Jessica Jackson

[VBMark]

Anybody in Central Arkansas hearing any more about her?

She's the #13 basketball player in the country and was committed to Arkansas, then waffled during the early signing period. Says she will sign in Spring now.

We already lost the #9 WBB player in the country, Tyler Scaife, to RUTGERS.

We also lost another top 50 player, can't remember her name.

Won't it be a recruiting disaster if you have three top 50 players in your state and don't sign any of them? I mean MA would be run out on a rail if that happened.

So back to my original question, has anybody heard if she is still leaning towards Arkansas or have we lost her too?

[Danny J]

Interested to know as well.

[booogaga]

Collen was on the radio the other day and Nick Mason straight up asked him this question. He said on air that she was looking like she would sign. ( Although he was not allowed to mention her by name due to NCAA rules) So there you go. Not much but that was out of the coaches mouth on air.

[yraciv]

Collen was on the radio the other day and Nick Mason straight up asked him this question. He said on air that she was looking like she would sign. ( Although he was not allowed to mention her by name due to NCAA rules) So there you go. Not much but that was out of the coaches mouth on air.

Nick Mason is working on a radio show now?

[VBMark]

My thoughts exactly...

But seriously, what would the Hogvillians do if MA missed on three top 50 hoopsters in his own state? The other two aren't exactly going to powerhouses.

[yraciv]

My thoughts exactly...

But seriously, what would the Hogvillians do if MA missed on three top 50 hoopsters in his own state? The other two aren't exactly going to powerhouses.

People would flip out, but it's a different situation. Arkansas women's basketball doesn't get near the support as men's basketball, nor does anyone follow women's recruiting.  It's generally been accepted lately that the top women's players in state would go out of state and no one really had a reason to question it at the time. Now that the women's team has appeared to turn a corner enough to be competitive, they should start getting more looks from top recruits.

Scaife never gave Arkansas a chance, so no one should be beat up over it.  C Vivian Stringer is a hall of famer, and you can't fault anyone for wanting to play for her. Roshunda Johnson, PG from Little Rock, is going to Oklahoma State. They are 15th in the country right now, so you can't really argue with that decision either. I don't even think Collen pursued her all that hard. She is the girl the OSU coaches talked to and were coming to see when their plane crashed, so obviously there was going to be an emotional tie to that university.

[booogaga]

Nick Mason is working on a radio show now?

yeah every morning on 105.3 here in Fayetteville. Pretty good show except for his co host who knows nothing about razorback sports or history.

[jry04]

yeah every morning on 105.3 here in Fayetteville. Pretty good show except for his co host who knows nothing about razorback sports or history.

You are the first person I have heard say this is a pretty good show. Nick Mason is a complete idiot.

[RazorPiggie]

You are the first person I have heard say this is a pretty good show. Nick Mason is a complete idiot.

Cosign

[Danny J]

You are the first person I have heard say this is a pretty good show. Nick Mason is a complete idiot.

Former walk on Nick Mason?

[jry04]

Former walk on Nick Mason?

Yes. Both guys suck, but for someone who played in college athletics, he really does not know what he is talking about.

[Nipsey Mussle]

I watched her play the other day. She's a legit 6'2 and very athletic. Not to mention she can shoot the 3.
I believe Blair was there scouting her when I was watching.

[beantownhog]

I watched her play the other day. She's a legit 6'2 and very athletic. Not to mention she can shoot the 3.
I believe Blair was there scouting her when I was watching.

We ran Blair off!  That should tell you a lot of the reason women players go elsewhere to play.

[yraciv]

We ran Blair off!  That should tell you a lot of the reason women players go elsewhere to play.

We hardly ran Blair off! More like we refused to give him some of the raises/request he wanted, probably deserved, but again it was a finance decision on our part and the women's program doesn't make money. A&M could double his salary and get him in those Texas recruiting grounds, so it wasn't a hard sell.  His wife still works here and he still spends a lot of time in Northwest Arkansas, so it's nothing like HDN.

[beantownhog]

We hardly ran Blair off! More like we refused to give him some of the raises/request he wanted, probably deserved, but again it was a finance decision on our part and the women's program doesn't make money. A&M could double his salary and get him in those Texas recruiting grounds, so it wasn't a hard sell.  His wife still works here and he still spends a lot of time in Northwest Arkansas, so it's nothing like HDN.

Nothing like HDN, I will grant that.  As we have learned, however, it takes money to make money.  When you have one of the best coaches in the nation (certainly one of the top in women's athletics), you view the salary as an investment.  I will also add: it was not only a financial decision, there were issues between Bev Lewis--then women's AD--and Gary.

[CDBHawg]

Didn't she already commit to us?

[beantownhog]

Didn't she already commit to us?

You are correct, she gave us a verbal back in August.  The OP's fear--and, gotta admit, mine too--is that she will renege on her commitment, since we have lost others.

ESPN player page still has her listed as verbally committed:

http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/110522/jessica-jackson

[mbgrulz]

She's waiting on a better offer from a more big time program. That's the ONLY way to read this situation.

It's sad to say, but our women's program is way down the totem poll as far as attractive programs go. Most people don't even know how well some of the other women's programs are supported compared to ours.

I've had people call me an idiot for saying that, but then when you show them that other schools can average upwards of 10K in attendance, it opens their eyes. They can't believe it because all they know is going into BWA and seeing 500 blue-haired people watching a game in a dead quiet gym.

[beantownhog]

She's waiting on a better offer from a more big time program. That's the ONLY way to read this situation.

It's sad to say, but our women's program is way down the totem poll as far as attractive programs go. Most people don't even know how well some of the other women's programs are supported compared to ours.

I've had people call me an idiot for saying that, but then when you show them that other schools can average upwards of 10K in attendance, it opens their eyes. They can't believe it because all they know is going into BWA and seeing 500 blue-haired people watching a game in a dead quiet gym.

You hit the nail on the head!  It is amazing that Missouri State can fill the Hammon's Student Center for women's bball, and we can't even hit 5000--much less fill the seats--for an SEC game against Tennessee!

[mbgrulz]

You hit the nail on the head!  It is amazing that Missouri State can fill the Hammon's Student Center for women's bball, and we can't even hit 5000--much less fill the seats--for an SEC game against Tennessee!

Oh yes...MSU has a HUGE following.

The big 12 states seem to follow WBB very well.

I think one thing working against our WBB program is having to play in a GIANT arena. They need to be playing in a "gym". The atmosphere would be so much better.

Kids want to go play where its important to people.

[VBMark]

You are correct, she gave us a verbal back in August.  The OP's fear--and, gotta admit, mine too--is that she will renege on her commitment, since we have lost others.

ESPN player page still has her listed as verbally committed:

http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/110522/jessica-jackson

mbgrulz and you are correct. I thought we were going to get that turned around. But as I originally said THREE top 50 players in the state of Arkansas - where they Hogs are the dominant team - and he can't sign any of them? That means one of three things: 1) he is lazy; 2) parents or the girls find him creepy (please do not be so); or 3) he can't sell Arkansas in Arkansas.

I hope I am just being a pessimist. But JL needs to look into this situation, if it keeps up.

[yraciv]

This is the excuse for why you don't pay women's basketball coaches.  Not even the good programs run a profit.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-01/women-s-basketball-teams-operate-in-red-as-salaries-break-college-budgets.html

[hoglady]

You hit the nail on the head!  It is amazing that Missouri State can fill the Hammon's Student Center for women's bball, and we can't even hit 5000--much less fill the seats--for an SEC game against Tennessee!

The times the SEC Women's Tourney has been in Little Rock it has drawn very well. Which is somewhat surprising considering Susie Gardner was coach the last time and the Ladybacks were horrible. The women's program has never recovered from the Gardner hire just like the men's program struggled to recover from the Heath hire. One coach can put you in a gutter it's hard to crawl out of.

[VBMark]

Nice info, but back to my original question. I guess nobody does know anything about Jessica. Oh well, I'll hold out hope, because the team really could use a big hit in this year's recruiting class.

[PorcineSublime]

You are the first person I have heard say this is a pretty good show. Nick Mason is a complete idiot.

Actually compared to the guy who is supposed to be the "main" guy, he is Mensa level. I actually enjoy Nick's commentary, although I would not hold him to the same standard as a Shawn or BO. He is supposed to be the guy who adds commentary and interesting stories, not carry the show.  Overall the show has it's moments but would be better off if they had someone running it who actually knew Hogs sports (or could at least talk intelligently about them) and wasn't talking down to us poor ignorant Arkies.

As for Collen, he seem to be turning things around, but we may lose a few more before reestablishes that we are a player in the SEC. We can all thank John White for the Susie Gardner experiment as well as the Pelphrey travesty.

[mbgrulz]

I can't stand to listen to the dude who sounds like he smokes 5 packs a day.

Did anyone hear Nick yesterday start talking about what all coach Pelphrey told them about defending the 3? I laughed, because it seemed like every team we played went off from 3 during the Pel era.

[songofthesword]

Nice info, but back to my original question. I guess nobody does know anything about Jessica. Oh well, I'll hold out hope, because the team really could use a big hit in this year's recruiting class.

i have a younger sister that is erally into basketball and plays Jr High soon to be high school ball and i take her to AAU events and stuff so I follow this somewhat.

jessica pretty freaking cold. very good scorer, above avg ball handler, is very athletic.  good mid range game.

the one i really would like is the one from hall though that girl is going to be special.

[mbgrulz]

the one i really would like is the one from hall though that girl is going to be special.

Yes, but Rutgers is a terrible fit for her skill set. She will be walking it up the floor and running set plays.

She is a BEAST is the open court and an unbelievable creator off the dribble. She would probably do better in a more wide open system.

There were some very good reasons to not be recruiting her, however.

She is the real deal though. Best one in the state by far.