Shaka Smart agrees to VCU Extension thru 2023

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If we get Grant than I for one will be greatly disappointed. I would have preferred 50% of the time making it to the Big Dance instead of falling flat on our faces and getting a coach that struggles in a weak conference, save Florida. And VCU's success is well in the past, a la Tubby's Championship at Kentucky. We live in a world of what have you done for me lately, right?? Oh well, guess we should have expected this from the get go. Please Teague prove me wrong. Please...
 





Shaka is a strange cat. I didn't want to say anything before, but since this story has broke I guess it's okay. We went through the same thing last year after Weber was canned. Several days of "Shaka Watch". Tweets saying he was coming, then not, then again he was in. It was nuts.

I will say that those I trust inside the Illinois Athletic Department told me flat out that Smart had verbally agreed to a deal much like what you were offering, in the 3+ million range for 7 years. He had even called a few of his coaching brethren and told them. But at the last minute he pulled the plug....largely due to his wife not wanting to leave Richmond, VA. So I chuckled when I saw that being said here earlier. Been there, done that.

Similarly, we pursued Stevens but he is pretty settled in at Butler. The only jobs I could see him leaving for are IU or Duke.

I don't know who you will end up with, but I think Marshall would be a stellar choice. I don't think you'll want Buzz, once IL vetted him they dropped him from the pool.

EDIT - I also get a chuckle out of the handful of fans getting bent out of shape over letting Tubby go. We still have some of those that want Weber. Not many, but a few vocal ones. They are an interesting bunch. Lots of parallels between your situation this year and ours last year.
 

G0 4 said:
Shaka turns down UCLA... i take it he wasnt the guy NT was after?
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I hate to break it to you, but think Villa 7. Mike Ellis and Norwood Teague will do you well, especially Mike Ellis. Some notable coaches that have got jobs from Villa 7 include Shaka Smart, Josh Pastner, Anthony Grant, Buzz Williams(twice), Chris Mack, Andy Enfield, and John Groce(twice). Minnesota will be alright. As long as you guys have Mike Ellis, you will be good. That is how we knew Shaka wasn't a main figure for the Minnesota job. Mike Ellis is what we call a VCU lifer, and will always look after us. Reason he did leave was his relation with Norwood. They are both graduated UNC in I believe 1988.
 

howeda7 said:
If we really have $3.3 million to burn, offer it to Brad Stevens. If that doesn't work, Flip it is. Any further down the list and Norwood will have whiffed on this.
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Wait a few years before saying this. There are lots of guys who could be great here, they just might not have the flash that Smart would've. Don't be the fan who judges on name instead of results. Please.
 

Blitzkrieg said:
If we get Grant than I for one will be greatly disappointed. I would have preferred 50% of the time making it to the Big Dance instead of falling flat on our faces and getting a coach that struggles in a weak conference, save Florida. And VCU's success is well in the past, a la Tubby's Championship at Kentucky. We live in a world of what have you done for me lately, right?? Oh well, guess we should have expected this from the get go. Please Teague prove me wrong. Please...
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Struggled at 39-27? D'ok!
 



It was fun while it lasted guys. On to the next one.
 


With Shaka off the board Buzz Williams would be the homerun hire.
 




We are going to get some guy no one has heard of web we should do the right thing and hire flip...
 




It wasn't the money for Shaka. The vast majority goes to his assistants, facility upgrades, travel, recruiting. Shaka stays for about a $200.000 raise. Minnesota should promise Denny S. and statue and his name on anything he wants, the same that Shaka is going to get for staying at VCU.....Come on Denny cough up some $$$$$$
 





Now the bandwagon fans on the radio will come out and say that we should have kept Tubby.

No, we should not have. Firing Tubby was not the wrong decision. Now we might finally improve over the course if the year.
 

I have to admit. I respect the hell out of Shaka. I'm not saying Minnesota would have been this huge upgrade for him, but he choose to stay at the school that gave him his shot at head coaching at the D-1 level for less money. To be honest I hope he never leaves VCU, I hope they build a statue of the man someday there, and I hope they schedule a game with us at the barn at some point. Man it would be fun to see "havoc" run by the maroon and gold, but atleast he stayed at VCU and didn't bolt for UCLA
 

afurry91 said:
Now the bandwagon fans on the radio will come out and say that we should have kept Tubby.

No, we should not have. Firing Tubby was not the wrong decision. Now we might finally improve over the course if the year.
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I'm continually amazed at how uniformed callers to KFAN and 1500 have become. I just shudder when they say they're taking calls.
 

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