Hogs get a coach!

[DoneThatToo]

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Former Atlanta Falcons and University of Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino has been named head football coach at the University of Arkansas.

Hogwired.com (http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=1351537)

[Bandit]

He's a gutless coward with zero character.

Good luck with that. Here's more - bolded emphasis mine ...

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/12/11/falcons_1212.html

By STEVE WYCHE (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/12/11/mailto:swyche@ajc.com)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/12/07

Less than a year after accepting what he called his "dream job," Bobby Petrino abruptly resigned as coach of the Falcons on Tuesday with three games remaining to coach the University of Arkansas.

After a year like this, it figures.

Petrino's departure came after he claimed several times that he would return with the Falcons next season. He was introduced as Arkansas' new coach in a late-night press conference in Fayetteville, Ark. He even did the school's "Woo Pig Souey" chant - complete with cheerleaders - after his opening remarks.

"Today was a day of decisions," Petrino said. "It was very difficult in one sense and very easy in another. It was difficult to leave Altanta. I wish we could have finished what we started."

Petrino said "circumstances" presented themselves and that the decision needed to be made now. "I couldn't be more happy about it," he said.

Petrino said he stayed up all night Monday after the Falcons' loss talking with his wife. "I knew I wanted to come back to coach college," Petrino said. "It wasn't a change in mind; it was a matter of working out details."

Team owner Arthur Blank said Monday he had heard Arkansas was targeting Petrino to replace Houston Nutt as its coach and that the latest rumor about his coach prompted him to ask Petrino that afternoon about his future plans.

Blank said Petrino, who was signed from Louisville to a five-year, $24.5 million contract Jan. 8, told him that he would be back to coach the Falcons in 2008. It was the second time Blank had asked Petrino about his commitment to the team over the past few weeks and the second time Petrino told him he would be back next season.

At 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Petrino met with Rich McKay, the team's president and general manager, at the team's Flowery Branch headquarters, and told him he was quitting. Petrino then called Blank. Blank was "very disappointed, highly agitated and upset at [Tuesday's] developments," according to a team official who was present at a lengthy meeting with senior team officials at Blank's Buckhead offices Tuesday night.

The meeting was to map out plans for the remainder of the season and the impending coaching search. "The mood was very unhappy," the team official added.

A news conference is scheduled for this afternoon at team headquarters in Flowery Branch, shortly before the 3-10 Falcons begin practice for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer or offensive coordinator Hue Jackson likely will be named interim coach.

Petrino's decision to quit before the end of the season confirmed that he wasn't as committed to the team as he wanted it to be to him, cornerback DeAngelo Hall said Tuesday.

"We felt like Petrino was going to be around for the long haul, like he had as much invested in this as we did," said Hall, one of several players who had a frosty relationship with Petrino. "For him to jump ship is disheartening. Arthur Blank and the city of Atlanta, they deserve to win and we thought Petrino was going to be the guy to help us get there. He was a winner and wasn't used to losing.
"Maybe he didn't feel he could win at this level. I disagree with that. If he doesn't want to be a part of it, fine. We'll move on and get better and we will win games without him."

After witnessing Petrino's news conference on television, Hall said he grew angrier and his already frosty feelings toward Petrino grew colder.

"He had ulterior motives," Hall said in an interview on ESPN's SportsCenter. "He came to this great franchise for a stepping stool to where he wanted to be and that's a better college job. ... He came here, lied to a great man in Arthur Blank. He lied to Rich McKay. ... It's coach Petrino's loss. ... If I saw him in the street I wouldn't have anything to say to him. I don't have any respect for him. He turned his back on the organization."

The move comes one day after star quarterback Michael Vick, whom Petrino never got a chance to coach, was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. The Vick scandal has plagued the Falcons since before this year's draft.

The Falcons were off Tuesday, following Monday night's 34-14 loss to visiting New Orleans, after which Petrino abruptly ended his postgame news conference. He did not hold his typical day-after news conference and did not address the team.

The Falcons are forced to find a second head coach in less than a year. Blank fired Jim Mora on Jan. 1, 2007, after three seasons. Petrino was hired a week later, claiming he would buck the trend of college coaches who have failed in the NFL.

He didn't give it much time. Then again, the team he thought he was going to coach wasn't what was advertised.
Vick was suspended before the season after being indicted on federal dogfighting charges. He was sentenced to prison Monday, hours before the Falcons lost their fourth straight game.

Besides losing Vick, the personnel on hand didn't fit Petrino's scheme. Petrino's standoffish approach didn't sit well with players, either.
Players cited his lack of communication as a major problem. Petrino said he had an open-door policy but players said they did not feel he was approachable.

The biggest disconnect came when Petrino announced to the media last month that Byron Leftwich would start at quarterback against Tampa Bay, but failed to tell starter Joey Harrington, who had just been the starter in two consecutive victories. Harrington was informed by the media at a news conference.

Tight end Alge Crumpler and Hall were critical of Petrino, but they were hardly alone. They were just the only ones to go on record.
Recent failures in landing the right coach would suggest that Blank and McKay will pursue candidates with extensive NFL experience.
Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who resigned after last season and is working as a television analyst, would be the most attractive - and expensive - candidate.

Former San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer, Detroit assistant coach Mike Martz and former Detroit and San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci also could be available. Zimmer and Jackson could be among the NFL assistant coaches under consideration.

[Cobra Commander]

So they did that "Wooooo, pig sooie!" thing at the press conference, eh?

I worked in Arkansas for a few years. Gayest chant in college sports. Can't understand why they're so proud of that.

That's Arkansas for you.

Jesus...:frustrated:

[WOS]

And it was Petrino who had the secret negociations with Auburn seeking to get rid of Tommy Tuberville. What a class act! I guess it's only fitting that he's now officially a "pig."