Scanning the Internet for national reaction to the retirement of Arkansas track and cross country coach John McDonnell, we were left way under-whelmed. Best we could tell, national outlets relied on Associated Press coverage of a man who guided the Razorbacks to 42 national titles in 36 years.

Larger papers around the country generally lumped McDonnell in as part of their sports briefs. The Seattle Times rated McDonnell's retirement just a few notches above news that a Brazilian soccer coach had returned home from South Africa because his wife is ill.

Did that guy have 42 national soccer championships we don't know about? Has he got a streak of 33 consecutive conference championships he's hiding?

Didn't think so.

Believe us when we tell you track doesn't exactly move our meters around here at ArkansasSports360. We appreciate the skills needed to excel in each event, but it's not something we'll plot out a Saturday schedule for to watch just for fun.

Still, McDonnell was one of a kind. His accomplishments will likely never be matched and it's a shame few seemed to understand and appreciate his legacy.

Give credit to Matt Bailey, a senior staff writer at the Illinois State student newspaper. Bailey seems to get why McDonnell was important and details it for The Daily Vidette.

McDonnell wasn't a player in the track and field/cross country game, he was the game.