The Fox Factor

I've gotten a few emails and comments asking my opinion on this hire. In truth, I'd love to give you one. But here's what I know about Mark Fox: Nothing.

Well, that's not entirely true. I've read his credentials just as you have. He has won a lot of basketball games. He has worked under some good coaches in his career as an assistant. He's certainly earned a shot to prove he can win at the next level. For all of those reasons, this is a good hire.

In fact, I would go so far as to say this is exactly the type of coach -- and maybe the specific coach -- that Georgia should have targeted. He has a good background and lots to prove. That's who Georgia needed and who it could get.

The truth is, to look back at how this search played out, the problem fans should have right now is not with the result but with the process. I believe fans should be excited about Fox. I can also understand why some are not.

Fans were led to believe that big names were within reach. There was Anthony Grant, the biggest name from the small schools. There was Mike Anderson, the guy Georgia was willing to shell out huge dollars to get. There was Jeff Capel, the biggest name that really never had much chance of landing here. There was Tubby.

Those were people who would get fans excited. They would signal that Georgia was really taking that next step -- perhaps not immediately in terms of wins and losses, but a sign that winning was a priority.

Moreover, Georgia had nearly three months to prepare for this hire. They had, reportedly, millions (plural) of dollars to lure in a top candidate. And in the end, the school played the role of leverage for guys like Anderson and Grant, and the big paycheck wasn't enough to lure a big name.

Fox, as good as he might end up being at Georgia, is not a headliner. My guess would be that 95 percent of fans had to Google his name to find out anything about him. I know I did. (Interesting side note: Fox and I share the same birthday.)

Go back and look at what Damon Evans said about this hire. Think about what he said he was looking for. Fox could certainly fulfill the qualifications Evans set forth, but it's far from a slam dunk.

The truth is, Fox has no ties to the South, so while he may be a great recruiter, there's little evidence he'll immediately lay claim to Georgia's fertile recruiting base. And the truth is, Fox has experience -- but just five years of it as a head coach. Granted, he's done more in those five years than Georgia has done in the past 10, but I think most fans assumed "experience" meant winning at a level higher than Nevada. Evans said he wanted a CEO of basketball. Fox may fit that bill, but it's understandable why fans need to be convinced first.

So the problem isn't that Fox is who Georgia finally ended up with. The problem is that the long road to get here had fans hoping, knowing, believing Georgia would do better. Well, perhaps not better, but definitely bigger.

And that's where the silence of the past two months has hurt what should be an exciting time in Georgia basketball. From the Bobby Knight stories to the hope of Tubby Smith to the daydreams of Jeff Capel, the expectations were never tempered. In politics, it's smart to under-promise and over-deliver. Temper expectations, then wow them in the end.

That's a good plan for coaching hires, too. Unfortunately in this case, fans' expectations were never reined in until the news broke that Fox was the man. That's not fair to him, the program or the fans.

I will say this though: There has been more interest in Georgia basketball in the past two weeks than there had been in a long, long time. Job No. 1 for both Fox and Evans should be to keep that interest going. Where Dennis Felton failed the most wasn't on the court. It was in connecting with his audience. Fox won't have fans selling out games to see him in a nifty suit on the sideline, but I think most are ready and willing to give him a real shot.

There is an opportunity here, and fans are ready to embrace anything but more silence.