GoZips Posted March 25, 2013 Report Share Posted March 25, 2013 Minnesota fired Tubby Smith the day after his team lost in the NCAA tournament. First name mentioned ... Shaka Smart. Turns out the current AD at Minnesota is formerly of Virginia Common Wealth. He hired Shaka at VCU. But, hold on to your hats, USC, UCLA and some other higher profile schools just might lure the back stabbing Smart away from Minnesota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hip Zip Posted March 25, 2013 Report Share Posted March 25, 2013 Minnesota fired Tubby Smith the day after his team lost in the NCAA tournament. First name mentioned ... Shaka Smart. Turns out the current AD at Minnesota is formerly of Virginia Common Wealth. He hired Shaka at VCU. But, hold on to your hats, USC, UCLA and some other higher profile schools just might lure the back stabbing Smart away from Minnesota. If Shaka goes to Minny he's nuts. Sometimes it's best to be the big fish in the smaller pond, especially with the $$$ that VCU has ponied up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Zip Posted March 25, 2013 Report Share Posted March 25, 2013 SportingNews Mock Odds are Smart 3 - 1 to become the next basketball coach at UCLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 25, 2013 Report Share Posted March 25, 2013 I'd LOL if VCU put all of that money into new facilities, raising tuition to pay his salary, just to have Smart up and leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted March 25, 2013 Report Share Posted March 25, 2013 It'd be awfully hard to pass on an offer from UCLA. Minnesota? Not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjackson123 Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Yes him and Stevens both... If they passed on Illinois last year, no way they take Minnesota UCLA on the other hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 It's already been surprising that a guy as young as Smart seems resistant to taking advantage of some big leaps in his career. I'd collapse on the floor if he passes up a UCLA type offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxpayer Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 UCLA - all that glitters isn't gold. It definitely has the big name but that program has some issues as well as serious competition with their conference which wasn't always the case in the past. In the financial world, the cost of living in LA is probably twice that of SS's VCU world. SS has definitely got some good will in the bank with VCU & can parlay this years performance and UCLA's interest to obgain some more cash if that's his desire or could get some more $ for his program or both if UCLA shows public interest. It's nice to be wanted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 It's already been surprising that a guy as young as Smart seems resistant to taking advantage of some big leaps in his career. I'd collapse on the floor if he passes up a UCLA type offer. Its called loyalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Loyalty may be a small part of it. But the trend of outstanding young mid-major coaches such as Shaka Smart, Brad Stevens and Mark Few turning down high-major offers did not really start until their schools began providing high-major resources for the programs and high-major salaries for the coaching staffs. If a coach can recruit quality players, achieve a #1 ranking, get to the Final Four, and make a lot of money at a mid-major school, the attraction of moving to a bigger school in a crowded urban area becomes less enticing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Smart makes approx $1.4 million annually but has incentives that push his max pay to almost $2 million. He reportedly turned down $2.5 million from Illinois last year.Granted, UCLA is not Illinois. But Smart grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in Ohio. He's a Midwestern guy who turned down Illinois and $2.5 million per year.Home prices in Champaign vs. home prices in Brentwood/Beverly Hills/Bel Air? Hmmmmm ...Let's be conservative and figure UCLA would have to offer Smart $2.75 million over six years (his deal at VCU is for eight).That's $16.5 million ... plus Howland's buyout (which includes a mitigation clause that may or may not kick in) ... plus Smart's buyout. My guess is that firing Howland and hiring Smart could very well cost the Bruins in excess of $20 million. And if UCLA has $20+ million to spend on basketball coaches, then why ... if I may ask ... is the football practice field only 80 yards long Source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Its called loyalty. I hope you're not implying that I am against loyalty. I'm not. VCU has done just about everything a smaller school can do to keep a coach. But, how much will his loyalty be tested if one of the most storied programs in all of college basketball comes calling, and the money is right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Per PTI, Shaka is renegotiating at VCU. Tony quoted Pete Thamel at SI as his source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I hope you're not implying that I am against loyalty. I'm not. VCU has done just about everything a smaller school can do to keep a coach. But, how much will his loyalty be tested if one of the most storied programs in all of college basketball comes calling, and the money is right? +1. UCLA's a very unique gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Zip Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Back to VCU: turns down UCLA, signs contract extension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z.I.P. Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Back to VCU: turns down UCLA, signs contract extension. Kudos Shaka! I'm sure a lot of his friends (real ones, at least) advised him to avoid (UC)LA in the aftermath of Ben Howland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Kudos Shaka! I'm sure a lot of his friends (real ones, at least) advised him to avoid (UC)LA in the aftermath of Ben Howland. There is nothing wrong with UCLA. Ben Howland was a joke who should have been fired sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hip Zip Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 It's already been surprising that a guy as young as Smart seems resistant to taking advantage of some big leaps in his career. I'd collapse on the floor if he passes up a UCLA type offer. Have you got up yet?? You OK ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 There's a new paradigm in college basketball coaching as first demonstrated by Gonzaga with Mark Few and later VCU with Shaka Smart and Butler with Brad Stevens. It's no longer a given that all rising mid-major coaches will jump ship at offers from high-major programs, even for one of the most storied high-major programs. A lot now depends on the level of commitment a mid-major school makes to its basketball program and to its coaching staff. Coach Smart's decision is only surprising in the context of the way things used to be in college basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Districtballer Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I'm fairly certain if Coach Dambrot had the same choice he'd make the same decision. We're both very lucky to have the guys we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip_ME87 Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I'm fairly certain if Coach Dambrot had the same choice he'd make the same decision. We're both very lucky to have the guys we have. Congratulations on Shaka staying put at VCU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Its called loyalty. Employees are loyal. Employers are not. Anyone paying attention to the job market over the past five years should know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Have you got up yet?? You OK ?? I'm very stunned, for sure !! Although, I never anticipated that VCU was going to pay him even more money to stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Various sites are now reporting that Brad Stevens is also passing on the UCLA gig to remain at Butler. It's a whole new world in college basketball coaching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Various sites are now reporting that Brad Stevens is also passing on the UCLA gig to remain at Butler. It's a whole new world in college basketball coaching. Hold your horses. Steve Alford just took the job, after just agreeing to a 10-year contract extension at New Mexico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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