Ark Times says Blame Mike Anderson

[Danny J]

No Hog, they are just frustrated because Arkansas' trade mark used to be offense based on good defense. That was under Sutton and Richardson. But MA is not Nolan. Defense on a scale of 1 to 10 is a 4. I also wonder what they do in practice. When teams play a zone against us, you still have to go inside. 95% of the coaches in the USA would have Kingsley and Portis in the lineup together. This is turning out to be a big waste of talent and opportunity. MA will be branded as a horrible coach if he doesn't make some quick changes..... Don't put in lineups that do not play well together. I am tired of seeing our guys work their tails off and then MA make substitutions that flitter away the opportunity to put the opposition away. Also, tired of seeing his teams play scared on the road because MA is scared. Even the teams playing us are not scared of us at home as is extremely evident. They keep on attacking us and we can't guard them. How is that possible this late in the season? I thought well coached teams improved as the season progresses?

I think you are being generous giving our D a 4. No kidding. It is as bad as I have seen it in a long long time especially out on the perimeter. I remember Booker after the game talking about how it seems every time he turns on an Arkansas game a team is having a career night in either FG% or 3 pt makes.

[PonderinHog]

Let's just say your right, which i disagree with, hell everybody else on the court knew they wern't going to touch the ball!

Portis looked like he knew what to do.

[jesterzzn]

The Arkansas Times is clearly racist.

Someone had to say it.

[Pork Twain]

This guy is right on the money.  I have zero faith in MA, but he was in my top five back in the day.

[HSVhogfan2]

Maybe Nolan was right when he called some of the fans "turds and a**holes".

Probably the smartest thing anyone has ever said about a fanbase. Can you imagine if there was Jumpball in Nolans last couple of years?

[Paul]

When Madden crossed halfcourt, there was 7 seconds left.  Beard was the only other player on the court capable of creating something off the dribble and he was defended well beyond the 3 point line.  Qualls of course ran to the three point line.  Williams was just standing behind a Bama player allowing himself to be blocked out but this also kept the lane clear.  Portis ran to the corner and drew his defender.  I'm not sure what else  Madden should have done in the final few seconds but get something going to the rim which is what he did.  He is nearly auto at the line if he had drawn a foul.  He got the shot up giving Portis a chance.  I can't fault Madden for what he did given the time left and not sure what would have been a better option unless you wanted Beard to come get the ball which would have happened with only a few seconds left or Qualls to have put a desperation 3 as we know how handles the ball. E

. How about attack the front of the rim, draw defenders, draw a foul or dish to portis?

[Paul]

Portis looked like he knew what to do.

well, he knew what Ky/Rashad was going to do

[Paul]

Yep lets continue to bash Madden over and over, its all his fault. Why were we in overtime again. Oh yeah Portis gets called for fouling with seconds left to let Bama tie it and then lets Bama tie it again in OT by leaving his man open at the 3 point line. No mention on here of that.

Madden made the right play this time. Was it a good shot? No. Last year the same thing. I didnt see the first player set a screen this year or last. They did run to a spot and just stand and like last year a defender got caught standing and watching as the Hogs won the game.

these poor student athletes arent taught to screen defenders

[maggiesue]

Not sure I agree with the Nutt comparison but don't disagree about the Anderson hire.

[ishankem]

I agree with the Times. They nailed it.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Probably the smartest thing anyone has ever said about a fanbase. Can you imagine if there was Jumpball in Nolans last couple of years?

Go on any team's message board and you'll find a number of t**** and a**holes. Anywhere. It's the inherent nature of internet message boards.

So you're not exactly going out on a limb there.

[sadhogfan]

Madden has done this 4 times, at least, in the last season and a half. If the Hogs are down 1 or tied, under 20 seconds, and he gets the ball, he IS NOT GIVING IT UP, he is going to be the hero. He got bailed out on a great play by Qualls last year against KY, and on an eerily similar, yet not quite as fantastic play last night by Portis. It did not work out against Mizzu or at the end of regulation against Ky. 

To be fair, he did give the ball up on our last possession of regulation to Portis, who stepped on the baseline. He might have given it up again in OT had there been an option, but there simply wasn't.

[Clark W Grishawg]

That Times writer is such a POS.

[dsims2k3]

So you know for a fact that were going to sneak into the tournament eh? The narrative on Hogville is amazing if we lose it's because Mike sucks and he's never gonna get it done, if we win it's because the other team sucks. After all I guess Arkansas hasn't beaten a good team since Nolan Richardson was the coach right? ARKANSAS is 14-4 3-2, Do we have some problems, absolutely but who in college basketball doesn't. How many teams would like to be 14-4 3-2 right now? These are 18-22 year old kids playing a game. They make mistakes, but newsflash we all made mistakes when we were 18-22 years old. I sure am glad the kids that play for us don't think as badly about themselves as a lot of our fans do. Here's the narrative for all you whiny babies out there, here's how it goes. Woo Pig Soooie and beat Missouri, win or lose the narrative the next day is Woo Pig Soooie beat Tennessee. It's simple folks IT'S A GAME, were never gonna be perfect, but at the end of the year if we have won 75% of our games there aint nothing to be upset about. I could understand all the angst if we were 9-9 and 1-4 in the SEC but we continue to win more then we lose. This is the best offensive team at Arkansas in a long time. Get on the bandwagon oR get run the hell over. Mike will be the coach at Arkansas next year and for many years to come. I hope when Arkansas get's back to the Final Four that it's a bitter taste for all you babies. We find progress in a football team that's 7-6 2-6 in the SEC but we can't find good news in our 14-4 basketball team. INFRIGGINSANE

More than half of them are having a great time over this 3 game stretch as they have been wiping over the program with a white glove.

[Pork Twain]

So you know for a fact that were going to sneak into the tournament eh? The narrative on Hogville is amazing if we lose it's because Mike sucks and he's never gonna get it done, if we win it's because the other team sucks. After all I guess Arkansas hasn't beaten a good team since Nolan Richardson was the coach right? ARKANSAS is 14-4 3-2, Do we have some problems, absolutely but who in college basketball doesn't. How many teams would like to be 14-4 3-2 right now? These are 18-22 year old kids playing a game. They make mistakes, but newsflash we all made mistakes when we were 18-22 years old. I sure am glad the kids that play for us don't think as badly about themselves as a lot of our fans do. Here's the narrative for all you whiny babies out there, here's how it goes. Woo Pig Soooie and beat Missouri, win or lose the narrative the next day is Woo Pig Soooie beat Tennessee. It's simple folks IT'S A GAME, were never gonna be perfect, but at the end of the year if we have won 75% of our games there aint nothing to be upset about. I could understand all the angst if we were 9-9 and 1-4 in the SEC but we continue to win more then we lose. This is the best offensive team at Arkansas in a long time. Get on the bandwagon oR get run the hell over. Mike will be the coach at Arkansas next year and for many years to come. I hope when Arkansas get's back to the Final Four that it's a bitter taste for all you babies. We find progress in a football team that's 7-6 2-6 in the SEC but we can't find good news in our 14-4 basketball team. INFRIGGINSANE

Newsflash, the 18-22 year old adults are not the ones making the mistakes.  They are only executing the coach's gameplan.

[Athog]

Upset after a 14-4 start. Man things have changed from the John Pelphrey days when 14 wins was a season's worth.

That is what everyone expected when Mike was hired. Pel was FIRED!'

[DocHogliday]

Looks like a writer just trying to get attention and taking a page out of Finebaum's book.  Mission accomplished.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

That is what everyone expected when Mike was hired. Pel was FIRED!'

The writer specifically compared the 2

[Pork Twain]

That is what everyone expected when Mike was hired. Pel was FIRED!'

Remember when Pel started 12-1 with wins over a ranked Texass and Oklahomo?

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/8/year/2009/arkansas-razorbacks

[Pork Twain]

Upset after a 14-4 start. Man things have changed from the John Pelphrey days when 14 wins was a season's worth.

People are upset with the way we are playing and the defensive execution.  Many of us are just sick of hearing the same excuses over and over.  Next year will suck without Portis, Qualls, Madden and Harris, SUCK!  Here's to hoping we sign a very good JUCO post player this year.

[SexyBeast77]

I actually think the article is pretty fair. It comes down to this, there is a disconnect between the eye test, we don't look good a lot of the time, and our ranking and record.
    We have bad losses to Clemson and Ole Miss (in that we should have won both) but hey our RPI is X and, our AP ranking is X.....so we must be pretty good. Except the offense, defense and coaching doesn't look good when you actually watch the team.

[Razorback_2007]

I for the life of me do not understand why Nutt is such a villain. He gave us 10 years of football that averaged 7.5 wins/year. There were some magical times during those years and the guy was Arkansas through and through. He had a 63% winning percentage and went to a bowl game 8x's(As much as I liked Bobby P in 4 years his winning % was 65%) Mike wants to be here, he too is Razorback through and through. In the 3.5 years he's been here we've had more good times with edge of your seat excitement since Nolan. The road deal has been infuriating but I'm seeing progress. We've had some big wins the last few years w Mike. Last year we were THERE for the NCAAT and gave it away. This year we'll kick the door down. When we do look out we can make some noise when we are confident. We'll handle Mizzou today by double figures. :razorback:

[cj_sez]

Wish I had a copy of the paper so I could trash that article properly.

[Shoat]

I'd say the main difference at this point is that Nutt walked into a good situation talent wise but Mike didn't.  So you can't really compare their first couple of years.  If from here on out we are only a Sweet 16 team every 3-4 years or Anderson ever sets things up that he needs a two year pass, then yes I would say there is some equivalence there.  One of Nutt's failings was that he often kept his assistants around too long, and we may be seeing that with MA.  Too soon to tell, but it is an interesting thought.

Another big difference is that Mike won't get a golden parachute to leave like Houston Dale did...lol

[forrest city joe]

15 and 4 and 4 and 2  in the sec. and 3 road wins already. looks like it's not working out to well for the Arkansas Times and the haters. GO Hogs, and go Mike Anderson.

[Fayettechill14]

5-3 in last 8 SEC road games, including two wins over RPI top-25 teams in that span. We're not any worse on the road than any other team. Heck, we lost at HOME to Ole Miss, which is worse than any of our road losses, save maybe Clemson.

[billmontgomery10]

Is it improper to ask why the heck lineups are changing when we go on the road and win? Similar to the post above yours?  This is where I sit right now.  I support the program and players.  I am honestly questioning what MA is doing right now.  We are seeing extreme inconsistent rotations, that are completely irrelevant to product on the floor. 

We don't mind watching madden struggle and let him play through it.  But moses plays above his par level from last year and he gets benched. 

When madden was passed the ball last night with seconds remaining in OT and I watched him dribble and stand up straight I said words not allowed on here.  He got bailed out by that awful, AWFUL, drive and chunk for portis to clean up on the back end.  How many times have we seen the final play be let madden have the ball and see what happens?  Didn't we see him actually benched earlier in the year in the same situation?

Madden is leading a charmed life. Besides the air ball you mentioned with the game on the line against Bama, today he makes a dumb foul and thank God the Mizzo free throw shooter bails him out. MA loves him.

[forrest city joe]

Madden is leading a charmed life. Besides the air ball you mentioned with the game on the line against Bama, today he makes a dumb foul and thank God the Mizzo free throw shooter bails him out. MA loves him.

He never should have been shooting FT's in the first place, because that was not a foul. it was a BS call. it was pure justice that he missed those FT's. i notice you said nothing about the big shot Madden hit late in the game.GO HOGS AND GO MIKE ANDERSON.

[hogfan10]

Madden has done this 4 times, at least, in the last season and a half. If the Hogs are down 1 or tied, under 20 seconds, and he gets the ball, he IS NOT GIVING IT UP, he is going to be the hero. He got bailed out on a great play by Qualls last year against KY, and on an eerily similar, yet not quite as fantastic play last night by Portis. It did not work out against Mizzu or at the end of regulation against Ky. 

Or maybe he is an unselfish player, willing to shoulder all the blame if for some reason we don't pull out a last second win. Evidently unknown to you, by driving the lane he/we can have several good results which include: KM making shot, KM shooting FTs (he makes them at a 90+% rate), uncontested rebounds by BP/MQ, or he can kick out to a spot up shooter (if we have any). The sooner that some of you realize this; the sooner some of you will realize that KM isn't the cause of all of our problems. I guess you don't remember him making the winning shot yesterday do you.
Once again, I guess the mods just care about some of the players being bashed, but not all of them.

[dsims2k3]

Based from their articles,  they didn't come after Pelphrey half as hard. Dismissed. ..

[hogfan10]

. How about attack the front of the rim, draw defenders, draw a foul or dish to portis?

He succeeded in drawing defenders, drawing a foul (uncalled), & getting the ball (by way of rebound) to an open Portis.

[hogfan10]

Based from their articles,  they didn't come after Pelphrey half as hard. Dismissed. ..

Maybe they have some new writers.

[hogfan10]

Madden is leading a charmed life. Besides the air ball you mentioned with the game on the line against Bama, today he makes a dumb foul and thank God the Mizzo free throw shooter bails him out. MA loves him.

Have you ever heard: "you make your own luck".

[Fayettechill14]

Maybe they have some new writers.

They don't have an actual sportswriter on staff. They just write whatever they feel like writing, however unqualified their writers may be to discuss it.

I remember at Tom Cotton's watch party on election night they sent a reporter. After Cotton was announced as the winner (immediately after the polls closed), this dude just moped around the room with his head down, tweeting sarcastic, condescending, stereotyping stuff about the people there. The Ark Times account retweeted everything he said, and that was the entirety of their election night coverage. Since no Democrat won any major office, they had nothing to say. It was hilarious.

[redneckfriend]

I've said it in the past and I'll say it again- watch the team as the season progresses. Does it come together and start to win games that it would have lost earlier in the year or not? If not there is a coaching problem and there aren't any excuses, on the other hand, if the team plays above its earlier level that defines coaching success and Mike Anderson has done the job he was paid to do. That is how good coaches (those not named Calipari or Krzyzewski) get to the final four. This is a year when the excuses of inadequate talent or not having 'his type of players' have run out- Anderson has enough good and/or experienced players to forge a team to make a real run in the NCAA tournament if he can actually coach.

On another subject- I don't blame Jeff Long one bit no matter how things turn out. He pulled a seemingly successful coach with strong Arkansas roots away from a major program and, in the process, healed some wounds that needed healing. Mike Anderson, good or bad, will be here quite awhile because at this point the continuity of the program is more important to its long term success than are wins and losses over the short haul.

[TomBigBeeHog]

Anderson has enough good and/or experienced players to forge a team to make a real run in the NCAA tournament if he can actually coach.

Elite 8 at Mizzou says he can coach well enough to do it.  He doesn't have to do it this year to prove that but it would be great if he did.

[Deeznutts]

well written article.

the basketball team is anemic much of the time.  last night in my flu-influenced mood i made the same observation as wilcox.  we seem to get it together, then completely digress as though it were the first game of the season.

and this board reflects that very notion.  after every game our posters are pointing out "signs" of things that "may" work or "might" be good.  these comments are valid, but wouldn't proliferate if this team had identity and a touch of consistency.

qualls has been the constant this year.  his production curve has been less drastic than others top producers.  he's had down moments, but nonetheless he's been absent less than others.

we have no swagger. none.  only a few times this year have we gone through a game "knowing" we were the badass. 

last night against bama was awful.  lack of intensity, cohesion, and overall ineffectiveness allowed bama to stay in a game that we should have had safely dispatched in the early second half.

this is the reality of this team.

quote author=ballz2thewall link=topic=586727.msg9506943#msg9506943 date=1422041290]
well written article.

the basketball team is anemic much of the time.  last night in my flu-influenced mood i made the same observation as wilcox.  we seem to get it together, then completely digress as though it were the first game of the season.

and this board reflects that very notion.  after every game our posters are pointing out "signs" of things that "may" work or "might" be good.  these comments are valid, but wouldn't proliferate if this team had identity and a touch of consistency.

qualls has been the constant this year.  his production curve has been less drastic than others top producers.  he's had down moments, but nonetheless he's been absent less than others.

we have no swagger. none.  only a few times this year have we gone through a game "knowing" we were the badass. 

last night against bama was awful.  lack of intensity, cohesion, and overall ineffectiveness allowed bama to stay in a game that we should have had safely dispatched in the early second half.

this is the reality of this team.
[/quote]

You are correct, sir. Very insightful.

[GS99]

"This is a time where Arkansas basketball should be preying upon its lesser foes, irrespective of cite. Instead, the team looks a whole lot like something John Pelphrey would've at least, to his credit, pitched a fit over being cursed to coach."

Holy crap that's terrible writing. 

And does grumbling about a good but maybe not great basketball season really require yet again rehashing how much you hate the football coach from a decade ago?

[hogsanity]

He never should have been shooting FT's in the first place, because that was not a foul. it was a BS call. it was pure justice that he missed those FT's. i notice you said nothing about the big shot Madden hit late in the game.GO HOGS AND GO MIKE ANDERSON.

FCJ, have you ever officiated, at any level? If you have, then you know darn well if you leave your feet and bump a player from the side, it is a foul. That was exactly what happened Sat.

[onebadrubi]

FCJ, have you ever officiated, at any level? If you have, then you know darn well if you leave your feet and bump a player from the side, it is a foul. That was exactly what happened Sat.

FCJ would be calling for a flagrant 2 had it been the other way around

[forrest city joe]

Elite 8 at Mizzou says he can coach well enough to do it.  He doesn't have to do it this year to prove that but it would be great if he did.

+1000. YEP!

[forrest city joe]

FCJ, have you ever officiated, at any level? If you have, then you know darn well if you leave your feet and bump a player from the side, it is a foul. That was exactly what happened Sat.

No that's not what happen. that was not even close to being a foul. in fact the Mizzo player should have been called for a push off. he pushed Madden off to get open in the first place. and he did not get fouled. it was a BS cheating call.PERIOD!

[hogsanity]

No that's not what happen. that was not even close to being a foul. in fact the Mizzo player should have been called for a push off. he pushed Madden off to get open in the first place. and he did not get fouled. it was a BS cheating call.PERIOD!

As usual, you seem to have watched a different game than the rest of us did. I would link to the video, which I know other did for you Sat after the game, but you would claim the video was not what it seemed to be.

[forrest city joe]

As usual, you seem to have watched a different game than the rest of us did. I would link to the video, which I know other did for you Sat after the game, but you would claim the video was not what it seemed to be.

No you are just pissed that Mike Anderson won yet another road game. and you can't stand it. you are a joke of a fan. hoping the team lose because you want the coach to fail and get fired, does not speak well of you.

[hogsanity]

No you are just pissed that Mike Anderson won yet another road game. and you can't stand it. you are a joke of a fan. hoping the team lose because you want the coach to fail and get fired, does not speak well of you.

Show me one post I have ever made saying I want the Hogs to lose. 

[forrest city joe]

Show me one post I have ever made saying I want the Hogs to lose. 

You will never just come out and say it. almost know one will do that. your Anti-Mike Anders post over and over and over and over,speaks for itself.

[hogsanity]

You will never just come out and say it. almost know one will do that. your Anti-Mike Anders post over and over and over and over,speaks for itself.

As MANY others have said, we are not anti-mike anderson, we are anti-bad basketball, and poor coaching decisions. If MA falls into those two things, that is his problem, not ours.

[forrest city joe]

As MANY others have said, we are not anti-mike anderson, we are anti-bad basketball, and poor coaching decisions. If MA falls into those two things, that is his problem, not ours.

You are a Mike Anderson hater. admit it and move on. you are fooling no one. and who made you an expert on bad basketball? you don't know crap!

[hogsanity]

. and who made you an expert on bad basketball?

The same person that made you a expert on bad refs.

[DeltaBoy]

Great to see how much support the Hogs and MA had on this board.