Playing Hard Really Helps
February 8, 2010 at 4:50pm by HogBlogger
Filed under Arkansas Razorbacks, Basketball
At the halfway point in their SEC season the Razorback basketball team finds itself in first place in the West. To paraphrase Mark Twain, this “gratifies some and astonishes the rest.”
As a few of our loyal readers and comment providers have noted, the RazorBloggers have been noticeably quiet about the basketball team. I can assure you this has not been by accident. We were all raised well and remember what our mom told us: “If you you can’t say something nice…”
The truth is there hasn’t been that much worth saying that wasn’t being covered in the regular press. There wasn’t really a team to say much about until Britt, Welsh and Fortson were back. Now, after four straight conference wins, things are a little more interesting.
What’s really behind this “resurgence” we have witnessed? After all, Britt, Welsh and Fortson had been back for a few games and things weren’t looking so good. Coach Pelphrey had commented on a couple of occasions something to the effect of, “that’s not my basketball team out there.” That’s a coach’s way of saying, “they’re not doing what we coached them to do.”
I think the Kentucky game was a total embarrassment to the players. By the Georgia game, Coach Pelphrey went into reverse psychology mode according to Brandon Marcello, saying:
“I told the guys at halftime, tonight’s just not going to be our night,” Pelphrey said after Arkansas’ 72-68 win at Georgia on Wednesday. “We’re not going to be able to get it done. Just go ahead and keep it close and we’ll try to get back in.”
In effect, Pelphrey called them out for playing lazy and dumb. I suspect they were reading the press and noticing that the coach was the one getting the blame.
So, they have stepped it up. Intensity — particularly on defense — combined with smarter play have made the Hogs much more competitive. Fortson’s return has helped immensely because he plays intense, at least on offense anyway, all the time. Britt and Welsh have stepped up the defense and both have contributed on offense.
Washington is playing harder and trying to avoid foul trouble. Powell is just a beast. Delvon Johnson is playing a nice role for a freshman. Farmer and Bryant have contributed a bit. The golfer, Stephen Cox, has shown intensity and leadership every time he has stepped on the floor this year.
To top things off, they finally have a play designed specifically to get Rotnei Clarke a shot that works. Not using it much, but it’s there. Clarke is a weapon.
Has the light has finally clicked on? When this bunch plays with intensity, they can play with anyone in the conference except Kentucky. It’s not that great of a basketball conference this year, but winning is winning.
The snow game against Mississippi State on January 28th was a definite turning point. The crowd was made up primarily of students. The atmosphere was more Barnhill than I’ve felt since…well, Barnhill. Having that many students that close to the floor created an electricity that fed the team. They played as hard, if not harder, than I’ve seen a John Pelphrey team play. It’s like they finally understood what Arkansas basketball was supposed to be. I think they finally understood what they could be.
Intensity, defense and smart basketball not only leads to winning, they fill the seats in the arena.
These last two weeks may have been the best coaching we’ve seen out of John Pelphrey since he’s been at Arkansas. He’s finally gotten them to play hard for the majority of the game. Makes a big difference. With the next five games coming against teams at or under .500 in conference play, the chance to redeem the season is there. It will be interesting to watch.
Great post, gang. Yes, we can be a bit harsh on the team — and I assure you it’s only because we want them to be a great and feared team again. If they continue improving and get a few more pieces to the personnel puzzle, who’s to say Pel can’t take us there.
Keep playing hard, Hogs!
HogBlogger said “As a few of our loyal readers and comment providers have noted, the RazorBlogger’s have been noticeably quiet about the basketball team. I can assure you this has not been by accident. We were all raised well and remember what our mom told us…”if you you can’t say something nice…””
You get part credit on this portion… if you look at the entire record (i.e. including tweets, this is DEFINITELY not the case)! Y’all have been brutal to Pelphrey via that avenue! You’d think he was the former Springdale High School basketball coach!
When you’re in the moment and the moment tells you to be brutal, you gotta go with the moment.
I have been extremely complimentary of the Hogwild Band drummer. He’s outstanding. The sax section has struggled since your departure.
I’d feel better if it was more of a balanced flow.
On my departure, I was thinking of coming back out of retirement… but then I remembered that this was college and I’ve used my 4 years up already!
Hogblogger,
I have a question for you and the others that floow the team and give very good insight to all things Razorbacks.
I have felt for 4 years that Welsh was a cancer as well as Washington. MY take was without Fortson running the team there was no one to get in W&W’s face and take charge. It doesn’t seem like RC is the type of player that will be a vocal leader. W&W are not team leaders so without Fortson they dictated how the rest of the team played and acted. Did my question make since? If so am I way off the mark on this on? Like to get y’alls feedback.
Mike, we are not in any type of great position to provide you insight, but I’ll give you my personal cut.
I’m not as negative on Welsh as most seem to be. He’s very streaky on offense and can be very good on defense at times. When his shooting is off the other parts of his game suffer. Unfortunately his bad streaks out-number his good streaks. Both last over multiple games.
Washington has never impressed me a lot. Sets a poor screen, his only post move is a jump hook going right, can’t go left at all, and doesn’t have the upper body strength to take the ball strong to the basket. Give him a clear lane and he throws down a nice dunk. He tires easily and seems out of shape a lot of the time. (as does most of the team). He’s a Bill Russell type of body without the conditioning and strong will to play hard.
Both have to play at a high level of intensity to be effective. Washington’s foul troubles, mostly brought on by him being foolish, cause him a lot of problems. Welsh is in and out, playing multiple roles, and very hot and cold. He is better when he has a narrow, well defined role. His defense the last few games has been outstanding.
I don’t know that they are cancers, but neither is the type of player you really build around. To me they haven’t demonstrated the leadership and consistency of performance. I agree with Bobby Knight on Washington – he needs to stay at Arkansas as long as he can. His game is too limited for the pros.
Fortson is a “lead, follow, or get out of the way” type. He is going to be aggressive on offense. His issue has been involving the others and overall game management. I think he’s made pretty good strides in this the last few games. Obviously he feels he can put the team on his back when necessary. He’s proved he can do it at times. The team definitely looks to him. He has willed them to improve.
Fortson, Clarke, Powell, Cox, Britt are the ones really stepping up right now. I think that’s forced Welsh and Washington to really step up too.
My view is that this bunch has underachieved for much of the year. Don’t have my mind made up on specifically why. Just glad they seem to be moving past it.
I think you nailed it, Mike. When Fortson was suspended, who was the leader? MikeWash was on the rare occasion that he wasn’t in foul trouble. Other than that, it seemed that anyone who stepped up to lead turned around and played poorly.
For better or worse, Fortson has the attitude and determination of a leader. And that’s exactly what Pelphrey, and the rest of the team, needed right now. Pel can only do so much from the bench. He puts his players in position to play basketball and compete. It’s up to them to do the rest.
Thanks Hogblogger for your feedback. I for one have not trashed Pelphry this year. I totaly back his suspending the players and running those off who needed it. After all of this happened I sorta knew that this year was not going to be that good. I love the hogs and hope they continue to improve over the next 10 games. That is all I am wanting to see from this years team. My hope from the start of the season was to see us get an NIT spot. I hope at the least we can continue to play through March.
I can’t believe you haven’t even mentioned Marshawn Powell. He has been unbelievable this year, and he’s only a freshman. Are you kidding me? Fortson is not our team. We have 11 guys (now that everyone isn’t suspended), since Sanchez can’t get healthy.
More than anything though, I’m sick and tired of you guys ripping Pelphrey. Pelphrey had the spirit, the tenacity, the mentality, the intellect, and the experience that can beat tons of other coaches resumes. He can relate very well to the players, and can still put the ball on the floor and give them some real pointers. Not many coaches have Jersey’s hanging up in the rafters of one of the most prestigious college basketball programs in the country.
I can’t believe no one praised him for suspending the six players at the start of the season. Everyone had to ridicule him, and start talks about how hot his seat is. Now that he is winning people are talking about how he is trying to keep his job?
If there’s one thing that is obvious to me about Pelphrey, it is that he has high standards. He is going to coach his way, the right way. He doesn’t care about the media, and isn’t trying to recruit some disrespectful, ungrateful, can’t graduate, punks. He is trying to recruit young men who he can mold into mature adults, through basketball, passion, and responsibility.
I don’t know many coaches who have a “set” big enough on them to play with 5 ball players and a golfer. I just hope that the magic continues, because I have been terrified that you guys are going to run off the best thing in Hog basketball since Nolan Richardson. If we give him the proper time, I can easily see Pelphrey being the next Bruce Pearl or Billy D of the SEC.
I, for one, will say that I’ve probably been a little too negative on Pelphrey this year. I feel like I was justified in my criticism, but at the same time I was contradicting myself on things I thought before the season started.
It’s year three for Pel and it started off as if he were basically starting from scratch again. With players leaving in the off-season and the suspensions at the beginning of the season, he wasn’t put in too good of a position. I think that most people grasped onto the fact that there was so much turmoil in the locker room with people leaving — rather than the notion that maybe Pel and his staff made some recruiting mistakes and were correcting them.
I’ve never been critical of his suspending of players. I think he does that the right way, 100%. The coach has to assert his dominance, if you will. If you don’t play the way he wants you to play, or act the way you should act, you’re sittin’. I love that about him.
What others have mentioned about Pel is the lack of evidence that the team was prepared or actually running a set offense. But thinking back to how last season played out and how THIS season started, it’s not overly surprising things were a bit wonky. The rub really came when loss after loss started to pile up with little, to no (or even backward), progress. My thought was with such a limited amount of players, surely they would bond together and run some semblance of an offense.
When Fortson returned, with it came energy. Positive energy for sure. But, in the eyes of Pelphrey, maybe too much energy. Fortson hit the floor running and until recently, he seemed to think he had to put the team on his back for us to win. Well, that didn’t work at first.
But then, what happened? What clicked? Has Pel just been sitting back waiting for this moment to occur? Half of me says yes. The other half says he’s benefitting from passionate play and a weak conference. Let’s hope it’s the former because I want Pel to be a good story for Arkansas.
The team is definitely playing better right now. It’s not 100% team ball, but it’s much better than its been. I still say the West isn’t top notch, but I’m thrilled that Arkansas is on top. I’m still hesitant to say we’re the best team in the West or even competitive to the top teams of the East. But improvement is improvement.
We sit at 12-11 (5-3) with 8 games to go. Finishing 20-11 would be fantastic. I highly doubt that happens. But I’d be fairly pleased to go 4-4 the rest of the way and finish 16-15 (9-6). Winning that many SEC games after how the season started would be a great finish and give us momentum going into the post-season and next year.
Let’s hope the team continues to surge, play as a team and improve in their deficient areas. Let’s also hope that Pel gets the credit he deserves for turning the team around.
I said Powell was a beast. That was a mention and meant as high praise.
Jeff Long is going to give Coach Pelphrey time. You can be “sick and tired” of people ripping him all you want, but that’s the life of a college coach. Especially as bumpy a road as the Razorback program has had the past two years.
Ok, Let’s quit beating around the bush then. I guess my question to you would be:
Do you want Pelphrey gone? Do you want a different coach? If so, who? Why?
As I said earlier, I’ve been a huge Pel fan since before this little streak that everyone seems to be band-wagoning onto.
I was in the Razorback band for four years under the great man, but lackluster coach Stan Heath. I got to see many things up close and personal. One of my family members is a girls high school basketball coach, and after we observed some of Heath’s practices, she swore that her high school girls had harder practices than Heath.
I think we got a definite upgrade moving from Heath to Pel, and you’re right this is his third year. However, I think this should really be the first year he is judged by his “crop.” He had Heaths leftovers the last two years, and he has his own young guys now.
Ok, so let’s quit beating around the bush then.
My question to you would be:
Do you really want Pelphrey gone? Do you want a different coach? If so, who? Why?
HogBlogger,
The underachievement question your asking yourself about this years team, can be summed up with only 1 word…attitude.
To elaberate, with the exception of Rotnie Clarke, that’s the only answer I can summon up with regard to the returning starters.
Marshawn Powell came into his Freshman season on fire, but had no Sr. leadership to look up to, especially from Mike Washington inside.
Fortson, productive-wise, makes Washington, plain and simple, which means when he and the other suspended players were out early in the year, he could not be relied upon to carry the team.
Even when Stephan Welsh returned to the lineup, it was a joke to think he would be any kind of a real threat as a playmaker on this team at the PG position.
The chemistry was destroyed on this team early on with Courtney Fortson and the experienced bench players being suspended.
Freshmen Powell and Bryant were hung out to dry with a guy like Washington in a leadership role. His weaknesses were exposed, to say the very least.
Gonzo – totally agree.
Has anybody heard anything about Washington’s leg/ankle? What’s his status?
The more people criticize Washington and Welsh and Fortson, the better I like ‘em. The more people make excuses for Pelphrey, the less I like him. I try to keep an open mind about Pelphrey, but he still has to prove himself to me.
It seems to me this little winning streak has been sparked more by Fortson with his energy and determination than by any slick coaching from Pelphrey. Perhaps I’m wrong. I sense the other players are looking to Fortson for leadership, and he’s providing it. There’s little doubt that Fortson makes Washington and Powell look better inside, because he takes the ball into their position where they can operate.
It’s good to get the wins and to feel as tho the team is moving forward. But nobody on this site is fooled into thinking this team has big potential.
Swine – I agree that Fortson is the spark. It is his intensity and will to succeed that is making the team go.
Well, it’s nice to see some semi-positive comments on this blog, even if it is all conditional.
I think that it’s interesting that some folks think that it’s Fortson’s team and that Pelphrey is sitting back watching it all happen. It’s evident that this is Pelphrey’s team and he calls all the shots. He’s proven that if he doesn’t like or approve of what’s happening he would yank these guys off the court again and again to prove that point.
Pelphrey has been a genius in his handling of Fortson. Holding this kid out for so long has made him so hungry to play ball he has been a beast. This has translated into Fortson actually becoming a leader and having a positive influence on the team. I think the “Fortson out of control” play is actually encouraged by Pelphrey, or he would take him out of the game. This strategy results in what some think are low percentage shots, but the bottom line is the kid goes to the line and nails the free throws, and draws the defense so it frees others for open looks. It’s strange some folks don’t see that. And when that doesn’t happen the guy scores 25-30 points.
Pelphrey has the team on the right track and he should get all the credit for it, not Fortson. Fortson’s play is a result of Pelphrey’s coaching, not the other way around.
Soup- I don’t think Pelphrey had any choice about holding Fortson out. I agree he does “set the table” and allow Fortson to play the way he plays.
I’d say Fortson’s play is the result of Fortson himself and the limited coaching / freedom allowed by Pelphrey.
Honestly, I don’t see great floor coaching or bench coaching out of Pelphrey. What I see right now is that he’s tapped into a motivational technique that is getting these guys to play harder. I sense he’s changed his approach and it’s working for the moment.
You’re right, Pelphrey had no choice, but I do think he had some say in the duration. That’s just a guess on my part, I have no inside knowledge of that situation at all.
I respectfully disagree with you on Pelphrey’s coaching of Fortson. Obviously Fortson is responsible for his performance, but I go back to Pelphrey’s comments during the suspension that (to paraphrase) “Courtney needs to understand how we do things around here, when he does he will return to the team”. So I’m convinced that Fortson’s play is encouraged and directed by Pelphrey. This is no change from last year – Fortson took the ball strong to the hoop all year long and took ‘low percentage shots’
.
My point is that folks don’t seem to give credit to Pelphrey for Fortson’s and the rest of the Hogs play and overall ball strategy. I think that’s wrong. I live in Texas so can’t get up to the games to observe Pelphrey’s bench or floor coaching. What I do hear and sometimes see over the airwaves is Pelphrey screaming like a madman at the team…not sure what he is saying but that would seem to be coaching – and since they are winning I’d argue it’s been effective. Also, motivational techniques are a key part of coaching – didn’t someone say athletic performance is 90% mental? Doesn’t Pelphrey deserve a little ‘coaching credit’ for that?
I give up trying to convince folks to give Pelphrey more credit. I just hope the ‘fans’ don’t run off another decent coach that can get the program headed in the right direction. I suppose time will tell.
Actually Pelphrey has quit screaming and is much quieter on the sidelines lately. Paces back and forth, shouts occasional instructions, makes substitutions, but quite a bit different from last year or earlier this year. I think he’s figured out he can’t go out there and play for them or transfer intensity to them. I see him working to get them to bring the intensity themselves. The x’s and o’s aren’t a lot better, but still I see this as progress in his coaching.
I don’t disagree that Fortson is encouraged. Rather than “directed” I’d say “allowed.” The offense is definitely set up to give lots of freedom to Fortson to operate. The problem has been that, beyond giving Fortson freedom, there’s seldom much more to the offense. I think that is the point that people criticize. That’s why, without Fortson on the floor, the offense looks very different and usually awkward.
The Hogs have less offensive structure and movement than just about any college basketball team you are going to see on TV. When Fortson can’t dominate and baskets in transition are hard to come by, the offense struggles.
Another decent coach? Could you name the first one.
I don’t know much. Certainly not enough to justify half of my opinions. I know what I see, on the court and in the papers.
We’ve gone from firing Stan after two trips to the dance to giving Pel two more years if he can make the NIT (or even if he can’t.)
Pel was given a team with six seniors, blew most of the next recruiting class, and now sits here with decent prospects of losing the one player that has made a difference. Last year was clearly a bust. This year, who knows, and then we have prospects for next year, year 4, maybe starting to play with a full team.
Throw in Patrick Beverly, also lost to academics on Pel’s watch. We have no semblence of an offense. Does anyone know exactly what Pel’s offense is supposed to be? And, to top all of that off, I’m finally beginning to feel sorry for Pel. His whining is really getting pretty pathetic. If that is his new motivational tool I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.
Sooner or later he is going to have to stop digging. Or, we are.
This is what we have to discuss. It is the state of Razorback basketball.
I’d say Stan Heath was a decent coach. Was he a great coach? I don’t think so, but he did have some good years as you point out.
Golf, you need to realize Arkansas was a totally decimated program a few years ago. The Stan Heath situation made it worse and the Altman fiasco was the final nail in the coffin. Nolan should have been let go more gracefully much earlier than he was – then we might have had a chance to get a big name coach and continue to build like the Kentucky’s, North Carolina’s, etc. We were basically starting from scratch after Heath’s last class.
You also need to know what is happening on the recruiting trail. It’s easy for other schools to clown on Arkansas until we show some stability. Do you think the top recruits want to go into a hostile environment where the coach is crucified by fans or go to an established program with fan support? If recruits read blogs like this (and they do) they will see the lack of support of the team in general and the coach. And oh yeah, the attendance speaks volumes too.
Don’t be fooled that getting rid of Pelphrey solves all our problems. The problems get fixed incrementally over time when coming from the bottom of the pit of hell like we have.
If Pelphey can make small progress year over year, Arkansas becomes a credible program again. That will draw recruits and potential coaching opportunities…if that’s really what we want.
I do admit, that you have to cut bait at some point. But the fact is, if Arkansas loses every remaining game we are still much more improved than last year in the win/loss column – so that’s progress. Don’t think it’s time to cut bait yet – let’s let the program settle some.
And this doesn’t even consider our issue with graduation rates. We should all be kissing Washington’s butt for coming back for his Senior year. This helps us minimize the risk of losing scholarships, which would be a huge dagger for us.
Personally, I think Bobby Petrino makes a wonderful example here. Pel is beginning to remind me more and more of our last teen drama queen, old Hooty. Bobby is all and only about coaching. Vamping for the camera has nothing to do with it. The players know why they are here and what is expected.
This is big time college athletics. If Pel can put a foundation under the program, fine. Right now it looks like he is going backwards. But, we shall see. The opportunity is right there for him to win the West. That would be an accomplishment big enough to silence the critics, give him some breathing room, and boost recruiting. He might even stop acting like a big goof and go back to coaching. It would be fine with me.
How can you state Pel is going backwards? We’ve doubled our SEC wins last year. Last time I checked that’s considered progress.
I was one of the first to say you couldn’t get rid of Pel too quickly. That was based on putting a foundation under program so that the next guy actually had some players. Pelphry can’t seem to get any of his players to their junior year. I’m betting on Clark though.
As far as progress, no, four wins is a numerical advance. Otherwise it is simply more of the same unless they can start to act and play like a ball team. Tonight will tell you alot. He is on the verge. He might make it.
Good article by Andy Katz of ESPN on the Arkansas program:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4897646&name=katz_andy
Thanks for the link, Soup. Good one.
At the end of the Katz article Pelphrey says he’s hopeful he doesn’t have to defend the character of his players or his program again. Well he is in the best position of anyone to raise the quality of the players and the program. It will be easy to judge how well he accomplishes that. I too hope he can do it. I’d like to see the Hogs become national contenders again. Any criticisms I have directed at Pelphrey have been addressed in the form of questions, not because I dislike him or disrespect his character but because I’m curious as to what you other guys think. I assume you all know more than I do about what’s really going on. I have not criticized individual players.
With the way his teams have performed. Pelphrey has got to expect to draw some fire from serious fans.
BTW: When Pelphrey is jumping up and down, waving and screaming on the sideline, he’s not yelling at his players, he’s just vamping for the cameras. The players have learned to ignore him.
I agree somewhat with several different comments being made. This simply just isn’t a black and white situation to where Phelphrey is either just good head coach or a bad one. As a matter of fact, considering the circumstances, i’m not even sure we can rate how good of an overall coach he is at this point. Time will tell.
Everyone should have known this was going to be a very susceptable basketball team last season. It was brand new, with the exception of our 2 Srs., who were Jrs then.
Everyone knows the rest of the story and how the rest of last years season went.
It was pretty much out of Pel’s control, with the lack of chemistry from the continued suspensions.
Those suspensions continued into this season. We’re just now starting to pull out of that mess. Isn’t that obvious by the continued and improving overall play, not to mention the 4 game winning streak? With two of those coming on the road?
From the beginning, up until now, Pel has endured without hesitation.
It’s just now starting to pay off. He knows he wasn’t the first choice of the previous A.D., as he has stated in the past, but he wasn’t his wife’s first choice either, just like he wasn’t Eddie Sutton’s first recruiting choice at Kentucky.
He’s endured all of that, right up to the present. I think the man deserves some respect, because from where i’m standing, I don’t expect to see anything but improvement from here on out.
I’m also really interested in seeing how we finish out the season, which is already an improvement over last season, and seeing what kind of a recruiting class CJP brings in for the 2010 class. It should be interesting.
Gonzo,
Very well stated. I don’t know anything better that could be added. I know I would hate to me in CJP place. It is almost a “dang if you do and dang if you don’t” situation. I imagine that he doesn’t sleep much at night knowing the preasure that is on him. I have said it before and I will reiterate it once again. Because of the way his hiring happened and all the other mess that was going on at the time CJP is deserving of 5 years.
I would be shocked if we had another Kentucky type experience this year.
Pel is OK. Sure, he has the developmental deficits that come with having lived life in a gymnasium, and the personality disorders that go with thinking too much about sports, but he’ll be fine as long as he continues to function within the confines of his cultural milieu.
Pel would be a good candidate to experiment with the benefits of medical marijuana.
First commenter in the history of this site to use the word “milieu.” LOVE IT! Keep ‘em coming, Swineherd.
Thanks for noticing, Tipster. After HogBlogger trotted out that wonderful quote by Hall-of-Famer basketball scribe Mark Twain, something just came over me. More! More!!