re: Smoke coming out the WBB Program over the last week!

From what I was told, Tasha Butts is the only likable coach on staff and that players connected well with her. That statement comes from multiple former players. Not sure if people know but she is by far the hardest worker on staff. I honestly don't blame her specifically for the recruiting because Nikki instructs her to recruit specific players and she isn't allowed to reach outside unless allowed by Nikki. The other assistants and Nikki were not respected and well thought of at all by the players. Everyone did like Demoss but I am referring to all other past and current assistants.

I've had some connection with the WBB program from 2010-2014 ish. I met Nikki when she was first hired and she was thirsty to win and to build a special program and recruit the best. I think the fact that she is a mother now took some of the edge off of it but thats not the main reason. Multiple years in a row early at LSU, she whiffed at multiple top prospects and ended up leftover scraps. She continuously pissed on a lot of the boosters over the years because of the criticism she received. At some point by 2013-2014 she literally was checked out in many areas. She would show up to practices late many times, not bother to even contact recruits (both locally and nationally)

What really has come to bit her in the arse was her ego. She does know basketball really well, she's not dumb at all. But ever since a coach at UCLA, she had a chip on her shoulders like she was way above people. Some think its because she was from the Summitt bloodline. She has an arrogant demeanor that rubs off in a bad way. People who played under her can tell you she was a hothead and did not know how to control herself at times when stuff didn't go her way. She apparently had a major fight with a mom of a top recruit in 2014 because LSU wasn't picked. I think it was because the mom played a major role in that but its crazy behavior that I can believe lead to negative recruiting at LSU.

But at this point of time its now pure laziness. Some players on roster have no business with a scholarship to an SEC school. She recruits all these wings/ combo guards who can't shoot or rebound, just for defensive purposes. The fact that she hasn't reached out to the best player in the state multiple years in a row is unacceptable and shows how she really feels and cares about this program.

honestly I would be 100% on board with just removing the cancer ( Nikki) and just let Butts be the interim coach for next year, unless we find a slam dunk hire. Not that I want her to be the head coach. She probably could land some better prospects than Nikki's annual local 5'4 guards who can't shoot or rebound. If it were up to her she would reach out to way better prospects. I found out recently that she (Butts) had interest in Kourtney Weber but Nikki said no because she thought she had another prospect (someone out of Texas) for that other spot. obviously that didn't pan out because we only landed one player when they wanted to take 3 players

She is the only one I would trust on staff. The other assistants not so much. But it will take a few years worth of recruiting classes to build us back up. A decent 2019 class can make it not as bad a rebuild for 2020 but that will have to be up to Alleva.

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I call "bullshite".

That is the kind of dumb speculation that causes dumb, unfounded rumors.

So a coach went 2 weeks without speaking to the team when they were making a run for an NCAA tournament bid? Sit and digest how dumb that sounds.

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I can't say what that poster said was true or not true


But it definitely fits with stuff she has done in the past. If you are on her shite list, she will sometimes go weeks without acknowledging or talking to you.

She has a tendency to treat her players like shite so the exodus never surprises me

Like many I had high hopes, but to review a few off court things (and Joe A and Miriam own this now, in fact this is as much MS hire as Joe A):

year one- 100% redo of offices and part of training facility to "erase" previous admin (that went to 5 final fours), get rid of fast break club and rebrand it

year two- two coaches pregnant, neither married, not judging but this does not help recruiting
year three- Assistant coach (male)cited in criminal dispute for harassing young women at BTR bar, kept on staff for 3 more years

year 5- after home loss to UCONN, Geno publicly points out how far LSU women's program has fallen

year 6- transfers reach double digits since year one
overall sec record .500

year 7..where we are now

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year 5- after home loss to UCONN, Geno publicly points out how far LSU women's program has fallen

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The talent level we have had over the past 5 to 6 years can't hold a candle stick to what we had from 2004-2008

But he is correct

We would have one or two players who were really good but then there was a major drop off after that, the depth on the bench was useless because it wasn't even of any quality.

Charlene Thomas-Swinson is frickn useless. She was literally brought in strictly to recruit and doesn't do shite.

But the animosity created by this staff with all coaches across the state of Louisana pretty much sums up the culture created at LSU today. If I were a player I wouldn't want any part of it.

Some of the coaches down in New Orleans refuse to even talk to any of our staff because of it

Can you speak English?

Never should have fired her to begin with.

Yes, I was published in Delta on multiple occasions!

You?

Seriously, Chloe Jackson will make an announcement when she is ready to do so. So there are legitimate roilings and it may be more about CYA as AD is invited out of LSU or it may be related to running off the WBB HC.

BTW Mr. Rant Laureate, what constitutes mismanagement? Should I diagram the question? I did study under the legendary Dr. Johnston, in fact I had to diagram sentences that may have spanned two legal pages..UH HUH!!