Judging the past & predicting the future... how we mold our perceptions

[CorningHog]

It's very interesting to me that as fans of a football team, at work around co-workers, growing up in our families, so many things in our life we tend to focus on the "bad" or negative things that effected us and point towards those "events" as the defining element about ourselves, others and especially people we know personally.

I thought about this after last week's comments of a close friend and mentor to me said something about Houston Nutt.

He said it was sad that people judge Coach Nutt because of his "emotional" style and the "rah-rah" ways he uses to motivate his players.  My friend made the observation that it is like watching a "preacher" that you hear on TV or in person and because their "voice" changes pitch or gets a little higher with a few more "inflections" at certain points in mid sentence or to better emphasize the subject at hand, we call into question whether this person is genuine or not.  Because we think they are "acting" the part or putting on the "preacher man" that only comes out when on stage or the pulpit.

This stuck with me for a while and I thought about it during most of last week because it is just like gossiping or furthering conjecture and rumors when we begin to state with matter of factness that this person is "this way" all the time.  It made me think about watching what I say or what I agree with.  Especially when it effects how other people view someone and their honesty, integrity or their trustworthiness.

All this said, we as fans can rightfully judge Houston Nutt on the last two seasons.  The results on the playing field are something to measure the success of someone.  That success or lack thereof is not without flaws in some ways since there were issues on the team but it is in many ways justified.  What is not justified is to call into question whether or not he is a "truthful" person and whether he is of good character and integrity.


Personally, I would like to see Coach Nutt just be "matter of fact" about the state of things with the football team.  Sometimes less is more.  I would like him to quit trying to "sugar-coat" the media with the "We're close" and "Not that far off".  "They were bouncing around today". 

Seeing Houston in person around my former coach and seeing him be his normal self it is easier to defend him.  I've heard him speak at church and at the Bentonville/Bella Vista clubs meetings and he can definitely motivate. 

One thing for all of us to remember, he has to be all of the things that a college coach is to his players, his other coaches, his administrators at the University.  He has booster clubs, alumni groups,Razorback Foundation, charities, all the other clubs and groups, organizations that want a piece of his time, the parents of the recruits, the parents of the players, the fans, the media, Frank Broyles, the elite booster, etc...and at the end of the day, he has his family too to take care of.  Husband, father, coach, pr man, all the rah,rah, rah stuff and he puts up with a lot and just because it is for $1.5 million dollars a year or so it does not make him any less prone to the normal ups and downs of living life each day.

Mistakes happen, things don't always go our way.  Blame will be placed.  Sometimes unfairly.  Hopefully we can forgive and forget and live in the "now" and not in the past.  As fans we would all be better served to let things unfold with the next coming football season and enjoy them or be disappointed and as every fan has a right, we can complain but let's leave the personal attacks on any coaches or players out of it, including Coach Nutt.