Arkansas Buys Out Coach

Nolan Richardson coached Arkansas to the 1994 NCAA men’s basketball title and helped pave the way for a generation of African American coaches, but his long career at the school ended Friday when Arkansas bought out his contract in the wake of Richardson’s complaints he is treated differently because he is black.

Chancellor John White called the decision difficult and didn’t cite Richardson’s remarks in his written statement, but agreed with Athletic Director Frank Broyles that it was “time for a change in leadership for the best interests of the basketball team.”

The school will pay Richardson $3 million for the remaining six years of his contract.

Richardson, who hired a Little Rock civil rights attorney this week, had no comment.

It had been a rare season of frustration for Richardson, whose Razorbacks are 13-14.

The week of turmoil began last Saturday when Richardson said after a loss to Kentucky that, “If they go ahead and pay me my money, they can take the job tomorrow.”

Then, in a rambling and impassioned speech at a news conference Monday, he complained that none of the reporters in the room were black, and that he was treated differently as the only black among the 17 head coaches at the school.

“See, my great-great-grandfather came over on the ship, I didn’t,” he said. “And I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. My great-great-grandfather came over on the ship. Not Nolan Richardson.

“I did not come over on that ship, so I expect to be treated a little bit different.... Because I know for a fact that I do not play on the same level as the other coaches around this school play on. I know that you know that. And people of my color know that. And that angers me.”

Richardson also said this week that, socially, Fayetteville “is not that good for a black athlete.”

In addition, the program’s academic record faced criticism Friday when a previously scheduled ESPN “Outside the Lines” program focused on Arkansas as one of 36 men’s basketball programs that had a 0% graduation rate for African American players who entered school from 1990 to ’94.

But it was Richardson’s comments that created a public stir, and he was summoned to two days of meetings with the chancellor and athletic director after White said there had been “a lot of overall damage to the program.”

Richardson expressed a desire to stay at Arkansas, but those talks ended Friday.

“He has made many valuable contributions to the University of Arkansas and has provided exemplary service to causes and charities throughout the state,” White said in a statement. “His legacy will last forever, but it is now time to look to the future.”

Temple Coach John Chaney, a close friend of Richardson’s who spoke to him during the week, criticized Arkansas on Friday for lack of loyalty after Richardson’s 17 years at the school, saying he believes Richardson’s outbursts were triggered when he learned his job was in danger.

“I think the most important statement Nolan made was, ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,’” Chaney said. “He was angry and frustrated that somebody leaked something about letting him go.

“Nolan figures like I do: Some of us, black or white, when we’ve been around that long and been loyal to the university, to have fans or any reporter question what we do isn’t right.

“He’s a very proud man, and rightfully so. He brought about a lot of pride to the state of Arkansas and all that know him. He participated in the fight for youngsters, working very hard in the Black Coaches Assn. to try to bring opportunity to youngsters.

“He’s something special. For the administration to do what they did to him, I think that’s unfair....

“A guy who has been so good, they can look past that.

“I think he made his statement because he got very angry.

“Arkansas, I don’t know how many black coaches they have--you tell me if he was not speaking for all of us. They’re in the SEC, which doesn’t have a black football coach anywhere.

“I honestly believe he’s really telling it like it is.”

Richardson led Arkansas to three Final Four appearances and five conference championships. His coaching record, including five seasons at Tulsa, is 508-206 with 16 NCAA appearances.

Assistant coach Mike Anderson is to take over as interim coach for Arkansas.

Though Richardson is expected to resurface as a college or NBA coach, his legacy includes a series of “firsts” for African Americans.

During his college career at Texas Western, he was the only black player on a team that after he left became famous as the first NCAA champion with an all-black starting five in 1966.

He later became the first African American junior college coach in Texas, and was the first black Division I coach in the state of Oklahoma when he was hired at Tulsa.

When Arkansas joined the SEC, he was the first black coach in conference history.

“He’s a tremendous, tremendous basketball coach,” said Oregon Coach Ernie Kent, a member of the board of directors of the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches.

“He’s been one of those trend-setters for young black coaches like myself.

“When I got into this, you looked at Nolan, George Raveling, John Chaney, John Thompson. Those were the guys you looked at. They opened the door for us.

“It’s too bad, because he’s done so many great things, so many positive things, for the school.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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