Poll: Should BWA court be named for Nolan Richardson?

[ThisLittlePiggie]

I think that if I had worked for JFB I'd want to breathe FIRE after enough time. A jerk boss has a way of driveing a person to temporary insanity. I worked for some old guy who did that to me once. If we're going forget about the bad things that Frank did, remember only the good things, and name the field after him, It's only fair to do the same thing for Nolan.

By the way. I had bosses like that too during my 40 years in the workforce. When I did...I *** quit and found another job.

[HognotinMemphis]

For someone who is almost 46 you have the maturity level of a five year old.  What the hell is your deal jackass? 

It's idiots like you that are my deal. Spewing embellished tales to suit their opinions. Just because you say it doesn't make it true...I called you on it and all you can do is insult.

[Skillethead]

no

[Throwback1]

It's idiots like you that are my deal. Spewing embellished tales to suit their opinions. Just because you say it doesn't make it true...I called you on it and all you can do is insult.

Be careful...all the girlymen sissies around here just lovvvve to use their little smitey thing...I think it's suppose to hurt or something.  After today, I've decided that with the all the kiddies hanging around, I'm considering every single smite a badge of honor.

[Nutts and Bolts]

Yes, just to pizz Frank off

[Temprees]

not being happy about who's nose is in your business has NOTHING to do with the filing a frivilous lawsuit you LOST...good grief, this revisionist history is mind boggling

I agree that the revisionist history is mind boggling.  The lawsuit was NOT frivilous.  If it was frivilous, it would have been dismissed without a trial.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Yes, just to pizz Frank off

Frank could give a flying schit less. He got to sit in on the firing of that racist with Athletic Director John White.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

I agree that the revisionist history is mind boggling.  The lawsuit was NOT frivilous.  If it was frivilous, it would have been dismissed without a trial.

Wanna bet? They don't dismiss ANY black person's charge of racism.

[Temprees]

Frank Broyles would have secured the Walton money for BWA, Nolan or not.

Until Nolan started doing his thing, in such an exciting way, there was need for a Bud Walton Arena.  Old Barnhill was sufficient.  What's the proof?  Walton Arena was sold out from the day it opened, and remained sold out throughout Nolan's tenure.  It has not been sold out (for the season) since Nolan left. 

[stchane]

Wanna bet? They don't dismiss ANY black person's charge of racism.

Uh, yeah actually they do.  If you'll read through this entire thread, you'll see that this case was actually appealed to the 8th Circuit.  Additionally, if the find that a Title VII claim is frivolous, the plaintiff has to pay the defendant's attorney's fees. 

[CorningHog]

Absolutely, no questions asked is my thoughts.

Nolan built Bud Walton off of his insanely popular "40 Minutes of Hell" brand of basketball and took a ton of abuse as a black man to get there.  He lost his daughter to leukemia and endured a ton of criticism and even racism until his Hogs were running roughshod over the SWC and finally even the likes of Kentucky early on.

Who would have thought Arkansas could achieve that type of success.

Sutton was a great coach, but Nolan easliy deserves the court being named after him.

We may never see as successful a coach at Arkansas, but I hope we do.

I enjoyed Nolan's style, as I was a freshman in college when he came.  I was unsure early on who the cat was, but once he donned the cowboy boots and big fro, those polka dots and stuff, plus he could coach and was a whole lot more than just a recruiter like some fans thought.

I am in Nolan's corner.  ALL THE WAY!

He will always be top notch in my book!

I would love to go play a round of golf with him sometime!

I hope that Pelphrey will ask Coach Richardson to join him someday and get all the basketball Razorbacks like Todd Day and others that joined up for a day of golf last year for Stan Heath and have a great fan appreciation tournament to raise funds for one of Richardson's favorite charities!

I hope Coach Richardson has a wonderful retirement and rest of his life!

He and Rose should be made official dignataries or whatever for Razorback basketball.

GO HOGS!

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Uh, yeah actually they do.  If you'll read through this entire thread, you'll see that this case was actually appealed to the 8th Circuit.  Additionally, if the find that a Title VII claim is frivolous, the plaintiff has to pay the defendant's attorney's fees. 

The judge agreed to hear the case. It was NOT dismissed. It went to trial.

[Throwback1]

There was NO WAY any judge was just going to dismiss a lawsuit like this one with as much press and statewide interest.  Both sides had their day(s) in court, testimony was heard, and Nolan proved none of the points of his lawsuit and he was awarded nothing.  He appealed, and once again, this time another court, reviewed the lower courts ruling and the transcript of all testimony and any and all submitted evidence and once again Nolans suit was found to without merit and he was awarded NADA.  Whining don't change facts.

[Temprees]

And the four years before he was run off. He had no business taking his paycheck. He quit on the UofA.

Nolan was "run off" in 2002.  In 2000, the Hogs were SEC Tournament Champions under Nolan.  Nolan never quit on the U of A.  

[Throwback1]

PAY ME AND I"LL LEAVE...that's called quitting

[Temprees]

And the four years before he was run off. He had no business taking his paycheck. He quit on the UofA.

Nolan was "run off" in 2002.  In 2000, the Hogs were SEC Tournament Champions under Nolan.  Nolan never quit on the U of A.  

Hmm something tells me we won't see Nolan apologizing any time soon.

Nor should he.

[stchane]

The judge agreed to hear the case. It was NOT dismissed. It went to trial.

My point exactly

[Throwback1]

and he lost....got zip.

[stchane]

and he lost....got zip.

Nope, he didn't get a dime did he.  But that doesn't mean that Scott Varady didn't get a dime.  The University still had to pay out the @ss for his services on the whole deal.  Which means that although Nolan didn't get anything, he still made the University pay for it.  And since the case wasn't frivolous, he didn't have to pay attorney's fees. 

[jmurph]

HELL YES!!!!  Eddie "I would crawl to Kentucky" Sutton did a great job BUT Coach Richardson won one NC and played for another the next year.  How many has Eddie won?  He was great but Nolan was the one who got the job done!  Name the floor, build the monument but just get it done.  If they bring back the team without doing either it will be a total joke!  Hell yes he was bitter, he saw first hand what was going on inside JFB's playpen.  Nolan never, never got the respect he deserved.  He should have won the frickin lawsuit!!!!

[Temprees]

Emotions have taken over all these Nolan threads.  Nolan was not discriminated against, and the courts have so ruled, therefore he was wrong to file the lawsuit.  That isssue is closed.  As far as reconciling and naming the court after Nolan, I got no problem with that, and that decision isn't mine to make, above my pay grade.  I don't hate Nolan, and was always a huge supporter until he blew up and dared to be paid so he could leave, leaving the administration no choice at that point.  But if Nolan is willing to put aside the bitterness and get rid of that chip on his shoulder and come back into the fold, personally, I'd love to see it.  What has pushed me over the edge on this topic is this crappola about Nolan being right and using other more recent issues in some attempt to justify that statement.  That is simply wrong, and intellectually fraudulent.  He sued for discrimination at a time when he was the highest paid state employee in the history of this state, and he was the highest paid state employee in this history of this state because FB said he should be, period.  He sued, he lost, he appealed, he lost, he was wrong, not right, no matter how some try to spin it today.

Based upon your statement, I guess you agree that since O.J. was found Not Guilty in his criminal trial, that the issue is closed on whether or not O.J. killed those people.  See how stupid or should I say, ignorant, your remarks are.  Courts don't always get it right.  Surely you should know that.  Under our system of laws, there is such a thing called the "burden of proof".  If a party does not meet its burden, then he/she loses, even though the thing that they are suing about, actually occurred.  In other words, just because O.J. was found Not Guilty, does not mean that he did not kill those two people.  The same holds true in Nolan's situation, just because the Judge ruled that Nolan had not met his burden of proof, does not mean that Broyles did not commit acts of discrimination against him.

It is your argument that is intellectually fraudulent.  I had to change that, because there was nothing intellectual about your argument.

[stchane]

Based upon your statement, I guess you agree that since O.J. was found Not Guilty in his criminal trial, that the issue is closed on whether or not O.J. killed those people.  See how stupid or should I say, ignorant, your remarks are.  Courts don't always get it right.  Surely you should know that.  Under our system of laws, there is such a thing called the "burden of proof".  If a party does not meet its burden, then he/she loses, even though the thing that they are suing about, actually occurred.  In other words, just because O.J. was found Not Guilty, does not mean that he did not kill those two people.  The same holds true in Nolan's situation, just because the Judge ruled that Nolan had not met his burden of proof, does not mean that Broyles did not commit acts of discrimination against him.

It is your argument that is intellectually fraudulent.  I had to change that, because there was nothing intellectual about your argument.

EXACTLY.  This also means that the lawsuit was not without merit either.  If you don't think JFB was good at covering his @ss your kidding yourself.  You don't stick around for 50 years without rubbing some people the wrong way. JFB was just also being clever enough to keep those people from being able to prove anything. 

[CORZRBACKFAN]

Nolan took Razorback basketball to the ultimate heights, and I definitely think he should be recognized by the University. Frank had plenty of fault in the fallout, but Nolan could have handled it much more tactfully. I forgave him long ago-let the past be but the past. However, naming the court after him is not the best way to recognize him. Eddie Sutton really did lay part of the foundation that Nolan took to the next level. We're naming the court after him for winning the championship? Going to three final fours? Do we not aspire to win more titles? Perhaps a street in the vicinity of Bud Walton would be more appropriate. Naming the floor after him makes him look like he pulled off a one-time miracle by winning the title, and he should be forever immortalized for pulling that off. Call me crazy, but Arkansas CAN win another title! We can thank Mr. Walton for that, and I like the idea of keeping Bud Walton Arena under a simple name...Bud Walton Arena.

[BigHog396]

It would be dismissed by both if it was frivolous.  And guess what, the Federal District Court for the Western District of Arkansas ain't that spectacular (its in Hot Springs and looks about like every other court house you'll ever see).  Its just a jurisdiction, plain and simple, as any is any other jurisdiction.  A Federal District Court & a state trial court serve the same function:  hear and decide cases. 

The difference between the two is the controlling law.  There are several other smaller differences but the function is the same, just in a different jurisdiction. 

If a plaintiff is deemed to have brought a frivolous Title VII claim, then they can be forced to pay the opposing parties attorneys fees, which I hope costs the University alotta money.  Since the case was appealed, it necessarily follows that it wasn't frivolous because it wasn't thrown out of court. 

Just because they didn't rule in favor of Nolan doesn't mean that it was frivolous.  Frivolous cases don't make it into court.  Filing a claim and taking it to court is an exercise of democracy, an exercise of one's own rights.  Thats all Nolan did.  He thought it was right, others disagreed.  If you wanna call it revisionist history, so be it.  But from the last years events, you've got to wonder:  was Nolan right? 

And you again plainly display your ignorance for all to see... the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas' office is in FORT SMITH.  There are 5 other satellite offices, Hot Springs if just one of the satellites.

As for your discussion about the legitimacy of Nolan's lawsuit, I never claimed it was frivilous... I simply said that it should be the simple disqualifiction against him having the court named after him.

[BenClevelandFan]

List all the bad things Broyles did. While doing so remember that Broyles performed NO AD personnel duties during the last 10 years. He wasn't allowed to. John White served as AD since Danny Ford was fired. OK...go to it.

A compete lie.

John White bucked Frank on exactly one issue right up until the last month that Frank was on the job.
That issue was the D rule. Both Frank and Houston pissed and moaned about it but White allowed the faculty to enforce a rule that was in effect when White took over as chancellor. The previous chancellor did not enforce it.

Jim Lindsey threatened to fire White in 2004 and a short time late the D-rule was taken off the table.
Not only was Frank running the show during the last 10 years but he was right in the big fat middle of the series of events that eventually got both he and Houston Nutt removed. I'm taking about the trashing of players and coaches. Outright lies to the fan base. Calling a big name booster in the Dallas arena a liar to his face. Telling a Razorback club meeting that Arkansas could not afford to hire a "name" coach.

Even after his retirement was annnounced and even after Jeff Long arrived on campus Broyles continued to function as AD. In mid December after Long became aware that Arkansas' assistant coaches were openly recruiting for Ole Miss while still being paid by Arkansas and while they were supposed to be preparing the Razorbacks for the Cotton Bowl, Long went to Broyles and told him to do something.

Broyles refused telling Long that he, Broyles, was still the AD and he didn't see anything wrong with it.
At that point White did step in and call the AD at Ole Miss. After listening to White the Ole Miss AD went to Houston Nutt and made him make a public statement that none of his coaches still at Arkansas would recruit for Ole Miss as long as they were working for Arkansas.

Your defense of Broyles is a complete fabrication. Either you made it up or you stupidly believed one of his rumor mongers who spread such lies.

That man ran the show and ran it badly right up until the last few days he was on the job.

[Skillethead]

He hired Danny Ford.

Yep.

Owning page 5

[Masshog]

It's idiots like you that are my deal. Spewing embellished tales to suit their opinions. Just because you say it doesn't make it true...I called you on it and all you can do is insult.

Don't even know where to start on a piece of work like you.... you called me on what, that you didn't personally treat Nolan badly? I was there and old enough to give a crap (certainly older than you), I remember the things that were said both by people around the water cooler and in the news papers (not all people but many).... so call me out all you want, you are flat wrong.   As for my only response being to call you names.... do you expect someone whom you insult by calling a moron to not respond?  Only a jackass with an internet license and a lot of distance would converse that way.... so I repeat, what is your deal you silly little jackass?  You debate those who disagree with you with name calling and disrespect.  Again, grow the hell up. 

[CorningHog]

I thought the voting stops February 13th?

Stuck on 666?  Huh.



Well, racism has existed, does exist and will exist until Christ comes back.

It was around in the beginning....or at least after the fall of Adam.

I will say this about racism.  It to me defines real hate....based only on looks.

Discrimination falls close......but it can be about anything including looks.....

Hate is wrong and is sinful.

If you can hate someone just because of their skin color or nationality, you will have no place in Heaven.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

My point exactly

Mine too.

[HognotinMemphis]

Have you ever stopped to wonder why Richardson said that? I mean, the question posed to him was about the pressure Tubby Smith was under at UK. Richardson then makes that comment (which I took to be light-hearted and not a serious request) and suddenly White and Broyles see an opening to exploit.

Which they did.

First of all, this thread was moved to the appropriate forum as it is pure BS.

Now, regarding your post Scott, Nolan did not say that once, he said it multiple times on multiple occasions...for public dissemination. Not professional of him in the least. No matter what is going on privately with your boss, you don't continually make that kind of statement. Nolan did. He could not keep his mouth shut. He chose to make it a public issue. That was wrong. He said things about the fanbase that were inconsiderate. Not to mention that his teams went almost straight downhill after the '94-'95 season. He had a couple of losing conference seasons in his last 3 years if I recall correctly...a result of sitting on the bench during the games and "selecting" rather than "recruiting".

No way Richeardson gets fired if he uses the appropriate channels to get what he wanted rather than using a public soap box that made him sound like he was mentally imbalanced. Remember the "no one here looks like me, talks like me, etc..." BS he spewed at a press conference to a bunch of sports writers?   How about a college basketball team with majority black coaches and 90% black players?

[HognotinMemphis]

Don't even know where to start on a piece of work like you.... you called me on what, that you didn't personally treat Nolan badly? I was there and old enough to give a crap (certainly older than you), I remember the things that were said both by people around the water cooler and in the news papers (not all people but many).... so call me out all you want, you are flat wrong.   As for my only response being to call you names.... do you expect someone whom you insult by calling a moron to not respond?  Only a jackass with an internet license and a lot of distance would converse that way.... so I repeat, what is your deal you silly little jackass?  You debate those who disagree with you with name calling and disrespect.  Again, grow the hell up. 

Blah, blah, blah. You are talking in circles now. You are not being honest with yourself. Either that, or you're not very intelligent. As for growing up, I say the same to you.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

He hired Danny Ford.

Uh huh. And he fired Danny Ford too. Who left TCTWF (Nutt) the two best teams Nutt ever fielded at Arkansas.

By the way I believe that last part is a load of crap. If it were true at all then why has Arkansas' offense been stuck in the stone age for the past 10 years?

Wallow in a load of crap if you want. Broyles was neutered after the Danny Ford firing. Broyles tried to hire Tuberville. White's ex-players committee which seemed to be led by Quinn Grovey chose TCTWF. And the next ten years speaks for itself. At that point there was nothing Broyles could do to rid the university of a proven loser once he used up Danny Ford's players and started using players which he coached down to mediocrity and in some cases thugism.

Oh yeah and there were those comments about how Arkansas would never get a big name coach. You know, the ones that got him fired. Maybe.

As long as John White's committees were choosing their favorite coach, he (Broyles) was correct, if he in fact ever said that, which I find hard to believe. Luckily, someone other than White brought in Jeff Long (a real AD) and Bobby Petrino fell into his lap.

[Throwback1]

Nope, he didn't get a dime did he.  But that doesn't mean that Scott Varady didn't get a dime.  The University still had to pay out the @ss for his services on the whole deal.  Which means that although Nolan didn't get anything, he still made the University pay for it.  And since the case wasn't frivolous, he didn't have to pay attorney's fees. 

uh...ok

[Throwback1]

Every single person with half a brain and was around from the beginning knows that Nolan was ALWAYS his own worst enemy.  He had a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas, and he never could rid himself of it.  I was a huge Nolan fan, and admit that for about 12 years he was as good a coach as any in the country.  But that simply doesn't matter.  In the end, Nolan did what we all knew had to happen sooner or later...allow Nolan to ruin the sweetheart deal Nolan had.  And all the revisionist, politically correct bs in the world don't change that.  OK, smite away kiddies...ouch, oh stop..it hurts so bad.

[Throwback1]

When Nolan's daughter was dying and the Hogs were losing, Frank is about the only one who stood by him.  Then, Frank makes him the highest paid state employee in state history, then Nolan, who was always Nolan's worst enemy, goes off again and runs the administration up in a gar hole they can't get out of without letting him go like he said to do.  Then, he files a lawsuit in which he gets NADA.  Nolan might be the singular most ungrateful person to ever be employed at the University.

[HognotinMemphis]

Every single person with half a brain and was around from the beginning knows that Nolan was ALWAYS his own worst enemy.  He had a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas, and he never could rid himself of it.  I was a huge Nolan fan, and admit that for about 12 years he was as good a coach as any in the country.  But that simply doesn't matter.  In the end, Nolan did what we all knew had to happen sooner or later...allow Nolan to ruin the sweetheart deal Nolan had.  And all the revisionist, politically correct bs in the world don't change that.  OK, smite away kiddies...ouch, oh stop..it hurts so bad.

100% correct.

[HognotinMemphis]

I'm not denying Richardson said outlandish things. But he wasn't doing it just to be doing it.

The Monday he went off in the press conference, that you referred to you, was after he'd been told the Razorback Foundation had been contacted by Broyles and/or White about buying him out because of his comments before the UK game.

Perhaps if Broyles and/or White had actually talked with Richardson over the years, this could have been avoided. When an employee gets no supervision from his superiors, he can only get part of the blame if he screws up.

Sounds like we are saying about the same thing. You don't disagree with me and I don't disagree with what you say in your post.

However, sounds like you are saying that the autonomy they gave to Nolan for 17 yrs was some kind of valid excuse for Nolan to go off? That thinking does not go along with common sense. Who doesn't want autonomy in their work versus having a boss breathing down your neck, checking on everything you do and interferring?

So what if Broyles talked to the RF about buying out Nolan? Should Nolan have been surprised over that after all he'd said in public? When is enough enough? I think Nolan easily exceeded the limit there over his last 6 or 7 years. It was "me, me, me" for Nolan...and never the school, the team, the program, the city or the state. 

You can't have it both ways. If Broyles had interferred with the basketball program over Nolan's 17 yrs the way he mettled with the football progam while he was AD, you think Nolan would not have screamed racism, etc over that and wanted more autonomy? I think he would have gone off...just like he did because he thought he was being ignored, even though being paid 7 figures.

No, Nolan has no leg to stand on in this deal. Broyles hired him...Broyles left him in his job 17 years...longer than any other U of A basketball or football coach's tenure other than Broyles himself, and Broyles allowed him to be the highest paid coach in the history of Arkansas athletics at the time.

Nolan made his own bed 100%  and he paid the price he deserved to pay for ruining it.

[Throwback1]

If he'd been white, they would have, which is what makes the lawsuit even sillier.

[HognotinMemphis]

Well, I don't think Richardson made his own bed 100%. I lay the blame 50 on him and the rest on White/Broyles.

If they'd done their jobs as administrators, things never would have gotten as bad as it did. Either Richardson would have toned it down, or they'd have fired him years earlier.

Things got bad IN PUBLIC due to Richardson's faulty decision-making process. If they'd fired him years earlier, would that not have been to Nolan's detriment? I mean, how do you fire a coach in '98 or '99, only 3 years after going to the NC game and 4 after winning it all?

I'll back off a bit and say 90% Nolan's fault and 10% Broyles and White.

[Little Billy Jr.]

When Nolan's daughter was dying and the Hogs were losing, Frank is about the only one who stood by him.

OMG. Where hell did you come up with that piece of fiction ? Frank did no such thing. When Nolan's daughter was dying Frank showed up at Barnhill one day, told Nolan he was going to be a good coach someday but he needed some help. He then suggested bringing in Bobby Knight to teach Nolan how to teach his players to play defense. Not one time over the next 16 years did Frank ever apologize for that classless act.

[Throwback1]

No, Nolan was under fire by a lot of Hog fans and Frank publicly supported him and let the Razorback nation Nolan was the head coach and would remain so.

[Throwback1]

good..np with that

[The Marmot]

FWIW, y'all better prepare yourselves. Word is a celebration of the 1994 team (including Richardson) is being planned for the 08-09 season.

Great!!!! It is long overdue.

I hope they don't name the court......

[BigHog396]

FWIW, y'all better prepare yourselves. Word is a celebration of the 1994 team (including Richardson) is being planned for the 08-09 season.

Who better prepare themselves?  I don't think I have seen one post in this entire thread that said anything about having a problem with a celebration of the '94 team/Richardson.  The problem most of us are arguing about would be with naming the court after him.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Yeah, it's only been 14 years. Geez, some people are still celebrating from game's end. Unlike the 40 years it took to honor the 1964 Hogs.

[The Marmot]

It's obvious from this thread and others that Nolan Richardson is one of those topics like religion and politics that divides people. There will be people who have a problem with him being a part of the celebration. There will be people who have a problem with stories written about Richardson that don't cast him in a bad light.

I have no real dislike for Nolan. He was a great coach that built our program into the best in the 90's and one of the best ever. However he burned his bridge with me in the end, and I dont feel he deserves anything more than being celebrated, along with his team, ever so often.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

I have a real dislike for Richardson. If he had won 10 NCs for Arkansas, nothing can ever repair the bridge he burned with me. He is a snake.

[Throwback1]

I have no real dislike for Nolan. He was a great coach that built our program into the best in the 90's and one of the best ever. However he burned his bridge with me in the end, and I dont feel he deserves anything more than being celebrated, along with his team, ever so often.

agreed

[Jim Harris]

No, Nolan was under fire by a lot of Hog fans and Frank publicly supported him and let the Razorback nation Nolan was the head coach and would remain so.

you're totally full of kook-aid here. Whatever you may have read in Orville's Notepad during that time, Frank suggested to Nolan that he take a leave of absence, and then Frank made it worse by his suggestion of an interim coach: Moe Iba. Do you realize what an utter insult that was to Nolan? Do you realize who was hired over Nolan at Texas Western/UTEP as an assistant, and how Nolan had to make it to the college ranks as a head coach?

[Masshog]

Blah, blah, blah. You are talking in circles now. You are not being honest with yourself. Either that, or you're not very intelligent. As for growing up, I say the same to you.

No circular logic here, the only thing in play is your inability to comprehend the written word.  But, I'm done, you can have the last word here you keyboard hero....  I should have remembered that old saw about pigs and mud and ignored your ignorant ass from the git go.