Nolan Richardson’s Monday press conference was the mostly heavily attended of the year after his comments about Arkansas buying out his contract if the administration of AD Frank Broyles, Chancellor John A. White and System President B. Alan Suggs was unhappy about his performance in this 13-13 season.

Richardson began the press conference by having Arkansas basketball sports information director Robby Edwards read a card he received from the parents of recruit Andre Iguodala

“God has chosen you to lead our children on the path to success, courage and manhood and we are blessed that our son’s path leads to the one path by you. Thank you for the kind words expressed in the newspaper after Saturday’s game. We know in our heart those words are from your heart. Be patient, for God is not finished.

From Linda, Leonard, Frank, Jr. and Andre (Iguodala)

NR: The reason I asked you to read that was I saw that article in the paper about kids coming to school and who they come here for. The No. 1 thing that’s talked in our deal is that the greatest thing going for the University of Arkansas is Nolan Richardson. Secondly, all the key football players talk to Nolan Richardson. Why?

Anybody know?

(silence)

I guess not.

The last thing, before we get started. I applied for Bowie High School. I applied for Western Texas Junior College. I applied for Tulsa University. I did not apply for the University of Arkansas. They came and asked me to come. I don’t beg.

And the reason I said what I said — and the young man (referring to Robbie Neiswanger of the Morning News) that said it was a tirade — I always thought a tirade was like when (Texas Tech coach Bobby) Knight would go crazy and curse you all out. That’s what I call a tirade and going off.

I spoke in these voices because when I was met outside by one of the writers (after the Kentucky game), he said, ‘Nolan, after all these years you’re still getting criticized, talked about, blamed and all the other things, and Tubby Smith is going through the same thing. How do you react to that?’

‘Well, I’m not going to give this as an exclusive,’ I was thinking to myself, ‘I’ll address this inside.’ It’s like two years ago when they were going over my contract, ‘Is he going to be here, is he not?’ All the comments.

I wanted to make sure everybody understood, and I said it in these words, those three guys that I named — Frank, Dr. (John) White and Dr. B. Alan Suggs — when they decide that it’s enough, that’s when they can pay me off and I’ll be on my way.

But I will not answer to the media, I will not answer to the fans or anybody else. No talk show hosts, no anybody can do anything to me. I’ve earned, as I’ve said many times to you, I’ve earned the right to have the type of season I’m having.

I’m really tired of being so accessible to the press. I’m tired of my team being so accessible to the press because I thought I was trying to help you do a job. I feel sorry for you, (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writer) Bob (Holt), because I don’t have time for you anymore.

Do not call me ever on my phone —none of you — at my home ever again. Those lines are no longer for communications with me. If you can’t do things the way they ought to be done, if you take what I say and use it any kind of way you want to ... (Morning News writer) Bob Stephens did that to me (about guaranteeing win against Alabama last Monday).

And when I look at all of the people in this room, I see no one who looks like me, talks like me or acts like me. Now why don’t you recruit. Why don’t the sports editors recruit like I’m recruiting?

From now on, you’ve got 20 minutes to ask me as many questions as you can and I have the right to answer them or like I did this morning (during the SEC coaches teleconference in response to question from Holt), ‘No comment.’

You will have the right to talk to my players only in here and ONLY if you tell Robby who you want. I will bring them in the room just like the NCAA does and I will have a coach or myself present when the questions are asked. This will be the same through the rest of the season until my new class comes in.

It will stay that way. I do not expect for you to be at my practices anymore. You don’t have to be. My practices will be closed to the media from this day until I decide when I’ll open it again, if I ever open it again while I am still the basketball coach here.

I will not stick around (after practice) and answer questions about who is going to start anymore. I will not allow you in my gym talking to players after my practices are over. I gave you those opportunities. That will not happen anymore gentlemen. That will not happen anymore.

If that’s a tirade, young man (talking to Neiswanger), I know that you are just getting here. I’m talking about you just getting into the (business). I know eventually you are going to be less like they are and I understand that.

In other words, when I speak, maybe it looks like because I’m big, I’m strong, I’ve got a heavy voice, you might consider that being angry. I talk to my players like this every single day. When I taught classes, this is the way I spoke in my classroom. I haven’t hit anyone, I haven’t thrown any chairs, I haven’t even asked the media to look upstairs and kiss my whatever. I haven’t done any of that.

All I’ve tried to do is help you do your job. I just want you to remember one thing: I did not apply. They thought I was the best one for the job and I got it. I’ve applied three times in my lifetime. Where would I go? I say this again, the more you are on my case, the longer I will stay here.

So maybe that’s what you want. Because, nobody runs you anywhere Nolan. I know that. My great-great grandfather came over here on the ship. I didn’t, and I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. My great-great grandfather came over on the ship. Not Nolan Richardson. I did not come over on that ship. So I expect to be treated a little bit different.

Because I know for a fact that I do not play on the same level as the other coaches around this school play on. I know that. You know it. And people of my color know that.

And that angers me.

But I’ve dealt with it for 17 years. And let me tell you something, I’ll deal with it for 17 more. Because that’s my make-up. With that, I’ve cleared the air, you got questions, ask it. If I choose to answer it, I’ll try.

I hope we’re all on the same page. Thank you.

(looking directly into TV camera)

You can run that on every TV show in America.

Q: You looked at the tape?

NR: Nope. I’m going to tell you something, Nate, those kids played their hearts out. I didn’t have to look at the tape. I felt real good. I felt so good. I didn’t feel good about losing. No one hurts more than I do, no one hurts more than my players, no one hurts more than my family. Those are the people I’m responsible for and that’s what bothers me the most.

Because if I’m happy, I think my family will be happy, my players will be happy, the school will be happy. But they all come after that. And I left that game knowing the kids tried their best. Knowing we still have the same problems, we can’t score. I couldn’t have felt any better about how hard they tried to execute and do the things we asked.

And I was so proud of that. That may have given me another 10 years of coaching. Because if I can get those guys to do what I think they tried to do in that ballgame and the other game against Alabama, that’s fine. You can lose some, but it’s fine because you can see some of the things you have worked on.

I felt (Jannero) Pargo, I was so proud of Pargo. Everybody else, was (mocking tone), ‘He’s got to shoot, he’s got to shoot.’ Pargo played basketball. Pargo was a distributor, Pargo tried to score, Pargo got some steals, Pargo’s defense was getting after it. Pargo was a totally different basketball player.

I told him that. I told, him, ‘You scored, 28, 29, 33, been player of the week this and national player of the week that. This was your best game. The only thing missing was turnovers. He had five of them. If he cuts that to three, it’s a perfect game.

Q: You guys are rated the No. 1 strength of schedule ...

NR: No comment.

Q: Will that be the answer to every question I ask?

NR: Not necessarily. You’re Wally Hall’s eyes, ears and nose and everything else. Sometimes I don’t think you give him the full report. You leave things out, or, I believe he cuts things out. Y’all have a decision to make on that. Because how could he quote me, if he didn’t get it from me and I never saw him?

Q: Which are you referring to?

NR: How could he know anything about what happened? I’m debating whether we’ll have this (looking down at microphones and recorders), this is against the law right here. If I decide to cut that (recording) out, it’s over with. I don’t have to be taped. You should come up here and ask me can I tape this?

Q: I’m not sure what you’re referring to.

NR: Where did he get a blue-light sale from, Bob?

Q: I think he took it off the Internet.

NR: From who?

Q: The Morning News.

NR: Well, you have to report to somebody. Who’s you’re boss?

A: Wally.

NR: OK. That answers it.

Q: Mississippi State?

NR: Mississippi State is playing real good right now. They’ve always had a good team. We were fortunate to do a good job last time. The game is all based on whether we can put it in the hole. If we can put it in the hole, we have a chance to win. I don’t think our kids have given up. We have a chance.

And I’m going to say this because it’s on everybody. Don’t go and say I went and guaranteed a victory. I’ve never guaranteed a victory in my life. I don’t play that game. But I always think I can win. That’s a difference.

I think we can win. You can write it that way. But that’s what I’m saying. That’s how I feel. I think we can win on out. I think we can win the tournament. And the day I stop thinking that is the day I quit coaching.

Q: Are the players still believing?

NR: Absolutely. You got five minutes.

Q: Last week you divided your team into blue collar and white collar, do you feel the whole team has gotten on the blue collar page? You mentioned Pargo ...

NR: I’m glad you asked that question. I really feel that they understand it a lot better now and we can mingle it up a lot better now.

I think that was important to show what I was talking about. And in the (Kentucky) ballgame, we mixed it up quite a bit and I was very impressed with how hard they tried to do the thing that we wanted.

Good question.

I’ve got two questions left.

Thank you.