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Clark column: Former Hogs coach stands on top once again
His entire career, Nolan Richardson wanted to stand for something bigger than just being a basketball coach.
On Monday, the former Arkansas basketball coach stood along side six other men as they were inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Although his career ended with the Hogs amid controversy after 17 successful seasons in 1998, Richardson is ” and will ” always be basketball royalty in this state.
Going into the hall of fame with Richardson are former Auburn star Charles Barkley, Kansas standout Danny Manning, former Utah All-American Arnie Ferrin, and two men who were elected to the hall for their contributions to the game in announcers Billy Packer and Dick Vitale.
To this day, Richardson is the only coach in NCAA history to win a junior college national championship, an NIT Championship and a NCAA Championship.
His juco title came in his first coaching job at Western Texas College, his NIT title came with Tulsa in 1981 and his national title came in 1994.
The fiery coach was the first black coach in the SEC, and he led the Hogs to three final four appearances and back to back appearances in the title game in ‘94 and ‘95.
In 17 seasons with the Razorbacks, Richardson compiled a 389-169 record and for his career he was 508-206 in 24 total seasons at Arkansas, Tulsa and Western Texas College.
Richardson was born Dec. 27, 1941 in El Paso, Texas and attended Texas Weselyn University which later became the University of Texas at El Paso.
For those who wonder how and why Richardson became so involved in matters of race, his senior season at UTEP was spent under first year coach Don Haskins.
Just two years after Richardson graduated, Haskins became the first coach to win a NCAA national championship with an all-black starting lineup.
Richardson started his coaching career at Bowie High School in El Paso and quickly moved into the college ranks with Western Texas.
From there, he went to Tulsa and in 1985, he was selected to replace legendary Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton.
When he was hired, many fans in the state wondered if the Hogs could ever sustain the success Sutton had at the school.
Today, the Arkansas basketball program is known nationally largely due to Richardson’s successful run at the school.
Richardson became popular around the state and around the country with his “40 minutes of hell” attack.
Growing up in Northwest Arkansas, I was lucky enough to see some of Richardson’s greatest games in the famed Barnhill Arena, which was one of the toughest places to play in the country.
His recruiting class that included Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller is still one of the best in school history.
That trio combined to win the Southwest Conference title in its last season in 1991 and an SEC title in their first year in the league in 1992.
Two years later, Richardson compiled a deep pool of talent led by Russlleville High School standout Corliss Williamson.
That team went on to go 63-10 over a two-year period that included winning the ‘94 national title and a runner-up finish the next season as the Hogs lost to UCLA in the tournament final.
Quite honestly, that collection of talent might just be the best the school will ever see.
For all of his accolades, Richardson was always outspoken on race issues.
As a black man who grew up in a time when he was not considered as an equal to a white man, it’s not hard to see why his views on race were so strong.
His tenure at Arkansas ended very badly in 2002 and he ended up filing a lawsuit against the school citing racial discrimination.
The suit was dismissed in July 2004, and since then Nolan has had a couple of stints in international basketball with the Panamanian and Mexican national teams.
While neither stop was successful, Richardson never stepped back onto a college court with any school, and he’s had his chances. Somewhere deep inside I believe Richardson could never see himself coaching another college team.
His name was even mentioned for the ASU opening before the job went to John Brady.
While it would have been great to see Nolan coaching in this state again, it’s probably best that he will always be remembered as a Hog.
In recent years, he has even cooled his views about the U of A now that Frank Broyles is gone.
Since he left the Arkansas program, the level of success has dropped dramatically.
No longer are Razorback basketball fans talking Final Four’s.
Today, they discuss whether or not the Hogs will just make the NCAA tournament.
However, it seems the program has found the right man in coach John Pelphrey, who can talk all day about what it means to play for a big time program in the SEC.
With Pelphrey in place, it’s time for the U of A administration to bring Richardson back into the fold and honor him the way he deserves to be honored.
His contribution to the school can never be measured.
Somewhere in the palacious Bud Walton Arena that he was so successful coaching in should be a recognition of what Nolan did for the school.
Naming the court Richardson Court would be a nice start and would give Nolan a lifetime tribute for everything he did.
From his red cowboy boots to his “40 minutes of hell” style, I think it’s fair to say, there will never be another Nolan Richardson.
On Monday, the former Arkansas basketball coach stood along side six other men as they were inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Although his career ended with the Hogs amid controversy after 17 successful seasons in 1998, Richardson is ” and will ” always be basketball royalty in this state.
Going into the hall of fame with Richardson are former Auburn star Charles Barkley, Kansas standout Danny Manning, former Utah All-American Arnie Ferrin, and two men who were elected to the hall for their contributions to the game in announcers Billy Packer and Dick Vitale.
To this day, Richardson is the only coach in NCAA history to win a junior college national championship, an NIT Championship and a NCAA Championship.
His juco title came in his first coaching job at Western Texas College, his NIT title came with Tulsa in 1981 and his national title came in 1994.
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In 17 seasons with the Razorbacks, Richardson compiled a 389-169 record and for his career he was 508-206 in 24 total seasons at Arkansas, Tulsa and Western Texas College.
Richardson was born Dec. 27, 1941 in El Paso, Texas and attended Texas Weselyn University which later became the University of Texas at El Paso.
For those who wonder how and why Richardson became so involved in matters of race, his senior season at UTEP was spent under first year coach Don Haskins.
Just two years after Richardson graduated, Haskins became the first coach to win a NCAA national championship with an all-black starting lineup.
Richardson started his coaching career at Bowie High School in El Paso and quickly moved into the college ranks with Western Texas.
From there, he went to Tulsa and in 1985, he was selected to replace legendary Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton.
When he was hired, many fans in the state wondered if the Hogs could ever sustain the success Sutton had at the school.
Today, the Arkansas basketball program is known nationally largely due to Richardson’s successful run at the school.
Richardson became popular around the state and around the country with his “40 minutes of hell” attack.
Growing up in Northwest Arkansas, I was lucky enough to see some of Richardson’s greatest games in the famed Barnhill Arena, which was one of the toughest places to play in the country.
His recruiting class that included Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller is still one of the best in school history.
That trio combined to win the Southwest Conference title in its last season in 1991 and an SEC title in their first year in the league in 1992.
Two years later, Richardson compiled a deep pool of talent led by Russlleville High School standout Corliss Williamson.
That team went on to go 63-10 over a two-year period that included winning the ‘94 national title and a runner-up finish the next season as the Hogs lost to UCLA in the tournament final.
Quite honestly, that collection of talent might just be the best the school will ever see.
For all of his accolades, Richardson was always outspoken on race issues.
As a black man who grew up in a time when he was not considered as an equal to a white man, it’s not hard to see why his views on race were so strong.
His tenure at Arkansas ended very badly in 2002 and he ended up filing a lawsuit against the school citing racial discrimination.
The suit was dismissed in July 2004, and since then Nolan has had a couple of stints in international basketball with the Panamanian and Mexican national teams.
While neither stop was successful, Richardson never stepped back onto a college court with any school, and he’s had his chances. Somewhere deep inside I believe Richardson could never see himself coaching another college team.
His name was even mentioned for the ASU opening before the job went to John Brady.
While it would have been great to see Nolan coaching in this state again, it’s probably best that he will always be remembered as a Hog.
In recent years, he has even cooled his views about the U of A now that Frank Broyles is gone.
Since he left the Arkansas program, the level of success has dropped dramatically.
No longer are Razorback basketball fans talking Final Four’s.
Today, they discuss whether or not the Hogs will just make the NCAA tournament.
However, it seems the program has found the right man in coach John Pelphrey, who can talk all day about what it means to play for a big time program in the SEC.
With Pelphrey in place, it’s time for the U of A administration to bring Richardson back into the fold and honor him the way he deserves to be honored.
His contribution to the school can never be measured.
Somewhere in the palacious Bud Walton Arena that he was so successful coaching in should be a recognition of what Nolan did for the school.
Naming the court Richardson Court would be a nice start and would give Nolan a lifetime tribute for everything he did.
From his red cowboy boots to his “40 minutes of hell” style, I think it’s fair to say, there will never be another Nolan Richardson.
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