"Signing Day at the Rock" story

[Biggus Piggus]

During Q&A at Signing Day at the Rock, some guy used his young son to ask Bret Bielema negative-toned questions.

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.

Bielema kinda laughed it off. Some people online tried to spin it into a huge deal, fabricating Bielema's answers and claiming he humiliated the kid / his dad.

You don't hold a signing day event to take questions that are nothing more than backhanded insults. Who knows why the young man asked those questions - unlikely they were his own ideas.

But why do we have fans who are so desperate to attack Bielema that they invent reasons to hate him?

[southeasthog]

Quick answer.....4th dumbest fan base. You get what you earn.

[greenie]

Embarrassing, and if a father put his son up to that, it's also shameful and cowardly.

[hoggusamoungus]

During Q&A at Signing Day at the Rock, some guy used his young son to ask Bret Bielema negative-toned questions.

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.

Bielema kinda laughed it off. Some people online tried to spin it into a huge deal, fabricating Bielema's answers and claiming he humiliated the kid / his dad.

You don't hold a signing day event to take questions that are nothing more than backhanded insults. Who knows why the young man asked those questions - unlikely they were his own ideas.

But why do we have fans who are so desperate to attack Bielema that they invent reasons to hate him?

If he did humiliate the kid/dad, they got what they deserved. 

[phadedhawg]

That's unfortunate if only for the  fact that it was to celebrate signing day.  That's a part of the offseason for looking forward, not backward.  There will be other times for all the rest.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Embarrassing, and if a father put his son up to that, it's also shameful and cowardly.

The 1st kid asked what the gender of their baby would be. His brother asked what they would do about 4th quarter collapses. Bielema replied "I think I liked your brothers question more." That was the end of it.

[Kevin]

not hard to be a daddy, but being a father is hard work.

[colbs]

BB didn't humiliate the kid at all.  He joked about it.  The kid's brother asked about the upcoming baby and then he asked about the second halves of the last two games.  BB joked and said something along the lines of you must be the evil twin.  Some people look for any reason to spin something in a negative light.  If you were there you know he didn't do anything to humiliate the kid. 

[factchecker]

This was discussed in the trash thread but how do you feel about this:

https://twitter.com/jimharris360/status/827350481345314818

I'm guessing this in response to our coaches landing Chevin Callloway.  Yeah, I'm sure the coaches are happy because of the star rating...... let's forget about the hours and trips and calls, and effort put into developing a relationship with a great kid and prospect who they've been recruiting for years.  A kid who picked us over Texas and Ole Miss on ESPN.

Yeah Jim it's just the stars.

[factchecker]

In more positive news-

Canaan looks like he is feeling better:

https://twitter.com/CanaanSandy/status/827567309350912001

[HawgTide]

That's unfortunate if only for the  fact that it was to celebrate signing day.  That's a part of the offseason for looking forward, not backward.  There will be other times for all the rest.

Unfortunately for the kid his Dad hosed him. It's pretty weak to go to a signing day party and use your own son like that.

[hawginbigd1]

not hard to be a daddy, but being a father is hard work.

You are hanging around too many loose women, it hasn't been that easy for me LOL!

[Kevin]

You are hanging around too many loose women, it hasn't been that easy for me LOL!

you hanging out in the wrong places

[Cubbie08]

[quote author=Biggus Piggus link=topic=626841.msg10700582#msg10700582 date=1486144206

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.
[/quote]

Those seem like reasonable questions.

[ifghog]

This was discussed in the trash thread but how do you feel about this:

https://twitter.com/jimharris360/status/827350481345314818

I'm guessing this in response to our coaches landing Chevin Callloway.  Yeah, I'm sure the coaches are happy because of the star rating...... let's forget about the hours and trips and calls, and effort put into developing a relationship with a great kid and prospect who they've been recruiting for years.  A kid who picked us over Texas and Ole Miss on ESPN.

Yeah Jim it's just the stars.

Jim Harris has no business saying this...maybe they are happy because he's a great player...I doubt they would care if he was a 2 star...ridiculous!

[colbs]

[quote author=Biggus Piggus link=topic=626841.msg10700582#msg10700582 date=1486144206

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.


Those seem like reasonable questions.

I don't so much mind the question but it is event more looking toward the future.  I had a problem with a Dad that was too afraid to ask the question having his son ask.  Then people on social media saying the BB humiliated the kid, which is not true.

[colbs]

Jim Harris has no business saying this...maybe they are happy because he's a great player...I doubt they would care if he was a 2 star...ridiculous!

No matter how many stars Koilan Jackson is the staff is clearly excited about getting him.  I've been to the event the last 5 years and I don't  think I heard him ever rave about a kid like he did Jackson.

[Razorpigg]

[quote author=Biggus Piggus link=topic=626841.msg10700582#msg10700582 date=1486144206

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.


Those seem like reasonable questions.

1. Not from a young kid.... and
2. Not at the signing day celebration

[ricepig]

This was discussed in the trash thread but how do you feel about this:

https://twitter.com/jimharris360/status/827350481345314818

I'm guessing this in response to our coaches landing Chevin Callloway.  Yeah, I'm sure the coaches are happy because of the star rating...... let's forget about the hours and trips and calls, and effort put into developing a relationship with a great kid and prospect who they've been recruiting for years.  A kid who picked us over Texas and Ole Miss on ESPN.

Yeah Jim it's just the stars.

For all we know, it's the same celebration when every recruit commits to being a Hog, only difference is there isn't camera crew there watching them watch on live TV.

[HawgTide]

[quote author=Biggus Piggus link=topic=626841.msg10700582#msg10700582 date=1486144206

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.


Those seem like reasonable questions.

If it's so reasonable why did he have his young son ask for him?

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

[quote author=Biggus Piggus link=topic=626841.msg10700582#msg10700582 date=1486144206

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.


Those seem like reasonable questions.

Reasonable questions in the correct time/place. Signing day at the rock is not that place.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

If it's so reasonable why did he have his young son ask for him?

+1

[factchecker]

I don't so much mind the question but it is event more looking toward the future.  I had a problem with a Dad that was too afraid to ask the question having his son ask.  Then people on social media saying the BB humiliated the kid, which is not true.

The main guy who was saying that crap deleted his tweets.

It doesn't surprise me though.  Some idiot was pissed because Bielema said that he happy that he landed every instate kid he offered.  The guy thought that it was a shot at Akial.  We have an idiotic fan base.

[colbs]

The main guy who was saying that crap deleted his tweets.

It doesn't surprise me though.  Some idiot was pissed because Bielema said that he happy that he landed every instate kid he offered.  The guy thought that it was a shot at Akial.  We have an idiotic fan base.

I asked him if he was even at the event because none of the things he said were true. He deleted so I guess you can figure out how much truth was in his tweets.  I assume he probably heard about it from someone at the event and it was exaggerated from there.

[Hogfan1660]

not hard to be a daddy, but being a father is hard work.

^^^This^^^

[12247]

I believe it was the final recruit of the 2017 signing and it was a 4 star in a position that we could certainly use a 4 star.  That staff raising hell looked good to me.  Actually I was a little surprised they showed a little attitude and excitement.  I don't care for BB but I do believe he tries to get the best he can and knows how to get on signing day.  The better the players and talent, the easier it is for him in the long run and the more likely we have a decent team.  Everyone but some of the village idiots on here, clearly know, that on average, stars do matter.  If stars didn't matter, why not just go to a few great high school each year, say  teams that won state and sign all their top senior Guys and be done with it.  You get a group that has worked together.  Maybe you have to go to 4 or 5 high schools to get 25 but in a week you are done.

[luke hawg]

Who is Jim Harris and why does his opinion matter. He seems to have a sense of authority on all things razorback football and many people value his opinion. He seems to be gaining attention for being negative at all times as a media member. Is there a reason, I should value his opinion more than others? Serious question!

[southarkhog06]

For all we know, it's the same celebration when every recruit commits to being a Hog, only difference is there isn't camera crew there watching them watch on live TV.

I don't follow Arkansas media very closely, but I swear there was a time when Jim Harris was a decent guy. Lately all I know him for is this and being aggressively wrong about Randy Ramsey, was he always a prick and I am misremembering?

[Jim Harris]

This was discussed in the trash thread but how do you feel about this:

https://twitter.com/jimharris360/status/827350481345314818

I'm guessing this in response to our coaches landing Chevin Callloway.  Yeah, I'm sure the coaches are happy because of the star rating...... let's forget about the hours and trips and calls, and effort put into developing a relationship with a great kid and prospect who they've been recruiting for years.  A kid who picked us over Texas and Ole Miss on ESPN.

Yeah Jim it's just the stars.

The point was, stars matter when you sign guys with the stars. When you don't, you say that stars don't matter, that so-and-so was a 2 star and blossomed into a first-round NFL draft pick, etc., etc. I've seen this and heard this for going on three decades, or whenever Max Emfinger first began all this player-rating mess that evolved to what it is today. I've seen every coach all over the place who is middling in the rankings say they don't go by how the services rank players.
Yes, "stars" is, of course, inexact in that two recent 4-star signees for Arkansas can't get off the scout team (based on what these services say about what the 'stars' mean, actual 4-stars, if they were evaluated properly, wouldn't languish on a scout team 2-3 years in).
I just found it funny, and you didn't I guess, that on one hand they're saying stars don't matter, but I can guarantee you they weren't jumping out of their chairs for every one of those 27 players and blue shirts that signed. I'll bet you, based on Alabama's corralling of  25 out of 28 signees with 4- or 5-stars, that the Tide is still in the CPB 3 of the next 4 years. Meanwhile, I hope for Hogs fans Arkansas can break through a regular-season ceiling of 7 wins.

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

[Jim Harris]

Who is Jim Harris and why does his opinion matter. He seems to have a sense of authority on all things razorback football and many people value his opinion. He seems to be gaining attention for being negative at all times as a media member. Is there a reason, I should value his opinion more than others? Serious question!

Email me and I'll tell you who I am. Read more other than when Factchecker or a few others pull selected posts out that fit their agenda and you will see I'm not "negative at all times." You don't have to value my opinion at all.

[DeltaBoy]

During Q&A at Signing Day at the Rock, some guy used his young son to ask Bret Bielema negative-toned questions.

He asked what Bielema was going to do about the recent tendency to collapse in the second half of games.

He also asked why Hjalte Froholdt started all season.

Bielema kinda laughed it off. Some people online tried to spin it into a huge deal, fabricating Bielema's answers and claiming he humiliated the kid / his dad.

You don't hold a signing day event to take questions that are nothing more than backhanded insults. Who knows why the young man asked those questions - unlikely they were his own ideas.

But why do we have fans who are so desperate to attack Bielema that they invent reasons to hate him?

Amen !

[ricepig]

The point was, stars matter when you sign guys with the stars. When you don't, you say that stars don't matter, that so-and-so was a 2 star and blossomed into a first-round NFL draft pick, etc., etc. I've seen this and heard this for going on three decades, or whenever Max Emfinger first began all this player-rating mess that evolved to what it is today. I've seen every coach all over the place who is middling in the rankings say they don't go by how the services rank players.
Yes, "stars" is, of course, inexact in that two recent 4-star signees for Arkansas can't get off the scout team (based on what these services say about what the 'stars' mean, actual 4-stars, if they were evaluated properly, wouldn't languish on a scout team 2-3 years in).
I just found it funny, and you didn't I guess, that on one hand they're saying stars don't matter, but I can guarantee you they weren't jumping out of their chairs for every one of those 27 players and blue shirts that signed. I'll bet you, based on Alabama's corralling of  25 out of 28 signees with 4- or 5-stars, that the Tide is still in the CPB 3 of the next 4 years. Meanwhile, I hope for Hogs fans Arkansas can break through a regular-season ceiling of 7 wins.

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

Would you have admitted to it if you asked your son to ask the question? Yeah, I didn't think so.

[southarkhog06]

I believe it was the final recruit of the 2017 signing and it was a 4 star in a position that we could certainly use a 4 star.  That staff raising hell looked good to me.  Actually I was a little surprised they showed a little attitude and excitement.  I don't care for BB but I do believe he tries to get the best he can and knows how to get on signing day.  The better the players and talent, the easier it is for him in the long run and the more likely we have a decent team.  Everyone but some of the village idiots on here, clearly know, that on average, stars do matter.  If stars didn't matter, why not just go to a few great high school each year, say  teams that won state and sign all their top senior Guys and be done with it.  You get a group that has worked together.  Maybe you have to go to 4 or 5 high schools to get 25 but in a week you are done.

I completely disagree with you about CBB, but I will give props to a quality post when I see one.

As for as stars go, I certainly don't think they are the only thing that matter, but to say they don't matter at all is just ignorant.

[factchecker]

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

Were you at the event?

I was and he wasn't ridiculed. It was a light-hearted reply.  I didn't see one tear shed from my seat. The guy you thought was telling you the truth on twitter deleted his tweets.

In regards to the coaches response.  You have no clue if they were jumping for joy with other recruits.  Bielema said he was worried about Jarques McClellion signed because he got some late offers.  He sounded really excited about that kid despite his low star rating.

What you don't understand is that the Calloway response was a moment of relief and joy.  You've never been on the recruiting trail.  You've never busted your butt to get a kid to commit to you over big time programs.  This staff put in a ton of hard work to get Chevin signed.  Regardless of stars that was a big get for the staff.

[azhog10]

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

Ridiculed by who? CBB's answer was comedic and not at all downgrading to the boy. If you think so, then maybe you should get off hogville.

Oh and your explanation to your tweet about stars is comedic as well.....

[hogsanity]

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

Sounds like two kids have had sorry examples at home, and are thin skinned to boot.

[Jim Harris]

I don't follow Arkansas media very closely, but I swear there was a time when Jim Harris was a decent guy. Lately all I know him for is this and being aggressively wrong about Randy Ramsey, was he always a prick and I am misremembering?

What is "aggressively" wrong about Randy Ramsey? Again, for the final time, in mid-December of last year, the head coach of the Razorbacks said Randy Ramsey wouldn't be rejoining the team. The next month, when I wasn't in Arkansas at the time, apparently that had changed. And one time he was mentioned, I referred to the original report from December. Some clowns on this board thought I should be monitoring the board or UA sports on a 24/7 basis. I admitted I hadn't seen the latest update, I don't know why this was continued harped upon, but was certainly glad to know for Ramsey that the December report and Bielema's original pronouncement was incorrect. And I guess I should be flattered that people though I should never be wrong.
I'm willing to appear on this board not using a pseudonym or just lurking like some other writers/reporters I know, and I don't hide behind a fake name while trashing others, which seems to be the norm around here.
But I can see why many others decide it's not worth the time. We all came here in 2004 or so (after Pigpen) for friendly Hog discussion and some inside revelations, and from me you're not always going to get the cheerleading "everything is great, all is well" if I don't believe it is. I don't think that's being a prick. But lots of Hog fans are a prickly bunch about their program and being told the emperor isn't wearing clothes. Or vice versa, as the case often may be.

[Jim Harris]

Ridiculed by who? CBB's answer was comedic and not at all downgrading to the boy. If you think so, then maybe you should get off hogville.

Oh and your explanation to your tweet about stars is comedic as well.....

The kid believed he was ridiculed. Read more, post less.

[azhog10]

The kid believed he was ridiculed. Read more, post less.

Investigate more, write less......Or just try to do a quality job. That seems hard though for you.

[Jim Harris]

Sounds like two kids have had sorry examples at home, and are thin skinned to boot.

One kid just asked a question about whether Bielema and Jen had decided on a name for the baby? While it's not about recruiting, was that question so bad? That's why Bielema made the retort to the other kid about being the first one's "evil twin." What's interesting about this is the diverse reactions I've heard last night and today as to how they took Bielema's responses. People are fascinating.

[Timfromlittlerockhog]

Signing day is the wrong time and place for that type of stuff. Having said that CBB should have been fired at the end of his first season. He's that bad.

[Jim Harris]

Investigate more, write less......Or just try to do a quality job. That seems hard though for you.

Does it? You don't know anything about me.

[ricepig]

One kid just asked a question about whether Bielema and Jen had decided on a name for the baby? While it's not about recruiting, was that question so bad? That's why Bielema made the retort to the other kid about being the first one's "evil twin." What's interesting about this is the diverse reactions I've heard last night and today as to how they took Bielema's responses. People are fascinating.

Well, some of us have more stars, so there's that.......

[colbs]

The point was, stars matter when you sign guys with the stars. When you don't, you say that stars don't matter, that so-and-so was a 2 star and blossomed into a first-round NFL draft pick, etc., etc. I've seen this and heard this for going on three decades, or whenever Max Emfinger first began all this player-rating mess that evolved to what it is today. I've seen every coach all over the place who is middling in the rankings say they don't go by how the services rank players.
Yes, "stars" is, of course, inexact in that two recent 4-star signees for Arkansas can't get off the scout team (based on what these services say about what the 'stars' mean, actual 4-stars, if they were evaluated properly, wouldn't languish on a scout team 2-3 years in).
I just found it funny, and you didn't I guess, that on one hand they're saying stars don't matter, but I can guarantee you they weren't jumping out of their chairs for every one of those 27 players and blue shirts that signed. I'll bet you, based on Alabama's corralling of  25 out of 28 signees with 4- or 5-stars, that the Tide is still in the CPB 3 of the next 4 years. Meanwhile, I hope for Hogs fans Arkansas can break through a regular-season ceiling of 7 wins.

Btw, I've called around on this incident in the OP and the two kids weren't brothers, they are friends, and the dad didn't put the kid up to the question, and the reason the kid was bothered was because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong and was ridiculed. Maybe he should join Hogville and get educated.

He wasn't ridiculed. Maybe the Dad felt a little heat because he got called out but that's about it. 

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Well, some of us have more stars, so there's that.......

Great concept.  All of us should be rated with stars in our particular profession.  (actually, attorneys are...)

Jim Bailey:   5*
Wally Hall:   3*
Robert Shields:   Who?

[Jim Harris]

Would you have admitted to it if you asked your son to ask the question? Yeah, I didn't think so.

No. 1, my son wouldn't have dared ask it or anything else, so I wouldn't have to worry about it. Second, I'm just reporting what people who know the father and were sitting nearby say. I also understand two UA coaches were sitting at the the same table as these boys who asked questions. I guess these folks are just taking up for the dad and you know better.
The boy is apparently about as die-hard an 11-year-old Hog fan as any other his age and, these people say, was asking what he thought was a pertinent question. Obviously among myraid messageboarders, it wasn't, or the place was inappropriate for it.
I wonder if his dad is on here. Maybe he could give his story. And, like I said, maybe the kid should join Hogville. An 11-year-old would fit in perfectly.

[colbs]

One kid just asked a question about whether Bielema and Jen had decided on a name for the baby? While it's not about recruiting, was that question so bad? That's why Bielema made the retort to the other kid about being the first one's "evil twin." What's interesting about this is the diverse reactions I've heard last night and today as to how they took Bielema's responses. People are fascinating.

He said it jokingly not in a mean spirited way.  If you would have been there would have realized that.  AZhog is one of BB's biggest critics and he is saying there is nothing to it.

[wildturkey8]

Much ado about nothing.  This thread deserves to be dumped in the trash can.

[southarkhog06]

What is "aggressively" wrong about Randy Ramsey? Again, for the final time, in mid-December of last year, the head coach of the Razorbacks said Randy Ramsey wouldn't be rejoining the team. The next month, when I wasn't in Arkansas at the time, apparently that had changed. And one time he was mentioned, I referred to the original report from December. Some clowns on this board thought I should be monitoring the board or UA sports on a 24/7 basis. I admitted I hadn't seen the latest update, I don't know why this was continued harped upon, but was certainly glad to know for Ramsey that the December report and Bielema's original pronouncement was incorrect. And I guess I should be flattered that people though I should never be wrong.
I'm willing to appear on this board not using a pseudonym or just lurking like some other writers/reporters I know, and I don't hide behind a fake name while trashing others, which seems to be the norm around here.
But I can see why many others decide it's not worth the time. We all came here in 2004 or so (after Pigpen) for friendly Hog discussion and some inside revelations, and from me you're not always going to get the cheerleading "everything is great, all is well" if I don't believe it is. I don't think that's being a prick. But lots of Hog fans are a prickly bunch about their program and being told the emperor isn't wearing clothes. Or vice versa, as the case often may be.

there is a difference in reporting objectively, and just being a prick because you want to feel like "the guy that doesn't tow the line". The above tweet is the latter.

As for Ramsey, you told other posters they were wrong and you were right with confidence and gusto, and then were wrong. That gets held over your head on hogville and always has, doubly so if you are a media member. I don't buy that 2004 was any different.

[Jim Harris]

He wasn't ridiculed. Maybe the Dad felt a little heat because he got called out but that's about it. 

It doesn't matter what YOU think, it's what the kid thinks, no? Several people around the boy say that, especially when the event was over, he felt like he was ridiculed for his question and had done something wrong and didn't know why it hard turned out that way. I hope you were there to tell him, "Suck up it, kid, you weren't ridiculed. Join Hogville if you want to see what ridicule is like."