Bobby Petrino: Latest Opinions from Around the Web on Coach's Dismissal

Bobby Petrino didn't get fired for whatever compelled to him getting on a motorcycle with 25-year-old University of Arkansas employee Jessica Dorrell.

He got fired for the poor judgment he used in lying to athletic director Jeff Long about what really happened that night.

After an April 1 motorcycle accident that left him with broken ribs, broken vertebra and a neck brace, the Arkansas football coach told Long and reporters that he was alone on the bike when the accident occurred.

A few days later, however, it was revealed that Petrino—a married father of four—was accompanied by Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player who had recently been hired by Petrino as the student-athlete development coordinator in the football office.

First, Petrino was placed on paid leave. Almost a week later, he was fired, despite leading the Razorbacks to a 21-5 record over the last two years and leading them to the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2011 season.

Here is a roundup of the latest opinions around the Web concerning the dramatic end of Petrino's tenure at Arkansas.

Dick Weiss, New York Daily News: Petrino Isn't Bigger Than Arkansas Football

Did Petrino deserve to be fired? Absolutely. He may have restored Arkansas football to glory, but it will be just fine without him.

According to the New York Daily News' Dick Weiss, Petrino isn't bigger than Arkansas football, and believing that he was is a fireable offense. What he did—misleading his employers about a relationship he had with a 25-year-old assistant, whom he hired from a pool of 159 applicants—was despicable, according to Weiss.

The columnist insists that Petrino deserves everything that he has coming to him:

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Petrino, the married father of four, does not deserve your tears or your sympathy. He had the hubris to think he could fly too close to the sun without getting burned. … Petrino has been a vagabond who has gone through 14 jobs in the past 27 years and has a reputation for being a loose cannon who has proven time and again that he cannot be trusted.

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Weiss breaks down the decision that led to Petrino's termination and discusses why it was 100 percent warranted.

Andy Staples, SI.com: Jeff Long Had No Choice

Andy Staples begins his column on SI.com with a bang: by comparing the statement Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long made upon hiring Petrino with the one he made upon firing him.

Back in December 2007, Long insisted Petrino was hired after a comprehensive search because he would "serve our student-athletes and fans with class and dignity."

Clearly, after this mess, Petrino failed to show either class or dignity. How, then, could Long have possibly justified keeping the coach around?

Petrino was successful, in one sense.

He put Arkansas football back on the map in an extremely competitive conference. But he was a terrible role model for a group of young men who needed one, and for that reason alone, he didn't deserve to keep his job.

Staples' opinion is one of the best out there and clearly outlines the reasoning behind the firing. After reading this column, it'll be hard for anyone to be on Team Petrino.

Brad Boeker, Yahoo! Sports: Bobby Petrino's Firing Is 'Refreshing'

This piece discusses Petrino's firing from a fan's perspective—a University of Illinois fan.

The U of I fired its men's basketball and football coaches after they both did a poor job of winning. Fair enough. They didn't do their jobs—and Petrino, despite doing a lot of winning, didn't do his, either.

Too often, men who are in positions of power are able to stay in power despite despicable actions, and the fact that Jeff Long refused to allow Petrino to continue his reign is refreshing, writes Yahoo! Sports contributor Brad Boeker. It's good to know that character does matter, even in the ultra-competitive world of the SEC.

Boeker writes: 

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Though I know how much big-time college football and basketball has made a joke of the term "student-athlete," I'll still be disappointed if Petrino ever gets another chance to run a college program.

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College football players are still students. They are still in need of a leader who can serve them with at least a smidgen of respectability.

Petrino may be competent when it comes to winning, but when it comes to showing a bunch of impressionable young people how to behave like decent human beings, he has a lot of work to do. And until he figures out how to do it, the last place he belongs is at the helm of a college football program.

Failing as a person is just as fireable as failing on the field.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com: Yet Another Lie from Petrino Comes as No Surprise

Should we really be surprised that Petrino lied—again?

No, writes ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach:

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Petrino, who guided the Razorbacks to a 21-5 record the past two seasons and their first BCS bowl game, was fired Tuesday after Long realized what most of us already knew about his former football coach—he bends the truth like Bubba Watson bends golf shots.

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Schlabach outlines the variety of reasons Petrino deserved to lose his position atop one of the SEC's most successful football program: his relationship with Jessica Dorrell, the fact that he lied about it, the fact that he ditched the Atlanta Falcons for Arkansas with three games left in the 2007 season and informed them with "a typed, 78-word statement taped to their lockers. Only the day before, Petrino had told Falcons owner Arthur Blank that he wasn't going anywhere."

All along, there were warning signs with Petrino. Schlabach gives kudos to Jeff Long for finally refusing to ignore them, winning record(s) aside.

Chris Low, ESPN: Bobby Petrino's Firing Leaves Arkansas Football in Big Trouble

Chris Low of ESPN.com offers a much-needed look at where Bobby Petrino's firing leaves Arkansas football—and it's nowhere good.

Drawing on recent history from Ohio State and North Carolina, Low dissects the impact Petrino's dismissal will have on a 2012 Razorbacks team that was expected to be the coach's best yet.

One minute, Arkansas was a contender in the SEC, and the next, it is possibly in shambles. There is no way to estimate the impact of a coaching change on a team, but if the Buckeyes and the Tar Heels are any indication, we should expect some rebuilding time.

Low writes:

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There’s no way to prepare for such a sudden transition, no textbook, no therapist who can all of a sudden make everything right again. Petrino had guided them to this position, and together, they engineered the kind of success the Hogs haven’t had for 30 years.

He talks about doing things the right way, being accountable to your teammates and never losing sight of the fact that you’re representing an entire university and an entire state when you put on that Arkansas uniform. Those words ring hollow now, and the only thing more hollow is the feeling that everybody associated with the football program must be experiencing.

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Low goes beyond the emotional toll Petrino's departure will take on the Razorbacks and delves into the on-the-field turmoil the team could be facing going forward.

Jamie Newberg, ESPN: Petrino's Ouster Could Cost Arkansas Its Recruiting Class

Jamie Newberg of ESPN RecruitingNation goes one step further to discuss the impact of Petrino's departure on the Razorbacks' incoming recruiting class.

Most high school recruits choose their college team based on their relationship with the coach at that school, and now that Petrino is gone from Arkansas, so could a chunk of 2012 recruits.

After finishing 11-2 in 2011, the Razorbacks were able to sign four 5-star prospects—no small feat in the ultra-competitive SEC. Following Arkansas' decision to fire Petrino, however, the Razorbacks lost at least one top recruit in Austin Bennett of Manvel, Texas, who confirmed to ESPN.com via text message that he was no longer committing to the program.

Though defensive end Taiwan Johnson did not back away from his commitment from Arkansas, he told Newberg:

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Coach Petrino was a big reason I chose Arkansas, and the direction he put our team in was great. All in all, I hope everything gets better for Coach and his family. My class is still going to get to Arkansas, work hard and grind to become national champs. We'll see how everything plays out, and all I can really do now is go with the flow and wait to see what happens. Losing Coach Petrino is a hit, and I hope he and his family can get through everything.

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This in-depth piece breaks down the recruiting problems Arkansas could face in light of Petrino's scandal.

Dennis Dodd, CBSSports.com: 'Entitled' Petrino Betrayed His Players

2012 was supposed to be the year Arkansas officially took over as a legitimate SEC powerhouse. By putting himself above the team, however, Bobby Petrino crushed that dream, according to CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd.

After lying to his superiors about his motorcycle accident and his relationship with Jessica Dorrell, Petrino destroyed what could have been a magical season for the Razorbacks before it even started.

Dodd writes:

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This was going to be the year. Look at the schedule and the talent. The program had momentum. Look at the coach. It was all in place. Petrino lit a match to the whole thing. His incredible selfishness and unmitigated entitlement will affect Arkansas for years to come. You think not? Name the Arkansas coach with the highest winning percentage since Frank Broyles. It was Ken Hatfield (55-17, 1984-89), the last Hog coach to win a conference title. In terms of that winning percentage, Petrino wasn't even Ken Hatfield.

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When college players make a mistake, it is understandable. They are young, they are kids, they deserve some leeway. A coach? He doesn't deserve the same get-out-of-jail-free card.

He deserves to be treated like the child he seems to be, and Dodd explains why.

Jerry Hinnen, CBSSports.com: Who's Next in Line for Petrino's Throne?

Jerry Hinnen of CBSSports.com looks toward the future for Arkansas and discusses the program's options for a replacement at head coach.

Whether it be an internal hire—such as Taver Johnson or Paul Petrino, both current assistants—or someone far outside the confines of the University of Arkansas, such as USF head coach Skip Holtz, the Razorbacks must make a decision soon.

This piece analyzes eight potential candidates to replace Petrino and discusses how they could restore the program to glory.

Graham Watson, Yahoo! Sports: 'Save Bobby' Rally Is a Farce

Amidst all of the controversy surrounding Bobby Petrino, it's hard to remember there are people out there who would have supported Jeff Long if he decided to allow the coach to keep his job.

Graham Watson of Yahoo! Sports asks: What are those people thinking?

This piece describes the Facebook movement intended to help preserve Petrino's job and includes photos and videos from the University of Arkansas rally held in Petrino's honor.

Watson writes:

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The strangest part of the rally, outside of the fact that it actually happened, was there was a surprising amount of women there. It's kind of like the feelings of Becky Petrino and her children don't even exist and at the very least she doesn't have much local empathy from female Razorback fans.does have supporters. Here's a look at why they've chosen to align themselves with the coach.

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It turns out that the coach does, in fact, have some supporters. Watson takes a look at their motives.