I Guess It's "Go S-V-U" Today

[Bizziken]

Why are people so opposed to rooting for VCU and Havoc ("gimmick")?

It's not a gimmick if it works.

Since Smart has arrived, VCU's record currently looks like this:

2009-2010: 27-9 (CBI Champs, remember that?)

2010-2011: 28-12 (Final Four)

2011-2012: 29-7 (1-1 in Tournament)

2012-2013: 27-9 (1-1 in Tournament)

2013-2014: 26-9 (0-1 in Tournament)

2014-2015: 26-9 (NCAA Tournament)

Total: 163-55 (.748), 7-4 in NCAA Tournament

Shaka Smart seems like a good dude, and is definitely a pretty smart, driven guy. It seems like a clean program; I can't think of any scandals or players getting into trouble since he's taken the helm.

What am I missing?

I don't have a problem with their style of play or Shaka himself. But their fans are almost as obnoxious as Kansas and Xavier fans. Some of the unprovoked crap I got in Brooklyn was ridiculous with regard to name-calling, cursing, and personal attacks. I can take (and even welcome) a good amount of ribbing, but some of it was over the top. I've been to games @LaSalle, @SaintJoes, @Dayton, @Fordham, @Temple, @SIUC, and games in Atlantic City, and their fans were by far the most rude and classless. Just look at the degenerates that post on here before we play them. Their band showing up in their cult bus in Brooklyn also doesn't sit well with me. And their amplified band playing the Jeopardy song and the 'Opie' music to purposely drown out our cheerleaders was pretty petty. Personally, I'll never, ever root for VCU unless they are against a team I hate more.

[JMM28]

Spike Lee.

[Pistol]

Spike Lee.

He's another object of billikens.com hatred I don't understand. He's made some classics (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X), some overlooked greats (25th Hour, He Got Game), underappreciated thrillers (Summer of Sam, Inside Man), ambitious documentaries (When The Levees Broke, If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise), and entertaining diversions (Crooklyn, The Original Kings of Comedy). He's also one of those directors who's really interesting in his failures - and has quite a few. Always interesting, never boring.

Anyway, it'd be awesome to have Spike Lee as a bandwagon fan. We brag about our most famous fake bandwagon fan - John Stamos, who sucks.

[almaman]

Why are people so opposed to rooting for VCU and Havoc ("gimmick")?

It's not a gimmick if it works.

Since Smart has arrived, VCU's record currently looks like this:

2009-2010: 27-9 (CBI Champs, remember that?)

2010-2011: 28-12 (Final Four)

2011-2012: 29-7 (1-1 in Tournament)

2012-2013: 27-9 (1-1 in Tournament)

2013-2014: 26-9 (0-1 in Tournament)

2014-2015: 26-9 (NCAA Tournament)

Total: 163-55 (.748), 7-4 in NCAA Tournament

Shaka Smart seems like a good dude, and is definitely a pretty smart, driven guy. It seems like a clean program; I can't think of any scandals or players getting into trouble since he's taken the helm.

What am I missing?

agree totally. without him A 10 is as faceless as REO Speedwagon,Asia,Foreigner etc

[Dwayne's_World]

VCU has done a fantastic job of marketing their brand. That's why they are a household name in college basketball now, whether you like it or not.

One thing's for sure, SLU has done a terrible job at marketing our basketball program.

[BigMouthBilliken]

VCU has done a fantastic job of marketing their brand. That's why they are a household name in college basketball now, whether you like it or not.

One thing's for sure, SLU has done a terrible job at marketing our basketball program.

Agreed. The only thing everyone ever mentions about us is RM's legacy. That was 3 years ago. We need something else

[lquarles]

Time to clear some things about Havoc:

It was not Coach Smart's idea to make it a brand. All he did was say "we will wreak havoc on our opponents' psyche and plan of attack" during his introductory speech, and the MEDIA took that and ran with it. Then, eventually, the school said "hey, we still press as we did under Anthony Grant, the media loves using the term, so let's own it!" Any smart marketing department would do the same, and it works. Havoc is not just the full-court pressure defense, though. It's the team's entire philosophy, work ethic, etc. They practice just as hard as they play. The players love it, the fans love it, that is all that matters. It was actually the players' idea to use the Havoc branding on their warm ups.

[slufan13]

Time to clear some things about Havoc:

It was not Coach Smart's idea to make it a brand. All he did was say "we will wreak havoc on our opponents' psyche and plan of attack" during his introductory speech, and the MEDIA took that and ran with it. Then, eventually, the school said "hey, we still press as we did under Anthony Grant, the media loves using the term, so let's own it!" Any smart marketing department would do the same, and it works. Havoc is not just the full-court pressure defense, though. It's the team's entire philosophy, work ethic, etc. They practice just as hard as they play. The players love it, the fans love it, that is all that matters. It was actually the players' idea to use the Havoc branding on their warm ups.

That's the difference. Our media only pays attention when we do well (and even that isn't great) and they would never run with something like that.

[ACE]

He's another object of billikens.com hatred I don't understand. He's made some classics (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X), some overlooked greats (25th Hour, He Got Game), underappreciated thrillers (Summer of Sam, Inside Man), ambitious documentaries (When The Levees Broke, If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise), and entertaining diversions (Crooklyn, The Original Kings of Comedy). He's also one of those directors who's really interesting in his failures - and has quite a few. Always interesting, never boring.

Anyway, it'd be awesome to have Spike Lee as a bandwagon fan. We brag about our most famous fake bandwagon fan - John Stamos, who sucks.

There is an element of our fan base who... how do I put this... only seems to like gym rats.

The hate for Shaka has also seemed a bit out of whack. He has always been complimentary of SLU and gracious in defeat. There are several A-10 coach far more detestable - most notably Danny Hurley and Dr. John, who is constantly crying to refs and ripping his players on the bench. Shaka has a system and tries to recruit players who fit it. There is a method to his madness and it has been pretty successful. No, it is not a system out of the movie Hoosiers with gym rats, but his players usually buy in, fill roles and give max effort.

[hsmith19]

Time to clear some things about Havoc:

It was not Coach Smart's idea to make it a brand. All he did was say "we will wreak havoc on our opponents' psyche and plan of attack" during his introductory speech, and the MEDIA took that and ran with it. Then, eventually, the school said "hey, we still press as we did under Anthony Grant, the media loves using the term, so let's own it!" Any smart marketing department would do the same, and it works. Havoc is not just the full-court pressure defense, though. It's the team's entire philosophy, work ethic, etc. They practice just as hard as they play. The players love it, the fans love it, that is all that matters. It was actually the players' idea to use the Havoc branding on their warm ups.

I have nothing against Shaka. I do find the way VCU has chosen to use his slogan needlessly douchey. If the warmups or the team bus has been responsible for landing a recruit, then I suppose it's all worth it for the school and their fans, but it's still douchey.

Yes, as a fan of an opposing team I would expect to be annoyed. But I'm also embarrassed when teams I root for resort to similar types of douchey self-branding (the way the Cardinals embrace the "best fans in baseball" silliness is another prime example).

[lquarles]

I have nothing against Shaka. I do find the way VCU has chosen to use his slogan needlessly douchey. If the warmups or the team bus has been responsible for landing a recruit, then I suppose it's all worth it for the school and their fans, but it's still douchey.

Yes, as a fan of an opposing team I would expect to be annoyed. But I'm also embarrassed when teams I root for resort to similar types of douchey self-branding (the way the Cardinals embrace the "best fans in baseball" silliness is another prime example).

That bus you see on TV isn't the team bus. It's just an alumni and fan that lives in NYC and works for/owns a bus company. The team bus is just a plain Richmond bus.

[JMM28]

There is an element of our fan base who... how do I put this... only seems to like gym rats.

The hate for Shaka has also seemed a bit out of whack. He has always been complimentary of SLU and gracious in defeat. There are several A-10 coach far more detestable - most notably Danny Hurley and Dr. John, who is constantly crying to refs and ripping his players on the bench. Shaka has a system and tries to recruit players who fit it. There is a method to his madness and it has been pretty successful. No, it is not a system out of the movie Hoosiers with gym rats, but his players usually buy in, fill roles and give max effort.

I think a lot of people dislike Shaka for the same reason people dislike LeBron, Tebow, or what/whomever are the flavors of the ESPN evening. When the games are televised there is a camera trained on him and his sideline shtick. It is part because he has been successful, part act or media hype, whatever you want to call it.

Here is also something, call me crazy, but they are a rival. You aren't supposed to like your rival. It is ok to respect what they've done, but it should be expected to have a level of dislike. Especially when SLU has such a lack of long term rival teams.

And how dare you compare Spike Lee to John Stamos. Spike Lee can suck a tailpipe. That probably stems from my Bulls fandom as a youth. Stamos is a legend with such classics as Full House, Jake in Progress, and Friends. It takes a real talent to turn a career of 0 accomplishments into nailing Rebecca Romijn, marginal relevance for almost 3 decades, and nailing Rebecca Romijn.

As for rooting for them in the tournament - With the way the A10 has the financials set up, it doesn't matter much to SLU if VCU wins or loses from a monetary perspective. I could make an argument for both sides on the 'good for the conference' aspect. I'd lean towards VCU losing early being better for SLU though.

[lquarles]

That's the difference. Our media only pays attention when we do well (and even that isn't great) and they would never run with something like that.

Yep, VCU basketball has been good on and off for decades, and took off again under Jeff Capel in the early 2000s, so there was a lot of media coverage many years before Shaka arrived. Beating Duke under Anthony Grant really got the ball rolling. It's the main reason UofR hates us so much, they're jealous.

[JMM28]

Yep, VCU basketball has been good on and off for decades, and took off again under Jeff Capel in the early 2000s, so there was a lot of media coverage years before Shaka arrived. It's the main reason UofR hates us so much, they're jealous.

I don't know if I'd say VCU was good on and off for decades. The past 10 years - for sure, as good as any non-elite team can hope for. The 20 years before that - totally mediocre or worse. From Barnett to Capel was the definition of irrelevant. Back in the early 80s, a good program.

[Deutschkind]

I think a lot of people dislike Shaka for the same reason people dislike LeBron, Tebow, or what/whomever are the flavors of the ESPN evening. When the games are televised there is a camera trained on him and his sideline shtick. It is part because he has been successful, part act or media hype, whatever you want to call it.

Here is also something, call me crazy, but they are a rival. You aren't supposed to like your rival. It is ok to respect what they've done, but it should be expected to have a level of dislike. Especially when SLU has such a lack of long term rival teams.

And how dare you compare Spike Lee to John Stamos. Spike Lee can suck a tailpipe. That probably stems from my Bulls fandom as a youth. Stamos is a legend with such classics as Full House, Jake in Progress, and Friends. It takes a real talent to turn a career of 0 accomplishments into nailing Rebecca Romijn, marginal relevance for almost 3 decades, and nailing Rebecca Romijn.

As for rooting for them in the tournament - With the way the A10 has the financials set up, it doesn't matter much to SLU if VCU wins or loses from a monetary perspective. I could make an argument for both sides on the 'good for the conference' aspect. I'd lean towards VCU losing early being better for SLU though.

How does the A10 split tourney credits?

[JMM28]

I believe the A10 gives 75% to the earning team. The remaining 25% is split amongst the rest of the teams. So each team in the A10 gets roughly 5,000 for each tournament win from conferencemates.

[billikenbill]

SVU extends Archie's contract to 2022.