Rock Candy

Whatever may have been true about the print media's objectivity and lack of impact on Arkansas's recruiting *before* February 9, 2007, is no longer true today, or for years to come.

If a newspaper is going to draw inferences and publish them as fact -- even in an opinion column -- based on reports of private conversations not witnessed by the reporter, on ongoing relationships that ebb and flow, on reported "promises' that may or may not have been misconstrued and may or may not have reflected the coach's honest intent at the time made, and on events that are restated in the paper without context, then that newspaper ought to do so Woodward and Bernstein style, or at least in the form of an investigative series that shows some regard for truth and balance. I think that is what the Arkansas Tmes would have done.

Well said, TAP. But based on Jim Harris' first entry of February 9, I would not count on the Arkansas Times for "truth and balance." Harris seems already to be in Hall's corner. His assertion that Hall "pretty well let the coach off easy," is laughable. He must not have heard the same call-in I heard. Hall just sat there speechless, with his heart crammed down his throat, obviously not wanting to take Nutt on . pretty much like I suspect Harris would have done. Hall's "I stand by my column" comment was mousy, and offered only after Nutt had hung up.

Wally didn't "[sit] there speechless," according to reports I have heard. Instead, he stewed about being called out by a millionaire who is too thin-skinned to do anything but make public excuse upon public excuse, and whine about how tough his cushy job is. Wally probably had plenty to say, but unfortunately for everyone, Nutt's pulpiteering and Tommy Smith's inane babbling prevented any kind of substantive discussion between the warring parties.

I guess, TAP and durangokid, you guys were appalled at the treatment Nutt received during his first several years as the Arkansas head football coach, when he was nauseatingly celebrated at every turn by this "objective" media you cite. I suppose both of you, being the paragons of journalistic ethics that you are, also felt it was irresponsible for the local media to kiss Nutt's posterior for nearly a decade. Only now has anybody other than Brummett or Bob Caudle dared to get truly tough on the most overpaid and overrated college football coach in the country.

Yo Scott. I listened to the call-in, bud, and Mr. Hall sat there speechless. Don't' take my word, listen to it yourself.

I'm not moved by who's a millionaire, who is pulpiteering, who has been kissing Nutt's posterior for decades, or a talk show host who babbles inanely.

What DOES move (yes, appall) me is a columnist who writes a column (called "Like it is") launching an unprovoked attack on another individual, be that a coach, or even you Scott. And especially, an attack with no sources the columnist is willing to identify.

"Like it is" implies that what the columnist is writing is irrefutably true, and that he's checked out and confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt that what his "sources" have alleged is true. Mr. Hall has not done that. And I predict he will not do so. Rather, he will hide behind the excuse of "protecting my sources" as to why he remains silent. This has become a common "out" for irresponsible journalists who get themselves into hot water these days.

Unless Mr. Hall can back up as true every allegation he has made, I would file a libel suit against him were I Houston Nutt. And if Mr. Hall ever pulled an unethical stunt like this on you, Scott, I'd contribute to help defray your plaintiff suit expenses.

The inflammatory, irresponsible column authored by Mr. Hall is serious matter. It goes far beyond the personalities involved, and far beyond whether one likes or dislikes Nutt or Mr. Hall. All of us had better think this one through before we jump to the defense of Mr. Hall or any other journalist who acts in a manner so irresponsible as this. After all, any one of us could be a similar target some day, my blogger friends.

And John Brummett? Hell, he's an old grouch who doesn't like ANYBODY. But not even he would have penned a column like Mr. Hall's. Brummett is far too rational to do something like that.