Today Arkansas fired Stan Heath.
Heath took over a depleted and broken Arkansas Razorback basketball program five seasons ago. During his first season (2003) the Hogs went 9-19, then improved their win total each of the next three years: 12-16, 18-12, and 22-10.
This past season, after having to replace a veteran corps of four guards (with 13 years of Razorback experience between them) with four new guards (with 0 years of Razorback experience between them), Heath’s team slipped slightly to 21-14, but still had the best performance in the SEC Tournament of any Razorback five since 2000.
Clearly there has been improvement. Clearly the improvement has come slowly, and I guess it was too slow for too many fans.
I too have had my own doubts as to whether Heath was the man to get the Razorbacks back to the level of national preeminence they enjoyed in the early 1990s (six Sweet 16s, three Final Fours, two championship game appearances, once championship between 1990 and 1996).
While I too was ready to throw Heath under the bus earlier in the season (during a stretch in which the Hogs lost nine of thirteen conference games) I changed my mind late in the season. This was partly because of a five-game winning streak the Hogs went on.
But it also had much to do with the incredible class and graciousness which Heath displayed. Just before his team went on its five-game winning streak—back when there were reports that Heath was as good as fired if he did not make the NCAA tournament—Heath was asked about his job security at a press conference.
“The sun is shining,” he said that day, according to the Associated Press. “It’s a bright and beautiful day. I’ve always been a positive person and had a lot of faith in God. That’s where my strength comes from. I want to coach basketball and have our guys play the right way.”
I became convinced (and remain so) that it would be unfair to fire the über-classy Heath while retaining the disreputable Houston Nutt as the football coach. I argued, here and here, ineffectually, to that effect. It is not just a matter of class; Heath also has a significantly better winning percentage (.629) during the past three years than does Nutt (.528).
If there were any lingering doubts as to Heath’s graciousness, they should be dispelled by checking out the interview he gave today following his firing. Apparently he had been led to believe that he would be retained as the coach, only to learn to the contrary today. Even still, he uttered no bitter words.
Who could have blamed him if he had? He has assembled a team which looks to be (assuming important players don’t begin defecting) the most talented squad Arkansas has had since its 1996 Sweet 16 team. But he will not be allowed to coach it.
The events of today have once again proven the old adage that life is not fair. That is a truth I accept intellectually, but never can quite bring myself to accept emotionally. I hope I never do.
I want to believe in a world where “patience in well-doing” is rewarded, while “self-seeking” will get you nowhere. I am told there is such a world, only it is not here. It will come soon enough.
In the meantime, we must endure sorry and shabby events, such as what transpired today. Nice guys finish last, they say. Stan Heath was the nicest guy of all.
