Arkansas Hires Pelphrey, Hopes He'll Stay For More Than One Freakin' Day

John Pelphrey has been named men's head basketball coach at Arkansas. Pelphrey had been the head basketball coach at South Alabama since 2003. Pelphrey may be best known for his playing career at Kentucky from 1988-1992 (during which time he sported a kick ass mullet/ Kentucky mud flap -Pelphrey was part of the three mullets: three unheralded, yet mulleted players who helped make up Rick Pitino's first recruiting class at Kentucky when UK was unable-due to NCAA sanctions-to offer basketball scholarships).


Pelphrey becomes the third Arkansas coach in as many weeks. After firing Stan Heath, Arkansas hired Dana Altman as head basketball coach. Altman quit one day later. Hopefully, for the Hogs, Pelphrey will stick around for a while.


Edit:

To his credit, Pelphrey may not have actually rocked a mullet while at Kentucky. There were three mullets on the 1992 team (you'll see them in highlights from the 'greatest game of all time' contest between Duke and Kentucky at the '92 East Regional- you know, the game that ended with Christian Laettner hitting the turn around buzzer beater that beat Kentucky), but Pelphrey may not have been one of them. I've scoured every corner of the world wide web but I can't find a photo of a mulleted John Pelphrey. But Farmer and Martinez had them (replete with porn star 'staches to boot).

And oh yeah,

As is the custom in Hogville:


Whooooooo
Piiiiiiiiig
Sooooooooooooooooo-wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Arkansas: In Deep Hog Slop

I don't really care about the coaching carousel, and really really don't care about Arkansas' coaching search. But the weirdness of the Arkansas situation is forcing our hand. This is the third Drive and Dish post regarding Arkansas in as many days. Hopefully, they'll just hire some up and coming coach from a mid major school. But, they seem to think that they're an elite program, and that only a "big time," "big name" coach is worthy of tending the Hogs.

This article sheds some light on the bizarre Dana Altman saga.

Looks like they've got problems down in Fayetteville.

Altman Changes Mind, Returns to Creighton

Yesterday, Creighton head men's basketball coach Dana Altman was announced as the new basketball coach at Arkansas. Today, Altman changed his mind.

One day after his introduction in Fayetville, Altman has decided to return to Creighton. That's just wierd.



Edit:

It's not the first time a coach has accepted a job, been introduced as the new coach to media and fans, and changed his mind days later. Bobby Cremins was the head coach at Georgia Tech when he accepted the South Carolina job. Days later, he returned to Georgia Tech. And just two years ago, Rick Majerus was introduced as the head coach at USC. He, too, changed his mind a few days later.

Altman was a good choice for Arkansas, but Hogs fans, apparently, weren't exactly thrilled with his hiring. Arkansas is a small place. Razorback athletics mean everything to the locals. Arkansas fans expected a high profile coach.

Dana Altman is an outstanding X's & O's coach, but has a milquetoast personality. He's built a great mid major program at Creighton. But Arkansas fans have unrealistic expectations for their beloved Hogs. The Razorback state was abuzz with the rumor that Bill Self would leave Kansas for Fayetville. John Calipari was the "second choice" for many in Hogville.

But Arkansas just isn't that hot of a job. The mid-nineties glory days (when Nolan Richardson's teams were subjecting opponents to "forty minutes of hell") are quickly becoming distant memories. The school just fired a basketball coach (Stan Heath) who, in four years, rebuilt the program and made back to back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and '07. And, perhaps worst of all, the coach has to live Arkansas.

I'd be surprised if Arkansas is able to hire a "big name" coach, as their fans demand. Dana Altman was a good choice. It's unlikely that Arkansas will find someone better.

Creighton's Altman To Arkansas

It appears that Creighton head basketball coach, Dana Altman, will be announced as the new men's basketball coach at Arkansas.

Altman may not be a very exciting hire, but he's an outstanding coach who emphasizes defense. Razorbacks fans, who long for the "forty minutes of hell" glory days, will probably be disappointed by Altman's hiring. But they'll eventually come to appreciate the way Altman's teams play.

Yee Haw!

Edit:

It will be interesting to see if, at any point in his introductory press conference, the vanilla Altman engages in a round of "woo pig soohey." It's customary in Arkansas press conferences.
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooh-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!