FAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Petrino does not possess the outward effusiveness of his predecessor, Houston Nutt, but Arkansas’ new football coach knows how to draw a crowd.
He can work a crowd, too.
Petrino, portrayed as cold and aloof by national media after his in-season exit from the Atlanta Falcons, chipped away at his icy image as he crisscrossed the state this winter and spring speaking to Razorback Clubs.
More than 1, 000 fans greeted Petrino at his first stop, the Texarkana Area Razorback Club, and fans have turned out in record numbers at just about every stop made by Petrino.
“I think he was everything the fans thought he’d be and more,” said Allen Brown, president of the Texarkana Area Razorback Club. “I’d classify him as down to business. He knows what tasks he’s got at hand, and he’s committed to getting them done.” Petrino said he was impressed with the level of enthusiasm, a common denominator at his appearances.
“Learning the state and learning everybody out there has been a lot of fun,” Petrino said.
Fans often came in curious and left impressed.
“All I had to go by was what I read in the newspaper and saw on ESPN,” said Richard Hamilton, president of the Little Rock Razorback Club. “I expected the worst and I was pleasantly surprised. You just hear all these stories about, ‘We don’t have Nutt anymore.’ “ I didn’t expect a bubbly guy. He’s very serious and all those stories we heard, that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s very focused and very driven.” Hamilton had to secure the Embassy Suites to accommodate nearly 800 people who came to greet Petrino on March 3.
The Greater Dallas Razorback Club brought in more than 200 fans, the group’s largest attendance in several years, to hear Petrino on May 5, despite day-long rains and a less-thanideal Monday night slot.
The Fort Smith club postponed its function because of a snowstorm but made up for the lost revenue by packing about 500 guests into the Oaks on April 29 with a lively auction and fundraising.
Fort Smith QB Razorback Club President Len Bauman said Petrino is a credit to the Razorback Club organization in terms of raising money “There’s more enthusiasm than I’ve seen since the first year or maybe even before the first year our previous coach came,” Bauman said.
In all corners of the state.
“Everybody’s excited about the offense,” said Ted Thompson, president of the Delta Razorback Club, which expects to donate between $ 9, 000 and $ 10, 000 to the Razorback Foundation after its April 28 meeting with Petrino. “Everybody just seemed to be ready for a change, and Houston is a friend of mine. There comes a time, I just think things were stagnant.” Arkansas fans embraced Petrino even though his public image was battered after his sudden departure from the Atlanta Falcons last December, when he coached Atlanta on a Monday night and was named head coach at Arkansas just 24 hours later. For his part, Petrino was thankful to plunge through an escape hatch out of his Atlanta nightmare and find a hospitable environment in Arkansas, where Razorback logos extend to every quarter of the state.
Petrino’s businesslike approach and personal style have won over fans and made the national media’s perspective on him a moot point within the state’s borders.
How has he done it ?
Petrino has reached out to fans, accommodating hundreds of autograph requests at each stop.
“He signed things left, right and sideways,” said Doyle Groff, president of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Club.
“He signed until there was no one left in the line,” Hamilton said.
“He never seemed to get frustrated with the autograph line,” said Buddy Billingsley, president of the East Central Arkansas Razorback Club, which raised about $ 12, 000 during its Petrino meeting Feb. 26. “I had to pull him away from the table, actually.” Petrino appeared to work as hard at winning over fans as he did at spring practice when installing his brand of football into the Razorbacks’ program. “The general impression is that Petrino is a very organized and detail-oriented coach who will not be outworked by any coach,” Dallas club president Ralph Tschiemer wrote in an e-mail exchange. “Our boosters were very receptive to the message of a balanced offense, which he delivered, and they expect good results from his regime.” Attention to detail extends to Petrino’s Razorback Club appearances.
His first order of business upon arrival at a Razorback Club function was to conduct media interviews for 15 or 20 minutes. Then he would sit down for a lengthy autograph session before the banquet commenced. When possible, someone would work ahead of Petrino, writing out the names and requests of autograph seekers and handing them to Petrino so the line could flow more smoothly and quickly. “It’s the best autograph line I’ve ever been in,” Hamilton said. “He could talk to them without having to ask them how to spell their names or their kids’ names.” “ No one’s more committed than him, ” Texarkana’s Brown said. “He’s very serious and I think very appreciative of getting the chance here, and he wants to make the most of it.” Said Bauman: “The fans are excited because he has the capability of taking the team to the national championship.” The Memphis-East Arkansas Razorback Club had one of its two best fundraising events when Petrino visited May 1.
“Most people are very positive about [Petrino’s arrival ], though there are a few people with a wait-andsee attitude,” said Scott Dicus, MEARC president. “A lot of naysayers don’t show up at this kind of event. They’re blogging at home or whatever.
“ But most people think with Petrino we can compete, that we can do well and compete for that BCS bowl.”
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