Shaka Smart, Relationships and Trouble in Madison

[JakeBarnes]

Superbar this if you want. But scathing article from Madison today has to have Shaka calling all Wisconsin area recruits and talking about how he values relationships first. Sounds like Gard is on some thin ice

https://madison.com/wsj/sports/college/basketball/men/wisconsin-men-s-basketball-seniors-confronted-greg-gard-in-secretly-recorded-meeting-here-s-what/article_bf1afb44-c2fe-5983-86fb-4c107e776e15.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_

A few tidbits:

“I just feel like, coach, we don’t have a relationship,” said Nate Reuvers, a four-year starter. “In my mind, it’s too late for that. I personally don’t think or feel like you care about our future aspirations.

I can’t talk to you. I just don’t want to talk to you. After this, coach, I don’t know what type of relationship we’re going to have, if we have one.”

Anderson:

“You always ask, ‘Why is everybody getting so defensive? Why can’t anybody take it?’ (Because) I think that’s what you do to us, you’re always pointing the finger,” Anderson said during the meeting. “I think the defense mechanism is everybody’s pointing the finger at somebody else — I’m pointing at Brad, Brad’s pointing at Aleem — I think that comes down to a lot of, like, what you do to us.”

Honestly, while it's only been a few months I am super happy to have Shaka as our coach--he definitely values the players as people first and foremost.

[Tha Hound]

Positively delectable 

[The Lens]

Then Sam Dekker comes off the top rope in support of Gard-O

Who the hell gave these guys the idea that they’re bigger than the program?

Never been angrier reading an article.

And recording a meeting is the softest thing I’ve ever seen. Grow up.

Coaches coach.

Gard isn’t the one on a 8 min scoring drought every game. Get outta here.

https://twitter.com/dekker/status/1407360904757456897?s=20

[MU82]

Well, when an all-time NBA great like Sam Dekker speaks up, it means something! Also, given his long tenure at Wisconsin playing while Gard was the head coach there, it makes him an authority of how Gard has done his job since being promoted.

That's delicious stuff from Reuvers and Anderson -- and a nice tool that rivals can use against the tool who coaches the Rats.

[Skip Intro]

Then Sam Dekker comes off the top rope in support of Gard-O

https://twitter.com/dekker/status/1407360904757456897?s=20

Who was it that said Dekker was the only NBA teammate they hated?  This tracks.

[MU82]

See now that we have dueling threads, with one also going in the Superbar.

Mods ... combine?

[GB Warrior]

God, this is so good. Slap these on billboards leading into Madison. Project them on the Kohl Center.

[Pakuni]

Who was it that said Dekker was the only NBA teammate they hated?  This tracks.

JR Smith.

[cheebs09]

JR Smith.

Yup. Supposedly involving a racial slur.

Obligatory gif for whenever Sam Dekker’s NBA career is mentioned:

[TallTitan34]

Full audio:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4klW61CUcM

[Dr. Blackheart]

Full audio:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4klW61CUcM

Next season, Floppy McNutpuncher will be assigned to cup all players for a wire before every team meeting.

[tower912]

Should have just written a letter.

[Uncle Rico]

Should have just written a letter.

That’s a good point.  Thought Anderson would have known to do that. 

[Skip Intro]

JR Smith.

That's right, thank you.  Something about Dekker spouting Trumper stuff on the team bus.  Hope he's loving his time in Turkey. 

And none of this about Gard is really surprising - it's been a pretty open secret that he's not a "player's coach".  Old alums love coaches like this - too bad for them that today's recruits have no time for it. 

[NolongerWarriors]

Dekkar's right.

Those players have all the toughness of 5th grade girls.  Probably less.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

More people should record meetings. It's the best way to protect yourself.

[Dickthedribbler]

Gratified that Walt McGrory was able to get these things off his chest.

[MU82]

More people should record meetings. It's the best way to protect yourself.

100%.

[Pakuni]

More people should record meetings. It's the best way to protect yourself.

This is potentially bad advice.
Best to check the laws in your state first. Several states  - California, Illinois, Florida and Pennsylvania among them - require "two-party" consent to record a conversation, i.e. everyone involved has to know they're being recorded.
Had this occurred in Michigan instead of Wisconsin, the person who recorded the meeting would have been guilty of a crime (presuming here, as seems to be the case, that Gard was unaware he was being recorded).

[Uncle Rico]

Dekkar's right.

Those players have all the toughness of 5th grade girls.  Probably less.

So is Drakkar, but more pleasant smelling

[Scoop Snoop]

This is potentially bad advice.
Best to check the laws in your state first. Several states  - California, Illinois, Florida and Pennsylvania among them - require "two-party" consent to record a conversation, i.e. everyone involved has to know they're being recorded.
Had this occurred in Michigan instead of Wisconsin, the person who recorded the meeting would have been guilty of a crime (presuming here, as seems to be the case, that Gard was unaware he was being recorded).

As of several years ago, I believe that Virginia was the only state that allowed a conversation to be legally recorded without the knowledge of one party. Way back in the Clinton era, that's why Linda Tripp invited Monica Lewinsky to join her in Virginia rather than Maryland or DC to meet up so she could legally record what Monica said. As you have said, it's illegal in many (maybe 49) states and you can be charged with a crime and probably sued.

[MUDPT]

Joey and Sam are mentioned, this is just weird.

[Warrior2008]

Dekkar's right.

Those players have all the toughness of 5th grade girls.  Probably less.

A couple things.  Dekker seems to assume that one of the players was the source of the audio which isn't proven and most Badger insiders believe Alando Tucker did this on his way out as an assistant coach.  So to call out the players over something that was supposed to be a private conversation is entirely unfair on Dekker's part IMO.  Additionally, players having grievances with their coach isn't anything new and stuff like this happens all the time. 

But to me what makes this different is it confirms what Greg Gard said about the transfer portal that prompted the reaction from Koby McEwan and others.  If Greg Gard's own players believe he doesn't care about them and he then state's that players shouldn't transfer if they are unhappy because it makes it more difficult for him to coach, perhaps we should connect the dots about what Greg Gard thinks of his players and the college athlete.  Keep in mind his comments regarding the transfer portal would've come after this player meeting.

[withoutbias]

Joey and Sam are mentioned, this is just weird.

In what context?

[Knight Commission]

I suspect these meetings occur a lot in D1 basketball.  A likeable/big personality coach is better equipped to keep these grievances in the locker room.  I believe a coach’s soft skills are as important as his bench coach skills for these reasons.