Anyone interested in a case study of how social media is affecting modern sports journalism need look no further than the curious case of the Arkansas basketball coaching search. Although Mike Anderson remains far and away the hottest name on the list, the particulars of the process are getting updated on a seemingly minute-by-minute basis on Twitter.
Last night's rumors that a deal was imminent and a press conference planned for today to announce Anderson as the new Head Hog (by the way, that didn't happen) kicked off a wild day of back and forth updates that breathlessly informed readers that the deal was done, or that there was no deal, or that this was a Jimmy Sexton negotiating ploy, or that he was mulling over whether or not to accept a 5 year offer at $2 million per. After all the hubbub, we're actually not much closer to knowing anything than we were when we started.
If you want to get a full picture of the absurdity, we strongly recommend checking out the "Mike Anderson to Arkansas Twitter Timeline" over at the Hog Database. (Warning: may cause whiplash.)
Interestingly, the entire furor has largely been driven by out-of-state media. The local guys are generally being more sober-minded and staying out of the fray. For example, AS360's Chris Bahn tried to strike a blow for moderation, tweeting "When I know something definitive, y'all will know. Until then, laying low. Join me."
Who knows what tomorrow will bring? In the meantime, we're curious to know what you think about a potential Anderson hire...cast your vote in the poll below and leave a comment with any additional thoughts.