Is it about the money?

[NotBuzzWilliams]

Straight cash, homie

[Dawson Rental]

really--some are saying we got pretty far with the prima donna--to the point of hammering out dollars. Guess we did not offer enough.

Exactly correct, Marquette didn't offer enough, just the enough MU didn't offer enough of wasn't dollars.

[willie warrior]

Exactly correct, Marquette didn't offer enough, just the enough MU didn't offer enough of wasn't dollars.

Except you do not know that. What did they not offer enough of?

[4everwarriors]

Murray, are you chit faced or ya mean we're just another mid major with deeper pockets?

[Hards Alumni]

Reportedly, it had a lot to do with our 'front office' problem.

[texaswarrior74]

Reportedly, it had a lot to do with our 'front office' problem.

Lack of an AD? Who the interim AD is? Or another front office problem?

[Dawson Rental]

Except you do not know that. What did they not offer enough of?

Something in the category of comfort level.  Job security?  Working relationship with superiors?  Family fit with Milwaukee?  Ability to keep confidential matters, confidential?

[Dawson Rental]

Murray, are you chit faced or ya mean we're just another mid major with deeper pockets?

Much more than a mid-major, 4ever.  Sweet resources.  Most mid-majors do have a president and athletic director who don't carry the interim label, though.

[JimmyLikesBasketball]

I feel like that USA Today link is inaccurate. Wasn't Brent in the top 10 anyways??

And how is Calipari not in the top 62? He's making over 5M.

[Gopher+RamFan]

So reading through the BS.  Shaka is above the "money"=We have no shot because we have nothing else to offer him.  VCU must be the greatest place on the planet.  Perhaps I will have to cancel my other trips scheduled for this year and plan a visit.

Read through what you want. Don't act like a child who didn't get his favorite toy. I never said MU had "no shot", or that VCU was "the greatest place on the planet". I was born in Wisconsin, raised in DC/Switzerland, spent plenty of time other than Richmond, and only recently came here for school. I'm sure MU is a great place, and has a law school I was considering. VCU is what it is, and Shaka is comfortable on campus. Like I said in another thread, I think this has more to do with not wanting to disappoint his commits/current players, than anything else.

Anyways, I see other level headed posters have already responded to this. I sincerely hope MU gains a good coach/recruiter as one day I'd like for VCU to join the BE. Im sure we'd become the red headed step child that everyone loves to hate (that's always good for a conference) but it would definitely be exciting. 

[BenCat12]

Read through what you want. Don't act like a child who didn't get his favorite toy. I never said MU had "no shot", or that VCU was "the greatest place on the planet". I was born in Wisconsin, raised in DC/Switzerland, spent plenty of time other than Richmond, and only recently came here for school. I'm sure MU is a great place, and has a law school I was considering. VCU is what it is, and Shaka is comfortable on campus. Like I said in another thread, I think this has more to do with not wanting to disappoint his commits/current players, than anything else.

Anyways, I see other level headed posters have already responded to this. I sincerely hope MU gains a good coach/recruiter as one day I'd like for VCU to join the BE. Im sure we'd become the red headed step child that everyone loves to hate (that's always good for a conference) but it would definitely be exciting. 

First of all little boy, he wasn't my favorite toy, Howland was my favorite candidate for the job and still is.  Second of all, I couldn't care less that he turned the job down.  However, I do have a problem with Shaka and the way he handles things.  To put it bluntly he jerks programs around.  He clearly has no intentions of leaving VCU.  So why talk to schools unless it is a "dream job?"(Like there is a job better than VCU, I know  )  Seriously, why does he?  If it isn't about money with Shaka, what could a school possibly offer that he doesn't have at VCU?  If he is so committed to his players that he would never leave, then why does he listen to offers?  Is he hoping that he will be able to take all of his players with him?  There really is no defense for him in this situation or the other ones he has turned down.  He needs to be a lifer at VCU.  Quite frankly, I am glad it is done, so this board won't be inundated with VCU fans with "sources."  Good luck in school.  Learn something, OK

[Gopher+RamFan]

First of all little boy, he wasn't my favorite toy, Howland was my favorite candidate for the job and still is.  Second of all, I couldn't care less that he turned the job down.  However, I do have a problem with Shaka and the way he handles things.  To put it bluntly he jerks programs around.  He clearly has no intentions of leaving VCU.  So why talk to schools unless it is a "dream job?"(Like there is a job better than VCU, I know  )  Seriously, why does he?  If it isn't about money with Shaka, what could a school possibly offer that he doesn't have at VCU?  If he is so committed to his players that he would never leave, then why does he listen to offers?  Is he hoping that he will be able to take all of his players with him?  There really is no defense for him in this situation or the other ones he has turned down.  He needs to be a lifer at VCU.  Quite frankly, I am glad it is done, so this board won't be inundated with VCU fans with "sources."  Good luck in school.  Learn something, OK

Oh okay, so your favorite guy is still in play. Why so annoyed? I'm not a boy, I decided to spend my youth trying college and the military. It's taken a few more years than I thought, but deployments and "cool guy schools" (Finishing Pathfinder the week before my LSAT wasn't my smartest move) that I just couldn't pass up, filled my time.

Just because Shaka is analytical, pragmatic and takes his time making a decision, does not mean he's a terrible person. His priorities are obviously different than money. You keep saying he's playing other programs, but also mention it's about money,  so a guy turning down 3 Million, to coach for 1.6 Million dollars is about money? I never said he was a VCU lifer, but keep spouting things off.

I just don't understand your logic. You seem disappointed, and that's understandable. Go after your first choice, and be happy with it. Hate VCU all you want.

[Wisco]

First of all little boy, he wasn't my favorite toy, Howland was my favorite candidate for the job and still is.  Second of all, I couldn't care less that he turned the job down.  However, I do have a problem with Shaka and the way he handles things.  To put it bluntly he jerks programs around.  He clearly has no intentions of leaving VCU.  So why talk to schools unless it is a "dream job?"(Like there is a job better than VCU, I know  )  Seriously, why does he?  If it isn't about money with Shaka, what could a school possibly offer that he doesn't have at VCU?  If he is so committed to his players that he would never leave, then why does he listen to offers?  Is he hoping that he will be able to take all of his players with him?  There really is no defense for him in this situation or the other ones he has turned down.  He needs to be a lifer at VCU.  Quite frankly, I am glad it is done, so this board won't be inundated with VCU fans with "sources."  Good luck in school.  Learn something, OK

Please explain to me how you have any idea what goes on behind the scenes. Everything in your post after the bold is 100% conjecture. Every. Single. Thing. You've totally bent reality to conform to how you want to feel right now.

[BenCat12]

Oh okay, so your favorite guy is still in play. Why so annoyed? I'm not a boy, I decided to spend my youth trying college and the military. It's taken a few more years than I thought, but deployments and "cool guy schools" (Finishing Pathfinder the week before my LSAT wasn't my smartest move) that I just couldn't pass up, filled my time.

Just because Shaka is analytical, pragmatic and takes his time making a decision, does not mean he's a terrible person. His priorities are obviously different than money. You keep saying he's playing other programs, but also mention it's about money,  so a guy turning down 3 Million, to coach for 1.6 Million dollars is about money? I never said he was a VCU lifer, but keep spouting things off.

I just don't understand your logic. You seem disappointed, and that's understandable. Go after your first choice, and be happy with it. Hate VCU all you want.

Don't care about your life story.  As for the rest of your post, much like Shaka, you are making zero sense.  Time to move along.  My sources tell me Wake Forest is making offer, perhaps it is time to set up an account on their message board.

[BenCat12]

Please explain to me how you have any idea what goes on behind the scenes. Everything in your post after the bold is 100% conjecture. Every. Single. Thing. You've totally bent reality to conform to how you want to feel right now.

I was asking a question.  If it is not money, which it clearly isn't, what is Shaka "Houdini" Smart looking for when he entertains offers from schools? Can you answer that?  If he won't leave VCU for UCLA, Illinois, Minnesota, Marquette, who will he leave for and why?  Why does he listen?  Most coaches listen to offers for financial leverage at their current job or because they are trying to advance their careers.  So again I ask why does he listen to offers?

[ATWizJr]

Read through what you want. Don't act like a child who didn't get his favorite toy. I never said MU had "no shot", or that VCU was "the greatest place on the planet". I was born in Wisconsin, raised in DC/Switzerland, spent plenty of time other than Richmond, and only recently came here for school. I'm sure MU is a great place, and has a law school I was considering. VCU is what it is, and Shaka is comfortable on campus. Like I said in another thread, I think this has more to do with not wanting to disappoint his commits/current players, than anything else.

Anyways, I see other level headed posters have already responded to this. I sincerely hope MU gains a good coach/recruiter as one day I'd like for VCU to join the BE. Im sure we'd become the red headed step child that everyone loves to hate (that's always good for a conference) but it would definitely be exciting. 

If the deal breaker was that Shaka would come if he could bring his commits and MU said that we had to honor our obligations to our current commits, then I admire both sides for their loyalty.

[4everwarriors]

Much more than a mid-major, 4ever.  Sweet resources.  Most mid-majors do have a president and athletic director who don't carry the interim label, though.

So, who should we blame for this, Buzz or BofT? I blame Crean.

[Wisco]

I was asking a question.  If it is not money, which it clearly isn't, what is Shaka "Houdini" Smart looking for when he entertains offers from schools? Can you answer that?  If he won't leave VCU for UCLA, Illinois, Minnesota, Marquette, who will he leave for and why?  Why does he listen?  Most coaches listen to offers for financial leverage at their current job or because they are trying to advance their careers.  So again I ask why does he listen to offers?

The answer to your question is: I have absolutely no idea and never will.

Anyone who acts as if they are inside the man's head are either full of it or projecting their feelings onto him.