CHANGE IS GOOD

Ah, the winds of change are in the air. Whether it's politics or the sports world, change is what it's all about today. At least in the Hog sports world. In the last year there has been a lot of change on the Hill. Maybe change is too small of a word, upheaval may be a better term to use. Either way there is no denying that the winds of change have been as strong as the many tornadoes that came through our state this last Tuesday. Let's review this past year a bit and you'll see just what I mean, if you don't already, and then you can decide if these changes are for the good, or not.

Well the first change, or at least the first announcement of change to come, was of course our long tenured "King of the Hill" Frank Broyles announcing his retirement back in February. This is easily the biggest change on the Hill since, well, probably ever. He was much larger than the program itself, most believed. He was probably the most recognized man in the state, moreso than the governor, and probably the most revered man as well. Of course that's not to say he didn't have his detractors as well, there were many of them as well. His announcement was unbeknownst to us all at the time, only the beginning of much change to come on the Hill.

The second change that was to come turned out to be on the basketball court. Stan Heath was fired a little more than a month after Frank had made his announcement. This came after a tumultuous season of basketball that brought more wins but fewer butts in the seats and an ending that left all desiring a little big more. Apathy had set in as could be seen in the dwindling numbers at Bud Walton Arena and in the lack of interest in our own once proud state. Of course we all know the soap opera that went on over the next few weeks as Frank tried to get his man and failed, and then we thought we had our man and he left the next day. They ended up hiring a head hunting firm and got our man John Pelphrey, and well, the rest so far is history. To this point he has impressed many, and has gotten the Hogs into a tie for first place in the SEC West and has started with the best SEC record that we've seen in 10 years. I'd definitely say this change was for the better.........So far. We'll see how things go in the NCAA Tournament as that will be how many judge him; comparing him with his predecessor.

The next change was probably seen coming better than the others, even though it was a long time in the making. One that was surrounded by a constant drama that even the greatest screenwriters couldn't make up. It had scandal, intrigue, lies, textual relations, obsessed lesbian boosters, scathing emails to a superstar QB, incensed fans searching for the truth, and so much more. It precipitated the aforementioned resigning of Frank Broyles and the future resignation of one John White, the chancellor of the University of Arkansas. But first it would take out the main character of this drama, Houston Nutt. Yes two days after beating the LSU Tigers, the number one team in the nation, Houston Nutt had the "golden handcuffs" taken off and he "resigned". Don't laugh, that's how they portrayed it. But we all know what happened. He did get a nice package deal and was on his way to Ole Miss........The very next day.

Well we all know that once again the search for a replacement went awry, more than a few times. We thought we had our new head coach on a few occasions, first it was Tommy Tuberville, then it was Tommy Bowden, then it was Jim Grobe, then it........Well you get the picture. By this time our athletic director in name was nowhere to be found, and the new man on the Hill, Jeff Long, was doing the directing. He was only a consultant to John White or so we were told, but really for all practical purposes, he was the new AD, if not in an official capacity, it was known when we finally found our new head coach, Bobby Petrino. All you have to do is watch the press conference below to see how much of a presence Broyles was in the hiring of our new head coach. He wasn't even there. So we really have Jeff Long to thank for the great hire. It was iffy to say the least for a few crazy weeks there, but in the end I think we will all be pleased.

Most if not all Hog fans thought the change ended there. What more could be done? We had our new AD who so far had done a tremendous job in the little time that he had been on the job, you had Petrino come on the scene and jump right into recruiting, you had a new basketball coach. Truly it was a topsy-turvy time to say the least. But one more change was/is coming. John White the person that really has been one of the most controversial people in the midst of all of this change, has also "decided" to step down. Effective June 30th, his tenure as the UA's Chancellor will be over. The man that once tried to take down Frank Broyles, and failed, and then finally got the job done this last year, will be taken down with him. Yes he has put a face on his resignation, as a family decision, but so was Frank's. Even though he said he'd be around as long as he was able. John White has stayed long past his welcome, and his nosiness in the athletic department leaves me with a feeling of joy as he rounds out his time here. I will not miss him whatsoever. His replacement would do well to keep his nose in the world of academia and leave the athletic directing to Long. That was what he was hired for and now maybe he'll be left alone to do his job in peace. The landscape on the Hill has changed dramatically in just a short time. We won't know exactly how these changes will turn out as far as if they are good long term changes, but in the short term they have been awesome.

Like I said earlier the basketball team is doing great, the football recruiting season just ended with the Hogs having the best class, on paper, that we've had in a long time. Of course I don't buy into all of the ratings. We won't know how good this class is for at least 2 or 3 years and probably longer. But the job that Petrino did under the circumstances that he had to deal with makes this highly rated class that much more impressive. And it proves to me that much more the great job that Long has done, and makes me think that Long was the right decision. The decision to make him the man to lead us to the next level was probably the biggest change and the best so far and certainly that won't be the last change that will be made. But it will be the most meaningful as we go further into this still young 21st century.

Hog Nation has survived this tumultuous time and thrived despite this change all coming in such a short time. Most, if asked, would say that this much change would probably mean a program was in disarray. Well I'd agree with that, it was and has been for some time. But it has done what was necessary and cut out the cancer, and the healing has begun. Faster than some would have thought. And now it is time for Razorback Nation to move on and enjoy the change that has taken place and the fruits of said change. I know I am. Will you join me?