ESPN writer's top 10 hardest places to coach

[Feralhog]

If Nutt would have been fired in Dec. 2005 after two losing seasons, then I don't think Arkansas makes this list. 

The fact that he was under more scrutiny after a 10 win season where we ended up ranked #15 than after we went 4-7 is what perplexes those looking in from the outside.  You can call Bruce Feldman an idiot all you want, but until you can explain why this is the case succintly and accurately, then we will continue to be regarded as crazy and irrational fans.

Those living under a rock or having their damn heads buried in the sand since Jan may not be able to answer the question.

[dmac4sainthood]

I am not sure what our fans want anymore.

I think they want to win.  Just guessing, though.

You are partially correct.  They want to win, but only with certain players, and certain plays.  Win any other way and it is not good enough.  Look at how some went on and on last year when we barely beat Vandy & Bama.

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR (who had it so bad that he was named all FR SEC), and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state, not saying he isn't a good or great coach, but his accomplishments while celebrated in the state, were largely based on talent compared to his competition...for the record, I think Gus will do well and I wish him nothing but the best.  Why we can't as a fan say, I don't like what happened, but it is what it is, and I will go on and support that freak of a running back, his partner in crime who is also very very good, and the 80 or so other players who lay their heart out there each 45 weeks a year (full commitment of DI football) is kind of sad.  Whether or not Malzahn, Mustain, and Williams had potential, which they did, is at this point totally irrelevant.

It is this attitude that prevails that makes us a joke...it isn't just the coaches, it is to some respect the fans inability to move on when we fail to realize we are not only beating a dead horse, we are kicking its @$$.

Where you this pissed when Darren only got 1 touch against Vanderbilt in '05?  Do you remember the excuse Nutt gave?  I do. 

You just proved what I just said.  Can we please live in the now?  At any point.  I agree he is a fool, I am 100% on board with it.  But me stressing myself out about it will not help anything, nor will it get him canned any faster.  But, if we look at the 1 thing we can do as fans if we really want to be Hogs too, it is support the team, mainly the kids!  If we keep carrying on about things that happened a year or two or three ago, it is counterproductive.  That is what we have the offseason for.  It was fine talking about all this in May, but its September...we play Bama, in a huge game saturday, and all folks want to do is complain about HDN!  HDN  isn't going anywhere at least for the duration of the season, so we need to get over it!  

Go DMac, Go Felix, Go Hogs, Beat Bama!

[jamie72921]

Hogsanity hated Malzahn because he went to school with him. Jealousy is terrible Sanity.

There definitely were people who only cared about winning with certain players in our midst.

Unfortunately, they were the head coach, his wife, his brother, and his brother's therapist. And yes, they only care to win one way.

That is who you were talking about right.

Probably not, but jealousy is a terrible thing. What did Gus do to you in highschool man?

[MsNuttsandBolts]

The administration at the U of A have forced our hands. Not many other schools would have allowed HDN to stay after his record. But, because no one would fire him, we have been forced to appear like "crazy fans" in order to get something done. What is wrong with wanting, and even expecting, to go all the way???

[prairiehogcompanion]

Arkansas a tough place to coach?

What, for someone who would have been fired long ago elsewhere?

[dmac4sainthood]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

[Fatty McGee]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

I don't care if he lied or not.  The fact is he lost him.  But again, you're off base.  At the end of the day, no one would care about Mustain, Williams and Malzahn being gone if Nutt was a winner.  He'd have a store of goodwill built up from winning and people would believe in his abilities to the point that they would have faith that he could overcome that. 

Nutt doesn't have that goodwill because he doesn't win.  THAT, and that alone, are why HDN is under the pressure he is.

[dmac4sainthood]

I am not sure what our fans want anymore.

I think they want to win.  Just guessing, though.

You are partially correct.  They want to win, but only with certain players, and certain plays.  Win any other way and it is not good enough.  Look at how some went on and on last year when we barely beat Vandy & Bama.

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR (who had it so bad that he was named all FR SEC), and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state, not saying he isn't a good or great coach, but his accomplishments while celebrated in the state, were largely based on talent compared to his competition...for the record, I think Gus will do well and I wish him nothing but the best.  Why we can't as a fan say, I don't like what happened, but it is what it is, and I will go on and support that freak of a running back, his partner in crime who is also very very good, and the 80 or so other players who lay their heart out there each 45 weeks a year (full commitment of DI football) is kind of sad.  Whether or not Malzahn, Mustain, and Williams had potential, which they did, is at this point totally irrelevant.

It is this attitude that prevails that makes us a joke...it isn't just the coaches, it is to some respect the fans inability to move on when we fail to realize we are not only beating a dead horse, we are kicking its @$$.

Its not just about the SD group.  We can't get over years of Nutt's mistakes and poor leadership starting with Stoerner being hurt after being put back into a rent a win blowout to a blowout loss to Ole Miss '99 to the Las vegas Bowl...get the picture?  Nutt has a long list of failures before Springdale.

And if we go 11-1 losing to LSU because we couldn't manage to come up with even a decent passing threat and more ST's mistakes, hell yes fans should be mad.  The program's consistent problems that should be fixed will have cost us a shot at the SEC and NC in your hypothetical world. 

Correct, if Reggie Fish doesn't drop the ball...litterally, we win the SEC, and probably also the Sugar Bowl.

Need I remind you that our offense, was ok during the LSU game.  What were DMac stats?  What sort of points did we put up on the best defense in the country, and the team who at the end of the year, was playing better than ANYBODY.  Also, this incompetant offensive football coach did seem to get a player put up for the Heisman.  

I do not like Nutt, but I do observe.

[Feralhog]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

Nice spin. Them leaving had nothing to do with Nutt lying on the recruiting trail.  Nutt ran Gus and Mitch off after his job was secured. 

[Fatty McGee]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

Nice spin. Them leaving had nothing to do with Nutt lying on the recruiting trail.  Nutt ran Gus and Mitch off after his job was secured. 

I don't care why they left.  Not my point.

[dmac4sainthood]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

I don't care if he lied or not.  The fact is he lost him.  But again, you're off base.  At the end of the day, no one would care about Mustain, Williams and Malzahn being gone if Nutt was a winner.  He'd have a store of goodwill built up from winning and people would believe in his abilities to the point that they would have faith that he could overcome that. 

Nutt doesn't have that goodwill because he doesn't win.  THAT, and that alone, are why HDN is under the pressure he is.

Honestly, I don't believe that.  There is too much straight up hatred and side taking.  Right now, and its awful to say, there is a fair contingent of hog fans rooting against the hogs because they think doing poorly is the answer and will get him fired.  People want to see us win or lose depending on how much they like certain people!  Read the board for the last 2 years!

[retired-rambler]

Some of you keep foregetting that Nutt had a 2 year alibi when stayed here instead of going to Nebraska, so you can't count those 2 years. 

[dmac4sainthood]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

Nice spin. Them leaving had nothing to do with Nutt lying on the recruiting trail.  Nutt ran Gus and Mitch off after his job was secured. 

I don't care why they left.  Not my point.

That my friend isn't spin!  That is reality! The #1 QB doesn't want to goto a school that doesn't throw, so you promise him that you will start, and hire someone to make it semibelivable, while hoping he won't leave.  That makes sense.  I don't spin anything, i just see it as being what it is.  Now, I have one concern and it isn't Houston Nutt or anything else from last year, it is Beating Bama and the other teams on our schedule one game at a time.  The rest I have 0 control over and it will take care of itself.

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

[Feralhog]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

Nice spin. Them leaving had nothing to do with Nutt lying on the recruiting trail.  Nutt ran Gus and Mitch off after his job was secured. 

I don't care why they left.  Not my point.

That my friend isn't spin!  That is reality! The #1 QB doesn't want to goto a school that doesn't throw, so you promise him that you will start, and hire someone to make it semibelivable, while hoping he won't leave.  That makes sense.  I don't spin anything, i just see it as being what it is.  Now, I have one concern and it isn't Houston Nutt or anything else from last year, it is Beating Bama and the other teams on our schedule one game at a time.  The rest I have 0 control over and it will take care of itself.

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

I don't give a darn what we told him to get him to sign.  Our offensive scheme had nothing to do with the reason for his leaving.  The rest of your darn is spin.

[dmac4sainthood]

I am not sure what our fans want anymore.

I think they want to win.  Just guessing, though.

You are partially correct.  They want to win, but only with certain players, and certain plays.  Win any other way and it is not good enough.  Look at how some went on and on last year when we barely beat Vandy & Bama.

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR (who had it so bad that he was named all FR SEC), and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state, not saying he isn't a good or great coach, but his accomplishments while celebrated in the state, were largely based on talent compared to his competition...for the record, I think Gus will do well and I wish him nothing but the best.  Why we can't as a fan say, I don't like what happened, but it is what it is, and I will go on and support that freak of a running back, his partner in crime who is also very very good, and the 80 or so other players who lay their heart out there each 45 weeks a year (full commitment of DI football) is kind of sad.  Whether or not Malzahn, Mustain, and Williams had potential, which they did, is at this point totally irrelevant.

It is this attitude that prevails that makes us a joke...it isn't just the coaches, it is to some respect the fans inability to move on when we fail to realize we are not only beating a dead horse, we are kicking its @$$.

Its not just about the SD group.  We can't get over years of Nutt's mistakes and poor leadership starting with Stoerner being hurt after being put back into a rent a win blowout to a blowout loss to Ole Miss '99 to the Las vegas Bowl...get the picture?  Nutt has a long list of failures before Springdale.

And if we go 11-1 losing to LSU because we couldn't manage to come up with even a decent passing threat and more ST's mistakes, hell yes fans should be mad.  The program's consistent problems that should be fixed will have cost us a shot at the SEC and NC in your hypothetical world. 

Correct, if Reggie Fish doesn't drop the ball...litterally, we win the SEC, and probably also the Sugar Bowl.

Need I remind you that our offense, was ok during the LSU game.  What were DMac stats?  What sort of points did we put up on the best defense in the country, and the team who at the end of the year, was playing better than ANYBODY.  Also, this incompetant offensive football coach did seem to get a player put up for the Heisman.  

I do not like Nutt, but I do observe.

You observe what?  That we had a one dimensional offense that couldn't convert 3rd downs?  As a big DMac homer, you are ok with his great efforts in games like that being wasted due to Nutt's inferior coaching abilities?

I admit that, I am a big DMac homer because he is a player of rediculous talent.  You should watch him sometime...hes pretty good.  Though most people are busy watching the buffoon on the sidelines.  I do agree that we are not a balanced offense, and frankly I will be always be ok when we do fall back to our default offense...hand it to #5 and everyone watch him run away.  

The point I have harped on is this...it no longer does any good to be pissed off about this because it hasn't and will continue to not be productive.

[Fatty McGee]

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

Again, it's not Nutt, it's LOSING.  People are tired of losing.  Nutt is simply the reason we're losing. 

Ever heard the saying about Bob Stoops?  "He could call Mary a whore and the Pope a turd, and people in Norman would applaud his innovative style."

That's because he wins.  We'll overlook damn near anything if you win.  Nutt doesn't win.

[z-pak]

How can Arkansas be the 5th hardest place to coach in the country when we have retained and even given raises and extensions to a coach who has yet to win the SEC, has yet to go to muchless win a BCS bowl game, and who has a losing post season record? 

This is just absurd.

This is the rep you get when you have fans foi'ing phone records, and suing the school pres and chancellor after a 10-4 season.

BINGO!!!!

[dmac4sainthood]

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR, and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state.

If only you were correct.  See, here's the problem with that theory - none of it would matter if Nutt was a winner.  But he's not.  If HDN had a 75% winning percentage instead of a 60% winning percentage, those things aren't such a big deal.  People would think, correctly, that he was a good enough coach to survive losing those kind of players.  But again, he's not.

What you cite is simply a symptom of him not being a winner, but it all stems from his lack of production.

The point is it didn't matter!  We lied to get Mitch, because WE HAD TO!  DMac was getting the ball last year and thats all there was to it.  If we don't lie to him, we don't get him.  However, you prefer the term lie because you really really liked him.  I prefer the term recruiting, which all recruiting is is "selling dreams" because it is a buisness of lying.  

By the way, you in no way even discussed anything I said there!

Nice spin. Them leaving had nothing to do with Nutt lying on the recruiting trail.  Nutt ran Gus and Mitch off after his job was secured. 

I don't care why they left.  Not my point.

That my friend isn't spin!  That is reality! The #1 QB doesn't want to goto a school that doesn't throw, so you promise him that you will start, and hire someone to make it semibelivable, while hoping he won't leave.  That makes sense.  I don't spin anything, i just see it as being what it is.  Now, I have one concern and it isn't Houston Nutt or anything else from last year, it is Beating Bama and the other teams on our schedule one game at a time.  The rest I have 0 control over and it will take care of itself.

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

I don't give a crap what we told him to get him to sign.  Our offensive scheme had nothing to do with the reason for his leaving.  The rest of your crap is spin.

If it makes you feel better to call it spin, ok!  I guess maybe I was the only Hog fan that actually was focused on #5 rather than #16.  

[dmac4sainthood]

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

Again, it's not Nutt, it's LOSING.  People are tired of losing.  Nutt is simply the reason we're losing. 

Ever heard the saying about Bob Stoops?  "He could call Mary a whore and the Pope a turd, and people in Norman would applaud his innovative style."

That's because he wins.  We'll overlook damn near anything if you win.  Nutt doesn't win.

Not if the players or coach who leave are from NW Arkansas!  Don't think that had nothing to do with it for a second! 

[rzrbcks2120]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3012827

This according to Bruce Feldman. His comment about Arkansas: "Lloyd Carr would've been fired twice if he worked in Fayetteville. He also would've had his cell phone records FOIed by half the fans."

For those of you who don't feel like reading, here's the top 10 Toughest Places to Coach:
1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Auburn
4. Miami
5. Arkansas
6. Georgia
7. Michigan
8. Nebraska
9. Florida
10. Ohio State

[Oliver]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3012827

This according to Bruce Feldman. His comment about Arkansas: "Lloyd Carr would've been fired twice if he worked in Fayetteville. He also would've had his cell phone records FOIed by half the fans."

For those of you who don't feel like reading, here's the top 10 Toughest Places to Coach:
1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Auburn
4. Miami
5. Arkansas
6. Georgia
7. Michigan
8. Nebraska
9. Florida
10. Ohio State

Bruce Feldman makes Beano Cook look like the Peter Gammons of College Football.

[rzrbcks2120]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3012827

This according to Bruce Feldman. His comment about Arkansas: "Lloyd Carr would've been fired twice if he worked in Fayetteville. He also would've had his cell phone records FOIed by half the fans."

For those of you who don't feel like reading, here's the top 10 Toughest Places to Coach:
1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Auburn
4. Miami
5. Arkansas
6. Georgia
7. Michigan
8. Nebraska
9. Florida
10. Ohio State

My bad about the re-post. I don't think it was on the first page and I can't seem to find the search tool!

[whitecohogg]

Gotta disagree, I have lived in Arkansas for 20 years and I think most of the fans are crazy

[Ouachihog]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

Not hard at all.

We said that about basketball too. 

[Wayne Watson]

I am not sure what our fans want anymore.

I think they want to win.  Just guessing, though.

You are partially correct.  They want to win, but only with certain players, and certain plays.  Win any other way and it is not good enough.  Look at how some went on and on last year when we barely beat Vandy & Bama.

That is by far the trueist thing ever said on this board.  The following is pathetic and there is no argument against it:  We have the most talented player in the SEC since Bo Jackson...yes, I said the great one's name, possibly the most freakish back ever in the history of college football from a talent perspective.  However, as a fanbase we can't get over a Freshman QB who frankly took some lumps as expected, a disgruntled WR (who had it so bad that he was named all FR SEC), and a coach who 18 months ago was a HS coach in the lowest populated southern state, not saying he isn't a good or great coach, but his accomplishments while celebrated in the state, were largely based on talent compared to his competition...for the record, I think Gus will do well and I wish him nothing but the best.  Why we can't as a fan say, I don't like what happened, but it is what it is, and I will go on and support that freak of a running back, his partner in crime who is also very very good, and the 80 or so other players who lay their heart out there each 45 weeks a year (full commitment of DI football) is kind of sad.  Whether or not Malzahn, Mustain, and Williams had potential, which they did, is at this point totally irrelevant.

It is this attitude that prevails that makes us a joke...it isn't just the coaches, it is to some respect the fans inability to move on when we fail to realize we are not only beating a dead horse, we are kicking its @$$.

You really haven't been on this board long enough to know what the truest thing that been said but what people are fed up with is:


38-36 in SEC play
5-18 vs. TN, FL, GA, and LSU
0-2 in SECCGs
0-2 vs. USC (120 - 31 for total points)
2-5 in bowl games (0-3 vs. Big Ten)
0 BCS appearances (Longest tenure coach with 0)

And that's after a 10 win season.  You need to stick to listening to DTS and keep smelling Rick's rainbow farts.

[hawgbawb]

Some times you lose perspective when you are too close to a place. Like....Springdale maybe?

Arkansas fans are more spolied than they deserve to be and don't recognize that their program is on the rise.

[FWF79]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

Your are absolutely right. It will take years to get another QB to even consider our program and the responsibility lies directly in Franks lap. If we started a thread about all the idiotic things Frank has done to ruin our program in the last few years, It would probably be the longest one ever.

[Hoggish1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3012827

Arkansas # 5

Bruce Feldman is a zero and has no clue.  Lloyd Carr would have had a job for life here.  We gave a 500 coach 10 years...

[Hoggish1]

Totally unfair.  "Lloyd Carr wouldn't survive there!"  Nutt survived back to back losing seasons.  I bet a dollar to a donut that Carr could finish the season with 8 wins and still might lose his job at Meeeeshigan.  Guy who wrote this article is an absolute fool. 

Ain't that the truth.  Carr would be a god here, except that Frank would have fired him before he could win a NC.

[Hoggish1]

Arkansas shouldn't even be in the top 10.  We kept a coach after two
consecutive losing seasons.  Who else does that?

Mississippi St.

Not even close. Croom is, what, in his 3rd year, or 4th.  He won't make it to his whatever unless he goes 7-5 and there is NO CHANCE of that, so adios.

[Hoggish1]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

$ speaks, if JFB is nowhere to be found...

[Hoggish1]

How can Arkansas be the 5th hardest place to coach in the country when we have retained and even given raises and extensions to a coach who has yet to win the SEC, has yet to go to muchless win a BCS bowl game, and who has a losing post season record? 

This is just absurd.

This is the rep you get when you have fans foi'ing phone records, and suing the school pres and chancellor after a 10-4 season.

Sanity,

How can you NOT blame JW for allowing Frank and Nutt to police themselves?

[Hoggish1]

Would you guys rather this be any easy place to coach?

Arkansas is an easy place to coach in comparison to the rest of the places on that list.....Arkansas should not even be on that list.  How is Arkansas an easier to place to coach than Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, Nebraska or Georgia?  Come on.  Do you think any of those schools have ever or would ever put up with Nutt's record?  Absolutely not.

How many of those schools have had fans FOI a coaches cellphone records and then infer he was cheating on his wife plus file a lawsuit against the University over not punishing the coach because he did something they didn't like to their Messiah.

If you tell me how many schools have a Nutt for a coach, I will tell you how many would act like us.

[Hoggish1]

If it was an EASY place to caoch, wouldn't that mean that the fans and or adm DO NOT CARE?

Duh, the fans care but the administration does not.  Wasn't that clear from the last 9 months?

[Hoggish1]

This writier just proves you can research nothing and write everything.  What an idiot.  I told some Michigan fans and they laughed their arses off about this.  They agree with me...Lloyd Carr would be enshrined as a saint if he coached at Arkansas.  Well, anyone with half a brain would be...following the Dork!

Lloyd Carr would not be enshrined as a saint here.  He cannot recruit well enough (if he was at Arkansas) to bring the success he has had at Michigan.  I want to go another direction with the coaching staff but Carr is way overrated.  Look at the last couple of recruiting classes he has had, a large portion of the states top players went elsewhere.

Uh, Ryan Mallett, from Texarkana, went to Michigan and apparently is about to start against ND this week.

[Hoggish1]

Totally unfair.  "Lloyd Carr wouldn't survive there!"  Nutt survived back to back losing seasons.  I bet a dollar to a donut that Carr could finish the season with 8 wins and still might lose his job at Meeeeshigan.  Guy who wrote this article is an absolute fool. 

selective memory again......he was going to Neb. and we talked him out of it and gave him that two year pass....he had to have a good season last year and he did...if he has a bad year this year fire him.

Fire him when he has a good year, this year.  See how optimistic I can be?

[Hoggish1]

This writer just proves you can research nothing and write everything.  What an idiot.  I told some Michigan fans and they laughed their arses off about this.  They agree with me...Lloyd Carr would be enshrined as a saint if he coached at Arkansas.  Well, anyone with half a brain would be...following the Dork!

Lloyd Carr would not be enshrined as a saint here.  He cannot recruit well enough (if he was at Arkansas) to bring the success he has had at Michigan.  I want to go another direction with the coaching staff but Carr is way overrated.  Look at the last couple of recruiting classes he has had, a large portion of the states top players went elsewhere.

Hmmmmmmm interesting take.  The last few years, eh?  Let's see, Michigan has the 10th rated recruiting class so far for this season, the #12 class for 2007 (including Arkansas Razorback wannabee, Ryan Mallett), 13th rated class in 2006, #6 recruiting class in 2005, #5 class in 2004, #17 in 2003 and #16 in 2002.

What were you saying about Michigan's (and Lloyd Carr's) recruiting?  Compared to Houston Nutt's recruiting, Lloyd Carr has done very well.  Well, considering that the Hog's recruiting classes can't ever seem to break the top 20 (2008 - tied at #12, 2007 - not in the top 25, 2006 - not in the top 25, 2005 - #24, 2004 - #22, 2003 - not in the top 25, 2002 - not in the top 25).

I don't want Lloyd Carr as Arkansas' head coach...that isn't what I said or suggested, but he has recruited rings around the Nuttster.  Like I said, given this state unusual love affair with a mediocre coach, Lloyd Carr would be enshrined right now!

I agree with you about not wanting Carr as coach here - I don't believe he could coach in the SEC.

But, what were App State's and Oregon's last few recruiting classes rated as compared to Michigan's?

In Nutt's best year (1998), Carr beat Nutt.  Nutt hasn't been the same since...

[OKhogfan1959]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

I will wait with great optimism! We'll get a lot bigger name than we did last time...

You Nutt huggers aren't even Hog fans...Just Nutt bags..

[OKhogfan1959]

Some times you lose perspective when you are too close to a place. Like....Springdale maybe?

Arkansas fans are more spolied than they deserve to be and don't recognize that their program is on the rise.

Sometimes you do lose perspective when your nose is all up in Nutts arse..

I hope your right but I can only think about what could have been..Nutt ruined that...

Nutt and his mafia have everything that they wanted..Show me the so called Dallas offense???

[Hoggish1]

If it was an EASY place to caoch, wouldn't that mean that the fans and or adm DO NOT CARE?

What do you call a place where you can have back to back losing seasons, contact other schools about their job vacancies(LSU), hire a highschool coach so you can get his players, have your wife and a personal friend of the family circulate emails denegrating both highschool coach and the kids, call into local radio talk show to fight with one of the hosts, barely have an alltime conference winning pct over .500, not made a BCS bowl since its inception, GET PAID OVER A MILLION AND A HALF A YEAR, AND STILL HAVE JOB?

YOU CALL THAT HARD?! YOU CALL THAT PRESSURE PACKED?!!

You are a classic.

I call this post of the year!  Bravo!!

[macgyver hawg]

I would love the chance to coach making the money they do, have losing seasons, then have my contract bought out while I sit at home.

I love America.

I often hear from certain posters that we don't know how good we have it here.  Nutt doesn't know how good he has it here.  No other place would put up with this stuff.

[OKhogfan1959]

I have to give it up to Hogsanity on this one..Bravo!

[piggingout]

sweet we cracked the top ten

[Catcher in the Sty]

If it was an EASY place to caoch, wouldn't that mean that the fans and or adm DO NOT CARE?

What do you call a place where you can have back to back losing seasons, contact other schools about their job vacancies(LSU), hire a highschool coach so you can get his players, have your wife and a personal friend of the family circulate emails denegrating both highschool coach and the kids, call into local radio talk show to fight with one of the hosts, barely have an alltime conference winning pct over .500, not made a BCS bowl since its inception, GET PAID OVER A MILLION AND A HALF A YEAR, AND STILL HAVE JOB?

YOU CALL THAT HARD?! YOU CALL THAT PRESSURE PACKED?!!

You are a classic.

I call this post of the year!  Bravo!!

AMEN!

[RypTyde]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

Not hard at all.

Mediocre program that has a lot of areas to improve.  No history of greatness in the last 12 years or championship since the 60's, and when the coach has a 10 win season he should be fired according backstabbing special interest groups of fans.  Instead of looking Cal's coach, how about trying for Southern Arkansas' coach.  Welcome to paradise.  LOL  Good luck trying to pull in a local high school coach.  Nutt won't get fired with a bad season.  History has shown us that.  If you want him gone, cheer the hogs on to winning.  Nebraska wanted him at one point when we had an up season if everyone forgot.  If he has no where to go, he's staying right here. 

[macgyver hawg]

The guy was pretty spot-on.....Although, at this point, Arkansas could be ranked even higher.....just wait to see how difficult it will be to get a "big-name" coach when HDN is gone.....

Not hard at all.

Mediocre program that has a lot of areas to improve.  No history of greatness in the last 12 years or championship since the 60's, and when the coach has a 10 win season he should be fired according backstabbing special interest groups of fans.  Instead of looking Cal's coach, how about trying for Southern Arkansas' coach.  Welcome to paradise.  LOL  Good luck trying to pull in a local high school coach.  Nutt won't get fired with a bad season.  History has shown us that.  If you want him gone, cheer the hogs on to winning.  Nebraska wanted him at one point when we had an up season if everyone forgot.  If he has no where to go, he's staying right here. 

You'll be shocked at who will show interest in the job.  Every opposing coach comes into Fayetteville and can't believe what we have facility wise.  It's like they had no idea about our secret.  This head coaching job has NEVER been open with the facilities we have now.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

The foi comment is funny to me. Boy did that ever backfire.

People always want us to be talked about by the national media, and be in the same conversation with "big name" schools. Nowe are amd they complain. Maybe its what the article is about.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

Again, it's not Nutt, it's LOSING.  People are tired of losing.  Nutt is simply the reason we're losing. 

Ever heard the saying about Bob Stoops?  "He could call Mary a whore and the Pope a turd, and people in Norman would applaud his innovative style."

That's because he wins.  We'll overlook damn near anything if you win.  Nutt doesn't win.

While this may be true for many, I don't think it holds for everyone. There are those that are so tired of Nutt, they do not care what happens to the team as long as he is fired or something bad happens to him. This includes more loses, which according to what you say, shouldn't make sense.

[judgeroyswine]

How can Arkansas be the 5th hardest place to coach in the country when we have retained and even given raises and extensions to a coach who has yet to win the SEC, has yet to go to muchless win a BCS bowl game, and who has a losing post season record? 

This is just absurd.

This is the rep you get when you have fans foi'ing phone records, and suing the school pres and chancellor after a 10-4 season.

Let's ask Hatfield and Holtz if the fans are what made it hard to coach at Arkansas.  I don't think so.

If the guy is talking about this year, well then okay, I might understand the ranking.  But if he is going all the way back to Bear Bryant for Bama, then he might want to lay some Arkansas blame at JFB's feet.

[RypTyde]

However, people on this board, don't be diluted enough to believe that unbridled hatred of Nutt is actually support of the Hogs!  You are not supporting the people that it is most important to support, the players!

Again, it's not Nutt, it's LOSING.  People are tired of losing.  Nutt is simply the reason we're losing. 

Ever heard the saying about Bob Stoops?  "He could call Mary a whore and the Pope a turd, and people in Norman would applaud his innovative style."

That's because he wins.  We'll overlook damn near anything if you win.  Nutt doesn't win.

While this may be true for many, I don't think it holds for everyone. There are those that are so tired of Nutt, they do not care what happens to the team as long as he is fired or something bad happens to him. This includes more loses, which according to what you say, shouldn't make sense.

He just had a 10 win season.  The first time since 89 we had 10+ wins.  Nearly got to a BCS bowl. Wins the SEC west.  Heisman runner-up.  But yet his head for losses is what you want.  If he was at USC, UF, OU, OSU, PSU, UT, LSU, etc., I could see being upset.  But your talking about a team who has lately been a pushover in the SEC.  If almost is not enough, then why cheer for the Hogs?    They have almost won it since the 60's.  You may be setting your standards too high for this school.  If USC (gamecocks) had this season last year, they would have built an alter to Spurrier.  Not even including the lack of high school football talent in this state.  Many have said we rank near the bottom.  The year my high school won state not one of our players went D1.  Sure Springdale had 1 great year, but D1 requires the best.  USC recruites a lot of its team in state.