What does Houston have to hide?

First off, great job to the Arkansas Democrat Gazzette, and to Wally Hall for writing an outstanding article.

I just want to know why Houston is so upset? Does he have something to hide? I dont know why Houston would get so upset over his brother, Danny Nutt’s, had his payroll information obtained by the Freedom of Information Act by the Arkansas Dem/Gaz.

In case you missed it, here is what Houston had to say: “When you get letters of inquiry, FOIs on your desk, it’s so ridiculous. So ridiculous that somebody would think there’s something there [regarding Danny Nutt ].” Honestly, that is the role of a newspaper.

Why is it ridiculous Houston? If there is nothing to hide, then why worry? This is a perfectly legal thing which has been done, yet you get upset. In my life, I have found that when people get upset over something like this, they are usually trying to hide something. Are you trying to hide something Houston?

Wally Hall is correct, State agencies should be accountable for what happens. Once again, Houston, why are YOU the only ONE getting upset?

http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/204693

Missed Opportunities Highlight UA 2007 Season

Not much I can add to this, I’ll just let Mr. Faldon say what needs to be said!

We’re only halfway through Arkansas’ football season, but the theme for this season is already etched in stone. Call it “What Could Have Been” or “So Close … Again,” but the sentiment is the same: Houston Nutt bungled his way out of posting a legendary and historic season.

The sad part is it all could have been avoided. Don’t run off Mitch Mustain, the only SEC-quality quarterback on campus. Don’t replace Gus Malzahn, a brilliant offensive theorist, with David Lee, an option coach turned Cowboys film splicer on his third tour of duty in Fayetteville.

But now, with three cupcake wins and three SEC losses (Arkansas hasn’t beaten a BCS conference team since Nov. 18, 2006), Nutt has managed to put three bullets in his own foot …

• Ruined Darren McFadden’s Heisman Trophy campaign

Heisman voters are a busy group. Most are either beat writers or columnists who spend Saturdays in a press box somewhere. They might steal a few glances of other games on TV, but otherwise they’re focusing on the game they are attending. Or if their game was earlier in the day, they’re having dinner, spending time with their family or sitting in an airport en route home.

 

So when they see 17 carries, 43 yards and no touchdowns for McFadden in a 9-7 loss at home to Auburn, many voters will scratch him off their short list.

If they dig deeper into the statistics, McFadden will likely slip from the top of their ballots. He’s currently 10th in the nation in total rushing yardage, tied for 28th with just eight rushing TDs and is fourth in average rushing yards per game. Pair those stats with losses to the only real teams on the Arkansas schedule so far, and McFadden could very well wind up watching the Heisman ceremony on TV.

• Blown a chance at a No. 1 ranking

Well, that might be a little stretch.

Arkansas was the No. 21-ranked team in The Associated Press preseason poll. Of the 20 teams ranked in front of Arkansas, only Ohio State is still undefeated.

If Arkansas was undefeated right now (and it should be), at the very least Arkansas would be ranked just behind Ohio State and ahead of South Florida and Boston College. Given the peculiarities and foibles of the poll voters, the Razorbacks could easily be ranked No. 1 ahead of the Buckeyes.

As excited as fans were last season with a No. 5-ranking heading into the LSU game, euphoria and optimism would have been at an all-time high with the Razorbacks at 6-0 today and a top spot in the polls. Considering Arkansas’ three losses were all easily winnable, it’s not that difficult to imagine an undefeated Razorback team at this point of the season.

• Sealed his legacy as a mediocre coach

When the first dissatisfied fans began voicing their disappointment in Nutt, the radio show homers would often reply “Do you want to go back to the Danny Ford and Jack Crowe years!?!” Though they thought they were making a point in Nutt’s favor, actually it was a classic case of damning with faint praise. Yes, Nutt was an upgrade from those coaches. But that’s not saying much.

After the Auburn loss, Nutt’s coaching record at Arkansas is 70-47 (38-37 in the SEC) for a .598 winning percentage. Nutt needs 40 consecutive wins to rub elbows with Frank Broyles’ .700 winning percentage. And it would take a 60-game winning streak for Nutt to move into the company of Lou Holtz (.735) and Ken Hatfield (.760).

In construction, steelworkers will often hold a “topping out” ceremony when the highest beam is reached. They’ll hoist a tree and U.S. flag up to the top of the building to mark the highest point of the construction effort. It’s obvious that a topping out ceremony should have already been held for Nutt’s career at Arkansas. He’ll never go any higher than he did last season. He might get a couple more SEC Championship Game participation rings (aka SEC-West titles), but he’ll never win a true championship.

At this point, the only question remaining about Nutt’s career at Arkansas is how it will end. Does he get fired/bought out of his contract at the end of this season? Or does he scramble to find another Division I coaching job before the ax falls?

http://swtimes.com/articles/2007/10/16/commentary/scott_faldon/faldon01.txt

Nutt: Criticism doesn’t faze him

Wow, that is all I can say. WOW. Houston Nutt is saying criticism does not faze him, yet he makes the comments he made about being here till 2012?
Myself, I think ol Hooten knows his back is against the ropes, so he is trying to come out with a few power punches to back us off of him, but he is worn out, and missing each punch he throws.

I really loved this comment “[Fans ] are not going to help you get better at blocking or tackling,” Nutt said. “All it’s doing, it’s wasted energy. It’s wasted oxygen. Don’t do it. Don’t worry about anything…. When you start worrying about all that, you’re taking away from what you are supposed to do.” Well Houston, what is it you are supposed to do? Let’s see, could it be WINNING FOOTBALL GAMES? You sure as hell are not doing that, so by your own logic, you are letting the criticism faze you!

The thing that gets me the most is how over the years Dale has taken shots at the fans who support his program and pay his paycheck. It as if he is saying “Yeah, I know I’m not doing that great, but Paw Paw says Im here till 2012 no matter what, so screw what you all think, I’m going to be here even if I lose every game this season.”

That is OK. I want to remind Hooten of one thing, PRIDE COMETH BEFORE DESTRUCTION, BRUTHA!

Article can be found  at http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/204546

Real Men of Genious!

Just a little something I wrote up as an ode to Houston Nutt!

(singing) Real Men of Genius

Today we salute you Mr. My Contract Says 2012 Guy

(singing) Mr contract Says 2012 Guy!

When your back was against the wall, fans pissed off at you because you ran talent away and lost your 3rd SEC game Saturday, you come back with “My contract still says 2012. Not 2007, 2009, 2012″

(singing) You let us get to you!

Oh but little do you know, there is a clause which states you can be fired at anytime for any reason

(singing) Whats taking so damn long now?

But the fans also know you have Paw Paw to protect you until Jan 1, 2008. So crack open an ice cold Bud Light oh Professor of Mediocrity, because your spewing of sunshine just gives us more ammo for the banners we’re going to fly!

(singing) Mr contract Says 2012 Guy!

Anheiser-Busch St Louis Missouri

Houston’s Contract Does Not Save Him As He May Think

In reference to the “2012″ comments by Houston Nutt, I hope Houston does not believe he can’t be fired. Below I have posted a section of his very contract, and link to his actual contract. Take a look, you’ll be amazed at what you see!

“By giving written notice to coach the University shall have the right to terminate the Employment Agreement for ANY reason at ANY time.”

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/graphics/coaches_contracts/pdfs/arkansas_fb.pdf

“Turn it loose, let it go. Dont hold anything back now”

Famous words of Houston Dale Nutt from this past Sunday after the Auburn loss. He is going to turn David Lee loose. Well, OK, let’s take a second to reflect on the last time Nutt “turned someone loose”.

Just last season, we heard that Nutt was going to turn some guys loose. They got turned loose alright, turned loose to Tulsa, USC, and a few who planned on joining the Hogs turned to Auburn.

Turn it loose, what a joke. The greatest thing that could be turned loose is this Murry State Mafia that is ruining my beloved program. Face it people, we are back to Danny Ford days. We have gone from First to worst in the SEC West, something NO team has EVER done in one season, yet good ol Houston has managed to do just that with the Hogs, or shall I say he will with a loss to Ole Miss this weekend.

Needless to say, the time has come for New Blood in the Razorback Football Program!

“You’ll see more creativity,” Nutt said. “You will see more. I encouraged David last night, ‘Turn it loose. Let it go. Don’t hold anything back now.’

http://wholehogsports.com/adg/204555

Nutt: “My contract says till 2012″

Well, what can I say? Nutt has all but come out and said “screw you” to those who wants what is best for the program. This comment tells us that all he is concerned with is getting the money that is coming to him. He is not worried about bettering the program, he is not worried about bringing in a better staff, he is just worried about Houston Nutt, and Houston Nutt only.

Why cant those who support this clown see the writing on the wall? The fans are who pay the bills. The fans are pissed, and all Nutt can say is that his contract says he will be here till 2012. That is a “screw the fans who are against me” comment if I’ve ever seen one.

But we should not be surprised. Remember just two years ago, the fans were disgruntled with Nutt. People on message boards and call in shows were being critical of his play calling. And look what happened, we smoke a less than stellar SEC team, and because Casey Dick threw a Touch Down pass, we get the following statements: “I called that play, Chuck! I called some good plays today!”

Nutt says he loves the helmet. To me, loving the helmet means loving the program, and everything involved with the program, which includes the fans. Statements coming from the Head Hog in times like these shows anything but love for the helmet.

What would make the “Darkside” happy?

This was a question posed by a posted on a message board today. He was speaking of the mediocrity aspect of how we darksiders think.

The question posed was “What would you consider not to be mediocrity, and what would make you happy?”

My answer was simply “Consistant winning seasons, with a National presence, and SEC Championships, but not a winning season which was put over the top by a victory over a D1AA or Sun Belt team.

As a fan, I dont think that is too much to ask. I feel we have the facilities, and the tradition to draw quality recruits into the U of A, but our current staff has failed to do so. That is why I feel we have been stuck with mediocrity for the past 10 seasons.

Yes, I know Houston had a great season in 1998, 1999, and 2007, but look at the facts. The seasons in 1998 and 1999 were not Houston’s recruits. When his recruits started surfacing, we went into mediocrity.

“Well what about last season?” you may ask. Let’s look at that as well. You had Gus Malzahn, Mitch Mustain, Damian Williams, and a few other quality players who came into the U of A, started off 8-0, and BAM, the shackles are put on Gus, Mitch is put on the bench, and we start falling right back into mediocrity. Gus and company leave, and we’re doing good to have any wins this season.

Thank God we have played some Sun Belt and D1AA teams this year, or the Hogs may not have a single win so far this season.

What Could Have Been

Oh how close we were. 7-1 vote in favor of Tubberville. Where would the Hogs be today if that vote would have stood, as it should have. 7-1. WOW.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/203960/

John White made one demand, that the vote be unanimous.

If memory serves, there were eight guys on the selection committee, and the first vote was 7-1 Tuberville.

The lone holdout would not be swayed, and the second vote was 6-2.

Over the course of the night, there would be cursing, crying and a number of votes taken.

Rumors floating around about Butch Davis to Arkansas

Butch would certainly be much better than Houston Nutt! Let’s go get him!

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/notebookplus/wb/135567

Speaking of rumors, the talk at the SEC Roundtable on Friday is that Houston Nutt will be out as Arkansas coach after this season and that the Razorbacks are certain to come after North Carolina coach Butch Davis. Maybe I’m just not an SEC guy, but I’ve got to believe UNC is a better job than Arkansas.

Not so, I was told. Arkansas will throw so much money at Davis that he can’t refuse. I still disagree. Davis has a vagabond reputation with some people but I think he fits the North Carolina profile rather neatly. He’s at a program that has underachieved since Mack Brown’s departure and has a chance to create a nice legacy.