[onceahogalwaysahog]

How do you feel about Bret Beilema?

[Midwest Gent]

Originally Posted by onceahogalwaysahog

How do you feel about Bret Beilema?

He's alright. I don't think he was the best fit for Arkansas but he has recruited some really good players the past couple years. I was a Purdue fan growing up (my dad's Alma Mater), so I was never really a fan of his at Madison. I think the biggest reason Arkansas is getting big-time recruits now is moreso the new facilities (which rank among the best in the SEC) than the coaching staff.

[btoverdrive]

Originally Posted by Midwest Gent

That's interesting -- I wonder why so many migrated down there!

I actually met a couple Wisconsin people here at Arkansas. The top gymnast for the Razorbacks, Katherine Gable, was born and raised in Oshkosh (WI) and was ranked the #1 gymnast in the country. I met her on campus once and she said she knew a few others from Wisconsin too!

Gated community, 9 beautiful golf courses, inexpensive golf, 12 lakes (and they don't freeze over), and no Wisconsin winters!!! But this is only a guess.

[Midwest Gent]

Originally Posted by btoverdrive

Gated community, 9 beautiful golf courses, inexpensive golf, 12 lakes (and they don't freeze over), and no Wisconsin winters!!! But this is only a guess.

Haha, golf is a seasonal thing here, but by seasonal it's more like 2 months.

[Yakscsd]

Originally Posted by Midwest Gent

you can trust my opinion

I learned long ago to never trust anyone who makes the assumption that the mere mention of these words (or the often used Trust Me) makes their opinion truth.

[jeffbase40]

Originally Posted by Midwest Gent

Let me start by saying that I was born and raised in the wealthiest county in all of Wisconsin. I was born into an extremely high-educated, wealthy, and beautiful community right off of Lake Michigan. My opinions are not coming from a 'bias' Arkansas resident that wants to make their state something it's not.

In my honest opinion, Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, etc) is one of the best places in the nation to live. I chose to come here last year to attend the University of Arkansas. To much of the confusion of those in my community, I picked U of A over University of Wisconsin, University of Georgia, Clemson and Michigan State. When I visited here, I absolutely fell in love with it.

For a long time, the stereotypes that surrounded Arkansas bothered me. Whenever people would ask how I put up with all the 'hillbillies' and 'uneducated' people down here, I would want to slap them in the face and give them a plane ticket to Fayetteville, because they'd be amazed how great this place is.

Fayetteville isn't that big, but it's big enough to provide you with everything you want in a city. Restaurants, dining, culture, coffee hubs, great schools, and beautiful scenery -- don't forget Razorback football!

The University of Arkansas is an extremely underrated school. The girls are gorgeous here (I won't lie, they hooked me in to Arkansas when I visited!), the community is so friendly and educated, and everything is so clean and well kept. Fayetteville has award-winning High Schools and UA has the highest endowment in the SEC, complimented by a breath taking campus and world class facilities. As for the 'fat' and 'toothless' stereotypes I here often, because Northwest Arkansas has such natural beauty and so many outdoorsy areas, I see less overweight people here than I did back home in Wisconsin. I have yet to encounter even one 'toothless hillbilly'.

I can't speak for the rest of the state, as I seldom leave the Northwest corner except to travel to Little Rock for the one football game per year, but I wouldn't listen to the crap people try to feed you about this great state. Coming from my background to here, you can trust my opinion. I know few people who are as superficial when it comes to cities as I am, and I still love it here.

Learn to laugh at the criticisms and realize there are great and not-so great parts about every state in the US. They all have stereotypes and more often than not, they're completely bogus.

OP, I am glad that you are having such a positive experience in NWA. I would love to move to that area myself. Everything is nice, new and clean in that area. But I have to throw out some realism here. Unfortunately, it is a bubble world compared to the rest of Arkansas.

If you travel past Eureka Springs to Harrison, the landscape is gorgeous, but you will find something really shocking. Blatant racism. I was shocked when I saw it this year. Right on the main drag, a big billboard sign that says "Anti-Racism is code for being Anti-White". I've talked to some ppl about it, and Harrison is one of the few places in the country that has such racism. It is almost entirely white there too. Drive down to Clinton and you will see more signs that Arkansas is a poverty state. I stopped at the Walmart, and saw plenty of people missing teeth.

Go on south to Little Rock, and you will see a city that is failing on crime. Just last week, young thugs pulled out a gun and shot in the air at the supposedly family friendly Movie at the Park summer event. At Chili's in the nicer part of town, a brawl broke out.

Go on south to Pine Bluff, and you will find one of the few cities in a America that is so dangerous that the locals will tell you not to shop there. I've been talking to a lady from White Hall and she says she doesn't dare go to the Walmart after dark there. That's really sad. Arkansas always has taxes rates so high that they rival big cities like NYC, and it has the worst renter laws in America. You can actually go to jail for not paying your rent on time here.

I would only recommend Arkansas to wealthy retirees who want to move to NWA.

[Boodle007]

I am SO glad to read this post-I am going to copy it and send to all my friends who question why I am moving here

[Old Fossil]

Originally Posted by jeffbase40

OP, I am glad that you are having such a positive experience in NWA. I would love to move to that area myself. Everything is nice, new and clean in that area. But I have to throw out some realism here. Unfortunately, it is a bubble world compared to the rest of Arkansas.

If you travel past Eureka Springs to Harrison, the landscape is gorgeous, but you will find something really shocking. Blatant racism. I was shocked when I saw it this year. Right on the main drag, a big billboard sign that says "Anti-Racism is code for being Anti-White". I've talked to some ppl about it, and Harrison is one of the few places in the country that has such racism. It is almost entirely white there too. Drive down to Clinton and you will see more signs that Arkansas is a poverty state. I stopped at the Walmart, and saw plenty of people missing teeth.

Go on south to Little Rock, and you will see a city that is failing on crime. Just last week, young thugs pulled out a gun and shot in the air at the supposedly family friendly Movie at the Park summer event. At Chili's in the nicer part of town, a brawl broke out.

Go on south to Pine Bluff, and you will find one of the few cities in a America that is so dangerous that the locals will tell you not to shop there. I've been talking to a lady from White Hall and she says she doesn't dare go to the Walmart after dark there. That's really sad. Arkansas always has taxes rates so high that they rival big cities like NYC, and it has the worst renter laws in America. You can actually go to jail for not paying your rent on time here.

I would only recommend Arkansas to wealthy retirees who want to move to NWA.

Hmmm "wealthy retirees"? So that's why I enjoy living here so much, because I'm a wealthy retiree . Don't tell my wife because she will start buying "stuff" and want money to spend .

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by btoverdrive

Gent, if you get lonely for some Wisconsin folk come on down to Hot Springs Village. There are probably more people here from Wisconsin than Arkansas!! Most I have met or played golf with are pretty nice except they make fun of the way I tawlk.

Same with Bella Vista, we have more people from NE, WI, MN and Iowa than from AR. They saw those old commercials Cooper ran and they came running. The rest of us just followed.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Midwest Gent

He's alright. I don't think he was the best fit for Arkansas but he has recruited some really good players the past couple years. I was a Purdue fan growing up (my dad's Alma Mater), so I was never really a fan of his at Madison. I think the biggest reason Arkansas is getting big-time recruits now is moreso the new facilities (which rank among the best in the SEC) than the coaching staff.

Well, time will tell: BTW he hasn't been recruiting for a few years, last year was his first year. His recruits haven't even started playing, many are still in high school finishing their senior year. His rushing game is very different from AR coaches in the past, it will take a few years to develop it. Then we will know if he is fair, good or great. I don't think the facility has much to do with anything. We have been getting good recruits for years, how about Petrino ability to recruit or others way back before any of us lived in this region?