OT: Shaka to Minnesota?

[pearl31]

People with "sources" claiming it's a done deal:
http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?45552-Inside-Report

 

[AluminNV]

Makes sense. Thought firing Tubby was a dumb move by them but if you have Shaka Smart lined up then its a great move.

 

[djcon57]

If that's true, he's an idiot. that's a nothing happening program.

 

[pearl31]

the only way it's even a slight possibility is because the Minn AD was his AD at VCU and apparently Shaka really likes him

 

[cuseattle]

I heard Shaka was on UCLA's short list. Why would he pick Minny over that...?

 

[gocraz4dasu]

I'll be surprised if it happens. I see his wife around Richmond and, from all accounts, loves it. UCLA wouldn't surprise me though, I always thought he'd leave for a big-time job. Minnesota isn't exactly that by my definition.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Didnt he turn down a big time job a couple years ago? Why would he do that only to bolt to that frozen ass place

 

[AccuRater]

Didnt he turn down a big time job a couple years ago? Why would he do that only to bolt to that frozen ass place

Let me see. No good coaches (or sought-after recruits?) should consider bolting to a "frozen ass place"?

We're toast.

 

[Moontan]

Didnt he turn down a big time job a couple years ago? Why would he do that only to bolt to that frozen ass place

Well... MN is bigger than VCU. He's also originally from another "frozen ass" place.

That, and his former AD is now the AD at UMM.

 

[IthacaMatt]

People with "sources" claiming it's a done deal:
http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?45552-Inside-Report

He's going to get an offer from UCLA. I'd much prefer that to Minnesota.

 

[Marsh01]

He and Brad Stevens are waiting for a top tier job to open up. UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, Carolina, Kansas. He will never take the Minny job.

 

[Alsacs]

If Shaka takes the Minnesota job he is FLAT OUT DUMB. VCU is paying 1.25 million, Minnesota is a lower tier B1G job it is below Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland at best it will be the 7th best job in that conference. If he thinks taking that job is good he really has no clue. Minnesota is going to hire ex-NBA coach and Gopher alum Flip Saunders. He is the best I think the Gophers can do. Look at Tubby he was 46-62 in B1G play and Shaka Smart honestly wants this job. This rumor is not going to happen.

 

[Moontan]

He and Brad Stevens are waiting for a top tier job to open up. UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, Carolina, Kansas. He will never take the Minny job.

Agreed. They can keeping getting great results at their current gigs until one of their preferred top jobs is available. Is UCLA one of their top jobs? Who knows?

My prior post was in response to STEVEHOLT's query about Shaka and that "frozen ass" destination.

 

[Jake]

Shaka will use the minny rumors to leverage ucla.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Would not be surprised at all to see him wind up at Minny, as long as Minny is ready to upgrade their facilities which they probably are. Shaka is anything but typical

 

[cliftonparksufan]

If Shaka takes the Minnesota job he is FLAT OUT DUMB. VCU is paying 1.25 million, Minnesota is a lower tier B1G job it is below Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland at best it will be the 7th best job in that conference.

I can't believe I am going to say this, but you could argue that Rutgers is a better job than Minnesota (based on east coast bias and all). Now that I've said that, I need to take a long cold shower.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

It doesn't take much ( coaching and money) to build a solid basketball program in one of the power conferences, they have the money and if they are willing to upgrade their facilities and you have a coach that can recruit, then there you go. Tubby was fired on a year they went to the tourney, obviously Minny has set the bar much higher than Rutgers.

UCLA has unrealistic expectations, kids today don't care that they were great 35-40 years ago, they just don't.

 

[Moontan]

I can't believe I am going to say this, but you could argue that Rutgers is a better job than Minnesota (based on east coast bias and all). Now that I've said that, I need to take a long cold shower.

That's crazy.
Rutgers fans have a hard enough time spelling "RAC", they have never even heard of the NCAA (men's) Tournament.

 

[Alsacs]

Minnesota has forgotten its place in the B1G landscape. Best case for Minnesota is they are Wisconsin they recruit under-recruited kids and develop a reputation as a solid team who will dominate at home and will steal a couple of games on the road. Wisconsin never does anything in the tournament because they rarely get elite talent a la when they had Devin Harris or that dude Alando Tucker? Minnesota needs to find a coach like Iowa and Boston College have who will rebuild the program because if Tubby Smith isn't good enough for them and I thought he underachieved they will have a hard time getting a good coach. They have 1 Final Four (1998) in recent memory and that is it. Shaka Smart isn't leaving VCU for Minnesota. Shaka could have had the NC State job 2 years ago and NC State is a better job than Minnesota.

 

[Alsacs]

I can't believe I am going to say this, but you could argue that Rutgers is a better job than Minnesota (based on east coast bias and all). Now that I've said that, I need to take a long cold shower.

Rutgers is the Tony Mandarich of college jobs. It looks good on paper, but underneath it is a terrible job. The RAC is a glorified high school gym, the fanbase has suffered a lot, its a job with potential but its conference is always going to swallow them up the Big East and B1G has too many good teams for them to rebuild. It will take a total turnover of the roster and full freshman class of 3-5 kids playing together for 4 years for them to turn it around. Minnesota has had some success thus they can recruit a letter better, but Minnesota is a 3 star job and Shaka Smart is a 5 star coaching candidate. Rutgers is a 2 star kid with offers from Akron and Western Michigan with 4 years of development can become a Minnesota like program.

 

[Moontan]

They have 1 Final Four (1998) in recent memory and that is it.

Just like Cal's UMass & Memphis exploits... Minny's didn't happen either.

 

[SU2NASA]

Where careers go to die.

 

[SU2NASA]

Rutgers is the Tony Mandarich of college jobs. It looks good on paper

It does?!?

the fanbase has suffered a lot

What fanbase?

 

[Alsacs]

It does?!?



What fanbase?

It looks good on paper because it is a BCS conference job with close proximity to a lot of HS basketball talent, the fanbase of Rutgers basketball completely bottomed out in 2006. From 2002-2005 the RAC was one of the tougher arenas for Syracuse to play in. They beat us in 2003 because of their homecourt, and in 2005 a 19-1 Orange team went 20 points at halftime at the RAC before making a great comeback and suriving a Douby buzzer beater. I still remember JB's face after Douby got that shot in 2005 SU-RU game at the RAC.

 

[JSOrange97]

It looks good on paper because it is a BCS conference job with close proximity to a lot of HS basketball talent, the fanbase of Rutgers basketball completely bottomed out in 2006. From 2002-2005 the RAC was one of the tougher arenas for Syracuse to play in. They beat us in 2003 because of their homecourt, and in 2005 a 19-1 Orange team went 20 points at halftime at the RAC before making a great comeback and suriving a Douby buzzer beater. I still remember JB's face after Douby got that shot in 2005 SU-RU game at the RAC.

Having grown up in NJ, I've been to games in the past at the RAC and the place can be crazy loud. However, lately they can't even come close to filling the place. That program is almost on life support at this point. They hired a lunatic coach (Rice) who now that he has to try and control himself has no idea which end is up...