USA Today ‘Misery Index’ features pair of SEC programs, including ‘saltiest loser in the sport’
By Keith Farner
Published:
It was a another rough Saturday for a pair of programs that have already had difficult starts. And the USA Today “Misery Index” highlighted the struggles for the teams, and frustrations for the fan bases.
Arkansas and South Carolina each find themselves in Dan Wolken’s weekly column about the college football programs with the most angst around the country.
Arkansas’ latest loss, to Mississippi State, highlighted Sam Pittman’s contract issues, and perhaps for the first time, brought to light buyout possibilities.
“The contract stipulated that Pittman got an extra year if he won seven games at any point in the deal, which was accomplished last season when the Razorbacks went 7-6. But if his overall record dipped from the beginning of 2021 dipped below .500 it would be a smaller buyout,” Wolken wrote. “After a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State — Arkansas’ sixth in a row and 10th in its last 12 SEC games — Pittman’s record since 2021 is 18-16. If the Hogs lose their next two to Florida and Auburn, he’ll be right at .500 heading into a Nov. 18 game against…Florida International.”
South Carolina again lost the Mayor’s Cup to Missouri, and Shane Beamer was the focus of many broken leg jokes.
“Shane Beamer had an unexpectedly fun first two years with the Gamecocks. But he’s getting a reputation as the saltiest loser in the sport, which has already gotten old during a spiraling 2-5 season,” Wolken wrote.
To start the season, Beamer criticized the chain gang in the loss to North Carolina, then after the Florida loss, he broke a bone in his foot.
“And even after Saturday’s 34-12 loss at Missouri, he made a snide comment about the press conference room being sub-standard compared to the school’s nice new facilities. Is this stuff a huge deal? No. And Beamer is a nice guy, but he spends a lot of time apologizing for stuff he does in the heat of the moment,” Wolken wrote.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
