Few is in a different position there and his conference isn't falling apart around him.
Why is he in a different position?
Few is in a different position there and his conference isn't falling apart around him.
bkf, care to comment on the thorough destruction of Texas Tech's basketball program at the hands of the Knight clan? How about Pat Knight's stellar 3-28 masterpiece at Lamar?
Or, does your critique only get directed at successful young coaches who actually win and bring their teams to the NCAA Tournament?
I'm no Knight fan but facts, while often a disrespected commodity around here, are what they are.
I don't really have a problem with this post, per se, but Shaka is just about every AD's dream coach right now, but he keeps turning everyone down. Illinois, NC State were very public, but VT apparently made a run at him and he apparently told them no without even speaking with them. The joke one cnnsi writer said last year after the NCAA was that Shaka turns down more jobs per day than most people have cups of coffee. They were under the impression a lot of schools have contacted him to inquire, only to be turned down before going any further.
So, the only thing I would say is that Shaka obviously really likes VCU and Richmond, and he certainly isn't begging to get to another higher profile school. I don't know what he is looking for, but so far, he has remained adamant he is staying at VCU. I'm not sure I don't believe him. He is on just about everyone's radar outside of Durham, Chapel Hill, Kansas, Gonzaga, Indiana, Florida and a handful of others. I would give it probably less than a 1% he would accept the Wake job if offered. He's already turned down a Big 10 and 2 ACC's that we know of.
Bob Knight hardly "destroyed" Texas Tech basketball. The program was nothing when he got there. He inherited a team that only had 4 total roster players remaining from a team that had just gone 3-13 in the Big 12.....and won 23 games and took them to the NCAA Tournament in his first year.
Bob Knight's record speaks for itself. I don't have to defend it to you...or anyone else. He is the greatest college basketball coach who ever lived.
Bob Knight hardly "destroyed" Texas Tech basketball. The program was nothing when he got there. He inherited a team that only had 4 total roster players remaining from a team that had just gone 3-13 in the Big 12.....and won 23 games and took them to the NCAA Tournament in his first year.
Bob Knight's record speaks for itself. I don't have to defend it to you...or anyone else. He is the greatest college basketball coach who ever lived.
2001–2002 Texas Tech 23–9 10–6 T–3rd NCAA First Round
2002–2003 Texas Tech 22–13 6–10 T–7th NIT Semifinals
2003–2004 Texas Tech 23–11 9–7 T–5th NCAA Second Round
2004–2005 Texas Tech 22–11 10–6 4th NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2005–2006 Texas Tech 15–17 6–10 T–7th —
2006–2007 Texas Tech 21–13 9–7 5th NCAA First Round
2007–2008 Texas Tech 12–8* 3–3* T–6th*
Right, I mostly agree with you. I'd like our chances at better than 1%, but still not likely. I was trying to make the point that if he ever does decide to leave VCU, which itself seems unlikely, it would be a shame if he didn't come to Wake Forest because our program is still being choked out by Wellman's autocracy and [Redacted]'s ineptitude.
That being said, I do think that it is only getting more and more likely that Smart will leave. I think he is a good enough coach and ambitious enough that eventually he will want to jump to a major conference and compete at a higher level, with better players, better coaches, on a national stage. And it doesn't help that the A-10 is falling apart. Illinois and NC State courted him at the wrong time, way too soon after his Final Four success. VT, well, I can understand why he would turn that down. So I think if Wake has a job opening at the time when he is willing to leave, I don't think there is a better school for him to go to. Moving to a major conference and being on Tobacco Road, a much better recruiting base, and a school with a solid history waiting for a good coach to take them to the Final Four and the next level. What other school in need of a coach offers that?
Well, you see him in a place people who know him don't.
John Wooden ran one of the dirtiest programs this side of UNLV. UCLA should have been put on probation for 10 years. Sam Gilbert was buying players right and left during those championship years.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/08/sports/la-sp-0609-wooden-gilbert-20100609
Versus you supporting a guy who chokes players, attacks kids on campus and throws filled vases at the head of a 60+yo woman...
Good post and good points. Illinois really seemed like it would be a good fit for him if he were inclined to leave. VT and State are cow colleges, and definitely do not fit his persona, though VT has been able to attract much better students in the past decade. But it is still VT, and State is still State.... I see Shaka at a sprawling urban school in a big city. Even if the landscape around VCU were to crumble, they keep winning and Shaka's popularity among high schoolers and AD's will continue to grow. I think he has supreme confidence that he can win anywhere any time, and I don't see him having a problem finding a good job even if VCU's conference affiliation falls apart. I think he wants to build it at VCU and be the man, much like Mark Few is at Gonzaga. The sense of accomplishment would be much greater than taking over at a well-established school. And VCU is already on the national stage. Ranked all year and recruiting is definitely improving.
If there were ever a time, now might be it. And if we could get him, it could be one of those rare hires that changes a program for 15-20 years. We need to cut bait with [Redacted] now, and take our shot at Shaka. We have a 0% if we don't. And 98% chance of a mediocrity ceiling with [Redacted]. And if we don't, we have a 90% of faring the same of better with most anyone we hire, remembering that Bob Staak looked like a good hire, as did Les Robinson and countless others. We HAVE to take our shot now.
I see Shaka at a sprawling urban school in a big city.
I agree with 88 that he is indeed a game changer and would effect us in a positive way for 15-20 years, but I just can't see it happening. If he didn't take the State job, why would he come here instead?
Its all a moot point because we don't and will not have an opening anyway becuase our jackoff AD is in bed with the HC.