Some interesting timing in announcements for the Razorbacks. After announcing a raise and one year extension for basketball coach John Pelphrey, Arkansas also announced the raising of ticket prices and the creation of 34 super-premium seats that cost $12,000 per year and are only available to those fans who donate at least $10,000 per year to the athletic department.All well and good, but will there be anything worth watching at Bud Walton Arena? The team was already trying to rebuild and had lost four of its five leading scorers from the past year to graduation. Now the team's second leading scorer and leading rebounder is also gone for the upcoming season.
Late Friday afternoon the UA sports information department issued a two-sentence press release stating: "Junior guard Patrick Beverley will not compete for the Razorbacks in the 2008-2009 basketball season. The University of Arkansas, including its administration and coaches, will have no further comment due to student privacy laws."By all reports, Beverley is academically ineligible. Not simply, one or two classes he has to make-up and could be ready by December academically ineligible. Apparently this is, worse. To the point, where it isn't even clear that Beverley will bother staying in Fayetteville. Instead he may be looking to go pro overseas.
The top returning scorers -- Stefan Walsh and Michael Washington -- didn't combine to average 10 points per game last season. The Razorbacks have only ten scholarship players including five true freshmen, a redshirt freshman and a junior college transfer. Not much of a doubt that Pelphrey will be earning his salary this coming season.
