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

[Goatherder]

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.

Wojo was not going to take the VCU job.  He had been offered plenty of head coaching jobs before taking Marquette.  He would not have to settle for VCU.  Maybe Wojo leaves to succeed Coach K, maybe he gets hired by another program, maybe the board's habitual late night car alarm gets his wet dream, or maybe he stays at Marquette for a long time, perhaps a career.  That is at least a possibility at Marquette.  It was not going to happen at VCU.

[Silent Verbal]

Considering Buzz’s eccentricities and vagabond tendencies, it’s easy to see why Wojo, 20 year Duke mainstay and all-around Stepford Coach, was hired.  Martin isn’t the same as Buzz, but they’re cut from a similar cloth, and I can understand how his interview might’ve gone poorly.  If he was interviewing in 2008 post-Crean, it might’ve been a different story.  Cuonzo interviewed at the wrong time, but I didn’t think he was the right guy anyway.

[Cheeks]

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.

Cal hired him and what happened?

He left after three years.  Just as he left Tennessee after 3 years.  As he left Miss State after 3 years.  Like a clock.

He took over at Cal for Mike Montgomery...a very solid coach in a piss poor conference.  One NCAA tournament in three years...sounds a lot like Wojo except Martin took over a program that went deep into the NIT and has marshmallow soft Pac 12 competition.

Missouri....Cuonzo in year three is struggling...year two was a disaster and this year not very good.  Lost to 314th ranked Charleston Southern. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Wojo was not going to take the VCU job.  He had been offered plenty of head coaching jobs before taking Marquette.  He would not have to settle for VCU.  Maybe Wojo leaves to succeed Coach K, maybe he gets hired by another program, maybe the board's habitual late night car alarm gets his wet dream, or maybe he stays at Marquette for a long time, perhaps a career.  That is at least a possibility at Marquette.  It was not going to happen at VCU.

not a chance.  Honestly, if K were to retire at the end of this year the guy I think they go all in on is Brad Stevens.

[Eldon]

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.

Ben Howland is at MS State. Even Howland haters have to admit that Marquette is a waaaaaaaay way waaaaaaaaaay better job.

Also, Gregg Marshall was floated around. And I swear Jamie Dixon was too (somebody saw him at the Pfister or something)

[brewcity77]

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.

Did Martin want the job? Definitely. Remember, he was under heavy fire at Tennessee. He wanted out and the fanbase wanted him out. Marquette was the first place he went, but ultimately, he just wanted any job other than UT, which is why he went to Cal right after. Look at the timeline...

• March 31, 2014: Martin pulls out of Marquette search
• April 1, 2014: Wojo hired, Martin publicly says "Tennessee is where I want to be, that has never changed."
  
• April 15, 2014: Martin hired at Cal.

He was desperate to get out, when it was obvious Marquette was going to hire Wojo, he pulled his name and tried to save face at UT while continuing to seek another job. You can take it with a grain of salt all you want, but I don't think anyone in the know would dispute that the interview process made it quickly clear that admin wasn't interested in Martin and did want Wojo. All the circumstantial reporting confirms what is pretty well known around campus.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Did Martin want the job? Definitely. Remember, he was under heavy fire at Tennessee. He wanted out and the fanbase wanted him out. Marquette was the first place he went, but ultimately, he just wanted any job other than UT, which is why he went to Cal right after. Look at the timeline...

• March 31, 2014: Martin pulls out of Marquette search
• April 1, 2014: Wojo hired, Martin publicly says "Tennessee is where I want to be, that has never changed."
  
• April 15, 2014: Martin hired at Cal.

He was desperate to get out, when it was obvious Marquette was going to hire Wojo, he pulled his name and tried to save face at UT while continuing to seek another job. You can take it with a grain of salt all you want, but I don't think anyone in the know would dispute that the interview process made it quickly clear that admin wasn't interested in Martin and did want Wojo. All the circumstantial reporting confirms what is pretty well known around campus.

Or you can look at it as:  Martin said no, which put MU in the position of scrambling to hire someone with no head coaching experience.  I mean.....who's left after Shaka, Martin, in their eyes?   That's a pretty desperate situation to be in, especially when hiring options are almost nil. 

[brewcity77]

Or you can look at it as:  Martin said no, which put MU in the position of scrambling to hire someone with no head coaching experience.  I mean.....who's left after Shaka, Martin, in their eyes?   That's a pretty desperate situation to be in, especially when hiring options are almost nil.

If your entire dream is to hate Wojo, you can believe that. No one else close to campus believe it, but if you want to believe that, knock yourself out. It's a complete fiction of your own invention, but feel free.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Or you can look at it as:  Martin said no, which put MU in the position of scrambling to hire someone with no head coaching experience.  I mean.....who's left after Shaka, Martin, in their eyes?   That's a pretty desperate situation to be in, especially when hiring options are almost nil.

So the Cal job, paying way less and a long way from his recruiting base was better?

[Billy Hoyle]

Ben Howland is at MS State. Even Howland haters have to admit that Marquette is a waaaaaaaay way waaaaaaaaaay better job.

Also, Gregg Marshall was floated around. And I swear Jamie Dixon was too (somebody saw him at the Pfister or something)

Howland wanted the job but after what happened at UCLA MU didn't want him.

Dixon? Not a chance considering they wanted the anti-Buzz and Dixon is not that.  Marshall? Maybe, but it's more likely both he and Dixon were message board pipe dreams. 

That's the fun part of coaching searches, especially having been involved in them - names get reported as candidates or even having been offered when in reality they were never even considered. I had to laugh at one newspaper report saying a legendary player was under consideration for a job for which I was serving on a committee when the reality was there was someone else with the same first name that was a candidate, but the individual the paper said was a finalist.

[WhoaJoe2020]

Or you can look at it as:  Martin said no, which put MU in the position of scrambling to hire someone with no head coaching experience.  I mean.....who's left after Shaka, Martin, in their eyes?   That's a pretty desperate situation to be in, especially when hiring options are almost nil.

So your saying Marquette just got really lucky.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Howland wanted the job but after what happened at UCLA MU didn't want him.

Dixon? Not a chance considering they wanted the anti-Buzz and Dixon is not that.  Marshall? Maybe, but it's more likely both he and Dixon were message board pipe dreams. 

That's the fun part of coaching searches, especially having been involved in them - names get reported as candidates or even having been offered when in reality they were never even considered. I had to laugh at one newspaper report saying a legendary player was under consideration for a job for which I was serving on a committee when the reality was there was someone else with the same first name that was a candidate, but the individual the paper said was a finalist.

Precisely.  It's almost a waste of time to analyze the process of the hire.  There's so much disinformation out there.

[rocket surgeon]

i wonder what the mrs. thinks about milwaukee/MU now?   

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

i wonder what the mrs. thinks about milwaukee/MU now?   

She’s living in Austin. She’s fine.

[rocket surgeon]

She’s living in Austin. She’s fine.

didn't ask where she was, but you and the mrs. pretty tight then, eyn'a?

[Goatherder]

Cal hired him and what happened?

He left after three years.  Just as he left Tennessee after 3 years.  As he left Miss State after 3 years.  Like a clock.

He took over at Cal for Mike Montgomery...a very solid coach in a piss poor conference.  One NCAA tournament in three years...sounds a lot like Wojo except Martin took over a program that went deep into the NIT and has marshmallow soft Pac 12 competition.

Missouri....Cuonzo in year three is struggling...year two was a disaster and this year not very good.  Lost to 314th ranked Charleston Southern.

Each of those was a step up.  Of course he went from Missouri State to Tennessee.  Who wouldn't?  He actually did well at Tennessee, but the locals were pining for Bruce Pearl.  I do not blame him for wanting to go somewhere he was actually wanted.  And the move to Missouri was a return home.  Time will tell how well he does there, but lots of coaches have done worse.  I think the expectation of many that coaches turn teams around in three years or less is unrealistic and foolish, but fan is short for fanatic. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Each of those was a step up.  Of course he went from Missouri State to Tennessee.  Who wouldn't?  He actually did well at Tennessee, but the locals were pining for Bruce Pearl.  I do not blame him for wanting to go somewhere he was actually wanted.  And the move to Missouri was a return home.  Time will tell how well he does there, but lots of coaches have done worse.  I think the expectation of many that coaches turn teams around in three years or less is unrealistic and foolish, but fan is short for fanatic. 

Missouri was getting out while he could.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Missouri was getting out while he could.

Mizzou is a better job than Cal.  It's in the same tier as MU.  Not to mention, Martin grew up in St. Louis so it's probably his dream job.

[Cheeks]

not a chance.  Honestly, if K were to retire at the end of this year the guy I think they go all in on is Brad Stevens.

Been saying that for five years

[Cheeks]

Or you can look at it as:  Martin said no, which put MU in the position of scrambling to hire someone with no head coaching experience.  I mean.....who's left after Shaka, Martin, in their eyes?   That's a pretty desperate situation to be in, especially when hiring options are almost nil.

Dude....MU after the interview process wanted Wojo more than Martin.  It is that simple.  When it came down to the final few candidates, Wojo was the guy they wanted and got.  Coach K’s endorsement also went a long way if you know what was going on.

That doesn’t mean Wojo was candidate one when abuzz left...he wasn’t.  But after the dust settled and it became go time, he was the guy.  Martin was able to save face.  Stop with the BS

[Cheeks]

Precisely.  It's almost a waste of time to analyze the process of the hire.  There's so much disinformation out there.

No, at this point years later and who knows whom, there isn’t much disinformation any longer.  In the fog of war...yes.  After, no.

[brewcity77]

Been saying that for five years

Stevens has at worst a top-5 job in the NBA. I don't think any college job would interest him in the least, especially considering his reputation for not being enamored with the recruiting process.

[Cheeks]

Each of those was a step up.  Of course he went from Missouri State to Tennessee.  Who wouldn't?  He actually did well at Tennessee, but the locals were pining for Bruce Pearl.  I do not blame him for wanting to go somewhere he was actually wanted.  And the move to Missouri was a return home.  Time will tell how well he does there, but lots of coaches have done worse.  I think the expectation of many that coaches turn teams around in three years or less is unrealistic and foolish, but fan is short for fanatic.

I don’t begrudge him for taking a step up, but Cal isn’t a step up from Tennessee.  I remember the UT fans wanting Pearl out and my biggest concern back at the time was he would go to Mizzou first chance he could.  That proved to be true from Cal.

[WhoaJoe2020]

If, God forbid, something would happen to coach K mid season, and Wojo made himself available, I could see Duke seriously considering him. He might be in their top 5.   Closer to 1 or 5  I'm not sure. As someone who would prefer the continuity of Wojo and this incoming class, I would be very nervous.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

If, God forbid, something would happen to coach K mid season, and Wojo made himself available, I could see Duke seriously considering him. He might be in their top 5.   Closer to 1 or 5  I'm not sure. As someone who would prefer the continuity of Wojo and this incoming class, I would be very nervous.

At least put a hyperlink somewhere if you want to capture the essence of a clickbait topic.