of video / computer systems
- Raises for all the assistant coaches to the level of the NCST program
- 12 performance bonuses, like $5k for PS-NIT wins and $80k for NC.

Obviously this is a good thing for GT and the future of our hoops program. However, I have to be honest that I am concerned about how close the ties are with D.Braine and Coach Hewitt. On one hand, it is great. It is what you want - a coach that trusts and appreciates his AD. On the other hand, DB is not far from retirement and Coach Hewitt is making it clear that things are open when he leaves. What I am really saying is that I would like to see him a bit more locked in, but it just means we have a great coach and want to selfishly keep him.

RATING THE ACC QB'S
Link here. On Reggie Ball:

7. Georgia Tech: Can you say sophomore slump? Why not? In 2003, the athletic yet sporadic Reggie Ball completed just over 50% of his passes and threw more interceptions than touchdowns. There is no doubting the play-making ability of Ball, but this year he won’t have the luxury of having All-ACC receiver Jonathon Smith around to bail him out.

Folks, GT once again is not getting any respect in the pre-season magazines. I will be reviewing some of the magazine preview issues soon. GT is certainly not being picked to finish last in the conference, but we are being picked typically in the bottom half.

Note: The last two teams picked to finish eighth in the media's preseason football poll has gone on to win a bowl game: Virginia in 2002 and Georgia Tech in 2003.

COACH CREMINS' FRIEND PROFILED
Nice story on a friend of Cremins.

Corey has made lots of contacts in high school and college basketball. One of his close friends is Bobby Cremins, the former Georgia Tech coach who recruited Truitt while coaching at South Carolina in the early 1970s.

HOOPS RECRUITING
Lost another recruit that had a 'ship offer from GT - Josh Thornton, who is headed to Georgetown -story here.......

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - MATT MURTON
Looks like he is displaying his longball prowess again:

Murton wins home run contest: Former Eagles' Landing and Georgia Tech slugger Matt Murton has displayed plenty of power for the Sarasota Red Sox, Boston's Class A team in the Florida State League.

Through last Thursday's game, Murton smacked 9 homers and drilled 30 RBIs.

He then put his knack for hitting the long ball on display this weekend by winning the Florida State League all-star game home run contest.

Murton advanced to the finals of the long-ball contest by ripping 10 home runs through the first two rounds.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - JASON PERRY

Another former GT beesball player finding his stroke again.

Finding his offense: After struggling at the double-A level, Jason Perry, the former Jonesboro High School and Georgia Tech baseball player appears to be back on track after the Oakland Athletics dropped him back to Modesto, its Class A team.

Through 10 games, Perry is hitting .382 with one home run and 11 RBIs.