I have been a dedicated Razorbacks fan for over 60 years (I’ll be 72 next month). In all that time - through good years and lean years - I have maintained a steadfast hope that the Hogs could compete with just about any team on any given day, under certain circumstances.
I have lost that comforting feeling of a competent football program that can potentially compete with any college team in the land, and make the game exciting. I’m not a “fair weather fan”. My hope has persevered through some rough stretches. But I have NEVER before been this thoroughly disillusioned and fatalistic about Hogs fortunes.
Assessing blame is NOT the purpose of this thread. At this juncture, I suppose that it doesn’t really matter anymore (at least to me) as to all of the whys and wherefores which have led us to this descent into the basement of big-time College Football prestige and pride.
I simply feel that something terribly important and valuable may have been irrevocably lost for the foreseeable future ; - - and perhaps even permanently. Arkansas is simply now unable to compete at the competitive level that it did for so many years. That is a very sobering - - and a very sad - - realization for me.
not quite 60 yrs but over 45 year fan, then follower, now observer. it doesn’t appear that the powers that be are wanting to do the things schematically that are required to compete in today’s big time sports scene. they will build things even nice things but there are other steps the are probably too edgy for them to want to take.
no one that’s successful today sees big time college sports as anything but a business. including seeing the players as pieces to be moved around. ugly yes but even a large part of the athletes see that.
some would say that you cant get kids to come to fayetteville that may have been the case but with today’s world they will come. its about a mindset that those in control either have or don’t.
not saying its nice or even palatable to some but its where the successful go these days.
some are happy with purity and that’s fine but in the realm of todays college sports that’s going to maybe get you to a few bowls in football and low seeds in basketball. maybe.
I feel your pain and frustration. I’ve been a fan since the early '50’s and it was bad then, except for 1954, until Broyles came to Arkansas. After he got established, I felt as a fan, that Arkansas had a chance to win every game. That expectation lasted through the tenure of the two following coaches.
That excitement, at least for me, has been absent the last 27 seasons, give or take, except for a short period with Petrino. Without doubt, it’s the worst period I’ve ever experienced as a fan.
The personal feeling now is that Arkansas football will not experience a turn-around under the present administration. Just making it to a bowl game and keeping the kids of the police blotter equates to a successful season, apparently.
There are other top teams who have suffered football swoons in recent years: Nebraska, Texas, UCLA, Tenn, and Michigan. Each of them have something that Arkansas doesn’t. Recruiting base and/or history, only time will tell if they each make it back to the top.
If we are ever to get back to the true expectation of having a chance to win every game, it will have to be with the head coach that’s a true outlier, with an offensive system that not easily defended. And can be successful without having to rely on a roster filled with 4* recruits. Recruiting base among other things just dictates that. Petrino proved it could be done; there are other coaches doing it at other universities, as well. The AD/BOT just have to find the right person to get it done again.
[quote]The personal feeling now is that Arkansas football will not experience a turn-around under the present administration
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I too believe that is what’s going on, and I’ve been a HOG Fan since the 50’s.
The HC report’s to the AD, the AD director report’s to the President.
I Truely Believe that it’s comeing from the Tip Top and Trickleing Down to the HC. If the Agenda isn’t set by the President, then why should the AD or HC care, as long as they are getting paid. Somebody has got to be Holding the Rein’s Tight on the AD and HC.
Yes is it all about the Money. High School Scholarship to College, College Draft to the Pro’s.
Seem’s to me that Arkansas has thrown their Transmission into Reverse and who is doing the Shifting, is the Guy at the Tip Top.
Who is suffering; Well it sure isn’t the Guy’s at the top that are getting paid. I’m not sure who they answer too, but You can bet, that it involve’s MONEY.
College Football today is serious business and Serious Money, especially in the Bowl Game’s where Million’s of Money is being Distributed. It’s big Money and the Conference’s Have to Stay Strong to compete with each other.
If the Directive’s comeing from the Top at Arkansas doesn’t make a 180 Degree Turn Around, then don’t be surprised if Arkansas Drop’s to a Lesser Conference. I’m not saying that it will happen, but I’m saying don’t be surprised if it does happen.
Loosen the Rein’s and Let the Horse’s Run or Get Out Of The Way.
WPS
I too believe that is what’s going on, and I’ve been a HOG Fan since the 50’s.
The HC report’s to the AD, the AD director report’s to the President.
I Truely Believe that it’s comeing from the Tip Top and Trickleing Down to the HC. If the Agenda isn’t set by the President, then why should the AD or HC care, as long as they are getting paid. Somebody has got to be Holding the Rein’s Tight on the AD and HC.
Yes is it all about the Money. High School Scholarship to College, College Draft to the Pro’s.
Seem’s to me that Arkansas has thrown their Transmission into Reverse and who is doing the Shifting, is the Guy at the Tip Top.
Who is suffering; Well it sure isn’t the Guy’s at the top that are getting paid. I’m not sure who they answer too, but You can bet, that it involve’s MONEY.
College Football today is serious business and Serious Money, especially in the Bowl Game’s where Million’s of Money is being Distributed. It’s big Money and the Conference’s Have to Stay Strong to compete with each other.
If the Directive’s comeing from the Top at Arkansas doesn’t make a 180 Degree Turn Around, then don’t be surprised if Arkansas Drop’s to a Lesser Conference. I’m not saying that it will happen, but I’m saying don’t be surprised if it does happen.
Loosen the Rein’s and Let the Horse’s Run or Get Out Of The Way.
WPS
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As a long term fan and part of one the first families to give scholarships to the university, I share the feeling that the program is only a shell of what it used to be. Since the Petrino era self destructed, our football team has been either. a laughingstock (John L. Smith), or a poster child for out of touch, hardheaded, out of date mediocrity (Brett Bielema).
Jeff Long stated that we are not a win at all cost program. What he did not say was how or when we are once again a respected and nationally competitive football team. Having a fractured fan base (NWA vs the rest of the state) makes that more difficult. Long still does not recognize that state wide unity and support are a great asset and one advantage that Arkansas has over it’s more populous rivals.
The rebuilding task.is now huge but not impossible. Wait much longer and the job gets almost impossible. Winning leads to more winning. Likewise, losing leads to more losing. A case in point is the basketball program. By the time Mike Anderson (if ever) gets the Razorbacks back to a consistent top 20 program, it will be a 25 years since the 1994 national championship. If our football team doesn’t change now, I believe it will be at least that long before we have another top 10 team.
I don’t expect Arkansas to be a top 5 program in football or basketball. I do think that a consistent top 25 team is not only possible but should be expected in both sports. If the current coaches and athletic director can’t get it done, we need someone in charge who will make that happen. Now before it is too late.
The only cure for what ails us is winning. The fractured fan base is cease if we win convincingly over opponents that we are supposed to beat and win at least 50% of the time over opponents that are supposed to beat us. We can sit here and speculate what happens if we win out or win 2 of the next 3. I am afraid that does not matter anymore. Our program simply cannot succeed under the brand of football that CBB and JL want to play. On its best day, it’s stodgy, unimaginative and too risk averse to be effective against highly talented SEC defenses. To illustrate, remember when Ryan Mallett hit Cobi Hamilton for an 80 TD against LSU in Little Rock on the last play of the first half. Do you honestly think the present regime would be that aggressive? As for the defense, it leaks like a sieve. Coastal Carolina put up 37 or 38 points for crying out loud. Our special teams are hit or miss - no real consistency. This is the SEC not the Ivy League. Win big or go home.
I am sorry, this is not going to change. CBB has had 5 seasons. The fans have been extremely patient and fair for the most part. I just hope Jeff Long gets it because I really wonder if he will do what needs to be done and start over. Time will tell.
I will turn 71 in December, and started going to games with my Dad and brother in LR in the mid/late 50s. My feelings are exactly like “Silverfox”. Dad, brother, and i are all graduates from the Hill. Today was my Dad’s birthday, and I know he must be turning over in his grave.
just don’t think long will ever be anything but politically correct. there are those that will roll the dice but jl doesn’t appear to be one. college programs that are successful play the gray areas many times the dark gray.
others have mentioned that jl has higher aspirations and that could be accurate. that doesn’t lend itself to taking chances in certain personality types which jl appears to be. when at pitt he was called out to be a money man and their athletics were average. looks like that’s playing out again. except ua is going below avg in fb and is dangerously close in bb. jl will obviously want to keep his job and may longer than bret. guess here is he’ll be leaving not a lot later regardless.