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What was Shaka thinking? (guest blog)
BY MCGREGOR MCCANCE
What was Shaka Smart thinking when he declared Monday that the Colonial Athletic Association has the top basketball programs in the state of Virginia?
Based only on my observation of Coach Smart from afar — as a fan and graduate of Smart’s Virginia Commonwealth University — I’ll make a slightly educated guess.
Smart was being himself, which is to say honest and savvy.
I don’t think Smart ever makes a comment that doesn’t live up to his name. He provides honest answers, if incomplete answers, depending on the question. He says what he wants to say, and never gets goaded into saying more.
Thus, his proclamation Monday, which caused a little sensation across the state in a season in which the University of Virginia is clearly having the best run among in-state universities, appears surprising at first.
Analyze what he said, however.
That the best programs in the state are at the CAA schools?
The numbers support this one. VCU has won more games than any state team in the past decade. Both the Rams and George Mason have been to the Final Four since 2006. ODU, VCU and Mason are regulars in the NCAA Tournament in the past decade.
If Shaka made this proclamation during the last of the Dave Leitao years at UVa, no one would say a word. What makes it compelling now is the play of UVa so far this season, and the obvious improvement of the program under Tony Bennett.
The Cavaliers so far this season have the strongest body of work among state teams: a resume that includes a Top 20 ranking, wins against ranked opponents and wins against Mason and another top CAA contender in Drexel.
Like the overall strength of the basketball programs among Virginia colleges, everything is relative and nothing stands still.
ACC backers shouldn’t play the card that their league is much tougher than the CAA. Both leagues are imbalanced and full of weaklings beyond the top tier.
Remember, too, that the quality of play changes throughout the season.
George Mason clearly is much better today than the Mason team that got throttled by UVa back in early December. VCU is far more capable today than when it wilted in the second half against a poor Georgia Tech team in mid-November.
Virginia’s recent play, meanwhile, makes one wonder if they’re really deserving of that national ranking. Losing a senior center to injury will do that to you.
So what was Shaka Smart thinking?
Exactly what he believes. And maybe – just maybe – reminding members of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee that his VCU Rams might be worth an at-large bid if they continue to play well through February.
It’s getting to be that time of year, you know.
Pages
Previous Entries
- Athens gets a BIG thumbs down
- Virginia falls to USC in NCAA final
- USC aftermath
- UVa-USC finals preview
- UVa beats Pepperdine, advances to finals
- UVa men’s tennis downs Stanford
- Jontel on the gridiron?
- Lax tidbits
- Starsia talks Notre Dame
- Lovejoy a joy to Starsia
Podcasts
- Slamtastic Episode 16:
- SPECIAL EDITION: Daily Progress Managing Editor McGregor McCance joins the podcast to talk about his beloved VCU Rams in the Final Four.
- Slamtastic Episode 15:
- Hootie and Whitey take a look at the upcoming ACC tournament game versus Miami and exam what next year's starting line-up might look like.
- Slamtastic Episode 14:
- Whitey and Brandon discuss the Hoos' last home game of the season, plus an early look at how the ACC is shaping up for next season and how the Cavs will measure up. Also, a recap of Whitey's trip to Atlanta scouting new UVa signee Malcolm Brogdon.
- Slamtastic Episode 13:
- Brandon Lloyd and Roger "Damn You" Gonzalez from HokiesnHoos.com join Whitey Reid to talk turkey, err Hokie, the Hoos' shooting woes and Osama Bin Laden.
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Posted by ( cjhoo99 ) on January 31, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Ultimately, I think we are mixing apples and oranges here. Without a doubt, the VA schools in the CAA are the cream of the crop for that conference (or at least tend to be perennial frontrunners). Even the Tribe put up a nice run two years ago. On the other hand, the Hoos and Hokies have been stuck in the middle of the pack or below in the ACC.
So, if Shaka wants to say, for the universe in which we live and play, we are ahead of the other state schools, that is a fair assessment.
Also, if the only gauge of success is number of Final Four appearances, then heck, let’s not stop at saying VCU and Mason are better than UVa and Tech. I mean, both Mason and VCU have the same number of Final Four Appearances since 2000 as Kentucky - so using that math, their equals. Something tells me Big Blue Nation might disagree.
I see the big disconnect coming when it is suggested ACC fans not play the “our league is better than your league” card. Based on Shaka’s criteria - number of Tourney Appearances and NBA players - he’s right, the two conferences are not even close. Since 2000 the ACC has, what, 4 titles, and 5 teams in the Final game (random run by Ga Tech). I think in any given year, UNC has more NBA players than all Virginia schools combined - seriously, taken their draft picks since 2000 and compare them to all Virginia schools combined. I bet they have the edge.
So, the Rams and Patriots get to the tourney more because they are better perennial programs in the CAA than UVa and Tech are in the ACC - in that respect they are ahead. That also means they get more opportunities to play in the big dance, and with more opportunities comes more chances to rack up tourney wins (and put together a well-timed string of victories and a ticket to the Final Four).
I think most would agree getting a bid out of the ACC, over the last decade, has proven more challenging than the CAA (remember the Hokies and Hoos face Duke and Carolina every year - they alone have more titles than the entire CAA has Final Four runs).
The difference in the two leagues absolutely impacts the number of wins, which impacts number of tourney appearances. Put it this way - would the conversation be different if Virginia and Va Tech were in the CAA or the Rams and Patriots were in the ACC? Almost certainly.
Good for Shaka making statement that grabs headlines - that’s what he should do in order to get his program noticed.
As a whole, is VCU’s program ahead of Virgnia and Va Tech (facilities, league, talent level, exposure, etc)? No, probably not. Is it better to be good year in and year out in a mid-major than mediocre in a top conference. Now that is one to consider….
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