Stan Heath out at Arkansas

It's taken quite awhile, but the word finally coming down today that Stan Heath is out after 5 seasons with the Hogs. Is it a big surprise? Well yes and no. Heath was NOT a failure by any means. He had a winning record, rebuilt the program from the shambles of Nolan Richardson, and got Arkansas back to the NCAA Tournament the last 2 years (along with 22 and 21 wins the last 2 seasons). He was a class act, running a clean program with discipline, valuing education and was a dynamite recruiter. Heath will be remembered as the guy who got Arkansas back on it's feet.
The problem was that he won't be remembered as the coach who took the Razorbacks to the next level. For whatever reason, it appeared the Hogs would underachieve most of the season and then finally kick it into gear when it mattered most, only to fall flat in the Big Dance. Interest in the fan base has been declining: ticket sales and attendance at Bud Walton Arena have been on the downswing and Arkansas did not sell out a single home game this season. And perhaps that was the fatal flaw for Stan Heath: nowadays coaches not only have to fill the seats and keep the coffers full, they need to win big and win fast. Getting to the tournament is not enough, you have to be reaching the Sweet 16 on a consistent basis or you might be looking for a new job. That's life as a college coach.