Blogging Break

I said this in the last post but wanted to bring it up top.

This blog is on vacation until April 30th. I'm heading to AR to close on our house.

Ya'll take care.

Best,

Pappa

This Blog Has Been Pretty SERIOUS the Last Few Days!!!

Let's move on to more jovial thoughts.

Here's a few stupid things that drive me crazy:

1. Waking up to my dog licking herself: Is there anything worse than waking up at 2 AM to a steady "slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp" noise only to look over and see your dog's nose buried so deep in her own butt that you wonder if she considered plumbing as a second career? Don't get me wrong. If I could....well, I won't go there.

2. Decorative pillows: Mamma has these damned decorative pillows she puts on our bed every day. There's only like, ohhhh I don't know, 500 of them. This is all fine, except that they're a pain in the rear to take off and they then get stored ON MY SIDE OF THE BED!!! Getting up to go to the bathroom at night is like walking through a minefield installed by a male florist. As Homer Simpson would say, "Stupid decoration."

3. Cat's meowing for food: I'll feed you when I'm good and GD ready, you stupid little hooker!

4. Asian drivers: DWA = Driving While Asian. This is part of the reason I don't use my name on this blog, so I can say stuff like this. I don't think it's the Americans of Asian heritage. I think it's the ones who were actually born over there somewhere. They drive like a 5 year old on his Hot Wheels trying to run over as many acorns in the driveway as humanly possible. THIS ISN'T "CONNECT THE DOTS" PEOPLE! THIS IS DRIVING! They're probably too busy solving a calculus equation or listening to a 'Hello Kitty' CD. That or taking pictures. Those folks are ALWAYS taking pictures.

5. Low tire pressure light on my Jeep: My jeep has a light saying my tire pressure is low. This thing came on as soon as the temperature got below 30 degrees up here. I understand the reason why temperature affects tire pressure. I also understand that a responsible driver would fill his tires up with air to save on gas. Well, I'm not a responsible driver. Get that stupid ass light and it's associated "PING" off my freaking dashboard! When that sucker stats flopping, I'll put some damned air in it!

Further, why would I fill it up in winter only so I have to let air out in the spring? This is circular. It's fine as long as the temperature is above 30.

6. Running out of propane when grilling: This is why you keep a spare tank but if you don't have one, and you run out, well....you're stupid, but it still sucks.

7. Dog hair - Bailey didn't shed when we first got her. She does now. I'm taking her back. Not really. When she shakes, she looks like the character Pigpen off the Peanuts comic strip. You know? The one with that cloud of dirt hanging over him. Except with Bailey, it's hair, not dirt. I think her days as a permanent inside dog are numbered.

8. The light/noise designed to circumvent natural selection on my Jeep: Otherwise known as the "seat belt not fastened" indicator. Thankfully, I figured out how to turn this thing off. Listen, sometimes I just drive from my apartment to the dumpster, I don't need you telling me I should fasten my seat belt during that 1/8th mile stretch. Worse, it's a constant "ping, ping, ping, ping". Holy moley puddin' pie, it makes me want to put my fist through the dashboard. The only thing about putting your fist through the dashboard is that...well...that would hurt and I really don't think I could do it anyway.

Listen, if you're not smart enough to figure out that fastening your seat belt (on trips longer than those to the apt complex dumpster) is potentially good for your health, I don't want you to breed anyway.

This blog is on hietus next week. I'll be in AR to close on our house. Check back a week from Monday. Hope everyone's doing well.

Pappa

My Thoughts on Moving Home

Mamma and I had a discussion about 3-4 years ago about moving home sometime.

At that moment the discussion took place, moving home was only a dream. We ventured up here with no knowledge of where we would go at the conclusion of our journey. We came up here on blind faith that we were doing the right thing. Who really knows if you're doing the "right" thing or not when you make a big decision such as the one we made to move 1,000 miles away from home to a strange climate, filled with strange people, all in the name of furthering my career/dream.

The closest friends we had in MI were people we'd never really met. The closest person we had to a friend, my mentor for the first few years in the program, was someone who had gotten his Ph.D. under my previous mentor at UA. I had only met him one time, and that was on my campus visit to MSU.

I don't mean to imply that we're special. Lots of folks move far away from home for various reasons and don't know anyone when they get there, but it was an eye opening moment for me when I realized that the move to MI was real.

I realized the move to MI was real when I changed the license plate on my old Jeep. Even more poignant than this moment was when my mom, dad, and Mamma left after dropping me off here.

The four of us, and Misty the cat, drove up to MI in August of 2002 to get me moved in to the house we were to live in for our first couple of years here. The four of us stayed for a couple of days and then it was time for the three of them to go. Mom and Dad had to go b/c they had to return to work. Mamma and I weren't married yet and her dad was in poor health at the time so we both thought it was ABSOLUTELY the best thing for her to stay in AR.

We checked out of the hotel and walked out to the parking lot. At this time, mom, dad, and Mamma got into the car after a few hugs and drove out of the parking lot to get back on the interstate and head South. I watched their car leave the hotel parking lot and that memory will always stick in my mind. I felt pretty derned alone. My family and fiance had just left, leaving me with a cat that, at the time, I would just as soon punt through a plate glass window. I'll never forget that car leaving the parking lot.

I then went back into the hotel room to get my stuff and the damned cat had knocked over a box of wine glasses in the whole 5 minutes I was gone. Thanks, cat. Great way to start a new chapter in life.

Fast forward a couple of years to the aforementioned conversation between Mamma and I about hoping to return home sometime. I told Mamma during this conversation that I wondered if home could ever be as good as I remembered it being. We all know that sometimes things and places are romanticized in memories far beyond what they actually were in real life.

Ever since I came here, I've held a rather romanticized view of AR. I've read the AR Dem Gaz every day until the last few months when I stopped b/c of my disdain for Wally Hall...but that's been covered previously. I've followed every move of the Razorbacks RELIGIOUSLY. I've missed the warm weather, people, and friends. I've missed family and being a part of family dinners and functions.

Now that we're moving home, I know that things may not be as good as I remember them being in my mind. But that doesn't make me less excited. It just makes me realistic.

This whole post leads me to remember a quote by Morgan Freeman who played the character Red in "Shawshank Redemption." Red is riding the bus to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to meet his friend Andy Dufrese who had escaped from Shawshank after being falsely accused. On the bus, Red finally finds "hope" after stating earlier in the movie that "hope" was the bain of a prisoner's existence.

Hear Red's quote here: http://reelwavs.com/movies/shawshank_redemption/hlfreeman.wav

(You've got to copy and paste the link...doesn't work otherwise for some reason)

While this all may be rather melodramatic, I'm realistic. I know things will never be as good as I have built them up to be in my head. That said, I also find I'm so excited about moving home that I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think its the excitement only a man moving home can feel. A man beginning a new chapter in his life, whose conclusion is uncertain, rejoining family and friends and now with a family of his own. I hope family gatherings are filled with as much love and laughter as I remember them. I hope to see my friends and shake their hands after a long time gone. I hope summers are filled with as much water, fun, and laughter as I remember them. I hope I still get excited with the start of every Razorback football season and tear up when they play the national anthem. I hope I still care enough to cuss the Hogs when they don't meet my expectations. I hope the drive to Fayetteville still brings back memories. I hope Fall in the Ozarks is as beautiful as it ever was. I hope my son loves Arkansas as much as I do.

I'm realistic, but I hope.

Pics

Sacrifices

Ohhhhh the sacrifices we make!

Back when I worked for a trucking company in LR, one of our loads was filled with Sony TVs. As often occurs, this load got to its destination and had two more TVs on board than the receiver had ordered. This puts the trucking company and shipper in a bit of a pickle. What do you do with the extra cargo?!?!?

To be honest, I'm not sure of the legal outcomes of this even though I probably should be. Obviously, the shipper isn't going to want to pay the trucking company to haul those TVs BACK to where they came from only to have them shipped out AGAIN someplace else. Further, those TVs aren't technically the trucking company's property so they aren't fully responsible for what occurred.

In this case the problem was resolved fairly easily. The trucking company I worked for made a deal with the shipper that employees of said trucking company could buy the TVs for cost. Even better, these were 42" TVs...and Sonys to boot!

I snatched one of those up like an Etheopian crack addict snatches up a McDonalds Quarterpounder! It was $1,200 but WELL WORTH IT! I've had that TV ever since. It traveled back to Fayetteville and then moved up to MI with me.

In Fayetteville I had a crappy little, one bedroom apartment. I happened to really like this apartment though. It was a GREAT pad for a single guy. Short walk to all my classes. It actually bordered campus. This "complex", if you can call it that, was built in the 1970's I'd guess. It was on the third floor, but that really didn't matter to me b/c I didn't have enough money to go to the grocery store anyway. My grandmother kept me stocked with food and I drank a lot of water and....ummmm...beer. Yeah, I was like that guy in the commercial who gets to the cash register and doesn't have enough money for BOTH toilet paper AND beer, so he puts back the toilet paper. Got to have your priorities!

The other great thing about being on the third floor, and simultaneously being broke, is that I didn't hardly have to use the heat all winter. Now, lots of folks would have been REALLY cold in there but I had a little (and I mean LITTLE) space heater that kept one room tolerable and I could get covered up pretty well when I went to bed.

Also, this year in Fayetteville was the year that Mamma and I dated. I came back home to Little Rock EVERY WEEKEND (except FB game weekends). Lots of miles on the old Cherokee during those trips but I didn't drive it during the week so it all evened out.

All this to say: That was a great year! All this time, that Sony 42" TV was situated in my living room right in front of the only comfortable piece of furniture I had: My recliner. I didn't have a couch. I had a recliner. I had an office chair for my desk. I had 4 chairs situated around a table. Trust me, I spent HOURS in this recliner sitting in front of that TV and I LOVED that year. Broke as a joke and loving every minute of it.

When I decided to go to school in MI, I did so b/c the old rule is that you should get your terminal degree from someplace you never want to be again. Thus, MI. Plus it's a great school for my discipline, but that's too practical of a reason...right?

I wanted to come back to AR so I went to MI partly for this reason. Now, we're lucky enough to be coming back to AR! Here's the problem: The TV. It's big. I mean REALLY big and takes up a lot of space. Plus, I want a new, flat screen, HD TV. So, I've decided to save the money I would spend moving the TV, sell it, and use the money saved and earned for my new BIG HONKIN HOG DADDY FLAT SCREEN....errr...to pay for moving expenses, baby diapers, and formula. Yeah. That's it. Baby diapers and formula.

However, I've got to admit that selling the TV is a little difficult. It was the largest purchase I made after finishing college (outside of my Jeep) and I went through some good times with that TV as the only other thing in my apt/house that talked. Maybe I'm a big wus and am stupidly rather emotional over a physical good, but I'm a little depressed to have sold the TV.

But I sold it anyway. For $150 to a Ph.D. student up here who, conveniently, is moving on to Ohio for a job starting in the fall. One man's trash is another's treasure, I suppose.

Oh well. Let's raise a glass to the 42" Sony. Adios amigo!

Prayers for Families at Virginia Tech

What a horrific event.

Thousands upon thousands of eighteen year olds take their first step into adulthood each year by venturing off to college. American society today, for those that go to college, allows young people the ability to transition from (what surely seems like to many) 24 hour supervision to a place where they are in control of their schedules without many of the pressures that characterize life in the "real world".

College is a time in most peoples' lives that they remember fondly. I know I do. Great friends. Great times. Great memories. For those of us lucky enough to have family financial support during college, you don't have to worry about a true job. You don't have to worry about paying the bills. All you have to worry about is getting to class on time, homework, and studying for that next test or quiz. While this seems stressful to many students, many claiming they don't have time to get it all done, in truth it is a care-free existence that most would return to at almost any point in their lives.

College life is characterized by few possessions. Theft occurs at colleges but you have so little of value that anything stolen is generally inconsequential. Certainly, other more serious crimes occur on college campuses nationwide. Sexual assaults, physical assaults (usually in the form of fights outside of the local night spot), etc... are unfortunately not uncommon.

However, if one were to go to college in a true college town as opposed to an urban university, you would likely feel very safe wandering the streets at any hour of the day or night no matter your condition. This is especially true for males. Even the police in small college towns often turn a blind eye toward indiscretions or help you get home if you're in need.

Sports weekends bring another air to college campuses, especially in the fall. Fans, long removed from their days on campus, return to support their team, reunite with friends long lost to the perils of time and adulthood, re-live forgotten memories, and celebrate the time they spent on campus. While sports in and of itself has become big business, we all like to pretend that those kids are putting everything on the line for school pride and the sticker on their helmet or the name emblazoned on the front of their jersey.

Another special time of year arrives in the fall on college campuses. New life is breathed into the air upon the arrival of a freshman class. Some of these kids are hungry for knowledge. Most are more likely hungry for freedom. Others are trying to get away from previous perceptions held by their peers and start anew. College affords all of them this ability.

The college environment has many faults. Universities are commonly perceived, and often rightly so, of celebrating diversity at the expense of other more pertinent qualities. When I speak of "diversity" in the previous sentence, I not only refer to race and gender but also diversity in thoughts and views. While distasteful to many, at times including myself, this diversity in thought allows one to explore the furthest reaches in society with little fear of long-term repercussions. Again, this is not always a good thing. Society generally is what it is for a reason. However, the point is that college students are "safe" to explore themselves and their world without fear of someone trying to ruin them or their families for these actions. In fact, colleges are built around "safety". Even professors are awarded carte blanche to express themselves when they attain tenured status. That's the whole point of tenure: to be able to explore unpopular or controversial views or research, stretching the boundaries of currently held "truth", without fear that these actions will negatively impact their ability to make a living. Again, many of these views and much of this research is viewed as distasteful - I even perceive much of it as distasteful - but many past "distasteful" notions are now understood to be fact. After all, to say the Sun was the center of the galaxy was, at one time, heresy.

No, university students and professors are - for the most part - safe, and there is a reason for this safety. Professors are safe to stretch the boundaries of knowledge and students' minds. Students are safe to explore themselves and discover the kind of man/woman they want to be once their college years inevitably draw to a close.

"Safe" is the operative word in the above paragraph.

Safety is what was robbed of the students at Virginia Tech yesterday. Their college years are forever tarnished by the memory of some deviant and his actions. The innocence of college, the innocence of the transition from childhood to adulthood, the innocence of starting over in life, the innocence of mentors assisting you, the innocence of friendships, the innocence of Fall, is forever tarnished.

Certainly, the surviving students will return to Blacksburg, a town nestled in the Virginia hills close to West Virginia, and rekindle old friendships and memories after they graduate. However, these memories will forever be made more poignant by the events of April 16th, 2007. Those innocent memories will never be the same.

Many families will never be the same. Sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, grandsons, granddaughters, future moms, and future dads were lost yesterday. Bright minds were extinguished before they had the chance to fully contribute to society.

Part of the reason I chose my career is the safety and innocence with which I remember college. Unfortunately, days like yesterday remind us that there is evil in the world and no bastion of safety and innocence is immune. It is easy to go about our daily lives, far removed from Blacksburg, and only think of the horror that occurred yesterday as a sad event primarily affecting someone else. We all have to do this to cope and remain productive members of society. We cannot go through OUR lives in a perpetual state of worry and remorse over past events. However, I would call upon everyone today to take a moment, sit in silence, and pray for the Virginia Tech families and community. Pray for comfort. Pray for mental peace. Pray that they will be safe in every meaning of the word.

Guess What Days Got the Most Hits on this Blog

You probably don't have to think too hard to figure it out.

That's right: The days where I post pics of Junior. I laughed when I figured that out.

I told Mamma I was going to shut down this blog when we moved home but I think we'll probably keep it up just to post pics and keep everyone up to date on him. I won't post every day, and probably won't add any of my own commentary at all, but we'll probably keep it going just for the little guy. He's in high demand! :-)

Best,

Pappa

Ran 5 Miles Today

Ran 5 for the first time today since last summer. I felt decent until about 2 miles into it then I caught my second wind and breezed through (no pun intended) the last 3. The last step of the run actually felt better than the first. Wasn't even breathing hard when I stopped. I was AMAZED!

Probably only walked about 1/2 mile in a couple of short stints. Never felt like I was pushing it through the whole five. Only walked so I didn't push it.

I've finally gotten to where I can cruise along at a good clip and not have to concentrate on it. Really a great experience today!

Pappa

More Pics

Forgot to Post Yesterday

Sorry 'bout that. It's been hectic at work.

My goal this semester was to get enough publications done that I could be derned close to the tenure requirements at my future institution. I've gotten a CRAPLOAD done this semester! From a publication standpoint, I have:

1) Written a book chapter that will be published soon

2) Supervised a MBA student that wrote a manuscript that will be published soon (with my name on it)

3) Written an article to be submitted to a journal that is either tied for #1 or the #2 journal in my field, depending on your perspective

4) Written an article from my dissertation that will be submitted to the #1 journal in my field

5) Worked on a publication from my dissertation that will be submitted to one of the top journals in the business discipline

6) Worked on a publication with my old mentor up here (he moved to FL...that doofus!) which will be submitted to the #1 journal in my field

7) Been to DC to do a poster presentation

8) Speaking at a conference next week (held locally) and doing a poster presentation there

9) Was asked to join a project and have been working on collecting data.

Not to mention the previous projects I was on, having a new baby, buying a house, keeping the wifey happy - which is not hard b/c she's awesome - training for a marathon, and on and on and on.

More exciting news on the professional front: I have been working with my dissertation chair, who is also the primary researcher on the Homeland Security project I've been involved with for 3 years, on figuring out a part of the project I can take with me to my future institution. The current project is up for renewal, we've been asked to renew (meaning it will probably get renewed), and I would get a little funding to take with me and have my own "baby" (so to speak).

This would be exciting not just for me but for my future institution. It would be a big feather in their cap to be involved in this project. Not to mention it would make me look good to them as well.

Anyway, I have three more manuscripts to write in the next 1.5 mos. It's going to be a challenge but can be done. I've written one a week each of the past two weeks.

Here is where my abnormal sleeping habits come in handy (reference previous post about how I only sleep 5-6 hours every night and get to work before 7 AM every day).

I need 8 "intellectual contributions" (i.e. they don't have to be all journal hits) to get tenure. I've almost met my mark this semester and that will make life MUCH easier in the future. I'll still have to wait 6 years, still have to keep publishing, still have to teach well, still have to not make anybody mad at me, and still have to clear all the other political and non-political hurdles, but at least I'll know that I've got enough pubs to get tenure when that time comes.

Tenure is never guaranteed but publications also never hurt.

Speaking of my future institution, which means "speaking of home". I don't know if it is truly possible to explain how excited we are about returning. Just the thought of it made the past two cold, snowy, miserable weatther filled weeks up here bearable. The problem is that now we have to start packing. The problem with this problem is that we don't have the long blocks of time necessary to do so. Therefore, we have to just do a little bit every night after Junior hits the rack. I'm headed to Sam's this afternoon to buy all necessary materials. Fun fun.

The best part about going to Sam's is that they have Icee's there. I love me some Coke Icee's. You know what Icee's are...those frozen coke things. Good stuff!

I've got more pics of Junior to put on here. I meant to do that last night but Mamma and I had "date night" (i.e. take out food on the couch). I'll do my best to get them up soon. Sorry for the delay and thanks for your understanding.

OK, I missed posting yesteday but you got a big one today. Hope that makes up for it.

Take care,


Pappa

Easter Pics

Junior Update

Junior went to the doctor today for his regular checkup. First of all, he's perfectly healthy. That's obviously the most important thing.

Second, Junior is a BIG OLE BOY!

He's not fat. Lean kid...but....

He weighs 17 lbs, 3 ounces...is 26 inches long...and has a 43.6 inche head. 90th percentile on all those metrics!

He was 75th percentile on each at his last visit two months ago.

Around his last visit, Mamma had on some talk show one day and the topic of the show was fat babies. This mom was on there saying that her baby was 6 months old and weighed 20 lbs and he was FAT!

I thought at the time that 20 lbs didn't sound too far fetched! It isn't, but our baby ain't fat.

He also got shots today. That evidently wasn't too fun...not surprisingly.

Anyway, everybody's doing great.

Adios,

Pappa

Spring Water

I was thinking today (yes...sometimes I think), why do people drink spring water?

I personally can't stand that crap. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no problem with that bottled water that actually comes from a tap...as most of it does. For example, Dasani is a Coke product. Coke is based in Atlanta. You may or may not have known this, but Dasani is just Atlanta tap water.

That's right. If you pay $1 for a few ounces of Dasani you're just getting tap water.

The stuff I can't stand is the spring water stuff. You know, the stuff that tastes like heavy water from a nuclear reactor. I say that b/c it's GOT TO weigh more than tap water. It just has to. That stuff tastes heavy as heck.

I REALLY can't stand Perrier. Carbonated water? Really? Don't they mix that stuff with syrup to make coke? Isn't there a reason it's normally mixed with something else? Oh yeah. There is. Because it tastes like crap by itself!

(could I use the word "stuff" more in this stuff?)

When you go to one of those high falutin fancy restaurants, they always ask you if you want bottled or tap water. I always say tap. If you don't, you get heavy water. My food is normally heavy enough. Primarily b/c I usually order way too much of it. Why would I want my water to be heavy too?

There's your random thought for the day.

Easter and the Hogs

We took Junior to his first church service yesterday and he did GREAT. I say he did "GREAT" because he slept through the whole thing. That's about all you can ask!

I enjoy going to church and normally, if the preacher is half-way decent, get something out of it. However, don't you all wish that you could get praised for sleeping through church like Junior does. If you did, your wife might say something like, "Well, Pappa slept through church again this week. I'M SO PROUD OF HIM!!!"

We've got some Junior pictures to share and I'll get those on here ASAP.

The Hogs hired John Pelphrey. Long drawn out story. At any rate, this guy has a good BB pedigree and likes to play up-tempo ball. Might as well get on the bandwagon b/c we got turned down by every big name we went after. I'm more excited about this guy than Altman.

We need to hire a good AD and get John White's hands out of athletics. That will go a LONG way toward making any of our next hires good ones.

John White has a reputation of being less than honest, having a lack of knowledge regarding athletics, and to boot....a meddler in athletics. I'm not a fan of his.

Everyone Call Mamma

Everyone who reads this, call Mamma and ask her about athletes foot. Trust me. Just do it.

I Saw Snow Today and Marathon Training

and I was NONE too pleased. Snow in April? Really? Damned Michigan.

High on Easter Day: 40 degrees.

That's right: 40 degrees...and that ain't Celcius either. That would be Farenheit. 40 freakin' degrees FARENHEIT!

I'd cry but my tears would freeze.

Ran 4 miles without walking Sunday for the first time since last summer. It felt good. I thought I was really making progress...and I am! However, after running 3 miles (without walking) yesterday, I realized why the 4 miler was relatively easy.

You see, the 3 mile track I've been training on is VERY hilly. I mean up, down, up, down, up, down, ad nausem. The 4 mile track has a couple of hills but it has 2 miles of flat.

So, I get going on the 3 miler yesterday and I noticed from my first running step that my old body don't feel so swooft. Even the first step was an effort. That's when you know it's going to be a painful run. It was. I ran that hilly, 3 mile course without walking but it got to the point where, at the end, I was literally using foul language directed toward the hills/road.

"I'm not going to let you beat me you f'n hill."

"I'm 'bout to whoop your a$$ you damned road."

These things sound insane when taken at face value. However, in context, they seemed to make perfect sense at the time. EVERY DADGUM STEP WAS AN EFFORT but I kept on keeping on. I suppose that's something. Not much, but something.

Now, to relate the first and last parts of this post: The highs up here are butt a$$ cold and I've got to run on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Guess what? Ain't no way I'm running outside. I know. You're supposed to train on the road but I have a rule that I'm not running (right now) outside if it's that cold. I'm just not. Period.

Treadmill here I come.

This reminds me of another good quote from "Grumpy Old Men"

"How you doin' Pop?"

Old Man says: "Terrible! It's butt a$$ cold and I'm fresh out of beer."

He then steals a beer from the first guy. Did I mention I love that movie?

All You Can Do Is Laugh

That's all you can do when it comes to Hog Sports. It's a cluster...

If you don't know why now, don't worry. You will soon.

I Feel Good About Dana Altman

I was a little down in the dumps yesterday and beat my thoughts into the ground, but after hearing Altman's speech yesterday I feel better about him.

He talks like a coach. Some might call it boring but he has a very no-nonsense, honest, knowledgeable tone. He knows what he wants to do. 40 minutes of defensive pressure with opportunities for 3's and driving to the basket. I'm no basketball guru, but that sounds a lot like Pitino's style to me. He seems like a quality person. That's important to players, fans, and to be a good representative of The University.

I wanted a big name coach but substance trumps style every day. I was worried about his recruiting ability but he scored big with his first recruits yesterday: Patrick Beverley and the rest of the team. By the way, we are blessed to have Patrick Beverley and his mom. They made a commitment to The University and are sticking by it. He's going to make as all proud in the future just as he has already done in the past.

It boils down to this, as with all coaches, if he wins - he'll be retained. If he doesn't win, he won't be retained. Winning is a function of coaching, recruiting, and relationships. I think we have someone who can do all three. I'm a happy Hog fan even if I wasn't yesterday morning. It's time for all of us to get behind our University and do what little we all can to support our men's basketball program.

GO HOGS!

Dana Altman is the New Head Hog

I was right. Nobody knew anything b/c they wanted to delay the backlash. I won't even go into my thoughts of Altman in depth. Suffice to say that we were led to believe we would be getting a big name coach. We didn't. He's been successful in the MVC. He's got questionable recruiting ability. He's a good X and O coach who demands toughness from his players. He's well respected in coaching circles and many media guys are saying this is a good hire.

In sum: We traded a bad floor coach who's a great recruiter for a good floor coach whose recruiting ability is questionable. If he can recruit well, he'll do well. If not, he might still do OK.

I guess I and many others are upset b/c we were led to believe from the get go that we would get a big name. I've gotten over my "mad" about hiring Altman but he's walking into a hornet's nest of upset fans. That said, we should all recognize that we are Hog fans and not Coach fans. Like any other coach, if he wins...he'll stay. If he doesn't win...he'll get fired and we'll start all over.

Oh well. GO HOGS!

Razorback Update or Lack Thereof

Well, nobody seems to know what's going on with the Hogs. That's interesting in and of itself. I've been following the Hogs VERY closely on the Internet since I've been in MI. Never before, in the past 5 years, have I heard such a deafening silence regarding something so important as this BB hire.

The hot rumor over the weekend was that John Calipari, University of Memphis (a.k.a. Tiger High) head coach, was about to be the Head Hog. Some said that it was likely. My guy in Fayetteville who is usually spot on with this stuff said it was a REAL possibility. Some others said that there was no way he was leaving Memphis with the team he had coming back.

Looks like the latter was correct. Calipari came out yesterday and said he's not leaving and, in fact, was never offered the job. He WAS offered the job. John's telling a tall tale there. However, I don't think the UA nor Calipari ever really thought he would take the job. It looks like that was a smokescreen for something else (I'd say bigger but I'm not sure that's true) going down.

There have been rumors for the past few days that an unknown candidate exists who is interested in the job. All sources are saying something should be announced no later than Tuesday. Frank left Atlanta early, which leads one to believe he had a good idea of who he was going to get. There are a few rumblings that someone was signed this weekend and the final details are getting worked out (heard that one before?).

In sum: Nobody but Frank and a few powers that be know what's happening. Nobody's talking. Nobody's revealing the name of the unknown candidate for fear of screwing something up.

The silence probably means one of two things:

1) We got a big name coach and they don't want to trot him out to the public before getting all ducks in a row
2) We got another up and comer and they want to put off the backlash as long as possible.

The next few days are going to be interesting. There is one thing I know for certain: That is...I don't know anything and it seems many others are in the same boat.