Reality on the Darkside for UofA Athletics - Robert Shields

[Robert Shields]

Reality is on the Darkside for UA Athletics

Robert T. Shields

First, an apology to Chuck Neinas who was the hired goon the UofA used during the Great Stadium Debate back in 2000 to recommend that all games be moved to Fayetteville. And don't get excited that this is another one of my diatribes on the GSD because it's not.

I laughed and mocked Neinas for his presentation, and in particular his drawn comparison between the Razorbacks and Rutgers. I could not believe the guy even thought the two programs were comparable and thought it showed his lack of understanding on the situation. I look now and the two programs are very comparable as Rutgers is headed to a bowl game and the Razorbacks stay at home and try to patch its coaching staff again.

Now back to the negativity that I am consumed by because of the current state of the Razorback athletic department. I wrote a year ago that Oklahoma State's athletic program was in much better shape. Despite Les Miles' departure to LSU and a down year for the football Cowboys, I say the two are not even at the same level anymore. OSU basketball is still one of the top programs in the country, and they even do it without all the new facilities we keep being told will bring us to the promised land.

Fans have two perceptions right now of the Program -- one being things will be all right and the other being the sky has already fallen and landed in Fayetteville. But there can only be one truth.

One side calls the positive people "sunshine pumpers," while the sunshine pumpers call the negative ones "darksiders." I am afraid reality is on the darkside. Your Program is sunk right now, not sinking. The only way to bring it back to positive floatation is pulling the complete athletic department out by the wiring.

Again, to save a team that went 4-7 last year, the answer in the offseason was to hire a high school coach. Unbelievable, to people outside the program. Several writers from outside the state called it risky to assume that Gus Malzahn will step into the SEC in his first year and jump to the proficiency level of his peer group of Al Borges at Auburn, Dave Rader at Alabama, Jimbo Fisher at LSU, David Cutcliffe at Tennessee, Urban Meyer at Florida, Mark Richt at Georgia, and Steve Spurrier at South Carolina. Now that is a huge leap of faith, or maybe it is just desperation.

Your recruiting class is in shambles after the decommittment of Mitch Mustain (and he has decommitted even if Rick Schaeffer can't bring himself to say the words on Drive Time Sports). Just a couple of weeks ago the Hogs had only six verbal commitments with just a little over a month to go. Most of the hay should have already been put away in the barn, which leads me to believe the coaching staff will have to go out on a limb on many players of questionable ability.

Razorback basketball has also fallen on hard times, basically missing NCAA play for going on almost half a decade. The numbers have fallen in attendance as well as ticket sales. The brand of basketball is boring and key victories have been few or none.

The quotes from the athletic director being laisez faire about falling attendance because he looks at the "bottom line" is disturbing. I always knew money was king up on the hill but to admit is frightening. As a fan you do not matter, what matters is the folding money. (And what exactly they are spending all this money on is a topic for another column because I sure don't see many returns other than the big stadium with 10,000 empty seats every game.)

However, I hear more and more people talk about spending their own folding money on something else, which is bad timing in the Program's darkest hours.

The media keeps misleading you, though, and the sunshine pumpers think that this high school coach is the answer to the football team's woes. Remember, this is the same media that has its hands in the Program's pockets. No conflict of interest in that relationship.

Again, I just don't believe Malzahn as offensive coordinator is what Houston Nutt wanted. It is forced change, not learned change, from Nutt.

All this reads like a soap opera of some grand scale out of a novel that could be titled Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It's like all these players in this soap opera attend the same very evangelical church in Springdale where the council of elders led by the pastor makes all the decision for your Program.

Notre Dame has the Vatican, Arkansas has an evangelical church in Springdale.

I have to wonder if the Springdale church council has an even grander plan for the new offensive coordinator they are so proud of right now. Nutt watch your back even while you are in church.



Tell me what you see in the Garden after Midnight at fromthebench@yahoo.com.

[hoggystyle78]

Thanks for the read FullMetal, I got on here right after Gus was hired and most of the people on here, even the ones bitching, suddenly were happy with the program and its direction. I have preached and preached that while hiring Gus could turn out to be a positive step for the program, there are many more problems which need to be addressed, recruting in particular at this point. As long as nutt is in control, we will be out of control. I agree with Robertfire em all, except Gus and let's get a coach in here that knows what they're doing. I geuss we as fans will have at least one more year to watch this circus unfold and to watch our program slip yet a little farther into the depths of despair.

[PulledPork]

Good Post, My Man!


Glad to see some of our thoughts and concerns are making it too the outside (mainstream media) world.

[Coacht]

If HDN didn't select GM as the OC, then was he lieing to us in the press conference when announcing GM? I believe him to tell us it was his desision and he spent allot of time making this decision and he thought he was the best man for the job.

[PulledPork]

If HDN didn't select GM as the OC, then was he lieing to us in the press conference when announcing GM? I believe him to tell us it was his desision and he spent allot of time making this decision and he thought he was the best man for the job.

consider yourself lied to.........

[bdutt]

It's absurd to think that in part, a church in Springdale controls Razorback Athletics.

[hogsanity]

I agree with the part about completely re-=wiring the athletic dept.  I said a few weeks ago, that the only long term solution may very well be to fire them ALL.  Start over with OUTSIDE people.  But this is Arkansas, ans that isnt going to happen at the UA or any other entitiy even remotely related to the govt.  TOo inbred, too good ole boy connected to allow in them dad blamed carpetbaggers from outside. 

As for GUs.  I like it because it will do one of 2 things.  It will either show he is a good hs coach or it will show he is a good coach.  A good coach should be able to improve what he has to work with.  I am not saying the O suddenly starts racking up 500yds per game, but if he is good it will improve. 

[nwarazfan]

It's absurd to think that in part, a church in Springdale controls Razorback Athletics.

Its also naive to dismiss its influence especially on this Malzahn as OC hire.  A number of well connected members have been enamored with Gus for years.   Ask Opine.

[bdutt]

It's absurd to think that in part, a church in Springdale controls Razorback Athletics.

Its also naive to dismiss its influence especially on this Malzahn as OC hire. A number of well connected members have been enamored with Gus for years. Ask Opine.

They also have jobs so maybe we should say that people with jobs are the one's with all the influence. Jeesh, to think that congregants of a baptist church decided to lean on JFB so he would hire GM is crazy. It's a church, not the Free Mason's

[nwarazfan]

It's absurd to think that in part, a church in Springdale controls Razorback Athletics.

Its also naive to dismiss its influence especially on this Malzahn as OC hire. A number of well connected members have been enamored with Gus for years. Ask Opine.

They also have jobs so maybe we should say that people with jobs are the one's with all the influence. Jeesh, to think that congregants of a baptist church decided to lean on JFB so he would hire GM is crazy. It's a church, not the Free Mason's

Believe what you will.  This is similar to the good ole boy network hire that got us Nutt when he had an entourage from LR campaigning for him. 

[lumphog]

Good read, and sooooooooooo TRUE

[razorback4life]

It's absurd to think that in part, a church in Springdale controls Razorback Athletics.

Its also naive to dismiss its influence especially on this Malzahn as OC hire. A number of well connected members have been enamored with Gus for years. Ask Opine.

They also have jobs so maybe we should say that people with jobs are the one's with all the influence. Jeesh, to think that congregants of a baptist church decided to lean on JFB so he would hire GM is crazy. It's a church, not the Free Mason's

Believe what you will. This is similar to the good ole boy network hire that got us Nutt when he had an entourage from LR campaigning for him.

Isn't it interesting that some of the "entourage" that was campaigning back then are now some of the very ones who want a change. 

[Hawgon]

This good ole boy network is running our school into the ground.  Gus Malzahn should not have been hired as OC for one reason only.  It makes UA look like a second rated loser of a school.  Big time schools with big time programs do not hire high school coaches as coordinators.  Period.  It really doesn't matter how smart or well Gus does from this point, it was not a good hire from a national public relations viewpoint.  If we truly wish to be in the big time, then we need to act accordingly.  National perception and outside of the state recruiting will suffer.  The saddest thing about it is, that despite his lack of qualification, he will be a significant improvement on the status quo.  Sad, that we have agreed to settle for that.

Fire every damn person in the athletic administration and start over from scratch.  It has gone on too long.  Get used to it.  We are a bunch of losers.  We are what we are perceived to be nationally.  We have no defense.

[sooie dog]

Fire every damn person in the athletic administration and start over from scratch. It has gone on too long. Get used to it. We are a bunch of losers. We are what we are perceived to be nationally. We have no defense.

Sad but true. 

[Calvin N Hawgs]

Nice read, too bad for us true fans though, huh?

[othermac]

if nutt has indeed been forced to hire malzahn as oc,then he is nothing more than a pretender, that would have to be a lethal blow for any head coach to be told who he must hire. of course when your chosen field relies heavily on heavy contributions from influential peoples, politics come into play.still, i have a hard time believing a head coach could accept this type of proposal and keep his head on straight, he would be better off leaving in order to maintain his dignity.

[stan the man]

If "The Church", as has been mentioned in the above threads, is all powerful, the football program would have committments from Mitch, Damien, as well as Norman because all three go to "That Church".

[Tusks]

if nutt has indeed been forced to hire malzahn as oc,then he is nothing more than a pretender, that would have to be a lethal blow for any head coach to be told who he must hire. of course when your chosen field relies heavily on heavy contributions from influential peoples, politics come into play.still, i have a hard time believing a head coach could accept this type of proposal and keep his head on straight, he would be better off leaving in order to maintain his dignity.

Hate to tell you but HDN has been pretender from the first day he set foot on campus.  Too bad you and some of the fans are just now realizing it.

[nwarazfan]

If "The Church", as has been mentioned in the above threads, is all powerful, the football program would have committments from Mitch, Damien, as well as Norman because all three go to "That Church".

Theory is a little flawed.  These players are wanted by the UA plus many other college programs.  They have options so the members have no need to influence the UA to take them.  How many college options did Gus have?

[razorback4life]

If "The Church", as has been mentioned in the above threads, is all powerful, the football program would have committments from Mitch, Damien, as well as Norman because all three go to "That Church".

Theory is a little flawed. These players are wanted by the UA plus many other college programs. They have options so the members have no need to influence the UA to take them. How many college options did Gus have?

Gus had several options, not just Arkansas.

[Anon2]

Is Robert Shields somebody?

[claycohog]

He's SOMEBODY who is telling it like it is.  (Sorry Wally)

[Biggus Piggus]

Cheap shots from Shields:

1) Again, to save a team that went 4-7 last year, the answer in the offseason was to hire a high school coach.

2) Just a couple of weeks ago the Hogs had only six verbal commitments with just a little over a month to go. Most of the hay should have already been put away in the barn, which leads me to believe the coaching staff will have to go out on a limb on many players of questionable ability.

3) Razorback basketball has also fallen on hard times, basically missing NCAA play for going on almost half a decade. The numbers have fallen in attendance as well as ticket sales. The brand of basketball is boring and key victories have been few or none.

4) (And what exactly they are spending all this money on is a topic for another column because I sure don't see many returns other than the big stadium with 10,000 empty seats every game.)

5) Notre Dame has the Vatican, Arkansas has an evangelical church in Springdale.

[nwarazfan]

If "The Church", as has been mentioned in the above threads, is all powerful, the football program would have committments from Mitch, Damien, as well as Norman because all three go to "That Church".

Theory is a little flawed. These players are wanted by the UA plus many other college programs. They have options so the members have no need to influence the UA to take them. How many college options did Gus have?

Gus had several options, not just Arkansas.

Please educate me on what other BCS conference schools were interested in him being a coordinator or at least position coach.  No Gulf South or Gateway Conference schools either.

[razorback4life]

If "The Church", as has been mentioned in the above threads, is all powerful, the football program would have committments from Mitch, Damien, as well as Norman because all three go to "That Church".

Theory is a little flawed. These players are wanted by the UA plus many other college programs. They have options so the members have no need to influence the UA to take them. How many college options did Gus have?

Gus had several options, not just Arkansas.

Please educate me on what other BCS conference schools were interested in him being a coordinator or at least position coach. No Gulf South or Gateway Conference schools either.

Go back and read your question that I answered again. 

[nwarazfan]

So you can't name any but the opportunities existed?

[razorback4life]

So you can't name any but the opportunities existed?

Yes.

[nwarazfan]

Is it that you don't know or won't say?  Sounds like spinning to me.

[razorback4life]

Is it that you don't know or won't say? Sounds like spinning to me.

I don't believe there was anything official but he did have more options other than Arkansas.

[HognotinMemphis]

Cheap shots from Shields:

1) Again, to save a team that went 4-7 last year, the answer in the offseason was to hire a high school coach.

2) Just a couple of weeks ago the Hogs had only six verbal commitments with just a little over a month to go. Most of the hay should have already been put away in the barn, which leads me to believe the coaching staff will have to go out on a limb on many players of questionable ability.

3) Razorback basketball has also fallen on hard times, basically missing NCAA play for going on almost half a decade. The numbers have fallen in attendance as well as ticket sales. The brand of basketball is boring and key victories have been few or none.

4) (And what exactly they are spending all this money on is a topic for another column because I sure don't see many returns other than the big stadium with 10,000 empty seats every game.)

5) Notre Dame has the Vatican, Arkansas has an evangelical church in Springdale.

By "cheap shots", are you saying they are mean or wrong or both? I think it's a nail on head thing.

[PorcineSublime]

This good ole boy network is running our school into the ground.  Gus Malzahn should not have been hired as OC for one reason only.  It makes UA look like a second rated loser of a school.  Big time schools with big time programs do not hire high school coaches as coordinators.  Period.  It really doesn't matter how smart or well Gus does from this point, it was not a good hire from a national public relations viewpoint.  If we truly wish to be in the big time, then we need to act accordingly.  National perception and outside of the state recruiting will suffer.  The saddest thing about it is, that despite his lack of qualification, he will be a significant improvement on the status quo.  Sad, that we have agreed to settle for that.

Fire every damn person in the athletic administration and start over from scratch.  It has gone on too long.  Get used to it.  We are a bunch of losers.  We are what we are perceived to be nationally.  We have no defense.

What has happened in the last two to three years to make you think that anyone other than the fans have any interest in "the big time"? This program is, and has in the recent past been, about "the big bucks", who brings them in and how he can use the dept. to make him self a player. This soap opera has spiraled out control and I don't see it changing without a total overhhaul. You are correct, fire them all (maybe we let JFB retire gracefully). Too sad.

[stan the man]

I understand that Gus, MM, DW and AN have other options.  My point is, that the curch in Springdale  has absolutely no influence on their decisions just because they happen to go there.

[PulledPork]

I understand that Gus, MM, DW and AN have other options. My point is, that the curch in Springdale has absolutely no influence on their decisions just because they happen to go there.

God works in mysterious ways........

[HogFansReunited]

Cheap shots from Shields:

1) Again, to save a team that went 4-7 last year, the answer in the offseason was to hire a high school coach.

2) Just a couple of weeks ago the Hogs had only six verbal commitments with just a little over a month to go. Most of the hay should have already been put away in the barn, which leads me to believe the coaching staff will have to go out on a limb on many players of questionable ability.

3) Razorback basketball has also fallen on hard times, basically missing NCAA play for going on almost half a decade. The numbers have fallen in attendance as well as ticket sales. The brand of basketball is boring and key victories have been few or none.

4) (And what exactly they are spending all this money on is a topic for another column because I sure don't see many returns other than the big stadium with 10,000 empty seats every game.)

5) Notre Dame has the Vatican, Arkansas has an evangelical church in Springdale.

How were these cheap shots?  Sounds like the truth to me.

[Vidikron]

So what exactly is new in this article?  It's like a recap of this board or something.  Maybe the Gus hiring will fail, who knows, but if it works a lot of people are going to be eating crow.

[Swino]

So what exactly is new in this article? It's like a recap of this board or something. Maybe the Gus hiring will fail, who knows, but if it works a lot of people are going to be eating crow.

That isn't the point.. Most believe that Gus has everything he needs to succeed.  He just happens to have a coaching culture that is geared to make him fail.  He is the forced change on the staff, which is the most disturbing tidbit of information that we have.  Remember, HDN was forced to fire Wommack last year as well, he couldn't even see that a change was needed.  Houston "Jabba the" Nutt didn't believe that the staff needed changing last year nor this year.  Jim Lindsey and his parrot JFB are making forced changes to a coaching staff where the HC doesn't even realize the need.  Not only does Houston not realize it, he resists it!  He believes he has the best, which is his biggest flaw.  We are getting out coached and out recruited more and more as Houston stays at the helm, see a pattern?  The AD and frank broyles don't,  or they don't care.   

The University of Arkansas stopped being about winning the day Houston was hired, it is all about the $$ now.

[lunchbox72703]

This article was an ode to message boards....complete with terms like "sunshine pumper" and "darksider".  Tip your hat, fellow message boarders, cuz you were acknowledged in the press.   

[Vidikron]

I know, I agree with most of what you said.  I just didn't really see the point in writing the article.  Everything he said has been said over and over already.  It's just getting old.  Like I said, if I wrote a re-cap of what is said on this forum it would turn out just like that article.  Anyway, in the couple of arcticles Shields has written where he mentions Gus he really comes off negative toward him.  We actually had a little debate via e-mail after his first article about Gus.  I just wish people would lay off him and see what happens.  But, yeah, like everyone else I want Nutt gone too... but that apparently isn't going to happen this year so I just hope I don't have to read this same crap for the next 8 months.

[snoutface]

Is Robert Shields somebody?

I'd like this question answered as well- with sources please!

[Extra Point]

I wrote a year ago that Oklahoma State's athletic program was in much better shape. Despite Les Miles' departure to LSU and a down year for the football Cowboys, I say the two are not even at the same level anymore. OSU basketball is still one of the top programs in the country, and they even do it without all the new facilities we keep being told will bring us to the promised land.

Well, this blew the credibility of the article with me.

OSU has NEWER facilities in their football stadium and basketball arenas.  They are not as great as ours, IMO, but they are newer.  They also want to redo their baseball field but money is not as readily accessible in Stillwater.

And OSU does have a great b-ball program, but that is due to having a legendary coach.  When the opportunity arose for us to hire another legendary coach, the butt cheeks clinched up and Frank only wanted to pay $800k.  Bill Self laughed at the salary I'm told.

BTW, I think it violates copyright law to cut and paste an article...need a link.