GOOD HOG ALMIGHTY!!!!!!

Is there any end to this? No I'm not talking about violence in the Middle East. I'm not even talking about George Bush's time as our President. Nope, I'm not even talking about Houston Nutt's time as our head coach as the Arkansas Razorbacks (that was done a week ago Monday). I'm talking about the everlasting search for HDN's replacement. Yes I was ready for anyone to replace him after the disappointment of a season that we just experienced despite the defeat of the #1 team in the land, LSU. Somehow they still got in the National Championship game. But back to replacing HDN. Like I said, I would have taken pretty much anyone, but after this past week I'd almost take him back just to end this frustrating process that we've gone through this week. Note that I said almost.

What is it that has caused so much misery this past week? First there was the promise of a big named coach heading up to the Hill to take over the position of Head Hog. But it wasn't to be. First Tommy Tuberville, the Auburn Tigers head coach, was courted, and in turn used said courtship to get a bang up deal at Auburn not only for himself, but for his assistants as well. Then it was on to who else, but one of the Bowden Boys. Tommy Bowden, the head coach at Clemson, was our second choice apparently. He pulled a Tuberville and got himself a better deal at Clemson. It seems the only thing Jeff Long has been good at, in his short time here as Head Hog Headhunter, is helping out coaches get better deals at their current place of employment. There is one silver lining to the Bowden deal that went bad, and that is, did anyone really want him? I surely didn't. A now beleaguered Clemson fan even called up to a local Little Rock radio station, 103.7 The Buzz, and was ecstatic that he was coming to Arkansas, but alas it wasn't to be. Too bad. As far as I was concerned, I'd have taken him over Nutt, but I believe we can do so much better.

So that gets us through yesterday. Today it has been as quiet as it's been since, well since Houston left. Almost eerily so. Is this the quiet before the storm or is this the eye of the storm before the big ending of the storm. Somehow I feel like we are in the midst of a storm and it needs to pass quickly. The longer this search goes on the worse it looks nationally as well as here at home in Arkansas. We need a coach and we need him now. This is a key time in recruiting, which comes to a dead period in just a few weeks. We don't need to settle for second best though. If we are forced to go find the best assistant coach in the land then so be it. There are plenty of good ones out there. The key is finding the best fit for the job. Maybe he's already on the job. Reggie Herring has not hidden his desire to be the next Top Hog, however he appears to be at the bottom of the totem pole. If things keep going as they have this past week, he may be near the top before it's all said and done. Here's to Jeff Long finding the best man for the job. And if he can't do it, then hurry the hell up and hire the Parker Executive Search firm of Atlanta, which John White used to find John Pelphrey, the Hog's current head basketball coach. Of course we all know what happened back then so no need to rehash that. However some are feeling the same emotions as when the search for a basketball coach seemed to hit the same snags that we're now seeing in the football hiring process.

It should all be over soon and hopefully Hog Nation can pull together no matter who the next head coach turns out to be. Really there are only two words that Long and White would probably tell Hog fans at this point. Be patient. Well I've been patient as have most Hog fans and we are quickly losing it. If we don't have a coach by the end of the week, I can see some of them going off the deep end. What does that mean? Could mean banners flying over John White's office, or Freedom of Information requests being sent in to look over his records. If only I were joking. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. I think we'd all just like to move on and look forward to a bright future in Hogland. Be patient. That's what I keep telling myself. You do the same.

GO HOGS!!!!!