Notes from the Chicago luncheon

[tower912]

https://247sports.com/college/marquette/Article/Shaka-Smart-and-Coaches-at-Chicago-fan-Luncheon-174034523/

I wanted to get this here first, before all of the other scoop accounts of the Chicago luncheon are posted.   

[Dr. Blackheart]

One luncheon to judge: Neither Shaka nor Megan nor their assistants have partaken in the soul changing experience of Real Chili. We are left to wonder about the interviewing process laid down by one Bill Scholl.

[tower912]

Longhorn fans thought he dissed their barbecue, too.

[dgies9156]

One luncheon to judge: Neither Shaka nor Megan nor their assistants have partaken in the soul changing experience of Real Chili. We are left to wonder about the interviewing process laid down by one Bill Scholl.

Obviously they want to live a long, happy life free of arterial blockage and obesity.

On a basketball note, Shaka and his team do not sound like a group who has a projected ninth place basketball. The excitement for what they had was obvious as they work toward getting the guys ready for the season.

[avid1010]

Shaka's talk on retention, along with how you see him interact with the team, is really interesting to me.  IMHO a coach that can regularly put a team on the court that has an identity, experience, and ownership in the program is MU's best chance at sustainable success.  I'm excited to see players develop and to see a meaningful culture and identity within MU hoops.   

[Dr. Blackheart]

180 in attendance, so a good turnout, beautiful digs and setting. My tablemates were exceptionally charming.

Shaka called out the MUBB Chicago alums and the fact that MU has no Chicago scholarship players on the roster. Said that has to change and that they were hot on three right now.

Coaches drove together and were arguing minutes and players on way down. Shaka then said 11 of 12 scholarship players were ready for minutes. The article's observers felt that was Keeyan, maybe via a sidebar conversation. But, we thought it was odd that OMax wasn't even mentioned while many Scoopers have him pencilled in as a starter.

Lots of glowing Kam comments. Most ready of the frosh, and mentioned in same breadth as the other prominent players: Morsell, Tyler, Greg and Kur. Don't be surprised by a four guard line-up.

Per Avid's comments about culture and retention, the coaches are assigned players to be mentors. Cody gets the difficult ones and they later mentioned he has Lewis.

Nice pump event. Not a lot to read into anyone's takeaways. However, everyone in the room is very excited about the season.

[Skatastrophy]

Obviously they want to live a long, happy life free of arterial blockage and obesity.

On a basketball note, Shaka and his team do not sound like a group who has a projected ninth place basketball. The excitement for what they had was obvious as they work toward getting the guys ready for the season.

Yeah, it's nice to have a guy with marketing/branding chops holding the reins again. Crean was a master at it.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Shaka's talk on retention, along with how you see him interact with the team, is really interesting to me.  IMHO a coach that can regularly put a team on the court that has an identity, experience, and ownership in the program is MU's best chance at sustainable success. I'm excited to see players develop and to see a meaningful culture and identity within MU hoops.   

1,000%

if he can deliver on that, his chances of success are high

[Warriors4ever]

The Real Chili admissions for both the men's and women's staffs were shocking. The men's staff said they hadn't even heard of Real Chili. Props to Steve Bertrand for making it the first question to each staff 🤣
Shaka said the team was in Chicago bonding for a few days. I'm trying to get my head around the entire team being at the Shedd Aquarium.
Definitely need to work on the Chicago pipeline.

[bilsu]

Shaka's talk on retention, along with how you see him interact with the team, is really interesting to me.  IMHO a coach that can regularly put a team on the court that has an identity, experience, and ownership in the program is MU's best chance at sustainable success.  I'm excited to see players develop and to see a meaningful culture and identity within MU hoops.   
[/quote
I was very glad to see him mention the importance of retention.  Wojo did a poor job in this area.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Acoustics? Mispronunciations?

[tower912]

180 in attendance, so a good turnout, beautiful digs and setting. My tablemates were exceptionally charming.

Shaka called out the MUBB Chicago alums and the fact that MU has no Chicago scholarship players on the roster. Said that has to change and that they were hot on three right now.

Coaches drove together and were arguing minutes and players on way down. Shaka then said 11 of 12 scholarship players were ready for minutes. The article's observers felt that was Keeyan, maybe via a sidebar conversation. But, we thought it was odd that OMax wasn't even mentioned while many Scoopers have him pencilled in as a starter.

Lots of glowing Kam comments. Most ready of the frosh, and mentioned in same breadth as the other prominent players: Morsell, Tyler, Greg and Kur. Don't be surprised by a four guard line-up.

Per Avid's comments about culture and retention, the coaches are assigned players to be mentors. Cody gets the difficult ones and they later mentioned he has Lewis.

Nice pump event. Not a lot to read into anyone's takeaways. However, everyone in the room is very excited about the season.

Thank you, Dr. B.

[MuggsyB]

Shaka's talk on retention, along with how you see him interact with the team, is really interesting to me.  IMHO a coach that can regularly put a team on the court that has an identity, experience, and ownership in the program is MU's best chance at sustainable success.  I'm excited to see players develop and to see a meaningful culture and identity within MU hoops.   

Excellent post.  We absolutely need to get our identity back and all the other things you mentioned.

[Shooter McGavin]

Love what we are hearing about Kam.  Can't wait to see that kid play.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Acoustics? Mispronunciations?

The guys at my table were slurring. Bertrand introduced the new MU coach, "Shaka Smith".

[pbiflyer]

Excellent post.  We absolutely need to get our identity back and all the other things you mentioned.

What kind of identity can with have when the staff doesn't even know what real chili is???????? 

[4everwarriors]

Any Jen Lada sightin's. Iz she still tight wit Ma, hey?

[Goose]

Thanks for the Jen Lada shout out, Doc. That reference always makes me laugh hard.

[Uncle Rico]

The guys at my table were slurring. Bertrand introduced the new MU coach, "Shaka Smith".

Close enough

[Dr. Blackheart]

Close enough

Welp, Coach Haynes did try to take Shaka's seat on the dais.

Speaking of which, the assistants were all impressive but Coaches Haynes and Komara do seem ready to take the leap to head coach.

[Uncle Rico]

Welp, Coach Haynes did try to take Shaka's seat on the dais.

Speaking of which, the assistants were all impressive but Coaches Haynes and Komara do seem ready to take the leap to head coach.

Interesting tidbit.  The more quality coaches on the bench, the better

[Warriors4ever]

Yeah that was pretty funny when he started to sit down in Shaka's seat.

[real chili 83]

180 in attendance, so a good turnout, beautiful digs and setting. My tablemates were exceptionally charming.

Aw, shucks.  I did think it was rather charitable of us to allow a cardinals fan to sit with us.

One other tidbit, riding the elevator down afterwards with Jerel McNeal, he hopes the next stop on his journey is coaching.  He's probably played his last TBT too.

The afternoon was wrapped up with an executive board meeting of the Underboard, then some shameless day drinking.   A toast to Big Daddy was ratified and passed unanimously. 

[real chili 83]

The Real Chili admissions for both the men's and women's staffs were shocking. The men's staff said they hadn't even heard of Real Chili. Props to Steve Bertrand for making it the first question to each staff 🤣
Shaka said the team was in Chicago bonding for a few days. I'm trying to get my head around the entire team being at the Shedd Aquarium.
Definitely need to work on the Chicago pipeline.

I can confirm they weren't at Real Chili the next day for lunch too.   Do we have an issue here?

[real chili 83]

Coaches drove together and were arguing minutes and players on way down. Shaka then said 11 of 12 scholarship players were ready for minutes.

This too was interesting. Coaches made a big stink about not knowing how minutes will be doled out.  If you take this at face value, players are still being evaluated.  One might think the coaches would have a handle on each player is by now. 

Shaka impresses as someone who has his poop in a group, and knows exactly how minutes will be given out, and that this was just hyperbole, knowing that theses comments would find their way back to the locker room by about 1:45.

Also, want to thank Steve for leading with the question I submitted.