Just Returned from Fayetteville, AR

[StatGeek]

In the interest of full disclosure, let me start by saying I can't stand Arkansas fans at all.

So I spent Friday & Saturday in Fayetteville (wedding), while I was there I spoke with several Hog fans about the coaching carousel & I listened to approximately 3hrs of local sports radio. To my surprise the Hog fans were mostly realistic & almost all of them supported the potential hiring of Mike Anderson. Many of them were also interested in Buzz Williams but didn't feel that Arkansas could get him if OU wants him (many Hog fans think OU is the better job, this surprised the hell out of me & I disagree with them).

Now the radio hosts were completely different. Every host believed that Arkansas would stay far away from anyone with baggage, so they were all very adamant they wouldn't hire someone like BCG, Bruce Pearl, etc.. Jeff Long is the Arkansas AD and is in Tulsa for the Regional, to a man every on-air personality believed this was a sign that Arkansas was working to hire Bill Self. None of them even brought up the possibility that the AD was there to talk to the Memphis coach, they truly believe Arkansas was making a run at Bill Self (delusional). The on air personalities also spent a lot of time discussing Ben Howland (UCLA, again delusional) and considered Self, Howland & Anderson to be the top 3 candidates. They repeatedly said that Arkansas fans need to remember who Arkansas is and that they are a player at the highest level and that Arkansas can afford to be patient, if OU wants Buzz, Tennessee wants Gregg Marshall & Texas Tech wants BCG, let them go to those places, we are Arkansas, we can do better. They said that all of these coaches would do a fine job but even after all these coaches were hired Self & Howland would still be there.

One of the media types discussed Buzz Williams, saying that he had talked to a HS coach in the area who went to one of Buzz's coaching clinics. The HS coach (a 20yr veteran) said that he has never seen anyone who could coach X's & O's the way Buzz could, take it FWIW.

My favorite moment was when one of the hosts went off on Billy Donovan (apparently Donovan said that Arkansas made a mistake when they fired Pelphrey). The host called Donovan a bum who has never won anything (at least the other guy chimed in "well he has won 2 national championships"), and that the next Arkansas coach would make Florida basketball irrelevant just like Petrino is doing to gator football.

Sorry for the long post, I just thought I would attempt to provide a little Arkansas perspective.

 

[coolm]

Bill Self?

What a bunch of idiots.

 

[StatGeek]

Bill Self?

What a bunch of idiots.

It was quite the comedy routine.

 

[Sawyer]

Bill Self will go to Arkansas.

The fact that their last two hires were unproven mid-major coaches no one else wanted isn't in any way an indication of where they really stand in college basketball.

I'm not surprised to hear they seemed more or less level-headed in person. Most people are when they don't have a microphone or internet anonymity to hide behind. I bet some of those same people are posting on hogville about the potential of bringing in Phil Jackson, though.

 

[StoopsBros]

Arkansas, with all of it's natural beauty, is a third world country.

I've heard rumblings that Howland may indeed want out of LA. I just doubt it would be for Fayetteville.

 

[coolm]

I have actually heard that Howland doesn't like LA.

 

[ouboomer]

It's one thing for fans to go way off the limb in making coaching predictions because we see are fair share on these message boards. But media and talk show hosts should be more realistic than that. Bill Self leaving a top 5 job for a top 20-30 yeah that makes sense....

 

[StatGeek]

Bill Self will go to Arkansas.

The fact that their last two hires were unproven mid-major coaches no one else wanted isn't in any way an indication of where they really stand in college basketball.

I'm not surprised to hear they seemed more or less level-headed in person. Most people are when they don't have a microphone or internet anonymity to hide behind. I bet some of those same people are posting on hogville about the potential of bringing in Phil Jackson, though.

Keep in mind, that those I personally interacted with, were educated. So it wasn't the most accurate sample.

 

[dubyac]

I have actually heard that Howland doesn't like LA.

wierd... isnt he as ucsb alumn??? wonder what he would be looking for??? not arkansas... but something on the west coast i'd think...

 

[steverocks35]

Hahahah, if they think Bill Self is coming to Arkansas they're dreaming! That's too funny. They'll be lucky to get Anderson. And for them to go off on Donovan is just rich. Most of those hillbillies would give their last tooth to have Donovan come coach the pigs. Wow, and I thought Traber was an idiot.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Self was very nervous with the conference shakeup that almost happened last summer. Arkansas is in a much better situation conference wise than Kansas so it would not surprise me if Self left KU. Let's face it, if OU and Texas decide to join a different conference for football powers, KU is headed to the mountain west or c-USA. Their budget would be slashed and he would be taking a huge pay cut.

 

[Sawyer]

First, I really doubt kansas (or any Big 12 school, except maybe ISU) ever gets left on the outside looking in like that. If it comes down to it, the Big East will take the leftover Big 12 schools (they were prepared to last summer).

Second, even if kansas did end up in a second rate conference, he's freakin' Bill Self and he coaches at kansas. His contract wouldn't change. Their fans would make sure of that. They'd cut every non-revenue sport if they had to if it meant keeping basketball relevant. And even then, in a worst-case scenario, he'd have his pick of any coaching spot anywhere if that happened. He doesn't need to get out ahead of conference shakeups. He'll be in demand no matter what happens.

 

[HPDrifter]

Howland was a star HS player in LA and UCLA was his dream job. He's not leaving for Arkansas.

 

[steverocks35]

First, I really doubt kansas (or any Big 12 school, except maybe ISU) ever gets left on the outside looking in like that. If it comes down to it, the Big East will take the leftover Big 12 schools (they were prepared to last summer).

Second, even if kansas did end up in a second rate conference, he's freakin' Bill Self and he coaches at kansas. His contract wouldn't change. Their fans would make sure of that. They'd cut every non-revenue sport if they had to if it meant keeping basketball relevant. And even then, in a worst-case scenario, he'd have his pick of any coaching spot anywhere if that happened. He doesn't need to get out ahead of conference shakeups. He'll be in demand no matter what happens.

I completely agree with this well-reasoned rational post.

 

[Romulus]

I do love me some Fayetteville, AR

 

[coolm]

I spent a month in Fayetteville one weekend.

 

[NotsoyoungJeezy]

People in Oklahoma calling Arkansas a third world country....Have you stepped outside in the past 10 years or watched the local news?? haha
The only difference between Arkansas and Oklahoma is...the mobile homes here are tied down better...thats all.

 

[coolm]

People in Oklahoma calling Arkansas a third world country....Have you stepped outside in the past 10 years or watched the local news?? haha
The only difference between Arkansas and Oklahoma is...the mobile homes here are tied down better...thats all.

Let me be the bearer of bad news:

spend a week in OKC then go to Fayetteville - you will think that you just hopped off the turnip wagon and into the redneck patch.

 

[NotsoyoungJeezy]

Let me be the bearer of bad news:

spend a week in OKC then go to Fayetteville - you will think that you just hopped off the turnip wagon and into the redneck patch.

I grew up in Arkansas but have been a Sooner fan since 1977. For every redneck there, I can find one here for ya. And I can find you 3 douche bags that paralyze a policeman. I love living in Oklahoma..Im just saying every state has its fair share of rednecks.

 

[Tundrasooner]

Texas is worse