40 Minutes of Pel has to go

A once proud Arkansas program has fallen to a point that in 1994 people would have laughed you to scorn.  Yeah, I know it's not 1994 anymore.  In fact, 1994 might as well be 1894 or 1794 as far as the Arkansas basketball program is concerned.  

Now, if you have read this blog before I admit I have said that Pelphrey  should stay, but the sad truth is he is not getting it done as the Razorback head coach.  The rich history of Arkansas basketball goes back before Eddie Sutton or Nolan Richardson with a final four appearance in 1941.  Houston Nutt got a free pass with two consecutive losing seasons in football, but consecutive losing seasons in basketball is inexcusable especially with non conference games against the Morgan State's of the world.  

I know that he has had suspensions and just a string of bad luck, but he has recruited these players.  He took some chances last year that ended up blowing up in his face with Montrell McDonald, who had already been dismissed at George Washington University and Jason Henry, who was supremely talented but just could not stay out of trouble.  Henry would have made a difference on this team. It just does not seem that Arkansas gets the most out of it's players consistently.  The same problems seem to rear their ugly heads such as bad defense or bad turnovers, but more importantly bad attitudes.  Look at Tennessee.  They dismissed their best player and suspended others only days before they played the #1 Kansas Jayhawks only to win.  

Do you realize that Arkansas has been on three seperate four game losing streaks during this season?  At the University of Arkansas that is not acceptable. The acceptable improvement would have been the NIT this season and the Hogs were in position to be there but the effort has started to wain much as it did last year.  Now most likely the NIT is not going to happen. Isn't the mark of a good coach somebody who can figure out a way to stop the bleeding?

I know the talent has to be there, but this same talent won five games in a row in the SEC.  I like John Pelphrey, and I may look back at this post with regret some years from now. The fact is he has a slightly lower winning percentage than he had at South Alabama (.544 at USA and .536 at U of A).  The days of Nolan Richardson may never be seen again in this state but Arkansas should be the best program in the SEC West and number two in the SEC after Kentucky.  That is just not the case.  Sadly Stan Heath had the program going in a better direction than Pelphrey with two straight NCAA appearances before his firing.  

I don't know if he is the answer but if Arkansas does not do it's dead level best to go after Mike Anderson at Missouri it would be a mistake.  He plays the style of basketball that is Arkansas basketball.  One that is sorely missed.