A couple of weeks ago on another board there was a thread about Derrian Ford entering the transfer portal. One poster posted in the thread that they would rather have a pretty GOOD team made up of Arkansas kids who wanted to be Hogs than to WIN a national championship with non-Arkansas kids.
Was just curious if anybody feels that way?
Um, no. I see the attraction on some level but this is ludicrous. That would be an excellent way to run off Musselman and any other decent coach, too. This is about winning. Not about allegiance to Arkansas HS kids, most of whom — even the all-state types —cannot play major college BB at a high level.
Frankly, that’s the kind of provincial attitude that holds Arkansas back in many areas, not just athletics.
If they are playing for Arkansas they are Arkansas kids as far as I am concerned. In the state I currently reside in, Duke has almost never had a player from North Carolina. The majority of players from state universities NC State and UNC have been from out-of-state. The two returning stars for North Carolina, Bacot and RJ Davis, are from Virginia and New York, respectively. And it goes way back. The 1957 UNC undefeated National Championship team members were practically all from New York. I don’t think anyone is complaining or thinking about giving any National Championships back.
Might be some of that but I haven’t seen a lot over the years. If you’re a good player and a good person the fans of Arkansas embraces regardless in-state or out-of-state.
It would be nice for a young man like Ford to remain a Hog! But it’s best for him to transfer to be able to play. I want our hogs to put the best team on the court to win. If it’s Arkansas kids fine if not the best player is ideal.
I will always pull for players that were born and raised here in the Natural state. There have been a couple of exceptions to that. (Monk, Flanagan and Perry).
Coaches have to put the best team he can on the roster that’s what he paid to do.
That’s just pure silliness
Not big-boy basketball
Those folks should go be fans of UCA, UALR, or others
I wonder if they enjoyed the 1994 championship team?
Winning of course, comes first. Ironically, the greatest players in the history of our program are probably Sidney Moncrief, Corliss Williamson and Joe Johnson. All native Akansans. I don’t really care where the top 10 players on the roster are from. If a talented player like Darrian Ford is OK filling one of the 11-13 slots, I would kind of like to see him have that opportunity.
I won’t say who or what sport, but I had a coach tell me recently that if they are on the fence about a player from out of state or in state, they lean more toward offering the player out of state and it is because of the types of discussions that prompted this thread.
Some fans have a tendency to get emotionally attached to in-state players and become hypersensitive when the fit is bad for one or both sides.
CMA tried to recruit Arkansas kids and got terminated…hmmm
Didn’t Nolan once say in state kids felt more pressure?
Of course, Ole Miss killed us a few years with Arkansas kids.
Then there’s Todd Day from Memphis and Lee Mayberry from Tulsa.
And with the portal, kids like Ford aren’t going to be satisfied warming the bench. They all want to play in the pros, and that’s not going to happen if you aren’t getting minutes. So they’ll go somewhere that minutes are available.
Todd and Lee were great, but Sid and Corliss were the greatest. Time will tell with Ford. I can’t help but think he is going to be a heckuva player for someone. I just hope it isn’t a hated rival.
Ford wants to start….right now it’s not going to happen for us…wish him the best wherever he lands.
Mean no offense to a kid I don’t know but checking into a game without to the scorers table makes me wonder…
First off - I trust the coaches. I would have liked to have seen these 4 stars. I guess I will see them playing elsewhere. Go Hogs and Go Coach Muss!!!
Woooie Pigs
Think about it. CEM is signing awesome 4-star recruits who can’t get on the floor. That’s where you want your program to be. Give them a shot, then let them move on. Everyone wins.