Nolan Richardson has been one of college basketball’s premier head coaches during his 17 years at the University of Arkansas. He has won over 500 games in his head-coaching career and has earned a .708 winning percentage at Arkansas. He has won two SEC titles, coached Arkansas to three Final Four appearances and won the NCAA Championship in 1994.

Richardson is clearly one of the top coaches in the game. Having said that, his tirade during a press conference earlier this week was unprofessional and something that you certainly wouldn’t expect to hear from someone with as much coaching experience. As a result, he may find himself without a job.

This year’s Razorback team is just 5-9 in the SEC and will likely miss the NCAA tournament. Richardson, who is not used to losing seasons, criticized reporters for their harsh coverage of the Razorbacks; implying that he was receiving unfavorable coverage because he is a black coach.

“When I look at all of you people in this room, I see no one look like me, talk like me or act like me,” Richardson said. “Now why don’t you recruit, why don’t the editors recruit.”

I don’t know what has been written about Nolan Richardson this year by the Arkansas media, but it is surprising to hear something like this come from a veteran coach. It sounds like something that might come out of the new ESPN movie “Season on the Brink.”

Why should Richardson care that much how the media covers him? It is not his job to worry about what people write about Arkansas basketball. Most basketball coaches will usually tell you they don’t pay attention to the media anyway; why does Richardson?

He says he has earned the right to have this kind of season. He has earned that right, but he hasn’t earned the right to have the media cover Arkansas basketball with their eyes closed. If you lose, you can expect people to write about it, just the same way you expect to read good things when your team is winning.

Richardson was also upset at the fans because they expect him to win every game and don’t accept losing. Isn’t that what all fans do? Coaching is a trying profession, but since when do coaches look at high expectations as negatives? High expectations are a compliment because if you have them, it means you have been doing a pretty good job throughout your career.

Coaches will always be subject to some criticism no matter how good their records are. That’s the nature of the game. If you can’t take the pressure, then don’t be a college basketball coach. Perhaps Richardson should spend less time worrying about his relationship with the media and the fans and just worry about his team.

So why were his comments a big deal — after all, there is always a coach somewhere in the country that is frustrated about losing. The problem is Richardson’s comments didn’t stop there. He went on to say that he was the best thing at the University of Arkansas (isn’t college really about education and not basketball or athletics?). He implied that he was more important and better than fellow Arkansas coaches. Something that was arrogant and disrespectful towards others at his university.

“The No. 1 thing that’s talked in our deal is that the greatest thing going for the University of Arkansas is Nolan Richardson,” commented Richardson. “Secondly, all the key football players talk to Nolan Richardson. Why?”

Richardson, the only black head coach at Arkansas, might be right in terms of athletics. It is true that he is the most visible coach at Arkansas and he certainly is an experienced and proven winner. But his comments are unprofessional whether right or wrong. A coach is there to coach, not to promote himself as the best thing at a university or comment on what he deserves or has “earned” from media and fans.

Latest reports have the University of Arkansas buying out the remainder of Richardson’s contract. Throughout the week, the coach’s comments have continued to be derogatory towards the university, media and fans. This might be the best solution for both sides, because at this moment Coach Richardson has alienated himself from fans, media and the rest of the Arkansas athletic department.

Coaches aren’t asked to answer to the media or the fans; Richardson lost sight of his job as a coach and made a mistake by trying to do so. Whether he was right or wrong, Richardson’s misplaced and unprofessional comments have likely cost him his job.