End of An Era

End of an era

The definition of a generation in social sciences is 20 years. So I can honestly say, I lasted a little more than a generation at the University of Arkansas.  Literally as some of the children of athletes who were there or recently departed when I arrived in 1989 are now beginning to attend here in 2010-11.

In this life, everything comes to an end. DeGaulle said it: The cemeteries of the world are fill of indispensable men. Our jobs are public trusts, and when people begin to think of themselves as the job - not just the current occupant - well, that's when you can get a big dose of hubris. The sports page transactions are filled with coaches and administrators who made that mistake.

At my going away, I told the group - mostly newcomers but a lot that had been around, some I helped hire to UA - that what 22 years teaches you is that it really is about people.  The people you work with.  The people you work for. And that is who you miss; not an institution or a title.

The people I've worked with have been some of the best in the business - and recently I include in that the thousands of fans we began to more directly interact with in the last few years through social media and participatory media (read: message boards).  I make that point because you learn a lot when you listen to the customers.

The people you work for really hasn't changed: it ultimately was always those fans and the people of the state of Arkansas. So I go back home to Louisiana and do the same thing, but this time for the whole university at Northwestern State.  I'm very excited to cross over.

And most important, I'm not going away. I might not be @ArkRazorbacks or the main blogger voice for the Hogs, but I'll be around. This space continues as strong as ever - maybe even more so.