Shaka Smart to Texas!

[jesmu84]

Either no one is posting at ram nation since the announcement or the mods there have basically made it viewing only

[VegasWarrior77]

Either no one is posting at ram nation since the announcement or the mods there have basically made it viewing only

Their site crashed as the decision leaked out...

[jesmu84]

Their site crashed as the decision leaked out...

Appears to be back up. Still basically no posts

[VegasWarrior77]

Before all hell broke loose people were posting pics that weren't showing up. It's fried!

[rocky_warrior]

Trust me, It can be hard to get these sites to stay available during peak traffic times.  We're lucky to have an overpowered server.

[VegasWarrior77]

Scoop is definitely one of the blue bloods of CBB boards! Thanks to all you guys!

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Nobody should ever believe anything any coach ever says at any point. I learned this lesson years ago. The vast majority of them are hucksters of the extreme variety

Except for [insert name of current MU coach]!

[#UnleashSean]

Read page 1, read page 263.

I laughed so hard.

[brewcity77]

Their site crashed as the decision leaked out...

Shaka Smart literally broke the internet at VCU.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

You know, I wanted to feel bad for them but I dont. After their smugness last year and this year as well all the way up to the decision it makes me happy to knock them down a peg. Also, they should know any successful program should be bigger than a coach. But whatever, peace Shaka, good luck in Austin, but glad we got Wojo.

[4everwarriors]

Karma's a bitch, ai na? Did they real believe Smart wasn't ever gonna bolt for a better gig? C'mon man, get real.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Karma's a bitch, ai na? Did they real believe Smart wasn't ever gonna bolt for a better gig? C'mon man, get real.

Attribution bias creeps in when there was another saint in Brad Stevens always in play at the same era.

If I were them I would actually be a little annoyed by it being Texas -- then again looks like Shaka wants to build a new legacy somewhere that can support big time bball -- maybe that's why we even had his ear for a brief moment.

[mu03eng]

Trust me, It can be hard to get these sites to stay available during peak traffic times.  We're lucky to have an overpowered server.

Don't you mean over-served power?

[GGGG]

Am I the only one who thinks Shaka is overhyped?

No I share your thoughts.  I think his havoc style may not play well in a "Power 5" conference. 

[GoldenWarrior11]

Oh man.  VCUInsider.  I could have gone a long time without being reminded of the outrage he brought upon us. 

[GGGG]

VCU will be fine.  Capel and Grant didn't turn out so hot at their next locations while VCU kept plugging along.  If they get Wade back, they won't miss much of a beat IMO.

[brewcity77]

No I share your thoughts.  I think his havoc style may not play well in a "Power 5" conference.

I was wildly excited at the prospect of him here, but I agree with this. The style works great when it is either a shock to the system (no one expected it in 2011) or you have the best athletes on the court (VCU usually does in the CAA/A-10). But when you are playing teams with similarly talented athletes and know it's coming, it loses its ability to disrupt.

The wildcard will be recruiting. Texas has four top-40 2016 recruits, including three in the top-20. If Shaka can land those kids (and he certainly has the venue and name recognition to do so) then Texas has the ability to become elite. It wouldn't surprise me to see him play a more conventional style in the Big 12. Very surprised that his first offer was to Bruce Brown, a 2016 SG from Vermont. Seems now would be the time to lock down that recruiting base, and I don't think long-term the Northeast will be it.

He'll certainly be interesting to watch. This first year will be crucial. Shaka has a lot of talent that Rick Barnes left for him. Holmes and Turner are gone, but everyone else returns. If he can make a big first year, he could be set in Austin for 15 years. It worked for Rick Barnes.

[swoopem]

Am I the only one who thinks Shaka is overhyped?

I'm right there with ya. Other than the final four he hasn't done sh!t.

[wadesworld]

No I share your thoughts.  I think his havoc style may not play well in a "Power 5" conference. 

Agreed.  I think he is a good coach, but I don't think he's worth the $4 million/year or the big time ego that he seemingly has if he honestly wanted to provide a list of acceptable AD's for Marquette to select from in order to get him to coach at Marquette.  He will have some success at Texas, but in my mind it's more because Texas has the money and the recruits in state to be successful than because of Shaka and his style (but to his credit, recruits seem to like his style and want to play in it, so that's half the battle).

If we're looking at actual results Shaka's team got hot at the right time and made a Final Four run in a year that, quite honestly, they didn't even deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament (they were 12-6 and finished 4th in the CAA that year with an overall record of 24-11 heading into the Tournament, losing to ODU in the Conference Tournament championship).  Outside of that he has 2 NCAA Tournament wins and has never won a conference title while coaching in the CAA and A-10.

[mu03eng]

I was wildly excited at the prospect of him here, but I agree with this. The style works great when it is either a shock to the system (no one expected it in 2011) or you have the best athletes on the court (VCU usually does in the CAA/A-10). But when you are playing teams with similarly talented athletes and know it's coming, it loses its ability to disrupt.

The wildcard will be recruiting. Texas has four top-40 2016 recruits, including three in the top-20. If Shaka can land those kids (and he certainly has the venue and name recognition to do so) then Texas has the ability to become elite. It wouldn't surprise me to see him play a more conventional style in the Big 12. Very surprised that his first offer was to Bruce Brown, a 2016 SG from Vermont. Seems now would be the time to lock down that recruiting base, and I don't think long-term the Northeast will be it.

He'll certainly be interesting to watch. This first year will be crucial. Shaka has a lot of talent that Rick Barnes left for him. Holmes and Turner are gone, but everyone else returns. If he can make a big first year, he could be set in Austin for 15 years. It worked for Rick Barnes.

I absolutely believe he will change styles and play more conventional in Austin.  I don't think he was going to go full Havoc in Milwaukee if he had been a #donedeal.  I think he is a tremendous coach and will be successful in Austin.  He can recruit pretty well...combined with UT's money and appeal, he will get players.  I assume he'll coach'em up but that will be the thing to determine in the next 3-5 years.

[mu03eng]

Overall interesting thing to note this year....maybe cause we aren't on it....but I feel like the coaching carousel is not spinning hard this year.

[MUfan12]

Overall interesting thing to note this year....maybe cause we aren't on it....but I feel like the coaching carousel is not spinning hard this year.

Wait a few weeks... it'll get going once Calipari and Hoiberg go to the NBA and Bo retires. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

So the players found out on the news before he had a chance to tell them personally?    I am shocked at this....

[mu03eng]

Wait a few weeks... it'll get going once Calipari and Hoiberg go to the NBA and Bo retires. 

God forbid, but if Madison wins the whole damn thing, Bo retires right?  If so, who the hell is taking over in Madison and could we possibly hate him more than the Grinch?

[GGGG]

God forbid, but if Madison wins the whole damn thing, Bo retires right?  If so, who the hell is taking over in Madison and could we possibly hate him more than the Grinch?

Greg Gard.  I have no doubt in my mind about this.