Shaka Smart

RedRedJarvisRedwine

RedRedJarvisRedwine

All-American
Should be called Shaka "not so" Smart. Word going around that he turned down the Ucla HC job as well as Minnesota to stay at VCU. Commend the loyalty but we're talking about a basketball program with a rich history ranking with the Kentuckys, Dukes, and UNCs of the world. His own players are probably Shocked(pun intended) he turned down Westwood! What say you HB? Would you turn down Ucla to stay at VCU?

 
I'm not sure what job he's looking for, but there must be one that he really wants that he keeps turning down offers.

Rumors are that Kareem is interested in being UCLA's coach. Not sure if they would hire him since he will turn 66 in April.

 
I think he is holding out for an East Coast job. Coach K is 66. Roy Williams is 63. They are not going to coach for a lot longer. Between him and Brad Stevens at Butler, if they can build decent programs at these smaller schools, a job will open up where they won't walk into a rebuilding situation.

 
If he's happy at VCU and winning there then why should he leave? He would have so much pressure at UCLA. Hardly any pressure at all coaching at VCU.

 
RedRedJarvisRedwhine said:
Should be called Shaka "not so" Smart. Word going around that he turned down the Ucla HC job as well as Minnesota to stay at VCU. Commend the loyalty but we're talking about a basketball program with a rich history ranking with the Kentuckys, Dukes, and UNCs of the world. His own players are probably Shocked(pun intended) he turned down Westwood! What say you HB? Would you turn down Ucla to stay at VCU?
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The guy is "not so" smart for doing what he loves at the place he loves?

 
Shaka values the stability and support he gets at VCU. Smart is more of a blue collar guy and I also believe he's waiting for another to open, because he's only in his 30s. There is a lot of history but he indeed would have a lot of pressure in LA but the overall support for the program is underwhelming especially for a blueblood. Him saying no doesn't surprise me.

 
UCLA has made it clearly obvoius that they have insatiable expectations. Probably the worst job in the country right now. They will have trouble finding anyone worth a damn.

I think it's good move for Shaka. Why not? He's stickin with what he built. College basketball has changed. You dont have to coach at Duke, UNC, Michigan St, or Indiana to compete for titles anymore.

He knows he has something long term sewn up at VCU regardless. If he goes to UCLA and doesnt cut the nets down in 3 years, he'll be ran out of town.

 
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I think Stevens and Smart are just biding their time until a few marquee (East coast) programs open up.

 
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He makes millions already, lives in a great city and coaches at the largest university in Virginia. He has already built a great program that has had success and there's no reason to believe they won't continue to have success. Maybe he will leave at some point, but if you're happy, what's wrong with staying? Calling him "not-so-smart" is, well, not so smart.

 
tschu said:
He makes millions already, lives in a great city and coaches at the largest university in Virginia. He has already built a great program that has had success and there's no reason to believe they won't continue to have success. Maybe he will leave at some point, but if you're happy, what's wrong with staying? Calling him "not-so-smart" is, well, not so smart.
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Well it's not that I think Shaka is stupid, just that his decision to pass on a basketball program like Ucla might not be the most sound decision. I think it's great that he chose to stay. I don't understand the theory some posters have about great expectations. Great coaches want that kind of pressure. If he won a title at Ucla, he can write his own ticket College or pro. Plus at Ucla he doesn't have to fight for one tourney spot every year.
 
RedRedJarvisRedwhine said:
tschu said:
He makes millions already, lives in a great city and coaches at the largest university in Virginia. He has already built a great program that has had success and there's no reason to believe they won't continue to have success. Maybe he will leave at some point, but if you're happy, what's wrong with staying? Calling him "not-so-smart" is, well, not so smart.
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Well it's not that I think Shaka is stupid, just that his decision to pass on a basketball program like Ucla might not be the most sound decision. I think it's great that he chose to stay. I don't understand the theory some posters have about great expectations. Great coaches want that kind of pressure. If he won a title at Ucla, he can write his own ticket College or pro. Plus at Ucla he doesn't have to fight for one tourney spot every year.
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More than great coaches ever want the pressure of great expectations, great people want the comfort and rest of a great life where they want to be, surrounded by who they want to be with, and doing the things they want to do.

Coaching is this guy's job - it's not his identity. Nobody but him is in a position to say that his decisions in the context of coaching are sound or not.

 
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
RedRedJarvisRedwhine said:
tschu said:
He makes millions already, lives in a great city and coaches at the largest university in Virginia. He has already built a great program that has had success and there's no reason to believe they won't continue to have success. Maybe he will leave at some point, but if you're happy, what's wrong with staying? Calling him "not-so-smart" is, well, not so smart.
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Well it's not that I think Shaka is stupid, just that his decision to pass on a basketball program like Ucla might not be the most sound decision. I think it's great that he chose to stay. I don't understand the theory some posters have about great expectations. Great coaches want that kind of pressure. If he won a title at Ucla, he can write his own ticket College or pro. Plus at Ucla he doesn't have to fight for one tourney spot every year.
Click to expand...


More than great coaches ever want the pressure of great expectations, great people want the comfort and rest of a great life where they want to be, surrounded by who they want to be with, and doing the things they want to do.

Coaching is this guy's job - it's not his identity. Nobody but him is in a position to say that his decisions in the context of coaching are sound or not.
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Im more inclined to agree with the posters that said he may be waiting for a big job on the east coast to open up. Coaches that are comfortable are usually looking for another job sooner rather than later. 4 or 5 million dollars a year may make him pretty comfortable too. And im pretty sure he's gonna get another raise out of this.
You're a little naive if you don't think the line blurs between his professional coaching career and his personal Identity. It's a year round job. Many coaches and players stay in the game too long and when asked why they didn't retire sooner, they say its because its who they are and all they know. I think it probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Again I love seeing his commitment to a smaller school but you and i have seen it too many times where a coach says he's staying one minute only to leave in the next breath.

 
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Who are we to make life decisions for this guy? Seriously? He can do whatever the hell he wants and we have no right to expect him to do anything or judge him for his actions. This is the f'ing United States of America.

 
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