(10-24-2013 08:56 AM)Clueless Economist Wrote:  Shaka will not leave VCU for college job. It will for an NBA job and within two years.

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I don't see Havoc being viable at all in the NBA. Shaka's smart enough (pun not intended) to know it won't work over an 82-game schedule with pros who are all about preserving their bodies to max-out their careers.

I do think Shaka can and probably will leave VCU for a top-tier blue-blood college job. When those jobs open up and assuming Shaka is a guy they want, I would expect him to leave. I don't think Shaka's style and approach would work in the NBA though. Brad Stevens was ideally suited with his x's and o's and a half court style that is much more similar to the NBA game.

(10-23-2013 09:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 08:43 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 08:31 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 08:24 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 08:05 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  I agree completely. The situation for Smart and VCU is that a lot of big name coaches at a lot big name schools will be retiring in the next couple years and should all be retired in the next decade. Boehiem, Coach K, Pitino, Williams, Izzo etc. I also wouldn't count on Callipari lasting that long either at UK.

Thats a lot of great situations that will be opening up in the near future.

Shaka has also seen first hand what has happened to coaches before him that have reached for the pot of gold. Look at Jeff Capel. He left VCU for Oklahoma and where is he now? On the bench at Duke 10 seats from Coach K. Anthony Grant is also not setting the world on fire at Alabama either. Sometimes the grass really isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Yes, some people fail, but not everyone. Why did brad Stevens leave then? Butler fans were saying the same stuff you guys are saying. You don't know Shaka either. None of us do, so to say one group knows him and one doesn't is silly to me since none of us know these men. You think he would turn down Duke, UNC or Cuse to stay at VCU? Thats a tough one to say with a straight face. You have NO IDEA what he wants to do going forward. I think a Big East membership will help VCU keep him but if he's in the A-10 and one of those legit blue bloods come calling he'll have a real decision to make. UCLA doesn't count since they are no longer a blue blood and are completely insane when it comes to their head coaches.

You are right, but every school you listed would be an upgrade for just about every coach in the Big East - John Thompson excluded due to family history at Georgetown. So, how is VCU more at risk than any other Big East school? Can any other Big East fan honestly say their coach will absolutely be at their school in 3-5 years? I seriously doubt it.

The Big East today is not the Big East of previous years. If Syracuse, Pitt, ND, Louisville, UConn, WVU and Cincinnati were still in the Big East, we wouldn't be having this conversation about VCU and Butler and Xavier would still be in the A10. None of those A10 schools would have ever been in any Big East expansion conversation if the Big East had not imploded the way it did.

I would throw Lavin into the mix with Thompson. He likes the big cities since his wife is an actress. Also knows how unrealistic the expectations are at those levels.

The thing is the other Big East schools fans aren't claiming their coach is never ever going to leave because they are sooooo much in love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo <3 <3 <3

Smart is a hot name right now and if that keeps up the offers and the programs will just continue to increase. We know our situation and are generally realistic about it. The C7 have downgraded while the new 3 have upgraded. But we all also know we are now the masters of our own destiny and are still a power BBall league.

Yes, there is love for Shaka Smart, but VCU fans are also realists. I'm sure we come across as if we are "sooooo much in Love" as you stated, but most of that is in defense of every poster out there that claims Shaka is gone from VCU yesterday. It's happened here at least twice in the last two pages. Look at Clueless Economist's post above. They are claiming Shaka is gone to the NBA in two years and I'll bet they have nothing to base it on.

It almost seems like a lot of posters on these boards are hiding behind two reasons VCU will never get an invite to the Big East:

VCU is a public university
Shaka Smart is gone in 2-3 years

We have no control over the public university debate, but the Shaka debate is ludicrous. Yes, he could leave in 2-3 years or, yes, he could still be at VCU in 5-7 years. It is a variable Shaka only has control over and right now, going into his 5th year with one of the best 2014 recruiting classes in the country and yet another new contract, he is stating VCU is the place to be. Also, let's not discount VCU's program right now and what the future holds. With the 2013 and 2014 recruiting classes, Shaka has positioned VCU to stay in the top 25 for a very long time. Also, with VCU breaking ground on a $16-$18 million practice facility, Shaka will have even better recruiting tools going forward. Just maybe Shaka sees that he has a really good thing going on at VCU and he doesn't have to compete with football. Just as you state Lavin doesn't want to leave St. John's, maybe Shaka doesn't want to leave VCU.

Whenever Shaka does leave, he has left VCU's program in a much better place than it has ever been before with tons of momentum and VCU has had a pretty good track record recently of hiring new coaches.

Regarding claims that the UNC job will open up in the next decade and Shaka may be interested, UNC is like Duke. Both schools are pretty much guaranteed to hire from within their family, but anything can happen.

Has anyone ever brought up Shaka leaving for Wisconsin (Big Ten) if Bo Ryan leaves anytime soon??

Didn't he grow up there?

Yes. That's a possibility and has been brought up. If Bo Ryan is retiring anytime soon, I have no clue if that would appeal to him. The hometown angle is intriguing.

He's from Madison, Wisconsin but has spent most of his coaching career on the east coast and turned down a similar coaching job in the Big 10 not too far from there if being close to home was a big draw. The Big 10 style isn't the best for a full-court pressure system, but I can definitely see where the allure of going back to your hometown could appeal to him. It's a possibility just like UNC, Duke, Syracuse or any other job that's been thrown out.

Here's some insight from Billy Donovan on him who knows him better than anyone on these boards FWIW:

I think one thing with Shaka and the NBA- if Stevens struggles in Boston- that may hammer home to him that he needs to stay in College.

Personally, I think Stevens is gong to struggle in the NBA. Kind of hard to find 12 Butler type guys in the NBA - much less on the same team. Also, that style just doesn't work in the NBA. There is no "team" ball in the NBA. Plus, the Boston fans aren't going to give him that long to turn the Celtics around. They will eat him alive and he will end up back in college basketball and with a fat bank account from his NBA contract.

Maybe he can take the VCU job when Shaka moves on. lol

(10-24-2013 12:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  Personally, I think Stevens is gong to struggle in the NBA. Kind of hard to find 12 Butler type guys in the NBA - much less on the same team. Also, that style just doesn't work in the NBA. There is no "team" ball in the NBA. Plus, the Boston fans aren't going to give him that long to turn the Celtics around. They will eat him alive and he will end up back in college basketball and with a fat bank account from his NBA contract.

Maybe he can take the VCU job when Shaka moves on. lol

Stevens reminds me a lot of Gregg Popovich. Calm, cool customer. Who says team ball doesn't work in the NBA? They've won a lot of championships at San Antonio with team ball and by keeping the egos in check.

The Celtics are going through a rebuilding program, they will be bringing a lot of young, college kids into the program over the next few years. A perfect situation for a guy like Stevens who will be able to take young players and mold them to his style of play.

If Stevens were going to a veteran team or to a team like the Knicks that was bringing in a lot of see agents, I would agree with the comment. Stevens is cut out of the same mold as Danny Ainge, the GM who hired him, and he has full support of the front office. Boston fans are smart enough to know that they're not going to win a championship over night after dumbing KG and Pierce. They're prepared to spend several years developing young kids until they can compete for a title. Stevens will definitely have a grace period there.

(10-24-2013 03:59 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 12:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  Personally, I think Stevens is gong to struggle in the NBA. Kind of hard to find 12 Butler type guys in the NBA - much less on the same team. Also, that style just doesn't work in the NBA. There is no "team" ball in the NBA. Plus, the Boston fans aren't going to give him that long to turn the Celtics around. They will eat him alive and he will end up back in college basketball and with a fat bank account from his NBA contract.

Maybe he can take the VCU job when Shaka moves on. lol

Stevens reminds me a lot of Gregg Popovich. Calm, cool customer. Who says team ball doesn't work in the NBA? They've won a lot of championships at San Antonio with team ball and by keeping the egos in check.

The Celtics are going through a rebuilding program, they will be bringing a lot of young, college kids into the program over the next few years. A perfect situation for a guy like Stevens who will be able to take young players and mold them to his style of play.

If Stevens were going to a veteran team or to a team like the Knicks that was bringing in a lot of see agents, I would agree with the comment. Stevens is cut out of the same mold as Danny Ainge, the GM who hired him, and he has full support of the front office. Boston fans are smart enough to know that they're not going to win a championship over night after dumbing KG and Pierce. They're prepared to spend several years developing young kids until they can compete for a title. Stevens will definitely have a grace period there.

For Stevens' sake, I hope you are right. Unfortunately, coaching millionaires isn't like coaching college kids. I also think he is going to have to adjust to not having as much time between games to prepare for the next game. The schedule is much longer and much tighter in the NBA.

(10-24-2013 04:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 03:59 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 12:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  Personally, I think Stevens is gong to struggle in the NBA. Kind of hard to find 12 Butler type guys in the NBA - much less on the same team. Also, that style just doesn't work in the NBA. There is no "team" ball in the NBA. Plus, the Boston fans aren't going to give him that long to turn the Celtics around. They will eat him alive and he will end up back in college basketball and with a fat bank account from his NBA contract.

Maybe he can take the VCU job when Shaka moves on. lol

Stevens reminds me a lot of Gregg Popovich. Calm, cool customer. Who says team ball doesn't work in the NBA? They've won a lot of championships at San Antonio with team ball and by keeping the egos in check.

The Celtics are going through a rebuilding program, they will be bringing a lot of young, college kids into the program over the next few years. A perfect situation for a guy like Stevens who will be able to take young players and mold them to his style of play.

If Stevens were going to a veteran team or to a team like the Knicks that was bringing in a lot of see agents, I would agree with the comment. Stevens is cut out of the same mold as Danny Ainge, the GM who hired him, and he has full support of the front office. Boston fans are smart enough to know that they're not going to win a championship over night after dumbing KG and Pierce. They're prepared to spend several years developing young kids until they can compete for a title. Stevens will definitely have a grace period there.

For Stevens' sake, I hope you are right. Unfortunately, coaching millionaires isn't like coaching college kids. I also think he is going to have to adjust to not having as much time between games to prepare for the next game. The schedule is much longer and much tighter in the NBA.

Of course he has to make adjustments. Some are unable to make them and we can point to a number of former college coaches who have failed to make the transition to the NBA. But Stevens is a bright guy and he may well have what it takes. Popovoch's only prior head coaching experience before the Spurs was at the college level - D III!

We all remember Rick Pitino's spectacular failure with the Celtics. But that's because the GM of the Celtics at that time was a guy named Rick Pitino. We forget that a much younger Pitino with only college coaching in his past was very successful with the Knicks when he was not working as his own GM. His Celtics' experience was a failure more as a GM than as a coach. Bill Fitch is another former Celtics coach, one who led them to an NBA title, who went straight from college to the NBA

It can be done, but most college coaches have failed to find success in the NBA.

(10-24-2013 10:22 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 04:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 03:59 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 12:19 PM)Wolfpack Ram Wrote:  Personally, I think Stevens is gong to struggle in the NBA. Kind of hard to find 12 Butler type guys in the NBA - much less on the same team. Also, that style just doesn't work in the NBA. There is no "team" ball in the NBA. Plus, the Boston fans aren't going to give him that long to turn the Celtics around. They will eat him alive and he will end up back in college basketball and with a fat bank account from his NBA contract.

Maybe he can take the VCU job when Shaka moves on. lol

Stevens reminds me a lot of Gregg Popovich. Calm, cool customer. Who says team ball doesn't work in the NBA? They've won a lot of championships at San Antonio with team ball and by keeping the egos in check.

The Celtics are going through a rebuilding program, they will be bringing a lot of young, college kids into the program over the next few years. A perfect situation for a guy like Stevens who will be able to take young players and mold them to his style of play.

If Stevens were going to a veteran team or to a team like the Knicks that was bringing in a lot of see agents, I would agree with the comment. Stevens is cut out of the same mold as Danny Ainge, the GM who hired him, and he has full support of the front office. Boston fans are smart enough to know that they're not going to win a championship over night after dumbing KG and Pierce. They're prepared to spend several years developing young kids until they can compete for a title. Stevens will definitely have a grace period there.

For Stevens' sake, I hope you are right. Unfortunately, coaching millionaires isn't like coaching college kids. I also think he is going to have to adjust to not having as much time between games to prepare for the next game. The schedule is much longer and much tighter in the NBA.

Of course he has to make adjustments. Some are unable to make them and we can point to a number of former college coaches who have failed to make the transition to the NBA. But Stevens is a bright guy and he may well have what it takes. Popovoch's only prior head coaching experience before the Spurs was at the college level - D III!

We all remember Rick Pitino's spectacular failure with the Celtics. But that's because the GM of the Celtics at that time was a guy named Rick Pitino. We forget that a much younger Pitino with only college coaching in his past was very successful with the Knicks when he was not working as his own GM. His Celtics' experience was a failure more as a GM than as a coach. Bill Fitch is another former Celtics coach, one who led them to an NBA title, who went straight from college to the NBA

It can be done, but most college coaches have failed to find success in the NBA.

We also forget that if the draft lottery goes different, the Celtics draft Tim Duncan, and everything is different there. Celtics had the 2nd most chances, but the Spurs picked him up. Celtics got Chauncey Billups.

(10-17-2013 01:53 PM)stever20 Wrote:  VCU 15

BTW, who was the guy on here who said that VCU wouldn't sniff the top-15 when I suggested it?