Good article on Butch Jones that I believe parallels CBB

[FutureMan]

For those interested, I read this article on SEC Country about Butch Jones and I couldn't help but feel the exact same way about our own situation.  I think a lot of Butch's failures have mimicked CBB's failures and this article does a good job of summarizing why these coaches lose their jobs:

https://www.seccountry.com/tennessee/butch-jones-fate-sealed-2016-promise-unfulfilled

[Joe-T]

Good read. Thanks for sharing.

[dfwalumdad]

disagree, jones has been much more successful than bert. if bert had back to back 9-4 seasons he wouldn't be on the chopping block this year.

we've been more patient with bert than any coach in my lifetime and i'm 56.

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

[FutureMan]

disagree, jones has been much more successful than bert. if bert had back to back 9-4 seasons he wouldn't be on the chopping block this year.

we've been more patient with bert than any coach in my lifetime and i'm 56.

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

The parallel I draw is about the "Destination Year" that he talks about.  After a period of continued success, a fan base expects to reach that next level.  For Arkansas, we kept improving our win total over the first few years.  And then, in year 4, when we thought it would all come together, it comes crashing down in a horrible fashion against Missouri and Virginia Tech.

We never made it to that next echelon, and we have been reeling ever since.  And with the way this team is now, it looks like we will never get there. 

Same with Butch, the year they were supposed to hit that next level, they fell on their face, and have been in a downward spiral ever since.

You got to prove that you can make it to the next tier of success, and CBB and Butch couldn't do that.

[upperdeck_hawg]

BB would have had at least one 9-4 season if we were in the East maybe two so it's not an apple to apples comparison

[Razorbackers]

The parallel I draw is about the "Destination Year" that he talks about.  After a period of continued success, a fan base expects to reach that next level.  For Arkansas, we kept improving our win total over the first few years.  And then, in year 4, when we thought it would all come together, it comes crashing down in a horrible fashion against Missouri and Virginia Tech.

We never made it to that next echelon, and we have been reeling ever since.  And with the way this team is now, it looks like we will never get there. 

Man, that Missouri game was like us climbing a mountain, and our hand slipping off the rock and falling down a bit.

Then VaTech was our safety harness snapping and we fell all the dang way back to the bottom of the  mountain.

Bielema truly was close last year. If he closes out those last 2 games we win 9. He probably would have gotten paid again.

It is so unexplained how the team is as bad as it is right now. I can't wrap my head around it.

[FutureMan]

Man, that Missouri game was like us climbing a mountain, and our hand slipping off the rock and falling down a bit.

Then VaTech was our safety harness snapping and we fell all the dang way back to the bottom of the  mountain.

Bielema truly was close last year. If he closes out those last 2 games we win 9. He probably would have gotten paid again.

It is so unexplained how the team is as bad as it is right now. I can't wrap my head around it.

Exactly.  If we won those games last year and made it to 9 wins, there would have been much more goodwill heading into this season.  Enough goodwill that perhaps he could have kept his job.

Same with Butch.  He had his chance to make his stamp when the East was at it's most vulnerable.  But he couldn't get it done either.  Now, when adversity really hits, you're gone.

[Piggage]

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

No! Fire the potato!

[Tejano Jawg]

Man, that Missouri game was like us climbing a mountain, and our hand slipping off the rock and falling down a bit.

Then VaTech was our safety harness snapping and we fell all the dang way back to the bottom of the  mountain.

Bielema truly was close last year. If he closes out those last 2 games we win 9. He probably would have gotten paid again.

It is so unexplained how the team is as bad as it is right now. I can't wrap my head around it.

Thanks FutureMan, look forward to reading that.

Razorbackers, these 2 games you mentioned were truly on another level. Beyond losing to an inferior team, we've seen that before. More than giving up a lead, it's happened many times. The feeling after VTech was different.

Our losses last year, prior to those last 2, were some of the worst I can remember (and I've seen a lot, my first Hog game was in the Joe Ferguson era). Yes, the A&M and Auburn games said a lot, as were other bad losses in Bielema's time. BUT the difference of those to the Mizzou-VTech nightmares, we always rebounded from them somehow. We have never recovered from Mizzou-VTech.

Had we only lost to Mizzou, then that's the anomaly, and the bowl win would have been a good sedative. And Bielema's 3rd straight bowl win. Unprecedented. Or, had we beaten Mizzou but lost to VTech, it would have been our bowl curse coming back. VTech was a respectable team, so doubt that would have haunted us all. But the pair, back to back, and how they happened...something darker was at work.

Bielema would have won 7 (after beating Texas), 8, then 9...maybe, just maybe people—certainly including me—would have given him a little slack for this year, as you both suggest. Hard to say, but that's how I would have felt. But that's not where we are now.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

disagree, jones has been much more successful than bert. if bert had back to back 9-4 seasons he wouldn't be on the chopping block this year.

we've been more patient with bert than any coach in my lifetime and i'm 56.

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

If you really examine it, the parallels between Jones' tenure at UT and Bret's tenure at Arkansas are remarkable, almost scary.  The one big difference is in recruiting.  Jones recruited like there was no tomorrow but he and his staff couldn't do anything with that talent once it hit campus.  Othewise, their arcs are virtually identical.

[DeltaBoy]

Butch did less with More.  He had way better recruiting classes as we had with CBB.

[HF#1]

disagree, jones has been much more successful than bert. if bert had back to back 9-4 seasons he wouldn't be on the chopping block this year.

we've been more patient with bert than any coach in my lifetime and i'm 56.

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

Bielema beat him head to head and yet, Bielema has the worse of the two conference records.

[Razorbackers]

Bielema beat him head to head and yet, Bielema has the worse of the two conference records.

Yeah, Butch has had an easier road in front of him that Bret did, and he flamed out hard with better athletes.

Not to mention all the Nutt level "Champions of Life" stuff.

[FutureMan]

If you really examine it, the parallels between Jones' tenure at UT and Bret's tenure at Arkansas are remarkable, almost scary.  The one big difference is in recruiting.  Jones recruited like there was no tomorrow but he and his staff couldn't do anything with that talent once it hit campus.  Othewise, their arcs are virtually identical.

Exactly Jackrabbit Hog.  The exact details of their tenure is not what I am illustrating.  It is their narratives as head coaches.  Start slowly with some promise, continue to improve and get better, then when it should all be put together - fall short, followed by a spiral out of control.

[HF#1]

Yeah, Butch has had an easier road in front of him that Bret did, and he flamed out hard with better athletes.

Not to mention all the Nutt level "Champions of Life" stuff.

He will never lose that tag. It's awesome.

[Jim Harris]

disagree, jones has been much more successful than bert. if bert had back to back 9-4 seasons he wouldn't be on the chopping block this year.

we've been more patient with bert than any coach in my lifetime and i'm 56.

his asinine remark about "he gets it it's a microwave society" to that i'd say when you put your potato in the microwave for 5 minutes and the beeper goes off and your potato is still cold you probably need a new microwave.

Bret wasn't coaching in the East either. The East has been a ridiculously easy division all five years. Bret beat Butch head up in Knoxville in 2015, 24-20.

[Razorbackers]

He will never lose that tag. It's awesome.

Forever a meme.