The Negativity Around the Basketball Program

[Hawgvillain]

I for one am tired of it.  It's crazy how we can have a good win and the only thing people around here can say is "Great it was at home against an SEC bottom feeder" or "McCurdy should have played more."  You all are unbelievable.  Let's not forget, just a few years ago we were that SEC bottom feeder and we probably wouldn't have won yesterday.

Many of you have already made up your mind so definitively that you want Coach Heath fired that you write-off every one of his accomplishments as something that was "supposed to happen" and are quick to rip him to shreds every time we stumble.  Rebuilding a program is not easy.  But I am pretty happy with our efforts to date...I think our team is about as good as Kentucky and Alabama.  That places us right in the second tier of teams in the SEC, and I'm happy with that for now.  Given a few more seasons, I see no reason why Coach Heath wont have us back up in the top 2 or 3. 

I will admit that I wanted to throw-up after watching the loss at Kentucky; but that is just because it would have been so great to get that win.  And I'm pulling for Stan to finish up strong - because I love the Hogs, I love it when we win, and I think Stan is a first-class guy (which is becoming a bigger and bigger deal for me after watching Coach Nutt's antics these last few years). 

I believe the basketball program is headed in the right direction.  We have shown improvement each of Heath's seasons as well as within this particular season IMO.  I congratulate the Hogs on a nice win yesterday.  Now let's go pay LSU back and coast into the NCAA tourney.  Go hogs!

[jdhoover]

Good post.

[Tater Salad]

[sighs]

[artyhog]

Very good post.

[TulsaHogFan]

Honestly its a lot easier to expect failure and recieve a surprise in the form of a win, rather than expect greatness and get our hopes dashed at every turn.

Its a self defense mechanism.  Nothing personal. 

[WilsonHog]

I'll get excited as soon as we have a good win. I was excited when we beat Texas Tech - now they're stuggling as much as we are. I was excited when we beat Kansas, but that was what, two months ago?

If we beat LSU in Baton Rouge or Florida at BWA or Tennessee in Knoxville, I'll get excited. 

Until then I'll continue to yawn.

[Hollywood_HOGan]

I for one am tired of it.  It's crazy how we can have a good win and the only thing people around here can say is "Great it was at home against an SEC bottom feeder" or "McCurdy should have played more."  You all are unbelievable.  Let's not forget, just a few years ago we were that SEC bottom feeder and we probably wouldn't have won yesterday.

Many of you have already made up your mind so definitively that you want Coach Heath fired that you write-off every one of his accomplishments as something that was "supposed to happen" and are quick to rip him to shreds every time we stumble.  Rebuilding a program is not easy.  But I am pretty happy with our efforts to date...I think our team is about as good as Kentucky and Alabama.  That places us right in the second tier of teams in the SEC, and I'm happy with that for now.  Given a few more seasons, I see no reason why Coach Heath wont have us back up in the top 2 or 3. 

I will admit that I wanted to throw-up after watching the loss at Kentucky; but that is just because it would have been so great to get that win.  And I'm pulling for Stan to finish up strong - because I love the Hogs, I love it when we win, and I think Stan is a first-class guy (which is becoming a bigger and bigger deal for me after watching Coach Nutt's antics these last few years). 

I believe the basketball program is headed in the right direction.  We have shown improvement each of Heath's seasons as well as within this particular season IMO.  I congratulate the Hogs on a nice win yesterday.  Now let's go pay LSU back and coast into the NCAA tourney.  Go hogs!

I am a fan of Coach Heath but, like other posters in this thread, I'll get fired up again when we beat a team of significance or get a win that we are not supposed to get. I agree in years past we would have choked in a game like this but that is because of the talent that Heath has put in place here. With the horses that we have there is no way we should be .500 in a very down year in this conference. Its time to get tough in clutch time and start making our own breaks.
Something must be done about our very erratic second half play to take down LSU up there.

[silvertip]

The season is about one loss behind what I expected in the SEC & one win ahead of what I expected in the non-conf. It's going to come down to Bama & the Hawgs for 2nd SEC-W & the winner of that battle goes to the NCAAT.

This kind of battle happens every season in the major conferences. There'a at least 9 games to go.

[kramegdoh]

Hawgvillian I agree and am glad to see this post. And I also agree with HoopHog.  The mental toughness eludes this team at key times.  Once they get the idea that you have to play a complete game and not coast they will be a good team.  Where does this lazy attitude come from?  They maybe need to be reminded more often which seemed to happen yesterday. IMO.

[Hawgvillain]

Right now, it is about consitencey and mental tenacity...which we do not demonstrate whatsoever.

I do not deny this in the slightest.  But, Coach Heath will be here for the rest of the season and I hope for longer (because this probably means we made the tourney this year).  He's proven to me that he can take a program in shambles and make them respectable.  Now he needs to learn how to take it to the promiseland.  I'm pulling for ya Coach. 

[Hogs4Ever]

It's a sign of how far the program has fallen when we're supposed to get excited about beating a weak team at home.  Win some big games, get on a streak, get to the dance and make some noise and I'll leave the darkside.

[WilsonHog]

Let me ask a question here. When was the last time our basketball program was on a national stage and did something truly outstanding? Something that Razorback fans five or ten years later will still remember?

Maybe the 2000 SEC Tournament title. Maybe. Maybe not even that, and that was almost six years ago.

See, I remember when we beat UCLA in the Western Regional in 1978. Put us on the basketball map. I remember the 1978 Final Four, the 1990 Final Four, the 1994 Final Four, and the 1995 Final Four. I remember getting on the phone with my brother-in-law, who was in Cancun, Mexico at the time, and setting up travel plans for the 1990 Final Four as the clock was ticking down on or butt-whipping of Texas in the Regional Final. I remember being in Reunion Arena in Dallas in 1994 as we beat Michigan with Jalen Rose, Juwann Howard, Ray King, and Chris Webber to advance to the Final Four.

Once you've been on that national stage, tasted success on that national stage, nothing else will do. Everything else is just "settling," like having to eat pork steak after enjoying a $30 filet. 

[hogman64]

How can any fan be anything but  disappointed after 8 conference  games when all we have done in conference is beat 4 of the 5 worst teams in the league...........Surely we have a right as fans to deserve more than that and thats all we get, sorry,  but there is going to be alot of negative thoughts and posts, especially following three horrible years........Be realistic Hog fans are no different than any other fans that support programs that at one time were competing at a top national level........We as fans deserve a better product and a win over South Carolina at home changes nothing..................

[Franchise_Hog]

I'll get excited as soon as we have a good win. I was excited when we beat Texas Tech - now they're stuggling as much as we are. I was excited when we beat Kansas, but that was what, two months ago?

If we beat LSU in Baton Rouge or Florida at BWA or Tennessee in Knoxville, I'll get excited. 

Until then I'll continue to yawn.

I agree with every word you typed.  Good karma for you my friend. I was glad of course that we won, and won big.  But until we do things I know that we're capable of, I won't get too excited.

[Porky OLeary]

I'm 46 next month.
We won a football nc when I was 4. Don't really remember that.
We won a bball nc when I was 34.
I'd like to see another nc before I die.
You guys willing to give coaches 10 years or more to get it done, are killing my chances.
Thanks, thanks a lot.

[Hawgvillain]

I'm 46 next month.
We won a football nc when I was 4. Don't really remember that.
We won a bball nc when I was 34.
I'd like to see another nc before I die.
You guys willing to give coaches 10 years or more to get it done, are killing my chances.
Thanks, thanks a lot.

I know that post was tongue-in-cheek, but I suggest you start pulling for the track program.  Or maybe start following Duke or UCONN basketball.  If you think firing Coach Heath is going to give us a chance to win a NC sooner, I'd have to disagree...

[oldbooniehog]

Hawgvillian, you are absolutely right.

I mean what's all the negativity?

C'mon, Stan Heath's been busting along in the SEC for almost four seasons now with a winning percentage in the high 40s.

He's gotten almost one SEC road win for each and every season he's been here.

Arkansas has gotten better and better every year under Heath.

I mean, we've progressed all the way to being real NCAA bubble team this season!

oldbooniehog

[Richard_white]

huh?..are you serious?..how are we getting better?..road record under .500, losing to all major schools, never had a winning percentage in almost 4 seasons under heath, not even coming close to win the sec tourney.

We are not getting better we are staying at the same level we were last year and that is embarrassing, we need to have a coach that has the ability to improve talent and heath isn't cutting it.


WPS

[Richard_white]

winning percentage in the sec not in overall record

[JustoHogFan]

I agree with wilsonhog once your a national championship winner at a college like Arkansas you are supposed to stay at that level competing at least in the tournament every year. Does anyone see Duke or Uconn or Kentucky becoming second-tier teams are you crazy? this post is sucks as bad as Heath. I'll give him some respect when we start thrashing teams and they are scared to play the mighty razorbacks once again. He only has 3 road wins!!!! teams look at their schedule and under heath, and chalk us up as a win. Heath has to beat teams like florida, tenn. and Lsu this year and stop blowin big leads. we used to play 40 minutes of hell and never let up on an opponent, nolan would never lose after a 15 point lead in the second half unless john clockerty was the ref. PROVE SOMETHING HEATH THEN WE WONT TALK ABOUT FIRING YOUR A$$

[Biggus Piggus]

It is an indictment of the whole Heath regime that he tried to bury Modica last season, would have CUT him if not for Broyles, and the man (not a kid anymore) goes off for 37 against South Carolina, a team with great perimeter quickness.  Heath's favoritism and mind games are bush league crap I wouldn't expect from an AAU coach.  That said, I still hope he takes this team on a serious run.

Beating the 74th-ranked team in last week's RPI at our place is something that's supposed to happen.  We have a bunch more of those coming up, though I suspect Alabama has popped back into the top 50 after beating LSU (Ken Pomeroy's RPI puts Bama right at No.50). 

Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss and MSU all were below 80th in the first official RPI list.  Georgia had to move up after a pair of victories.  The latter three probably are below No.100 now.

We badly need a win over one of the SEC's top teams.  The league has a problem--its nonconference RPIs on balance were not good at all.  Arkansas's nonconference schedule strength rates 196th at the moment.  It's unclear how many SEC teams will get NCAAT bids, and the Hogs so far have ONE win over a team rated in the RPI top 50--Missouri State, which with five conference losses clearly does not deserve to be in the top 50.

Kansas is on the verge of entering the top 50 and probably will get there by March.  That was a November game; not sure how much credit we'll get.

The Hogs have six wins over teams rated below 200th in RPI.  Losses line up as

No.5 UConn by 9 (neutral)
No.20 LSU by 5 (home)
No.32 Kentucky by 2 (road)
No.41 Maryland by 13 (neutral)
No.50 Alabama by 3 in OT (road)
No.113 Mississippi State by 2 (road)

Best wins according to RPI

No.36 Missouri State by 4 (home)
No.51 Kansas by 1 (neutral)
No.64 Vanderbilt by 12 (home)
No.82 South Carolina by 14 (home)
No.107 Ole Miss by 13 (home)
No.109 Auburn by 16 (road)
No.110 Missouri by 3 (home)

The Hogs desperately need a win in one of the three top remaining games--at LSU, Florida, at Tennessee.  They also need to take road wins at Oxford and Athens.

Otherwise, Arkansas will have the resume of a team that can beat NIT-caliber teams at home but not on the road.

[Kevin]

Road game Wednesday= Loss

our sec wins this year-ole miss at home, Auburn on the Road, Vandy At home, USC at home,

Maybe one decent win so far Vandy.

Now, we have to face the west again plus Florida, Tennessee, Georgia.

I see losses to LSU, Ole Miss (road game), Florida, Tennessee

Toss ups-Alabama, Georgia

[HogHeathen]

I for one am tired of it.  It's crazy how we can have a good win and the only thing people around here can say is "Great it was at home against an SEC bottom feeder" or "McCurdy should have played more."  You all are unbelievable.  Let's not forget, just a few years ago we were that SEC bottom feeder and we probably wouldn't have won yesterday.

Many of you have already made up your mind so definitively that you want Coach Heath fired that you write-off every one of his accomplishments as something that was "supposed to happen" and are quick to rip him to shreds every time we stumble.  Rebuilding a program is not easy.  But I am pretty happy with our efforts to date...I think our team is about as good as Kentucky and Alabama.  That places us right in the second tier of teams in the SEC, and I'm happy with that for now.  Given a few more seasons, I see no reason why Coach Heath wont have us back up in the top 2 or 3. 

I will admit that I wanted to throw-up after watching the loss at Kentucky; but that is just because it would have been so great to get that win.  And I'm pulling for Stan to finish up strong - because I love the Hogs, I love it when we win, and I think Stan is a first-class guy (which is becoming a bigger and bigger deal for me after watching Coach Nutt's antics these last few years). 

I believe the basketball program is headed in the right direction.  We have shown improvement each of Heath's seasons as well as within this particular season IMO.  I congratulate the Hogs on a nice win yesterday.  Now let's go pay LSU back and coast into the NCAA tourney.  Go hogs!

Hmmm....Tennessee and Bruce Pearl = 1 Year turnaround.......

[TuckFexas]

I agree with pretty much everybody on here. SH has done a good job recruiting and he's had to rebuild this program from nothing. His team has talent and should be near the top of the SEC. However, he hasn't been able to win on the road and he hasn't shown mental toughness. We can't seem to get the big win and get over the hump. SH needs to show he can coach before I get excited. If he can't make it to the tourney this year, then I think we need to get someone else in here who can.

[Niels Boar]

Our SEC wins are over teams that are currently 9-23 in SEC play.  They are 5th and 6th in the East and 4th and 6th in the West.  We actually lost to the 2-7 MSU team that is fifth in the West.  We are behind in the standings to a team down to 7 scholarship players.

Our best performance of the year is probably still hanging with extremely talented UConn on a neutral court.  Even that has an asterisk.  Marcus Williams was suspended, and Rashard Anderson didn't return to form until a few weeks later.  In any case, that performance should have heralded a cakewalk to double digit wins in this season's SEC.  In nonconference at home we squeaked by a Missouri team that is struggling to stay NIT eligible, a Texas St. team that is among the absolute worst in college BB, and a Missouri St. team that, despite an inflated RPI, is getting blown out regularly on the road in the MVC. 

When we prove we can beat good teams, fans will get excited.  Anyone who isn't skeptical is willfully blind or not paying close attention.  This team has eight games left to accomplish a meaningful goal.  In a peak year asking to go 6-2 in the games we have left isn't asking for the moon, though it would be the first significant run in the Heath era.  If they can't go at least 5-3, we should form a search committee for a new coach.  Really, 9-7 is an extremely lackluster result considering that we will probably end the season with 6 conference games against 100+ RPI teams.

[Biggus Piggus]

Hmmm....Tennessee and Bruce Pearl = 1 Year turnaround.......

Yes, Heathen, I do not understand why so many people credit Heath for "improving every year" as though that's some kind of miracle.  They better darned well improve every year, because freshmen turn into sophomores turn into juniors turn into seniors.  If they're not getting better some players better move out (not mentioning how many players have done just that under Heath's watch).

But seriously, this team did not improve ONE FREAKING WHIT in Heath's first seasons.  Did it look better getting off the bus, yes.  So-called improvement was the addition of more terrible teams to the schedule, the subtraction of tough nonconference opponents, and the drastic weakening of the SEC from its peak.  We still went 4-13 against SEC opponents in Heath's first two seasons, and year three was 6-11 solely because

Georgia went from 48th RPI to 212th.
Ole Miss went from 95th RPI (above us) to 138th (below us).

Did you know Arkansas was a top 50 RPI team in 2001-02?  The propagandists would have you forget that little detail.

Arkansas's top 10 opponents in 2001-02:

5. Oklahoma
7. Alabama
9. Illinois
10. Mississippi State
12. Kentucky
16. Florida
17. Georgia
18. Oklahoma State
24. Wake Forest
30. Tulsa

And bottom 10:

274. Elon
269. Maine
240. SW Texas St.
166. Oral Roberts
123. Chattanooga
113. NC Greensboro
101. Auburn
70. Memphis
69. LSU
65. Tennessee

Arkansas's top 10 opponents in 2002-03:

1. Kentucky
5. Georgia
15. Florida
18. Illinois
22. Oklahoma State
24. Mississippi State
26. Memphis
36. Auburn
38. Alabama
39. LSU

And bottom 10:

279. Centenary
278. Jackson State
198. SW Texas St.
177. Louisiana Tech
170. Oral Roberts (we lost)
101. Ole Miss
91. Sam Houston St.
89. South Carolina
66. Troy State (we lost)
64. Tulsa

Arkansas's top 10 opponents in 2003-04:

2. Kentucky
4. Mississippi State
6. Oklahoma State
13. Florida
23. Illinois
26. Alabama
27. Vanderbilt
38. LSU
45. South Carolina
48. Georgia

And bottom 10:

325. Nicholls State
296. Grambling
267. SEMo St.
250. Jacksonville
237. North Texas
236. Western Carolina (we lost)
197. Tulsa
158. Louisiana Tech
157. Oral Roberts
95. Ole Miss

Arkansas's top 10 opponents in 2004-05:

2. Illinois
11. Kentucky
18. Alabama
19. Florida
25. LSU
31. Mississippi State
72. Missouri
74. Vanderbilt
83. Winthrop
90. South Carolina

And bottom 10:

319. Prairie View A&M
318. Jacksonville State
317. Louisiana-Monroe
300. Hartford
266. Eastern Michigan
247. Tulsa
220. Lipscomb
219. Troy
161. Tennessee State
156. Gardner Webb

Arkansas's top 10 opponents on the 2005-06 schedule (RPI so far, including opponents yet to be played):

3. Tennessee
5. Connecticut
14. Florida
20. LSU
32. Kentucky
36. Missouri State
41. Maryland
50. Alabama
51. Kansas
64. Vanderbilt

And bottom 10:

324. Texas State
320. Texas Pan American
315. Western Illinois
258. Southern Miss
247. Portland State
204. Rice
197. Radford
135. Texas Tech
113. Mississippi State (beat us)
110. Missouri

[Biggus Piggus]

RPI strength of schedule ranking for Arkansas:

1998-99 No.45
99-2000 No.19
2000-01 No.57
2001-02 No.2
2002-03 No.2
2003-04 No.42
2004-05 No.96
2005-06 No.92

[Niels Boar]

An interesting exercise is to compare this season's UT team with the 2001-2002 Hogs.   The rosters are similar.  Lofton-Pargo, Watson-Dean, Bradshaw-Sullinger, Wingate-Baker, Patterson-Gomez, Smith-Gipson, etc.  Arkansas actually had more useable guards with Pargo, Dean, Gipson, Tatum, and Cleveland. Pargo was arguably better overall than Lofton.  He has stuck in the NBA.  Dean wasn't near as consistent as Watson, but his best, when he showed up, was probably better than Watson's best.  Arkansas had more coming off the bench in the backcourt.  Arkansas also had more useable size with Satchell, Baker, Gomez, and Lane.  Wingate and Patterson are significantly better on offense than any two in that group, but Arkansas was probably better defensively on the frontline.

That 2001-2002 team was better than generally believed.  The schedule was brutal.  The SEC has fallen dramatically since.  UT would not be 7-1 against the 2001-2002 SEC.  They have a lot of holes.

[RAZORBART]

I am not a basketball know it all but I can tell you talent wise I would not trade Thomas, Hill , Townes, Ronnie Brewer, or Modica for any of those guys on the 01-02 team you mentioned.Pargo would be the only one on there I would even think twice about. Baker, Gomez, Satchel and Lane never impressed me one bit not even as roll players.Gibson and Dean had talent but not enough gumption to maintain a presence an entire game.Cleveland and Tatum did not belong here IMO.

[Biggus Piggus]

Cleveland and Tatum would look great on this year's team.

[HouTxRzbck]

You can thank Nolan for putting us in this situation!!!

[Niels Boar]

I am not a basketball know it all but I can tell you talent wise I would not trade Thomas, Hill , Townes, Ronnie Brewer, or Modica for any of those guys on the 01-02 team you mentioned.Pargo would be the only one on there I would even think twice about. Baker, Gomez, Satchel and Lane never impressed me one bit not even as roll players.Gibson and Dean had talent but not enough gumption to maintain a presence an entire game. Cleveland and Tatum did not belong here IMO.

First, I wasn't comparing the 2001-2002 team to this year's Arkansas team.  I was comparing them to Tennessee, who also plays the same style.   Talent is not the problem on our current squad, I freely admit. 

Baker and Gomez were terrific all-court defenders.  Our defense fell off the year after they graduated on Heath's second team.  Baker could actually shoot a little, too, but neither was an accomplished offensive player to put it mildly. 

Dean in particular had some of the best performances I have seen in a Hog uniform.  He was the best player in the SECT run, not Joe.  He lit up a very good Illinois backcourt in Chicago for about 30, I believe, in '01-'02.  When he brought it, he was as good as any guard Nolan had at Arkansas.  Of course, he would disappear for games at a time.  The frustrating thing about Dean was that he would like an All-American against the best competition and then not show up for a lesser opponent.  I always liked Gipson.  He was extremely quick with  very good hops and a decent shot.  I believe he and Dean both had years when they shot better from the arc than anybody on this year's squad is currently. 

Nolan didn't handle Dean and Gipson very well during their careers in my opinion.  In fact, he screwed up that whole team in '01-'02 early in SEC play when he abandoned the press after blowing a lead at LSU.  That was a familiar theme for Nolan his last few years.  Anderson has stuck with Hawgball at UAB and kicked butt.  I sometimes wonder if Nolan has noticed that his system didn't need a major overhaul.  He just needed to get out of the way.

You missed the boat on Cleveland.  He actually had a fine career at Arkansas.  His first three years, in particular, were stellar.  He was a very good on-the-ball defender, good ball-handler, and a high 30's arc shooter for most of his career.  We were lucky to have him.  He and Eddins both lost their shot in '01-'02 for some reason.  That really hurt that team.

Pargo was a very good guard.  I remember comparing his stats to Duke's Jason Williams that year, and they were surprisingly similar. A lot of posters scoffed, but Pargo has stuck around in the NBA as a sub unlike players like Beck and McDaniel.

Sullinger was also a frosh on the team.  He's been a three-year starter for Ohio St.  Sullinger was actually more suited for the role that Bradshaw is playing for UT.  It's one reason why the comparison intrigues me.  Arkansas was quicker and bigger than the current UT team.  It shows what a job Pearl is doing and how far the SEC has fallen.

[silvertip]

How can any fan be anything but  disappointed after 8 conference  games when all we have done in conference is beat 4 of the 5 worst teams in the league...........Surely we have a right as fans to deserve more than that and thats all we get, sorry,  but there is going to be alot of negative thoughts and posts, especially following three horrible years........Be realistic Hog fans are no different than any other fans that support programs that at one time were competing at a top national level........We as fans deserve a better product and a win over South Carolina at home changes nothing..................

Question---were you demanding that Nolan be fired in '02, before he "fired" himself? I was. TWO NCAAT wins in his last 6 years. 23-25 SEC record in his last 3 years. ZERO SEC-West titles after Corliss left in '95.

We were NOT "competing at a top national level" from '97 on. Did you lose patience then?

I could see the program on a steady down-hill slide then. I see steady progress now, with more talent in each recruiting class than Nolan produced for years. I can wait. 

[tophawg19]

with good coaching we should be able to return back to the level of duke , no .carolina etc. we have everything to return to the elite level except a coach . the fact that we are this far down and not doing anything to move forward is disgraceful and a slap at the loyal razorback fans . the simple fact that most of our fans would just be happy to go to the dance speaks volumes about how far down our teams and fans expectations have fallen . we are in trouble unless we are willing to settle for poor play and poor coaching . we have the money hire the best coaches and to recruit the best players but we have NO dedication from the staff of the U OF A to do what it takes to win . they took some steps to help football and saw it pay off but the changes in basketball are going to take a new coach ,