"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequeces of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of it's powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the state."







Monday, February 7, 2011

Most have lost all confidence in John Pelphrey. How long can Jeff Long thumb his nose at the fans?

I've been reading the message boards today and one thing is very clear, Razorback basketball fans are fed up, and they are growing more and more impatient with every passing day.

People have not only lost all confidence in Pelphrey, but they are starting to think Jeff Long is thumbing his nose at them. That can't be an impression Jeff Long wants people having. This is why I feel confident John Pelphrey will be let go this year.

With all the projects going ahead, Jeff Long needs to ensure ticket sales next year in basketball. Let's face it,  if he brings Pelphrey back, even the allure of the incoming kids won't be enough to get ticket sales where he needs them to be.

The fans are without hope right now, and until Pelphrey actually does something, they're not going to waste their time or money. Most people are of the opinion now is the time for change.

If Jeff Long refuses to hear their cry and Pelphrey has another bad season next year. Fans aren't going to blame John Pelphrey for it, they're going to blame Jeff Long for it , you can count on it. People's confidence in him is already starting to erode. Firing Pelphrey next year won't restore it. The damage will already have been done.

Now, if you will, please give me another minute here. If Jeff Long is intended on making the move this year, and it's like I've claimed--- that Mike Anderson is to be avoided at all cost. The manner in which things progress from this moment could be very revealing. I'm going to write some more on this later in the week. I have a few hunches on how this might go down.

But right now let me just challenge you to take note of everything, and forget nothing. What fans need to  realize is the media of this state isn't here to hold Jeff Long and the administration accountable to the fans, they're here to help Jeff Long and the administration sell to the public what they're doing. That's their vested interest---it's their job.

3 comments:

  1. Tim there are a few things you have to realize about your theory regarding Jeff Long and the basketball program in general. The first is, Jeff Long does not have the authority to fire Pelphrey. He may have some influence, but if there is a termination the president of the school and the board of trustees will have to be in favor. Long likely gives such a vote of confidence b/c he's received marching orders from higher up that Pelphrey is here for a certain amount of time, and it likely includes next year unless Pelphrey displays some character issue like Richardson did in his last press conference when he challenged the school to fire him. Broyles did not make that decision by himself and in any large organization the immediate supervisor doesn't make the decision by himself. This isn't some mom and pop hot dog stand we're talking about.


    Next, your theory that Mike Anderson is the answer is one I disagree with first and foremost from a philosphy standpoint. Mike uses that pressing system that I know fans want to see like Richardson did. However, it's kind of like the spread offense in football. The higher levels of competition figured it out after a couple years. Kids want to play in the most prototypical NBA system they can get in to. The press is not an NBA system so Anderson couldn't recruit players here that aspired to be in the NBA, and if he could, it's not a style that is going to go very far in an NCAA tournament and likely would be no more effective then the style Pel runs now. That's why no one does it as their base philosophy besides him, and he rarely offers an upset.

    Last, Arkansas is having a pretty decent year. I agree that Ole Miss and Georgia were tough losses. One thing to keep in mind is that the weather was bad out for both of those games and there were not alot of fans there to root the team on like they are accustomed too. They also had to worry about getting home safely after the game so there are 2 pretty good reasons they didn't win those games. Throw them out, they don't count.

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  2. First of all, they do count. Being a Pelphrey supporter I know you would like to throw them out and forget about them , but that just isn't possible. Not in the real world.

    It's losses like those he's built his mediocrity upon. That's really the only success he's had here---being mediocre. He's an absolute overachiever at that.

    As for your opinion of Mike Anderson and his philosophy, I would say check his record, especially in post season.

    "Not a style that's going very far in the tournament"? That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard in light of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

    thanks for the comments though.

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  3. hawg4life, Mike Anderson took Mizzou to the elite 8 two years ago. That's farther than we have been since 1995

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