The Blog Hawgs

Sports & Pop Culture for the Arkansas Man

Archive for October, 2009

BlogHawgs.com Week 9 Picks

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 30, 2009


Road Home Line BK AB
Cincinnati Syracuse Cincy -15 Syracuse Cincinnati
BK Says:  Cincinnati will pull this one out in the 4th quarter.    
Cincinnati 27, Syracuse 20        
         
Purdue Wisconsin Wisconsin -7 Wisconsin Wisconsin
BK Says:  A New Year’s Day bowl game could be on the line here for the Badgers.  
Wisconsin 31, Purdue 21        
         
Indiana Iowa Iowa -17.5 Iowa Indiana
BK Says:  I am firmly on the Hawkeye bandwagon.  Let’s wreck the BCS!    
Iowa 35, Indiana 10        
         
Mississippi Auburn Miss -4.5 Mississippi Mississippi
BK Says:  It pains me to say this, but I think Mississippi only loses 1 more game at most.  
Mississippi 41, Auburn 21        
         
Southern Miss Houston Houston -6.5 Houston Houston
BK Says:  This is the most peculiar line of the week.        
Houston 63, Southern Miss 30        
         
Georgia Florida Florida -14.5 Georgia Georgia
BK Says:  Florida just isn’t that good offensively.      
Florida 27, Georgia 21        
         
Kansas Texas Tech Texas Tech -6.5 Texas Tech Kansas
BK Says:  Look out… Texas Tech is ready to flex after a humiliating loss.    
Texas Tech 51, Kansas 20        
         
UNLV TCU TCU -33.5 TCU UNLV
BK Says:  Some one check Penn & Teller; UNLV’s defense has disappeared.    
TCU 41, UNLV 3        
         
Eastern Michigan Arkansas Arkansas -36.5 Arkansas Arkansas
BK Says:  Uggggggggggggggggly        
Arkansas 66, Eastern Michigan 14        
         
Mississippit St. Kentucky Kentucky -3.5 Kentucky Kentucky
BK Says:  Kentucky needs it; Miss St. wants it.      
Kentucky 23, Mississippi St. 17        
         
Georgia Tech Vanderbilt Ga Tech -13.5 Vanderbilt Georgia Tech
BK Says:  It’s Halloween in Nashville.  Trick or treat      
Vanderbilt 17, Georgia Tech 16        
         
South Carolina Tennessee Tennessee -6 South Carolina South Carolina
BK Says:  I can’t believe the line is this big.      
South Carolina 24, Tennessee 20        
         
Texas Oklahoma St. Texas -9.5 Texas Oklahoma St.
BK Says:  The Longhorns are awake.         
Texas 41, Oklahoma St. 17        
         
USC Oregon USC -3 Oregon USC
BK Says:  You kiddin’ me?  Oregon at home on Halloween?    
Oregon 48, USC 31        

It was an ugly, ugly week for the BlogHawgs as we both were under .500 – the first time that has happened all year.

BK:  63-42-2

AB:  58-47-2

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The SEC is Cracking Down on Cracking on its

Posted by Adam Butler on October 30, 2009

 

tebow ref

"God Bless that Bogus Pass Interference Call"

Referees

One wonders whether they are going to fine SEC Director of Officials Rogers Redding for his (seemingly) weekly mea culpas following huge officiating blunders (usually involving conference darling and cash cow, Florida.)

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Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Posted by Adam Butler on October 29, 2009

PujolsThe Mang wants to be The Mang in St. Louis for the rest of his career.

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SEC Links

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 29, 2009

As you very likely heard yesterday, Joe Adams has been cleared to get back on the field for the Razorbacks.

Andru Stewart needs to hit the books before he can hit the field again this year.

As is often the case with these types of games, there is a connection between Arkansas and Eastern Michigan.

Georgia fans yearn for a “signature win” for the 2009 season.

The Gators feel focused heading into the weekend.

Suffice it to say, Gus Malzahn is not receiving texts from the Mississippi football coach.  I think it’s because he doesn’t have a huge rack and a lazy eye.

Guess who is #2 (behind Ryan Mallett) in total offense in the SEC.  Nope….not Tim Tebow.  It’s Stephen Garcia of South Carolina.

My guess is most of the Tennessee football players take Lil Wayne’s advice.

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Morning News

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 29, 2009

Unlike the senior Senator from Arkansas, Sen. Mark Pryor says he is open to the new health care proposal offered by Sen. Reid.

UAMS has secured funding to continue part of its cancer research.

A 2-year-old Prescott boy has died after being attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull.

Arkansas will officially be hit by Powerball fever starting this Saturday night.

At least folks recognize there is a parking problem on Dickson Street in Fayetteville.  Now do something!

The nation’s GDP finally stopped shrinking, officially ending the Great Recession by most economists’ standards.

Eighteen more U.S. soldiers have returned home in coffins.

We were close to an Obama-Clinton ticket last year, but not that close.

This is kind of funny, but Levi Johnston really just needs to go away.

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UA QB Ryan Mallett is Working on his Accuracy

Posted by Adam Butler on October 28, 2009

This is definitely an area in which he can improve.  I am a big fan of his, though.  He is pretty good now, and could be great, in time.

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High School Homecoming Gang Rape? How Does This Happen?

Posted by Adam Butler on October 28, 2009

If this incident happened, as alleged, it is horrific.

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I agree, JaMarcus Russell, It wasn’t *your* fault

Posted by Adam Butler on October 28, 2009

the Raiders got drilled at home 38-0 by a Jets team on a 3-game losing streak.  Now, your historically bad play Sunday (and throughout the rest of your remarkably horrendous career), that had a lot to do with it.  Thanks for taking down DMac’s career, too, you big, fat, fur coat-wearing loser.

“I don’t think it’s me personally, I really don’t,” Russell said. “It’s a bad combination of one guy doesn’t do something right one time. Personally, I don’t think so.

“Do you?”

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UA Football Program Hosting 3 Official Visitors

Posted by Adam Butler on October 28, 2009

at its Halloween matchup with Directional Michigan.  This is a free article from Hawgs Illustrated and its recruiting writer, the one and only Dudley Dawson.  Please thank them by clicking on the banner ad atop the article.

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Select 17 — One Day Late

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 27, 2009

Sorry for the delay, folks.  We had a few hiccups including the unfortunate drop of one of our voters.  Because of that you’ll see the vote totals drop. 

Two things of note with this week’s poll:

  1. Florida has dropped to #3 and received zero first place votes
  2. We have a 3-way tie for the #10 spot.  If you look at the vote totals, there is a huge drop after the Top 8 teams.

Without further ado, your weekly Select 17

1 Alabama (5) 101
2 Texas (1) 94
3 Florida 92
4 Cincinnati 75
5 TCU 73
6 Iowa 72
7 USC 70
8 Boise St. 67
9 LSU 48
10 Oregon 44
10 Penn St. 44
10 Georgia Tech 44
13 Oklahoma St. 25
14 Pittsburgh 22
15 Virginia Tech 20
16 Houston 10
17 Ohio St. 8

Others receiving votes:  Miami 5, Utah 3, Oklahoma 1

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Remembering HawgBall VII

Posted by Adam Butler on October 27, 2009

An ESPN Columnist says don’t be shocked if Nolan Richardson and the WNBA’s Shock are a success in the Tulsa.

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Lawyer Asks for Special Prosecutor

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 27, 2009

The lawyer for a student at the University of Arkansas who claims she was sexually assaulted has asked that a special prosecutor be assigned to further investigate her claim.  The Washington County prosecutors office concluded its investigation last month, saying there was not enough evidence to support charges.  The players accused claim there were consensual sexual acts that took place at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house party during the first week of school.

Bass, a Springdale lawyer, asked in his petition that the circuit court appoint a special prosecutor to “take over, investigate and ultimately decide whether to bring charges in the matter.” Bass cited two examples of case law in which the court has the statutory and inherent judicial authority to take such action.

AB UPDATE: This is a complete non-starter.  The circuit court lacks the authority to appoint a special prosecutor under these facts, and the exceptions Mr. Bass cites are clearly not applicable.  I wouldn’t get too worked up over it–not gonna happen.

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Lincoln to Block Vote?

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 27, 2009

Maybe I am reading too much into her comment, but it sure sounds like Sen. Lincoln does not even want to allow an up-or-down vote on Sen. Reid’s health care bill.

“If it’s government run or government funded, I’m going to have some tremendous troubles with being able to support moving forward on something like that,” Lincoln said in a video conference with members of the Arkansas Farm Bureau.

 

Posted in Politics | 3 Comments »

SEC Links

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 27, 2009

I don’t think the Razorbacks are in position to take anyone lightly, even if Eastern Michigan is winless on the season.

The Hogs very thin secondary has taken another couple of hits on the injury front.

It sounds like Bama will work on its passing attack during its off week.

Has the real Gene Chizik emerged down on the Plains?

Mississippi appears to have two “Where the heck did he come from?” players on this year’s squad.

It seems like LSU really believes it got a lot better against Auburn last weekend.

Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow:  A Love Story

If history repeats itself, Kentucky has a lot to play for this weekend against Mississippi St.

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Fired ESPN Analyst Steve Phillips

Posted by Adam Butler on October 27, 2009

has entered rehab for his sex addiction in the wake of his affair with a 22-year old ESPN employee.  After reading that article and seeing the pics, I am convinced it (the rehab stint) isn’t  a sham.

 

Posted in Commentary | 1 Comment »

Morning News

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 27, 2009

To no one’s surprise, Sen. Lincoln has no offficial position on the Sen. Reid’s proposed health care bill.

If no one likes the lottery, why did 63% of voters approve it?  And why is is to wildly successful in its first few weeks?

I thought this jackass murdered for jihad?  Now he wants a delay in his murder trial.

When police find the three men that kidnapped this guy, they should get a medal instead of matching bracelets.

The Arkansas delegation in Washington finally did something worthwhile — money to expand broadband access in the state.

The U.S. race back to the moon appears to have hit a snag.

It is another deadly day in Afghanistan.

I wonder if six in ten Americans can explain cap-and-trade let alone decide whether or not they support it.

The most important news in the world.

 

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Chicago Prosecutors Challenge Innocence Projects

Posted by Adam Butler on October 26, 2009

This is pretty ballsy given some of the issues that office has had, historically. Here are the transcript and the audio of the segment (take your pick). I tend to stumble on all kinds of interesting stuff like this when the Hogs tank and I am jumping through hoops to avoid sports talk radio.

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My St. Louis Cardinals will be Skippered by

Posted by Adam Butler on October 26, 2009

Tony LaRussa once against next season,and they will welcome back an old friend, some guy named Mark McGwire, to instruct all their hitters not named Albert Pujols on the art of hitting. (Fill in tired Andro/Steroid joke here)

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Ruminations on a Rebel Romp

Posted by Adam Butler on October 26, 2009

Questions abound in Razorback Nation as Arkansas fans collectively wonder how the Hogs were embarrassed by Houston Nutt and the Ole Miss Rebels 30-17 in Oxford Saturday.  They include:

1. How did Arkansas, led by a coach who always seems to be thinking a step ahead get embarrassed by a coach who often seems to have a head injury?

My Take: It’s pretty simple, really (sorta like HDN).  In football,the team that controls the line of scrimmage wins most of the time.  An Ole Miss offensive line that had one-time Heisman candidate Jevan Snead on the run for the first month of the season kept him unblemished Saturday.  That was particularly disappointing given the Hog DL’s recent surge, which had many (myself included) thinking that group was becoming a team strength.

The OM offensive line’s dominance was even more apparent in the run game, as it opened the way for a career day for jitterbug Dexter McCluster, who gained far too many of his yards prior to initial contact.

On the other side of the ball, the Rebels’ defense figured to wreak havoc most of the day, and it did.  However, Arkansas felt like it could protect quarterback Ryan Mallett long enough to make some big, game-changing plays–and it did.  The problem for the UA was that its receivers dropped a ton of passes, and other times, particularly on fairly easy, drive-building first-down throws, Mallett was off target.

2. Why was an Arkansas defense that seemed to have turned the corner in recent weeks torched repeatedly by Ole Miss’ primary playmaker, Dexter McCluster?

My Take: I really have no idea. Anyone who had been paying attention knew that McCluster would get plenty of opportunities.  Post-game comments from some of Arkansas’ defenders suggest they weren’t quite ready for the agility and athleticism McCluster brought to the table. I find that particularly puzzling considering they have faced him before and, a week earlier, they successfully chased Florida’s 4×100 relay team of running backs all over the field.

3. How can Arkansas’ wide receivers look like world beaters some weeks and then repeatedly drop game-changing catches other weeks?

My Take: It is a mentality.  The best wide receivers think they can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime. These guys, at least thus far in their careers, often shrivel up on the road. I thought after shaking off a bad case of the drops against Florida  and making a potential game-winning play in The Swamp. Razorback sophomore  Greg Childs was ready to make the leap and become an All-SEC type receiver.  He isn’t quite there, yet.

Jarius Wright had the biggest drop of the day, though, on a wide open pass down the sideline that would have gone for a touchdown, and made the score 14-6 pending a PAT.  Instead, he dropped the pass that hit him in the numbers, and Ole Miss went on to build a 17-0 lead that it would never relinquish.

This group is clearly missing Joe Adams, who suffered a mild stroke a few weeks ago and has had his fair share of drops prior to the injury.  Adams is dynamic after the catch, and does a lot of damage on intermediate crossing routes.  Arkansas has missed him, but will have to adjust as his return to any meaningful role this season is an iffy proposition.

4. Is Ryan Mallett a liability, as some in the lunatic fringe are now grumbling?

My Take: In a word, “No”.  Sure, he is somewhat erratic, not the quickest guy around, and he is often guilty of trying a bit too hard to make a play.  On the other hand, he is supremely talented and has a lot of growing as a player to do. He has only started 8 games (against some stiff competition, including Florida, Alabama,Penn St. Notre Dame & Georgia).  Those who are calling for backup Tyler Wilson to take Mallett’s job are missing the point–it doesn’t matter if the QB is Mallett, Wilson or Peyton Manning–if he is running for his life instead of going through his progression, he is not going to be very effective.

5. Was Arkansas flat after an emotional near-miss at #1 ranked Florida? 

My Take:  The Hogs sure looked flat, and frankly, rugged schedule be damned, it’s inexcusable.  I understand that the Ole Miss game will never be as important to the Razorback players and coaches as it is to the Arkansas fans or Houston Nutt, but there should have been plenty of urgency from the Razorbacks on Saturday.  They were coming off a near-miss at #1 Florida, and had many people thinking they were a program on the rise under the renowned Petrino.

A win in Oxford would have flipped the UA schedule and given the Hogs a decent shot at 8 wins and a Cotton Bowl appearance (no small feat in Year 2 of a rebuild with a schedule that features 4 road games against teams in many preseason Top 10s).  Instead, Arkansas was outplayed and outhustled from the start in every facet of the game, and was embarrassed by its former coach, who spent about 20 minutes on the field after the game celebrating the win.

Meanwhile , Razorback Nation licked its wounds, and continues to do so,and is pondering Shrevport (site of the Independence Bowl) for the holidays, if we’re lucky.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | 5 Comments »

Lots of Reprimandin’ in the SEC

Posted by Brett Kincaid on October 26, 2009

Dan Mullen and Lane Kiffin have both been given an official ‘time out’ from SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.  Oddly enough, all the coaches that have been received the wrath of the SEC office have played Florida or Alabama the weekend prior to publicly getting their names written on the blackboard. 

Even Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson seems a little upset.

Chris Low thinks the conspiracy theories are assanine. 

We’ll go with “odd coincidence” right now.  If Mark Richt gets a certified letter next Monday, though, it may be time to launch a real investigation.

Posted in Sports | 2 Comments »