This is the kind of shot Justin Smith could absolutely hit, and he will take it to Fayetteville.
Former Indiana forward Justin Smith has landed. He will take his talents to Fayetteville as a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks for his final season of eligibility.
I hope Smith finds what he is looking for, but I’m at a loss as to why he left Bloomington for a program like Arkansas. The Hoosiers are on the come, while Arkansas is stuck in the middle of a mediocre SEC, as it has been since Nolan Richardson’s “40-minutes of hell” teams.
Arkansas finished last season 20-12 with a conference mark of 7-11, good for 10th place. They were likely to be on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament.
Smith will join talented teammates Mason Jones and Isiah Joe if they return to school. Both have declared for the NBA Draft, but if they return for another year with coach Eric Musselman, Arkansas could be better than they were last year. In ESPN’s way-too-early mock NCAA Tournament brackets, the Razorbacks are listed as a nine-seed.
There is another issue in Fayetteville that is peculiar to the city – the stench of the many chicken farms in the area. It hits like a wave of manure scented tear gas as you get off the plane at the airport just northwest of town, and it never dissipates completely on the drive to campus.
As a personal aside, when I visited Fayetteville for a summer basketball tournament, I went to the Walmart on a Friday night at 10 p.m. to grab some food for my son and some of his teammates. I hurried to the express lane, where a girthy fellow was offloaded 70-80 cans of cat food from his cart to the register. I won’t judge the extreme volume of cat food, but if you are going to use the express lane, the 12-or-less number of items is not waived because you have 70-80 of the same item.
It’s quite likely Smith was fed without wandering into a Walmart filled with chicken farmers who embrace an aggressive cat culture, but still this was a town without much in the way of attributes that would demand a soon-to-be college senior to leave a beautiful city like Bloomington and a team that might be ready to win.
Smith will bring versatility on the defensive and and a wayward shot beyond eight feet.
Maybe the rim are wider down in Fayetteville. Who knows?
Of course, Indiana fans wish Smith nothing but the best, but have to acknowledge that Archie Miller likely won’t have much trouble replacing his meager offensive contributions. Having three guys on the floor at the same time who couldn’t shoot from beyond 10 feet was not conducive to efficient scoring, so the Hoosiers should take a step forward offensively.
After reading this article, I felt compelled to verify whether or not this guy was a real reporter/analyst or some spurned hack with his own website. Absolute drivel. And secondly, didn’t Arkansas beat Indiana last season? (They did). Musselman turned a team without a rotational player over 6’8″ into a bubble team and is bringing in a top 7 recruiting class.
Thirdly, Northwest Arkansas, located in the thick of the Ozark Mountains, is a beautiful place. To dismiss it as a ‘land of chicken farmers and cat hoarders’, is ignorant, ludicrous, and only serves to damage your credibility, even more so than your pathetic writing.
Beat Indiana in Indiana! This guy is pathetic. Too ignorant or busy dying that grease job on top of his head to research Mason Jones already signed with an agent, but Arkansas does have a top 5 recruiting class for 2020. Kent couldn’t gather the intelligence to be a cart boy at Walmart with his ignorant comments about a beautiful State.
I’ve been to Fayetteville countless times. Lived there while attending school. Never even smelled a chicken farm. I suppose wind & weather conditions might allow such a smell occasionally, but I’d expect a person would need to be quite near one to smell it very strongly. As for the basketball prediction, it appears Justin made the right decision. His Razorbacks are still playing in the NCAA tournament. And unlike 8 other Big 10 teams, at least Indiana didn’t lose one of its first two games in the tournament. However, I couldn’t find the Hoosiers in my bracket.
Maybe some folks in Indiana appreciate your colorful stories and slick bullshit. Your column is complete dogshit however, and your misinformation on something as simple as senior transferring to a team that beat Indiana in Indiana last year is mind blowing. Mason Jones already signed with an agent and can’t return to Arkansas, locals know Joe won’t return either. Musselman tipped his hand to that because signing Smith put us one over on scholarships. Arkansas does have a top 4 ranked incoming class for 2020 and more beauty in this state than a dumbass corncob like you could understand. Spend as much time on research as you do dying and greasing back that moo on your head and you might make a first rate cart boy at a Walmart someday.
Life is rough here in the northwest Arkansas. I sure hope I get to visit the pinnacle of civilization that is Bloomington, Indiana in my lifetime.
I’ve been there.. You haven’t missed much. Fayetteville is way better than any place I’ve been to in Indiana and I’ve seen most of it. Hicks and rubes who are ridiculed by all the surrounding states the way he weakly attempts to ridicule the Natural State..
Ask Buckeyes what a bunch of yokels Hoosiers are..
To imply that we are a state full of “cat hoarders” because of one guy, having a hissy fit over a player he claimed they would be better off without and acting like they would be some powerhouse team while we would be a bottom feeder in a “mediocre SEC” makes me think this douche nozzle was the inspiration for Ron Burgundy..
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Has anything you’ve written ever aged so poorly?
Kent, you my friend are completely disingenuous and do not deserve to even call yourself a member of the press. Never before in my lifetime have I read a piece that has aged so poorly. I wish I had the time to go through and comprehensively refute each and every one of your ignorant “points” in this steaming pile of horse crap. Instead I’ll just revel in the delicious irony that Smith has been an integral piece in the Hog’s sweet 16 run even with his ‘meager offensive contribution’ (three straight with 20 pts??) and Indiana has been so bad that Twitter is begging Indiana to try and poach ole Muss away. I’ll tell ya now, that ain’t happening.
How about a follow up article on how Justin feels down here in the dregs? Which by the way is ALWAYS listed among the best places in the country to live
where is Bloomington on this report??? anywhere in Indiana? many years running that Fayetteville has been recognized as a great place to live. Springdale has the chickens, Fayetteville is a straight up college town even a liberal throwback. All of Northwest AR is affluent with opportunity. If you did write a book, then take the title and admit that you need to learn from your mistakes. Zero credibility, were you on drugs or under the influence when you wrote that drivel???
https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-live
Lemme See…
1. Indiana University: Not Selected for 2021 NCAA Tournament
2. Archie Miller: Currently Unemployed
3. University of Arkansas: Currently in Sweet Sixteen
4. Justin Smith: Unquestioned MVP of this year’s Razorback Team
5. Your Credibility: Zero
Dear Kent,
Terrible takes like this article are what happen when you write with an angry agenda and from a place of ignorance. Had you taken the time to talk to Justin Smith or understand the underlying problems at Indiana (which were readily apparent then and now), you would have known why he transferred. Had you taken the time to research Eric Musselman and Arkansas’s basketball situation, you would have understood why Justin Smith chose the school. You would have also understood that, contrary to your astonishing statement, it was Arkansas that was “on the come” and not Indiana.
Perhaps you have been to Fayetteville and Arkansas’s campus, but I doubt it. If you had and your impression of the area is what you have written here, then your perceptive ability is so lacking that there is little to no hope for you as a journalist or otherwise. There is a reason why Fayetteville is consistently ranked as one of the best places in the country to live and Bloomington is not. Had you done a little research, you would have known that. And had you spent a little time on campus and in the surrounding areas, you would have confirmed that. Either you didn’t do any of those things and wrote about some ignorant stereotype conjured from your own imagination, or you did and decided to craft a false narrative anyway based on a couple childish observations. Either way, you exposed yourself for the ignorant hack you are.
Hopefully you take some of your own advice and learn from this embarrassment.
Lmao, you are a fucking clown. Joke of a journalist, your article provided nothing, you diss the kid for going to a “lesser” program, which is hysterical, he’s dancing in the sweet 16 putting up 50 through 2 games while your live tweeting the tourney. Also, Springdale is the town that smells of chicken and not too sure if you need a refresher on big J but one instance of a person buying excess cat food probably doesn’t qualify you to make that assumption about a whole city, you fucking Jack-ass. Stay miserable you fuckin loser, GO HOGS.
Hey dumbass, came back to see if my reply was still here, and nope. So, that means I’m comin back to make sure your ass knows how much of a dumb fuck you are. Calling this piece journalism is an actual disgrace, it comes off as a bitter older man who loves Indiana and can’t accept the fact that the school has been nothing for a good while. Justin Smith is doing fantastic by the way, he called coming to the land of chicken farmers the best decision he’s EVER made., 50 points through 2 games on your way to the sweet 16 isn’t too shabby, huh Kent? Eh, you probably wouldn’t know. It’s funny how this works, you get to publish your opinion, and now, we get to publish ours, only difference is, we are correct.
Kent, it would probably be best to do a new article apologizing to Justin (who’s now in the Sweet 16) and to the state of Arkansas (who’s flagship program is in the Sweet 16). We all have our opinions and would never discourage anyone from sharing those properly. This opinion has not aged well. Unless the Sweet 16 is not a great place to be. We’ll be in the Elite 8 soon and beyond. Justin is a great kid, player and we are very glad to have him as a hog. I am sure IU has went on to better times since he left…………
Fuck yo blotchy face car salesman chicken fucker lookin ass bitch
Was it harder to write such petty, butter garbage? Or to continue to have to eat those triggered childish words all these months later? Northwest Arkansas does have the Tyson headquarters, filled to the brim with people who make many times the money you’ll make in your lifetime. And yes, there are also people making more money than you running chicken farms as well. That’s how you have chicken. Funny how you eat it daily, but turn your nose up to those who provide for you up on that horse. There’s also other essential businesses in NWA like the Walmart headquarters; JB Hunt, and many other world renowned companies that contribute largely to your daily life all the way up there on that mountain you’ve built for yourself. I’ve been to Indianapolis, and a few smaller Indiana cities and they are hardly highly desirable places to live 😂.
While Arkansas goes to the Sweet 16, Indiana can only watch it on tv. That’s the closest they’ could possibly get. I’m sure many of the players, who are far and away classier than you could dream in your wildest dreams, who might be rooting for an old teammate who decided that he’d rather be playing for a coach with a bright future, than looking for one sitting with your thumb up your ass.
This guys for real?? Imagine being so hurt by a player leaving you run down the city of Fayetteville with some false claims.
“ It’s quite likely Smith was fed without wandering into a Walmart filled with chicken farmers who embrace an aggressive cat culture, but still this was a town without much in the way of attributes that would demand a soon-to-be college senior to leave a beautiful city like Bloomington and a team that might be ready to win”
This statement shows a small minded IN guy who only hears what he wants to hear. Makes claims of a city that are so irrelevant. Maybe one day your team will be that team “ready to win.” As for now just continue to be bring up records of that year.
How did you finish that year?
Did we beat you at your home court?
Top 10 recruiting class the following year?
Hoosiers are a prideful team that I respect deeply, but people like you give it a bad name. He was a kid that made a decision to better himself and you obviously felt the need to run him and his new school down. Props to you for being a somebody this week!
Muss saw something in him and your coaching lacked seeing talent.. its part of the job.
Woo pig, buck-o!
What complete & utter idiocy & lies about my home state. We get it your not happy Justin left Indiana & came to Arkansas. How ever that doesn’t mean you have to try to make where he went to look bad. Thought reporters were not supposed to be so biased and bitter.
Show us on the doll where Justin hurt you, you fucking hack. Justin Smith is dancing. Archie is looking for a job. You’re live tweeting from home. Fuck you. Fuck your shit take, fuck your shit state, and fuck your shit team. – Northwest Arkansas
Wanted to share your “article” on Facebook, but it is not sharable. Guess because the Facebook fact checkers would have a field day. Arkansas is in the Sweet 16. And where are the Hoosiers?? Oh, that’s right, BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA. Along with the rest of the losers in the overrated Big Joke 10.
This Article has come back to royally kick you in your pathetic so call sports writer Butt!!! LOl
Hows your coach.l?? FIRED Where is your team? AT HOME
WHERE IS ARKANSAS? SWEET 16
Smartest thing he could have ever done for his career, he did! He came to Arkansas!
Find a new job bub!
Oops….. well this didn’t age well. Enjoy your top notch coach of the year candidate and the top 10 team you have at Indiana. Oh wait….. that’s Arkansas where those things are actually true. You fired your coach and finished 12-15 (7-12), good for 10th in the Big 10. Great job!! Dude, you suck at your job! Maybe you should check into night shift at one of the chicken farms. It would suit you better than your job as a so called “journalist.” WPS!!!!
Well… I thought I was going to have to defend our state and program in this article, but I can tell my fellow Arkansans has already got me covered…/
We also beat Indiana both games of a home and home in I think ‘19 and ‘20. So the mediocrity of the SEC still beat his former team the last two times we played. And he was on those teams
Kent, I just read your article dated June 8, 2020, concerning Justin Smith’s transfer to Arkansas. I came to the quick conclusion you’ve probably never actually been to Fayetteville (or Arkansas), and if you have, just made up some “personal asides” to elicit a few chuckles from both of your loyal readers. I’ve been to Fayetteville many times and have NEVER EVER smelled the stench of chicken farms while there. I’ve been to the airport and have NEVER EVER smelled the stench of chicken farms. Could it have been the stench of your own shirt at 10:00pm that night at Walmart you were smelling? Also, a question to you… what were you buying to feed your son and his teammates at 10:00pm on a Friday night at Walmart… cans of peas? I see your logo includes the words ” SPORTS * MEDIA * TRUTH * OPINION” . Pop quiz… which word doesn’t apply?
You and your tired show were canceled at WXNT CBS Sports 1430. You have a big bag of nothing to go along with the current state of Hoosiers basketball. Sour grapes much? Justin Smith said transferring to Arkansas was ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS HE EVER MADE. No one care about your opinion because it influences nothing. Loser.
Kent:
Thank you for posting on your website your article of June 8, 2020 titled “Justin Smith will play at Arkansas – the land of chicken farmers and cat hoarders.”
I feel like a Journalism 101 teacher reviewing an essay written by a student who somehow ended up in my class without taking any of the prerequisite courses, obviously ill-prepared and without any natural writing skills, the combination of which makes it difficult to write an objective article, as personal venom and vitriol bleed overwhelm any semblance of factual content or realistic conjecture. So, let’s take a closer look, 9 months later.
Article Excerpt #1: “I hope Smith finds what he is looking for, but I’m at a loss as to why he left Bloomington for a program like Arkansas. The Hoosiers are on the come, while Arkansas is stuck in the middle of a mediocre SEC, as it has been since Nolan Richardson’s “40-minutes of hell” teams.”
9 Months Later: I hope you no longer are at a loss. If the 2020-2021 iteration of the Hoosiers is what you refer to as “on the come”, I can’t wait to see your reference for a team that totally tanks, and does it so badly to inspire the Big 10 imitation of Auburn in paying the 8 figure to buy-out of the latest in a long line of head coaching whiffs. Meanwhile, if mediocre in the SEC means placing 2 teams in the Sweet 16, I’ll take it, as I’m sure the Big 10 looks forward to finding mediocrity after a 1 Seed & two 2 Seeds lead the mass exodus of 8 of the 9 “Big 10” teams that jammed the early exit turnstiles at the NCAA Tourney.
Article Excerpt #2: “Arkansas finished last season 20-12 with a conference mark of 7-11, good for 10th place. They were likely to be on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament.”
9 Months Later: Yeah! A factual nugget, though an ironic one. After taking care of business in Bloomington with a convincing 71-64 road win over your Hoosiers, Arkansas joined Indiana in finishing their 2019-2020 Season with a record 20-12, with Indiana sporting a stellar conference mark of 9-11, good for a tie for 10th place, likely to be on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament. Looks like the 2019-2021 season was not a high water mark for Indiana or Arkansas. And your point was???
Intermission: At this point in your article, the reader encounters your self-promotion of “Oops – the Art of Learning from Mistakes & Adventures” by Kent Sterling (wait, that’s you, isn’t it???). Should you take the noble route and resign from what appears to be your day job, you probably can’t fall back on the author thing, as your lone book has a Best Sellers Rank of #1,314,544 – which places it squarely in the half that makes the top half possible on Amazon (well behind Dr. Seuss’s “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!” which comes in at a solid #200,947). But all is not lost, as your point of sale teaser reads (and it would be impossible to make this up):
“Ooops is the book that finally endorses mistakes as events to be celebrated and shared. It’s hard to believe that all these mistakes and adventures were authored by the same person, but it’s true. Kent Sterling shares many of the embarrassing and hilarious moments that shaped him as a son, husband, dad, and boss. These episodes might be a little more outrageous than those you lived through and benefitted from, but they affirm the necessity of mistakes in shaping us as productive and humble.”
Well, Kent, your article on Justin Smith affirms that you neither are productive nor humble. So maybe a re-read is in order. And, while you’re at it, you can use my review of your 6/8/2020 article as the framework for the 1st Chapter of “Oops-Part 2”, as your article was a MASSIVE MISTAKE AND EPIC MIS-ADVENTURE.
Article Excerpt #3: “There is another issue in Fayetteville that is peculiar to the city – the stench of the many chicken farms in the area. It hits like a wave of manure scented tear gas as you get off the plane at the airport just northwest of town, and it never dissipates completely on the drive to campus.”
9 Months Later: U.S. News & World Report begs to differ with your self-serving attempt to disparage the beautiful college town known as Fayetteville. In their latest version of “Top 50 U.S. Cities Ranked by Quality of Life & Average Salary”, the “peculiar” city of Fayetteville comes in at #5, supported by the following narrative: “Fayetteville – together with Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale – has transformed from a small town to a center of higher education, culture, commerce and entrepreneurialism. The area known as Northwest Arkansas is the birthplace of Walmart, the headquarters of Tyson Foods and the home of the University of Arkansas,” says U.S. News & World Report.” Noticeably absent are 2 key items: the mention of any sort of stench; and the presence of Bloomington on that list.
It should be noted that a quick glance at your website presents a credible explanation for your detection of “manure scented tear gas”. In your recent article dated 3/22/21 “Indiana Basketball – Forget the “proven winners” this time, give me the right fit – Dane Fife!”, your initial paragraph included a rather telling reference:
“The insanity of a search for a new basketball coach at Indiana University is a lot like an Owen County cockfight. The chickens all look the same, and the only winners are the beer salesmen in the black shirts. That includes the chickens, because at some point in the afternoon they all wind up tossed into a pile next to where young children play catch with wadded empty cans of Natty Light.”
For those who don’t know Indiana geography, Owen County is one of 3 counties forming the Bloomington, Indiana Metroplex. The reference to “Owen County cockfight” appears to relate to a 2019 incident in which 2 rather exemplary residents of Owen County were arrested for possession of more than 550 roosters used for cock fighting.
Now I understand what must have occurred, Kent. You went directly from your reserved ringside seat at the Owen County Cockfight to the airport for your flight to Fayetteville, and forgot to change clothes. While I never have been to Owen County nor attended a cockfight, I anticipate that a pile of chickens and wadded empty cans of Natty Light might be closer to the smell that you described, as I have been to Fayetteville multiple times each year for several decades and never have smelled anything that resembles “manure scented tear gas” – nor has the author of the foregoing article for U.S. News & World Report.
Article Excerpt #4: “As a personal aside, when I visited Fayetteville for a summer basketball tournament, I went to the Walmart on a Friday night at 10 p.m. to grab some food for my son and some of his teammates. I hurried to the express lane, where a girthy fellow was offloaded 70-80 cans of cat food from his cart to the register. I won’t judge the extreme volume of cat food, but if you are going to use the express lane, the 12-or-less number of items is not waived because you have 70-80 of the same item.”
9 Months Later: So many questions, so little time, Kent! Why are you shopping for food for your son and his teammates in a Wal-Mart at 10 pm? If you truly are in a hurry and seeking “express” treatment, the #5 City in the U.S. has plenty of grocery stores (the same Kroger stores found in Bloomington) along with some smaller, local stores and fast-casual restaurants with plenty of healthy choices suitable for young athletes. Unfortunate that you were stuck behind someone who was shopping for a multitude of cats, which I suppose is the functional equivalent of a similar person one might encounter at a Wal-Mart in Bloomington who might be buying food for his 550 roosters, just to make sure they are well-fed and on top of their game when you take your ringside seat for the weekend Owen County cockfights. Every metroplex has curious residents with unusual idiosyncrasies. Your decision to focus your article (and your purported impression of Fayetteville) on such an unusual experience calls in to question your journalistic integrity, which seems to have become somewhat oxymoronic in an objective evaluation of your writing “skills”.
Article Excerpt #5: “It’s quite likely Smith was fed without wandering into a Walmart filled with chicken farmers who embrace an aggressive cat culture, but still this was a town without much in the way of attributes that would demand a soon-to-be college senior to leave a beautiful city like Bloomington and a team that might be ready to win.”
9 months later: Fayetteville is recognized nationally as an incredible city and place to live. The Arkansas Razorbacks are a team that actually was ready to win – and did so this season. You might have read the quote from Justin Smith from earlier this week in Zach Osterman’s well-written, objective article in The Indianapolis Star on his 2020 transfer from Indiana to Arkansas: “It was a leap of faith. Obviously, I did my homework and made the best decision I possibly could, and it’s worked out so far,” he said. “I just kind of had to take a leap of faith and trust Coach Musselman. It’s definitely paid off. For me, for our team, it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made. I couldn’t be happier.”
Article Excerpt #6: “Smith will bring versatility on the defensive and a wayward shot beyond eight feet. Maybe the rim are wider down in Fayetteville. Who knows? Of course, Indiana fans wish Smith nothing but the best, but have to acknowledge that Archie Miller likely won’t have much trouble replacing his meager offensive contributions. Having three guys on the floor at the same time who couldn’t shoot from beyond 10 feet was not conducive to efficient scoring, so the Hoosiers should take a step forward offensively.”
9 Months Later: Here’s how an accomplished journalist reports about a player that transferred from his hometown school, without coming off like a petulant playground bully (more from Zach Osterman of The Indianapolis Star): “That (the transfer to Arkansas) suited no one more than Smith. IU fans will remember this best version of the former Hoosier — active and aggressive in transition, and above the rim whenever he got the chance. He excelled in the pick-and-roll, feasting on backside opportunities and 2-on-1s . . . Smith finished 9-of-11 from the floor, a testament to the quality of looks around the rim Smith’s attentiveness and energy earned him. At Indiana, he was often at his best on the run. Indiana just couldn’t run often enough, no matter how much the Hoosiers tried.” Perhaps Justin Smith underperformed at IU because the offense did not suit his skill set and because of inferior coaching. His departure clearly was not a “step forward offensively” for IU, which made no steps at all on offense this season, with the Hoosier team in line to purchase tickets in order to attend the 2021 NCAA Tournament in their backyard gyms, while Justin Smith had a fabulous season – and earned a free pass.
I’ll close with a final observation: I was pleased to see on your website that you purport to be a family man: “Kent has a wife and son who teach him how to be a better person every day. Happily living in the friendliest and sanest city on the planet.” It is unfortunate that you live in the friendliest and sanest city on the planet, but neither of those attributes seem to have influenced you professionally. Your article is neither friendly nor sane – particularly when your conjecture is judged 9 months later and makes fiction appear closer to reality than your writing.
All is not lost, Kent. From crisis emerges opportunity. Somewhere in Owen County, a cockfight is in need of a “sportswriter” who is comfortable around “manure scented tear gas” and won’t let anything factual get in the way of a good story. And I’m sure you’ll have a better chance of winning a bet on an Owen County cockfight than a Hoosier basketball game.
Man, don’t you look stupid now !
I just want to thank you for this nearly perfect specimen of self ownage. Rarely can you find an example this exquisite. Epic! Congrats…
Kent Sterling,
You’re a special kind of DUMBASS!!!!
Yo mama should throw you out of the basement for this
Dear Kent (or, if you no longer are affiliated with this website, To Whom It May Concern):
Let’s take a break from the castigation emanating from the rather embarrassing revival of your 6/8/2020 hit piece and review a timeline covering the past year.
With the challenges presented by covid-19, you may not have had the opportunity for reflection, so I hope this post helps you with a reality check that is purely factual (with the exception of the quote attributed to you from said hit piece):
3/10/20: Indiana finishes with a record of 20-12. 9-11 in the Big 10 (tie for 10th Place). Record includes home loss to Arkansas, 71-64.
3/11/20: Arkansas finishes with a record of 20-12. 7-11 in the SEC (10th place).
6/8/20: Justin Smith transfers from Indiana to Arkansas, after graduating from the Kelley School of Business in 3 years, starting every game during his last 2 seasons and, in his final season, averaging 10.2 points & 5.2 rebounds while leading the Hoosiers in minutes played.
6/8/20: “I hope (Justin) Smith finds what he is looking for, but I’m at a loss as to why he left Bloomington for a program like Arkansas. The Hoosiers are on the come, while Arkansas is stuck in the middle of a mediocre SEC . . .”
– Kent Sterling, in “Justin Smith will play at Arkansas – the land of chicken farmers and cat hoarders.”
3/11/21: Indiana finishes with a record of 12-15. 7-13 in Big 10 (10th Place). Ends season on a 6 game losing streak.
3/13/21: Arkansas finishes the regular season with a record of 22-6. 13-4 in SEC (2nd Place). Enters post-season as a 3 Seed in NCAA Tournament.
3/15/21: Indiana fires Coach Archie Miller after 4 seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance, paying a $10 Million buyout. Search for new coach begins.
3/19/21: Justin Smith v. Colgate in the Razorback’s 1st Round Victory in NCAA Tournament:
29 Points (9 of 17 from the field, 11 of 13 from the line), 13 Rebounds, 5 Steals & 2 Blocks.
3/21/21: Justin Smith v. Texas Tech in the Razorback’s 2nd Round Victory in NCAA Tournament:
20 Points (9 of 11 from the field, 2 of 3 from the line), 6 Rebounds, 2 Assists & 1 Block.
3/21/21: Zach Osterman of The Indianapolis Star, quoting Justin Smith regarding his 2020 transfer from Indiana to Arkansas: “It was a leap of faith. Obviously, I did my homework and made the best decision I possibly could, and it’s worked out so far,” he said. “I just kind of had to take a leap of faith and trust Coach Musselman. It’s definitely paid off. For me, for our team, it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made. I couldn’t be happier.”
3/21/21: Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman reports numerous inquiries from NBA Scouts regarding Justin Smith.
3/26/21: Five (5) players on the Indiana Hoosiers roster (including 3 starters) enter transfer portal. Search for new coach continues.
3/27/21: Arkansas scheduled to play ORU in 3rd Round (aka the “Sweet 16”) of NCAA Tournament.
Reasonable conclusions, based on the foregoing facts.
1. “The Hoosiers are on the come” as of 6/8/20. Really, Kent? After an ensuing season with 12 wins (8 fewer than prior season) & 15 losses, the Hoosiers fire Coach Archie Miller on 3/15/21, paying a $10 million buyout to the 5th whiff of a head coaching hire since the departure of Bobby Knight in 2000. If that is what being “on the come” looks like, I would hate to see what a downward spiral in the college basketball abyss looks like in the fantasy land of Kent Sterling.
2. As of 3/26/21, the Hoosiers’ search for a head coach continues, with five (5) returning players (including 3 starters) entering the transfer portal. Ok, NOW I see what a downward spiral in the college basketball abyss looks like! Kent, please grab your rotary dial telephone, because it’s time to call the Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department, as the Hoosiers’ downward spiral has devolved into a Dumpster Fire burning out of control at the very bottom of the college basketball abyss.
3. Meanwhile, fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks are enjoying an incredible season, as Justin Smith leads the Razorbacks into a Sweet 16 game v. ORU, with a possible trip to the Elite 8 and Final 4 hanging in the balance.
4. So sorry, Kent, but it looks like the script has completely flipped on you. Karma is a bitch, but that’s what you get after publishing a poorly written hit piece with no basis in fact and smarmy conjecture that now appears delusional.
NEWS FLASH: The day job clearly is not working out for you. Perhaps you can find inspiration from someone who also endured professional challenges and found success later in life in a similarly fictional world, Step-Brother Brennan Huff:
“I’m so scared right now. I’m just gonna to do what’s sensible, I’m gonna file for unemployment. Then I’m gonna try to get a job at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, because they got an excellent corporate structure and they… they give you the tools to be your own boss.”
Please let the rest of us know if you take the job at Enterprise, Kent, so we can move our accounts to Hertz.
And, most importantly, GO HOGS!
Hoosier New Coach, Indiana????
Day 13 of the search for 6th in a long line of inadequate replacements for Bobby Knight continues for the rudderless ship in floundering seas of Indiana.
Meanwhile, Indiana freshman guard Khristian Lander, a former 5-star recruit, is the sixth Indiana player (including 3 returning starters) to enter the transfer portal, joining Jordan Geronimo, Race Thompson, Armaan Franklin, Al Durham, and Parker Stewart.
AND, this just in, the Indiana University Marching Hundred (the Hoosiers’ marching band) has just entered the transfer portal.
While the journalism thing clearly has not worked out for you, Kent, it looks as if you likewise would starve as a Vegas odds maker with your ill-advised pick of ORU over Arkansas. Interesting that you could have so much angst toward all things Arkansas, while at the same time drooling over Eric Musselman as your unattainable fantasy selection as the Hoosiers’ new coach.
Meanwhile, the Dumpster Fire Continues to Rage in Bloomington . . .