So who still thinks Shaka Smart is not a good coach? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

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

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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.
 
Jerry1714 said:
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
Shaka may be good, but would he bail on us for a chance to coach a blue blood? I don't think KO would.
 
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).
 
RichZ said:
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.
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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.
 
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61cygni said:
Shaka may be good, but would he bail on us for a chance to coach a blue blood? I don't think KO would.
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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.
 
freescooter said:
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.
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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 "genius."
 
HobokenHusky said:
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.
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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
 
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gtcam said:
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
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It makes those guys legends.
 
Jerry1714 said:
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.
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GREAT???????????
Wow it doesn't take much to impress some people
 
HobokenHusky said:
It makes those guys legends.
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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
 
The odds that VCU loses to Akron are zero. That's the biggest 5-12 mismatch in years.
 
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whaler11 said:
The odds that VCU loses to Akron are zero. That's the biggest 5-12 mismatch in years.
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Without Abreu it's a disaster for Akron. Surprised its not a double digit spread.
 
Jerry1714 said:
Without Abreu it's a disaster for Akron. Surprised its not a double digit spread.
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Opened at 6 and went to 8 in 15 minutes. All you need to know.
 
Jerry1714 said:
Clearly your bball IQ is very very low.
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why- because i fail to label someone who has been to one final four as great?
if you do then you consider every coach that has been to a final four is "great", every manager who has been to a league championship series in MLB is great, every coach who got a team to a league championship in the NBA is great?
Do not question my bball IQ unless you know me
I am questioning the usage of superlatives not someones IQ
Don't be small
 
gtcam said:
why- because i fail to label someone who has been to one final four as great?
if you do then you consider every coach that has been to a final four is "great", every manager who has been to a league championship series in MLB is great, every coach who got a team to a league championship in the NBA is great?
Do not question my bball IQ unless you know me
I am questioning the usage of superlatives not someones IQ
Don't be small
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The fact he went to a final four is not the reason he is a great coach, just the result of it. He is a great coach because of his ability to maximize talent, his X and Os and his game management. Good luck finding any other coach, whose opinions I trust the most when it comes to evaluating other coaches, who does not think he is a great coach and a future star in the business.

Simply looking at his one final four to say he is great or that he is not is silly.
 
Part of what makes Jim Calhoun great is what he did at a school like Connecticut.... Same thing with Smith: he has VCU running with the big dogs. It's why Roy Williams looks a bit pathetic at Carolina. Context matters.
 
Jerry1714 said:
The fact he went to a final four is not the reason he is a great coach, just the result of it. He is a great coach because of his ability to maximize talent, his X and Os and his game management. Good luck finding any other coach, whose opinions I trust the most when it comes to evaluating other coaches, who does not think he is a great coach and a future star in the business.

Simply looking at his one final four to say he is great or that he is not is silly.
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Future star YES great no
an individuals record and results are the biggest indicators of average, good, great, phenom
Less than 5 years track history does not allow someone, in my estimation, to be determined as great
Can he become great-sure
 
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gtcam said:
Future star YES great no
an individuals record and results are the biggest indicators of average, good, great, phenom
Less than 5 years track history does not allow someone, in my estimation, to be determined as great
Can he become great-sure
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Totally understand your point, and Jerry's. Has he been phenomenal? So far, yes, absolutely. Is he a coaching phenom? So far, yes, absolutely. Will he maintain his early level of greatness? Only time will tell. Who knows? It could go either way going forward.

Still would rather have KO.
 
So because we support Ollie and like him as our coach is that supposed to mean we think Shaka Smart is a bad coach
 
RichZ said:
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.
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Excellent post. And it encapsulates everything I have felt since KO became an assistant as well.

fleudslipcon said:
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.
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And this is why KO made it in the NBA, was so valued, not for his talent, but for his leadership, and intangibles. The guy was signed by the Cavs to mentor LBJ as a rook for christsakes. And obviously, JC knew all of this - knew KO very well. I had no question that Ko would be a very good choice.
 
Bryan Lord said:
Yea he's good. Did anyone not think he was good though?
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yeah. iirc while there were many who did not want him as head coach i dont really remember anyone questioning his coaching ability. hes a very good coach but he has a long way to go before he is mentioned with the best in the game today. i think ko was the right man for the job and i felt that way from day 1. if i had a choice between shaka and ko i wouldve gone with ko because hes a uconn guy and we need loyalty. shaka is a terrific coach but id rather have someone whos part of the family take the reigns after the great jc retired.
 
Lets slow down on the PHENOM that is Shaka Smart. He has one FF with Anthiny Grants players. Does Mike Davis qualify as a phenom? How about Steve Fischer?

An announcer had a great point the other day. He questioned whether Smarts system would work at a top flight program because of top 50 players aversions to playing defense. Pretty interesting take.

Ollie can certainly coach, jury is out on recruiting.
 
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