Im starting to think maybe Nolan knew something....

[HawgG]

Nolan Richardson was at one time a GREAT RECRUITOR and he up until this day is a great HC.After he led his team to the NC and runner-up finish he believed that prospects would just come to him because he was Nolan Richardson and he is on top of the world.Nolan always had a chip on his shoulder and an edge about him and he use that to out work anybody that dared go against him.He was indeed the man,but his own ego got in his way and the once hard working Black head coach that beat the good ol boy system to succeed in the south became lazy.Instead of using his energy to outwork his opposition he instead turned his venom towards the fans,media,fb coach,and the Administration.While he was distracted with matters not concerning the BB program his competitors caught up with him and in cases blew right by him.Never being a person that could except losing,Nolan took out his frustration on his players and others around the program.The thing is he always done that but this time what was once silent to the nation would become public.Nolan didn't have the protection of winning anymore and by the time he realized that it was already to late.in the end no one could defeat Nolan Richardson but himself.He thought he had build UCLA at ARKANSAS and he was John Wooden who is the only HC that could sit back and have Blue-Chip prospects come him.At Arkansas you have to bust your ass everyday if you want to get it going and keep it going.

[kgr]

You are correct, the rule was changed and it was aimed at Arkansas.  That hurt Nolan.  Nolan also was burned out and had not recruited very well and that led to some lean years.  He had also developed an attitude which hurt him; but, he could coach.

[Thearkfan]

Cityhog, you have to be blind not to see that most of the players Nolan recruiting no other major D1 programs were recruiting.  Cory Beck, Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, I could go on and on.  They were not heavily recruited at all and the were consistent winners.  We were in the tourn every year and at the top of the SEC.  What games have you been watching.  Look at the facts not because you don't like Nolan.  He made winners out of guys no other major D1 program wanted and these kids played at a high level.  Even Wally Hall stated that.  The highest recruit he had gotten up unitil the Championship was Corllis.  If you don't think that those kids were playing above their potential....Look at how many of those guys went pro....Not many....and only Corllis is still there.  Then look at North Corlina and all of the recruits they had under Dean Smith.....Arkansas was on the same level they were.  Those kids played to their full potential.  Like it or not those are facts.

[jamie72921]

You're wrong about Emeka Okafor.   He was recruited in 2000 and chose UConn over us.   He was a freshman at UConn in 2001.

Nolan lasted through 2002.  He didn't close the deal on Okafor.   Igadoula was in the bag,  but according to people in the know at the time,  he never actively recruited Ronnie Brewer and by many accounts had never even been to Fayetteville High to watch him play.

Nolan was a great coach in his prime but he wasn't much his last 5 years.

Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing Albert. We remember what we want, and conveniently forget what we don't want. Mike Anderson was the coach the last two years at least. Nolan rarely even got up off the bench during a game. Nolan was great, but he got lazy then he got hateful.  Not sure I wouldn't as well, but let's not rewrite history because we are po'd at Stan. One thing for sure, Stan CAN recruit, many in here have said how well Nolan could do with this bunch. Give Stan till the end of the season. If we do not go to the dance and at least show up for the game, then I say he needs to go.

I do hope that someday after Frank goes to the BC in the sky, we can come to peace with Nolan. He was a great coach and should have his rightful place in Hog history.

What are you smoking?

Mike Anderson was coach? When did this happen but one game at the Sec tourney?

I have been attending games and practices since the days of the original tripletts. I can assure that Nolan was still heading up recruiting and running all practices and games up until the day he was fired.

I have seen you put this insane idea forth before, but you are full of it.

[jamie72921]

I respectfully disagree w/ some of the posters on this thread.  One of the big gripes w/ Nolan was that he didn't "develop" players and they left no better than they arrived.  Another gripe was he couldn't recruit the quality big man.  Also his last years may have been "fun" to watch, but I wanted to pull my hair out every time we were on defense.  Our idea of defense those last few years was to foul the team on offense as oppossed to actually playing D.  made me nuts.  He was a teacher of the hand check and thanks to our domination in the early 90's the rules were changed about hand checking and Nolan NEVER adapted.

You are wrong.

And I am not wrong about the hand check rules being changed because of 40 minutes of hell.  Ask around.

No, you are just wrong about its impact.

We went to the sweet 16 the following year. What hurt was all the player defections over the next 5 seasons.

If it were hand checking, how is Mike Anderson doing it today?

[Humghog31]

Brewer was NOT going to play for Nolan regardless of how Nolan did or did not recruit him.

That's all here say and hypothetical. Nolan's recruiting did not go down hill. He had a few down years throughout the stretch but like I said before we HAD iguadola and possibly Okufor not to mention Joe Johnson. And the big man comment is TOTALLY irrelavent. We don't need big men and big men obviously do not mean success. See Steven Hill, Townes, our lineup the past 5 years. If you say big men= rebounds well see our stats. Also remember who is the ALL TIME LEADING rebounder for the Hogs. Nolan owes this town, this state and this university nothing because he gave us everything. Him winning the title in 94 was WORLDS bigger than JFB's and it completally changed the our athletic department in and out. If you argue that then you're just a pathetic old timer.

Regarding the statements about players not improving... See Al Dillard. One of my favorite hogs.

Also on a ranting tangent, it's just mind boggling to me that Steven Hill grabbed ZERO, I repeat ZERO rebounds in 17 minutes yesturday. Heath is just pathetic...

Also, did anyone else catch Gary Ervin's quotes in the paper this morning, he all but said if he was the coach he would have pulled himself. WHY ON EARTH DID HE PLAY 37 minutes? I appreciate Ervin's honesty but has Stan ever even heard of adjustment? We do not need a pure, definition point guard. Stan is so desperate for this that he forgets we get out-rebounded almost every game. The triplets didn't have one and well just look at their record..

Do you know anything about the Razorback's and our recent history?  Let me help show you all the things that you got wrong in one simple sentence.
  "He had a few down years throughout the stretch but like I said before we HAD iguadola and possibly Okufor not to mention Joe Johnson."
    1.  You are correct that he has singed Iguaola.
    2.  Joe Johnson was not part of this team and would have never played with Iguadola.
    3.  We did not get Okufor - How can you even act like it was a chance?  We were in the final 2, and Nolan decided not to make the official visit to see him.  Later that same day, Okufor decided to go to Uconn.  We didn't get him because NOLAN would not recruit!!!
Finally, Ronnie Brewer played about 2 blocks from Bud Walton areana....Nolan made exactly 0 visits to see him! 

[PorcineSublime]

You're wrong about Emeka Okafor.   He was recruited in 2000 and chose UConn over us.   He was a freshman at UConn in 2001.

Nolan lasted through 2002.  He didn't close the deal on Okafor.   Igadoula was in the bag,  but according to people in the know at the time,  he never actively recruited Ronnie Brewer and by many accounts had never even been to Fayetteville High to watch him play.

Nolan was a great coach in his prime but he wasn't much his last 5 years.

Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing Albert. We remember what we want, and conveniently forget what we don't want. Mike Anderson was the coach the last two years at least. Nolan rarely even got up off the bench during a game. Nolan was great, but he got lazy then he got hateful.  Not sure I wouldn't as well, but let's not rewrite history because we are po'd at Stan. One thing for sure, Stan CAN recruit, many in here have said how well Nolan could do with this bunch. Give Stan till the end of the season. If we do not go to the dance and at least show up for the game, then I say he needs to go.

I do hope that someday after Frank goes to the BC in the sky, we can come to peace with Nolan. He was a great coach and should have his rightful place in Hog history.

What are you smoking?

Mike Anderson was coach? When did this happen but one game at the Sec tourney?

I have been attending games and practices since the days of the original tripletts. I can assure that Nolan was still heading up recruiting and running all practices and games up until the day he was fired.

I have seen you put this insane idea forth before, but you are full of it.

Guess we were at different games. I saw a man who, the last year and most of the last two, let his assitants coach (at least in the games I saw) for him. I may be wrong, but that is what I saw. And keep in mind that I was a Nolan man right up until he went off. Maybe even after. Maybe it was because I was only able to go to the scrub games, maybe he was more active in the bigger games. Again, this is just my opinion and you know what they say about those.

As far as me being full of it, you are not the only one aware of that. Hell, everyone that knows me knows that.

[moley_russells_wart_hog]

Something set off Nolan's fuse and it showed that year....

That something would be Frank Broyles.

nolan just interpreted it as racism
when it was a hole ism

[Fatty McGee]

I don't think talent was ever a REAL issue with Nolan's teams but I won't deny the fact that he got lazy. But even in his laziness we were winning and things were exciting. The last year was terrible but who the hell knows what was going on behind closed doors. Something set off Nolan's fuse and it showed that year....

You don't think talent was a real issue?  You're joking right?  Had Joe Johnson had any talent whatsoever around him we'd have gone deep in the NCAAs when he was here. 

[elksnort]

  I did not like Nolan's attitude at the end.  I can guarantee you though that if they were to fire Stan Heath next week and bring Nolan back , you would not be able to get into BW arena. Know it isn't going to happen but the fans are so tired of this conservative playing in BB and FB that they would come out in great numbers to watch something exciting again and would forget all about Nolan's past.

Sorry not to read anyone else's post. Because I am sure there are some good ones, but this one is crazily (made up this word) true. +1

[Fatty McGee]

Cityhog, you have to be blind not to see that most of the players Nolan recruiting no other major D1 programs were recruiting.  Cory Beck, Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, I could go on and on.  They were not heavily recruited at all and the were consistent winners.  We were in the tourn every year and at the top of the SEC.  What games have you been watching.  Look at the facts not because you don't like Nolan.  He made winners out of guys no other major D1 program wanted and these kids played at a high level.  Even Wally Hall stated that.  The highest recruit he had gotten up unitil the Championship was Corllis.  If you don't think that those kids were playing above their potential....Look at how many of those guys went pro....Not many....and only Corllis is still there.  Then look at North Corlina and all of the recruits they had under Dean Smith.....Arkansas was on the same level they were.  Those kids played to their full potential.  Like it or not those are facts.

Todd Day and Lee Mayberry were top recruits.  As were Darnell Robinson, Joe Johnson, and Jesse Pate.  I don't know whether Corey Beck was very highly recruited as rankings on JUCOs are sometimes hard to find.

[elksnort]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

[moley_russells_wart_hog]

  I did not like Nolan's attitude at the end.  I can guarantee you though that if they were to fire Stan Heath next week and bring Nolan back , you would not be able to get into BW arena. Know it isn't going to happen but the fans are so tired of this conservative playing in BB and FB that they would come out in great numbers to watch something exciting again and would forget all about Nolan's past.

id be there throwing palm leaves down


um ....its a biblical reference

[Fatty McGee]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

Maybe, maybe not.  But it doesn't mean Todd Day and Lee Mayberry weren't top recruits.

[TransAmHawg]

Goodbye and good ridence to the "Boots and Suits"  He caused all the problems. He quit coaching 3 years before Frank fired him. I, for one don't want too go back too that. We should have gotten a better coach when we got Heath.

[pignatious]

Nolan was pretty much right. He was an arrogant ass, egotistical to the max. No more so than Broyles however. The key is we have to have a dynamic coach that can inspire his players. Heath is the opposite of what is needed here now. We had to hire him, I get that. Now, he is failing badly. Arkansas has to pay the money and get someone who has proven he can win. The program has been diminished greatly by Heath. However, Arkansas still has a little prestige left from the past. A change needs to be made as soon as practical.

[loserhog3-7]

I was totally against Nolan back then before I opened up my eyes and ears and found out for myself just how messed up the hill really is.

[Albert Einswine]

Nolan was pretty much right. He was an arrogant ass, egotistical to the max. No more so than Broyles however. The key is we have to have a dynamic coach that can inspire his players. Heath is the opposite of what is needed here now. We had to hire him, I get that. Now, he is failing badly. Arkansas has to pay the money and get someone who has proven he can win. The program has been diminished greatly by Heath. However, Arkansas still has a little prestige left from the past. A change needs to be made as soon as practical.

There is no basis for firing Heath in consideration of the two year pass just granted the Nuttster.   If they fire Heath it will lend credence to what Nolan was saying all along.

[Fatty McGee]

Nutt has made it harder to fire Heath.

[dhornjr1]

Nutt has made it harder to fire Heath.

That is correct, sir.

[moley_russells_wart_hog]

Nolan was pretty much right. He was an arrogant ass, egotistical to the max. No more so than Broyles however. The key is we have to have a dynamic coach that can inspire his players. Heath is the opposite of what is needed here now. We had to hire him, I get that. Now, he is failing badly. Arkansas has to pay the money and get someone who has proven he can win. The program has been diminished greatly by Heath. However, Arkansas still has a little prestige left from the past. A change needs to be made as soon as practical.

There is no basis for firing Heath in consideration of the two year pass just granted the Nuttster.   If they fire Heath it will lend credence to what Nolan was saying all along.

basis? how bout $$$

football seats full
basketball if the seats are empty, who knows

[JustoHogFan]

Goodbye and good ridence to the "Boots and Suits"  He caused all the problems. He quit coaching 3 years before Frank fired him. I, for one don't want too go back too that. We should have gotten a better coach when we got Heath.

One word..... UNGRATEFUL    As you can see now whats going on with the fb program the hill is totally f'd up. If Frank would not have stirred sh*t up Nolan would not have imploded   & let out such remarks and maybe he did slack a little but when you win a NC and your AD is up your ass just waiting to fire you, it becomes stressfull, but hey we were still winning and if it wasnt for Frank and Jim I BELIEVE he was ready to make another NC run before he gave the reigns to Anderson, I believe that is the way he wanted to go out

[Humghog31]

Nolan was pretty much right. He was an arrogant ass, egotistical to the max. No more so than Broyles however. The key is we have to have a dynamic coach that can inspire his players. Heath is the opposite of what is needed here now. We had to hire him, I get that. Now, he is failing badly. Arkansas has to pay the money and get someone who has proven he can win. The program has been diminished greatly by Heath. However, Arkansas still has a little prestige left from the past. A change needs to be made as soon as practical.

There is no basis for firing Heath in consideration of the two year pass just granted the Nuttster.   If they fire Heath it will lend credence to what Nolan was saying all along.

Not true at all.  Nutt still had people going to the games, Heath isn't so lucky this year so far.  I for one am hoping that changes, but if people don't start going I am worried about Stan and his job.  And before you ask, I have season tickets to both bball and football.

[hoggystyle78]

Bottom line, even in Nolan's worst years he could coach circles around Stan Heath. As for as as whether Ronnie would've been here or not, the way I remember it, Ronnie was not going to play for Nolan, but just what the heck did the Hogs do with Brewer anyway?, oh yeah, that's right, NOTHING, except get our a$$e$ handed to us by Bucknell! I would've taken Igoudala and Sullinger over Brewer any day of the week. We need to seriously beg Mike Anderson to come back to Fayetteville and coach our BB Hogs, Stan has had his chance, and he cannot get it done PERIOD.

[Hog Fan from Camden]

The only way I see Mike Anderson coming back to Fayetteville is if FB retires.  That's the only way!

[press ham]

I would have took the years with Igoudala over the years with Brewer any day.   

agreed. one season with igoudola and demario eddins(uab) would have sparked our program. then nolan could have retired peacefully and handed the job over to mike anderson.

brewer was good, no doubt. but igoudola is another on level.

[Albert Einswine]

Nolan was pretty much right. He was an arrogant ass, egotistical to the max. No more so than Broyles however. The key is we have to have a dynamic coach that can inspire his players. Heath is the opposite of what is needed here now. We had to hire him, I get that. Now, he is failing badly. Arkansas has to pay the money and get someone who has proven he can win. The program has been diminished greatly by Heath. However, Arkansas still has a little prestige left from the past. A change needs to be made as soon as practical.

There is no basis for firing Heath in consideration of the two year pass just granted the Nuttster.   If they fire Heath it will lend credence to what Nolan was saying all along.

Not true at all.  Nutt still had people going to the games, Heath isn't so lucky this year so far.  I for one am hoping that changes, but if people don't start going I am worried about Stan and his job.  And before you ask, I have season tickets to both bball and football.

It's because Arkansas is and always has been primarily a football school.    When football was going through lean times and Nolan had basketball rolling,  people naturally got on the bandwagon for a winner.   At the apex there was enough hysteria to fill up the Bud.  By the end of Nolan's tenure he wasn't selling out anymore.

What we see with the basketball attendance now is a return to the core of the Barnhill type attendance figures in a Bud sized arena without any of the bandwagoning.  When viewed in that context it looks meager.  When viewed historically,  it shows to be about the same core level of basketball support the Hogs have always enjoyed.

Nutt's immediate success re-energized a starving football fan base that was desperate for the re-birth of winning football.  Razorback fans will always have a preference for football.   Unless we see the program completely go in the tank again as it did in the '90s,  the attendance will generally look better for football than basketball even when both are average to mediocre.

Bottom line,  giving Nutt a pass for two very crappy seasons makes it very difficult to can Heath when he's gone from worse to better every season.

If he's fired for taking a step backward in this season,  it will look like a huge double standard to the larger college sports community and the negative public relations impact to the UofA will be significant.

[jamie72921]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

Maybe, maybe not.  But it doesn't mean Todd Day and Lee Mayberry weren't top recruits.

Fact: Though they were both Mcd's All Americans they weren't as highly sought after as many would love to believe. When they played Dean Smith as sophomores he admitted to evaluating them as not being good enough to play for him, and admitted he was wrong.

[Newhopehog]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

Nolan.....1 NC two final 4.......Winning pct .697........Dean 2NC and 11 final 4...winning pct .776.....Don't think Nolan wins that arguement.......   

[dhornjr1]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

Nolan.....1 NC two final 4.......Winning pct .697........Dean 2NC and 11 final 4...winning pct .776.....Don't think Nolan wins that arguement.......  

Nolan Richardson 1 National Championship  3 Final Fours in 17 seasons with

Todd Day                         Kareem Reid
Ron Huery                        Derek Hood
Lee Mayberry                    Nick Davis
Oliver Miller                       Pat Bradley
Corliss Williamson               Mario Credit
Scotty Thurman                Joe Johnson
Corey Beck                       Brandon Dean
Dwight Stewart

Dean Smith 2 National Championships   11 Final Fours in 36 seasons with

Michael Jordan                  Sam Perkins
Brad Daugherty                 Rasheed Wallace
Jerry Stackhouse               James Worthy
Vince Carter                     Antawn Jamison
Kenny Smith                     Phil Ford
George Karl                      Larry Brown
Roy Williams                     Billy Cunningham
J.R. Reid                          Bob McAdoo
Walter Davis

I think Nolan did more with less.     

[Albert Einswine]

Nolan could do more with his system (with lesser NBA type talent) than Dean Smith could with his. Like it or not!

Nolan.....1 NC two final 4.......Winning pct .697........Dean 2NC and 11 final 4...winning pct .776.....Don't think Nolan wins that arguement.......  

You left out one of Nolan's Final Fours.    1990, 1994 and 1995.

[Rey Pygsterio]

You guys wanted him fired. You got your wish.

Now live with the basketball program you created.

[Albert Einswine]

You guys wanted him fired. You got your wish.

Now live with the basketball program you created.

Is it within the realm of possibility for you to post anything that isn't negative and accusatory of EVERYONE on Hogville besides Shields and yourself?

[silvertip]

Well Sig Al, you almost had my interest with the word "cumudgeon." But if you want to use them big words, it's essential to spell them right. Otherwise, you turn from hero to goat with a few key strokes.

Spell Check is your friend.

[jamie72921]

You guys wanted him fired. You got your wish.

Now live with the basketball program you created.

This is right on.

I have been attending games since Moncrief's senior year. I was never at a Hog game while Nolan coached that people sitting around us weren't bitching about how Nolan couldn't coach. Even when we were kicking Kentucky's rump.

Even the next season after the NC.

A lot of people got exactly what they wanted for years. We shouldn't have to live with it however.

[GolfHawg]

STOP THINKING!

[jchill]

Nolan not getting Okafor made for a huge change in Hog basketball history, I believe.  He would have had Okafor, Igadoula, Sullinger, as a pretty good nucleus for a team, and would never had been fired, because he would have been WINNING!  Nolan would probably still have been here or have turned it over to Anderson.

You must have read my mind. I was going to post about Okafur. He was indeed the missing link, Nolan no doubt would not have made those comments, because he would have had winning team.