FAYETTEVILLE — College athletics is all about keeping up with the Joneses.

Always has been and always will be. Even if the economy can’t always keep up.

We’re seeing it again at the University of Arkansas with the recent introduction of the “future facilities master plan.”

Razorbacks Athletic Director Jeff Long discussed the plan via teleconference, offering up a mandate based on conflicting philosophies from within the department.

Arkansas’ football coach asked to change the Reynolds Razorback Stadium playing surface from grass to artificial turf so the Razorbacks could practice during game week on their game field.

Now, the men’s basketball coach pitches for a practice facility over practicing daily at Walton Arena, where the Razorbacks play their games.

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino got his way, as most SEC football coaches do, and the Razorbacks are back on turf in the latest musthave turf, must-not-have-turf tug of war.

Schools couldn’t get away from artificial turf fast enough in the 1990s, but, like Arkansas, schools are returning to it since safety improvements re-establish its advantages.

The new turf is a safer, more natural substance than the carpeted asphalt taking football by storm in the 1970’s. That trend ended as torn knee ligaments, turf toes and turf burns exposed the flaws of artificial surfaces.

As for Coach John Pelphrey, his pitch for a basketball practice facility that everyone else in the SEC has or wants was poorly timed.

Pelphrey should be perceived as being more concerned with how his team practices instead of worrying about where it practices.

The Hogs are coming off their worst SEC season, 2-14 in conference, and started this season harboring more suspensions than a Navy brig.

So Long prudently changed speeds on Pelphrey’s pitch.

Long listed three priorities for having a basketball practice facility. He ranked the aspect of keeping up with the SEC Joneses a distant third.

No. 1, Long said, was increasing the academic opportunities for the UA women’s basketball team. Long said Arkansas’ women are limited in class selection because they can’t take classes from noon to 3 since they’re practicing at Walton Arena before the men practice.

“While I couldn’t name you a specific basketball player that has had this,” Long said, “it is my understanding we have had a number of female basketball players who may have had to delay graduation by a semester or something because they simply could not take a course that was offered in that time period because of practice.”

No. 2, Long said a basketball practice facility would free Walton Arena to be utilized by the UA for concerts, lectures and special events.

No. 2 should be No. 1 in this view.

The academic window for women’s basketball was narrowed by administrative choice.

The women’s basketball program faced a crossroads when Walton Arena was being built in theearly 1990s.

Arkansas’ women could stay in Barnhill Arena and control it entirely as their game and practice domain.

Or they could share Walton Arena with the men.

Not surprisingly, they wanted Walton.

So much for belated anguishing about those noon to 3 classes.

The argument for a practice facility strikes a positive chord if it would allow Walton to be used for concerts, big-time lectures and special events.

Back in 1993-1994 when Walton was unveiled, coaches around the country in multipurpose facilities complained about sharing facility time with circuses, concerts, etc.

Thus, now retired Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles decreed Walton Arena a basketballonly facility.

So if the basketball coaches now want a practice facility, then let the contributors give them one, but then immediately and irrevocably give more of Walton to the UA for other activities.

Make Walton a permanent part of those UA activities, even when the practice facility fad fades and coaches resume clamoring to practice where they play.

Sports, Pages 28 on 11/15/2009