Crimson Red Sports

The difference in the trajectory of the two programs is pretty significant, and the outcomes achieved by each school could not be more different.

Thoughts?

:popcorn2:

Coaching, but an SEC schedule does not help, either, but it still boils down to the man in charge.


 :think:

Yes, VCU has improved without Grant at the helm.   :-\

Bama has done worse since Grant came here.

NC State has improved with Gottfried.

VCU had been to one NCAA Tournament with the three previous coaching staffs before Grant arrived. Grant was there three years and made 2 NCAA's and 1 NIT. He left the program in much better shape than he found it.

Smart came in after Grant and has done a very good job. Smart has an overall record of 111-37 (.750) and Grant 76-25 (.752). Smart has not won a conference championship yet. Grant won the conference all three years.

Grant did very well at VCU, arguably as good as Smart. He has not done as well at Alabama. I am counting on that to change next year.

Gottfried was left with some very good talent. Wait 2 more years and then let's se where NC State is at. I consider 4 years the length of time you need to look at a coach's performance.

A decent (average) coach should win at NC State. A good coach would win big. That area of the country is basketball crazy much like the deep south is football crazy.

Have to disagree. Smart has taken VCU to the NCAA four times in 5 years, twice to the Sweet 16 & once to the Final Four and they are in it this year. Grant can not even touch those accomplishments.


 :popcorn2:

Smart made deeper runs in the NCAA Tourney. Grant won conference championships. The conference was a one bid league when CAG was coach. Grant's team that did not make the NCAA was 24-8 with a 15-3 conference record but they lost in the finals of the conference Tourney. Smart went to the NCAA three times with a record worst than Grant as an at large team. CAG NCAA team that beat Duke put VCU and the conference on the map.

Smart has made deeper runs in the NCAA but he also has had an easier path. Smart teams with similar resumes as Grant's are getting 5 seeds where Grant was getting 12 seeds. That is partly due to the success Grant had before him.

Smart has done very well for VCU. Grant did too.

NC State had not been to the NCAA Tournament in the 5 years before Gottfried got there.  While he had returning talent his first two seasons, his team now has 6 freshmen, 3 sophomores, 4 juniors (was he was involved in recruiting?), Trevor Lacey, and 2 players that were there when he got there....   Just can't admit that he's a decent coach, eh?   :lol2:

Gottfried is a good coach. I was thrilled when we hired him. He did a good job at Alabama until his last couple of years. He became complacent as many coaches do after 10 years or so at the same job. It was time for him to go. Sitting out a year allowed him to re-energize himself and get his fire back.

I hope Gottfried continues to do well at NC State. He is not only a former coach, he is a former player and graduate.

No, I'm saying let's see what happens after he's been there 4 to 5 years instead of looking at the short term.


 :dog:

Smart should be fired.

 :deadhorse:

You probably aren't the only person saying that today.  His team made one of the worst mistakes in tournament history last night to cost themselves the game.