Losing is one thing, this coaching staff is not competitive

[parallaxpig]

may get 5 wins now with Patterson out. but who knows.

And that's a bowl game with APR.........Arkansas St.     please please please........

[elksnort]

No, Lanny's post are not vague at all. What's hard to understand about "It's over" and "Bielema's not coming back"?

I think there might be some sarcasm there

[BadHog]

CBB has checked out.

Checked into the bottle. And that is a serious problem.

[porkrindjimmy]

Nope, less than 6 wins and he's gone, or so I heard last night. Of course, this was the same one saying 16 regular season wins over 2017-2018. Losing and being competitive, gives some hope, hope has gone out the door the past 3 weeks.

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Checked into the bottle. And that is a serious problem.

Been making that visit since before he got here. Might be worse now but don't know.

[The NewEra]

Actually, selling the club seating is more important than the Loge seating, the Loge boxes will bring in about $1.2m, the club seating brings in $3m.

I agree, the club seats are the most critical.  I don't know this to be true, but I suspect those new Club Seats are primarily being sold to Corporations and Big Money in NWA.  Those people aren't going to lay out large sums of money to watch Bielema continue this way.  At a minimum they will demand HOPE which Bielema doesn't inspire any fan right now.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

Let's remember that Long reports to someone, and that someone also reports to someone else, who reports to someone else, etc., etc. Everyone works for someone. Point being, if someone up the line gets disgusted enough with what we are witnessing, Long may have a choice, do what he is told to do or, he can always resign.

[The NewEra]

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

That may well be Long's position.  If it is then he's certainly miscalculating the negative passion that now surrounds the program.  We've seen the uprising from the majority of the fan base in the past and Long would be wise not to place a larger bulls eye on his chest than is already there.  Retaining Bielema could easily be deemed detrimental to the entire athletic program since football is Arkansas sports.

[porkrindjimmy]

Let's remember that Long reports to someone, and that someone also reports to someone else, who reports to someone else, etc., etc. Point being, if someone up the line gets disgusted enough with what we are witnessing, Long may have a choice, do what he is told to do or, he can always resign.

You are correct. I just hope somebody above him gets disgusted...

PRJ

[Paul]

Hopefully we have begun talks with Norvell's agent

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Hopefully we have begun talks with Norvell’s agent

If it's left up to Long, there will be no talks with anyone until they express interest. And that will only be after there is an actual opening. Long will screw the pooch on this if given the opportunity.

[porkrindjimmy]

That may well be Long's position.  If it is then he's certainly miscalculating the negative passion that now surrounds the program.  We've seen the uprising from the majority of the fan base in the past and Long would be wise not to place a larger bulls eye on his chest than is already there.  Retaining Bielema could easily be deemed detrimental to the entire athletic program since football is Arkansas sports.

I can guarantee you he is miscalculating.

PRJ

[jj202020]

All it would take to get him gone would be for a couple of big donors to say they were thinking about shifting their support to A-state.  He would be gone in a week.

[(notOM)Rebel123]

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

2 weeks ago?...as in before the 'Bama & Auburn blowout losses?

[hawgon]

Politics will get involved soon enough.  Not directly, but this is still a public university and it requires the goodwill of the political class in Little Rock.  How willing are the eggheads in charge to go to bat for Long and Bert if it means that everything just got a little bit more difficult on the political front?

[Boarslab]

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

This, this is a reflection of the judgement of our AD.  The "restructuring" of the AD position should be the first thing to be set in place--and quickly.

[Poker_hog]

Nope, less than 6 wins and he's gone, or so I heard last night. Of course, this was the same one saying 16 regular season wins over 2017-2018. Losing and being competitive, gives some hope, hope has gone out the door the past 3 weeks.

This doesn't require inside information to figure out.  Anyone with common sense knew bert couldn't  servive a losing season.

[HawgWild]

Let me answer it this way. This will play out just like the Pelphrey situation.
PRJ

I know when Pelphrey was here the RF was calling season ticket holders to ask them why they hadn't renewed and what it would take to get them to renew. I imagine JL has folks working the phones again.

[The NewEra]

I can guarantee you he is miscalculating.

PRJ

Then he deserves the consequences of his miscalculation.  It would be a shame if the fan base had to endure another year of what we've see as the demise of our program.

[judgeroyswine]

Almost but not quite.  The path to 6 wins is still there. Long won't fire bert if he wins 4 out of the last 5. 

Think about what you're saying. You are speaking within mathematic possibilities but not reality. The truth is just hard to deal with, and that is, the Hogs are a bad football team. The talent is there to succeed, but this team is broken and unable to be fixed by this staff.

[Poker_hog]

Think about what you're saying. You are speaking within mathematic possibilities but not reality. The truth is just hard to deal with, and that is, the Hogs are a bad football team. The talent is there to succeed, but this team is broken and unable to be fixed by this staff.

Don't get me wrong I think he should be fired even if he wins 6 in a row.  I'm just speculating on what Long would do.  Long knows he could sell a strong finish to most of the fan base.

[porkrindjimmy]

Think about what you're saying. You are speaking within mathematic possibilities but not reality. The truth is just hard to deal with, and that is, the Hogs are a bad football team. The talent is there to succeed, but this team is broken and unable to be fixed by this staff.

This is the world they live in. Fantasy...there is a chance. See...but folks who live in reality and watch with their own eyes, make their own decisions, well they see the truth.

When it becomes mathematically impossible to get to 6, these role players will shift to the numbers and start crunching them on how we can make a bowl at 5-7 and will spin it as a positive for Bret, for the program and for the state overall.

Roll the dice, shake the bones and tell me what you see. That is the world them dudes play in....

PRJ

[From Tusk Till Dawn]

I agree, the club seats are the most critical.  I don't know this to be true, but I suspect those new Club Seats are primarily being sold to Corporations and Big Money in NWA.  Those people aren't going to lay out large sums of money to watch Bielema continue this way.  At a minimum they will demand HOPE which Bielema doesn't inspire any fan right now.

Politley disagree.  I took a business trip out of the country, the company I went to sponsored a soccer team.  We were invited to a game.  Bottom line they want to wine and dine the clients.  Its always a better time if the home team wins but corporations are not paying for those seats for the love of the game. 

[ricepig]

I agree, the club seats are the most critical.  I don't know this to be true, but I suspect those new Club Seats are primarily being sold to Corporations and Big Money in NWA.  Those people aren't going to lay out large sums of money to watch Bielema continue this way.  At a minimum they will demand HOPE which Bielema doesn't inspire any fan right now.

I don't know about the club seats, but the vast majority of suites and boxes have sold to "fans". Now, I've always suspected a lot of the club seats in the SOC were sold to WM vendor types, they hardly show up and usually are for re-sale.

[The NewEra]

Politley disagree.  I took a business trip out of the country, the company I went to sponsored a soccer team.  We were invited to a game.  Bottom line they want to wine and dine the clients.  Its always a better time if the home team wins but corporations are not paying for those seats for the love of the game.

You may be right.  I hope not.

[The NewEra]

I don't know about the club seats, but the vast majority of suites and boxes have sold to "fans". Now, I've always suspected a lot of the club seats in the SOC were sold to WM vendor types, they hardly show up and usually are for re-sale.

Interesting!

[birmingHAMette]

I will say this. He looks like he has checked out. No emotional investment at all.

But I was told that Jeff is adamant about Bret getting the full 6 years. He told someone directly 2 weeks ago that Bret needed and deserved more time. Now, if he flames the last 5 games, maybe something changes. But knowing his pattern, Jeff is gonna hang in there.

PRJ

Why does Long think B.B. "deserves"  more time? He has had 5 years and we are in abysmal shape. I can't see he needs anymore time at this point except to pack up his office.

[carolinahogger]

I beg to differ. We are sorta competitive for the first half

I remember when I was a kid and my brother's pointer found a possum in the yard.  She ran up to within about a foot of it.  Her hair was standing on end and she looked like she had grown about 25% bigger.  She circled around that possum slowly, once.  Then she went for him.

That fight was sort of competitive until she lunged at him.

[ricepig]

Why does Long think B.B. "deserves"  more time? He has had 5 years and we are in abysmal shape. I can't see he needs anymore time at this point except to pack up his office.

Most of these comments were made to the "big boys" weeks ago, I don't know if the same applies today.

[pignatious]

Bielema has no fire in him at all. Players and assistants have checked out. The football program has totally flat lined. If this is allowed to continue as is, our recruiting chances will be totally ruined for next year. Long needs to make some kind of statement or at least give a sign that this state of affairs will not be allowed to continue. A good athletic director that cared about the fans and the future of the program would understand this. I don't have any confidence this will happen.

[hawgon]

Some of the comments were made while basking in the glow of a moral victory at Alabama.

[my3boneheads]

So we have more pressure because ASU is going to a bowl in Mobile or Montgomery?

Never let the little guy gain traction. If A-State is the best team over a period of time recruiting will become that much harder. Whether you want to admit it or not their product over the past couple of years has been better. Yes they play in an easier conference but they also do not have the budget or facilities that the Hogs have. If ASU were to get an invite from the AAC and play well while the Hogs go 5-7 that makes live harder. I'm just looking at the big picture. Look what happened in basketball after Nolan left.

[wachhog]

Never let the little guy gain traction. If A-State is the best team over a period of time recruiting will become that much harder. Whether you want to admit it or not their product over the past couple of years has been better. Yes they play in an easier conference but they also do not have the budget or facilities that the Hogs have. If ASU were to get an invite from the AAC and play well while the Hogs go 5-7 that makes live harder. I'm just looking at the big picture. Look what happened in basketball after Nolan left.

Ark State will NOT be invited to join the ACC no matter how well they play. It doesn't have the stature. Many did not want VaTech to be allowed in.

[East Clintwood]

There is no excuse to keep Bielema after this year. Doing so would be complete incompetence.

How dare you sir, call our worlds greatest all-star Athletic Director incompetent.

He will not, on his own, fire Bert.

Jeffy is the real problem behind the destruction of the football program.  Bert is a much easier problem to fix.

[East Clintwood]

The team is playing like they know he's gone also......

Or maybe they just want him gone.

[buldozer]

CBB is toast. The decision to fire him will come from above JL. Jeff will have to make a decision, fire BB or leave himself.

[elksnort]

CBB is toast. The decision to fire him will come from above JL. Jeff will have to make a decision, fire BB or leave himself.

Besides seeming like common sense, how do you know this?

[ricepig]

Ark State will NOT be invited to join the ACC no matter how well they play. It doesn't have the stature. Many did not want VaTech to be allowed in.

He said A A C, not ACC, but anyway, I live in Jonesboro and that's way more front license plates with a Razorback on it, then stAte. They have their core fan group of 20,000, it isn't changing.

[Redhogs]

Some of the comments were made while basking in the glow of a moral victory at Alabama.

41-9 is a moral victory?? How low we have fallen...I'd kill to be Vandy right now...

[ricepig]

Besides seeming like common sense, how do you know this?

He doesn't, nobody outside of about 5 people know anything, and we don't even know for sure who those 5 people are, lol.

[East Clintwood]

2 weeks ago?...as in before the 'Bama & Auburn blowout losses?

It's not like the two blowouts came a a surprise to anybody, even Jeffy.

They were expected.

[porkrindjimmy]

Besides seeming like common sense, how do you know this?

Long...right now today....will have to be pressured and arm twisted to make a move on Bret this year. He literally thinks he deserves the full 6 years.

The hope is Bret will fall on his sword after Mizzou. Judging from his demeanor on the sidelines...he is already thinking of his new FS1 gig.

PRJ

[RexMentor]

Ricepig: Nope, less than 6 wins and he's gone, or so I heard last night. Of course, this was the same one saying 16 regular season wins over 2017-2018. Losing and being competitive, gives some hope, hope has gone out the door the past 3 weeks.

I heard the same several weeks ago. I just don't see six wins. Ark will beat Coastal and may not beat anyone else. Based on what I've seen, these coaches have checked out.

[RexMentor]

Politley disagree.  I took a business trip out of the country, the company I went to sponsored a soccer team.  We were invited to a game.  Bottom line they want to wine and dine the clients.  Its always a better time if the home team wins but corporations are not paying for those seats for the love of the game.

You don't wine and dine clients successfully at a mugging

[Granny fan]

The absolute hardest part is watching this TRAIN WRECK play out!

[EastexHawg]

quote author=MuskogeeHogFan link=topic=644886.msg11055011#msg11055011 date=1508687086]
Long may have a choice, do what he is told to do or, he can always resign.

The dream scenario.

[Granny fan]

Almost but not quite.  The path to 6 wins is still there. Long won't fire bert if he wins 4 out of the last 5. 

To quote Porkatarian....The chances of this happening are slim & none, and slim has left the building.

[Granny fan]

Bielema's not coming back

Thank you Lanny, you give me hope!

[hamARchy in the USA]

The dream scenario.

True.  Can't see him getting any comparable offers.  With his track record it's unlikely any other school would think he's worth what he's getting paid here.

[Svrdhd]

The declining trajectory of the program over the last two seasons is the deal breaker. We aren't 'close' and we aren't competitive with anyone anymore unless they're a cupcake. We aren't deficient in one phase of the game, we are abysmal in two phases and bad in the third.
  I feel for the guy and acknowledge that maybe his current team has so few leaders that they eventually lay down regardless of how well they are coached, but those are his recruits.