[Cactus Jack]

Don't be shocked if Arkansas makes a big play for Chris Beard.

A big part of his career is in the Texas and it's a place that they'll need to recruit well, especially with Texas and Oklahoma's pending move into the SEC. Arkansas doesn't produce enough talent of their own to build a national-level power, but there's plenty of talent in the East Texas border region and the Dallas-area.

I think there'll be plenty of push-back on actually going through with Beard, but Arkansas fans are a breed of their own and they want to be winners-- that alone may push them to him after they've had a small taste of the Richardson glory days under Musselman.

Taking him from a school in their division would be a little bonus, because if they pass him up, those same fans who wanted Beard could become a bit vocal about losing to him or finishing behind him.

For Beard, I'd have to think that there's more potential in the Arkansas basketball job than there is at Ole Miss. Honestly, as long as the school keeps the Rebel mascot and branding, I think their ceiling is going to be limited. If you've ever been to a football game in Oxford, you know that tailgating in The Grove can seem like you are stepping back in time. 

Speaking of football, I can't imagine that Ole Miss could really sustain football and Lane Kiffin as well as basketball and Chris Beard; it may work for awhile, but I could definitely see there being a turf war when it came to funding, facilities, NIL, and the like. I think an overwhelming majority of the people in the 'Sip would rather have better football than basketball if they could only pick one. 

Prioritizing one program over the other is ultimately what a school like Arkansas, Ole Miss, Alabama, or Kentucky has to do. You may pull off the balancing act for awhile, but eventually you'll have to choose a side, feelings will be hurt, and your base can fracture. At Ole Miss and Alabama, they'll probably side with Lane Kiffin and Kalen DeBoer and settle for above average basketball; at Kentucky or Arkansas, they'll probably side with their basketball program and settle for being above average in football.

Some other names with ties to the SEC that you might want to keep an eye on are Will Wade and Andy Kennedy, but it looks like Arkansas has their sights set on Beard for the time being.

[Old School Hound]

Guys like Chris Beard and Eric Musselman make me even happier about having a guy like John By God Calipari. Arkansas hillbillies deserve a shady guy like Beard.

[Spud6]

So Beard to Ole Miss or Arkansas? Happy either way as a team that has to play them in the SEC.

[jetpilot]

Guys like Chris Beard and Eric Musselman make me even happier about having a guy like John By God Calipari.  Arkansas hillbillies deserve a shady guy like Beard.

Their hillbillies obviously dislike losing a lot more than a few of our hillbillies.

[Cactus Jack]

So Beard to Ole Miss or Arkansas? Happy either way as a team that has to play them in the SEC.

There's a pretty vocal portion of the Razorback fan base who want him. He's currently at Ole Miss. Before there he was at Texas Tech and took them to the Final before leaving for Texas. He was fired by Texas after being arrested for domestic violence.

Some are against it, saying that their reputation is already damaged by hiring assistants like Petrino (and others).

There's also a bit of a complex as being seen than "less than" for taking Texas' cast-off, especially when they'll be in direct competition with them.

An interesting name I've seen in some hot stove discussions is Kellen Sampson, a Houston assistant to his father Kelvin. Jerome Tang, a former Baylor assistant and current Kansas State head coach is another name popping up in Big XII circles.

[Cactus Jack]

Looks like Beard has now publicly turned down Arkansas and Jerome Tang is considered the front runner. My original post was a bit ahead of others, and I wouldn't be surprised with Tang's decision either way.

Maybe he goes, and I'd think Arkansas is a step-up from Kansas State (who'll be #2 to Kansas for the remainder of our lifetimes at least), but maybe the money and logistics don't work and the search shifts again.

I won't be surprised with Tang's fate because I don't know if his name will have enough appeal for their donors, especially given that Beard was so public in turning them down.

[Old School Hound]

So Beard to Ole Miss or Arkansas? Happy either way as a team that has to play them in the SEC.

There's a pretty vocal portion of the Razorback fan base who want him. He's currently at Ole Miss. Before there he was at Texas Tech and took them to the Final before leaving for Texas. He was fired by Texas after being arrested for domestic violence.

Some are against it, saying that their reputation is already damaged by hiring assistants like Petrino (and others).

There's also a bit of a complex as being seen than "less than" for taking Texas' cast-off, especially when they'll be in direct competition with them.

An interesting name I've seen in some hot stove discussions is Kellen Sampson, a Houston assistant to his father Kelvin. Jerome Tang, a former Baylor assistant and current Kansas State head coach is another name popping up in Big XII circles.

Another real dandy of a human, that Sampson guy.  And Tang's an ass, too. Might as well just talk Danny Tarkanian to get out of politics and into coaching and hire him.

[Cactus Jack]

Well this should get spicy now.

[Bluecat]

Crazy

[Spud6]

No way he goes to Arkansas

[Cactus Jack]

No way he goes to Arkansas

I can see it working well for all parties.

They are desperate, having been told no by a coach with a history like Beard and a less than the biggest name like Tang.

Arkansas makes a splash and takes a shot at the King of the SEC.

Kentucky gets out of the Calipari deal and can start anew.

Calipari gets paid and is in a territory not that far from his old stomping grounds at Memphis and Kentucky, and at a school with money that's itching for success. 

Who loses?

---

Look at everything I posted about the Arkansas job when Cal wasn't even on their radar. Is anything out of line with their expectations and their now looking at closing on Cal?

It all fits.

[Westside]

I follow Nebraska Cornhusker athletics because I am a fan of their football program from the Tom Osborne days.  I saw a comment made by one of their fans about this coaching move.  He stated that Calipari went from one inbred state to another inbred state.  LOL!!!  I think i would much rather live in Kentucky than Nebraska.

[Westside]

I hope that Cal does to the Arkansas program what Eddie Sutton did to UK's program.