In honor of what Razorback basketball used to be we here at The Sports Blitz will be giving you lots of lists when it comes to the Razorbacks and we will even mix in some college basketball this month. Well, this is the month of madness. We are going to start with the 10 greatest basketball teams in Arkansas basketball history.
10. 1989 This team lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to a number four seeded Louisville team. They beat Loyola Marymount 120-101 in the first round of the tournament. The results are not what made this team great, but it was the start of the greatness of Nolan Richardson's Razorbacks. Senior Keith Wilson led this team, but it was three heralded Freshman named Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, and Oliver Miller who were the catalyst of the three consecutive SWC championships and an SEC championship (25-7, 13-3)
9. 1993 This team was led by a Senior named Darrell Hawkins. This guy stepped his game up to lead these baby hogs to the Sweet 16 and a loss to the eventual National Champion North Carolina 80-74. They gave them all they wanted in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Much like the 1989 team this team was the year before greatness. A couple of Freshman had huge impacts on this team. Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman. Most people forget that it was Thurman that had the biggest impact his Freshman year because Williamson was hurt for half the year. These Hogs finished (22-9, 10-6) not great, but they did post a victory at Arizona. Had they beaten North Carolina the 1993 team might have made a run at the national championship.
8. 1983 Eddie Sutton started this tradition in the modern era in baskeball. This is one of Arkansas 10 sweet 16 appearances. This team is not one of Arkansas many conference champions though. There was a team called the Houston Cougars had future NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, but Arkansas gave them some battles. Many of these battles were led by a Notre Dame transfer Joe Klein. Arkansas lost a heart breaker to tournament foe Louisville 65-63 in the sweet 16 as a four seed. This team finished (26-4, 14-2).
7. 1977 This was another team that was before greatness (1978 final four). Have you ever heard of Sidney Moncrief, Marvin Delph, and Ron Brewer? These are the guys that started it all under Eddie Sutton. The only thing about this team is they lost in the first round of the tournament to Wake Forest, but they finished (26-2). The reason they get to be up in the greatest they were the only undefeated (16-0) in conference.
6. 1979 The 1979 team went (25-5, 13-3) and after their final four appearance in 1978 they felt like they could win the whole thing. This was a very good team and went to the tournament as a two seed. Only problem was they had to play a one seeded Indiana State and in that year they had a guy named Larry Bird. In one of the greatest games of all-time in Hog basketball history Larry Bird hit a two pointer (no threes back then) to put the dagger in the hearts of the Hogs. ISU wins 73-71. That shot sent Bird and ISU to the Final Four where they ran into Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Many think that had Bird not hit that shot the Hogs might have been the champs this year.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Let the Madness Begin
I can't wait...
Before anyone can dispute my saying I picked so and so over someone else, I felt I should get some stuff out there. First, without seeing a bracket, I won't pick an absolute champ, but I do have favorites. The three #1 seeds that are locked up, Kansas, Syracuse, and Kentucky, are obviously going to make some noise. I've heard many people say a low seed will make a run this year.
Murray State, Siena, Cornell and Georgia Tech are my four low seeds to watch, but I have one more team I have liked all along, but they are now slated by Joe Lunardi to be a two-seed.
West Virginia (24-6, 13-5).
They play in the Big East, the toughest conference in America, they have big wins over top competition, and they have no "bad" losses. Bob Huggins's style of hard-nosed defense and smart basketball is tournament friendly as well.
So you heard it here first.
Pick your favorites and make sure to get them out there before it's too late, because once Cinderella gets to the ball, nobody will believe you picked them from the beginning!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
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.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Busy Busy Busy
As you can probably tell by the posting patterns, TSB (The Sports Blitz) has had recently, we have been super-busy... The Caldwell's lost a grandfather, and I (Mark) have had job training consume my last couple weeks. Have no fear, however, we haven't gone anywhere!
Since I wrote the Fanatic Approach there has been a swell of negativity beginning to surround the Razorback basketball team. This isn't too surprising though, because of four straight losses, and falling from alone in 1st to fighting for 2nd in the SEC-West. I have lost my leg to stand on in a lot of people's eyes. I said pre-SEC that 5-7 wins in conference would be a great transformation from last year's 2-14 debacle. I also said John Pelphrey deserved another year (at least) because of the way he handled the Courtney Fortson saga and how although the team struggled through the non-conference, they had their floor general back. Now, I don't know anyone who agrees with me.
That's fine, because I'm one of the only rational people I know too.
No offense to you Pel-haters, but none of you look at the biggest picture. You say others, like Mike Anderson, would do more with this team, and that it's time for a change, again. Don't you realize Pel had two years worth of hangover from Stan Heath's last team, including SEVEN players gone after his first season, which happened to be an NCAA tournament team (they beat Indiana in the first round before running into North Carolina?) That team had only three players currently contributing to this year's team; Stefan Welsh, Mike Washington, and Marcus Britt.
Who would expect Pel to do anything with that?
So he tried to recruit quick fixes. Jason Henry, Montrell McDonald, et al... Result? Bomb.
What would you have done? Recruited more stable, reliable players? Enter Rotnei Clarke and Courtney Fortson. You see, Pel has players on the way that can help change the Razorbacks' fortunes. Rickey Scott is leading the Dallas-metro area in scoring, Mardracus Wade and Marvell Waithe should be welcomed additions, and we have seen flashes from Bryant, Farmer, Johnson, and Nobles this season. Marshawn Powell is enough to get flat out giddy about, that dude is a man...
Bottom line, Pel has guys he likes coming in. I know he has yet to fulfill his promise of full-court defense, high intensity basketball, but with his own guys coming in and depth being built, next year will be now or never. If next year's team doesn't make the NCAA's or if Pel is unable to get AT LEAST three of the big-time 2011 recruits targeted (Madden, Mickelson, A. Thomas, etc.), it will be time to reconsider.
I'm all about patience, because starting over just doesn't sound like fun to me. Three more years like the last three would drive me to the crazy house, and I know it would you too... Please, try some positivity, and if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I mean it...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
LeBron #6?
LeBron James says he is going to change his number to six from 23 in honor of Michael Jordan. James states that 23 should be retired all over the NBA because of the greatness Michael Jordan, who is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all-time.
The only problem with this gesture is that he is going from 23 to six and six is the number of the greatest winner in NBA history, Bill Russell. Russell appeared in 13 NBA finals as a Boston Celtic winning 11 of them and winning atleast one as a player/coach, which is unheard of these days.
Of course, honoring Jordan is something that the NBA should probably do. In fact, it had been bantered around to change the NBA logo to the Jordan logo. But shouldn't Russell be honored? Russell won five more titles than Jordan. Of course, these titles come in a different time and it seems competition was much greater in the time of Jordan because Russell was one of the tallest players in the NBA at that time at 6'9." Russell is not to blame for this he played the competition that was put in front of him and absolutely dominated it. Russell is one of the greatest rebounders of all-time, but his greatest attribute is being a great leader of men for this Russell should be honored.
In my opinion James is doing the right thing but if he is going to change his number six is not the number that he should change it to. My suggestion is 2 because by the time he is done he will be considered the 2nd greatest player of all-time.
Monday, March 1, 2010
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