Question about "things"

[Hook 'em Hogs]

First off, short and sweet where I stand:
Bielema-He won't be fired this year. Losing faith he can get us where we need to be. I will support him to the end though because he's our coach. I don't have a lot of confidence anyone could do better though. Sorry!
Long:  One of the best AD's in the country. Everyone sees that except negative AR fans.
Hogs:  I appreciate every student athlete that puts on the uniform.

So here's my question:  How much do you think fan perception affects BIG decisions?
I can't afford tickets.  When they are given to me or when I can get them for cheap, I'm there!  I'm not just supporting the coaches. I'm mostly supporting the players.  I will show up when I can NO MATTER WHAT. I understand that some won't.  To what extent do those that aren't like me impact the program?

[Biggus Piggus]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

Good points.  Long will soon be on his 3rd attempt to rebuild football.  After a decade in charge his basketball program hasn't produced a single meaning accomplishment.  He can't really be credited with much of the baseball success other than to do nothing to harm it.  At best he's had some success with getting track and field in a little better shape.  Jeff Long's program, like more and more of the rest of the SEC is dependent on the SEC Network cash flow and he's doing that at the cost of isolating the program from the fan base as we see more and more in the perpetually vacant seats in BWA and now in RRS.  Project this forward through another decade of slow decline and it easy to see the bottom falling out when ESPN forces a renegotiation. Long is a businessman and like many other business CEOs he's presiding over a slow decline of his business.

[Stewhog 11]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

Only because I have seen it talked about so much, why is Jeff Long so inept for trying to hire Jim Grobe? How do you know he would have been a disaster?

[Hook 'em Hogs]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

Biggus, you post a lot of great stuff.  Surely you can understand that people have different perspectives.  Petrino was a good hire. Got him from the NFL, he was successful and then PETRINO blew it.  Long did the best thing he could in firing him.  Smith?  Many if not vast majority thought the hire made sense. Still though, it was a miss.  Bielema was a good hire.  Hasn't worked out yet.  May not.  I think Long lured a big name coach away from his dream job.  Like I said, Bielema hasn't performed to expectation yet. 

So, about my question?

[no one]

There is a lot that I believe makes Jeff long a bad AD but the buy out alone that he gave CBB should have got him fired.

[BallHog1]

Complaining about the Smith hire doesn't make you look real well informed.
There was nobody to choose from. Bad timing.
Most felt it was the only choice available

[Biggus Piggus]

The football and basketball programs rose up long ago and earned support. Football has done little to earn support for a long time, and men's basketball is happy to half BWA half-full for a big game. The support is aging out of the population. Most people these days remember Arkansas for the past 20 years, in which our money sports have meandered in the wilderness, never sustaining any progress.

[MemphisBossHog]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

I hear ya, but we see these polls or rankings that put Long like in the top 5 ADs in the nation. I guess its because of all the money the program makes and the profits it makes along with other sports besides football.  Apparently Long is well respected.

I mean he was the first chairman of the college football playoff committee.  The NCAA doesnt give that out to just anybody.   In NCAA circles, Long is considered a very very good AD. I'm not saying that's my opinion, but its what others in that business think. 

[Smashmouth2004]

Biggus, you post a lot of great stuff.  Surely you can understand that people have different perspectives.  Petrino was a good hire. Got him from the NFL, he was successful and then PETRINO blew it.  Long did the best thing he could in firing him.  Smith?  Many if not vast majority thought the hire made sense. Still though, it was a miss.  Bielema was a good hire.  Hasn't worked out yet.  May not.  I think Long lured a big name coach away from his dream job.  Like I said, Bielema hasn't performed to expectation yet. 

So, about my question?

My complaint about Long is the huge buyout but we know why he did it. He wanted the APR improved and knew it would not necessarily translate into wins. Bielema would have never signed under those circumstances unless he had a huge buyout knowing the fans would want his head which apparently we all do now! While Long feels winning is not the everything, I believe you can win and have a good APR!

[Redhogs]

Only because I have seen it talked about so much, why is Jeff Long so inept for trying to hire Jim Grobe? How do you know he would have been a disaster?

Did you miss Grobe last year at Baylor?...very JLS like, they could not run him off fast enough.

[MemphisBossHog]

Biggus, you post a lot of great stuff.  Surely you can understand that people have different perspectives.  Petrino was a good hire. Got him from the NFL, he was successful and then PETRINO blew it.  Long did the best thing he could in firing him.  Smith?  Many if not vast majority thought the hire made sense. Still though, it was a miss.  Bielema was a good hire.  Hasn't worked out yet.  May not.  I think Long lured a big name coach away from his dream job.  Like I said, Bielema hasn't performed to expectation yet. 

So, about my question?

to answer your question, not much.  Fans like you and me aren't going to move the needle much at all with Long and the university.  Its about the donors to the Razorback Foundation, the folks who buy the luxury suites that are being built in the endzone complex in my opinion.  When THOSE guys start barking about making a change, that is when things will change. 

Of course if there are no butts in the seats, that would speak volumes as well, but long before the team plays in front of half full or less stadiums, the "moneymen" as I call them, will have spoken with their voices and their wallets and changes will be made.

It may come in the form of the President of the UA system telling Long to change coaches or it may be the moneymen telling Long directly, but they are the movers and shakers of the Arkansas athletic program.  Folks like you and me are merely along for the ride.

[Stewhog 11]

Did you miss Grobe last year at Baylor?...very JLS like, they could not run him off fast enough.

Look at them right now. Might not have been his fault. But besides, that's nearly ten years in the future from when he was almost hired. What at that time showed he wouldn't have been a good hire?

[rtr]

Anyone with Hookem' in their handle is suspect.  I guess you want our program to become like tu.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Before Grobe, tommy Bowden was all the rumor.  Thank goodness Long tripped over BP.

[DeltaBoy]

Jeff Long is a carpet bagger who fleeced out State on Money and Pride!.

[Redhogs]

Complaining about the Smith hire doesn't make you look real well informed.
There was nobody to choose from. Bad timing.
Most felt it was the only choice available

The only choice?  Ya..ok.

[Tigaman]

Complaining about the Smith hire doesn't make you look real well informed.
There was nobody to choose from. Bad timing.
Most felt it was the only choice available

He was the worst possible choice. Why would you hire a coach who is going through bankruptcy? While there weren't many viable candidates at the time, any of the 9 assistant coaches on that team would have been far better. In addition, while I have no idea if it was true, I heard that Smith was hated by the assistant coaches during his prior time at Arkansas and was one of the reasons why he left.

[Redhogs]

Look at them right now. Might not have been his fault. But besides, that's nearly ten years in the future from when he was almost hired. What at that time showed he wouldn't have been a good hire?

Good gawd...give it up..another coaching has been that is unemployed today.

[Stewhog 11]

Good gawd...give it up..another coaching has been that is unemployed today.

Give it up? Haha all I did was ask why everyone thinks that deal was so absurd. Sorry I struck a nerve with it but I just wanted to get people's opinion on the matter.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

Jeff Long was hired by John White. Just another way White tried to "transform" athletics at the UofA.

[3kgthog]

Long is viewed as a great AD by other ADs and admins, not by other fans. Ask Pitt fans what they think of him.

What has he done that's improved your fan experience? Higher prices? Lower quality product? Being treated like you don't matter?

[no one]

Jeff long got the spotlight and labeled good AD for doing something no one else thought he would do which was fire Petrino. The outside sees Arkansas as a small state school that is lucky to be in the SEC and luckier to have had the success we had with Petrino. He was popular for doing something unexpected. He was the story of ADs and that is why he was the head of the committee. We were so horrible in football and basketball at the time that a good AD would have graciously declined and said I'm needed more at my school to stay on my crappy coaches butts that I am directly responsible for. They put Rice on the committee (I like Rice) but why was she on the committee if it wasn't really just a PR stunt to make it fly with fans.

[Hook 'em Hogs]

So about that question . . .

[Hook 'em Hogs]

to answer your question, not much.  Fans like you and me aren't going to move the needle much at all with Long and the university.  Its about the donors to the Razorback Foundation, the folks who buy the luxury suites that are being built in the endzone complex in my opinion.  When THOSE guys start barking about making a change, that is when things will change. 

Of course if there are no butts in the seats, that would speak volumes as well, but long before the team plays in front of half full or less stadiums, the "moneymen" as I call them, will have spoken with their voices and their wallets and changes will be made.

It may come in the form of the President of the UA system telling Long to change coaches or it may be the moneymen telling Long directly, but they are the movers and shakers of the Arkansas athletic program.  Folks like you and me are merely along for the ride.

Thanks for your thoughts. 

[alohawg]

Looking forward to the day when CBB and Jeff are both Long gone.

[JaketheSnake]

Jeff long got the spotlight and labeled good AD for doing something no one else thought he would do which was fire Petrino. The outside sees Arkansas as a small state school that is lucky to be in the SEC and luckier to have had the success we had with Petrino. He was popular for doing something unexpected. He was the story of ADs and that is why he was the head of the committee. We were so horrible in football and basketball at the time that a good AD would have graciously declined and said I'm needed more at my school to stay on my crappy coaches butts that I am directly responsible for. They put Rice on the committee (I like Rice) but why was she on the committee if it wasn't really just a PR stunt to make it fly with fans.

We get it... you don't like Jeff Long.

Thinking he should have declined one of the biggest roles in college football bc of a team's W/L record is idiotic.

[Hoggish1]

He was the worst possible choice. Why would you hire a coach who is going through bankruptcy? While there weren't many viable candidates at the time, any of the 9 assistant coaches on that team would have been far better.

And to Long, that would have been a liability.  He didn't want someone who would have succeeded enough to have a claim on the job after that transition year.

He wanted to have clear shot at a new coach without the fans hollering to keep, say, Petrino's brother...

[Kevin]

long is great at two things: ego & selp promoting

[farmhawg]

Jeff Long was hired by John White. Just another way White tried to "transform" athletics at the UofA.

enough said.

[root_hawg]

What Long is credited for is turning the university into one of the few in the country who turn out a profit.  Also he is given much credit for his integrity in the BP situation.  He has had other opportunities, believe Stanford made a run at him.   Also he was the chair of the football selection committee.  From a fan standpoint, we scream what have you done for us.  One it is going to be very hard to find a coach who can consistently win more than 7 or 8 games in the SEC West.  I know the BP argument, but he caught lightening in a bottle with Ryan Mallet looking for a place to land and yes I know what he has done in the ACC where you only play 2 games a year.  Baseball, track and basketball are all either up or trending that way.  Its just that we live and die football...

[gawntrail]

I hear ya, but we see these polls or rankings that put Long like in the top 5 ADs in the nation. I guess its because of all the money the program makes and the profits it makes along with other sports besides football.  Apparently Long is well respected.

I mean he was the first chairman of the college football playoff committee.  The NCAA doesnt give that out to just anybody.   In NCAA circles, Long is considered a very very good AD. I'm not saying that's my opinion, but its what others in that business think.

In NCAA circles, the Cam Newton affair was not cheating.

[Kevin]

In NCAA circles, the Cam Newton affair was not cheating.

Carolina basketball did nothing wrong

[ricepig]

Long is viewed as a great AD by other ADs and admins, not by other fans. Ask Pitt fans what they think of him.

What has he done that's improved your fan experience? Higher prices? Lower quality product? Being treated like you don't matter?

Our ticket prices are at the bottom 1/3 of the SEC in football, donation factored in to it. Now basketball is near the top, I can understand the complaint there. To those wanting him gone, it will do you no good to complain on here, he has his bosses, let Steinmetz, Bobbitt, and the BOT know your feelings.

[hogcard1964]

First off, short and sweet where I stand:
Bielema-He won't be fired this year. Losing faith he can get us where we need to be. I will support him to the end though because he's our coach. I don't have a lot of confidence anyone could do better though. Sorry!
Long:  One of the best AD's in the country. Everyone sees that except negative AR fans.
Hogs:  I appreciate every student athlete that puts on the uniform.

So here's my question:  How much do you think fan perception affects BIG decisions?
I can't afford tickets.  When they are given to me or when I can get them for cheap, I'm there!  I'm not just supporting the coaches. I'm mostly supporting the players.  I will show up when I can NO MATTER WHAT. I understand that some won't.  To what extent do those that aren't like me impact the program?

I agree, he probably won't be fired this year. He probably has 7 or 8 wins on the schedule.  But can you tell me why you think Long is a good A.D.?

[Kevin]

Our ticket prices are at the bottom 1/3 of the SEC in football, donation factored in to it. Now basketball is near the top, I can understand the complaint there. To those wanting him gone, it will do you no good to complain on here, he has his bosses, let Steinmetz, Bobbitt, and the BOT know your feelings.

do you really think the bot cares

[ricepig]

do you really think the bot cares

Sure, or for sure some of them do. Now, they are going to let those in administration handle anything that does not get put on their plate.

[Kevin]

Sure, or for sure some of them do. Now, they are going to let those in administration handle anything that does not get put on their plate.

just not sure

[Hog Pharm]

Please tell me what Jeff Long has done that earned him praise. He tried to hire a coach who would have been a disaster. He fired a coach that he had hired, twice. He hired Bobby Petrino and Jimmy Dykes. Fired them for cause. Hired Bret Bielema and might be forced to fire him for cause. I do not see what Long has done well. Changed a lot of traditions and pissed off a lot of people, grant him that.

Stadium expansion, football center, basketball practice facility.

[jkstock04]

First off, short and sweet where I stand:
Bielema-He won't be fired this year. Losing faith he can get us where we need to be. I will support him to the end though because he's our coach. I don't have a lot of confidence anyone could do better though. Sorry!
Long:  One of the best AD's in the country. Everyone sees that except negative AR fans.
Hogs:  I appreciate every student athlete that puts on the uniform.

So here's my question:  How much do you think fan perception affects BIG decisions?
I can't afford tickets.  When they are given to me or when I can get them for cheap, I'm there!  I'm not just supporting the coaches. I'm mostly supporting the players.  I will show up when I can NO MATTER WHAT. I understand that some won't.  To what extent do those that aren't like me impact the program?

Fan perception doesn't matter right up until it does. We saw similar happenings in the Nutt era. Company line was that MAYBE only 5% of the fanbase was upset...the internet crazies who were loud. Everyone else was tickled pink. That was the true company line by the media and administration up until the point it wasn't.

Say something over and over again, especially on a pedestal like TV or the radio and it starts becoming "true." Right now we have a similar situation...so the answer to your question is yes and no. "Officially" "everything is great and whatever 5% of crazies there are, are simply people who don't go to games anyways or possibly fans of other schools." "True fans are all ecstatic with the direction of the program."

Where our program under Jeff Long succeeds the most is in the off season where the fluffy stories are pumped into the fan base to get us pumped up to pay them as much $$$ as possible. During the season is what Jeff Long has gotta dread the most. Offseason is where he does the best, gotta do and say the right things to keep that $$$ continuing to roll in.

[ricepig]

just not sure

I know a couple of them pretty well, and they're big football fans, like the rest of us, they'd like more wins.

[LZH]

The football and basketball programs rose up long ago and earned support. Football has done little to earn support for a long time, and men's basketball is happy to half BWA half-full for a big game. The support is aging out of the population. Most people these days remember Arkansas for the past 20 years, in which our money sports have meandered in the wilderness, never sustaining any progress.

Good point......

[East Clintwood]

I hear ya, but we see these polls or rankings that put Long like in the top 5 ADs in the nation. I guess its because of all the money the program makes and the profits it makes along with other sports besides football.  Apparently Long is well respected.

I mean he was the first chairman of the college football playoff committee.  The NCAA doesnt give that out to just anybody.   In NCAA circles, Long is considered a very very good AD. I'm not saying that's my opinion, but its what others in that business think. 

Others in the business rate Jeff Long highly because they want him in place as the Arkansas AD for a long time.  As long as he's here, they don't have to worry about Arkansas fielding strong teams.