ZZZips Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Rumors start to fly. He has a great contract at VCU.http://es.pn/1hUM6X2 Quote
zippy5 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 I'll be very confused if he passes on UCLA but takes the Marquette job. Quote
ZachTheZip Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 I'll be very confused if he passes on UCLA but takes the Marquette job.He grew up in Madison. Quote
zippy5 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 UCLA is arguably the top job in college basketball. And it's in LA. He didn't turn it down last year knowing Marquette would offer him. Quote
Dave in Green Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Brad Stevens also turned down a lot of good offers while he had a similar deal at Butler to what Shaka has at VCU. Then the Boston Celtics called ... Quote
skip-zip Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 UCLA is arguably the top job in college basketball. And it's in LA. He didn't turn it down last year knowing Marquette would offer him.Agreed. Turning down UCLA and taking Marquette would seem very, very odd to me. And who would have had any idea that Buzz was going to jump ship?If he really coveted being closer to where he was from (Madison), why would he have signed long-term with VCU ?None of this makes any sense. Quote
zippy5 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Brad Stevens also turned down a lot of good offers while he had a similar deal at Butler to what Shaka has at VCU. Then the Boston Celtics called ...Yes, that's a little different than Marquette Quote
Dave in Green Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Yep, Marquette would be a lateral move from VCU. Unless Shaka's dream job is to be close to where he grew up, Marquette is going to get the same thanks but no thanks that others have gotten. Quote
skip-zip Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Yep, Marquette would be a lateral move from VCU. Unless Shaka's dream job is to be close to where he grew up, Marquette is going to get the same thanks but no thanks that others have gotten.Like I said, if his "dream" was to be closer to home, he would have been in a perfect position to pursue closer opportunities before he signed the extension with VCU. Quote
GJGood Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 I heard Wake Forest was talking to Shaka as well, could the thought of coaching in the ACC, and not that far away geographically from where he is now, pull him away?Personally, I hope he stays at VCU. Too many guys seem to jump ship when they are quite capable of winning just as big at the place they currently are. He had VCU in the Final Four. I think he could get it done again there so (other than just $$$$) why jump ship and start all over again? Quote
Dr Z Posted March 25, 2014 Report Posted March 25, 2014 Smart has taken his name out of consideration for other potential gigs and will stay with VCU following rumors that he could leave VCU for Marquette. ESPN's Adam Finkelstein was first to report a synopsis of Smart discussing his future.Adam Finkelstein @AdamFinkelsteinShaka Smart spoke to VCU commits & their coaches yesterday & assured them he isn't going anywhere9:13 AM - 25 Mar 2014 Quote
Zipmeister Posted March 27, 2014 Report Posted March 27, 2014 If Shaka wanted to be closer to home at a place where he would be worshiped making good money coaching a team in a great conference his recent decision suggests a good middle name for him would be Notso. Quote
Dave in Green Posted March 28, 2014 Report Posted March 28, 2014 I'll reserve my estimate of Shaka's smarts until I see where he winds up after he's accomplished the goals he's set for himself at VCU. Quote
ZZZips Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Posted March 28, 2014 Shaka turns down Marquette.http://es.pn/1g6UGj4 Quote
LZIp Posted March 28, 2014 Report Posted March 28, 2014 We might as well get used to the Shaka rumors every season. Wish people wouldn't jump the gun so quick, though, as it's apparent it is going to take a lot for him to leave VCU. I mean he turned down UCLA, it will probably take an NBA offer like the Butler coach to lure him away. Quote
Dr Z Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 it will probably take an NBA offer like the Butler coach to lure him away.Texas Looking to Hook Shaka. Quote
Captain Kangaroo Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 Rats. There goes the Zips "Texas Pipeline"... Quote
Dave in Green Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 The Zips "Texas Pipeline' would grow stronger with Coach Smart at UT as he'd surely share information with his good friend Coach Dambrot on any area HS recruits that fell just short of UT-level talent. Quote
ZachTheZip Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 I'm not certain "just short of UT-level talent" is enough to win the MAC any more. Quote
LZIp Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 I'm not certain "just short of UT-level talent" is enough to win the MAC any more.....UT has pretty damn good talent. They weren't ranked top 10 preseason for nothing. Quote
Dave in Green Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 Here's the financial situation at UT that Coach Smart would have to work with:Despite recent struggles on the football field and the basketball court, the University of Texas remains the biggest money-maker in college sports.In 2013, the Texas Longhorns athletic department generated $165.7 million in revenue, according to data collected by USA Today. Texas is one of only 13 schools with at least $100 million in athletics revenue. ... Quote
Captain Kangaroo Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 I'm not certain "just short of UT-level talent" is enough to win the MAC any more.Yep. MAC basketball is so loaded with talent it's almost unfair. Our league champ almost went 2-deep in the NIT. 1 Quote
Dave in Green Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 Shaka Smart has no idea what he's getting into at Texas Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted April 2, 2015 Report Posted April 2, 2015 Maybe, just maybe, Shaka is one of the rare few who likes stability and is happy where he is. Unlikely, but possible.Certainly, Marquette made no sense as that's essentially a lateral move at this point. Coaches who do well there move on to a major program, and Shaka can make that jump without a stop like that. Texas certainly makes more sense. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.