sg Speaks: Fortson Suspension a Good Thing
If you haven’t heard by now, the news on the Hill is that Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Pelphrey has indefinitely suspended our freshman point guard Courtney Fortson. This comes as a big shock to Hog fans all over, especially when the team is doing so poorly on the court. But, to keep in line with the few past suspensions (Fortson, Jason Henry and Montrell McDonald), no official reason has been mentioned. Many will ask “why in the world would Pelphrey suspend Fortson when he gives us the best chance to win night-in and night-out?”
The answer: no one player is above the team. Pelphrey has coached from day one that you put the team first, no matter what. My guess is that Fortson’s little technical foul stunt the other night was just the icing on the cake.
As we’ve mentioned before, this season has gone sour real fast and our chances of post-season play are becoming less and less likely (yes, even the NIT). I’m sure that Pelphrey is preaching to the kids that in times like this … scratch that … ESPECIALLY in times like this, you have to stick together as a team. No one person is going to win a game, it’s not five on one out there. This is a team sport. You win as a team and you lose a team.
I’m thinking that Fortson did something that Pelphrey didn’t like, something that made it seem that Fortson was above the team (and this is just speculation since the University won’t elaborate). To have a swift disciplinarian hand with your team is a good thing, and if you ask me, this is the right thing to do. As a coach, you NEVER stop coaching, even if that means suspending one of the cornerstones of your team.
Big deal that Kentucky is coming to town this weekend. Big deal that we’re already down several from the bench. Big deal that our season isn’t ending up like it started. That gives no one on the team the right to put themselves first and NOT the team.
More tough lessons all around for the Razorbacks. Hopefully the lessons we learn now won’t haunt us in the coming years.
Comments
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zh
February 13, 2009
My only concern is with the word “indefinite”. Last time I heard them use that word the player left. I suspected that maybe an indefinite suspension was an invitation to leave. SG, can you offer an explantion for why we lose so many players in general? It seems that we consistently lose scoring leaders and others around their junior season. They say we are a young team, and we are, but it seems that we are often a young team. We have been losing players left and right for 10 years now (Glendon Alexander, Beverly, McDonald, other names I forget, because they were here only one season). Is this becoming common among diviison I, large conference schools, or is Arkansas having more trouble than others keeping players.
Total Bastard
February 13, 2009
This season has been such a CLUSTER-f.
I can’t recall an Arkansas basketball season that has ever been such a train wreck.
And to think, they beat OU and TX. I wish they never would have because it wouldn’t have made it so painful to watch the implosion later in the season.
At least we’ve still got the new Chik–Fil-A on Sixth Street.
sg
February 13, 2009
Good questions, zh.
Using the word, “indefinite” really only implies that the coach hasn’t decided how long the suspension will last. Sometimes they’ll say a game, sometimes they’ll say two, etc. In this case, I think the quicker that Fortson shows that he understands what he did wrong, the quicker the suspension will be lifted.
As for players leaving, or losing players, we’ve had our fair share but we’re not the only teams endearing that. Keep in mind that we had six seniors last year, so while we’re a young team this year, for the past two, we weren’t. Now that high school students must play one season of college ball, you’ll see a lot of teams that have freshmen leave the team after one season — ’tis the nature of the beast.
But in terms of Beverly and McDonald — those were either academic or personality issues. This year is an anomaly for Arkansas with Beverly gone, McDonald leaving, the Monk uncertainty and the suspensions. But Pelphrey is doing right by sticking to his guns and making the kids understand that team is more important than you. He’ll play with five players if he has to. When the players finally buy in, our team will be competing for championships.
Todd
February 13, 2009
Marcus Monk is gone for good. Thanks to Michael for the tip.
jones
February 13, 2009
This has been the weirdest year ever.
Becky1
February 14, 2009
I think Coach Pelphrey suspend Courtney Fortson because he believe it was the best thing he could do for Courtney and for the other players. Yes, I’m too am frustrated at the way the basketball team has performed in some of their games. Yes ,there are some of the games this team should have won, but didn’t, well these games are in the past. But can you image how Coach Pelphrey,his coaching staff and his players are feeling. This losing slump must be so tough on them. I thought Coach Pelphrey and the team did the best they could against Kentucky. Even though, they missed shots, turn the ball over and yes Meeks scored lots of point. I may not like the lost, but as a hog fan I appreciated the coaching job of Coach Pelphrey, his staff, and how hard the players played today. Remember it took Nolan Richardson a couple of season before he recruited his kind of players, they learn his system and then finally they started winning games and being on top.This can also happen with Coach Pelphrey and his team. So please let not get down on Coach Pelphrey and his team this season. At least let him have two recruiting class under his belt and more than two seasons of coaching before getting down on Coach Pelphrey. Coach Pelphery along with AD Long have brought back into the Razorback family “Nolan Richardson”. In this month, Arkansas Sports, Nolan Richardson told the fans of Arkansas to be patience with Coach Pelphrey and his players this year and his new players next year, because with Coach Pelphrey and these players Arkansas will be back on top of the conference in a couple seasons and I believe Coach Richardson’s statement. In my opinion, Coach Pelphrey is the kind of Coach we need at Arkansas. We should have gotten him instead of Stan Heath and this season would have been totally different and I’m sure of that.
George
February 16, 2009
I heard Fortson called Pelphrey a dork in his autobiography. He’ll probably transfer to USC.
Seriously though, I’m 100% behind the Pel and the Hogs. He hasn’t compromised his principles, which is a lot more than we could ever say for Nutt. Nutt would only suspend players if we were playing some cupcake team, otherwise he’d make up some lame excuse to let them play.
It’s been a perfect s%$t-storm this season. It would almost be fitting if we had to forfeit the OU and UT wins this season over the Marcus Monk debacle.
Angel Lust
February 17, 2009
The Razorback nation isn’t a total bust this winter. In case you’ve missed it, the women’s gymnastics team has been kicking butt lately and doing it on national TV. Or does the Razorback nation only include football and basketball?
Michael
February 17, 2009
It includes baseball as well.
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