Texas Fans Done With Shaka Smart - Is His Fate Tied To Wojo's?

[The Lens]

He was on the Board of Trustees (he termed out last year), and was extremely active in the coaching search that resulted in hiring Wojo, including flying around the country during basketball season to be involved.  (I believe he was in Shaka's living room.)

And he was at the Jacksonville game, and spoke to the team beforehand. 

He's been pretty supportive.

I know he was on the BOT and of course he was at the Jacksonville Game, his team was in town to play the Bucks.  Hearing that he was in Shaka's living room is refreshing.  That shows a certain kind of commitment that as I pointed out beforehand, I had not "publicly" seen from him.

[Goose]

Doc Rivers was not extremely active in any coaching search. That is inaccurate. Doc has definitely helped, but not much heavy lifting and the BOT takes any stamp of approval Doc throws their way. It is time to move on from Doc being the Godfather of MU ball.

I say it every time Doc's name come up, I think Doc is great but we should have a much deeper pool of high end help when running the ball program. The guy is removed from MU for the most part and coaching an NBA team whenever a coach needs to be hired. He has rubber stamped last two hires and rubber stamped Shaka prior to Wojo getting hired.

[The Lens]

Doc Rivers was not extremely active in any coaching search. That is inaccurate. Doc has definitely helped, but not much heavy lifting and the BOT takes any stamp of approval Doc throws their way. It is time to move on from Doc being the Godfather of MU ball.

I say it every time Doc's name come up, I think Doc is great but we should have a much deeper pool of high end help when running the ball program. The guy is removed from MU for the most part and coaching an NBA team whenever a coach needs to be hired. He has rubber stamped last two hires and rubber stamped Shaka prior to Wojo getting hired.

Thank you for the clarity, what you spell out has always been my sense. 

[GoldenWarrior11]

We can play the what-if game all we want, but...

Let's say that Shaka gets hired at MU in April, 2014.  It's possible he gets to flip a number (if not all) of his (then) VCU commits - Terry Larrier, Michael Gilmore, Justin Tillman and/or Jonathan Williams - to come along as well.  Maybe Cohen stays, maybe he doesn't.  Very unlikely that Carlino comes along, and probably even more unlikely that the Ellensons come along as well.  Due to youth, but full recruiting class, we probably don't make the tournament, but are very likely to be better than the 13-19 final record we had that year (14-15).

Anyways, Billy Donovan takes the OKC job in April, 2015 (Shaka had taken the Texas job in March, 2015).  Shaka had ties to Florida under Donovan, and it is very possible that Florida wants Shaka to replace Donovan after a solid, but unspectacular, start at MU.  Let's say Florida gets Shaka.  Marquette, then, would have had three head coaches in prior seven seasons (Crean, Buzz, Shaka). 

Who was high in the coaching cycle in 2015?  Avery Johnson, Bobby Hurley, Steve Prohm, Nate Oats, Will Wade, Ben Howland and Rick Barnes were the bigger (now) names at that point.  In addition, Brian Wardle gets hired at Bradley.  It's very likely that Howland (again) gets another serious look, as well as Wardle (who, as an alum, would be very unlikely to immediately bolt for a bigger job). 

Who knows, but always interesting to wonder what would have happened if a couple of events went the other way...

Also - what if: If Wojo ends up taking the VCU job (East coast, strong A10 program and Capel, former Duke assistant, had success there) once Shaka got hired by MU. 

[The Lens]

We need a 30 for 30 on #DoneDeal

Who IWB talked to and when

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Doc Rivers was not extremely active in any coaching search. That is inaccurate. Doc has definitely helped, but not much heavy lifting and the BOT takes any stamp of approval Doc throws their way. It is time to move on from Doc being the Godfather of MU ball.

I say it every time Doc's name come up, I think Doc is great but we should have a much deeper pool of high end help when running the ball program. The guy is removed from MU for the most part and coaching an NBA team whenever a coach needs to be hired. He has rubber stamped last two hires and rubber stamped Shaka prior to Wojo getting hired.

You would know more than I would so what I heard was not accurate and/or I misremembered.

[Cheeks]

It absolutely blows me away that Doc Rivers is somehow the Godfather of Marquette basketball.  Besides showing up at home games centered around his NBA duties, what has he done?

It seems like he has done close to zero with his pulpit, you rarely here him interject MU into conversation
It seems like he has done close to zero with his pocket book, I bet if he donated ANYTHING of note MU would broadcast it
It seems like he has done close to zero with his persona, has he ever popped up at a road game, tweeted agony have a loss, shown up at a presser in MU gear, etc
It seems like he has done close to zero with his parenting, his kids went to Georgetown and Duke, I don't expect him to push them to MU, but did he even encourage?

Now, don't get me wrong, Doc doesn't owe us any of this but if he's our "decider" then I would like to see some public support.

When my son was admitted to MU he wrote him a congraulatory letter on LA Clippers stationary about the virtues of Marquette and urged him to go there.  I believe the letter went to other Southern California admittees. 

Part of parenting is letting your kids decide...he shouldn't force his kids to go to MU.   I tried to talk my son out of going to MU and instead go to Pitt, Syracuse and a few of the Pac 12 schools he was admitted to.  I'm glad he made the decision for his reasons, not anything I would say to influence him.  Even more so for someone like Doc who played and having one of his kids also play, just not fair to the kid.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

The other name that people seem to forget during #DoneDeal is Ben Howland.  Ironically, he's had the same success as Wojo/Smart.  All 3 have been mediocre.  The 2 hires that year that have produced the most are Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Pearl.

[Cheeks]

The other name that people seem to forget during #DoneDeal is Ben Howland.  Ironically, he's had the same success as Wojo/Smart.  All 3 have been mediocre.  The 2 hires that year that have produced the most are Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Pearl.

Bruce Pearl....should have a NCAA investigation membership card by now.  But hey, he's really a cool dude and funny (he is), so the pass he gets is comical.

Kelvin Sampson...good coach....also been in hot water with two schools with each being sanctioned by the NCAA.


Yup, two good examples.

[WhiteTrash]

All the letters typed about Wojo being let go are wasted. Until the BOT (currently very satisfied) and specifically Doc (extremely satisfied) turns on Wojo his seat is as cool as possible.

This is as equally as credible as stating Wojo's seat is red hot and will be fired without NCAA tourney success.

Both statements are letters typed about Wojo on a fan forum.

What we do know as fact is MU just gave him a modest contract extension. IMO they seem to like not love him based upon that.

[The Lens]

When my son was admitted to MU he wrote him a congraulatory letter on LA Clippers stationary about the virtues of Marquette and urged him to go there.  I believe the letter went to other Southern California admittees. 

Part of parenting is letting your kids decide...he shouldn't force his kids to go to MU.   I tried to talk my son out of going to MU and instead go to Pitt, Syracuse and a few of the Pac 12 schools he was admitted to.  I'm glad he made the decision for his reasons, not anything I would say to influence him.  Even more so for someone like Doc who played and having one of his kids also play, just not fair to the kid.

I have 3 kids and I hope all of them go somewhere else and see things I haven't.  I was merely using it as one data point for the Godfather of Marquette basketball and I couched it with I didn't expect him to push MU.

The Clippers letterhead is a nice touch. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

When my son was admitted to MU he wrote him a congraulatory letter on LA Clippers stationary about the virtues of Marquette and urged him to go there.  I believe the letter went to other Southern California admittees. 

Part of parenting is letting your kids decide...he shouldn't force his kids to go to MU.   I tried to talk my son out of going to MU and instead go to Pitt, Syracuse and a few of the Pac 12 schools he was admitted to.  I'm glad he made the decision for his reasons, not anything I would say to influence him. Even more so for someone like Doc who played and having one of his kids also play, just not fair to the kid.

Wait, so are you saying you're a WarriorDad?

[brewcity77]

The 2 hires that year that have produced the most are Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Pearl.

Neither of whom were ever going to be considered by Marquette. Honestly, even Wojo critics would probably have to concede that MU made the best coaching hire of the guys that were realistic candidates that year.

[Silent Verbal]

Since we’re rehashing the 2014 coaching search, is it true the job was Cuonzo’s to lose after Shaka bowed out, but he tanked his interview?

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Since we’re rehashing the 2014 coaching search, is it true the job was Cuonzo’s to lose after Shaka bowed out, but he tanked his interview?

I read he turned MU down which would imply Wojo was a 2nd choice at best.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Bruce Pearl....should have a NCAA investigation membership card by now.  But hey, he's really a cool dude and funny (he is), so the pass he gets is comical.

Kelvin Sampson...good coach....also been in hot water with two schools with each being sanctioned by the NCAA.


Yup, two good examples.

The NCAA really took care of both. Bruce is on what? His fourth major infractions scandal?

[brewcity77]

Since we’re rehashing the 2014 coaching search, is it true the job was Cuonzo’s to lose after Shaka bowed out, but he tanked his interview?

I'm not sure if it was his to lose, but I've heard his interview did not go well and MU was not impressed at all.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

I'm not sure if it was his to lose, but I've heard his interview did not go well and MU was not impressed at all.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10707907/cuonzo-martin-tennessee-volunteers-removes-self-marquette-golden-eagles-coaching-search

[Cheeks]

Wait, so are you saying you're a WarriorDad?

Yes, and potentially soon a Bulldog, Musketeer, Bruin, Blue Demon, Trojan, etc dad, too.

[Cheeks]

I read he turned MU down which would imply Wojo was a 2nd choice at best.

You read wrong.  Cuonzo pulled out to save face, Wojo blew them away with the Power Point....don’t you remember. 

[Cheeks]

The NCAA really took care of both. Bruce is on what? His fourth major infractions scandal?

I would love for the NCAA to do some show cause penalties more often, but of course that would make me a “tyrant”

[brewcity77]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10707907/cuonzo-martin-tennessee-volunteers-removes-self-marquette-golden-eagles-coaching-search

Yes...after he bombed the interview. He took himself out of the running because he knew there was no chance he was going to get the job. Better to look like you chose not to take the job than lose out.

There was legitimate interest, which is why he got the interview. But after the interview, there was no shot of him getting the job.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Yes...after he bombed the interview. He took himself out of the running because he knew there was no chance he was going to get the job. Better to look like you chose not to take the job than lose out.

There was legitimate interest, which is why he got the interview. But after the interview, there was no shot of him getting the job.

And what was the source of this story where ..... Cuonzo didn't impress them?  I took that as rumor as I don't recall reading anything about that.

[brewcity77]

And what was the source of this story where ..... Cuonzo didn't impress them?  I took that as rumor as I don't recall reading anything about that.

If you are only reading what was put out publicly, you wouldn't have heard that. Marquette didn't do any badmouthing of Martin. But it wasn't exactly private around Marquette that Martin's interview didn't go well, nor was it private that Wojo really impressed in his own interview.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

If you are only reading what was put out publicly, you wouldn't have heard that. Marquette didn't do any badmouthing of Martin. But it wasn't exactly private around Marquette that Martin's interview didn't go well, nor was it private that Wojo really impressed in his own interview.

Of course, MU isn't going to put anyone down after an interview publicly.  Thing is, did Martin even want the job?  I have problems with hearsay because a lot of times the teller of the information wants only a certain portion of the info to get out.  If Martin did turn it down, then of course MU would say he didn't interview well (rumor mill).  And of course, the guy they hire, will surely impress as well.  So I take it with a grain of salt.  Regardless, it doesn't matter at this point.  Although, I would have loved to have been in the interview process.  Maybe Cuonzo did poorly, but Cal and Missouri hired him, so there is that counterpoint.