If Buzz says NO...

coolm said:
(from the other thread)
Of course I will point this all out now and VCU will get blasted by KU because of the athleticism mismatch.

If you watch/compare the styles of Buzz and Shaka Smart then you walk away instantly impressed with Smart. No offense to Buzz (who I am sure is a good coach) but Smart's style just smacks of hard work and preparation on both sides of the court.

His teams defensively remind you of what Billy Tubbs did in the past - pressing hard after made baskets and using the full court press often. He also changes up defenses often...basically using many different sets, presses, and traps to "wreak havoc on our opponent's psyche and their plan of attack."

Offensively they get the ball up the court quickly and spread (to use 2 man) or weave at the top of the key to take advantage of numerous downcuts. What has been very impressive is the way they move even quicker to combat tighter defenses and actually improve their fg% as a result. Florida State was the top defensive team in the country and VCU shot over 50% against them in the first half. What kept FSU in the game was all the offensive rebounds and second shot attempts.

IMO Smart's style is much more enticing for OU than Buzz's. The guy is highly intelligent (like the Mike Leach of basketball), dynamic, his players love him, and he's spent time as an assistant at Calif Univ of Pa, Dayton, Akron, Clemson, and Florida (each being a move up) so it's not like he hasn't been around.

He'd be a good hire.
Click to expand...

Agree on all of this. Shaka is going to be a damn good coach for someone. I initially had him high on my list for Mizzou, but because of his inexperience on this level and lack of connections to the area I don't think he's what Mizzou needs right now (we need someone who can come in and hit the ground running in recruiting, with 9+ scholarships to fill by November; I'm not convinced he does that).

In a lot of ways he reminds me of a young Quin Snyder, and I mean that as a compliment. Snyder was a brilliant guy who new the game inside and out, was a great recruiter, had been an assistant for the best coach in the country, and was extremely energetic.

Unfortunately, he was energetic because of copious amounts of cocaine going up his nose.

I really do feel like Quin could've been a great coach, though. He just needed to be in the right place at the right time, and Mizzou wasn't it. He should have started at a mid-major like Shaka's doing now.

I don't anticipate Shaka having the kind of personal demons that haunted Quin, but I do think he carries some of the same risk/reward factors. If he can land the right job at the right time, the sky is the limit. But if things don't work out, he could destroy a promising career just as it's getting started.
 
coolm said:
(from the other thread)
Of course I will point this all out now and VCU will get blasted by KU because of the athleticism mismatch.

If you watch/compare the styles of Buzz and Shaka Smart then you walk away instantly impressed with Smart. No offense to Buzz (who I am sure is a good coach) but Smart's style just smacks of hard work and preparation on both sides of the court.

His teams defensively remind you of what Billy Tubbs did in the past - pressing hard after made baskets and using the full court press often. He also changes up defenses often...basically using many different sets, presses, and traps to "wreak havoc on our opponent's psyche and their plan of attack."

Offensively they get the ball up the court quickly and spread (to use 2 man) or weave at the top of the key to take advantage of numerous downcuts. What has been very impressive is the way they move even quicker to combat tighter defenses and actually improve their fg% as a result. Florida State was the top defensive team in the country and VCU shot over 50% against them in the first half. What kept FSU in the game was all the offensive rebounds and second shot attempts.

IMO Smart's style is much more enticing for OU than Buzz's. The guy is highly intelligent (like the Mike Leach of basketball), dynamic, his players love him, and he's spent time as an assistant at Calif Univ of Pa, Dayton, Akron, Clemson, and Florida (each being a move up) so it's not like he hasn't been around.

He'd be a good hire.
Click to expand...

:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap
 
Sawyer said:
Agree on all of this. Shaka is going to be a damn good coach for someone. I initially had him high on my list for Mizzou, but because of his inexperience on this level and lack of connections to the area I don't think he's what Mizzou needs right now (we need someone who can come in and hit the ground running in recruiting, with 9+ scholarships to fill by November; I'm not convinced he does that).

In a lot of ways he reminds me of a young Quin Snyder, and I mean that as a compliment. Snyder was a brilliant guy who new the game inside and out, was a great recruiter, had been an assistant for the best coach in the country, and was extremely energetic.

Unfortunately, he was energetic because of copious amounts of cocaine going up his nose.

I really do feel like Quin could've been a great coach, though. He just needed to be in the right place at the right time, and Mizzou wasn't it. He should have started at a mid-major like Shaka's doing now.

I don't anticipate Shaka having the kind of personal demons that haunted Quin, but I do think he carries some of the same risk/reward factors. If he can land the right job at the right time, the sky is the limit. But if things don't work out, he could destroy a promising career just as it's getting started.
Click to expand...

Why would you believe that Smart couldn"t recruit Mizzou's scholarship needs? How does he or any other currently successful coach convince you that they can recruit? There is no good place for a guy to coach nor a right time to coach when you are sucking coke up the nostrils - like much of coach K's coaching tree, he has not done well..............
 
Last edited:
First, on Quin... I think his right time/place would have been after a few more years at Duke after confronting his personal problems. I believe he is past it now and have heard there were people close to him with concerns even back then (guys like Bilas and other friends). After accomplishing that, working through the mid-major ranks for a few years, THEN he'd be ready. Or maybe he'll earn a shot again someday and he'll have a better perspective on life (wouldn't shock me).

But this is about Shaka, not Quin.

The reason I am doubtful of his ability to recruit the nine open spots Mizzou has is because he simply hasn't been in touch with those types of recruits at all (I assume). He's been recruiting east coast talent for an east coast mid-major. It would be a major undertaking to come to Mizzou and start all over. Major recruits aren't won the summer before their senior year. The heavy lifting is done over the previous two or three seasons. Could he find a way to get it done with a few players? I'm sure he could. But nine? I'm doubtful. And I don't want to have any doubts with whoever Mizzou hires.

Besides... if you could bring in the three-time Big 10 coach of the year, would you want to take a shot on Shaka?
 
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