Dramatic Telling of How Meeting Between James, Pittman May Have Gone Down

With Liberty Bowl MVP headed for portal, frank discussion would have been filled with valuable points

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Dazmin James (83) runs after a catch during the second quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The news that Dazmin James plan to dip his toes into the transfer portal wasn't shocking. It's simply the way business is done these days.

How fans reacted was a little surprising, especially the part where they kept claiming over and over that Arkansas coach Sam Pittman had no clue James was fast. Apparently sarcasm is too high of a level of communication for a lot of people to understand.

With no opportunity to speak to either the coach or player available, all anyone has left is imagination. So, with it being a new year and the world in desperate need of a little creativity and fun, here is a dramatic characterization of how this whole scenario may have played out.

SCENE: Interior of PITTMAN'S office in the athletics complex. Hudl videos of incoming transfer recruits play on a computer screen next to a cup of coffee that is beginning to turn cold with "World's Greatest Libery Bowl Coach" written on the mug. A knock at the door is heard over the country music playing over a set of speakers.

PITTMAN: (Pushes button labeled Jukebox on phone abruptly stopping Waylon Jennings mid-chorus) Come in!

JAMES: (Looking a bit nervous) Hey, coach. Can I talk to you for a minute?

PITTMAN: Sure. Take a seat. (JAMES sits in a chair in front of PITTMAN'S desk) So, what brings you in this morning? You didn't already break that offensive MVP trophy did you?

JAMES: No. sir. I was hoping we might could talk about how much more money I'm going to get now that I've shown what I can do.

PITTMAN: (Smile fades from his face) Money huh? You think you deserve a raise, do you? On what grounds?

JAMES: Well, I am the MVP.

PITTMAN: Offensive MVP. Taylen was the MVP.

JAMES: Yeah, offensive MVP. My bad. And the fans are really excited about me coming back next year and having more big games. It seems like my name is a lot more valuable now. I've had some people from a few teams reach out and tell me they think I definitely have value. They think I've given Arkansas fans a ray of hope for next year and that's worth something.

PITTMAN: The fans, huh. 24 hours ago I could have sat you at a table with a whole mess of 'em and called you both Ray and Hope and they wouldn't have been none the wiser that neither was your name, nor that you play for us. These same fans whose ability to discern reality is so distorted that they actually think I had no idea that you are fast?
Like I just pulled your name blindly out of a drawing to see who gets a free scholarship at an SEC school without the slightest idea of who you are or not watching a second of tape on you. Those fans? The ones who think you sat here for two years and I never saw you run and never got a report on your speed from the strength and conditioning coaches on how fast you are each year even though I'm out there reciting everyone else's speed like I'm listing all the best dogs I had while growing up. Those fans?

JAMES: Uh, yes sir. They know my name now. They know I can catch the ball and do something with it. There are little kids who want my jersey now. That has to be worth something.

PITTMAN: You're right. You showed them you could catch the ball and make a few plays against literally one of the worst defenses in the country without its coordinator. But, you're right. The fans do seem to like you, so that does mean a little something.

JAMES: Thank you, sir.

PITTMAN: How much that means. I don't know. What I do know is three offensive coordinators came through this building the past two seasons and none of them thought you deserved to be on the field. Not even as a back-up. The fans think I'm stupid for not playing you before, and I have to admit, the way you played does give them good reason to wonder why you didn't get a chance earlier, but three men, one of whom is Bobby Petrino, one of the greatest offensive minds in this game, didn't want to put you on the field. That's got to mean something too.

JAMES: Yes sir. I just needed a chance.

PITTMAN: Yet, somehow, until half the receiving corps was gone, you couldn't earn that chance. And now, here we are, you've got three catches in two years, and you're telling me you've earned a chunk of change in your pocket. You had one good night. I don't know that you can do that again or that Coach Petrino would even let you have a second chance to have another one. He didn't play you for a reason. You understand that, right? There's some things you've been doing or haven't been doing that have kept you off the field.

JAMES: I understand that. I just hoped that you saw what I do when there's an actual game and would let me do what I do. I make catches. I make big plays. That's all I want.

PITTMAN: That and some NIL. You're about to get revenue sharing money. Pretty sure that's a good chunk of change for three catches. Plus, if your NIL agent is worth anything, he can get a little more money in your pocket by cashing in on this Liberty Bowl thing.

JAMES: But these other coaches. If I go into the portal, I think I can get more than revenue sharing and some jersey money. They think I'm worth a lot more.

PITTMAN: I know what, you did have a good game. Someone probably saw those catches and thought you have something they might be willing to get some booster to pay for. I'll tell you what, how about you let it slip that you're planning to get into the transfer portal and see what comes your way.

JAMES: Really? You want me to go into the transfer portal? You don't want me here?

PITTMAN: No. That's not it. It said let it slip that you plan to go in. If anyone else is going to offer you anything you will know pretty quick. Pretty sure Kiffin will send you some kind of number. He likes stirring things up for me with the fans. It may not be much, but I'm confident you'll get something from him.
Make sure you get hard numbers in writing. Then come back to me and we'll see what everyone thinks you're worth. If it's something we think we can match, we'll do that. If it's more than what you've shown here, then you can go get your money and there won't be any hard feelings.

JAMES: Thank you coach. I'll do that right now. I really appreciate it.

PITTMAN: Now get on out of here. My coffee's done gotten cold in here chatterboxing with you all this time.

JAMES: (Gets up typing away on his phone as he walks out the door) Thanks again coach. And, for the record, I know you know I'm fast.

PITTMAN: Yeah. I just didn't know how fast you were gonna be at hitting me up for money. I told them you were gonna be playing like that for us next year. Now, go get this figured out. I've got work to do.

Now, obviously, no one knows if that's how it played out or even if James did things the right way and had talks with Pittman before he decided to say he intends to get in the portal. It would be a financially poor decision to have done otherwise.

However, the points made in this dramatization are exactly the points that need to be made. There's more to this than the All-American held on bench for two seasons because the head coach didn't know he was fast narrative some fans are trying to spin.

Also, there is truth to the fact James has more value now than he did last week. However, there is context that greatly diminishes how high that value is for coaches who have seen him firsthand for a couple of years now.

As everyone has seen, the door both opens and closes when it comes to the transfer portal and the hinges are pretty strong as proven by running back Braylen Russell. Fans just need to let the process play out and trust that it is what it is.

If James is back as a Razorback, then there is good reason and there is cause to believe the Liberity Bowl isn't just a flash in the pan. However, if he ultimately leaves, there has to be trust that there is good reason to let him walk out the door.

This isn't a Luke Hasz or Chris "Pooh" Paul situation. James isn't going to command more money than Arkansas has available to pay and isn't someone who is such a great talent that Pittman is going to go out of his way trying to figure out a way to keep him financially.

This will be a decision of value. Does what was shown for two years equal what coaches who saw in one game think James is worth?

That's it. Nothing more.

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