So VCU lost. The clock struck midnight. Cinderella’s carriage turned into a pumpkin. The horses in mice. And other generic Cinderella metaphors.
Shaka Smart, some fans say, didn’t live up to his name. The Rams collided with an opponent that’d been here before. It was just another game for Butler
The Bulldogs, put simply, played better.
The Rams of Virginia Commonwealth are headed home. Jersey’s still moist with defeat. Heads hanging. Dreams shattered.
Or are they?
Certainly they are headed home, but in the wake of defeat, clarity has seemed to surface.
Of all the talk these past few weeks about where Shaka Smart will end up, most people didn’t think he would stay. Most people looked at the past VCU coaches that had turned a little Richmond success into a payday.
VCU basketball court // Photo: vcu.edu
Originally, Jeff Capel left after four seasons for Oklahoma. Then, Anthony Grant left after three for Alabama.
Shaka Smart, in just two seasons, has won 41 regular-season games (including wins over Oklahoma, UCLA, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas), a CBI championship and has a Final Four appearance.
Realtors are lined up at his door. People are ready to help him pack his bags.
But after the game, he reportedly said:
“You don’t know me very well if you ask that,” Smart said. “Of course it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime run. We’re going to try to do this every year. It’s not easy, there’s no question about it. This is my second year. You know, we’ve got a lot of things that we still want to accomplish. This was a terrific run. Are we capable of doing it again? Sure. No question. If we’re capable of coming together as a group and playing aggressive, confident, loose basketball, and we have the right guys out there, it’s certainly possible.”
Talk is cheap, though. And right now, Smart’s contract might even be cheaper. And because of that, Smart might start looking elsewhere – like his predecessors.
In a recent column, I suggested that Smart has options. And he does.
Shaka Smart // vcu.edu
Every school with money and a vacancy is going to be calling. This is his opportunity to get out of Richmond and make a name for himself.
Some people think N.C. State is the perfect fit. The ACC is a basketball conference and North Carolina is a relative mecca for college hoops.
But hold on. Perhaps Smart is going to stay. The school has already mentioned that donations are increasing because of the tournament and they have offered to restructure Smart’s deal.
Granted, he won;t be making $2.2 million. But, maybe he knows that the glass slipper in the tournament, might translate to real life. Eventually the Clock strikes midnight.
And you’re riding home in a different kind of “buggie.”
For the sake of the school, I hope they give him a decent raise and the boosters contribute to the basket program. Two years is not long enough to establish a winning reputation. If he is happy now, I am sure any increase in benefits would make him stay for now…unless greed rears its head.
UnderRAPS
For the sake of the school, I hope they give him a decent raise and the boosters contribute to the basket program. Two years is not long enough to establish a winning reputation. If he is happy now, I am sure any increase in benefits would make him stay for now…unless greed rears its head.
UnderRAPS