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SIDELINE ARCHIVE Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU October 17, 2008 Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks October 15, 2008 Weekend Prep: Red River and More October 10, 2008 College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend October 9, 2008 Gramatical Error October 7, 2008 Turning The Page September 30, 2008 So Cal 'Quizzed — But Who Will Answer? September 26, 2008 3rd Tuesday Panic Button / Forté Yard Dash September 23, 2008 Two and Oh; Oh and Two September 22, 2008 No More NCAAffeine September 11, 2008 Week 1 College Football September 6, 2008 How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco September 1, 2008 Why the Favre story STILL won't go away August 18, 2008 Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant August 14, 2008 Committee Meetings August 9, 2008 Let the QB Battles Begin August 8, 2008 Slinging The Slinger — More Favre August 6, 2008 Welcome to the 2008 season July 28, 2008 Plus One May 27, 2008 Draft: The Morning After April 28, 2008 Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable April 25, 2008 Draft: Ready For The Long Haul April 23, 2008 Sofa–bound Sport April 16, 2008 Post–Winter Wonderland April 11, 2008 Six Impossible Things February 4, 2008 Brady's Misdirection Play February 3, 2008 Colorful Language January 23, 2008 Let the Romo–bashing begin: Dallas lost January 14, 2008 Bowl Bites: The Wrap January 10, 2008 All About The Coaches January 1, 2008 Bowl Bites 3 and A Communication Breakdown December 29, 2007 Bowl Bites 2 December 27, 2007 Bowl Bites 1 December 23, 2007 The Empty Chair - Coach Situations Vacant December 22, 2007 For Some, The Playoffs Are Now December 15, 2007 A Certain Lack Of Welcome December 13, 2007 Unrelated Notes November 29, 2007 Two Thanksgiving thoughts November 22, 2007 Halftime: NFC November 9, 2007 Halftime: AFC November 8, 2007 London, Part 2 / A Tale of Two Chads / A Game of Intimidation November 4, 2007 Damp Squib / Other London Notes October 29, 2007 Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath October 23, 2007 The Dolphins Did What? October 18, 2007 Notes on the Defenses October 13, 2007 Habits to be Broken October 12, 2007 Overtime October 13, 2007 This Week's Starters October 6, 2007: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football September 27, 2007: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue September 24, 2007: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy September 21, 2007: Leftwich's Parting Gift to Jacksonville? / Boos cruise September 18, 2007: Notre Dame M.I.A. September 16, 2007: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1 September 12, 2007: Best Hope For Heisman September 10, 2007: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy September 7, 2007: The NFL’s Prime Cuts September 5, 2007: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps September 3, 2007: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud September 1, 2007: |
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SPORTS SIDELINE 
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale A Certain Lack Of Welcome The past few weeks produced a couple of coaching changes that have surprised me — and both have related to the University of Arkansas. Neither was exactly shocking, and both had been suggested by observers, but the timing of one of them caught me out. The first created the vacancy: Houston Nutt resigned as coach of Arkansas. The Razorbacks had started the season poorly, losing three SEC games to fan the heat under his seat. They finished the season 8–4, on the periphery of Top 25 ranking, but with an impressive win over top–ranked LSU, who may yet end up as national champions. Perhaps it was the fact that Nutt was unable to elicit such a performance from the Razorbacks throughout the season that made him resign, or perhaps it was just the grind of speculation that he might go. Perhaps he just knew that Ole Miss was beckoning, and he likes the opportunity to coach at a program of equal stature, where the atmosphere is more welcoming, and where he has the opportunity to regularly go against his old team. And who could blame him? It isn't much to ask that somebody who is good at their job (75–48 at Arkansas, 111–70 overall) gets to work somewhere they feel wanted. My surprise at his departure comes from the fact that he wasn't made to feel happier with the win over LSU, that somehow that didn't erase the frustrations of the earlier part of the season. I can only guess that Nutt sensed lingering reservations. Then the vacancy was filled: Bobby Petrino, who was coach of Louisville only last year, gives up his NFL job with the Atlanta Falcons after only 13 games to return to the college ranks. The timing of this one really threw me. Only the night before (or because of time differences, earlier that morning from my perspective), Falcons owner Arthur Blank had volunteered to appear in the Monday Night Football booth, and —read Louisville's Brian Brohm – they chose in next year's draft. Meanwhile out on the field, Louisville alum Chris Redman was making the best of a losing effort. Nothing suggested that Petrino would be gone within 24 hours. Three things trouble me about Petrino's decision to quit the Falcons. The first is the quit. I don't like the fact that with the upheaval the Falcons have suffered this season, Petrino walked out after 13 games. The second thing that troubles me is that he's going to Arkansas with greater expectations than Houston Nutt had, but likely won't have Darren McFadden. At least at the Falcons, expectations were bargain–basement after Michael Vick's troubles emerged. But the thing that really troubles me is that after several veteran players set against Petrino or had run–ins with the coaching staff early on in the Falcons season – DeAngelo Hall and Alge Crumpler spring to mind – it ends with the coach blinking first. I get the impression that the players basically ran Petrino out of town, starting early enough in the season that you can't point at the 3–10 record and say it was anything to do with that. It seems to me that at some level the Falcons are still in denial. Hall was a Virginia Tech alum, like Michael Vick, and Crumpler was Vick's favorite target. Even when Roddy White scored this past Monday, he lifted his jersey to reveal a 'Free Mike Vick' T–shirt underneath. This news just in, Rod: Michael isn't going to be freed, because he didn't reach the standards society sets. And if scoring touchdowns for a living sets a different standard, it has to be a higher one, not a lower one. I believe there is still an element within the Falcons team that hasn't finished smarting from having their franchise quarterback taken away from them. And until they stop sulking, until they stop living in denial, until they are ready to accept that a new franchise quarterback WILL arrive without resenting the coach that brings him in, the Falcons won't move forward. And no coach is going to feel comfortable coaching them. |
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