John L. Smith and more...

I think Bobby Petrino needs to hire John L. Smith's PR person. It struck me as I was reading about the fallout from Smith's interim-hiring. While Smith was criticized by a few for ditching Weber State, his alma mater, before coaching a single game, most of the coverage centered on the Razorbacks' shrewdness for thinking outside the box.

My point is, Smith is every bit the journeyman as Petrino, so much so that no one should be able to keep a straight face when he speaks about loyalty. The difference is John L. has always had an eccentric charm to him; whether from his running with the bulls in Pamplona or his skydiving or his cowboy bluster, Smith has always been a media-darling that rebounds from whatever mistakes he makes. Petrino is just a jerk, simple as that.

So when I read stories that take a divergent tone towards two men that suffer from some of the same failings, it really reminds that being colorful goes a long way in determining how one will be depicted in the media.

John L.'s contract with Weber State would have paid him $130,000 a season. The piece of paper he's about to sign with Arkansas will give him $850,000 for ten months of work. Any further analysis of the situation and his motivations is just fluff.

A good, even-handed, wrapup of the situation from the Weber State perspective available here.

Having said all that, like I mentioned yesterday, I think it's a terrific move for Arkansas. If there's any coach that can thrive in such a frantic and flustered situation, it's John L. The Razorbacks can salvage the season, one that still has a lot of promise, while keeping all their options open for the future.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the Razorbacks are playing in a warm weather bowl and if Smith is still coaching there beyond next season.

Dickie V is all on board for the 2012-13 Cardinals, pegging them as his preseason #1 even after some of the big recruiting pieces have fallen into place. It's going to be such a different dynamic from this past year, and I hope the players spend the offseason wrapping their brains around that concept because half the battle next season is going to be mental.

Speaking of recruits falling into place, this piece from a Kentucky fan casting a critical glare on UCLA's sudden surge onto the recruiting scene cracked me up. My favorite line was, "But let's be real for a second here. Lexington is not Los Angeles". Just the fact that he felt the need to single that out as a trenchant point as if he was being measured and realistic by admitting it, I dunno, just tickled me. 

Luke Hancock is listed by Yahoo! Sports as one of next season's impact transfers. Here's what they had to say...

Hancock is a solid all-around player who would've been one of the best players in the Colonial Athletic Association had he stayed at Mason. In the Big East, he should be an important complementary player for a Louisville team that has legitimate national title aspirations. Hancock has a nice outside shot and is a good passer.

Solid you say? Have we found the heir-apparent to Chris Smith's title for impressive density?

Once again a reminder that the Cards face off against the Cats tonight at Jim Patterson at 6:00. Wear red and come on out to help UofL cap a season sweep of UK.

And just for the hell of it...