Not on Vilarino's list?

[Pavarotti]

The coaches who have won the most at VCU have been younger up-and-comers (JD, Capel, Grant). Our older, "more stable" coaches won more than 50% of their games, but not nearly as much as the young guys have.

I would put winning above continuity, because it is winning more than anything else that builds a program.

 

[Mistachill]

Not to mention it didn't seem like he got much consideration for the Appy State job.

I thnk if tTony was the right guy for VCU he would have gotten the job. But he was not. VCU looked and went in another direction, based on our needs and suggestions of others. I think it is most telling that Grant did not give him a coaching job either. You do the math.

 

[Mercury]

I don't give a flying fornication about the success of next season compared to the overall continuity of The Program.

Anyone who truly cares about the "overall continuity of The Program" would want something better for VCU than the revolving door that seems to have been installed in the men's basketball office.

What we've got going on right now is not continuity. We should all get used to it, though, because if Shaka is as successful as everyone seems convinced he'll be, we'll be going through it again when he chases BCS dollars in 3 or 4 years.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't help but feel like our insistence on signing "the hot young assistant" is eventually going to catch up to us on the court.

So what would have happened if Tony came in and had a couple of good seasons. Do you think he would have stayed around because he loved VCU or would he have gone and chased the BCS dollars like our previous two coaches?

 

[Half-baked Mcbride]

I don't give a flying fornication about the success of next season compared to the overall continuity of The Program.

Anyone who truly cares about the "overall continuity of The Program" would want something better for VCU than the revolving door that seems to have been installed in the men's basketball office.

What we've got going on right now is not continuity. We should all get used to it, though, because if Shaka is as successful as everyone seems convinced he'll be, we'll be going through it again when he chases BCS dollars in 3 or 4 years.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't help but feel like our insistence on signing "the hot young assistant" is eventually going to catch up to us on the court.

Our current "revolving door" situation is a direct result of the stranglehold we've had on the CAA since Capel. We win, that's what we do.....THAT is the continuity I speak of. If Shaka is succesful and leaves....then we do it again with someone else.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

Maybe Grant didn't recommend Tony for the VCU job. Did that thought ever cross your mind? We definitely have the better coach. I think Tony's currrent employment position at Bama speaks volumes.

 

[AG_fan]

Maybe Grant didn't recommend Tony for the VCU job. Did that thought ever cross your mind? We definitely have the better coach. I think Tony's currrent employment position at Bama speaks volumes.

No disrespect intended, but I highly doubt AG got some sort of vote (or even an opportunity to consult) on his replacement. For better or worse, Norwood has made it perfectly clear this was his call all the way. His rep as an AD will sink or swim with Shaka.

Second, you think we have the better coach. So far, Shaka has accomplished nothing (OK, other than signing an in-state kid who most likely was still available b/c other coaches weren't sure of his academics) to prove he's the best man for the job. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

Third, if AG really had some kind of issue with Tony, no way he even takes him on as DOBO at Alabama. He's still an assistant coach for practice purposes, he just doesn't get to go on the road to recruit. So I'm not really sure where the "there must have been some problem with Pujol" camp is getting its info.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

My guess is Coach Grant did have some input since he was Tony's "employer". There is no reason for Norwood not to get Grant's perspective on Tony.

Regarding Grant taking Tony to Bama as DOBO, that alone sends up red flags. First, why didn't Grant take him as an assistant if he was such a good recruiter and there were no problems? Second, why would Tony take a DOBO job versus an assistant job at some other school? He is very limited in what he can do in that position, plus it looks horrible on his resume. I feel there's more to this story than we all know.

 

[Rambunctious]

Anyone who truly cares about the "overall continuity of The Program" would want something better for VCU than the revolving door that seems to have been installed in the men's basketball office.

What we've got going on right now is not continuity. We should all get used to it, though, because if Shaka is as successful as everyone seems convinced he'll be, we'll be going through it again when he chases BCS dollars in 3 or 4 years.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't help but feel like our insistence on signing "the hot young assistant" is eventually going to catch up to us on the court.

I have the same concern to a degree, but there is also another possibility...

Capel righted the ship and got us on good footing for Grant. When Capel left however VCU wasn't yet garnering a lot of national attention.

In comes Grant. In his 3 years, between beating Duke, having Maynor blast onto the national scene, going to 2 NCAAs and an NIT, and coaching rumors galore, VCU glided onto the national radar big-time. And we paid Grant for it like we've paid no other coach.

Shaka is now coming into a situation at VCU in which there is much more brand awareness of our program than ever before. His cupboard is arguably as well stocked as Grant's, with the exception of a potential gap that Grant didn't have (PG). Our interior game is much better than under Grant (I don't think think you can compare Larry Sanders and Jamie Skeen to Will Fameni and Michael Anderson). Shaka has an opportunity now to employ a benefit that Grant could not and that is the national reputation of VCU as an emerging program. One that now sends players to the NBA (2 years in a row maybe). In my opinion he is set up like no other coach in VCU history - - and here we are all whining because we had one xfer and a decommit. If Shaka extends the wins then I think we'll definitely see better recruits choose VCU. We have room to grow Shaka's salary - - we paid Grant $850K, so who's to say we wouldn't pay Shaka more than that if he can continue the success. Norwood raised Grant's salary as much to send a message as he did to keep Grant. That message was look at us, we are serious about our basketball and we are not your typical mid-major. At some point in the "revolving process" a successful coach is going to stay and then we will be off and rolling as a "program". Right now we've hit 3rd or 4th gear and this thing has about 18 gears.

I have to say that the approach we are taking is pure marketing savvy. The beauty of this whole thing is we are always in the news and our approach creates conversation and engagement in the basketball program - - it's exciting to have up tempo ball and a young, smart (pun intended) coach at a school with a publicly stated goal of becoming nationally prominent. All of this buzz fills seats. Full seats create an atmosphere that intimidates opponents and helps us win. And winning continues to fill the seats.

Pure genius by Norwood.

Let's just see what Shaka has up his sleeve as well. Something tells me we'll have another PG in a couple of weeks and we'll again be a competitor to ODU for that elusive off-season championship they always win.

 

[VCUFTW]

good stuff...probably coming off as an idiot, but what is this off season championship that you speak of?

 

[Rambunctious]

ODU always wins the award for the best team in the off-season (on paper and in the minds of their fanbase).

 

[fmrick]

Maybe Grant didn't recommend Tony for the VCU job. Did that thought ever cross your mind? We definitely have the better coach. I think Tony's currrent employment position at Bama speaks volumes.

No disrespect intended, but I highly doubt AG got some sort of vote (or even an opportunity to consult) on his replacement. For better or worse, Norwood has made it perfectly clear this was his call all the way. His rep as an AD will sink or swim with Shaka.

Second, you think we have the better coach. So far, Shaka has accomplished nothing (OK, other than signing an in-state kid who most likely was still available b/c other coaches weren't sure of his academics) to prove he's the best man for the job. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

Third, if AG really had some kind of issue with Tony, no way he even takes him on as DOBO at Alabama. He's still an assistant coach for practice purposes, he just doesn't get to go on the road to recruit. So I'm not really sure where the "there must have been some problem with Pujol" camp is getting its info.

Sorry, but you are wrong on all three of you points.

Grant did have input. As I said before, you do the math. There were other D1 jobs open that would have been better for Tony than DOBO in Alabama. Which offered him? Again, you do the math. Maybe Grant felt sorry for him and threw him a bone. Let's see where he is in two years.

We have no clue what Shaka has done for VCU. That remains to be seen.

Your problem is right there in your screen name. You are a Grant fan. I'm a VCU fan.

 

[MarcusNation]

Your problem is right there in your screen name. You are a Grant fan. I'm a VCU fan.

And that pretty much calls this conversation to an end.