Shaka Smart

[Walker11]

You're making injury excuses for Shaka?

Losing your 2nd best player and best guard to a cancer diagnosis is pretty brutal, emotionally and strategically. At least they still made the tournament.

 

[upstater]

Losing your best player to leukemia is a legitimate gripe.

Agreed.

I didn't say it wasn't.

 

[upstater]

Losing your 2nd best player and best guard to a cancer diagnosis is pretty brutal, emotionally and strategically. At least they still made the tournament.

If they hadn't made the tournament with all that talent, that would have been a massive surprise.

They are underperformers.

 

[Walker11]

If they hadn't made the tournament with all that talent, that would have been a massive surprise.

They are underperformers.

Sure. But just because losing AG in back to back years is brutal, doesn't mean losing Jones isn't brutal. Valid excuse for both programs. If AG was healthy both years, KO is probably still the HC.

 

[upstater]

Sure. But just because losing AG in back to back years is brutal, doesn't mean losing Jones isn't brutal. Valid excuse for both programs. If AG was healthy both years, KO is probably still the HC.

I'm asking the guy who said repeatedly injuries are no excuse.

 

[pj]

Losing your best player to leukemia is a legitimate gripe.

So is losing your best player to shoulder injuries two years running.

Shaka is a better recruiter than KO, but it's not obvious he's a better coach otherwise. KO could reasonably think he would have made the tourney next year if he had the opportunity to coach a team with solid point guards (Gilbert and Akinjo) and returning a few frontcourt players, even if mediocre. Same results as Shaka had this year, but with less talent.

 

[UConnNick]

I think Shaka's a reasonably good coach, but regional recruiting is still a big thing. I'd have loved to have seen him at a Georgetown. With his ties in the DC area, etc. I think he'd put a good team on the court.

Texas is might as well be Poland for him.

It's why Stallings was a total flop at Pitt. Why Crean is setting himself to be out of college hoops in five years, etc.

You can't be serious. He's at the biggest money making school in the NCAA. They can write him a blank check for whatever he wants. He can recruit any place, including Poland.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm asking the guy who said repeatedly injuries are no excuse.

Ollie didn't lose Adams two years in a row. If Gilbert was the difference between us being a tournament team, and being what we are, I'd argue Ollie deserves another year.

Not to mention Gilbert re injuring his shoulder could've easily been accounted for(Maybe hold onto MAL?), Shaka losing a first round pick(his best perimeter player), to the most unpredictable "injury(if you can even call it that)," is not comparable imo. And this doesn't even mention the mental impact Jones' diagnosis had on everyone in the program as well. Despite all this, Shaka improved on his 11 wins the year before, and made the NCAA's for the second time in three years. I'd bet on Shaka turning Texas into a power, more than him becoming KO.

 

[upstater]

Ollie didn't lose Adams two years in a row. If Gilbert was the difference between us being a tournament team, and being what we are, I'd argue Ollie deserves another year.

Not to mention Gilbert re injuring his shoulder could've easily been accounted for(Maybe hold onto MAL?), Shaka losing a first round pick(his best perimeter player), to the most unpredictable "injury(if you can even call it that)," is not comparable imo. And this doesn't even mention the mental impact Jones' diagnosis had on everyone in the program as well. Despite all this, Shaka improved on his 11 wins the year before, and made the NCAA's for the second time in three years. I'd bet on Shaka turning Texas into a power, more than him becoming KO.

Shaka is well on his way to becoming an Ollie.

Today's exit didn't exactly instill confidence. Did you forget UConn actually won against Colorado in a similar ranking circumstance?

UConn under Ollie would not have done much even with Alterique, but it would have been a better team. Still, all that talent on Texas, and this is the best you can do?

You can't make injury/illness excuses at one school and then say we shouldn't make it at the other.

If Shaka came to UConn, we'd have one less championship and we'd be in the same predicament we're in now.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Shaka is well on his way to becoming an Ollie.

Today's exit didn't exactly instill confidence. Did you forget UConn actually won against Colorado in a similar ranking circumstance?

Not a good loss today, still made the tournament though.

UConn under Ollie would not have done much even with Alterique, but it would have been a better team. Still, all that talent on Texas, and this is the best you can do?

Ollie doesn't make the tournament with Shakas players. So even if you want to say he was underwhelming, he's a surefire upgrade over KO.

You can't make injury/illness excuses at one school and then say we shouldn't make it at the other.

You can't pretend context doesn't matter.

If Shaka came to UConn, we'd have one less championship and we'd be in the same predicament we're in now.

Thanks for 2014 KO, Shaka is still a better coach than you right now.

 

[upstater]

Thanks for 2014 KO, Shaka is still a better coach than you right now.

Based on losing in the 1st rd of the NCAA with more talent?

When KO had more talent, he at least beat Colorado.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Based on losing in the 1st rd of the NCAA with more talent?

When KO had more talent, he at least beat Colorado.

Why doesn't KO have more talent? Seems to me that's a pretty big part of running a program.

 

[upstater]

Why doesn't KO have more talent? Seems to me that's a pretty big part of running a program.

Whatever he had or didn't have, his tournament record is better than Shaka's, and he had less. I'm not saying Ollie deserves to be UConn's coach. I'm saying your defense of Shaka is hollow. Hold him to the same standards you hold Ollie to.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Whatever he had or didn't have, his tournament record is better than Shaka's, and he had less. I'm not saying Ollie deserves to be UConn's coach. I'm saying your defense of Shaka is hollow. Hold him to the same standards you hold Ollie to.

Nobody can ever take 2014 away from KO. But using tournament winning percentages to support Ollie starts making less sense when you realize he may never make it again as a head coach. I'd bet Shaka ends up with considerably more tournament wins than Ollie by the time they both retire. And again, if you think Gilbert and Jones's issues are comparable, I'm not sure what else can be said to make you understand Jones is an exception.

 

[upstater]

Nobody can ever take 2014 away from KO. But using tournament winning percentages to support Ollie starts making less sense when you realize he may never make it again as a head coach. I'd bet Shaka ends up with considerably more tournament wins than Ollie by the time they both retire. And again, if you think Gilbert and Jones's issues are comparable, I'm not sure what else can be said to make you understand Jones is an exception.

Just compare the Colorado game 2 years ago to today's Nevada game. More talent on Texas compared to that UConn team of 2016, yet they played like crud.

Both coaches underperform. Hold them to the same standard. Also, Shaka is not going to be at Texas long. I'm surprised you believe that. They have very little patience there.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Just compare the Colorado game 2 years ago to today's Nevada game. More talent on Texas compared to that UConn team of 2016, yet they played like crud.

Both coaches underperform. Hold them to the same standard. Also, Shaka is not going to be at Texas long. I'm surprised you believe that. They have very little patience there.

Idk if all his wins will come at Texas, if he's fired though, he'll get a chance somewhere else.

 

[auggie22]

So is losing your best player to shoulder injuries two years running.

Shaka is a better recruiter than KO, but it's not obvious he's a better coach otherwise. KO could reasonably think he would have made the tourney next year if he had the opportunity to coach a team with solid point guards (Gilbert and Akinjo) and returning a few frontcourt players, even if mediocre. Same results as Shaka had this year, but with less talent.

How do we know Alterique Gilbert is our best player?

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[Huskybass]

So is losing your best player to shoulder injuries two years running.

Shaka is a better recruiter than KO, but it's not obvious he's a better coach otherwise. KO could reasonably think he would have made the tourney next year if he had the opportunity to coach a team with solid point guards (Gilbert and Akinjo) and returning a few frontcourt players, even if mediocre. Same results as Shaka had this year, but with less talent.

Gilbert is our best player?

The amount of fiction on this site is amazing.

 

[Huskybass]

Whatever he had or didn't have, his tournament record is better than Shaka's, and he had less. I'm not saying Ollie deserves to be UConn's coach. I'm saying your defense of Shaka is hollow. Hold him to the same standards you hold Ollie to.

Tournament record? It's not hard to have a great tournament record when you win it all ( with players from a previous coach and assistants with decades of head coaching experience) and then only make the tournament once after that in 4 years. The lengths that some of you will go to to try to prop up KO amazes me.

You can't really believe that tournament record is a fair basis to judge a coach who didn't even make the NIT in his last 2 seasons and won 1 tournament game in his last 4 seasons.

 

[AdamaNation]

You can't be serious. He's at the biggest money making school in the NCAA. They can write him a blank check for whatever he wants. He can recruit any place, including Poland.

Yeah,but how many Polish players does it take to win a national championship?

 

[Nostical]

One of my UT friends texted me last night ranting about the coach he calls Shaka “not so” Smart—lol. Mocked his horrible use of TO’s. I must say I haven’t been too impressed with him in Austin.
So far in the tournament some of the most impressive coaches are from cinderellas Buffalo, UMBC, and Loyola. While 2nd round games usually turn them into pumpkins I won’t be shocked if either Kentucky, Kansas State or Tennessee gets beat.

 

[Hoophound]

Of the three above, only Tennessee should be fairly confident. Bruce Pearl is slimy but he’s a very good coach. I think he’ll survive this one.

 

[Tuna]

Gilbert is our best player?

The amount of fiction on this site is amazing.

He was an all-american. Is it really that off base?

 

[Tuna]

( with players from a previous coach and assistants with decades of head coaching experience)

The lengths that some of you will go to to try to prop up KO amazes me.

This is too rich