Long needs to face some tough questions. . .

[DeltaBoy]

Fire Jeff Long.

[Pork Twain]

First of all, I've spent quite a bit of time away from the board so I want to state upfront for the sake of full disclosure, I was totally behind the decision to hire Bielema.  That said, I think it's time for Long to 'splain some things, dating back to the day of infamy.  April 1, 2012.  Not necessarily from the viewpoint of answering tough questions, but rather a stroll down memory lane and critiquing the results of a few decisions he's made.  In fact, I'm struggling to identify the decisions made by Long that I could point to and or categorize in the "good decision" check box.  Mike Anderson is showing some potential for having the proverbial feather stuck in Jeff's hat, but short of that?  I'm not going to fault Long for hiring Bielema.  After all, He was a power 5 coach fresh off back to back Conference Championships, but I will and do question the amount of CBB's buyout, and would like a straight answer as to the motivation for Long to agree with the kind of numbers we keep hearing about?  For the first time in my life, the thought of replacing the Athletic Director offers more hope for the program than replacing it's head coach.   

First, April 1, 2012, has nothing to do with Long, unless he was driving a car that ran CBP off the road and told him to lie to the world.  Second, there were no quality hires to be made when the accident happened.  Third, we were shocked that he was a able to get the back-to-back-to-back Rose Bowl coach to come here.  Lastly, the buyout is a smokescreen that it seems the media ahs spent considerable time pushing out there.

[hog of steele]

I don't know how tough it is. But the first question is "jeff how did you manage so many great hires"

Maybe "why do you suck at hiring interim coaches?"

[Pork Twain]

I don't know how tough it is. But the first question is "jeff how did you manage so many great hires"

Maybe "why do you suck at hiring interim coaches?"

Yes because there is a REALLY long list of great coaching hires in April, especially interim coaches.

[East Clintwood]

You are exactly right and thank you for explaining it in terms about 1 in 3 Hogville posters can understand.

ftfy

[hog of steele]

Yes because there is a REALLY long list of great coaching hires in April, especially interim coaches.

I am a fan of long. I know hindsight is 20/20. But I think we should all knowledge that smiles was a bad choice. He could have promoted the younger Petrino who is doing better than expected with the vandals of Idaho. Makes me happy he realizes this and isn't firing our current coach mid season.

Learning from mistakes is one thing that makes employees good.

[Oklahawg]

At this point, it doesn't matter to me.  I'm willing to let Long be judged on his merits.  Still waiting on someone to post the list that is taking up ledger space marked "GOOD." 

An argument could be made that virtually all Long has done can be classified as "good."

Smile? Hard to argue from my vantage. That it didn't work is less concerning that many/most fans didn't see this as (a) a bad idea and, simultaneously, (b) about the only good idea.

Jimmy Dykes is the only hire I can come up with that is bothersome.

[hog of steele]

An argument could be made that virtually all Long has done can be classified as "good."

Smile? Hard to argue from my vantage. That it didn't work is less concerning that many/most fans didn't see this as (a) a bad idea and, simultaneously, (b) about the only good idea.

Jimmy Dykes is the only hire I can come up with that is bothersome.

Dykes is an interesting one. I see the reasons but it was a stretch. He sure came back with gusto on the replacement though. I think lady Razorbacks are in good shape now.

[bondhue]

Let's see, as a hog fan I need to:

Donate to the foundation to get season tickets.
Buy season tickets.
Spend money going to games.
Hire an attorney to review the programs contracts to get a straight answer to what means what.

Ok sounds reasonable.

I guess I'll spend $1000 to have my guys review the the bond issuance for the expansion.  I mean it's just part of the tab to participate in being a hog fan.

Man, you are disrupting the new narrative that although we will only win 4 games this year, Hog fans were so stupid that they thought the buyout was umpteen millions, when it was only millions.  You were so stupid that even though you won't accept 8-4 you should be willing to accept 4-8.  Fall in line, soldier.  And accept the next propaganda campaign.

[Pork Twain]

I am a fan of long. I know hindsight is 20/20. But I think we should all knowledge that smiles was a bad choice. He could have promoted the younger Petrino who is doing better than expected with the vandals of Idaho. Makes me happy he realizes this and isn't firing our current coach mid season.

Learning from mistakes is one thing that makes employees good.

I agree that the other Petrino would have been a less crappy option but I do not think anyone could have held that team together, knowing they were out at the end of the year.  One must not forget that the first two years at Idaho, he was 1-11 and 1-10.  In April, all the good coaches were getting ready for the upcoming season.

[MissippHog]

Just because it hasn't worked out, it's really not fair to blame Jeff Long. 

If you remove your emotional attachment and try to look at it from the outside, not one single person could find fault with an AD hiring Mike Anderson, Bobby Petrino, and Bret Bielema.  On the surface, those are three really good hires.  Outside of hiring and firing coaches, the only other thing he really needs to do is raise money, and he's done that as well.  Football facilities, baseball indoor, stadium expansion....he's done a pretty good job IMO.

[hogcard1964]

Yesterday:  "Jeff Long should be fired because of a 15 million buyout"

Today:  "Jeff Long should be fired because he allowed me to be mistaken"

Tomorrow:  "Jeff Long should be fired because (insert hot take here)".

Because as an athletic director at both Pittsburgh and Arkansas, he's hired a total of 4 head football coaches and none of them worked out.

Long has to go before Bielema.

[hog of steele]

Because as an athletic director at both Pittsburgh and Arkansas, he's hired a total of 4 head football coaches and none of them worked out.

Long has to go before Bielema.

Petrino was pretty good.

[Pig in the Pokey]

I'm not sure I'm buying that.  It may be where it ends up, but I find it hard to believe that major media outlets nationally would have gotten these numbers wrong.

you havent heard of fake news?

[hogcard1964]

Petrino was pretty good.

Yes, he was, but according to Long himself hiring him was a mistake.

[depressed_fan]

HA THAT COWARD ISN'T GOING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS

[DeltaBoy]

You can make all the excused for Jeff Long you want.  But other than the buildings Football is worse than ever and they charge more and more for the seats yet put out a dumpster fire product.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

29-45

[a0ashle]

Jeff long has had us  in the top 20-25 consistently in the directors cup for a while now. That's across all sports.

http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-previous-scoring.html

[jkstock04]

Yes, he was, but according to Long himself hiring him was a mistake.

His biggest regret as the Arkansas AD. The Bielema years have proven to him you don't have to have a coach like that to be successful.

LOL I mean that is just a couple of mind blowing statements...but that's what our AD thinks and said.

[GuvHog]

His biggest regret as the Arkansas AD. The Bielema years have proven to him you don't have to have a coach like that to be successful.

LOL I mean that is just a couple of mind blowing statements...but that's what our AD thinks and said.

.......Which is solid proof that the U of A AD doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

[jkstock04]

.......Which is solid proof that the U of A AD doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

Oh he has a clue of what he is talking about...it's just that his definition of what success is, is about 99% different than my definition.

[Vantage 8 dude]

First of all understand that like most of you I'm extremely disappointed and even surprised that Bret has not had better success here. What disturbs me the most is that not only have we had consistent second half collapses, but that in so many instances our effort both as coaches and players appear very much wanting. Far too many times over the past several years the team/staff have given the impression, right or wrong, that they're just trying to figure out what to do. This leaves me both angry and perplexed.

Having said that, however, if my memory serves me correctly most (and that means exactly that-not all) fans seemed to be doing hand stands when CBB was named our HC. Most of our fans seemed to think that given his Wisconsin resume that this was a home run hire. Not be left out, the national press seemed to chime in as well. What went wrong will obviously be hotly debated from now until whenever. Some say it was merely Alvarez and his position at UW that was propping Bret up. Others will point to the BIG 10 as not being as strong from top to bottom as the SEC. Others will say that it's Saban and the overwhelming dominance of the Tide. Others will say Bret was a "fraud" all along. Whatever the true reason or reasons, just remember that there are few coaches-established or not-who can absolutely guarantee he will be a success at the U of A. There will always be an element of risk involved in any hire.

[Pig in the Pokey]

Jeff wont be fired, fatty will.

[J-Five]

Holy hell.

There is no cover up.

The contract has been there this whole time.

Just because it took someone years to figure it out doesn't mean it was some conspiracy theory.

I totally agree!!!  These conspiracy theorists are comical.  Reading is fundamental, always has been.  SMH

[J-Five]

Guys I crunched the numbers over here and my studies show that holy darn some people are stupid.

[GuvHog]

First of all understand that like most of you I'm extremely disappointed and even surprised that Bret has not had better success here. What disturbs me the most is that not only have we had consistent second half collapses, but that in so many instances our effort both as coaches and players appear very much wanting. Far too many times over the past several years the team/staff have given the impression, right or wrong, that they're just trying to figure out what to do. This leaves me both angry and perplexed.

Having said that, however, if my memory serves me correctly most (and that means exactly that-not all) fans seemed to be doing hand stands when CBB was named our HC. Most of our fans seemed to think that given his Wisconsin resume that this was a home run hire. Not be left out, the national press seemed to chime in as well. What went wrong will obviously be hotly debated from now until whenever. Some say it was merely Alvarez and his position at UW that was propping Bret up. Others will point to the BIG 10 as not being as strong from top to bottom as the SEC. Others will say that it's Saban and the overwhelming dominance of the Tide. Others will say Bret was a "fraud" all along. Whatever the true reason or reasons, just remember that there are few coaches-established or not-who can absolutely guarantee he will be a success at the U of A. There will always be an element of risk involved in any hire.

I was one who gave Jeff Long high marks for hiring Bret because I hoped that Bret would quickly realize that Big 10 football doesn't work in the SEC and change his offense. Unfortunately he still hasn't figured that out and is still running a Big 10 offense so I'm not at all surprised it isn't working. Bret needs to return to the Big 10 where he fits much better. Bret was simply put in a bad position but that wasn't his fault.

[RME]

Oh he has a clue of what he is talking about...it's just that his definition of what success is, is about 99% different than my definition.

And that's a reason why he's an Athletic Director overseeing one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country and you aren't.

[J-Five]

I was one who gave Jeff Long high marks for hiring Bret because I hoped that Bret would quickly realize that Big 10 football doesn't work in the SEC and change his offense. Unfortunately he still hasn't figured that out and is still running a Big 10 offense so I'm not at all surprised it isn't working. Bret needs to return to the Big 10 where he fits much better. Bret was simply put in a bad position but that wasn't his fault.

I agree with this...He's a Big 10 coach through and through and needs to return there.  I wish him nothing but the best when he leaves here....

[J-Five]

And that's a reason why he's an Athletic Director overseeing one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country and you aren't.

ZING!  LOL

[jkstock04]

And that's a reason why he's an Athletic Director overseeing one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country and you aren't.

Must be hard work to collect those checks coming in from the SEC lol.

[Razorbackers]

And that's a reason why he's an Athletic Director overseeing one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country and you aren't.

[EastexHawg]

I'm not sure I'm buying that.  It may be where it ends up, but I find it hard to believe that major media outlets nationally would have gotten these numbers wrong. 

I haven't read the contract and I'm not going to read it, but was the $15 million figure future value of a series of payments?  If you win the Powerball and the jackpot is $700 million but you take the cash option, you might get a lump sum of $300 million.  I am making up those numbers, but the point is the same.  The present value of an annuity that pays a total of $15.3 million with a return rate of 10%, paid out as 10 payments per year for 10 years is $5.9 million.

[OneLardAlmighty]

I bet I heard it reported on the SEC Network at least a dozen times over the past couple of weeks.  Paul Finebaum brings up the 15M buyout almost as frequent as little girl on True Grit playing the Lawyer Daggit card.

Do you honestly think Paul Finebaum or anyone at the SEC network has actually read the contract?  They're entertainers, not reporters or contract lawyers.  If everyone in the local media and message boards are talking about the buyout as if its common knowledge, they will simply assume that its true and run with it.  That's how these outlets tend to work.  Just like Hogville.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

His biggest regret as the Arkansas AD. The Bielema years have proven to him you don't have to have a coach like that to be successful.

LOL I mean that is just a couple of mind blowing statements...but that's what our AD thinks and said.

There was also the " we're right on track,or ahead of schedule during the Texas bowl season. I think it was (7-6)
6 losses per year is not where I want to be.

[Hoggish1]

Petrino was pretty good.

Until he was no good at all.

[jkstock04]

Let me guess...your total definition of success for the football program is the academic honor roll, collecting SEC $$, and Jeff Long getting the "AD of the year" award for firing Bobby Petrino? Seems like a progressive viewpoint.

[Razorbackers]

Let me guess...your total definition of success for the football program is the academic honor roll, collecting SEC $$, and Jeff Long getting the "AD of the year" award for firing Bobby Petrino? Seems like a progressive viewpoint.

Whatever it takes to trigger you guys I'm for at this point.

[Razor1997]

Read away....

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017/oct/12/bielema-buyout-under-15-million/


https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/09/18/university-of-arkansas-releases-bret-bielema-contract-295-million-a-year-plus-many-benefits-and-a-128-million-buyout

https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2015/02/07/razorback-football-coach-bret-bielema-gets-two-year-contract-extension-and-a-raise

That second link looks hilarious since the decimal points are not included in the URL.

[razorbackfaninar]

Because as an athletic director at both Pittsburgh and Arkansas, he's hired a total of 4 head football coaches and none of them worked out.

Long has to go before Bielema.

Wannstedt?

Petrino?

Beliema?

Smith was a stop gap measure and was never supposed to be a long term head coach.  It is dumb to keep bringing it up .  Petrino worked out pretty well till it went off the rails.  I know, I know he was forced to hire Petrino against his will.   

[Razorbackers]

Wannstedt?

Petrino?

Beliema?

Smith was a stop gap measure and was never supposed to be a long term head coach.  It is dumb to keep bringing it up .  Petrino worked out pretty well till it went off the rails.  I know, I know he was forced to hire Petrino against his will.

And DW went 49-38 in his time at Pitt, and had seasons where he won 10 and 9 games. He wasn't some catastrophe or something. He had Pitt in the top 10 in 2009. But like most coaches, his time had come and gone, and he was let go. Rarely do coaches win enough to stay in a place for over a decade.

[Feralhog]

I totally agree!!!  These conspiracy theorists are comical.  Reading is fundamental, always has been.  SMH

Here's the deal.  For months, even leading up to this season, long before Bielema's seat was this hot, what was the number we kept seeing?  Never once, until now, was there the tiniest hint that the figure in question was less than 15 Million.  Now, all the sudden BOOM.  5.9 or whatever the latest number is!?  This doesn't strike you as being odd? 

I'm not the one who applied the term Conspiracy to all of this.  And from my way of thinking, it would be a monumental task to take a contract with a buyout at 15M, doctor it up, and at the other end the number magically become 5M.  I'm not asserting anything with this question, so don't read anything into it.  'Splain to silly me how something like this happens.  Granted I haven't poured over the board, maybe the answer is somewhere on HV, but I've yet to see a logical explanation for how something like this happens.     

[RME]

Here's the deal.  For months, even leading up to this season, long before Bielema's seat was this hot, what was the number we kept seeing?  Never once, until now, was there the tiniest hint that the figure in question was less than 15 Million.  Now, all the sudden BOOM.  5.9 or whatever the latest number is!?  This doesn't strike you as being odd? 

I'm not the one who applied the term Conspiracy to all of this.  And from my way of thinking, it would  it would be a monumental task to take a contract with a buyout at 15M, doctor it up, and at the other end the number magically become 5M.  I'm not asserting anything with this question, so don't read anything into it.  'Splain to silly me how something like this happens.  Granted I haven't poured over the board, maybe the answer is somewhere on HV, but I've yet to see a logical explanation for how something like this happens.   

People didn't read ins and outs of the contract. They just saw the $15 million number and ran with it. Pretty simple.

[HawgTide]

Here's the deal.  For months, even leading up to this season, long before Bielema's seat was this hot, what was the number we kept seeing?  Never once, until now, was there the tiniest hint that the figure in question was less than 15 Million.  Now, all the sudden BOOM.  5.9 or whatever the latest number is!?  This doesn't strike you as being odd? 

I'm not the one who applied the term Conspiracy to all of this.  And from my way of thinking, it would be a monumental task to take a contract with a buyout at 15M, doctor it up, and at the other end the number magically become 5M.  I'm not asserting anything with this question, so don't read anything into it.  'Splain to silly me how something like this happens.  Granted I haven't poured over the board, maybe the answer is somewhere on HV, but I've yet to see a logical explanation for how something like this happens.     

People are lazy and just looked at the 15.4 not the fine print?

[Feralhog]

I haven't read the contract and I'm not going to read it, but was the $15 million figure future value of a series of payments?  If you win the Powerball and the jackpot is $700 million but you take the cash option, you might get a lump sum of $300 million.  I am making up those numbers, but the point is the same.  The present value of an annuity that pays a total of $15.3 million with a return rate of 10%, paid out as 10 payments per year for 10 years is $5.9 million.

I'm just looking for answers.  I'm not a lawyer.  Maybe this whole thing is some sort of a misinterpretation of Bielema's contract.  If that's the case, then bully for us.  However, it's funny how the knee jerk reaction by so many is to immediately mischaracterize (not sure that's a word) a post in an attempt to discredit someone.  I'm the first to admit I'm not the sharpest rocket in the toolbox, so I'm simply trying to wrap my brain around a 10M dollar discrepancy in the buyout figure. 

[TheJoeyBucketz]

Here's the deal.  For months, even leading up to this season, long before Bielema's seat was this hot, what was the number we kept seeing?  Never once, until now, was there the tiniest hint that the figure in question was less than 15 Million.  Now, all the sudden BOOM.  5.9 or whatever the latest number is!?  This doesn't strike you as being odd? 

I'm not the one who applied the term Conspiracy to all of this.  And from my way of thinking, it would  it would be a monumental task to take a contract with a buyout at 15M, doctor it up, and at the other end the number magically become 5M.  I'm not asserting anything with this question, so don't read anything into it.  'Splain to silly me how something like this happens.  Granted I haven't poured over the board, maybe the answer is somewhere on HV, but I've yet to see a logical explanation for how something like this happens.   

The contract extension included a table that showed the buyout figures. The 15.4M figure was in that table. Media saw that, didnt read anything else, reported that as the buyout figure, and it became gospel.

Recently, the DemGazz (or someone else who then tipped the DemGazz) actually read the contract extension and noticed that, to figure the actual buyout, you had to use the figure from the table as the numerator in an extremely complex (2 whole steps) math formula that was spelled out plain as day in the original contract. The DemGazz then reported the actual buyout figure accurately.

There was no conspiracy. Nobody used any fuzzy math. The media simply finally read the contract.

No, Jeff Long didnt owe anyone an explanation.
Yes, CBB (and/or his agent) knew what the real buyout was from the start.
No, the extension didnt null and void the original contract. In fact, it says multiple times that it is simply an amendment to the original.
Our media let us down. That's it. They didnt read the contract and reported the buyout erroneously. JL had no duty to correct them. How would he have done that anyway? "Um, hey guys, the buyout really isnt as big as you are reporting. Dont worry, we can still fire him in a cost effective manner if he doesnt win!". Yeah, that sure shows confidence in the coach from the AD. Long took the heat for something he didnt really do for 2 years so that he wouldnt hurt whatever confidence in the program still remained. Whether hes a carpet-bagger or not, he did the right thing.

[Feralhog]

Do you honestly think Paul Finebaum or anyone at the SEC network has actually read the contract?  They're entertainers, not reporters or contract lawyers.  If everyone in the local media and message boards are talking about the buyout as if its common knowledge, they will simply assume that its true and run with it.  That's how these outlets tend to work.  Just like Hogville.

Silly me for assuming that the Network covering the SEC would care about little things like accurate reporting. 

[Feralhog]

The contract extension included a table that showed the buyout figures. The 15.4M figure was in that table. Media saw that, didnt read anything else, reported that as the buyout figure, and it became gospel.

Recently, the DemGazz (or someone else who then tipped the DemGazz) actually read the contract extension and noticed that, to figure the actual buyout, you had to use the figure from the table as the numerator in an extremely complex (2 whole steps) math formula that was spelled out plain as day in the original contract. The DemGazz then reported the actual buyout figure accurately.

There was no conspiracy. Nobody used any fuzzy math. The media simply finally read the contract.

No, Jeff Long didnt owe anyone an explanation.
Yes, CBB (and/or his agent) knew what the real buyout was from the start.
No, the extension didnt null and void the original contract. In fact, it says multiple times that it is simply an amendment to the original.
Our media let us down. That's it. They didnt read the contract and reported the buyout erroneously. JL had no duty to correct them. How would he have done that anyway? "Um, hey guys, the buyout really isnt as big as you are reporting. Dont worry, we can still fire him in a cost effective manner if he doesnt win!". Yeah, that sure shows confidence in the coach from the AD. Long took the heat for something he didnt really do for 2 years so that he wouldnt hurt whatever confidence in the program still remained. Whether hes a carpet-bagger or not, he did the right thing.

Ok.  This is something that, sadly, makes sense.  However, I would contend that Long would not need to hold a big press conference announcing to the world that the contract was not being interpreted correctly.  Which then begs the question, "why didn't Long pull one of the reporters aside and suggest the reporter take a closer look at the contract?"  Heck, just tell the reporter the mistake he's making and inform him that the conversation is off the record.  For some reason Long viewed the misrepresentation of the buyout figures as favorable, otherwise, he could have easily corrected it behind the scenes.   

[ricepig]

Ok.  This is something that, sadly, makes sense.  However, I would contend that Long would not need to hold a big press conference announcing to the world that the contract was not being interpreted correctly.  Which then begs the question, "why didn't Long pull one of the reporters aside and suggest the reporter take a closer look at the contract?"  Heck, just tell the reporter the mistake he's making and inform him that the conversation is off the record.  For some reason Long viewed the misrepresentation of the buyout figures as favorable, otherwise, he could have easily corrected it behind the scenes.   

Two schools of thought on that, Long doesn't want to fire Bret, so he lets the $15.4m number permeate, or boosters wanting to fire him, get the correct number out there to force his hand??

[Feralhog]

Two schools of thought on that, Long doesn't want to fire Bret, so he lets the $15.4m number permeate, or boosters wanting to fire him, get the correct number out there to force his hand??

Call it the skeptic in me, but something tells me it's not quite this simple.