[NU Sports] Shaka Smart Reported to Have Turned Down Illini JobOffer

[Mark Ament]

The situation in Champaign is extremely chaotic and one that no reasonably in demand coach will be interested in and Shaka Smart is more than just reasonably in demand.  However, he has said many times how happy he and his wife, a NU grad, are in Richmond and that they have no desire to leave over money. I believe him.

It will take a special situation to woo him and while I doubt that NU is that situation, the connection with his wife can't be completely discounted. Rumor has it that he also turned NU down but how true that is I don't know.  I would much prefer him to Chris Collins.  In fact, I would much prefer Tavaras Hardy to Collins.

As for Illinois, not only is the athletic department a disaster, but at least two trustees are openly calling for the president's head. If I were a coach, I would not go anywhere near that situation.

 Mark S. Ament
sportsbiz at gmail.com



On Mar 21, 2012, at 6:05 PM, Art Miller <artmiller1 at gmail.com> wrote:

> As happy as I am to see him spurn the Illini, that anecdote (if true) raises serious questions about his judgement.  Illinois may not be in the very top tier of college hoops, but IMO it's clearly in the second tier.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mar 21, 2012, at 4:09 PM, "rstetson at capps-assoc.com"<rstetson at capps-assoc.com> wrote:
> 
>> Word on the radio around here is that he's waiting for a Kansas type school.
>> 
>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
>> 
>> -----Original message-----
>> From: "Beamsley, Jeff" <Jeff.Beamsley at covisint.com>
>> To: neonrye at aol.com, nwu-sports at tssi.com
>> Sent: Wed, Mar 21, 2012 19:51:37 GMT+00:00
>> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Shaka Smart Reported to Have Turned Down Illini    JobOffer
>> 
>> He appears to have a good situation at VCU.  He obviously can recruit
>> players who can get him to the dance.
>> 
>> He will continue to be on a lot of schools' short lists.  Will be
>> interesting to see if there is an opportunity that would cause him to
>> leave.
>> 
>> Jeff
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com]
>> On Behalf Of neonrye at aol.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 3:06 PM
>> To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
>> Subject: [NU Sports] Shaka Smart Reported to Have Turned Down Illini
>> JobOffer
>> 
>> 
>> Boo hoo!  The Illini have apparently been dissed by Shaka (who must be
>> very) Smart:
>> http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story/_/id/7718478/vcu-coach-shaka-smart-
>> reportedly-turns-
>> 
>> Paul Levinson
>> illinois
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