Scott Faldon: Cold Decision on Chad Morris Needed

By Scott Faldon

Over the weekend, I got a lecture of sorts about the state of the Arkansas media from a couple of people. 

A friend tweeted that he “had never seen the Arkansas media so angry.” I replied to my friend that members of the media should not get angry when the team they cover loses – even when they lose badly and the season is a train wreck inside a dumpster fire. They also shouldn’t be homers and they should be emotionally detached from the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team.

I was told objectivity was a charade anyway and I’m an old fogey yelling the journalism version of “get off my lawn.” 

So be it. 

But it is impossible for somebody who is angry to be objective about the thing that is angering them. Likewise, it’s awfully difficult to be analytical about something that brings you great joy. It is the other side of the same coin. 

Emotions make you irrational. Emotion usually overrides logic. Have you ever experienced road rage? Did you thoughtfully consider your options before flipping the bird at the other driver? Did you carefully consider why the driver cut you off and ponder the future ramifications before blasting your car horn for five seconds? 

Pondering the future of Chad Morris at Arkansas should be done coldly and dispassionately. Emotions result in firing Nolan and sending the basketball program into a tailspin. Emotions cause you to run off Ken Hatfield after back-to-back 10-2 seasons – sending the football program into an eight-year funk. 

None of that is to say Chad Morris should be fired or should be given another season at the University of Arkansas. But we should not base our opinions of it on the heat of the moment emotions.

Scott Faldon is a veteran sportswriter and columnist covering the Razorbacks who is now retired from the newspaper business and gone on to pursuits that pay a living wage.