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Archive for January, 2012

Can you hear me now?

Posted by Brett Kincaid on January 17, 2012

Coach said WHAT?! (Allegedly)

According to allegations made by former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, the KC brass had no problem hearing what Haley said.  The Kansas City Star got a helluva scoop this weekend, citing comments from Haley that claimed his former bosses bugged his offices and tapped his phones.  Peter King, for my money the gold standard of NFL reporting, takes a look at the allegations in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

King properly points out that Haley better produce evidence – fast:

 

If he has proof or something more than simple paranoia, out with it — and expose the team for something incredibly scurrilous. If not, that’s a damaging rap to lay on someone, or an organization. Haley needs to set the record straight.

If Haley ever wants to be a head coach in the NFL again, he better clear this up immediately.  His overall lack of productivity on the field coupled with his abrasive personality may prevent that no matter what happens in Kansas City.  But making criminal allegations against team officials creates a whole new ballgame.  If Haley is wrong, he could be out of coaching at the NFL level for good.

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Quarterback Tyler Wilson to Return to Arkansas for 2012 Season

Posted by Adam Butler on January 13, 2012

The University of Arkansas Sports Information Department just released a statement advising that 1st-Team All SEC Quarterback Tyler Wilson will return to The Hill for his Senior season.

In recent days, All-SEC running back Knile Davis and play-making wide receiver Cobi Hamilton have announced their intentions to return to Arkansas for the 2012 season and forego the NFL Draft, as well.

We are very glad we were wrong on this. We can’t wait to get the band back together.

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“ESPNT(ebow)—Are You Kidding Me?

Posted by Adam Butler on January 13, 2012

The stalwarts of snarky at deadspin.com bring us this breakdown of ESP*I*N’s new record for the number of mentions of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow in an hour of programming. It’s mind-boggling.

True story: I was flipping channels the other day and went to ESPN. Tebow was being discussed. I quickly flipped to ESPN2. Tebow was being discussed. I kept flipping to ESPNNews and Tebow was being discussed. I mean….really? A trifecta?

I know his Howard Cosellian level of love/hate response generation is ratings gold, but it is almost as if ESPN is “all in” and is parodying itself at this point.

They love Tebow even more than Tebow loves Tebow (and that is A LOT OF LOVE)…..speaking of……I think BlogHawgs reader and contributor Kris Boyd has hit on the reason *I* get so sick of College Football Baby Jesus–Tebow–he doesn’t practice what he preaches. SEE Matthew 6: 1-8.

I will admit I am grudgingly  beginning to believe in divine football intervention. Tebow has had as good of a run of luck as any player in recent NFL history.

At this rate I half expect another “Spygate” scandal to erupt and New England to be forced to forfeit this weekend’s divisional playoff matchup with the Broncos.

Please, God. I am begging you. Make it stop.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

NWC Report for 1/13/12

Posted by Jeff on January 13, 2012

It’s been a while since I reported anything but this week has been newsworthy in NWA.

Paul Bradley was arrested in connection with the incident.

In case you missed it, a wild story of a man kidnapping an elderly lady, strapping what he called a bomb on her leg and forcing her to go withdraw $10,000 from an Arvest bank branch made national news.

The alleged kidnapper, Paul Bradley was captured after authorities tracked him buying equipment on a hardware store video and using an outstanding traffic ticket warrant to search his home.  It turns out he and the victim’s husband had coffee together regularly.

 

 

 

 

The Heir to the 'X'.

On Thursday, firefighters and police were called to the building that houses Friend of BlogHawgs, Jon Williams on KXNA (104.9 the X).  A man had set fire to a garage apartment next door and tried to set the radio station ablaze as well.  He then locked himself in the station.  Once extracted, he was arrested.  The man is Jonathan Butler, the son of Butler Broadcasting owner, Steve Butler. (READ: “ALLEGEDLY” into each of the last 4 sentences in this paragraph) Jonathan Butler has had several arrests recently including one five years ago after he rammed a Hummer into a house.  No one was injured in the fire and all Butler radio stations are still on the air.

 

 

The OPO (how’s that for a flashback?) is getting a new tenant and maybe a new owner. The Fayetteville A&P Commission is going to rent it for a year to house events displaced by the closing of the Hilton, Raddison, Cosmopolitan Hotel.  They are also leasing the downstairs to local artists.

A Springdale Motel was shuttered by the city this week.  Lots of crime and bug problems apparently.  Paywall there but it does mention both a Duggar and EJ’s dad in the same article.

Posted in News | 1 Comment »

One More Dig at the Former Mississippi Coach

Posted by Brett Kincaid on January 11, 2012

Forbes.com, via Yahoo! Sports, compiled a list of College Football’s Greediest Coaches.  This a ranking based on a coach’s salary – relative to that of other head coaches at his school – and his team’s W-L record this season.  I was immediately enthralled.  It links sports and economics, so I found little about it not to love.

 

I’ll let the experts explain:

The list relies on our Greed Premium metric, which measures each coach’s salary as a percentage of the average salary for head coaches of all sports at his school last year. We applied this metric to coaches with losing records in 2011, utilizing data from USA Today’s database of college football head coach salaries and the U.S. Department of Education’s financial records for each school. Our list is also limited to those coaches whose earnings were in excess of $1 million in 2011.

For folks on the other side of the river, your hatred of the Former Mississippi Coach is about to go up a few notches.  On the other hand, though, at least Mississippi made one Top 5 list this year.

 

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

This is the Best Game Day Fan Poster Ever

Posted by Adam Butler on January 10, 2012

From an Arkansas State fan with a healthy sense of humor. Just…..brilliant.

 

Posted in Sports | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

All-SEC Running Back Knile Davis Returning to Arkansas in 2012

Posted by Adam Butler on January 10, 2012

After rampant speculation that Knile Davis, Arkansas’ oft-injured, but exhilarating (when healthy) running back would declare for the NFL draft, he announced today he will be returning to Fayetteville for the 2012 season.

“I have made the decision to return to the University of Arkansas for the 2012 season as I am determined to help this program accomplish the goals we have set in place. My injury was unfortunate, but I feel I have worked extremely hard for the opportunity to lead the Razorbacks on the field. Through my setback last season, I remained positive and was committed to persevering and I plan to apply those principles to this year’s team. I believe Coach (Bobby) Petrino is the best coach in America, and he has put this program back on the national stage. He has instilled in everyone the expectation to be great and that we will win championships.

Arkansas finished in the Top 5 in all 3 major national polls (5th, 5th and 4th in the AP, Coaches and BlogHawgs Select 17 polls, respectively) and depending upon other additions and subtractions at Arkansas and across the country, could enter next season as one of the favorites to win the BCS Championship.

Posted in News, Sports | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Select 17 – Final Poll

Posted by Brett Kincaid on January 10, 2012

As quickly as it arrived, the college football is now officially a memory.  After three months of regular season games and a month of bowl games, Alabama has emerged as the BCS champion.  The Crimson Tide also claimed the top spot in the BlogHawgs.com Select 17 after dispatching LSU in relatively easy fashion last night in New Orleans.  My intent was to vote for LSU in the top spot if the Tide won a close game, but Nick Saban’s ferocious defense made it easy to vote Bama #1 this morning.

As for the Arkansas Razorbacks, they received a bit more love here than in the national polls – to no one’s surprise I’m sure.  The Cotton Bowl champs finished 11-2 on the year, ranked #4 in our final poll.  Two road losses to #1 and #2 teams in the country are the only two black marks on the Razorback record this year.  Expectations are already set very high for 2012, especially if Tyler Wilson returns for his senior season in Fayetteville.

It was a lot of fun to provide these rankings each week again this year.  Thanks to our voters and readers for making it worthwhile.  We’ll be back this fall to track another SEC-dominated college football season.

Rank Team Votes LW
1 Alabama (9) 153 2
2 LSU 144 1
3 Oklahoma St. 133 4
4 Arkansas 125 6
5 Oregon 120 7
6 Stanford 106 3
7 Boise St. 94 9
8 South Carolina 91 13
9 Michigan St. 64 12
10 Wisconsin 62 10
11 Michigan 61 17
12 USC 50 14
13 Baylor 46 NR
14 TCU 36 NR
15 West Virginia 23 NR
16 Kansas St. 20 16
17 Oklahoma 19 15

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Pony Express Yourself

Posted by Brett Kincaid on January 10, 2012

Former SMU running back Craig James may have been too stupid for ESPN fans, but he looks just smart enough to be a Senate candidate in Texas.

Posted in Politics | Tagged: , , , , | 6 Comments »

Changes at Baum

Posted by Brett Kincaid on January 9, 2012

So far today we have hit football and basketball, so let’s make it a Razorback trifecta and talk baseball.  News comes today that George Cole Field at Baum Stadium will look a little different this season.  After years of long fly outs to the right field power alley, the Razorback athletic department is ready to move the fence in 10 feet.  The changes will be ready for this season.  From Matt Jones:

The normal southwest winds in the spring create a disadvantage for left-handed hitters, knocking down several balls that would likely be home runs otherwise.  It’s something Van Horn said has been used against his program in recruiting left-handed power hitters.

Dirty recruiting practices in baseball.  Man…the SEC really is THE power conference in America.

Anyone who has ever suffered through a brutally cold day at the ol’ ballpark in Fayetteville in February and March knows all about those brutal winds.  This is a smart move for the long-term health of the program.  With the changes made last season with college baseball bats, any move to create offense is a smart one.

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