re: Dave Van Horn

quote:

---

Did you actually even watch that game? It was obvious that it was a pivotal moment and merited a walk to the mound. You’re acting like this was a scientific rocket level equation he was faced with. Would you rather see the approach of A) do something, or B) do nothing by a coach in that situation?

---

Do you understand what hindsight is? If all coaches could see the future imagine what games would look like. Unfortunately it is should have/could have.

No need to get pissed off at me.

We have the dumbest fricking fan base in the world.

I'm not going to read thru all 8 pages of this thread, but, as a hardcore LSU guy who has a strong secondary rooting interest in Arkansas now that I'm paying for a kid to attend there...

Holy shite.

Think about the state of Arkansas baseball before Van Horn arrived.

Mama called. He came home. Be grateful. He's an excellent coach. It took Skip Bertman 7 years to win his first CWS title at LSU. And that was when he had several obstacles, yes, but nothing like Van Horn sees these days in the parity of modern day SEC baseball.

Y'all should be grateful he was willing to leave NU to come to Fayetteville. Took guts. Took a burning desire to win a title for his U of Arkansas. I thought this year was the year. Ran into a buzzsaw once-in-a-lifetime Ole Miss team to derail his team. Still, I'd take Van Horn over JJohnson like right the frick now. And I like JJohnson.

Check yourselves, piggies.

Or hell, get rid of DVH. Us LSU fans will be glad to hear of it....

0-0. Undefeated.

He's an excellent in-season coach, yet a terrible CWS coach.

2018 was his year.

Does it make us not Razorback fans to point things like this out? I get the anger with people who say we’ll always suck no matter what. But what is wrong with expecting some level of accountability and also having a data set and pattern that show we are more than likely not “going to win it all” under a certain coach and pointing it out and providing examples as to why we feel the way we do?

Oh, I remember those years. Was it a 9 run lead we gave up one year in like the 9th inning? Guess that was “just baseball” and he’s totally got it figured out.

The Arkansas job was not a destination job when DVH arrived. Arkansas only has two coaches in its history starting back in 1970 with Norm. I don't know about the other programs of that time period but Arkansas had zero history when Norm was hired.

Frank Broyles explained how Arkansas baseball was an after thought back in the 70s and had terrible facilities to the point that teams practiced in the parking lot. Frank had a vision that one day Arkansas would a respectable program. Norm helped in that regard but the hire of DVH brought Arkansas baseball to heights that hog fans have never seen. In a 50 year or so time span, Arkansas went from playing in Helena, Arkansas to games played in Omaha.

It started to turn when DVH had one of his best coaching years and that was the 2004 team. Arkansas had a 15 year drought from the CWS. DVH took a team that only had a few players drafted to a share of the SEC and a trip to Omaha.

Now it would be awhile but he made his second visit in 2009 then it started to become a little more common in 2012 and again in 2015.

Then he had his very first losing season in 2016 when he was only a few coaches in a certain period of time that didn't have a losing season. Arkansas fans thought that Dave had lost it and his best years was behind him but he proved his critics wrong and hosted a regional the very next year.

Then Arkansas made it again in 2018. Yeah we all know about that foul ball but don't you see a pattern here? These CWS appearances are beginning to become almost every year. Also another change was happening, his recruiting was starting to get much better. Then Arkansas made it again in 2019. This was the first time if not for a very long time that Arkansas made back to back CWS appearances, that is very rare here.

The 2020 season got ruined by covid. Arkansas didn't look very good before SEC play but only covid kept them for going for a three peat.

The 2021 year was a season of firsts. I believe it was the first or I could be wrong to win 50 games in a season. It was the first outright conference title since 1999. It was the first time they won the SEC tournament. We all know how it ended but we need to remember that Arkansas was picked fourth in the west but exceed expectations. That was a good not great team.

The 2022 team responded to what happened to them in the supers last year and finished third in the CWS. That is rare to finish that high in the history of Arkansas baseball.

While we all have took a shite on DVH including myself. If you look hard at all the accomplishments at a program not known for baseball historically then you would be impressed. If not then you are just being a troll.

DVH is the type that would invite you over to his house for some burgers. Arkansas baseball now is like the burger that came fresh off the grill and Dave knows how to grill them and you ask, I'll take another one please.

I’d agree. I’m highly critical of him (because I’m melting- hell yes I am), but I’m not calling for or saying that he should be fired. I’m questioning his decision-making and certain staff members that are not doing their jobs - all correctable. He was undoubtedly the right hire after Norm and has taken us to an elite level in everything but championships. I just don’t think he’ll ever win one and I hope that while he’s here he can sustain our program and hands it off to someone competent come the right time and we go further. But he’s a coach and it’s our job to question the few questionable things he does that hurt us or maybe even prevent something great from happening. As much as it stings, I’ll be honest and admit (and take a few steps back from some of my harsh armchair coaching) that if he can keep us where we’re at or do better over the next few years or longer, then it’s impossible to justify firing him (especially if we don’t lose in recruiting and fan interest - I.e. tickets, merch, etc.). I will also add that he was one of John McDonnell’s Paul-bearers and if he was a crappy person or viewed as a loser, that wouldn’t be the case.