The Sports Trail: Coaching shuffle, SEC picks not left to chance as school nears

The coaching shuffle is well underway here in Carroll County, with more shuffling in sight. It's like a game of dominos -- one coach moves and the game begins.

This year Eureka Springs boys basketball coach Daniel Cornelison moved on to Omaha, much closer to his home in this $4 a gallon time.

The surprise is his replacement. That would be former Berryville Lady Bobcat basketball coach Nolan Helder. Yep, he's switching from Bobcats to Highlanders, and from Class 4A to Class 2A.

Another opening in the county coaching ranks appeared when David Joyce left his Green Forest junior high coaching situation to move to Colorado. His replacement was supposed to be selected at last night's school board meeting and the front runner appeared to be another face fans will recognize.

Isn't it sort of late to be hiring coaches? That usually takes place around May, or the first of June. Takes a coach, especially one with a family, a while to sell a house, find another one, then move in.

If you don't believe me, ask new Bobcat Junior High football coach Jack Dickey. He made the leap from Waldron when Ryan Whetham's job opened up this summer.

At last week's Bobcat Youth All-Star Football camp, Jack's back was still sore from moving boxes and furniture and they still weren't all settled in. With football coaching staffs holding meetings to get organized for the first August practices, hiring in late July is tough on everyone.

Which makes you wonder what Whetham is going to do this next year?

Even more important is how will the football Razorbacks do?

I"m all over that one. See, while driving 11 hours to New Orleans for my grandson, Will's, birthday, I listened to talk radio. You know, where two allegedly knowledgeable guys take phone calls and discuss the future -- without crystal balls.

Sure enough, they're doing it again. Stuff like, "The Hogs are a lock to win eight games this year. Yo, bud, right on."

Excuse me? The only "real" guys I know that pick games accurately work in Las Vegas, and they favor the Razorbacks to win six games -- so far. Even Coach Bobby Petrino is keeping quiet on this one. But he did let slip a little fact the radio guys should have paid more attention to. Petrino says we'll need to play eight or nine freshmen.

Oh my. Here's my pick. In Vegas you can pick over the number they have, or under that number for a bet. I'm for sure picking under and hoping we get five wins.

Come on. The Hogs have the second toughest schedule in the country. We play the Longhorns at Texas the second game of the season. Talk about some freshmen getting chewed up.

Georgia is picked to win the national championship. Arkansas is picked dead last in the SEC West, and third worst in the SEC -- by the Vegas pros and most football magazines.

Once again sports broadcasters and writers of Arkansas are deluding fans with an over-optimistic outlook for the new season. They do the most harm to fan morale by exaggerating expectations.

Shoot low. Then if the team surprises, we can all say we knew it all along -- either way it goes.