Arkansas Blog

i know nothing about this suit but the attorney they hired in ft smith is a serious man and he does not take frivilous cases. there may be more to this than appears.

This is serious. Let's discuss it over a cool beer out at Mhoon's 71 Club. Who's playing there tonight, Cato?

I have yet to jump on the anti-Houston Nutt bandwagon - and I hope he sticks around. That being said - I am always shocked by the sharp-elbow methods the U of A attorneys as well as Nutt's personal lawyer will use to scare people into submission.

A year ago, I was a few clicks away from sending FOI requests myself after seeing how the U of A lawyers threaten a fan for wearing a Nutt protest / parody shirt. I didn't want to become part of the controversy so I resisted. However, this new round of threatening legal letters is making certain people tempting targets for a dose of their own medicine.

For example, we have all heard of attorney-client privilege. But -- FOI trumps that privilege -- meaning, for example, a U of A attorney could not claim attorney-client privilege if someone began FOI'ing all of his emails, his phone logs, and asked for a copy of all the nasty letters he has been sending people. Same goes for their PR person, and others. Therefore- although the university does not discuss pending litigation ( unless they want to ) - much of the information is subject to FOI.

I'm not gong to do this - but with their high and mighty attitude toward perfectly legal FOI requests - someone should remind them exactly who pays their salaries -

Pains me to say that he's right about anything, but Brantley is exactly right about the "Hogs are self-supporting" bullshit. And hoglawyer is right about FOI requests-someone should use FOI to obtain the UA's legal files from its attorneys, along with any other documents pertaining to the UA's legal dealings.

Suppose they get all the info, force the UoA to do an investigation, and maybe dig up 40 cents worth of wrong doings, then what?

This soap opera is getting boring and like any other soap opera will soon be replaced by another one just as meaningless and boring.
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That UA statement sounds like it came out of the aloof Bush White House.

College professors and students are generally considered enlightened, progressive people with a conscience and a desire to do right.

In contrast, why are college administrators assholes?

i said the lawyers were serious. i am so tired of this stuff that i don't care who wins just so it gets over.

Max,

No one could have said it better. Although I am getting tired of all the crap in the press regarding the UA sports programs, I am also tired of this patronizing attitude from the yuk yuks who run the UA who they they are above question.

On now come on. Broyles is too busy reminiscing about 1965 and White is worried about his new mansion and the billion dollars. Exercising competent or even prudent judgment hasn't been on the top of either of their agendas for a long time. The longer this goes on I think we should follow the lead of Vanderbilt and dissolve the athletic department entirely.

I think it is fascinating the a kid with a real job managed to stir the pot like this with an FOI done on a lark.

You can bet there are a whole lot of people out there who now understand you don't need a lawyer and a newsroom to submit an FOI.

Here's another tip...an FOI in Arkansas can be verbal. So have at it folks.

You really want to have some fun start FOI'ing expense account and travel records for your local state rep or senator.

Intersting that when the DG ran the news piece on FOI's at UA a number of them had come from their own sports staff whom who appeared to be FOI'ing coach contracts and phone records but not doing much with the results.

Now AP wants the names of every state employee. Interesting request...the Social Security numbers are protected and a state employee has to be given notice if anything is requested out of the personnel file, but the rest appears to be fair game.

I'm gonna bet that the public that never understood FOI when obscure reporters were using it...is going to start to take notice now.

UA is bothered they will have to use resources to defend this lawsuit, but they are not bothered the coaches fingerprints were all over a truly abusive e mail to an 18 year old kid? That is really incredible.

Anyone catch the Sports Illustrated piece just laughing at the adventures of Frank this year? Just ridiculing him for the depths to which the program has sunk.

By the way...could any of you distinguished posters enlighten me on the documented graduation rate of UA football players?

Here is the account by the Fort Smith SOUTHWEST TIMES RECORD which is a little bit more in depth about what this is about. Click on Cato

"It is disappointing that more University resources and taxpayer dollars will be expended to address rumors and accusations involving the athletic department, which is a self-supporting entity."

So I guess the impression I am supposed to get is that the Athuhletic department is not a part of the University, right? Just some private appendage that plays games?

Works for me. It explains why they are beyond shame.