Bucknam quote

What is he supposed to say? "I'm pissed at these little shits for not keeping the streak alive, damn them!"

That would have gone over well.

In my opinion yes, you are off here. If they did their absolute best, and I don't see any reason to doubt it, why shouldn't the coach be proud of them and their effort?

Tai Webb wrote:

Quote from Coach Bucknam on Arkansas's website:

"I’m a proud coach today," head coach Chris Bucknam said. "Our guys really laid it on the line. They ran a tough course on a warm day. My hat is off to Alabama. They ran a great race and they had a lot riding on them. Our kids ran a valiant race. They went out and tried to win it. I’m so proud of them and the effort they put forth."

I wonder how Johnny Mac and the Hog alumni feel about a "proud coach" after a 3rd place finish?

I know we need to give him time to reload things, and I appreciate him trying to take the pressure of the streak off of the kids, but I think "proud" of 3rd is a little much.....Am I off here?

What is he supposed to do, throw them under the bus?

Here's a question. What Arkansas team from the last 10 years would have beat Alabama this weekend? 1999? 2000?

Fair enough. All good points.

I would have liked him to add something about "working hard to live up to the long tradition established here at Arkansas." Or something like " I am proud of these guys, but we need to keep our eyes focused on being the best in the SEC and the nation." It's not the Missouri Valley Conference anymore.

Tai Webb wrote:

I would have liked him to add something about "working hard to live up to the long tradition established here at Arkansas." Or something like " I am proud of these guys, but we need to keep our eyes focused on being the best in the SEC and the nation." It's not the Missouri Valley Conference anymore.

Hmmm...I read the spirit of his quote in an entirely different manner than you. When he says about his runners, "they had a lot riding on them...they went out and tried to win it," I see a coach who is acknowledging his program's legacy and wants to praise his runners for holding themselves to the standards that you mention.

Why does he have to spell it out the way you suggest? Aren't being the best in the SEC and in the top tier nationally obvious goals of the Arkansas program? Does he really need to state that? I don't see any reason to suspect that he doesn't hold those same goals. Arkansas clearly ran for the win at the SEC meet, and when Bucknam says, "I instruct our guys to get up in it, run fast and hang on," it doesn't sound to me like he's going into the meet satisfied with anything less than first.

Tai Webb wrote:

Fair enough. All good points.

I would have liked him to add something about "working hard to live up to the long tradition established here at Arkansas." Or something like " I am proud of these guys, but we need to keep our eyes focused on being the best in the SEC and the nation." It's not the Missouri Valley Conference anymore.

Uh, that was basically his philosophy when he was at UNI. Many times they ran through the conference meet in track because they were focused more on the national meet.

Suggesting what a coach should say after a meet in which he didn't even recruit the guys on his team is an exercise for retards, by retards.