As The Hog Turns

The Arkansas athletic department continues to wallow in slop (pun intended).

A quick summary of recent events:

Athletic director Frank Broyles was forced to retire, but was allowed to stay until the end of the year.

Men's basketball coach Stan Heath was fired after taking his team to the last two NCAA tournaments. The Razorbacks were arguably the last team selected for the tournament, and were promptly pounded by USC.

In their search for a new coach, the Hogs zeroed in on Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie, who wouldn't return the Hogs' calls. The Razorbacks were forced to look in another direction.

Arkansas then hired Creighton coach Dana Altman to fill the position. On Monday afternoon, he was introduced at a press conference, but then had a change of heart. Apparently, he learned of academic issues and positive drug tests. So, Altman was on a plane that evening for Omaha, and returned to his position at Creighton. The Hogs, meanwhile find themselves looking again for a basketball coach.

On the football side, coach Houston Nutt, hated by many sections of the Razorback Nation, finds himself the target of this report. An Arkansas fan/booster, Thomas McAfee, made a Freedom of Information Act request for Nutt's email and cell phone records. The results are found here: The Nutt House.

Among the charges in the document are of Nutt's alleged affair with a Fayetteville TV news anchor, and his list of text messages to her. My question is (among others): why is he using the school-issued cell phone to text message his lady friend? He surely knows there are people out to get him, and that cell phone records are the type of thing that can be traced. Many of these messages happen to be during the weekend in which Nutt was with his wife, as they were burying her mother in Oklahoma.

Also included in the report is a copy of the infamous email from physical therapist Teresa Prewett to quarterback Mitch Mustain.

This is a circus that would make Barnum & Bailey proud. Razorback Nation is peeved, for good reason.

There is a great Arkansas message board (registration required) at www.hogville.net. Those guys pull no punches.

Billy Clyde

We have an old-fashioned Southwest Conference bidding war between Texas A&M and Arkansas. Program-builder and miracle worker Billy Gillispie is being courted by Arkansas to take over the Hogs' basketball program.

Why would Billy Clyde think about moving to the hills of Arkansas? $$$$. As in $2 million per year. The Texas A&M board of regents are prepared to give him an extension and a sizable raise in order to keep him.

The guy is a recruiting machine, having brought studs into places such as Baylor, Tulsa, and Illinois as an assistant, and in bringing players to UTEP and Texas A&M as a head coach. He's also proven himself as an X's and O's coach. He has taken A&M from 0-16 in the Big XII to the Sweet 16 in three years.

As an OU fan, I hope he stays. It would be bad for the Big XII if he left.

Rumbling In The Hills

From the hills of Arkansas...

It is being reported that Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles, aka "Frank of the Ozarks", is set to announce his retirement.

As they say on the East Coast: Film at 11. Or, in the blog world, more later..

Report from Channel 40/29 in Arkansas

More on the Email Heard 'Round Arkansas

The email from the Little Rock physical therapist to quarterback Mitch Mustain continues to make waves. Columnist Wally Hall addresses it in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

I'm afraid this is a mess that is not going away any time soon.

Meanwhile, Mitch is going to school at the U of A this semester, while looking for a place to transfer.

For those who haven't seen the email, it is here.

This is sad. Arkansas deserves better.

The Email Read 'Round Arkansas

Due to ongoing popular demand, here is a link to the email received by Mitch Mustain, as published last week on this blog.

Arkansas Hot Links

Due to heavy demand, here are the entries for the past week on this blog, regarding the situation at the University of Arkansas:

General Hogspital - The Gus Bus to Tulsa

General Hogspital, continued - The email to Mitch Mustain

Where There's This Much Smoke, There's Got To Be Fire

Where There's This Much Smoke, There's Got To Be Fire

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Razorback Nation is awash in rumors regarding the state of the Arkansas football program. Message boards on sites such as www.hogville.net, www.woopig.net, www.oinkx.com, www.hawgsillustrated.com, and www.arsportstalk.net have been on fire this week, and have been on lockdown, limiting themselves to registered users, in order to preserve bandwidth and to monitor usage. There are a lot of things going on, and a lot of things being covered up. Where there’s this much smoke, there’s got to be fire.

A group of fans raised enough money to take out a 1/2 page ad in yesterday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, calling for the firing of coach Houston Nutt, and the retirement of athletic director/resident fossil Frank Broyles. The text can be found on their website at www.savethehogs.com.

There are rumors flying around regarding the job status of head coach Nutt, and athletic director Broyles. One rumor has Nutt being bought out of his contract, and Butch Davis leaving his new job at North Carolina to come back to the hills of Arkansas, where he has a house. Another rumor has Broyles retiring, and Ken Hatfield coming back to Arkansas as athletic director. These are purely RUMORS. But, there is a lot of stuff flying around.

In my opinion, Frank Broyles is athletic director at the University of Arkansas until he dies. He has a ton of political power, and will use it. I’m no fan of his, but I think he is athletic director for life. As long as Broyles likes Nutt, Nutt will still be the coach. I’d be shocked if Broyles were fired.

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the university Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday in Little Rock. Something may happen, but these are Teflon men we’re dealing with. I look for Broyles to survive, and for Nutt to barely hang on.

Once again, I don’t have a dog in this fight. However, this whole situation looks really stinky. Arkansas deserves better.

From earlier in the week:

General Hogspital, continued. Includes text of alleged email to Mitch Mustain

The Gus Bus to Tulsa, or General Hogspital

General Hogspital, continued

The football program at the University of Arkansas finds itself in turmoil. The fans in the Razorback State find themselves in a state of civil war, due to the resignation of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, and former high school All-American quarterback Mitch Mustain. I outlined the situation in this post yesterday.

Among the events of the past football season, a series of emails were sent to Mustain during the season. One of these is now circulating on the Internet. This particular email was allegedly written by the physical therapist of Arkansas assistant coach Danny Nutt, brother of head coach Houston Nutt. She sent it to quarterback Mustain at his school email address. This physical therapist is close to the Nutt family, and allegedly also sent it to the wife of Houston Nutt, who then allegedly forwarded the email to family friends. The link is to a scan of the email, with some comments from Mitch's mother at the top.

Notice I continue to use the word allegedly. There is the possibility of legal action as a result of similar emails and other actions during this season at Arkansas. Here is the text of the email sent to Mitch Mustain:

Hello Mr. Interception King:

Are you having a good morning? I’m sure you are since your precious name is in the paper again. Why in the Starkville did you come to Arkansas? I’ve been a Hog fan since birth, and a season ticket holder since 1985, and my parents were before that. Who in the Starkville do you think you are? Do you really think because you just walked onto campus that you need to be the starting QB? Competition scares the crap out of you doesn’t it little boy? This is the SEC for goodness sakes, and by watching you attempting to read defenses in the SEC, it is beyond evident that you were nowhere ready. Your completion to interception ratio was a joke, and you have zero leadership abilities. This isn’t Springdale High School anymore, and you need to take your letter jacket off and realize that. This is the real world. Yes, you did win 8 games as a starter, but you were only starting at that point because Casey Dick was hurt. In winning those 8 games, you need to go back to the film room and see that the main reason those games were won was because of McFadden, Jones, the offensive line, and the play of the defense. You did hand the ball off pretty well. You also need to buy Marcus Monk some lunch for saving you another interception against Auburn since the ball was so underthrown. Every once in a blue moon you would throw a touchdown pass, but usually after 3 interceptions. I’m sure you have the talent to become an outstanding QB on the collegiate level, but I hope that it’s not at Arkansas. You can win the Heisman for all I care, but please not as a Hog. Please transfer. All you’ve been since you walked onto campus is a cancer, and your mother is no exception.

You called Coach Nutt a “dork” in your article. Amazing. You know, I was sitting with a large group of people watching your interview that was aired on Game Day before the Tennessee game, you know, the interview where you had on those glasses that made you look like a fag? I’m sure you remember. Anyhow, everyone in that room started laughing, calling you the dork. Why is it that you came to Arkansas again? Was it so your mommie could be close by to change your diaper, or was it because you thought having your lover Gus on the sideline would make playing in the SEC easier? What a joke! Gus can’t even adjust to the speed of the game in the SEC. Do you think Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame would be putting up with your bull crap? God, do I ever wish you would have gone to Notre Dame. Too bad I’m not Coach Nutt today. If so, I’d be having Tim Cheney sew lace around your jock straps, but that would be after I let you hang out face to face in a private meeting with the offensive and defensive lineman – I think I’d even throw Butu in for the meeting. Did I mention that I want you to transfer? Helen Keller could read defenses in the SEC better than you.

Well, I’ve wasted enough time on you today. I’m sure it’s time for your breast feeding. Did I mention that I want you to transfer. The next time you think you and your girls are bigger than any one program – you better think again. I would love for you to be able to have a lengthy conversation with Chris Simms, former QB with the Texas Longhorns. He arrived on campus his freshman year in a limo thinking he was the next All Everything, was a smart ass to his coaches, was selfish, pouty, and the prime example of what a “team” player is not. His teammates couldn’t stand him, the fans grew to hate him, and he never won a championship. He was finally benched for a QB that had won the Big 12 player of the year award the year before. You see, he walked onto campus thinking the starting position should be handed to him without competition, and it was. He didn’t bring it to practice everyday, he was quoted in newspapers showing his lack of character, he blamed everyone else when HE had a bad game….Sound familiar? He never EARNED the respect of his teammates, coaches, fans, etc…He too was a spoiled brat. He was nicknamed by everyone “The Golden Child” because that’s what HE thought he was. Funny how the smaller, more competitive QB named Major Applewhite, with less credentials, came to lead them to a Big 12 Championship. Funny how that works isn’t it?

Grow up little boy. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I want you to transfer?

Teresa

Now, the question is, is that merely smack worthy of Jim Rome, or is that harassment?

I really don't have a dog in this fight. I don't have a hog in this fight, either. Mustain is apparently visiting my school, the University of Oklahoma, in search of a place to transfer. If he comes, great. If he doesn't, I wish him well somewhere else.

This whole thing is such a circus. If you're from Arkansas, you deserve better.

General Hogspital

The soap opera continues in Fayetteville, home of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Orson at Every Day Should Be Saturday compares it to a Spanish telenovela.

Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn resigned this week to become co-offensive coordinator for new head coach Todd Graham at the University of Tulsa. This sounds really crazy, as Arkansas went 10-3 this season, winning the SEC West, and Tulsa is a mid-major program in Conference USA. Why would he make this move? And, why is Hog Nation in mutiny tonight? Why does this matter?

Coach Malzahn was hired this season from the campus of Springdale High School, where his team finished as undefeated state champions and in the top five in the nation in 2005. His Springdale team featured five Division I recruits, including Gatorade National Player of the Year QB Mitch Mustain. Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt was strongly encouraged to hire Malzahn as his offensive coordinator, in an effort to sign Mustain and the other home-grown prospects. There was a problem, however. Nutt favors a run-based offense, and the Hogs had Heisman runner-up running back Darren McFadden. Malzahn is a guru of the Hurry-Up No-Huddle offense (HUNH), and has written a book about it. As could be expected, their philosophies clashed. Malzahn handled the situation with class, even after having his play-calling duties sharply reduced in spite of an 8-1 start.

At the end of the regular season, the parents of the Springdale recruits asked for and got a meeting with resident fossil/athletic director Frank Broyles. Broyles listened to their concerns, and told them that "experts" had told him they didn’t think the HUNH offense would work in the SEC, and that he agreed with them. This wouldn’t be the first time Broyles has interfered with the coaches after retiring as coach-ask Ken Hatfield. The parents were upset, and aired their concerns to the press. Mustain had already made some questionable comments about Nutt during his recruitment, as a local reporter wrote a book on the Springdale championship run. Needless to say, all was not well in Fayetteville, even as the Hogs were having a good season.

A ton of Hog fans are upset, because they feel that Nutt, Broyles, and company lied to Malzahn and the Springdale recruits regarding the offense. They were told the Hogs would throw the ball more, but Nutt did the opposite toward the end of the season, especially after Mustain was benched after going 8-0 as a starter.

So, no-huddle guru Malzahn starts up the Gus Bus and goes down Highway 412 to Tulsa, where he will receive the same $175,000/year salary with the Golden Hurricane. Little ol’ University of Tulsa paying $175,000 for a co-offensive coordinator? There is a lot of old oil money floating around on 11th Street. And, QB Mustain is preparing to follow him down the road.

So, Gus Malzahn, the people’s choice, ends up in Tulsa, and Houston Nutt is more on the hot seat than ever at Arkansas. Nutt turned down the Nebraska job three years ago before it went to Bill Callahan. That’s nuts. He also flirted with jobs at LSU, N.C. State, and Alabama in recent years. But, as long as he does things the Broyles way, he’ll have a job at Arkansas.

This really doesn’t matter outside of the state of Arkansas, and the city of Tulsa. It is an interesting story to follow, however. From everything I’ve read, Gus Malzahn is a really good guy, and deserves success at the college level. As for the Hogs, they are just waiting for Frank Broyles to be escorted out of the athletic building, in one way, shape or form. Their football program will not reach its potential as long as the old man is on the hill in Fayetteville.