Felisha Legette-Jack merged thread

[packwrap]

There are a bunch of UConn fans in TX. 😁

Yep! UConn fans everywhere!

I was only joking that in this new 2 site system the local regional is not close by. Once you are in a plane, Ft Worth and Sacramento are about the same trip.

Not like Albany and Bridgeport.

 

[cabbie191]

grapes that are sour

Not these babies! $9 for 3# at Costco!

 

[jostar1]

I think most people know that Geno reached out to the Syracuse AD when the job was open, to strongly endorse Coach Legette-Jack for the job, based on his long relationship with her and the battle her Buffalo team put up when they visited Storrs during the tournament several years ago.

Is this sarcasm? Supposed to be funny?

 

[oldude]

Is this sarcasm? Supposed to be funny?

I assure you it is neither. Geno recruited Felisha Legette-Jack when she was in HS, and has known her for many years. In the 2019 Tournament Buffalo, coached by Legette-Jack, lost to UConn at Gampel 84-72. When Coach Q was fired by Syracuse, Geno called the AD to recommend Felisha Legette-Jack for the head coaching job.

Now please explain to me why you felt it necessary to make such a caustic and uninformed remark?

 

[HuskyNan]

Is this sarcasm? Supposed to be funny?

https://lancasteronline.com/sports/basketball/college/bond-between-uconn-and-syracuse-coaches-goes-back-to-one-of-geno-auriemmas-rare-recruiting/article_98771d5f-3529-56b3-a9be-5715b4d81649.html?itm_source=parsely-api&utm_source=article&utm_medium=summary&utm_campaign=What%20to%20Read%20Next

 

[Phil]

I take back everything I said before. What she did last night was 3-dimensional chess.
1. She abruptly diverted attention away from her team and their poor performance.
2. She totally stood behind her players. She had their backs and they deserved some tougher words.
She only took questions about her team. We only want to hear opposing coaches lauding our players.
3. Her complaint was about playing UConn. That is the ultimate compliment to UConn. Would she complain about
Playing SC, UCLA or someone else. She’s giving Geno props. Geno knows. He’ll back her totally.

That's a very interesting take.

Before seen your post, I was tempted to say I have some sympathy for her views but I also thought that some people suggested her choice of venue wasn't ideal and perhaps she should share views forcefully with the committee but not so publicly.

But I'm now intrigued by your comments. I'm sure the team was devastated, there were reports that the team was in tears at halftime, and the coach persuaded them about the second half and work on execution and being good teammates. I'm not missing the fact that UConn took the foot off the gas, but Syracuse could be proud of how they responded in the second half. That said, there was going to be in there was a lot of discussion about the first half and that would be pleasant for team members to read the following day, so perhaps she was being clever by diverting attention to herself and away from the team.

I'm reminded UConn trip to Duke when the media built up the game. I attended that game there was a buzz on the campus. Gina was concerned that the media attention might be too much and so he made his things comments about to graduate becoming waiters, just at better restaurants, and the Cameron crazies jumped all over this. But that's exactly what Geno wanted – what the crazies focus on him instead of the players and it worked beautifully.

I also think you are spot on to point out that this is the ultimate compliment to UConn.

 

[jostar1]

I assure you it is neither. Geno recruited Felisha Legette-Jack when she was in HS, and has known her for many years. In the 2019 Tournament Buffalo, coached by Legette-Jack, lost to UConn at Gampel 84-72. When Coach Q was fired by Syracuse, Geno called the AD to recommend Felisha Legette-Jack for the head coaching job.

Now please explain to me why you felt it necessary to make such a caustic and uninformed remark?

I apologize. I misread your post. I thought that you said that Geno recommended her for the AD position. Syracuse recently hired a new AD.

 

[HopJim]

Feel sorry for Legette Jack. I felt she was doing a good job rebuilding the program but her comments appear to have set the process back several years at the least. UConn players come out with the ability to speak publically and use social media as an asset. If Syracuse's coach has issues with public speaking, she will have trouble overcoming many speedbumps in the future.. Did some research and this is not the first time she has created issues for herself.

 

[YKCornelius]

Took a dive into the historical records to fact check some of the contentions in this thread:

Syracuse has been to the NCAA tournament 11 times in 25 years. Of those 11 times, they have only been in UConn's bracket four times (2026, 2024, 2021, and 2017), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.
Two of those second round losses were before Coach FLJ arrived.

In her 24 years as a Head Coach, Coach FLJ has been to the NCAA tournament a total of six times (two at Syracuse, four at Buffalo). Of those six times, she has only been in UConn's bracket three times: 2026 (Syracuse), 2024 (Syracuse), and 2019 (Buffalo), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.

Bottom line: the facts seem to indicate that Syracuse (and Coach FLJ for that matter) have NOT had to play against UConn in Storrs a disproportionate amount of times during the NCAA tournament.

My takeaway: I side with the posters who suggest Coach FLJ deliberately directed attention away from her players and onto herself following the embarrassing loss to the Huskies. Good on her.

 

[BobbyJ]

Took a dive into the historical records to fact check some of the contentions in this thread:

Syracuse has been to the NCAA tournament 11 times in 25 years. Of those 11 times, they have only been in UConn's bracket four times (2026, 2024, 2021, and 2017), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.
Two of those second round losses were before Coach FLJ arrived.

In her 24 years as a Head Coach, Coach FLJ has been to the NCAA tournament a total of six times (two at Syracuse, four at Buffalo). Of those six times, she has only been in UConn's bracket three times: 2026 (Syracuse), 2024 (Syracuse), and 2019 (Buffalo), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.

Bottom line: the facts seem to indicate that Syracuse (and Coach FLJ for that matter) have NOT had to play against UConn in Storrs a disproportionate amount of times during the NCAA tournament.

My takeaway: I side with the posters who suggest Coach FLJ deliberately directed attention away from her players and onto herself following the embarrassing loss to the Huskies. Good on her.

I agree with your takeaway. It was calculated. The situation she was complaining about existed before the game and she could’ve said something about it then. But she kept that ace in her pocket to be used after the big loss that she knew was coming.

 

[cwh20]

1) I don't know why a Canadian team is playing American college basketball.

2) They are traitors who helped tank the old big east, possibly the best college basketball conference of all time, at least on the men's side.

3) Men's basketball has a healthy rivalry with them.

4) A lot of us remember when they wouldn't give Stewie a home game. Kind of a crappy thing to do
.

5) Cuse player tries to trip Geno in the handshake line.

 

[Happydad745]

If our players were on another team, playing against cruze, would have still won by a huge margin....they are special, some are really great players, and will be talked about for years to come.

 

[jostar1]

 

[VA Huskie]

Is this sarcasm? Supposed to be funny?

I think it’s trying to add context to the discussion.

 

[broooce]

A once proud program is now crying that they deserve a 10 seed instead of an 8 seed. Incredible.

In the past six tournaments including this year's, UConn has been either a 1 (twice,), 2 (three times) or 3 seed (once). It seems then that Syracuse's growth strategy needs to be: "how do we get into the first & second round as a 4-seed or 5-seed" in order to avoid a 1-, 2- or 3- seeded opponent like UConn. That means improving enough from an 8 or 9 seed to enhance your chances to reach the second weekend. Given UConn's current roster construction and incoming recruits, I'd even say striving to be a 3 or 6 seed would also do the trick to avoid the Huskies who should be a 1 or 2 seed for the foreseeable future.

That means finishing (IMO) no lower than third place in the ACC as well as a winning head-to-head record against most if not all of the top five in that conference. This season Syracuse tied for fifth place with Va Tech and ND, and behind Duke, Louisville, UNC & NC State yet they lost to all six of these teams which no doubt caused their 9 seed. UVA finished behind them and had to play a first-four game, but they're in the Sweet 16 as a 10-seed!

Take care of business in your conference and the committee will reward you for it.

 

[meyers7]

Took a dive into the historical records to fact check some of the contentions in this thread:

Syracuse has been to the NCAA tournament 11 times in 25 years. Of those 11 times, they have only been in UConn's bracket four times (2026, 2024, 2021, and 2017), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.
Two of those second round losses were before Coach FLJ arrived.

In her 24 years as a Head Coach, Coach FLJ has been to the NCAA tournament a total of six times (two at Syracuse, four at Buffalo). Of those six times, she has only been in UConn's bracket three times: 2026 (Syracuse), 2024 (Syracuse), and 2019 (Buffalo), losing to the Huskies in the second round each time.

Bottom line: the facts seem to indicate that Syracuse (and Coach FLJ for that matter) have NOT had to play against UConn in Storrs a disproportionate amount of times during the NCAA tournament.

My takeaway: I side with the posters who suggest Coach FLJ deliberately directed attention away from her players and onto herself following the embarrassing loss to the Huskies. Good on her.

Gotta go on a deeper dive.

2026 - Syracuse same region
2025 - No Bid for Syracuse
2024 - Syracuse same region
2023 - NB for Syracuse

Jack with Buffalo
2022 - Buffalo different region / NB for Syracuse
2021 - NB for Buffalo / Syracuse same region
2020 - Covid
2019 - Buffalo same region / Syracuse different region
2018 - Buffalo same region / Syracuse different region
2017 - NB for Buffalo / Syracuse same region
2016 - Buffalo different region / Syracuse different region (Played UCONN in NC)
2015 - NB for Buffalo / NB for Syracuse

So for Jack and Syracuse ever time they have been in the Tournament, they've been in UCONNs bracket.

For Buffalo, 1/2 times they've been in the tournament, they've been in UCONN's bracket.

While Jack was at Buffalo, there was only 1 year where both Buffalo or Syracuse were in the tournament and both were in a different region. And that year 2016, Syracuse played UCONN in NC.

So for Jack, 4 out of 6 times she's had a team in the tournament, they've been in UCONN's bracket. To her it probably does look like, why you always pickin' on me?

 

[Bone Dog]

I watched Dan Patrick’s show, which I don’t often do, and his sidekick made a good point: he watches the McDonald’s AA game and each year it seems that the 24 kids involved are mostly committed to 6 or 7 schools. It’s just an impression, not a careful study. But it points to a reality we all feel similarly. Syracuse doesn’t easily recruit top-level recruits these days and the ones they do get, like Uche Izoje, could well leave. Remember Cardozo? Coach Jack was shielding her players from the emotional impact of the loss. But she may also have been protecting her recruiting.

 

[oldude]

I watched Dan Patrick’s show, which I don’t often do, and his sidekick made a good point: he watches the McDonald’s AA game and each year it seems that the 24 kids involved are mostly committed to 6 or 7 schools. It’s just an impression, not a careful study. But it points to a reality we all feel similarly. Syracuse doesn’t easily recruit top-level recruits these days and the ones they do get, like Uche Izoje, could well leave. Remember Cardozo? Coach Jack was shielding her players from the emotional impact of the loss. But she may also have been protecting her recruiting.

I’m not sure that I buy the argument that Coach Jack was shielding her players. As for recruiting, I think it’s more subtle. Her first order of business is to keep the recruits she has, starting with Ezoje. The word is that Coach Jack is pushing Syracuse for more NIL money to keep Ezoje and others at Syracuse and to recruit more top tier players to come to Syracuse. Certainly, her meandering message after the game on Monday made one clear point, that Syracuse can’t compete with UConn.

 

[meyers7]

I watched Dan Patrick’s show, which I don’t often do, and his sidekick made a good point: he watches the McDonald’s AA game and each year it seems that the 24 kids involved are mostly committed to 6 or 7 schools. It’s just an impression, not a careful study. But it points to a reality we all feel similarly. Syracuse doesn’t easily recruit top-level recruits these days and the ones they do get, like Uche Izoje, could well leave. Remember Cardozo? Coach Jack was shielding her players from the emotional impact of the loss. But she may also have been protecting her recruiting.

It has been that way quite often. Last couple of years has been better though. 2025 and 2026 McD's AA went to 18 different schools each year. (and UCONN with only 1 out of the last 2 years)

 

[cwh20]

They try to sell the more teams are getting in on the best recruits all the time. Maybe it’s getting a bit better. I don’t know. A ways back but I recall the one McD’s game they stated “the more good players and more schools getting some” line had Bird, Cash, Jones and Williams playing in it. Haha. I can’t remember if Walter’s played.

 

[Gael]

A ways back but I recall the one McD’s game they stated “the more good players and more schools getting some” line had Bird, Cash, Jones and Williams playing in it. Haha. I can’t remember if Walter’s played.

There was no McDonald's AA game for girls in the senior year of the TASSK Force (1998). The first McD girls game was in 2002.

You may be thinking of the 2002 McD AA game and/or the 2002 WBCA AA game a couple of weeks later. Those two games featured the entire UConn recruiting class, initially tagged the BWANG Gang. The WBCA game had all five of those UConn recruits: Barbara Turner, Willnett Crockett, Ann Strother, Nicole Wolff, and 6-6 Gillian Goring. The earlier 2002 McD game did not have Turner.

When Gillian Goring failed to academically qualify for UConn, the "G" disappeared from the tentative name BWANG Gang, and some folks started calling that recruiting class the WNBA.

 

[cancontent]

I watched Dan Patrick’s show, which I don’t often do, and his sidekick made a good point: he watches the McDonald’s AA game and each year it seems that the 24 kids involved are mostly committed to 6 or 7 schools. It’s just an impression, not a careful study. But it points to a reality we all feel similarly. Syracuse doesn’t easily recruit top-level recruits these days and the ones they do get, like Uche Izoje, could well leave. Remember Cardozo? Coach Jack was shielding her players from the emotional impact of the loss. But she may also have been protecting her recruiting.

I don't think the Cardoso is a fair comparison considering how many players transferred out that season and the drama with Hillsman.

 

[meyers7]

There was no McDonald's AA game for girls in the senior year of the TASSK Force (1998). The first McD girls game was in 2002.

You may be thinking of the 2002 McD AA game and/or the 2002 WBCA AA game a couple of weeks later. Those two games featured the entire UConn recruiting class, initially tagged the BWANG Gang. The WBCA game had all five of those UConn recruits: Barbara Turner, Willnett Crockett, Ann Strother, Nicole Wolff, and 6-6 Gillian Goring. The earlier 2002 McD game did not have Turner.

When Gillian Goring failed to academically qualify for UConn, the "G" disappeared from the tentative name BWANG Gang, and some folks started calling that recruiting class the WNBA.

Nike/WBCA game had all 5 of the TASSK Force

 

[my2cents]

The main reasons she is sick of coming to Storrs.
1) Having spent a miserable winter in Syracuse , she wants to go someplace warm.
2) How many times can you go to the UConn dairy bar?
3) She has seen Gampel and all the banners
4) The only good restaurant in the area is owned by Geno.
5) The night life in Mansfield
lastly, she knows her team will get their butts kicked.

 

[cwh20]

Thanks Meyers7! I knew I saw them play in the same game but as was pointed out it wasn’t a McD’s game.

 

[Bone Dog]

I don't think the Cardoso is a fair comparison considering how many players transferred out that season and the drama with Hillsman.

You’re right of course. But it’s not entirely different either. Q went far afield to get Cardozo and then they lost her. His misbehavior probably had something to do with it, and that doesn’t sound like Felicia. But the historical profile of the player is similar to Izoje too, and one could imagine Coach Jack is trying to prevent the rest of that history from repeating itself.

 

[joea]

Coach is an interesting spot at 'Cuse. New Chancellor, New AD, new mens BBall coach, relatively new Football coach, she is trying to maintain the relative position of womens BBall in the hierarchy, and losing by 50 isn't the best way to do that.
Womens BBall competes with lacrosse for money and attention at the 'Cuse.

 

[Forego]

The main reasons she is sick of coming to Storrs.
1) Having spent a miserable winter in Syracuse , she wants to go someplace warm.

I’m guessing she thought Syracuse had better weather than Buffalo.

 

[oldude]

I’m guessing she thought Syracuse had better weather than Buffalo.

It’s a toss up. Because of where Syracuse is located, it can get more snow (lake effect) than Buffalo.

I used to live there. My first winter in Syracuse, there was more snow (140”) than any other city in the continental US and Alaska. Back then I didn’t own a snowblower. Thank god for my neighbors who did.