Only in Arkansas

The new USA Today network reporter for the Razorbacks is the daughter of former AD Jeff Long. (She didn’t mention that in her introductory column, which seems like a lack of full disclosure.)

https://www.swtimes.com/story/sport...cks-beat-writer-usa-today-network/6345995001/

 

Lackluster piece

 

Whatever.

For all we know, she is tired of living in her father’s shadow and wants to forge her own path in Arkansas athletics.

 

I thought for sure this was going to be about Lewis Black's friends in Cotton Plant:

 

I'm all for ethics and good hiring practices, but I'm struggling to find the problem, here. Jeff Long isn't the AD there anymore. She has a pretty good resume and I'm pretty sure her former employers didn't really care if she's the daughter of the former Arkansas AD. And that Dallas Morning News HS internship has produced a ton of good beat writers in recent years, so that probably qualifies her more than her familial ties.

 

I’m sure this has happened in more places than Arkansas too. I was expecting more of a redneck story.

I’m familiar with Christina Long’s work with the DMN and she did a good job. Did not know her background though.

 

I'd hire her on her name alone. So would Howie's son.

 

She is now covering the program that paid her dad millions of dollars over 10 years and then fired him. While I have zero problem with her getting the gig, she should have mentioned her family connection.

 

They're hiring a fan.

 

OK, now that I can get behind. A disclosure is the best course of action here. I can also see how she wants people to believe she actually earned the job and wasn't gifted it because of her dad (which I doubt happened anyways), hence the omission. But it still should have been mentioned.