Judd Zulgad: Pursuit of Shaka Smart shows AD doesn't have interest in settling

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BleedGopher

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per Judd:

Having worked with Teague on his weekly radio show on 1500 ESPN, it wasn't hard to tell that Teague sees himself as a mover and a shaker.

You've heard of power coaches in football and basketball. Teague might best be described as a guy who sees himself as a power athletic director. What does that mean? It means he isn't going to accept the fact that many feel the Gophers program is limited in how far it can go. That might be true about football, but it certainly shouldn't be true when it comes to hoops.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...ows_AD_doesnt_have_interest_in_settling032713

Go Gophers!!
 

But his pursuit of Anthony Grant sure as hell does.
 


I'm not going to look for it because I assume someone knows quickly, but were there ANY press releases saying Minnesota offered Shaka anything? The SI article I read only referenced UCLA.
 

The one thing you can say about the man, he will do it himself. While the media has assumed he would approach Coach Smart, it never came from Teague. Teague is playing this close to the vest, and speculation as to who is fun, and the names fly from here and there. There is no rush, and the longer this goes the more it focuses on Coaches still in the tourney. Hiring someone with Tourney experience, would outweigh any local connection. It is my opinion, Teague has a list of 3 candidates he wants. He will get it done.
 


I have nothing against Shaka Smart, but what makes everyone think he's anything else than the "flavor of the times" much like Dan Monson was when he was at Gonzaga? I'm just asking. Sure, Smart has a pulse (which was hard to detect with Monson), but he's doing well at a mid-major and that doesn't always translate (as we witnessed with Monson).
 

StCroix said:
I'm not going to look for it because I assume someone knows quickly, but were there ANY press releases saying Minnesota offered Shaka anything? The SI article I read only referenced UCLA.
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It was reported by multiple people including USA Today that both Minnesota and UCLA reached out to Shaka, doesn't necessarily mean that there was ever an offer but I've gotta believe the was.
 

Did all these people who were clamoring for Shaka Smart actually watch the VCU/Michigan game? He looked like he was in three feet over his head.
 

50PoundHead said:
I have nothing against Shaka Smart, but what makes everyone think he's anything else than the "flavor of the times" much like Dan Monson was when he was at Gonzaga? I'm just asking. Sure, Smart has a pulse (which was hard to detect with Monson), but he's doing well at a mid-major and that doesn't always translate (as we witnessed with Monson).
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1. Minnesota has to hire someone

2. Sometimes it does translate
 



Did all these people who were not clamoring for Shaka Smart actually watch the 2011 No. 1 Kansas/VCU game? He looked like he was in three feet below his head.
 

Maximus said:
Did all these people who were not clamoring for Shaka Smart actually watch the 2011 No. 1 Kansas/VCU game? He looked like he was in three feet below his head.
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+1 I can't believe how some people take one game and translate it into him not being a good candidate. Did anybody watch the first matchup between Duke and Miami this year? Obviously Coach K can't coach.
 

It's a Pig Man! said:
It was reported by multiple people including USA Today that both Minnesota and UCLA reached out to Shaka, doesn't necessarily mean that there was ever an offer but I've gotta believe the was.
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I was going to ask the same question as StCroix. I'm sure there were discussions between Teague and Smart, and I'd guess there was probably an offer, too. But was it really something "aggressive" that would actually make Smart considering coming here? I'm not saying it wasn't, but we certainly haven't seen that confirmed anywhere. We heard a lot of rumors yesterday, any number of which may be true ... or not.
 

Hates Monikers said:
I was going to ask the same question as StCroix. I'm sure there were discussions between Teague and Smart, and I'd guess there was probably an offer, too. But was it really something "aggressive" that would actually make Smart considering coming here? I'm not saying it wasn't, but we certainly haven't seen that confirmed anywhere. We heard a lot of rumors yesterday, any number of which may be true ... or not.
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That's pretty much impossible for anyone to tell at this point but considering it seems like Shaka was Teague's #1 choice, I'm guessing the offer was substantial.
 




Shaka did not make any adjustments during the Mich game to try and stop his team from getting slaughtered...Insanity
 

CP Gopher said:
Did all these people who were clamoring for Shaka Smart actually watch the VCU/Michigan game? He looked like he was in three feet over his head.
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The thing that people conveniently forget is that he was coaching against Big Ten athletes recruited to play in the Big Ten, while coaching his own A-10 athletes recruited to play in the CAA. He would presumably not be recruiting the same caliber of athlete at a Big Ten job.
 

dpodoll68 said:
The thing that people conveniently forget is that he was coaching against Big Ten athletes recruited to play in the Big Ten, while coaching his own A-10 athletes recruited to play in the CAA. He would presumably not be recruiting the same caliber of athlete at a Big Ten job.
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But his team's playing style would be the same. And that style has proven to be ineffective in the Big Ten.
 


Flavor of the month?

You have to hire someone. Would you rather it was someone that wasn't the flavor of the month. There are no guarantees with anyone you hire.
 

The Zulgad article is ridiculous. The rumored pursuit of Smart means nothing other than Teague may have failed to hire him. Maturi and his search firm offered hot coaches the Gopher football job but you would be hard pressed to write such an article about that process. The only difference between the two thus far is that Teague was somewhat more conservative in his description of the coach he will hire. That isn't a bad thing certainly and maybe that is enough for Zulgad.
 

All there ever was is a rumored pursuit of Smart same as the Grant is interviewing for the job. Smart was not the first choice. People want to believe that he was because of the connection between Teague, Ellis and Smart and all the talk surrounding him. Now people want to believe or hope it isn't Grant because of the same connection.

The coach when hired will more than likely be a name mentioned but not much talk of the guy will have taken place in the media or on a message board.
 

It's a Pig Man! said:
+1 I can't believe how some people take one game and translate it into him not being a good candidate. Did anybody watch the first matchup between Duke and Miami this year? Obviously Coach K can't coach.
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Or Marquette getting killed by FLA 2-49 this season.
 

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