Spring Break
Basketball players relieved coaching search comes to end
FLETCHER PAGE
Issue date: 4/6/09 Section: Sports
The hiring of Mark Fox to take over the Georgia men's basketball team wasn't surprising only to the media and the fans.
Junior Chris Barnes didn't have a clue as to who Fox was himself.
"I had to Google his name," Barnes said. "I saw that he had a lot of wins, so that was good to see."
Fox met with the team Friday morning before he was officially introduced at an 11 a.m. news conference.
"I told them what I expected from them at this point," Fox said. "They'll need to get to know me, I need to get to know them. I need to get to know their games, how they play, what they're capable of."
Fox walks into a situation where he has only eight scholarship players on the roster, after the graduation of Terrance Woodbury and Corey Butler, and the expected transfers of Zac Swansey and Troy Brewer.
Rising sophomore Trey Thompkins had no comment regarding his future when asked if the hiring of Fox meant he would no longer consider leaving.
Two incoming freshmen, Daniel Miller and Demario Mayfield, will take the scholarship total to 10 when both enroll next year, barring any unforeseen events.
Still, Fox said he is eager to get to work.
"I'm excited to get them in the gym, which we're still allowed to do until two weeks before final exams," Fox said.
"I'm excited to get them on the floor and find out what they're capable of. "
Players indicated the initial conversion was impressive.
"My first impression was just how I pictured a coach, really," sophomore Drazen Zlovaric said. "He's serious but at the same time relaxed with us. He was really straight forward."
Fox assured each player who wished to remain at Georgia would have the opportunity to stay.
"We have enough scholarships open right now, we don't need to create more," Fox said. "We need 10 guys just to scrimmage, and we've got to make sure that we get two guys in every position so we can have some competition in practice."
Getting through the hiring process and moving on was "a weight off the shoulders," according to Barnes.
"I've been asked by many people about who I thought was going to be the coach and who I thought were going to be candidates," Zlovaric said. "I heard this rumor and then I heard that rumor, and I knew that all those stories, I didn't think any of those personally were going to come true. This isn't too surprising for me, really.
"I think he's a great coach and I think he'll be good for our games."
Junior Chris Barnes didn't have a clue as to who Fox was himself.
"I had to Google his name," Barnes said. "I saw that he had a lot of wins, so that was good to see."
Fox met with the team Friday morning before he was officially introduced at an 11 a.m. news conference.
"I told them what I expected from them at this point," Fox said. "They'll need to get to know me, I need to get to know them. I need to get to know their games, how they play, what they're capable of."
Fox walks into a situation where he has only eight scholarship players on the roster, after the graduation of Terrance Woodbury and Corey Butler, and the expected transfers of Zac Swansey and Troy Brewer.
Rising sophomore Trey Thompkins had no comment regarding his future when asked if the hiring of Fox meant he would no longer consider leaving.
Two incoming freshmen, Daniel Miller and Demario Mayfield, will take the scholarship total to 10 when both enroll next year, barring any unforeseen events.
Still, Fox said he is eager to get to work.
"I'm excited to get them in the gym, which we're still allowed to do until two weeks before final exams," Fox said.
"I'm excited to get them on the floor and find out what they're capable of. "
Players indicated the initial conversion was impressive.
"My first impression was just how I pictured a coach, really," sophomore Drazen Zlovaric said. "He's serious but at the same time relaxed with us. He was really straight forward."
Fox assured each player who wished to remain at Georgia would have the opportunity to stay.
"We have enough scholarships open right now, we don't need to create more," Fox said. "We need 10 guys just to scrimmage, and we've got to make sure that we get two guys in every position so we can have some competition in practice."
Getting through the hiring process and moving on was "a weight off the shoulders," according to Barnes.
"I've been asked by many people about who I thought was going to be the coach and who I thought were going to be candidates," Zlovaric said. "I heard this rumor and then I heard that rumor, and I knew that all those stories, I didn't think any of those personally were going to come true. This isn't too surprising for me, really.
"I think he's a great coach and I think he'll be good for our games."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Glen Ulrici
posted 4/06/09 @ 8:43 AM EST
A stop by to talk with Dennis Felton (if he can find him) wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Ben Egger
posted 4/06/09 @ 12:26 PM EST
The Red and Black has tried talking with former, fired coaches before. It's not usually a good idea. Maybe once Felton has gotten a new job and some time has passed, but as for right now, he's not talking to the media much more than to say "I'm not talking". (Continued…)
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