By Joe Henricksen
The Shaka Saga: Day 3
I take a scene out of the classic comedy “Dumb and Dumber” and insert the two focal points of the Illinois wooing of the VCU head coach …
Mike Thomas: What do you think the chances are of a coach like you and program like ours … ending up together?
Shaka Smart: Well, Mike, that’s difficult to say. I mean, we don’t really…
Mike: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight! I came a long way just to see you, Shaka. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Shaka: Not good.
Mike: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Shaka: I’d say more like one out of a million.
(pause)
Mike: So you’re telling me there’s a chance … YEAH!
Does the Shaka and Mike Thomas discussion this week resemble Lloyd Christmas courting Mary Swanson back in the 1990s? Is this how the Shaka and Illinois saga goes down? Come on, Shaka! Just give MT a chance! That’s all he wants.
As serious as all this is for the Illini faithful — and I do hope Shaka Smart changes his mind and fills the dream of Illini fans everywhere because he is the best man for the job — can’t we still have a little fun?
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