2 more bb players gone?

[diehardrbackfan]

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[bd93]

Hogs are losing players left and right and Calipari just got Tyreke Evans, the top unsigned prospect in the country out of Philly.  And, has other 2 other top 50 prospects on the hook. He's recruiting nationally while Hogs are losing players. Come on, Pel.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/16/top-prospect-play-tigers/

Yeah that's great because he has like 3 or 4 NC's to show for it, right?

[Hogginitall]

No it was not forced upon Nate.  As much of a Razorback fan as he is, he (Nate Rakestraw) wanted to leave.

Ok........

[jgphillips3]

Why do people assume it is bad when players leave?  The players we have had since 1996 have been so outstanding as a collective that we can barely make the NCAA tournament.  Pel is getting attention from top 100 kids and guys that rank in the top 15 at their position in the Country.  He has already got a few of those signed and may get more.  Who cares if we are losing "experienced" players?  Those players are experienced in the mediocrity we have been mired in and not the attitude of dominance our program once had.  Also the "experience" of our six seniors this year didn't mean very much when we the players took the floor. 

I don't care if Pel has to sign 13 players this year to field a team.  If he did, those players would be "his" players and would presumably be able to play the kind of ball he wants played.  After what we witnessed this year, does anyone doubt that the incoming guys are almost certainly more talented overall than what we have now?  It is true we are losing some size, but that size never lived up to potential anyway (althought Townes developed nicely under Pel).

Please don't take my comments as disrespect to the current players.  I admire and appreciate all the young men who have donned the Razorback uniform.  A few of them have frustrated me to no end, but at the end of the day if I could meet them right now I would want to thank them for being Razorbacks.  Anyone who leaves this team for any reason, I wish them the best.  To sum up, I just want to say thank you and good luck to those leaving and welcome all the new young men (however many it takes) who will build the future of Razorback basketball. 

[Hogginitall]

Why do people assume it is bad when players leave?  The players we have had since 1996 have been so outstanding as a collective that we can barely make the NCAA tournament.  Pel is getting attention from top 100 kids and guys that rank in the top 15 at their position in the Country.  He has already got a few of those signed and may get more.  Who cares if we are losing "experienced" players?  Those players are experienced in the mediocrity we have been mired in and not the attitude of dominance our program once had.  Also the "experience" of our six seniors this year didn't mean very much when we the players took the floor. 

I don't care if Pel has to sign 13 players this year to field a team.  If he did, those players would be "his" players and would presumably be able to play the kind of ball he wants played.  After what we witnessed this year, does anyone doubt that the incoming guys are almost certainly more talented overall than what we have now?  It is true we are losing some size, but that size never lived up to potential anyway (althought Townes developed nicely under Pel).

Please don't take my comments as disrespect to the current players.  I admire and appreciate all the young men who have donned the Razorback uniform.  A few of them have frustrated me to no end, but at the end of the day if I could meet them right now I would want to thank them for being Razorbacks.  Anyone who leaves this team for any reason, I wish them the best.  To sum up, I just want to say thank you and good luck to those leaving and welcome all the new young men (however many it takes) who will build the future of Razorback basketball. 

I agree with your premise.  However, I don't want to have to sign 10 recruits (5-6 in the late period, where there's less talent to go around) just to have enough depth to play next year.  I also don't want to play next year with 10 freshmen and 2 JUCO juniors.  I also think Beverley is a really good college player.  Yeah, he struggled a bit last year, but I think he'll do better next year.  We need at least SOME experience.  I'm all for getting new, talented players in here that can play Pelphrey's style.  But, I'd also like to try to do it where we don't have to start ALL OVER again.

[jgphillips3]

I agree with your premise.  However, I don't want to have to sign 10 recruits (5-6 in the late period, where there's less talent to go around) just to have enough depth to play next year.  I also don't want to play next year with 10 freshmen and 2 JUCO juniors.  I also think Beverley is a really good college player.  Yeah, he struggled a bit last year, but I think he'll do better next year.  We need at least SOME experience.  I'm all for getting new, talented players in here that can play Pelphrey's style.  But, I'd also like to try to do it where we don't have to start ALL OVER again.

I'd love to have Beverly stay and I am not thrilled that we are in the position of having to take so many young guys, but it is what it is.  Can you really name a guy on this team other than Beverly who you really believe will be great in each game?  I can't.  Washington could become great, but that is a big if.  Britt and Welsh can contribute and they each showed flashes here and there, but there isn't a guy on the team who I can look at and say I would rather have him than a more highly regarded newcomer other than Beverly. 

I would prefer that those who might really contribute stay and undo a little of the class imbalance we have, but my basic premise is still that, if the kid coming in is more talented than the kid leaving, then it is good for the long term health of the program.  I don't blame those of who are concerned, I am just looking at it in a more positive light.

[HawgAdvocate]

No it was not forced upon Nate.  As much of a Razorback fan as he is, he (Nate Rakestraw) wanted to leave.

Don't waste your time on these clowns. They don't know the difference in prefered opinion and reality.

[Hogginitall]

Don't waste your time on these clowns. They don't know the difference in prefered opinion and reality.

At least this clown knows how to spell preferred.  I kind of figured you'd come running as soon as you heard the word "Rakestraw".

[HawgAdvocate]

I know you typed something directed at me. But unfortunatly for you, you're on ignore.

Keep on hating though! Perhaps one of these days you'll learn that life is to short to be a prick all of the time.

[Hogginitall]

I know you typed something directed at me. But unfortunatly for you, you're on ignore.

Keep on hating though! Perhaps one of these days you'll learn that life is to short to be a prick all of the time.

Oh, I'm sorry.  Really.  Please forgive me.  I don't want you to think I'm a prick.  Anything but that.....

I'd also add that life is too short to ignore everyone/everything you disagree with.  It's also too short to be naiive all the time.  You'll get taken advantage of and look foolish as you deny the obvious.

Have a nice life, Pollyanna.

[Quite Frankly]

The shot at QuiteFrankly was because she and others maintained he was getting his scholarship revoked, which wasn't true.

It was going to be revoked if Pel signed enough players as he is attempting to do.  I said it from the get go last year. 

It's like saying Sean Sutton didn't get fired because he quit just before.  Semantics, but the same.

[diehardrbackfan]

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[Hogginitall]

No Sean Sutton quit because he knew he was going to be fired if he didnt quit.  Nate left the team because he wanted to.

Wow....

[diehardrbackfan]

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[Hogginitall]

I know its so simple, and anyone saying otherwise isn't very close to the situation.

And also, maybe not so biased.  Where you from, anyway?  His scholarship WAS going to be pulled.  Whether or not Rakestraw decided to leave before the scholarship was actually pulled may be another story.  But, I guarantee Pelphrey made it very clear that Rakestraw was not going to see anything but walk-on minutes for the rest of his career at Arkansas.  We could argue semantics all night.

[WilsonHog]

And also, maybe not so biased.  Where you from, anyway?  His scholarship WAS going to be pulled.  Whether or not Rakestraw decided to leave before the scholarship was actually pulled may be another story.  But, I guarantee Pelphrey made it very clear that Rakestraw was not going to see anything but walk-on minutes for the rest of his career at Arkansas.  We could argue semantics all night.

And the bottom line is still the same as well...he's no longer a Razorback.

[Quite Frankly]

I know its so simple, and anyone saying otherwise isn't very close to the situation.

Why try to spin it?  You are only trying to make him look more favorable for some reason.  No one is ripping him for leaving, but this continued line of thinking he took some high road as if could stay at the UA forever on a basketball situation is false.

You can try all that 'close to the situation' crap all you want to, but I know what I know.  And I have for quite awhile.  Posted it on several threads too before the season even started.

He jumped before he was pushed.  He would not have a scholie at the UA next year if he stayed. 

It's that simple.  He was just choosing a more graceful exit while he could.

[Baconator]

No Sean Sutton quit because he knew he was going to be fired if he didnt quit.  Nate left the team because he wanted to.

Why was Sutton Jr out recruiting during the days leading up to his departure? To give the next guy a head start? Please.. They fired his a$$. Don't believe the 'mutual agreement' BS Holder is selling.

[Special Delivery Jones]

x

[Hogginitall]

x

Good point. 

[Special Delivery Jones]

Good point. 

I figured it said enough about how I feel about the situation.

[PorkFryRice]

WOOF!

[roundball]

Wow....

How can such a 3 letter word be so informal in this whole argument...hahahaha!

There's no point in trying to make this guy or I guess these guys understand Rakestraw was not going to get his scholarship back.

[Pork Twain]

No Sean Sutton quit because he knew he was going to be fired if he didnt quit.  Nate left the team because he wanted to.

Sure and HDN & Stan left because they found a better jobs