OK Thunder, here is what the "Knoxville News Senseless" is saying:
UT is targeting the following:
Jay Wright - ? Maybe, but I don't know.
Jamie Dixon - Nice guy, chokes
Mark Turgeon - :mj12: Talk about Flavor of the Month
Anthony Grant - They say he isn't happy at Bama
Gregg Marshall - Not a bad 3-4-5 choice
Having listed those, I think they are smoking crack on a couple. I said it in February, and still say it now, I want Shaka Smart. He is young, intelligent, plays a style of basketball that will attract shooters and defenders, and IMO has done better than Grant at VCU with less.
Two coaches have expressed interest:
Rick Byrd - Belmont
Greg Kampe - Oakland
I love Rick Byrd, but I don't think he is viable because of his age and the splash factor.
Kampe has won here:mj07: , but I would take Marshall over him.
Here is a name that is being thrown around and is gaining momentum, and I have no idea why
Lawrence Frank - yes of the NBA, Lawrence Frank's. Maybe that would attract recruits, but I just don't get it. You need someone who has knowledge of NCAA rules, but he was here with Kevin O'Neill.
A friend of mine knows someone close to Shaka, and says that UT is not an option at this point. He feels like Shaka is going to Mizzou, which would probably put Mike Anderson at Arkansas.
If that doesn't shake out, then Smart might go to Ga Tech, although I have been told that Marshall is top on the list at Ga Tech.
Unless Slive has been given some info from the NCAA and relayed to Hammy, it is going to be hard to get anyone without some idea of punishment. Getting rid of Pearl saved the program, but there will still be some sanctions. I don't think any will include postseason bans, and at worst, maybe a loss of a scholarship for a year or two.
If all things were equal, I would still prefer Shaka Smart over any of those five, including Dixon and Wright.
