You were correct, and I’m the stupid one. I didn’t think that Dan would do what he did, but he did. Why play 67 games with your teammates – and stay healthy throughout – and then bail out on them for #68? I don’t get that. This isn’t football. The risk of injury is not zero, but it’s not very high.
I honestly am wondering the samething, if there was a worry about an injury he wouldn’t have played last week in S E C tounrney.
Gafford is a true Razorback and didn’t bail on anybody! He has chosen to continue his career. He could have done the same thing after his freshman season. He’s doing what any intelligent person would do in his shoes.
Gafford made a good move. Good for him. Now we will get to see what we look like for next season if we don’t bring in some studs over the summer.
Nothing wrong with him deciding to sit a meaningless NIT game.
He will potentially be a millionaire very soon, and while the injury risk may be low, it’s still there, and not worth it. He didn’t have to come back for this year, especially for how bad of a season it was.
Although you and I don’t always agree (probably do a lot more than we disagree, however), I have to give you kudos for being accountable. I have taken this path over the years and it is mostly a thankless journey.
When I point out that I was right, which I admittedly do sometimes (not nearly as often as my critics would like to think), I mostly get lampooned. However, I have been known to make a post when I was wrong (as you are doing here), and it’s almost always crickets then. People tend to remember when you “brag” on yourself (even if they made fun of you/your prediction when you originally made it), and forget that you were/are also accountable on the other side (things that don’t go as predicted).
So, props for admitting that you were wrong. I didn’t even post in that thread, and I’ll admit that I also thought he’d play if they got the NIT bid. And, I’m still not 100% sure he would have made the same decision IF the game were going to be in Fayetteville. But it isn’t so we’ll never know.
I just had a hunch…but one of the reasons he’s leaving right not(IMO) is because he can get an advance on his future earnings right now. I’m sure if he wants 200k he could go and get it today.
He’s a good dude with a big heart and I think all the trolls on social media have really gotten to him. He got clowned by a grown man on twitter this weekend for not taking a picture while he was at the baseball game. I know this seems small but I have been many places with Corliss and it takes a toll on these guys after a while.
Just hoping for better days soon.
I’m disappointed as a Razorback fan that I won’t get to see him anymore as a player for my team, but I’m not disappointed at Daniel Gafford. He played hard for the Hogs in every game he was in, and quickly announced after last season that he was coming back, rather than make the coaches sweat it out for a few weeks. He’ll always be one of my favorite players, and nobody since maybe Sidney Moncreif is going to leave us with such a collection of highlight reel plays.
His teammates are playing tomorrow night, without him, and he made the choice not to be there. That’s bailing in my book. Slightly more defensible in football, where the risk of injury is much greater, but I’m not fond of it there either. It’s a game, and they’re selling tickets and keeping score, and the winner gets to keep playing, so it’s meaningful. At least as meaningful as a December rent-a-win game. Lose Tuesday, turn pro the next day, fine. But he abandoned his teammates IMO. Zion Williamson had much more reason to shut it down than DG did (many more $ at stake and an existing injury), but he’s going to play up to six more games.
NIT is as important as NCAA? I don’t think so. We didn’t even warrant buying a home game.
The way Gafford plays, the risk of injury for a 6’11" guy is a lot greater. Look at how many times he’s had a hard fall, or two, during the past few games of the year. Is it bailing? By definition, yes. Is it the right choice? Yes.
Also, you could make the argument his teammates bailed on him many more times this year. He was obviously pretty frustrated with their energy throughout the season.
Why is the NIT game less meaningful than say the last regular season game?
When a 7-5 team makes a minor bowl and a player sits out the “meaningless bowl game” I don’t get that either. As soon as they lost that 2nd or at most 3rd game, as far as winning a national championship or (almost always) a conference championship all the remaining games are “meaningless.” The last regular season game for a 6-5 team is just as “meaningless” as the bowl game. When do you “drop out”? To mean when the FULL SEASON INCLUDING POST SEASON is done.
Who said it was as important? We didn’t get a home game because of our record; “buying a home game” has nothing to do with it. Providence is considered better than we are and they got the home game.
We put a bid in for it. I know you have to get the last word in but you can ask Dudley he reported it. By the way, Zion is reported to have an 8 million dollar insurance policy. Comparing his situation to Gafford’s is not realistic.
I agree with you, someone is bashing him now about leaving. It’s ridiculous
I consider the NIT similar to those “toilet bowls” as someone called them a few years ago. There is a benefit to being in them, but I know that’s not where me or most fans want to be. Still gonna support them (just like the Texas Bowl a few years back). I’m wondering if we actually win this thing how many people would actually be happy and how many would blast the team for giving their all?
But, I can see why people skip out. Jaylon Smith is a great example. He was a Top 5 NFL pick, got injured and fell to the 2nd round. Dallas took him cheap (that year Dallas actually got three first round players because two fell in the draft, they only had to spend first round money on one). Now he’s healed and playing really well (believe he was in the Pro Bowl this year, could be wrong), but a lot of kids realize the money he lost on his first contract and don’t want to make the same mistake.
To each his own, but to me, an NIT game for a bad team is absolutely meaningless.
You come back for the season, you want to play your last home game for your home state school, that’s not meaningless Playing in the SEC tournament isn’t meaningless, especially coming off such a good performance from that last game.
But an NIT game? If we are to the point where those are exciting… well then that speaks for itself. To me atleast.
This team was bad, Dan wasn’t used effectively, I personally have my beliefs as to why, (bad coaching). I mean we’ve had 2 lottery pick talents in the last 4 years and what did we do with them? 1 tournament win? Eesh
I say Thanks big Dan for coming back for another year. I’m sorry you did, probably should’ve gone last year. But now, go get your money, start your training early.
Nolan wasn’t real pleased with the Gafford move to quit. I listened to the interview on Fayetteville radio today. He said he thought a person should finish what he started. I agree with him, but I do understand why he quit. If it was the NCAA tournament, that would have been a real issue, but the NIT is not that big a deal. In years past when you quit on your teammates, it was a big deal, but given the money he may get, it is understandable. Why didn’t the coach and the administration just choose not to play and let Daniel go to Miami and avoid all this unpleasantness? The story then is we chose not to play in the NIT and by the way, Daniel Gafford is entering the NBA draft.
I would bet part of Nolan’s disappointment in Gafford’s move to leave the team is that it makes life for Mike even more difficult. I get that. Nolan was in a good mood, and I enjoyed listening to him. He still knows his stuff and has a great handle on the game. If I were Mike I would bring the big man in to close on some recruits…he is a forceful personality and is hard to say no to. Heck, put Nolan on the bench again…that might spice up things…I am half joking…but only half.
It will be interesting to see what the rest of the team does in his absence and if some leadership rears its beautiful head to take up the slack…
I wouldn’t expect Nolan to say anything else. Taking up for his guy.