OF COURSE Jeff Long had to go as athletic director of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, for he didn't understand what a university education is about. It's about winning and losing, and not how you play the game. It's about holding your mouth just right when talking to the big givers. It's about many things, but unfortunately education itself doesn't rank high among them.
The chancellor of UA-F, Joe Steinmetz, didn't give a clear explanation of why Director Long had to go, but in a statement that offered readers everything but clarity and coherence, he said among other self-contradictory things: "Since coming to Fayetteville in 2008, Jeff has led our department with character and integrity and helped move us forward in so many ways."
But after his lip service to ideals, Chancellor Steinmetz went on to pass the buck for this scandalous treatment of a decent man and accomplished leader. "However," and you knew there would be a "however" attached to the chancellor's lofty sentiments, "over the past year, Jeff has lost the support of many of our fans, alumni, key supporters, and members of the university leadership, support that I believe is critical in our pursuit of excellence." But if this be excellence, what would mealy-mouthed mediocrity be?
The Democrat-Gazette's sports column tried to boil all that hemming and hawing down to just a phrase or two, and succeeded surpassing well: "The great father of two wonderful girls, the loving husband of Fanny, and a very spiritual man, Long never got Arkansas football, its history, pride or tradition. Too much bean-counting, not enough hand-shaking." Which sums it up all better than Chancellor Steinmetz had the gumption to do.
The various coaches of other sports at UA-F (yes, there are athletic programs besides football at that school) were unstinting in their praise of the school's new former athletic director. Here's just one example: "He's been an unbelievable leader," said Mike Anderson, who coaches basketball at the school, "I guess it's kind of hard for me to wrap my mind around it, the things that have transpired today."
Jeff Long's shining moment as a moral exemplar must have been when he fired football coach Bobby Petrino in April 2012, nine days after Coach Petrino smashed up his Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the highway with a friend aboard. Jeff Long could have been elected to any office in Arkansas, so loud did his praises resound that day in a state that recognizes moral leadership when it sees it.
Or at least used to. For that was then, and now is now, and the decisive question asked of an athletic director these days has become: What have you done for us lately? And the answer must be framed in terms of wins and losses on the football field, not intangibles like shaping the character of coming generations of Arkansans.
But now Jeff Long has been treated as persona non grata and royally snubbed by the trustees of the university he served so well. He was left to twist in the wind outside an executive session as the trustees deliberated his fate. Never mind that the school's "student-athletes" have shown their best-ever academic progress under his guidance. Not to mention all the money he's managed to add to this university's coffers. Which has been millions--but not enough to buy him any more time on the job.
After Jeff Long was sent packing, the newsroom put together a string of graphics explaining the numbers throughout his time at the U of A. If a picture says a thousand words, then a good graphic says as least 500.
Most of the graphics trended up. Revenue at the athletic department increased from $60 million when Mr. Long was hired in 2008 to nearly double that this year. Ticket sales nearly doubled, too. Private contributions shot up.
The only graphic that didn't trend positive was the number of football wins.
Football is king. Even at an academic institution. And all the buildings built, all the courses passed, all the education received isn't going to save an athletic director from South Carolina 48, Arkansas 22.
That says a lot about colleges, sports and priorities. It also says a lot about We the People.
Editorial on 11/19/2017