LITTLE ROCK — “Resolve to be honest at all events; and if, in your own judgment, you can not be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer.”
-Abraham Lincoln Addressing aspiring lawyers.
THAT was a wonderful picture in the sports section the other day, sir and ma’am. The both of you looked happy as pigs in the sunshine. (You’ll have to learn a few colloquialisms. We’ll help.) But you’ll have to trade in that Wisconsin thing you did with your hands. No W’s around here, please. And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t accidentally flash a hook-’em-horns sign. We think that’s a state law. You might get jail time.
Wisconsin’s loss looks to be Arkansas’ gain. Pity.
Wisconsin seems a decent enough state. At least it’s not a Texas or Mississippi.
How do you pronounce your name again? Bee-la-muh? Okay. Arkansas will get used to it soon enough, about the same time you get used to all of us calling the hogs.
As usual, we’ve buried the lede. Of course, of course, and excuse us-a great big welcome to you both. Where are our manners? We hope you enjoy your time here, and that it will be more than a visit. Folks who come here tend to stay here. It’s Arkansas. It’s fall in the Ozarks. It’s duck hunting in the Delta. It’s the people. It’s the Southeastern Conference.
That last point is key. You might have heard we take college football seriously in these latitudes. Too seriously. Much too seriously. You wouldn’t believe how seriously.
Not that you hadn’t heard that before. We seem to remember a comment from a coach about the SEC last year.
What was it now? Something about a recruit who’d committed to Wisconsin, at least orally, but changed his mind after a coach named Urban Meyer was hired at Ohio State. And the recruit switched schools. That didn’t sit well with the coach in Wisconsin, who said the Big Ten had certain values, that an agreement is an agreement in that conference, and, quote, the Big Ten didn’t want to be like the SEC, end quote.
Good for that coach. Who is now, by the way, in the SEC.
All of which raises the question: Will the coach with Wisconsin values be able to recruit kids to Arkansas, even as they’re being recruited by LSU and Alabama, too?
Let’s hope so. Most of Arkansas hopes so. Don’t noise it about, Coach and Missus, but Arkansas football fans were, well, less than ecstatic about the team’s record this year.
BUT THERE’S more to coaching football on the college level than sulking around the sidelines mumbling curses (see Bama), or throwing your visor across the field (see South Carolina) or eating the turf (see LSU). A coach should also provide an example to the boys he’s trying to turn into men.
Football is fun. Or ought to be. Most of us like fun. But most reasonable adults (emphasis on reasonable) will understand that football isn’t quite as important even in these parts as duty, honor, country.
Nor is football as important as the moral and ethical lessons young men should learn on the field-and honor long after their football careers are over.
Nor is football as important as the example a good coach provides, as we keeping hearing at testimonial banquets to Great Coaches We Have Known.
So welcome to the Natural State, Bret and Jen Bielema. We wish you all the success.
And coach, we wish you that success without your having to depart in any way from those Certain Values you mentioned last year. People are watching, including young people. Do right by them, in front of them, and you’ll be more than a successful coach, you’ll be a great coach.
Go Hogs.
Editorial, Pages 18 on 12/08/2012