MEET MR. SMART

This afternoon’s media sessions were what are called “breakout sessions”, also known as complete chaos. Basically, there are five rooms, all separated by pipe and drape. One VCU player sits at a table on a stage in each room in sort of a mini press conference format. The problem is that each mini presser is broadcast with a microphone and speaker, and with all five going on at once, it sounds like rush hour in Midtown Manhattan. The highlight of my day was literally shouting questions at Ed Nixon from eight feet away. Good times.

The good thing is that when Rams’ Head Coach Shaka Smart took the stage, his was the only session being conducted at that time, so, although the small room was jam packed, you could actually hear what was going on.

Anyway, Smart has become a bit of a national fascination, and this was this first opportunity for many members of the national media to get a chance to talk to him in person. Many of the questions revolved around Smart’s philosophies as a coach and person, as well as some of the things that shaped his basketball life.

Here are a few highlights:

GLAD TO HAVE YOU

By their own admission, Jamie Skeen and Joey Rodriguez, two centerpieces of VCU’s Final Four run, probably shouldn’t even be here. Each wrestled with his emotions before making the decision for which VCU fans will be forever grateful, to be – or stay – a Ram.

Rodriguez’s internal struggle has been well-documented. Following the departure of former Head Coach Anthony Grant to Alabama, in 2008, Rodriguez actually announced that he was going to transfer to Rollins College. However, spurred by phone calls from his teammates, Rodriguez decided to return to VCU. Last week, following the Rams’ victory over Purdue, I asked him whether or not he had thought about what could’ve happened, had he never returned to the fold.

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” Rodriguez said. “Yeah, I could be playing in front of 200 people right now.”

On Saturday, he’ll be suiting up for the Rams at Reliant Stadium, which had a capacity of over 75,000 for basketball.

2011: A BASKETBALL ODYSSEY

We had a sports information directors meeting this morning at Reliant Stadium. My first impression was that this place is gigantic. When we walked out into the court area, it felt a lot like this:

ON THE ROAD TO HOUSTON: PHOTOS

Joey Rodriguez is greeted by VCU President Michael Rao prior to boarding the team bus to Richmond International Airport

Director of Operations Kyle Getter points to the crowd outside the Siegel Center.

RAMS TOUCH DOWN IN HOUSTON

VCU players make their way through the crowd at the Siegel Center prior to departing for the Final Four in Houston.

It’s amazing what’s transpired over the last three weeks. When we left for Dayton in the early evening of Monday, March 13 to play in the First Four, our travel party consisted of one bus that was about three-quarters full. There was no sendoff. It could have been the school chess team boarding that bus. Nobody gave it a second glance. We boarded a charter plane at Richmond International Airport that was mostly empty. Pretty much everybody had their own row of seats. When we got to Dayton, the hotel there was one sign in the lobby welcoming us, but that was about it.

Fast forward to today. Three buses squeezed into the UU parking lot between the Siegel Center and Sports Medicine Building, slipping between live trucks – antennas reaching towards the sky – from all three local TV stations. Barriers closed off a walkway from the Siegel Center to the team bus as more than 1,000 fans cheered and waved signs. Ms. Virginia USA waited patiently in the crowd. Chris “Pavarotti” Crowley gave his second impassioned speech to the assembled throng in as many weeks.

When we departed, there were no fewer than 12 motorcycle cops leading our motorcade. Police stopped traffic from the Siegel Center, all the way to the airport. People pulled off to the side of the road on route 64 to wave our bus sped past.

THAT OTHER TOURNAMENT

Strange that while discussing the Final Four with Shaka Smart that the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) came up, but it was for good reason.

First and foremost, let’s get something out of the way. Yes, the CBI is a third-tier postseason tournament, a redheaded step-child of the NCAA and NIT (and only slightly better than the CIT). Each home game requires the host to forward a sizable monetary guarantee, and in the past, some schools have opted not to bother.

VCU’s CBI berth a year ago was met with a collective groan from the Rams’ fanbase, judging by subpar attendance at three home games. However, a year later, there’s a growing belief that the unpopular decision to play in the CBI last season may now be a factor in the Rams’ incredible blitz through the NCAA Tournament.

Some CBI benefits have been discussed earlier and are fairly obvious. The tournament afforded the Rams an additional two weeks of practice and the opportunity to play five more games. Joey Rodriguez, named MVP of the tournament, was particularly good. Brandon Rozzell was able to shed some of his “he doesn’t play well on the road” voodoo. Jamie Skeen, who played in Larry Sanders’ shadow all season, began to find his footing.

IS THIS THE GREATEST VCU TRIBUTE VIDEO EVER?

I’ll admit, it’s hard to improve upon The Hoff’s version of this song, but this might have done it. Shaka Smart was asked about his newfound “rock star” status in yesterday’s press conference. Shaka said he didn’t pay attention to any of that stuff. Ummm, it’s going to be hard to ignore this.

ALL ABOARD THE CRAZY TRAIN

Pulled up to work and saw some lady selling parking (using two homemade signs) on a side street, literally three hours before today’s send-off pep rally. So, that’s where we’re at.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any nuttier, we received our first interview request for Rodney the Ram today (true story).

The amount of media coverage VCU is getting right now is so off the charts. I know you guys are used to me throwing up links to features on VCU, but to be honest, the sheer bulk of clippings is mind-numbing. That’s why we have graduate assistants do it!

I didn’t look if these two items made that list, but here’s a couple VCU-centric items I thought you’d enjoy. First is a collection of things you might not have known or seen by Mike Litos. As usual, Jamie Skeen steals the show.

Additionally, WRIC here in Richmond did a nice piece on Chris “Pavarotti” Crowley, who will be making the trip to Houston.

Thirdish, but not necessarily related to all the craziness here on campus is a nod to former Ram Jamal Shuler, who is enjoying VCU’s Final Four run from across the pond in France. Shu is up for player of the week or month or something in the French League. If you understand French, you’ll be able to figure out what you’re voting for. I dropped out of French 3, so I have no idea. I know how to say, “I’m confused”, “Can I go to the bathroom” and “I don’t understand”. Either way, vote for Shu because he’s good people.

NINJA EDIT: Looks like we were on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night too. There’s some laughs in there, even if he takes some good-natured shots. Tell you what, as long as Jimmy promises not to make a sequel to Taxi, he can say anything he wants.

RULE OF (THE) THREE

Bradford Burgess has hit 13-of-22 3-point attempts (.591) in five NCAA Tournament games.

RICHMOND, Va. – I have to confess, “You live by the three, you die by the three,” might be my most-hated sports cliché. What does that even mean? Will excessive long-range shooting spark the ire of wild dogs? Will the hoisting of triples unleash marauding Vikings?

I get it. If a team forgets about the inside game and focuses too heavily on “low percentage” shots, it’ll be in trouble when a shooting slump takes hold. I suppose that’s correct, that balance is best. But – and this is the 12-year-old pretending to be Mark Price version of myself talking – isn’t this way more fun?

VCU’s five-game blitz to the NCAA Final Four has been fueled, in part, by impressive 3-point shooting. The Rams have hit 44 percent (53-of-121) from long range in the tournament. In wins over Georgetown, Florida State and Kansas, VCU knocked down 12 3-pointers. The Rams’ previous season-best had been 11, reached 10 times. Against top-seeded Kansas, the Rams hit 9-of-11 3-pointers in the first half and built an 18-point cushion on the way to a 71-61 victory.

That’s not to say that VCU hasn’t been productive in other areas. In the tournament, the opposition is shooting 39 percent from the field, including 23 percent from 3-point range. The Rams also hold a plus-4.0 turnover margin, so defense has been a big part of the equation. But on offense, the talk has been all about the three.

QUICK RANDOM THOUGHT

I promised my dad I’d use this on the blog since I liked it so much. Do you think that – if only for the week – that they’ll call it Shaka Bottom? Who can make this happen? I need to make some phone calls.