If You've Been a Strong Supporter of Bielema Like Me

[majp51]

Can you imagine if he is still here next year for the Vandy game in LR?  The two worst programs in the SEC playing in War Memorial....

Historically Vandy is the worst program in the SEC, but to make matters worse Mason is taking them in the right direction and would likely have them favored over the U of A.

[redneckfriend]

PTB need to think long and hard about putting the fan base through this charade for basically 2 years.
Does anyone really think the fans can stomach looking at another year of what were are seeing right now?
It'll be hard enough for the fans to hang long enough to finish out this year.

I realize the buyout is huge - but the damage to the program by keeping Bielema could be even worse.
Recruiting will be dead - he'll for certain be viewed as a lameduck who's only keeping his job for 1 year because of his buyout. The anger from some fans and apathy from others will be probably worse than anything during Nutt's time.

Unless there is a miracle and this team's on-field performance and results change dramatically Bielema needs to go at the end of the season and I suspect he will. I am not so naïve as to believe that what is wrong is totally a coaching problem. The recruiting over recent years simply has not been up to par by SEC standards.  In any case the coach is responsible not only for recruiting but the won/loss record and by either measure Bielema is not doing the job.

The next coach needs to have a reputation as a recruiter (qualified by "honest") or as an innovator. Just hiring a coach who did "okay" at some non-SEC P5 program or a coordinator at a successful program is not going to do it. If that is the hire the likelihood will be more of the same and the fan base is not in a mood to tolerate that outcome.

[Grunt]

This.

I REALIZE THE HUGE SPIKE IN SEC COACHES' SALARIES IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE INFLUX OF THE SEC NETWORK MONEY.

But seriously, this is a joke.
We were paying Nutt about $1.4mm his last year and getting much better results than we are now.
We payed Petrino $2.8mm to start out and I was thinking 'what is he supposed to do, double our wins?'
But he was a big success, so his salary was fine by me.

But now you have Bielema making about $4.5mm per year to do...what?

We're getting $800,000 results while paying 4.5mm

Fire Long and hire back Petrino.

[Mulberry Squeezins]

If you're right, that would be the best thing for the program.  I also have trouble seeing how the media could come down hard on the fans this time the way they did surrounding the Nutt firing.

I think the national media is starting to come around regarding Nutt.  What's upsetting is, in a round about way, all of this could be blamed on Nutt.  Nutt is the reason we have Long.  Does anyone think for a minute that Broyles or more  likely JFB'S hand picked replacement, would have constructed a 15M buyout for an 8 win coach?   

Long is here because the people making decisions decided that running thing via a GOB Network was to blame for all things Nutt, and concluded that it was time to run things in a more "professional " manner.

Moving forward we have a real mess. IMO  what needs to happen is 1st, give Long the ax. 2nd, we need to hire an AD who understands the Razorback culture.  Someone like a Hatfield or Dicus. 3rd, come up with a realistic plan that faces our recruiting obstacles head on, and scour the land in search of the right fit.

Unfortunately,  in the meantime, there's no way around taking our lumps in terms of Bielema and the buyout. As a youngster, my golf coach once  told me, the first rule when your ball is in trouble is get out of trouble. Meaning, don't follow a mistake by doing something stupid.

How would paying a 15M buyout effect our ability to attract the next coach if we can't afford to pay a decent salary?  Let's not compound a mistake by making another trying to find a quick fix. First things first. FIRE LONG. 

[HognitiveDissonance]

Frank Broyles used to have a saying that is apropos to the current situation:
"You can't pay a good coach enough. Whatever you're paying a bad coach is too much."



Spot on.
Think about it. Whatever Alabama is playing Nick Saban, is it enough? No. That guy is bringing in zillions of dollars to that university. He could triple his salary and still be underpaid.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Just check this out. It will make you sick. This kind of thing really makes it more difficult for a defense to stay motivated and succeed.

   S. Carolina Possessions   
     Start   Result
1   SC 35   Missed FG
2   Ark 15   FG
3   SC 45   Stopped at Ark 36
4   SC 22   Punt-lost yards
5   SC 35   2 plays-65 yds-TD
6   SC 25   Missed FG
7   SC 31   8 plays-69 yds-TD
      
8   SC 38   9 plays-58 yds-FG
9   INT Ret   SC TD
10   Fumb Ret   SC TD
11   SC 40   11 plays-60 yds-TD
12   SC 25   5 plays-16 yds-Punt
13   INT Ret   SC TD
14   SC 16   3 plays-9 yds-EOG

Exactly.  In several games the D has started out well.  I think they just get demoralized after watching the offense fail again and again and again.  Eventually they just break.  Now if the offense was doing it's part a few missteps by the D wouldn't matter.  They are not perfect but are better than last year.

[rzrbk4life]

Exactly.  In several games the D has started out well.  I think they just get demoralized after watching the offense fail again and again and again.  Eventually they just break.  Now if the offense was doing it's part a few missteps by the D wouldn't matter.  They are not perfect but are better than last year.

And that is the crazy thing. Who would have thought our D would be better than our O this year?

[The real Hogules]

We now know why CBB went to Sam Pitman's house and begged him to stay!

[Mulberry Squeezins]

I'm a big supporter of Wins and could care less if we have Daffy Duck as the head coach.   Wins means everything as far as I'm concerned.  Without wins there is no money to pay for the neat things we have on campus and stadium costs.  I don't agree with the graduation rates, integrity, and being "politically correct" for the Liberal agenda and all the feel good crap that Long enjoys.   I want freaking wins and no excuses, plain as I can put it.

POTD

[hogsanity]

It's about time the entire SEC started looking more closely at what they are paying coaches.

Can never go back. The salaries will continue to increase, or at least stay the same. Gone are the days of hiring a coach for a mil or 2 in the sec.