This was touched on some by Danny but I think it's interesting to think about how much the dynamic has changed in Fayetteville when it comes to our coaches and their leadership.
Granted, I've been watching this from afar and don't have much of an occasion to see this all in person but I think it makes the power of all this even more evident.
I used to chuckle at Bruce Pearl for his antics at TN when he would go to other games and get animated and at times dress for the game or situation. I thought it was more for solidarity with the students than anything.
But over the last several years, there has been a significant change on the Hill and its evident in the fan support (look at this last weekend and who all came out for the games) and - perhaps more importantly - the coaches who are showing this, too.
Coach Anderson going to games; tweeting pictures and video.
Coach Bielema tweeting Van Horn and the win and cheering them on. He did this as well for Anderson and the basketball team.
And I would almost have to say that in my mind it all started in a more profound way when Jeff Long fired Petrino and took a position that while not broadly supported, has likely paid off in ways that were very much not apparent at the time.
If anything, I guess all this does is make me proud as a fan but it also shows what leadership is and at looks like at different times. There seems to be amazing support within the athletic program for what other teams and coaches are doing. And it's uniting them and a fan base when there isn't a lot of uniting going on right now in our country.
I really do appreciate what these guys are doing and not just for the wins we are getting or the notetiety that we are receiving.
I appreciate it because I think the dividends of their actions being taken now will be realized later and that's a good thing for everybody.
Granted, I've been watching this from afar and don't have much of an occasion to see this all in person but I think it makes the power of all this even more evident.
I used to chuckle at Bruce Pearl for his antics at TN when he would go to other games and get animated and at times dress for the game or situation. I thought it was more for solidarity with the students than anything.
But over the last several years, there has been a significant change on the Hill and its evident in the fan support (look at this last weekend and who all came out for the games) and - perhaps more importantly - the coaches who are showing this, too.
Coach Anderson going to games; tweeting pictures and video.
Coach Bielema tweeting Van Horn and the win and cheering them on. He did this as well for Anderson and the basketball team.
And I would almost have to say that in my mind it all started in a more profound way when Jeff Long fired Petrino and took a position that while not broadly supported, has likely paid off in ways that were very much not apparent at the time.
If anything, I guess all this does is make me proud as a fan but it also shows what leadership is and at looks like at different times. There seems to be amazing support within the athletic program for what other teams and coaches are doing. And it's uniting them and a fan base when there isn't a lot of uniting going on right now in our country.
I really do appreciate what these guys are doing and not just for the wins we are getting or the notetiety that we are receiving.
I appreciate it because I think the dividends of their actions being taken now will be realized later and that's a good thing for everybody.
