Arkansas Blog

It has been the University of Northwest Arkansas at least since the battle over how many football games in Little Rock. The trouble is the U of A acts like it is the University of Northwest Arkansas.

I don't know, but I think finding a new AD would be slightly more important than finding a "voice". Admittedly, Mike Nail was awful last year (unable to tell if we were on offense or defense and occasionally forgetting which sport we were playing), but I doubt Barrett with his constant rah rah will do any better. Guess he didn't get the call from the Cardinals.

Special note to the AD search committee: we would prefer someone that is familiar with the Hog Call and that will stay longer than 1 day.

For a very long time, we've known that Sinatra would not be the world's only Frank to go to his grave singing, "I did it my way." But I had to chuckle when I read about this most recent "win" in a long list of them for Frank of the Ozarks. It was anything but a surprise.

I'm happy for Barrett and at the same time feel a sense of disappointment for Inman. Both are such good guys. Either would have thrived doing the play-by-play. So, I raise my glass in a toast to both men. And I know they join us all in saying, GO HOGS!

I don't know Mr. Inman. I knew Chuck years ago when he looked way way younger than this picture. I'm real glad to see the boy done good.

I think Chuck will stick around until he's old and has to be pried out the door like Broyles. He had his chance to get out of Arkansas a number of times and stuck with us. He's not going to run off now.

Congratulations Chuck Barrett!

The pic makes Barrett look younger than he really looks in person today. I can take about 4 minutes of his monotonous voice then it's switch station time. Guess i won't be seeing-hearing many Razorback games.

Although I support Chuck Barrett for the position, I think UAFrank really screwed over Scott Inman (who has a different style but is every bit as capable).

After reading some of the comments in the correspondence linked into this blog, I was just further p****d at UAFrank for the disparaging comments made about Inman's experience/listener response, etc. After trashing Inman profusely in print, how could there be any symbiotic relationship between UAFrank or the administration and Inman if Inman was awarded the position?

Actually, it would have been better if UAFrank had been advocating for Inman so UAFrank could have screwed the pooch one more time for all to see - thus encouraging his relocation to the retired coaches lockerroom equivalent of Hotel California.

Is it just my imagination or does this picture make Chuck look like he could be Wally Hall's brother?

Donkey, I was thinking Otis Kirk.

Chuck was a pretty decent play-by-play man for Diamond Hogs broadcasts, and a decent play-by-play man is not easy to come by. I think he'll be fine.

The Diamond Hog broadcasts, on the other hand, are stuck with Rick Schaeffer, whose awfulness knows no bounds:

"It's a HOME RUN! ...

Danny Hamblin knocks a three run homer to bring the Diamond Hogs within two...."

one beat...
two beats...
three beats...

"Wait... Wait... Chuck tells me that was a GRAND SLAM!"

"I can take about 4 minutes of his monotonous voice then it's switch station time. Guess i won't be seeing-hearing many Razorback games. "

If you think Chuck is monotonous, then you must not be listening to much razorback athletics anyway. The man is more than a decent baseball play-by-play guy. He's great, and is one of the reasons i've followed baseball so closely the last few years. Even most of his critics can admit the man has "the voice."

I don't know if he'll translate to football well, but I expect that given his success with baseball he's going to be great.

Nearly everyone that had a dog in this fight did so for alterior reasons. Those loyal to Frank liked Chuck, those who hate HDN like Inman. It's a regional thing, too. Central Arkansas wanted one of their own in the position, while NWA obviously wanted a local. I don't think Frank's desire for the Voice of the Razorbacks to be on campus more than once a week during football season is such a bad reason, either. I doubt Inman could have kept up with the travel schedule that Paul Eels kept between LIttle Rock and Fayetteville.

I'm sure some of my bias showed in this debate, but few people will argue with the fact that Chuck is a great play by play man, and Scott Inman was an unknown before this. Like I said in another post, I've heard Inman call basketball before and I can't remember a thing about him. That's a bad sign for a radio announcer.

Regardless of the bruised ego's and the agenda's, the University of Arkansas picked the best, most qualified, most talented, home grown, Hog loving guy out there. Everything else doesn't matter.

If you own a television and basic cable or a satellite about the only times you have to listen to Chuck will be while Arkansas is playing its Sun Belt schedule and I-AA Chattanoga.

Headline-Frank doesn't blink.

Hmmm. Has he already been embalmed?

Just for the record, that photograph of Barrett was made by the late Jim Holland, one of the finest photographers ever to work in this state or anywhere. There will never be a better picture of Chuck and it wasn't taken that long ago. I estimate within the last 4 years. Jim could make anyone look good.

Jim is gone now but here's one more piece of his immortality as an artist.

Barrett isn't popular in NWA, that was just Frank's excuse. The NW has a larger contingent of malcontents than the rest of the state thanks to the Springdale situation and Barrett calling the fan base "bomb-toting terrorists" on Sports Rap makes him too polarized for my taste. He's Frank and Nutt's "yes man". Inman on the other hand was as neutral and professional as Paul was. I can't speak to his play by play abilities, though.

I don't care for Chuck because his voice is grating and uses a lot of "uhs". He does punctuate things well and his delay isn't as bad as Schaeffer.

We replaced class with redneck. Who says that NWA is becoming more urban and cosmopolitan?

Part of the job of being Voice of the Razorbacks is doing the coach's show. Barrett has ZERO tv experience. And that baby is a big time $$$ maker. Sponsors expect it to be good.
(Granted they weren't good in the mid 90's but that was Danny Ford's fault, not Paul's).

Nail gets the interim job because he takes the company line at the Nolan trial. Barrett is named the new voice because he takes to the airwaves of Arkansas with the company line during the recent turmoil on The Hill.

Frank is old school. Loyalty is a character trait of the highest degree. Nicholson had been loyal until this dispute. He drew a line in the sand (something few ever do with Frank) and then blinked despite company attorneys who advised he would win if it went to court. We'll see if the KATV GM got back in line soon enough to save the ARSN contract with the university.

If Inman ever takes a play-by-play job calling any sport it will be evident to Hog fans that this pick was one more mistake Frank made on the way out.