So who still thinks Shaka Smart is not a good coach?

[msgordon]

So who still thinks freescooter is not a bad poster?

 

[RichZ]

Where the hell is the ignore button?

 

[Dove]

Turn around 'scoots and consider my reply a pat on the back. Happy?

No one ever said Shaka wasn't a good coach.

 

[freescooter]

I don't think there was any push back. I don't recall anyone saying he would struggle.

I do recall much support for Olllie.

I think your memory is going...

 

[Gurleyman]

I think your memory is going...

Far more people said that about Stevens than Smart, due to style and geographic issues. If we did an unofficial BY poll about this last year, I'm pretty sure Smart would have won (among realistic options). There were some folks saying throw millions at Billy Donovan or Sean Miller, but that wasn't going to happen.

 

[Jerry1714]

This thread is silly. Anyone who didn't think smart was a GREAT coach was brain dead.

But we have KO and are very lucky to. End of story.

Odds that VCU now loses in round 1 amd everyone rushes here and says "see he does suck!" Is pretty high.

 

[Dogdeacon]

This thread is silly. Anyone who didn't think smart was a GREAT coach was brain dead.

But we have KO and are very lucky to. End of story.

Odds that VCU now loses in round 1 amd everyone rushes here and says "see he does suck!" Is pretty high.

Here's another illustration why it is silly:
If one year ago you told UConn fans that Jim Calhoun was absolutely retiring, but asked if they'd accept Shaka Smart to coach UConn next year what percentage of people would approve?
Same question today has to be a drastically lower percentage.

 

[RichZ]

I wanted KO as JC's replacement from the time he became an assistant. I sensed (imagined, my be more accurate) that JC wanted him for the job, and after 25 years of accepting his judgment on all things basketball, I wasn't ready to shift gears. So as attractive as the idea of SS as coach seemed, I never really gave it any serious consideration. Now we've got our man, and to be honest, he's more than we could have hoped for. He can obviously coach the game, he can obviously motivate his players, and he commands a level of respect from the casual observer and rabid fan than few are able to duplicate. I look forward to rooting for KO's teams for the rest of my sentient days.

 

[61cygni]

Shaka may be good, but would he bail on us for a chance to coach a blue blood? I don't think KO would.

 

[Gurleyman]

Short term evidence - positive or negative - is never definitive. Every great coach has had their bad days at the office (look at last year with JC vs Iowa State and Coach K vs Lehigh - seven NCs between them).

When Shaka went to the FF, or when Stevens had his first good run to the Sweet 16 (taking #1 Florida down to the wire), it wasn't enough to make them can't miss coaches long-term. But both have done enough since where there credentials are more than strong enough for a big-time job if they want one. No AD in the country would be criticized for hiring either of those guys - even if for whatever reason they didn't pan out at the next stop.

Sometimes you do your homework and roll the dice on your best instinct - Pitt took some heat for hiring Howland from Northern Arizona and bringing him to the east, but was proven right. Tommy Amaker was considered a can't miss and he missed (until settling back at Harvard).

 

[ctchamps]

I wanted KO as JC's replacement from the time he became an assistant. I sensed (imagined, my be more accurate) that JC wanted him for the job, and after 25 years of accepting his judgment on all things basketball, I wasn't ready to shift gears. So as attractive as the idea of SS as coach seemed, I never really gave it any serious consideration. Now we've got our man, and to be honest, he's more than we could have hoped for. He can obviously coach the game, he can obviously motivate his players, and he commands a level of respect from the casual observer and rabid fan than few are able to duplicate. I look forward to rooting for KO's teams for the rest of my sentient days.

I had the same hunch. Sure many might have felt we were out on a limb. Most people prefer the sexy hot coach because if that coach fails it was unpredictable. Choosing the unknown makes the chooser ridiculous if he fails. This is the herd mentality. It's the basic reason for all the various irrational exuberance that takes place.

But we weren't out on a limb. Too many head NBA coaches wanted KO because of his inspired leadership. His work ethic was never in question. He related to people older than him to people his own age, and kids younger than him. The only unknown was the x's and o's. In this I trusted JC who had first hand interaction with KO. The rest of us were pulling things out of our *ss about that issue.

The debate about whether JC should be involved in the decision making had merit. I personally dismissed it because everything that JC did was about creating UConn into one of the all time great bb programs. JC could have bolted for the money after the first NCAA. He refused. That statement said all I need to know that he wanted UConn to be in the fore front of bb. He wasn't going to drop that ball when it came to his departure.

 

[CL82]

I felt KO would become a good coach. I didn't realize that he'd start out as one. I wouldn't trade him.

 

[Mots010]

Shaka may be good, but would he bail on us for a chance to coach a blue blood? I don't think KO would.

Bingo. Like it or not, 99% of coaches who have great success at Uconn going forward would bail for UNC, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, Indiana, Mich St etc. If Ollie succeeds at a high level, we have him for life, no ifs, ands or buts.

 

[Onions]

I posted a while ago that Smart would be a good replacement for Calhoun. I got lots of pushback that he was unproven, he would struggle against better competition and other similar nonsense. So given that he finished the regular season 26-8, got to the A-10 finals in his first year in the league, finished ahead of Butler and has a 5 seed in the upcoming Tournament, anyone still think he isn't a terrific coach? Reminds me of a young Jim Calhoun. Of course we have Kevin Ollie who is probably going to be fine. Probably will win 20 games a year from now until he retires at UConn.

So KO is probably, but not definitely, a "fine" coach but Shaka is a "terrific" coach. Based on this analysis I can state your probably a "putz" but definitely a "moron."

 

[CTPride]

brad stevens > shaka smart

 

[UC990411]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JppOjqOnHws

 

[gtcam]

He's a phenomenal coach, anyone who says that he is not is misguided.

Ollie appears to be a very good coach in his own right already and will only get better.

He also has UConn blood running through his veins and would gladly stay here another 25 years. His hiring also appeased basically every significant alumni that is tied to the program, and created goodwill.

That last paragraph is the key. Even if Smart ends up the better coach, we made the right hire.

PHENOMENAL??????????????
Wow thats a word that shouldn't be thrown around
If Shaka is a phenom. what does Calhoun, Patino, etc deserve?
Shaka is good - 1 final four makes him good nothing more but could get worse

 

[HobokenHusky]

PHENOMENAL??????????????
Wow thats a word that shouldn't be thrown around
If Shaka is a phenom. what does Calhoun, Patino, etc deserve?
Shaka is good - 1 final four makes him good nothing more but could get worse

It makes those guys legends.

 

[gtcam]

This thread is silly. Anyone who didn't think smart was a GREAT coach was brain dead.

But we have KO and are very lucky to. End of story.

Odds that VCU now loses in round 1 amd everyone rushes here and says "see he does suck!" Is pretty high.

GREAT???????????
Wow it doesn't take much to impress some people

 

[gtcam]

It makes those guys legends.

Then there are lots of legends and I think then that word is lessened in meaning, please a phenom is given to very few and shaka sure isn't paying rent in that neighborhood

 

[Jerry1714]

GREAT???????????
Wow it doesn't take much to impress some people

Clearly your bball IQ is very very low.

 

[whaler11]

This thread would make a lot more sense if Ollie didn't have a great first season.

Who does a victory dance after they were so miserably wrong. Bizarre.

 

[whaler11]

The odds that VCU loses to Akron are zero. That's the biggest 5-12 mismatch in years.

 

[Jerry1714]

The odds that VCU loses to Akron are zero. That's the biggest 5-12 mismatch in years.

Without Abreu it's a disaster for Akron. Surprised its not a double digit spread.

 

[whaler11]

Without Abreu it's a disaster for Akron. Surprised its not a double digit spread.

Opened at 6 and went to 8 in 15 minutes. All you need to know.