Happy birthday coach. Fantastic coach and man. Gave the U of A the greatest 6 consecutive year run (1989/90 thru 1994/95) in Razorback sports’ history. With all due respect to the great John McDonnell.
Love those pictures.
I know there have been some projects here and there, but I wish Nolan would get the full on 30 for 30 documentary treatment.
His life and that run needs to be fully documented for future generations, not just for Arkansas but for all sports fans.
Happy Birthday Coach Richardson.
Staying away from social media, great call again.
Growing up outside of Tulsa, I was a huge Nolan fan. I was able to be at the basketball team banquet when Nolan was introduced. I had to have been the most excited person in attendance. He endured a lot of garbage (an awful lot early on, too) but I was always a staunch supporter. That he overcame the things he overcame makes him my favorite UA coach of all-time. Hard to type that, too, given the many great coaches and better men who have coached at UA.
Happy Birthday, Coach!
Happy Birthday Nolan! I have fond remembrances of our games when you were just leaving Western Texas J.C. (as Nat’l J.C. Champs heading to Tulsa) and I was the Mexican Nat’l University Games coach. You have left many great memories for the Razorback Nation and as a Hall of Famer. Congrats on a great career as a coach, husband, father and friend.
I asked Nolan once what he liked for his birthday, he said, “Rose takes me to Red Lobster and I order one of everything.” Funny stuff.
Mine too. I lived in Tulsa when he coached there. Loved that he became the head hog. Best wishes, Coach.
He already got the documentary treatment with 40 Minutes of Hell.
Happy Birthday, CNR. A man of rare courage.
Thanks for all the great memories.
Happy birthday to one of the most important men that I have ever had in my life. I love you, Coach. Thank you so much for allowing me to go on that unforgettable ride. Still the best time of my 48 trips around the sun.
I moved to Tulsa in the fall of '81, just after Nolan’s Tulsa team won the NIT. I quickly became a TU basketball fan. I too was thrilled when he got the Arkansas job.
Happy Birthday Coach!
Happy Birthday from one of your many friends in Paragould. You’re the best ever!!
Happy birthday, Coach Nolan!
Great man, great coach!
It was a pleasure to have had a chance to meet you!
I hope that you had a great birthday Coach Richardson. May the future provide you with many more…
jerryj, I made a trip to Paragould in the early days of Hawgs Illustrated to hear Nolan speak. It was a packed house. It may have been 500 people in attendance. There was a standing ovation when he entered and left. It may have been the loudest Razorback Club ovation I’ve ever heard.
There was not a good way to get from Fayetteville to Paragould, but I was so glad I went.
My dad used to say if you were going from Paragould to Fayetteville, you had to go some place else to start.
Happy Birthday Coach!
You guys sound like my wife who whines when I want to take 412 to Fayetteville! I make the drive from Dyersburg, TN now, but while in college the trip began in Walnut Ridge. In the early 70’s there were no bypasses or passing lanes and a ferry across Norfork . As stupid college kids we tried to pass as many cars as possible to get to the front of the ferry line. Especially going west, because if one was at the back of the line on the ferry it took forever to get ahead of any slow vehicles in front of you on the ferry. I always said the ferry probably generated enough speeding tickets from us impatient, ignorant young adults to pay for the eventual bridge.
When I was in law school at UA, I took what is now 412 from Fayetteville to Paragould (and back). There was a bridge over Norfork at least! It was still a long drive. Much better today, but I just KNEW that within 35 years it would be 4 lane all the way. So much for what I “knew.”