Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

3/13/2011 at 7:59pm

Arkansas players Mike Sanchez (left) and Jeff Peterson (right) discuss the firing of Coach John Pelphrey on Sunday.

Just about anywhere on earth other than the Raymond Miller Room on the Arkansas campus would have been a more desirable place for basketball players Michael Sanchez and Jeff Peterson to be Sunday night. Sanchez and Peterson, fresh off an emotional meeting with their teammates and former coach, were talking with media about the dismissal of Coach John Pelphrey.

It was an uncomfortable position for the two junior players, who handled the spotlight well. More obvious than the discomfort Sanchez and Peterson felt was their disappointment.

While they sat at the table, talking about the program’s failures, other players across the country were discussing the accomplishment of making it to the NCAA Tournament. While Peterson and Sanchez were preparing to talk about Pelphrey’s firing, 68 teams across the country were celebrating their opportunity to compete for a national championship.

“We’ve been so busy with all that’s going on, it’s been hard to pay attention to anything else,” Peterson said when asked if he snuck a peak at the bracket picks. Peterson didn’t know who had made the field, but he knew who didn’t: Arkansas.

Making the tournament is something Peterson said he joined the Razorbacks to do. Instead, Arkansas missed the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive year. Again, Pelphrey was unable to get what was once among the nation’s most storied programs to the postseason and the team finished conference play with a losing record for a third year in a row. Arkansas ended the season 18-13

Sanchez spoke of how difficult the day had been. Players were “surprised” by the news, but Sanchez said he understood the decision, particularly in the context of what was playing out across the country on the day Arkansas fired Pelphrey after four seasons and a 69-59 record with just one NCAA Tournament appearance.

“We all are held accountable,” Sanchez said. “ I recognize Jeff long made the best decision he felt was right for program. It’s hard to see Coach Pel leave, but I’ve got a lot of faith in Jeff Long.”

Long preceded the players at the podium. His comments had a familiar theme, noting the difficulty of the decision, while pointing out the program was capable of much, much more than Pelphrey delivered.

Arkansas has been nationally relevant. It would be again, Long stressed, but Pelphrey was not the coach to get the Razorbacks back to the point they mattered outside the state.

"I wanted to give John every chance possible. ... I had very high hopes John could be successful,” Long said. “I think he could be successful in another situation, but it wasn't happening here at Arkansas."

Arkansas basketball barely mattered within the state. Attendance hit record lows in 19,000-seat Bud Walton Arena, and season ticket sales were at there lowest point since the Razorbacks played in Barnhill Arena, a facility with half as many seats.

Attracting a coach that can get Arkansas back to national prominence doesn’t figure to be an easy or cheap process. If Long is serious about getting the program where it has been historically, he’ll have to pay more than the $1.2 million annually Pelphrey was making.

"Money is an object. Anyone to say it isn't would be irresponsible,” Long said, before quickly adding, “We think we have resources needed to attract a high-quality coach.”

Long must find a more qualified candidate than Pelphrey, who had a nice pedigree after time with Rick Pitino, Eddie Sutton and Billy Donovan, but was ill-equipped to handle a job like Arkansas.

Pelphrey had a .544 winning percentage and just one NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons at South Alabama. To be fair, Pelphrey was the best Arkansas could do at the time with academic issues and an outgoing athletic director.

To his credit, Pelphrey did clean up some of the academic mess he inherited. That should make the job more attractive, as does a top five recruiting class currently signed and the prospect of working with all-league-caliber players like Rotnei Clarke and Marshawn Powell.

Long outlined a few criteria for the new coach, including the proven ability to win. Arkansas should command “a sitting coach at a high level,” Long said. Ultimately, Long said he was interested in “winning.”

Peterson and Sanchez were in the room to hear that. Both admitted the program wasn’t where they wanted it to be, but have faith that Long will get them on the right track.

“Every player dreams to get to the NCAA Tournament and to compete,” Peterson said. “Mr. Long knows where this program can be. We have that tradition of getting to the NCAA Tournament.”

Perhaps next year’s Selection Sunday press conference will be because the program is adding to that great tradition. Peterson, Sanchez and their teammates deserve to watch the tournament bracket unfold with their team included.

Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, John Pelphrey, Michael Sanchez, Rotnei Clarke, Marshawn Powell, Jeff Peterson