A Question about a “Divided” or “Fractured” Fan Base

[oldhawg]

Basically a united fandom occurred:

Throughout the sixties with Frank Broyles.
The first years of Lou Holtz & Ken Hatfield.
The last couple of years with Bobby Petrino.

What these tenures had in common ---- winning.

[Lady Razorback]

everyone likes headset bret.

he's a blustering con man. he's lazy and isn't good at what he professes. he puts consistent crap on the field.

he's the type of guy that's acting busy and knowledgeable, but hasn't done jack shiit at the end of the day.

yeah....i love him.

As my mother used to tell me, "Never confuse activity for achievement."

[GuvHog]

The fan base was pretty darned united when Bobby Petrino was hired.
There were a few detractors but I don't recall very many.
Excitement by most everyone is what I remember.

I remember it well. In 2008 before Bobby had even coached a game, our local Razorback Club meeting set an all time record for attendance. It was wall to wall people with a line of people running from the front clear out the back of the facility waiting to get Bobby's autograph. It was that way all through his tenure as Hog HC.

[majp51]

First of all, I think the fan base is going to be divided regardless of who we hire, because 100% of the fan base will never agree. Is what it is.

So, why does it matter? What difference does it make? We're not going to win as many games? Not going to enjoy game day as much? Not going to enjoy posting here as much?

My suspicion is that this argument is just a noble front for the real reason: "I don't like that guy."

Fair enough. Here is the other component, winning cures more than 75% of the divided other side.
For all the people that didn't like CBB to start with, most of them wouldn't be calling him that if he had managed a CBP type run here.

[Cinco de Hogo]

Why do posters have to make it about liking a coach?  I don't coach mingle how would I know if I like a coach or not?  Better yet how do you know if I like a coach?  Any opinion I have is about a coaches prospects to field winning teams. 

I don't know if you believe its personal but you sure try to make it personal.

[Captain Hogthrob]

Fractured but whole.

And if you've ever had a fractured but whole the you know just how painful that can be....!!

[farmhawg]

I support the Hogs regardless of the coach. If BB stays will support the team which includes the coach, we get a new coach I'll support him. I'm a adult though so it's not that hard.

Thats one way to cowardly run from all of your silly statements. Really is sad to see....

[Shoat]

There will always be a fractured fan base.  Social media is a huge part of that. What used to be 5 people around the water cooler at work or sitting in the barber shop is now message boards, Twitter, and FaceBook.  Everyone with internet access is suddenly considered a credible journalist.  People become bullies when they can hide behind a keyboard.  It's not just sports it's everything. 

The only medicine for the disease is wins.  Plain and simple.  Even then, a certain percentage will still complain.

You hit the nail squarely on the head!

[urkillnmesmalls]

I remember it well. In 2008 before Bobby had even coached a game, our local Razorback Club meeting set an all time record for attendance. It was wall to wall people with a line of people running from the front clear out the back of the facility waiting to get Bobby's autograph. It was that way all through his tenure as Hog HC.

Guv...Well established, you loved BP and wish he was still here.  Question:  Are you now in the camp of wanting an "all Arkansas, or at least people from the South" camp?  Because if you are, how do you explain BP's success here? 

I want someone who will win here, and I don't care if they come from the Canadaian Football League.  I think it would be great if we have an AD candidate and HC candidate who understands Arkansas, but this idea that "We needs someone who knows where Osceola and Lake Village are on the map," theory is bunk in my mind.  Anyone can read a map.  I'm ready to have a coach who can GET the players from those schools who are worthy D1 players, and COACH THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL ON THE FIELD.  Period. 

I'm continuing to hear people calling in the local radio shows saying it's time to get people who understand Arkansas in as the next AD and coach.  That's great if they are the best person for the job, but equating what JL has done to the program is just taking one person's approach, which was to clean house and start over with a more business minded approach.  Like it or not, our facilities improved dramatically under him, but he failed with being in touch with the people.  I think that would have been a fault REGARDLESS of where JL landed, because he's a bean counter personality trying to be in a role of relationship maker. 

[hogsanity]

Guv...Well established, you loved BP and wish he was still here.  Question:  Are you now in the camp of wanting an "all Arkansas, or at least people from the South" camp?  Because if you are, how do you explain BP's success here? 

I want someone who will win here, and I don't care if they come from the Canadaian Football League.  I think it would be great if we have an AD candidate and HC candidate who understands Arkansas, but this idea that "We needs someone who knows where Osceola and Lake Village are on the map," theory is bunk in my mind.  Anyone can read a map.  I'm ready to have a coach who can GET the players from those schools who are worthy D1 players, and COACH THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL ON THE FIELD.  Period. 

I'm continuing to hear people calling in the local radio shows saying it's time to get people who understand Arkansas in as the next AD and coach.  That's great if they are the best person for the job, but equating what JL has done to the program is just taking one person's approach, which was to clean house and start over with a more business minded approach.  Like it or not, our facilities improved dramatically under him, but he failed with being in touch with the people.  I think that would have been a fault REGARDLESS of where JL landed, because he's a bean counter personality trying to be in a role of relationship maker. 

Longtime Hogville members know just how much call there was here and on the call in shows for a house cleaning " rid the BAC of the good ole boy network " was the cry. Now it seems all most want is the gobn back

[DeltaBoy]

It has been cracked every since Frank retired and hired Lou over Jimmy Johnson.

[ipigsooie]

The problem with some of the potential hires is starting off with a large group of people against them. Winning does cure all and it will silence those voices but they are always there, waiting to rear their head. And when any bump in the road happens, they will spring and gather the momentum from a lack of winning. Not everyone supported BP or CBB in the beginning,  but most fans were patient and willing to give them time to build. They had a fresh start in Arkansas.  Most were happy with the progress we made under CBB. It took until late year 4 or year 5 for most to jump off the wagon.

If you hire someone like Gus, HDN, BP, etc, you are going to have a large group of fans that will not be happy and will be vocal about it. Whether the reasons they hate these guys are justified or not, the hatred is real. Any bump in the road, starting off with 2 seasons like we did under CBB and these groups are going to have a real voice. It will not be pretty.

I am all for unifying our fan base and I hope we hire a guy that can get a clean slate and instill excitement in our program. I hope we hire someone that can bring a fresh start to Razorback football.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Longtime Hogville members know just how much call there was here and on the call in shows for a house cleaning " rid the BAC of the good ole boy network " was the cry. Now it seems all most want is the gobn back

I hope the PTB are thinking long and hard about their next two decisions.  If our fans thing we can win in the SEC by "knowing Arkansas better," then that worries me to death.  We need a coach with a broad reach who can appeal to a WIDE variety of families and kids. 

AD wise, if the thought is that we need to redirect things back toward including the whole state, and not walk away from central Arkansas and WMS, then I'm not giong to say that can't work.  Having one meaningful game at WMS might be OK long term, but I would think they would have to work something out regarding some serious renovation and expansion.  I think it has been EXTREMELY unfair of the NWA fans to take shots at central Arkansas for not even filling up the 50K seat WMS for throw away games, WHILE THE SAME THING is happening up here even for conference games.  With the losing...fans are just not as interested in showing up, so blaming it on the central Arkansas fans isn't reasonable to me. 

Can the UA afford to continue having games there?  I don't know...but I have a feeling that's going to be a BIG point of discussion moving forward.  I think JL may have overstepped his bounds on that subject, and decided that leaving central Arkansas behind was worth the fallout, and he alienated one too many big boosters.  I don't know that...speculation, but it seems like that at least played a part. 

My biggest concern?  Malzahn.  Even though I was booted for a few days for my thoughts on BB and hiring him over GM initially, I don't think he's the answer here.  Why?  Because he needs a UNIQUELY gifted athlete at QB to run his system.  It is literally an athlete who has to resign himself to, "I'm not going to play in the NFL, because this is NOT a system that prepares me for the NFL or matches the NFL skillset.  So, I have to be able to take the pounding of a RB, but still be able to throw very well to keep the defense honest." 

In a perfect world, I think we can get an athlete like that, but without one...Gus's bus will go off the rails QUICKLY, as we've seen. 

Regarding the immediate AD question?  I have no clue what's going to happen there.  I do think EVERYONE is tired of the aloofness that JL exhibited, so my guess is we're going to get Mr. Personality on the next go around.   

[Michael D Huff AIA]

I have been a Razorback fan my entire life, like a lot of us have.  I grew up in Wynne, so Little Rock was closer for us to when it came to Razorback games.  I went to MANY, MANY games in Little Rock, but I also went to MANY, MANY games in Fayetteville.  Where the game was played was unimportant;  we went where the team was playing.  I always wondered why we played 'home' games in two locations, but it was never really that important to me.  It's just what we did.

Fast forward 20 years. 

The game changed somewhere along the way.  College football became an arms race with facilities being the weapons.  EVERY relevant football team has an operations center, indoor practice facilities, high tech weight rooms and a 'cadillac' stadium with several thousand square foot video boards.  We have all of those, and have for a long time, yet we are the ONLY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY that plays a 'home' game NOT on their campus.  The more time that goes by makes this practice more and more dumb. 

Home games are called 'home games' because you are playing on the campus of the school that is on the front of the jersey.  This is not rocket science, but basic math can spell out that we take a loss financially when we go to LR to play.

And, as we have seen, it creates a self-imposed division in our fanbase.  If we would just stop playing games in LR and play all of our 'home' games actually at home, then the division would cease. 

My gut tells me that the GOBN has had a resurgence in the past weeks/months and is a far larger threat to our football team's well being than the GSD.

[Athog]

First of all, I think the fan base is going to be divided regardless of who we hire, because 100% of the fan base will never agree. Is what it is.

So, why does it matter? What difference does it make? We're not going to win as many games? Not going to enjoy game day as much? Not going to enjoy posting here as much?

My suspicion is that this argument is just a noble front for the real reason: "I don't like that guy."

Winning unites the fan base!!

[ipigsooie]

Winning unites the fan base!!

Not always. Hate is a powerful force. Winning will quiet it but it will never go away.

[menehune]

I think another question is what impact does message boards have on the fanbase.

Would there have been pro vs. anti Hatfield debates if Hogville existed back then?

I can assure you that there WERE pro vs. anti Hatfield debates live and in person back then.  I was one of those who wanted Hatfield gone because "he couldn't win the big one" or "the way we were winning was boring!"  That is the very reason that I will never again call for a coach's head on a stick when things go south.  I will always support the coaches and trust that they are working their collective tails off attempting to find a way to help the players win!  Part of that comes from 32 years of coaching and having teams that weren't world beaters, but had enough talent that they should be able to take care of business against teams they should beat and compete against the rest...and yet, despite doing everything humanly possible, they lost. 

I have been a staunch supporter of all Razorback football coaches since then until it became painfully obvious that it was time...at half-time of the Coastal Carolina game, I posted on Facebook...It is Time!  Bielema is a good guy and a good coach, but it just isn't working for whatever reason.  Whatever decisions the powers that be make, I will be okay with it...even if (gag me with a spoon) they hire Malzahn.

[Ex-Trumpet]

I think another question is what impact does message boards have on the fanbase.

Would there have been pro vs. anti Hatfield debates if Hogville existed back then?

Hatfield had his detractors...speaking of tractors, it was said that he got behind one on the way to Little Rock, took him 10 hours to get there--he wouldn't pass.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Hatfield had his detractors...speaking of tractors, it was said that he got behind one on the way to Little Rock, took him 10 hours to get there--he wouldn't pass.

As an ex-trumpet, I'm sure you can hear this in your head...  "Wah,
                                                                                                  Wah,
                                                                                                          Wah,
                                                                                                                  Waa-aa-aa-aa-aahhh.....

[GuvHog]

Guv...Well established, you loved BP and wish he was still here.  Question:  Are you now in the camp of wanting an "all Arkansas, or at least people from the South" camp?  Because if you are, how do you explain BP's success here? 

I want someone who will win here, and I don't care if they come from the Canadaian Football League.  I think it would be great if we have an AD candidate and HC candidate who understands Arkansas, but this idea that "We needs someone who knows where Osceola and Lake Village are on the map," theory is bunk in my mind.  Anyone can read a map.  I'm ready to have a coach who can GET the players from those schools who are worthy D1 players, and COACH THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL ON THE FIELD.  Period. 

I'm continuing to hear people calling in the local radio shows saying it's time to get people who understand Arkansas in as the next AD and coach.  That's great if they are the best person for the job, but equating what JL has done to the program is just taking one person's approach, which was to clean house and start over with a more business minded approach.  Like it or not, our facilities improved dramatically under him, but he failed with being in touch with the people.  I think that would have been a fault REGARDLESS of where JL landed, because he's a bean counter personality trying to be in a role of relationship maker. 

It wasn't so much "loving Bobby" at it was "loving the winning". If it was "loving Bobby", he would be at the top of my list of perspective Head coaches but he's not.

[CareBear]

Guv...Well established, you loved BP and wish he was still here.  Question:  Are you now in the camp of wanting an "all Arkansas, or at least people from the South" camp?  Because if you are, how do you explain BP's success here? 

I want someone who will win here, and I don't care if they come from the Canadaian Football League.  I think it would be great if we have an AD candidate and HC candidate who understands Arkansas, but this idea that "We needs someone who knows where Osceola and Lake Village are on the map," theory is bunk in my mind.  Anyone can read a map.  I'm ready to have a coach who can GET the players from those schools who are worthy D1 players, and COACH THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL ON THE FIELD.  Period. 

I'm continuing to hear people calling in the local radio shows saying it's time to get people who understand Arkansas in as the next AD and coach.  That's great if they are the best person for the job, but equating what JL has done to the program is just taking one person's approach, which was to clean house and start over with a more business minded approach.  Like it or not, our facilities improved dramatically under him, but he failed with being in touch with the people.  I think that would have been a fault REGARDLESS of where JL landed, because he's a bean counter personality trying to be in a role of relationship maker.

Things aren't always black & white. A lot of life happens in the gray. It doesn't matter where one comes from or what type of accent one has. It does matter how one treats people. Ostracizing old school Razorback players, boosters, donors, etc is not smart business. Hiring out of state companies to do the construction wasn't a wise choice. Financing the project through a  Boston bank wasn't smart. Calling the Little Rock game an away game when we know that a lot of kids really enjoy playing down there & a lot of great Arkansan fans count on that game was not smart. Being sh*tty to long time UofA employees wasn't smart. Not vetting CBB & not thinking about style of play was not smart. Jeff & Brett have made their own bed. It's not the fans, message board peeps, Bobby's, Houston's, or Frank Broyles fault that the football program has become a shadow of its former self. It was dumb decisions,  arrogance, etc that has cost these two there jobs. We've seen good football here, sometimes great football. We've never been a dirty program relative to college football as a whole. This has been the most pathetic 5 yrs of football I've ever witnessed. Apathy was setting in amongst many in the fan base. That's not a good sign.
I can't tell y'all how excited I am about the prospect of being excited again about this Razorback Football program that is near & dear to all our hearts...
To add: It's WOO PIG SOOIE... NOT woo pig!

[mckinneyhog5]

Thats one way to cowardly run from all of your silly statements. Really is sad to see....

Only to people like you is it considered silly to root for a team, which includes the coach and players, regardless of who the coach is. When you go to a game do you cheer for the razorbacks or whomever the coach may be? I'm a Razorback fan and always want them to win, even if that means the coach nobody likes may stay.

Sorry, you draw lines and choose when to and when not to root for the hogs. Must be very confusing sometimes.."should I root for them or against them this week?" I'm consistent in my love for the hogs through every coach who has come and gone. I give them my full support until they are no longer coaching at Arkansas. Once gone, oh well, onto the next one!

[GolfHog]

The last 15 years at Arkansas have been nothing but drama and trauma.

We need to make good hires and manage the hires we make. Jeff was given too much rope. With proper direction he may have been a good little bean counter. He could not hire coaches, that's obvious. Petrino had no keeper. Bert has been given way too  much rope. He probably should have been gone last year if someone was watching more closely.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Things aren't always black & white. A lot of life happens in the gray. It doesn't matter where one comes from or what type of accent one has. It does matter how one treats people. Ostracizing old school Razorback players, boosters, donors, etc is not smart business. Hiring out of state companies to do the construction wasn't a wise choice. Financing the project through a  Boston bank wasn't smart. Calling the Little Rock game an away game when we know that a lot of kids really enjoy playing down there & a lot of great Arkansan fans count on that game was not smart. Being sh*tty to long time UofA employees wasn't smart. Not vetting CBB & not thinking about style of play was not smart. Jeff & Brett have made their own bed. It's not the fans, message board peeps, Bobby's, Houston's, or Frank Broyles fault that the football program has become a shadow of its former self. It was dumb decisions,  arrogance, etc that has cost these two there jobs. We've seen good football here, sometimes great football. We've never been a dirty program relative to college football as a whole. This has been the most pathetic 5 yrs of football I've ever witnessed. Apathy was setting in amongst many in the fan base. That's not a good sign.
I can't tell y'all how excited I am about the prospect of being excited again about this Razorback Football program that is near & dear to all our hearts...
To add: It's WOO PIG SOOIE... NOT woo pig!

I'll say this, and leave it alone.  When/if you think allowing someone to come in and try to appease ALL of the big boosters, donors, and fans is going to work, then let me know, because I've got something I want to sell you.    

You make a decision early...you either try to appease everyone, and do your own thing anyway...or you pick favorites, and try to placate the others.  OR...you do what Jeff Long did, which was try to get away from that scenario, not play favorites, and not put the UA in a position to have to answer to people who might get their feathers ruffled by the hiring of a different local company.

Now...I assume we're going to probably have someone come in who is going to try to include Arkansas on a higher level than under JL.  We will see if that works out, or if we see the same issues we saw under the GOBN. 

I want to be clear....it was time for Jeff to go.  I'm a little suprised, and I think there may be more that comes out later, but I was ready for change.  HOWEVER, I think he was charged with cleaning up the GOBN, and trying to look at the UA as a marketing leader, and he worked to find ways have it appeal to a broader audience.  The wins in football just didn't come, he made some bad decisions along the way, and he was shown the door as a result. 

Just to be clear...trying to appease everyone from Tyson to the Stephens is NOT an easy task.  We'll see if the next AD can find median ground and find a way to move forward without alienating so many people.   

[CareBear]

I'll say this, and leave it alone.  When/if you think allowing someone to come in and try to appease ALL of the big boosters, donors, and fans is going to work, then let me know, because I've got something I want to sell you.    

You make a decision early...you either try to appease everyone, and do your own thing anyway...or you pick favorites, and try to placate the others.  OR...you do what Jeff Long did, which was try to get away from that scenario, not play favorites, and not put the UA in a position to have to answer to people who might get their feathers ruffled by the hiring of a different local company.

Now...I assume we're going to probably have someone come in who is going to try to include Arkansas on a higher level than under JL.  We will see if that works out, or if we see the same issues we saw under the GOBN. 

I want to be clear....it was time for Jeff to go.  I'm a little suprised, and I think there may be more that comes out later, but I was ready for change.  HOWEVER, I think he was charged with cleaning up the GOBN, and trying to look at the UA as a marketing leader, and he worked to find ways have it appeal to a broader audience.  The wins in football just didn't come, he made some bad decisions along the way, and he was shown the door as a result. 

Just to be clear...trying to appease everyone from Tyson to the Stephens is NOT an easy task.  We'll see if the next AD can find median ground and find a way to move forward without alienating so many people.

Yes indeed, it's impossible to keep everyone happy. I also feel that there yes nothing wrong with having a few good 'ol boys around. Perhaps someone could have checked JL before it got to the point in which he was sh*t canned. He did what anyone hired as an AD is supposed to do. What he didn't do is research his hires. Both JLS & Bert. Hiring a good football coach is pretty GD important...he effed up in that regard. So when you have wrecked shop on the football program with your fool hardy decisions you GD well better be respectful  to those who ultimately can pull the string on your ass. He was fired for good reason. It's not coming. Some of us knew this from day one. Better days ahead my friends!

[buldozer]

If Gus is hired, takes the job and wins..... the fracture will be minimal.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Yes indeed, it's impossible to keep everyone happy. I also feel that there yes nothing wrong with having a few good 'ol boys around. Perhaps someone could have checked JL before it got to the point in which he was sh*t canned. He did what anyone hired as an AD is supposed to do. What he didn't do is research his hires. Both JLS & Bert. Hiring a good football coach is pretty GD important...he effed up in that regard. So when you have wrecked shop on the football program with your fool hardy decisions you GD well better be respectful  to those who ultimately can pull the string on your ass. He was fired for good reason. It's not coming. Some of us knew this from day one. Better days ahead my friends!

OK, you're saying what several local callers are saying on the radio.  More Arkansas influence all the way from AD, coaches, to players.  We'll see how that pans out.  I thought we'd tried that before and it failed miserably, but I guess we'll see if it's more effective the second time around, if they choose that course. 

[12247]

Fans are like family.  You may hate your brother-in-law but you stumble upon 2 fellows trying to rough him up on the street and you kick both their asses and then turn and ask, what was that all about.  Its family, even if wrong, you stand by them.

Having an opinion is your right and right or wrong its your opinion.  About the only thing i disagree with on Hogville is the person who preaches his opinion, often explaining it as gospel, it turns out to be clearly dead wrong and he isn't big enough, mature enough to admit he was dead wrong.  Preaching your opinion and trying to indicate it is a statement backed by irrefutable fact when its just your opinion is, in my opinion, small minded.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Fans are like family.  You may hate your brother-in-law but you stumble upon 2 fellows trying to rough him up on the street and you kick both their asses and then turn and ask, what was that all about.  Its family, even if wrong, you stand by them.

Having an opinion is your right and right or wrong its your opinion.  About the only thing i disagree with on Hogville is the person who preaches his opinion, often explaining it as gospel, it turns out to be clearly dead wrong and he isn't big enough, mature enough to admit he was dead wrong.  Preaching your opinion and trying to indicate it is a statement backed by irrefutable fact when its just your opinion is, in my opinion, small minded.

My initial opinion...Bret Bielema would be canned, and Jeff Long would have to go with him due to the $12M buyout.  Then I recanted...and thought Long would probably stay, because of the other things he had accomplished, and that many felt BB was a good hire...so it might not be pinned JL. 

Fact.  Dead wrong, and I admit it.  Jeff Long was canned first, and now we are waiting to see BB's fate.

The swirling opinions on WHY Long was fired don't serve much purpose in my mind.  Just an opinion...  :-)   

[12247]

Its my opinion that Jeff Long was fired for some things none of us know about because even I would not have fired him for hiring Bret.  I believe it was a dumb avoidable hire and never had any merit if winning was considered and I still don't.

I have an idea that Jeff, based on what he shows as his personalty, likely didn't get everything in the initial bid and had to start adding on time after time which could and would  increase the actual cost of the NEZ project.  One would likely have to dig a little to know this unless Jeff stood up and admitted it first hand. I also bet he had a bloated staff that was likely unnecessary as that would make him more important..  I know for a fact he had a hard time hiring coaches.  I DO NOT KNOW IF HE HAD A BLOATED STAFF OR HIGH COST OVERRUNS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. 

Now consider some powerful people wanted their power returned and considering Jeff was on the ropes anyway, they canned his ass.  It is also a fact that Jeff Long was the toast of the Nation and especially the NCAA for firing Petrino.  Our power boys let him run the department likely without much oversight.  When they found unsightly problems, IF THEY DID, they canned him and are in place to lay all the blame on him.  Also, the innocents among us are foolish enough to believe a simple audit would find all this stuff or not.  That the FOI filings would produce anything and everything.  Idiots.  These power brokers are smart enough to keep completely off the records anything that might show them in a bad light and are not above letting Jeff go and not mentioning any sins and paying him his next 4 years.  When its a win win for everyone at the top, no one is going to tell.  ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT COMMON SENSE, NO PROOF, NONE AND ITS MY OPINION.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Its my opinion that Jeff Long was fired for some things none of us know about because even I would not have fired him for hiring Bret.  I believe it was a dumb avoidable hire and never had any merit if winning was considered and I still don't.

I have an idea that Jeff, based on what he shows as his personalty, likely didn't get everything in the initial bid and had to start adding on time after time which could and would  increase the actual cost of the NEZ project.  One would likely have to dig a little to know this unless Jeff stood up and admitted it first hand. I also bet he had a bloated staff that was likely unnecessary as that would make him more important..  I know for a fact he had a hard time hiring coaches.  I DO NOT KNOW IF HE HAD A BLOATED STAFF OR HIGH COST OVERRUNS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. 

Now consider some powerful people wanted their power returned and considering Jeff was on the ropes anyway, they canned his ass.  It is also a fact that Jeff Long was the toast of the Nation and especially the NCAA for firing Petrino.  Our power boys let him run the department likely without much oversight.  When they found unsightly problems, IF THEY DID, they canned him and are in place to lay all the blame on him.  Also, the innocents among us are foolish enough to believe a simple audit would find all this stuff or not.  That the FOI filings would produce anything and everything.  Idiots.  These power brokers are smart enough to keep completely off the records anything that might show them in a bad light and are not above letting Jeff go and not mentioning any sins and paying him his next 4 years.  When its a win win for everyone at the top, no one is going to tell.  ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT COMMON SENSE, NO PROOF, NONE AND ITS MY OPINION.

There's definitely more to it, has to be.  But...I hope it never comes out, because nothing good will come of sullying Jeff Long's reputation, or him taking shots at the UA.  I'm pretty sure that as long as we're paying him the buyout, he's going to play nice, and the UA wouldn't have anything to gain by crying over spilled milk.  EVEN if there were some shenanigans going on with funding etc., it's pretty easy to point fingers at the people above him who might not have been keeping tabs on things as well as they should have been. 

We can speculate all we want, but this could just as easily have boiled down to a few BOT members who were on the fence to begin with, got their feathers ruffled over something, and jumped over to the side of the members who already had the safety off.  Sometimes...things are simple, and we want them to be complex. 

There's still something odd about the timing, and man..I hope there's a plan in place.   

[KlubhouseKonnected]

I was of that line of thinking for a little while. But now I don't think it will ever all be in the rear view until Malzahn is hired as head coach. At that point everybody will have had their way and nobody will ever be able to wonder "what if."

If Malzahn isn't hired then we will be rehashing the Nutt era for generations and Malzahn's name will be brought up in every coaching search we have until he is 20 years retired.

A friend of mine from California said nearly the same thing two weeks ago. "A whole lot of Arkansas fans won't be happy until Gus Malzahn disappoints them as their head coach."

[jvanhorn]

I have been watching the Razorbacks since 1962 and I have only seen four people that have really, and I mean really, divided Razorback fans, Nutt, Gus, Bilema and Long.  This really needs stop before it is too late.  I have nothing against Gus, but he is not the right person bring us all back together.  That ship with him on it has sailed.  We need a fresh, and I mean completely fresh start, with a young coach that has the energy and the desire to put this program back on a solid foundation.

[GuvHog]

There's definitely more to it, has to be.  But...I hope it never comes out, because nothing good will come of sullying Jeff Long's reputation, or him taking shots at the UA.  I'm pretty sure that as long as we're paying him the buyout, he's going to play nice, and the UA wouldn't have anything to gain by crying over spilled milk.  EVEN if there were some shenanigans going on with funding etc., it's pretty easy to point fingers at the people above him who might not have been keeping tabs on things as well as they should have been. 

We can speculate all we want, but this could just as easily have boiled down to a few BOT members who were on the fence to begin with, got their feathers ruffled over something, and jumped over to the side of the members who already had the safety off.  Sometimes...things are simple, and we want them to be complex. 

There's still something odd about the timing, and man..I hope there's a plan in place.   

In my opinion, it has to come out. Simply firing Jeff Long for convenience and saying nothing more makes the U of A look like they're hiding something and it makes the U of A look bad. With the football program tanking, firing Long for convenience makes it look like he was fired for hiring CBB when that might not have anything to do with it. Most everyone one on here knows I've wanted Jeff Long gone for some time but the real reasons for his termination need to come out. Keeping the real reasons secret and allowing the media to speculate when they know nothing about it can harm the University's reputation.

[parallaxpig]

This thread speaks mainly to a divided fan base towards a coaching preference. There is also an issue of a divided fan base when it comes to the direction of football as a whole and who has control. This speaks to the Central Arkansas vs NW Arkansas crowd, GSD etc. The GOBN has regained power and I predict the contract to play games at WM stadium will be extended. 

[jkstock04]

First of all, I think the fan base is going to be divided regardless of who we hire, because 100% of the fan base will never agree. Is what it is.

So, why does it matter? What difference does it make? We're not going to win as many games? Not going to enjoy game day as much? Not going to enjoy posting here as much?

My suspicion is that this argument is just a noble front for the real reason: "I don't like that guy."

When it gets loud and polarizing like with the Jeff Long situation...or what the Houston Nutt situation was, it can create a lot of dissent within the program. Dissent that loud basically means more fighting and bickering creating a toxic environment instead of supportive.

As much as some people want to stick their heads in the sand and only toe company lines and mantras straight from the university....perceptions of the program from outside of the Fred smith football center do matter and carry some weight.

[(notOM)Rebel123]

A friend of mine from California said nearly the same thing two weeks ago. "A whole lot of Arkansas fans won't be happy until Gus Malzahn disappoints them as their head coach."

....or least until Gus is offered the job. If he turns it down, fine. Then the issue should be settled for good. If he accepts...hopefully he can turn thing a around. But all these folks screaming about a divided fan base are just using that as a lame excuse. These days, all fan bases are divided over something. Just the times we live in.

[Teddyhawgeddy]

I was at the 2010 Sugar Bowl with about 35,000 fellow Arkies(which, BTW, was more fans than attended this years HOMECOMING). There wasn't much dissension then or the whole next year. It returned after the motorcycle wreck. I really like Gus but short of him getting us to a BCS Bowl I think it will bring the whole "Huggers vs Haters" crowd back.