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Dec 7th, 2007 01:21AM
by: whatsshakinbacon

Unlock Us
Volume LXXXIV
December 7, 2007

My memories of the Arkansas Razorbacks run deep. It has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. At times it has been a source of heartbreak, other times of joyful ebullience. Some game-days have been filled with frustration, other times an excitement that cannot be described. I remember the celebrations from a 1981 victory over number one Texas. And to this day when I recollect Clint Stoerner’s fumble in Knoxville I relive the emotional drain.

But I cannot recall having ever felt a disdain for our own leadership like I feel today.

With ascension to high positions comes a duty to act responsibly. With it comes a duty to carry out your jobs with loyalty to the organization you have been sworn to serve.

Whatever personal goals you might have must be set aside and you have to act with maturity and selflessness as you guide your organization to honorable conclusion.

This is true of government, civic, capitalist and social organizations. And yes, it is true for those blessed with the great task of leading a university as well.

I am not frustrated that Jim Grobe changed his mind and followed his heart. In fact, I am proud that there are people out there who have an unswerving loyalty that is bigger than self. How easy would it have been to take a one million dollar a year raise without regard to the players and coaches to whom you had made promises? Coach Grobe should be commended, not chastised, for making the decision right for him and his extended family at Wake Forest.

I am proud that people like Butch Davis see the commitment that North Carolina made to him when diagnosed with cancer. A man who in turn honors the Tarheels by staying when the tug to go back home had to be strong.

And I am not frustrated that our coaching search is taking a few days longer than originally expected. Sometimes when you do things right they must be done with attention to detail. To act flippantly with regards to a decision of this gravity is to shirk your responsibility to the university you are sworn to serve.

But what I cannot abide in is this political chess game whereby boosters, trustees and administration are all jockeying for a hire of someone who gains them future insight into a program simply for the ability to brag to their friends that they have a “hotline” to whoever the coach is.

And even worse, there is strong supposition that the next coach will be a candidate of one camp or the other, solely so that camp can control the minutiae of who is hired, who will eat lunch with whom, and which play set should be called in a 4th and 7 situation.

This is a dereliction of duties. To the trustees and administration, you would not know me if I knocked on your door. But I am the average Arkansas Razorback fan. I have given time, money and allegiance to a program I call my own. You, on the other hand, may have more money than me, may be higher ranking than me, and may know more people than me but you are no more important in the grand scheme of Razorback football than the collective group of fans that show up each and every Saturday during the season to support a program we have come to love.

Yet your personal agendas hold a program hostage, bound by handcuffs of individual whims of power.

It is time you think about what is important to you. Is the long term success of our football program a priority, or is it more important that you be satiated by making a hire that favors you.

It is time to make the right decision, and hire a coach that you believe will take Arkansas to the next level. It is time to hire someone that is his own man who answers to you regarding only wins, losses, development of character in young men and graduation rates.

It is time to release the true handcuffs of the Razorback program, yourselves.

Bacon out…