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McDonnell retires, one of a kind Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 By Harry King LITTLE ROCK - Preparing for the trip to Houston for the Southwest Conference outdoor track championship, coach John McDonnell was reviewing expectations for each individual. The routine was the same as always, but this time Arkansas had a chance to win its first-ever SWC outdoor title. As a result, a Fayetteville television station was working on a documentary that spring of 1982, beginning with the team's preparations and continuing through the competition. In the locker room, McDonnell was specific about how many points each individual should score. He might have told shot putter Scott Lofquist he had him down for eight and informed Mike Conley that he was expected to produce 10 in both the triple jump and the long jump. "Javelin, 10 points," he said. Silence. Arkansas did not have anybody in the javelin and it took about five seconds for the athletes to remember. A nice ice-breaker by a coach fully cognizant of the expectations and the accompanying pressure. McDonnell is a fascinating person who has put the Arkansas track program on a plateau with the elite. There had been rumblings about his retirement and the word came Monday morning that he would make the announcement. His successor will be up against an impossibly high standard. Every time I drive into Fayetteville, I am struck by the road sign near the campus that enumerates the number of NCAA titles won by McDonnell's teams. This is a guy who was born in Ireland, became a U.S. citizen in 1969, chose an assistant's job at Arkansas over a similar offer from Oklahoma because the terrain near Fayetteville reminded him of his homeland, and supplemented his income for a brief time by teaching at Greenland High School. To him, team was always the thing. Year after year, he sold that concept to athletes who compete in a sport that is primarily for individuals. How many times did he convince a miler to drop down and run 800 meters on a relay team or stretch himself to 3200 meters? He told prospects that if he was recruiting them, they were already among the best. He told them that if they were willing to sacrifice, they were going to win team titles. And they believed. Working for The AP in the late 1990s, it was fascinating to watch Arkansas celebrate NCAA Indoor title after title with athletes from all over joining in a heartfelt "Soooieee." McDonnell did not put up with me-first and would chase off a talent with a huge ego. For years, middle-distance runners were the foundation of Arkansas' success. McDonnell reasoned that they were more stable, that sprinters could be a tenth of a second off and finish fourth instead of first. Because of McDonnell, Arkansas' facilities are among the best in the country - good enough to host NCAA championships. We only talked occasionally, but the conversation was always enjoyable. Inevitably, it would turn to thoroughbred racing and the difference weight can make in a horse race. To him, it was the same as a runner with some body fat. He could push and push and push an individual right to the brink without breaking him down. Above all, they trusted him 100 percent. If they were hurting and he said run, they ran. He could separate injuries from soreness. Many of his best hung around to continue training at Fayetteville, and that inspired the younger ones. Some left and trained on their own, but then returned. Seven-time NCAA champion and Olympian Alistair Cragg could have been articulating for many former Razorbacks when he said, "I am his creation." "He's got that hand on your shoulder that you know you can't mess up, but if you do that you're not going to mess up on your own," Cragg said in the UA media guide. "When he says you're ready, you're ready." To fully appreciate his accomplishments, see how many NCAA titles Arkansas wins during the next 24 years. It won't be anywhere near 42. ------- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com. |
