OT: Sydney Johnson out at Fairfield

[CTBasketball]

As an alumni, there is a large amount of funding going towards a new Alumni Hall so its not just smoke. Johnson’s firing has been written on the wall for some time, I’m interested to see who we hire. Fairfield should be competing atop the MAAC - it’s not a basketball graveyard.

 

[nadav]

As a Marist alum, it’s ALL about the coach in the MAAC. Iona is on an incredible run

 

[Scrutiner]

I thought Donyell was a good hire. That was wrong. He is the worst head coach I’ve ever witnessed.

They are in the conversation for worst program in country. They essentially don’t have a roster currently. They have one legitimate d-1 player in Kristman and nothing else.

He's sounding like Deja Vu all over again, a la one KO.

 

[Scrutiner]

hey takes them out of the running for Jaylin Hunter. Sweet.

Unless Kenya Hunter finds his first head coaching job there?

 

[wheelerdog]

As an alumni, there is a large amount of funding going towards a new Alumni Hall so its not just smoke. Johnson’s firing has been written on the wall for some time, I’m interested to see who we hire. Fairfield should be competing atop the MAAC - it’s not a basketball graveyard.

35 years ago Hank Foster said that had to expand the gym. I guess they're finally doing it

 

[Adios]

As a regular frequenter to Harbor Yard, it's great for AHL hockey, or when UConn plays there for hockey or bball, but the #1 reason I attend more Sacred Heart games than Fairfield games is the ease of getting to their arena and the college sports feel. When you're at Sacred Heart, there's that collegiate attitude, but a bigger, generic arena like Harbor Yard doesn't have the same energy for college sports.

SHU hosting RIT in Atlantic Hockey QFs tonight and Thursday.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Not really a class coach at all. I know a kid from a tough background where getting a scholarship was a dream for the kid as Cooley recruited him, who was a father figure to him. After his freshman year, Cooley left and Johnson replaced him. The kid had a decent sophomore year and had a great attitude and played with great energy. After the season, Johnson called him into his office and the kid thought he was being named captain. Johnson, with zero notice beforehand, told him that he didn’t fit into his plans and his scholarship was revoked. He showed zero compassion for the kid, who was devastated. He obviously had to transfer since he had no money and no scholarship. He ended up at another D-1 school that wasn’t nearly as good academically, but he persevered and graduated. He actually had to sit out a year because of the transfer even though it wasn’t his choice! I know this happens a lot in college basketball, but I always rooted against Johnson after that and loved how he took a strong program from Cooley and ran it into the ground. In my opinion, he deserved his fate.

You're talking about Jamel Fields?

 

[huskyfever]

You're talking about Jamel Fields?

Yes

 

[CTBasketball]

Yes

He wasn’t the only one.

 

[djct1999]

Not really a class coach at all. I know a kid from a tough background where getting a scholarship was a dream for the kid as Cooley recruited him, who was a father figure to him. After his freshman year, Cooley left and Johnson replaced him. The kid had a decent sophomore year and had a great attitude and played with great energy. After the season, Johnson called him into his office and the kid thought he was being named captain. Johnson, with zero notice beforehand, told him that he didn’t fit into his plans and his scholarship was revoked. He showed zero compassion for the kid, who was devastated. He obviously had to transfer since he had no money and no scholarship. He ended up at another D-1 school that wasn’t nearly as good academically, but he persevered and graduated. He actually had to sit out a year because of the transfer even though it wasn’t his choice! I know this happens a lot in college basketball, but I always rooted against Johnson after that and loved how he took a strong program from Cooley and ran it into the ground. In my opinion, he deserved his fate.

You would think that in the MAAC, its as much about education for the "student athlete" as it is basketball. Guess we were wrong. College basketball, even at the mid major level, is a business. Its never about education. Sydney sounds awful here and rightfully so. But this also goes on everywhere when a new coach takes over.

 

[CTBasketball]

You would think that in the MAAC, its as much about education for the "student athlete" as it is basketball. Guess we were wrong. College basketball, even at the mid major level, is a business. Its never about education. Sydney sounds awful here and rightfully so. But this also goes on everywhere when a new coach takes over.

Sydney wasn’t hated at Fairfield, he played by the rules but just lost a ton. Always represented the school well.

Those stories about players being forced to transfer happen everywhere. Sydney’s style of play didn’t fit Cooley’s players, so that was a reason why.