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Petrino fired at Arkansas
By
Matt Jones
This article was originally published April 10, 2012 at 7:35 p.m. Updated April 10, 2012 at 9:51 p.m.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL WOODS
University of Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long address the media following the announcement of the firing of football coach Bobby Petrino Tuesday evening at Bud Walton arena in Fayetteville.
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Inside the Petrino Crash
PETRINO STATEMENT: “I was informed in writing today at 5:45 p.m. that I was being terminated as head football coach at the University of Arkansas. The simplest response I have is: I’m sorry. These two words seem very inadequate. But that is my heart. All I have been able to think about is the number of people I’ve let down by making selfish decisions. I’ve taken a lot of criticism in the past. Some deserved, some not deserved. This time, I have no one to blame but myself." CONTINUE READING HIS STATEMENT
FAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Petrino was fired with cause Tuesday as the University of Arkansas' head football coach for what was described as misleading and manipulating behavior in an attempt to cover up an affair with a female employee.
UA athletics director Jeff Long announced the decision during a press conference Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena. Long had placed Petrino on paid administrative leave since last Thursday while conducting an internal investigation into a motorcycle accident on Sunday, April 1.
Long said during the conference that Petrino's passenger in the accident, 25-year-old Jessica Dorrell, was hired by Petrino as student-athlete development coordinator from a pool of 159 applicants. Long said Petrino also gave Dorrell $20,000 before she was hired. The status of Dorrell's employment was not disclosed.
Long said Petrino's actions in hiring Dorrell constituted as a "conflict of interest."
"Our expectations of character and integrity in our employees can be no less than we expect of our students," Long said. "No single individual is bigger than the team, the Razorback football program or the University of Arkansas."
Taver Johnson will remain interim coach of the Razorbacks through the end of spring practices. Long said a search for a new coach would begin immediately.
"It's hard to say what impact this will have, but we hope to find a head football coach that can lead this program and attract the kind of student-athletes that can be successful in the SEC," Long said. "We all know this is the toughest football conference in the country and we're in the toughest division so I think that will attract a quality coach and quality student-athletes.
"We will conduct a search and determine whether we can find a head coach that can lead this program and if not, then we would go with an interim and do a search following the season."
The 51-year-old Petrino broke several ribs, sprained his neck and cracked a vertebra in the accident on Arkansas 16 in rural Madison County, about 23 miles southeast of Fayetteville.
The UA released a statement on April 2 claiming Petrino was the only individual involved in the accident. At a news conference the next day, a battered Petrino appeared before news media to talk about the accident, saying he was "lucky" to be there.
When the Arkansas State Police accident report was released later that week, it was discovered that Dorrell was riding with Petrino at the time of the crash. In a statement given to the media at Long's press conference last Thursday, Petrino acknowledged he had tried to keep Dorrell's name out of the public in an attempt to hide their relationship.
"The simplest response I have is: I’m sorry," Petrino said in a statement Tuesday. "These two words seem very inadequate. But that is my heart. All I have been able to think about is the number of people I’ve let down by making selfish decisions. I’ve taken a lot of criticism in the past. Some deserved, some not deserved. This time, I have no one to blame but myself.
"I chose to engage in an improper relationship. I also made several poor decisions following the end of that relationship and in the aftermath of the accident. I accept full responsibility for what has happened."
Petrino told Long of the situation involving Dorrell at 3:12 p.m. last Thursday, according to Long. Lance King, the Arkansas State Police captain who drove Petrino to the hospital following his accident, said he had informed Petrino the accident report would soon be made public at 2:50 p.m. that day, according to King's recount of the accident to state police.
New information released from the Arkansas State Police on Monday afternoon detailed that King was told by Petrino "a gust of wind" caused the accident.
Petrino also directed King to drive him to Physicians Specialty Hospital in Fayetteville instead of Washington Regional Medical Center, where King initially intended to take Petrino following the accident.
While receiving treatment, Petrino asked King if Dorrell's name would be included on the accident report. Petrino did not attempt to keep Dorrell's name off the report, according to a statement by King.
Dorrell, a former volleyball player at Arkansas, was hired to an administrative role within the Razorbacks football program on March 28, just four days before the crash. She had previously worked as a fundraiser for The Razorback Foundation Inc., a private fundraising entity for the university's athletics programs.
"I thought Jeff ran a very good process," said John Tyson, a member of the UA's Board of Trustees. "It was a tough process, but he went and collected facts and those facts led him to a decision.
"You can tell he was personally impacted by the decision. He had a lot of belief in Bobby and Bobby did good things for the program, but a set of facts were discovered and you have to make a decision based on the facts."
Petrino went 34-17 in four seasons as the Razorbacks' head coach, with a 21-5 record in the last two years. Arkansas earned its first invite to the prestigious Bowl Championship Series in 2010 and tied a program record with 11 wins last season.
Petrino's success, coupled with a multimedia deal with IMG College and increased profit-sharing revenues from the Southeastern Conference since his arrival, has made the Razorbacks more valuable than ever. Forbes rated Arkansas as the eighth-most valuable college football program last year at a value of more than $89 million - a 59 percent increase from 2009, Petrino's second year.
The school is currently building a $40.35 million football operations center with bonds it hopes to pay back solely with private donations. Long has also expressed the desire to add more seats and luxury suites to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in the future - a project that will cost up to an estimated $95 million.
"I think certainly the success that we have had on the field is a great factor," Long said, "and I think the additions that we have made to our football program...all of those will make the job more attractive than it was maybe when Coach Petrino took the job."
Petrino agreed to a seven-year contract in December 2010 worth $3.56 million annually - the seventh-highest total among head coaches in college football. Arkansas' full-time football assistant coaches have also received pay raises each of the last two years with a total salary pool greater than $2 million.
Petrino was hired at Arkansas in December 2007 from the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. He spent 13 games with the Falcons that season and had spent the previous four years as head coach at the University of Louisville.
Petrino has a career record of 75-26 in his two stints as a college head coach and is one of only three coaches to take multiple programs to a BCS bowl, alongside Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.
Read more about this story in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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Comments on: Petrino fired at Arkansas
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hogfaninflorida says... April 10, 2012 at 7:48 p.m.
Jeff Long will not be around long either, as soon as the Hogs don't win he will be gone, most fitting for a Yankee.
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OkieSasquatch says... April 10, 2012 at 7:49 p.m.
Unfortunate, but appropriate.
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jeeper360 says... April 10, 2012 at 7:49 p.m.
What an April Fool.
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outofstatehogfan says... April 10, 2012 at 7:53 p.m.
While it was a difficult decision, it was the right decision. Thanks to Jeff Long for doing the right thing. Maybe his sincere attitude will help bring in a great coach with great character. I know everyone will not agree with the decision or my comments, but the bottom line involves integrity and trust. Petrino violated both, and left the AD with no choice. Thanks for being that quality of a man. Now, go find us the right coach to move us forward. GO HOGS!
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outofstatehogfan says... April 10, 2012 at 7:59 p.m.
The decision is made...move forward. I say call Garrick McGee! Let's get him back on the hill as soon as possible!
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Oldearkie says... April 10, 2012 at 8:04 p.m.
An expensive bike ride: his job, trust, integrity, credibility, his hottie. We'll know in a few days what else. All for a lie.
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xisbum_aol.com says... April 10, 2012 at 8:07 p.m.
A simple case of sowing and reaping.
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RBBrittain says... April 10, 2012 at 8:07 p.m.
Agree with OkieSasquatch & outofstatehogfan. As I've said all along, it was NOT about the affair; it was the cover-up. If your first thought as a coach is to cover up your dealings with a young woman you JUST hired, it's not much of a leap to covering up recruiting violations. It'll be tough for the Hogs to recover, but we will.
If anything, this shows Jeff Long has the good side of Frank Broyles without the bad side; he knows when to take tough action for the good of the program without trying to second-guess the coach as Frank did. He may be a Yankee, but he's a good one.
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penber says... April 10, 2012 at 8:12 p.m.
It is never good to put your mistress on the payroll or lie when you get caught.
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ArmyMedic says... April 10, 2012 at 8:16 p.m.
Well, if I was the new freshman's I would be dropping Arkansas to go to the next SEC team. Jeff Long, you screwed the team & the fans. I don't see you getting the 95 million to do the update on the stadium anytime soon. Because I can our value decrease dramatically. Hoping that Tyler Wilson and all of the other superb players don't drop Arkansas. Petrinio, you screwed us all because I thought next year was going to be the YEAR of the HOGS but I guess will be about another 4 years now.
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RBBrittain says... April 10, 2012 at 8:19 p.m.
I didn't necessarily endorse Garrick McGee; that post by outofstatehogfan came while I was writing mine. However, it's not gonna be easy for us to pick up a known coach with Petrino's winning qualities (and WITHOUT his honesty issues) at this time; most of those have already re-upped or moved on.
Like or not, even the initials HN might come up, despite his haters here (why I'm not using his name) and his bad record at Ole Miss; IMO his firing THERE was appropriate (unlike here), but mainly because his heart never left the Hill. If anything, it might be a message to the egomaniac at ASU (I hate him at least as bad as the HN haters hate HN).
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TigerInArk says... April 10, 2012 at 8:21 p.m.
Jeff Long is a man of character and class. Bobby Petrino is neither.
Long took a big chance when he hired Petrino. Everyone else knew it at the time.
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Redlab says... April 10, 2012 at 8:27 p.m.
Karma is a witch. First the way he left the Atlanta Falcons and now being fired from Arkansas. Just hope the NFL and other college teams don't sign him to be a coach. He cannot be trusted and will lie which is definitely not a good trait. Hope Arkansas can find a good decent coach this time who doesn't have the baggage and has family values.
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Woodson says... April 10, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.
This is a tradgy for the U of A football program. You would think this could have been handled in a quite way to save the program. We can not look forward to getting back to bottom tier of the conference.
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Woodson says... April 10, 2012 at 8:33 p.m.
This is a tradgy for the U of A football program. You would think this could have been handled in a quite way to save the program. We can now look forward to getting back to bottom tier of the conference.
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AmazingLarry says... April 10, 2012 at 8:35 p.m.
Coming from an out-of-stater living in the Rock... lots of respect to Jeff Long and the U of A administration for making the tough -but right- decision. The rest of the world thought they would take winning over morality (like Louisville with Pitino). I'll be pulling for the Razorbacks next season.
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RBBrittain says... April 10, 2012 at 8:36 p.m.
TigerInArk: I think we all knew Petrino was more of a hired gun than the usual Razorback hire, but it was to unite a fanbase that was divided by the HN debacle (and yes, my calling Malzahn an "egomaniac" comes from his role in fanning that). In that sense, Petrino did his job; but it came with a cost.
Redlab: IMO the karma came back more at Arkansas for firing HN than it did Petrino. I have NEVER understood all the hate about how Petrino left the Falcons when Lou Holtz did the EXACT SAME THING to the Jets three decades earlier--and unlike Petrino, Holtz did NOT see Michael Vick go to prison before the ink dried on his contract.
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anonymously says... April 10, 2012 at 8:39 p.m.
Feeling pretty good about Jeff Long's ability to make a firm decision and how it will carry the hogs further. In the day of Frank Broyles we would almost be assured of 10 years worth of misteps in hiring replacements.
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SPA says... April 10, 2012 at 8:44 p.m.
And best of all--BEST of all--is that maybe we can see some late-breaking news about something other than this little melodrama. For myself, I don't care who coaches or if the Hogs win. Wish the University would sink $95 million into academics, instead. That would draw a lot more students than a hot coach would---oops, did I just say "hot coach"!? Lol, pun not intended!
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SECNostradamus says... April 10, 2012 at 8:45 p.m.
I would like to preface my comment by saying that I have set the picture of Quitrino above as my wallpaper because it brings a smile to my face...
I came on here 2 years ago and told you guys that it was going to end badly between UA and Quitrino, that's what he does. The guy is a poo stain. Yes, he wins on the football field... kind of.... but he is a human wrecking ball, look at his past. There was going to be a huge ripple effect in recruiting if Long allowed this guy to stay. More so than letting him go. Arkansas is a better program now that he has been sent packing. This guy's legacy is going to be in punchlines where it belongs. He doesn't DESERVE to be the head coach of the University of Arkansas, and that's the bottom line.
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Oadie says... April 10, 2012 at 8:47 p.m.
Make way for Tuberville.
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TigerInArk says... April 10, 2012 at 8:50 p.m.
Petrino built a program that should attract a quality head coach. UA fans will have to trust Long in the search process, even if it means an interim head coach next season.
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katievicry says... April 10, 2012 at 8:55 p.m.
HE IS A GOOD COACH, BUT NOT A MORAL PERSON. HIS FIRING WAS JUSTIFIED, AND THE HOGS AND WE FANS WILL SURVIVE. WHOO, PIG, SOOIE!
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Populist says... April 10, 2012 at 8:59 p.m.
Ralph Friedgen, formerly of Univ. of Maryland, is now available. He is a great coach. The Terps found this out after they fired him shortly before winning a bowl game. His successor did nothing with the same team. (Maryland had a new athletic director from Army???; when was the last time they beat Navy in football?).
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Ran2133 says... April 10, 2012 at 9:02 p.m.
Jeff Long made the correct decision, no question about that. Now, let's all Razorback fans, and I mean true fans, get behind the players and coaching staff. Remember, those players chose to come to the University of Arkansas: let's show our appreciation to them with our support. These coaches and players represent not only our University but our State. They deserve our support 100%.
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LevyRat says... April 10, 2012 at 9:12 p.m.
Jeff Long made the right decision. I hate that Petrino is gone, but he should have known better than to hire his mistress, anyone that stupid should be fired.
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Redlab says... April 10, 2012 at 9:23 p.m.
RBBrittain - I was commenting about the subject matter at hand which is Petrino. Lou Holtz has absolutely nothing to do with this story or Petrino. I always attempt to stick to the subject of an article and not go off on other subjects that have nothing to do with the article. Just saying...
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GottaMakeIt says... April 10, 2012 at 9:27 p.m.
RBBrittain-What's with the HN and IMO in your posts? You can't spell or what?
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NoUserName says... April 10, 2012 at 9:27 p.m.
RB...I, for one, never knew that about Holtz - that was even before I was born. I've never been a Holtz fan and never cared to look at his history. 30 years from now, had Petrino had the type of run that Holtz had at ND, I expect it would have been long forgotten. Also, the media was different 30 years ago than today.
.
With respect to HN, as someone who didn't even come to LR until 2008 or so, from what I've learned about HN, I'd have fired him when that whole Mustain thing happened.
.
As for Petrino, somewhere, DeAngelo Hall is smiling.
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inquire says... April 10, 2012 at 9:31 p.m.
Kudos to Long for standing up for right, and saying no one is bigger than the team. It is an insult to the athletes to think they have to have Petrino to win. And I agree with SPA--academics should always trump football! When my brother was at the university, the sports program got everything, and the roof was leaking in the library.
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pupuguru says... April 10, 2012 at 9:58 p.m.
Will Ms Dorrell also be fired for similar reasons?
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BarichMilhusseinObamaNixonPOTUS says... April 10, 2012 at 10:07 p.m.
TigerinArk you are so right. Thank God we have a man of character in Jeff Long. I wanted to keep BP but after hearing the facts I am so glad he is gone. Petrino thinks he is bigger than not just a football program but his family and everything else. I think he needs to start attending Narcissists Anonymous meetings.
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allanpruitt06211235 says... April 10, 2012 at 10:45 p.m.
Long did the right and only thing he could do by firing Petrino!
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rdowen says... April 10, 2012 at 11:08 p.m.
@ RBBritain: "As I've said all along, it was NOT about the affair; it was the cover-up. If your first thought as a coach is to cover up your dealings with a young woman you JUST hired, it's not much of a leap to covering up recruiting violations."
What? So you're saying that extramarital affair are OK as long as one doesn't cover them up? By that token, recruiting violations are OK if they aren't covered up? Huh?
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TGRANNY says... April 10, 2012 at 11:09 p.m.
This is one nightmare that I had hoped that it would not come true. My heart goes out to his wife and family.
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jorb says... April 10, 2012 at 11:09 p.m.
Jwill (Class of 71) OK, coach is Gone.There are 120 football Razorbacks that need our support.Rather than crying in our beers,why don't we all show up at Razorback stadium for the spring game.Lets send a message to our team and the Nation that we will be there this fall to support them.Calling the Hogs louder than ever.
Start today,contacting everybody you know to meet us for the Spring Game.What a sight that would be if the stadium was full.What a message that would send to our team.
SOIEEEEE !! PIGS WE GOT YOUR BACK
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tigrhogfan says... April 10, 2012 at 11:10 p.m.
I was incredibly impressed with Jeff Long tonight and feel a sense of pride for the Razorback program that placed an emphasis on integrity and honor, which all fans deserve for their program. Better days are ahead. While an LSU alumnus, I have lived in Arkansas for 20 years and have adopted the Hogs, and would be proud to have Jeff Long represent my alma mater. Chin up and best wishes in finding a coach to continue the progress the program has made.
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Felina says... April 11, 2012 at 12:13 a.m.
If I may speak for RRB, I believe he was emphasizing that this whole scandal is so much MORE than a private affair between a man, his wife and his mistress! A lot of folks have been saying it is a private issue b/w petrino and his wife to deal with. It is also abuse of power and lying to his employer and the tax payers. That makes it a very public concern. Glad Long had the guts to do the right thing!
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GWayne says... April 11, 2012 at 1:09 a.m.
Thank you Mr. Long! We will survive, we will arise, and we will build a Better Team for We are the Arkansas Razorbacks!
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Captialist12 says... April 11, 2012 at 1:22 a.m.
Long fires Arkansas’ best coach since Hatfield or Broyles because he lied to him? Imagine how our unemployment would skyrocket if everyone who lied to his boss was fired. Petrino commits neither NCAA infractions nor illegal activity. ow who exactly do we get to replace Petrino? And didn’t Long just give Little Rock the royal snub by taking a game with LSU away, which often had national implications and we usually won, and give us Ole Miss, a team who has not won an SEC game in 2 ½ years?
Rehire and apologize to Petrino. Fire Long immediately before he can do more damage.
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arkansasfootballtraveler says... April 11, 2012 at 2:50 a.m.
Using the state trooper as a personnel valet, almost killing a young woman screwing around on a bike and then trying to lie and cover up!!! I mean this is one dumb son of a gun.
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bigkno1 says... April 11, 2012 at 6:22 a.m.
Absolutely the right decision, IF you believe the University comes first, and football comes second, AND that the AD can find a solid, winning replacement, then there was no other decision. As for a "Yankee", wow! Let's see. Hmmm. I think, uh, Saban, Miles, and Meyer are all Yankees, and if memory serves me correctly, they did nicely in SEC football. So, don't think a Yankee can't coach football. Nope, don't think that at all.
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LETSBEREALISTIC says... April 11, 2012 at 6:55 a.m.
That is good and appropriate, when you pay this much money to a person it only breads wrongly inflated egos and inappropriate behavior. If you cannot hire a coach for a reasonable salary then kill the sports program. Team sports bread bad behavior and corruption!
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vocal says... April 11, 2012 at 7:59 a.m.
Hats off to Jeff Long for having the courage to do the right thing. We will win Hog Fans. Petrino is NOT the only coach in the U.S. I see Jeff Long being a part of this program for a very long time. He has great integrity.
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jjordan says... April 11, 2012 at 9:18 a.m.
I'm a UA graduate and was proud of how Jeff Long represented my school. I loved to watch Petrino's success with our team, but I just don't think Long had much of choice. I also don't think he has much of a choice, but to go with an internal interim coach for this season. If he hires another coach currently employed, then here we go again with hiring a coach that catches flack for abandoning their post at a critical time. Plus, I don't see any unemployed coaches out there that get me too excited (ie, Butch Davis). Not sure that going with a red hot assistant from another school would be a good thing either with the situation at hand. What a way to cut your teeth. I think he has to go interim for the season in all fairness to the team and to make sure he allows the proper timing for finding our next coach. But, Long knows a whole bunch more about this than me and I have faith in him. I think he is a class act.
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NONSHEEPLE says... April 11, 2012 at 9:29 a.m.
Everyone remember..... PETRINO brought this on himself... He wasn't "setup". He made his choices and it's DONE>
NOW HOG NATION neesd to rally to the Spring Practice and show support for the ones who REALLY matter... THE PLAYERS>>> WPS!!
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AlleyOops75 says... April 11, 2012 at 10:01 a.m.
Petrino's statement regarding this unfortunate incident is nothing more than pandering to his benign ego. If he's learned anything from this inane event it's not evident by his hidden pleas for mercy and forgiveness. Jeff Long had no choice but to fire the coach; to have done anything less would have scared the University & the state for years to come.
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BillSmith says... April 11, 2012 at 10:15 a.m.
You can tell by his comment what type of a person Captailist12 is, a right winger that beleives any means to an end is OK as long as the results are what you are looking for.
We see this atitude all the time in the GOP, Nixon aka Watergate, Reagan aka Iran Contra.
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NONSHEEPLE says... April 11, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.
I hear John Gruden is available..... ;0
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harley1305121514 says... April 11, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.
GREAT post "jorbwill-cablelynx"....I agree with you 100%. Caplialist 12....what do you mean Petrino committed neither NCAA infraction or illegal activity? Maybe not illegal activity by the law but by University of Arkansas standards and contract he committed illegal activity! He hired his mistress/lover/girlfriend/?? from a group of 159 applicants and had given her $20,000.00 (maybe, just maybe an advance in pay) just before giving her the job!
ArmyMedic...how did Jeff Long screw the team and the fans? If he had made ANY other decision then he would have screwed everyone including himself! Do you think the players would feel obligated to be honest, trust worthy or MORAL playing for Petrino? How could anyone want Petrino setting the example for their son?
hogfaninflorida...Jeff Long did his job and did it with integrity and will continue to do his job by finding UofA a coach with the same honesty and integrity he has shown with this decision and will be around for a long time!
Populist...Ralph Friedgen was FIRED before winning a bowl game, why? Do you think it was because he took them up to this bowl game? I don't know the reason but...I bet you do!! Would you please share the facts behind the firing before we jump on his bandwagon?
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Porklover says... April 11, 2012 at 11:43 a.m.
To all you Bubbas out there in Hog Heaven, consider the following points.
This is a tough day for Yankee Jeff Long and former Coach Petrino, but consider the upside and positive outcomes for Ms. Dorrell, who may just be the forgotten player and heroine in this drama.
Ms. Dorrell sold out for a mere $20K and has decided she is worth much more. With long legs like that, who can argue?
Some insight into Ms. Dorrell’s possible thinking last week while riding on the back of Bobby’s hog. She’s got a new job, just 4 days into it, at $56K a year, going to work every damn day, having to play student-athlete development coordinator (now there’s an oxymoronic title) for a bunch of dumb football players. How about calling her chief flirt and babysitter instead? That would get old real quick.
So she’s recently engaged and just bought a double wide with her fiancé that she now has to decorate and furnish. $20K just may not cut it. So she’s riding on the Harley, and decides to do the old reach around move and get Bobby off, that way she won’t have to get her butt dirty and scratched up doing it in the woods later. What’s the worst that can happen? She’s wearing the helmet and gloves. So Bobby loses control in more ways than one. She jumps off, uses Bobby to take the impact and does an old volleyball move rolling to her feet unscratched. Meanwhile Bobby looks like the Pillsbury dough boy splattered with pink frosting. So Ms. Dorrell is sitting pretty, if it’s kept quiet and she keeps her job, she has more dirt on the boss; if she loses it, she has a mighty big harassment claim against the U and Athletic Dept, and she’s a celebrity. TV reality shows come calling. She can pose for Playboy and various online porn channels for more dough. Using some of the dough for body sculpting and some cool tattoos, and she may become in big demand as a stripper around Fayetteville. Hope she splits the proceeds with her now ex-fiance. Well, at least the double wide is easy to split down the middle. Bet her daddy is down right proud of his girl now.
Sooey all you Hogs out there...
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morebeer says... April 11, 2012 at 12:22 p.m.
Pork, you've been left out of the fridge too long. Relax Hog fans, $3 million will buy a lot of ball coach. Long and Co. will find an experienced, capable replacement. The job has a big upside in the short-term. Talented returning veterans, including a QB, plenty of money, great facilities, the SEC. In the long-term, Alabama, Auburn and LSU will stomp on you if you ease up on recruiting the tiniest bit. Just ask that Nutt fella.
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GrecianArkie says... April 11, 2012 at 1:27 p.m.
@BillSmith
It's amazing how you can make a political correlation of "right wing" to this discussion with the profound definition that "a right winger that beleives any means to an end is OK as long as the results are what you are looking for." And for evidence you propose a 40-year-old action?
Obviously you know as little about politics as knowing how to spell 'believes.'
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aprivett2001 says... April 11, 2012 at 2:35 p.m.
Seems to me that the only one's who are "in-the-right" in this whole story was Trooper Arnold and Mr. Long!!
Bobby Patrino......... Karma has finally caught up to you!!! I pray for your family and wish that AD Long WOULD allow the U of A to pay the $18 million severance that your contract entails. ONLY so your wife can get most of it in the divorce!!! You not only deceived the University these past 4 years, but your players, your recruits, your children, and your wife, but MOSTLY, you deceived yourself!!!!! As a coach, mentor, husband, and father, you ARE A FAILURE!!!!! YOU, did not win those games over the past four years! The PLAYERS, the Staff (both paid and student staff) worked their butts off to ensure that the University of Arkansas Football Program continuously improved within the SEC!! THEY ARE the reason the U of A shines like a beacon throughout the NCAA!! The FANS, as well as their tax dollars, are the reason the U of A Football Program and it's facilities are second to none! NOT YOU, Mr. (NOT COACH) Petrino!!
Mr. Petrino...... Did you Father NOT teach you the #1 rule in a man's life??
"Don't Crap in your own back yard....... 'Cause sooner or later, you're gonna step in it!!"
Your entire coaching career has been a result of you manipulating others, lying profusely for your own, personal financial gain, and has been an entire "SHAM"!! You only received those coaching positions because of your deception and lies!
I pray that your wife finds the strength in her heart to take you for everything you have. Please notice that I said, "everything you have", and NOT "everything your worth."
If she took you for "everything your worth", she'd probably starve to death!! Because, anyone, like yourself, who lies, manipulates, risks other people's careers by asking them to "conspire to cover up" YOUR MISDEEDS, DOES NOT deserve the opportunity to work for the hard working, tax paying citizens of the Great State of Arkansas!!!
Good luck teaching P.E., Health, and Driver's Ed at Po-Dunk High School!!
PLEASE do us all a favor before you take that new High School job....... Promise us that you will go find some ol' bar-stank to live with and satisfy your manly yearnings so you DON'T regress and violate some poor, little blonde junior or senior!!!
I know ONE THING!!!
I WOULDN'T TRUST YOU AROUND MY CHILDREN!!
By the way,
Mrs. Petrino, when you find the strength to do, what you know is the right thing to do, would you consider selling me the motorcycle in which your "scum-bag" husband wrecked?
I'm sure it doesn't hold very many "fond" memories for you. Also, Good Luck in your life, whatever your decisions concerning "Bobby" may be!!
I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU, MRS. PETRINO, and your children!!
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Oldearkie says... April 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
Can I Red Shirt this job?
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td109702 says... April 11, 2012 at 9:08 p.m.
This is what is so messed up with athletics. If you are going to a school, it should be for what you are wanting to become in life by going there and gaining the needed education to achieve it. Just going there to play because a person that they call coach, that you would like to play for, is not the reason to attend.
Hell, even I can yell, "Move your ASS, Move your ass," to you as you run up the field if paid a million or better to the top of my lungs and still probably have the same results that he did if I make you run till you drop.
I do not believe that a person that is paid that much should act like he did in life. It is the good ole boy stuff that always backfires and blows up on the job at some point. He broke a lot of people's trust....not just the state. It was not in the interest in any school, much less U of A. for someone in power to act like he did and be a bad example for today's players but also the children of Arkansas to look up to as an example. We had to deal with Bill Clinton for 8 years in office and see what our society has become on morals. Sometimes someone in society has to make a stand for the common good, no matter what others might say.
Yet, people still sometimes boast that Clinton was morally great for our nation?
If someone (student athlete) is only coming to the school to play without having any morals in life, then all schools that gives a scholarship to play should be held accountable just like the university did with Bobby Petrino. I hear of too many players at schools getting a slap on the wrist for their actions from newspaper stories each year. Please take their scholarships away, if proven guilty, and ban them from sports at the university without the ability of transferring to another university to play their remaining time of eligibility. Do the right thing for once. Let someone that wants an education with morals be able to attain one by the use of that money.
I would not be surprised that if a separate neutral commission investigates more.... that there were NCAA rules broken by Petrino at some point while employed. People should be proud of what Mr. Long did in removing someone of questionable actions. I would have done the same without any soul searching, it was a clear cut business decision only.
There are other things to consider for U. of A. future...beside lawsuits.
In other words, sanctions are on the horizon when it is looked into more closely by a committee or someone other than the university about the business dealings we have yet to learn about from the news over the time he was employed here in the state at the U. of A. ... and I said it here first!
What will the students newly recruited have to say if there was a chance the university was to face sanctions? Let me answer: "I will bet that they would jump ship before the rats do."
I do WHOLE HOG support Jeff Long over Frank Broyles any day so far because of his actions.
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LSUBengalTiger says... April 11, 2012 at 10:27 p.m.
WOW! My opinion of UA definitely went up a few notches today. I was prepared for the usual song and dance that promised "this won't happen again, etc now let's go win football games" but Jeff Long, along with UA showed a lot of character with the decision. While some people may think it's just about winning, UA today showed it's more, much more, than that. There is no substitute for character, no matter what the W-L column says. Now, can we talk about the game this November.......?
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