Posted by Adam Butler on October 10, 2011
Collegefootball News has some high praise for Wilson, today.
I thought the protection for Wilson was pretty good (and so did he) but I agree that when he has it going, Wilson is one of the best at the position in America–already.
I know that you are all waiting with bated breath for my Razorback Rewind–it’s coming, I think.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Comments Off
Posted by Adam Butler on October 7, 2011
Gamblers are the most superstitious people in the world. They make baseball players look spontaneous and care free by comparison.
That’s why the BlogHawgs are asking for trouble this week. If you have been paying attention (READ: You are a degenerate gambler) you know that BK and I have been on an unprecedented roll. It’s October 7th, and neither of us have finished in the red for a week, yet, this football season.
The last thing we want to do is change what is working. But, unfortunately, sometimes Mr. Kincaid Goes to Washington (the White House, no less!).
I guess what I am saying is, proceed with great caution.
Once again, here is a quick recap of the rules:
If you bet with us this week, you must have a high very high pain threshold. No one wins five six weeks in a row.
Free Money!
AB ($1,500)
Brett ($1,650)
Wager accordingly. As usual, BlogHawgs.com is not responsible for you having to donate plasma to cover your bets.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: College Football, Free Money, Gambling, NFL | Comments Off
Posted by Adam Butler on October 7, 2011
In advance of tomorrow night’s showdown between #10-ranked Arkansas and #15-ranked Auburn, I sat down for an electronic conversation with one of the best SEC fans I know–AU Jed.
Jed is an Auburn alum, but he is an avid BlogHawgs reader, he follows all things SEC and he has a very good handle on the State of the Union. Out of deference to him (although he did not request it) I have chosen to use the God-given names for Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, Auburn running back Michael Dyer and Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier in this interview.
Here’s what I had to say in Part 2:
AUJ: Most fans of the SEC would agree that you need to do 2 things to consistently win in this league: 1) Stop the run 2) Run the ball effectively. Arkansas has struggled to do either of these against quality teams thus far. Do you see Arkansas being able to overcome this?
BH: I think Arkansas’ numbers in both areas will improve as the season goes along. That is how Bobby Petrino’s teams at Arkansas have progressed in-season. At this time last year, people were wondering if Arkansas could develop a running game and develop a defensive identity.
Knile Davis then emerged, and, once the Arkansas defense picked itself up after it got Newtoned, the Hogs were able to get enough stops to go on a run and earn the school’s first BCS bowl berth.
Just how much Arkansas can improve in the run game on both sides of the ball this seeason will depend upon injuries on defense, and increased continuity on the offense line. Jason Peacock appears to have grabbed control of one of the tackle positions for Arkansas ahead of true freshman Mitch Smothers. That helps.
Now, Petrino will be looking to establish a few running game staples just as he did with Knile and the stretch play last season. In order to do, so, one or two of the running backs need to emerge and provide consistent production. Dennis Johnson appears to be the most likely candidate to do so, but interestingly, the much-maligned Broderick Green, coming off of a torn ACL in sprng practice, appears to be better than he was before the injury, and could provide some much-needed toughness in short-yardage situations.
AUJ: The last two games we’ve all seen Tyler Wilson take hit after hit in the pocket. How important is it for the offensive line to give him better protection, not only from a offensive standpoint but from a possible injury standpoint as well?
BH: Wilson definitely needs to take fewer hits. He won’t survive at this rate. A few things need to happen for things to change. First, Arkansas needs the schedule to provide a respite, and it should. Alabama looks to have a transcendent defense, and Texas A&M, for all its problems in the secondary, has a very good defensive front and offers as many different and effective blitz look as any team in the county.
AU hasn’t been able to get to the opposing quarterback. And, now that Wilson has shown his toughness and Arkansas appears to be making strides with its protections (Wilson had more time in the 2nd half of the A&M game), the hits on Wilson should decline.
Green has been lauded as one of the best RBs Arkansas has in terms of picking up blitzes and providing pass protection at the RB position (something that Arkansas fans have largely ignored in the past when bemoaning his playingtime). He should help.
One aspect that has not been addressed, at least publicly, is that so far this season, Wilson has taken several very late and/or helmet-to-helmet hits that have not netted personal foul penalties. That needs to change. And, Wilson, per his coaches, also has to do a better job of picking his spots. By that I mean he has often held onto the ball too long.
At times, that is a necessity. Wilson can look at a coverage at times (the first TD to Jarius Wright last week, for example) and know before the snap that if he gives the play time to develop, it should result in a big play. On those occasions, he can do the math and knows that he is going to get hit, but the risk will be worth the reward. At other times, though, he needs to go through his progression quicker, hit an underneath receiver, and avoid an unnecessary hit.
AUJ: Using your insider connections, what guys on the Hog defense will not be on the field Saturday?
BH: As you noted, getting injury information out of the Arkansas camp is a nearly impossible task. They don’t believe in giving their opponents any advantage. Also, Twitter has curtailed some of the info they release. Arkansas previously opened the first 20 minutes of practice, and when they did, folks were able to gleen some injury information based on who was practicing and how limited they appeared to be.
But, when Knile went down, and observers (some media members) broke the rules and Tweeted about it, Arkansas’ coaches were livid. They feel that a kid’s parents should find out about a season-ending injury before the Twitterverse, if possible. That’s understandable.
Having said all that, I expect defensive end Jake Bequette and defensive tackle Robert Thomas to play this week. Darius Winston was walking with only a slight limp last Saturday after leaving the game due to a leg injury and was also riding an exercide bike on the sidelines. My guess is he will play, but if he is hampered, they will pull him out. Tevin Mitchel (no typo) amd Greg Gatson played pretty well last week, and might provide better options than Winston if he is less than 100%.
Safety Tramain Thomas is a mystery. He was thought to be an emerging playmaker in the preason and he hasn’t been, yet. He dinged his shoulder in two-a-days and one wonders if he is having problems, there. His porous tackling this season suggests he may be favoring it. That is a scary development for a safety especially since it is the thinnest position on Arkansas’ roster. Tank Wright is still on the mend from a broken wrist and is a few weeks away from coming back.
So, in short, help seems to be on the way this week. If Arkansas can get through this game without additional major injuries, the OFF week next week should provide some salve for its wounds.
AUJ: Auburn has had a lot of success recruiting the state of Arkansas in recent years, with two kids from Arkansas expected to play a big part in this game. How can Arkansas keep those top recruits in state and limit Malzahn’s ability to recruit the state?
BH: Well, that’s the $180,000 question, isn’t it? It’s interesting that you used the word “base” earlier in relation to Springdale and Malzahn because he really has a cult-like following amongst some high school players and coaches with connections to his previous high school jobs. He has done a good job of cultivating that–no doubt.
But, I think his ability to continue to do so will depend on the individual recruit. Dyer was set to come to Arkansas, by most accounts, if Arkansas had been willing to offer his BFF, Dakota Moseley, early. They didn’t and the Dyer/Arkansas relationship soured quickly and the Malzahn/Dyer relationship flourished.
Frankly, I think the Dyer situation actually worked out for the better for both programs. Knile emerged as an All-SEC back, and Dyer helped lead AU to the BCS Championship. AU got Moseley and all his baggage, and the black eye and wrands that came with it.
From what I understand, Frazier was going to go wherever Malzahn was, and if that was indeed the case, there isn’t much Arkansas could have done to change it. Luckily, under Petrino, quarterback should never be a problem.
Time will only tell how well Malzahn will do in Arkansas recruiting in the future. I can tell you, though, that anecdotally I have seen that there are definitely parts of the state (Northeast Arkansas for example) exhibiting some Malzahn fatigue. Let’s just say that people sometimes tire of being told (whether explicitly or implicitly) that another person or peer is the smartest guy around.
Malzahn doesn’t necessarily say that, but his minions do, and making it worse, they seem to put off the vibe that simply by osmosis, or from worshipping at the altar of Gus, they have also become the smartest, most righteous guys in the room, too.
All of this, of course, ignores the Big Pink Trooper in the room–ie Auburn “super recruiter” Trooper Taylor the question of just how much of AU’s recruiting success has stemmed from being one large, happy towel-waiving family and how much of it stems from Auburn using alternative recruiting methods and pushing the envelope (proverbially, of course).
I keep hearing recruits (at AU and elsewhere) talking about making “business decisions”. That just seems like curious wording considering all that has gone on in the last year.
But, more than anything, I think Malzahn’s future recruiting success in Arkansas will depend on where he lands. If, as I predict, he becomes the next Mississippi Coach next year (the eff you of all eff yous) he will continue to be a threat to Arkansas recruiting.
Then again, if Arkansas continues to establish itself as a Top 10 program that produces tons of NFL-ready offensive talent (am I the only one who think Wilson is well on his way to being 1st Team All SEC if he stays healthy?) its recruiting should continue to improve.
####
Thanks for your time, Jed. It was fun. Good luck tomorrow. You’re going to need it.
BlogHawgs Prediction: Arkansas 45 Auburn 35.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Gus Malzahn, NCAA Football, Tyler Wilson | 3 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on October 7, 2011
In advance of tomorrow night’s showdown between #10-ranked Arkansas and #15-ranked Auburn, I sat down for an electronic conversation with one of the best SEC fans I know–AU Jed.
Jed is an Auburn alum, but he is an avid BlogHawgs reader, he follows all things SEC and he has a very good handle on the State of the Union. Out of deference to him (although he did not request it) I have chosen to use the God-given names for Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, Auburn running back Michael Dyer and Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier in this interview.
Here’s what he had to say:
BH: Auburn seems to have exceeded expectation so far this season. Where are the Tigers compared to your preseason expectations and what do you expect to happen the rest of the way?
AUJ: Actually this team is about where I thought they would be. On paper I knew this team had loads of talent with back-to-back top 5 recruiting classes. It was just a matter of how quickly the lights would come on. With over half the team being either redshirt freshman or true freshman, of course I expected struggles along the way.
That was the case early on defensively, but they’ve continued to improve each week. Having said that, we’re not a top 15 team and I don’t see us winning more than 7 games. The schedule just looks like too much to overcome. The future for the next few years looks bright, though. We’ll return 20 starters next year and by all accounts another top 10 recruiting class.
BH: Much has been made of the return of Malzahn, Dyer and Frazier to Arkansas. Do you get the impression that those guys have had this game circled on the calendar for awhile? What should Arkansas fans expect to see from them each on Saturday?
AUJ: Everybody wants to succeed in front of their home state, but I don’t see this being a huge factor. The tone of most of our game preparation this year has been focused on Auburn getting better and less about our opponent. With such a young team, players and coaches have been focused on the fundamentals, getting lined up correctly, assignments, etc. The minute this team gets focused too much about outside factors, the results won’t be pretty.
The coaches have hinted at a heavy dose of Dyer and an increase in the number of snaps for Frazier. Look for Frazier to actually throw the ball down field some too. We may even see a few trick plays from Malzahn to excite the Springdale base.
BH: Both teams come in banged up (Arkansas’ Defense and AU’s offense). What impact do you see that having on the game?
Auburn’s injuries are concentrated at the wide receiver position. This is not good news for a QB that has been a liability at times. So, look for 30+ carries for Dyer, 10+ Wildcat carries for Frazier, and maybe even some option looks with Frazier, Dyer, & Onterio McCallebb.
The big question mark for Arkansas is who is really hurt? The Arkansas camp has been pretty quiet, with good reason, as to who may be held out for this game. If Robert Thomas, Tramain Thomas, Darius Winston, Tank Wright and Isaac Madison are all out, you gotta think Malzahn will be able to move the football.
BH: Auburn’s defense has been spotty at times, but last week shut down USCE. Was that just Stephen Garcia being Stephen Garcia or is the AU defense ready to turn the corner?
I’m not completely sold on this defense quite yet, but they are improving. The Stephen Garcia factor was definitely part of it, but with the exception of one 20-yard run Marcus Lattimore was completely shut down. I am not willing to say they have turned the corner enough to at least be competitive and not yield historically huge amounts of yards. However, I’m not ready to say they can stop one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
BH: I generally think you have a very good feel for the SEC so I am interested to see how you think this game and the overall SEC race with shake out.
We all know both teams can put up points in a hurry. This game comes down to this: The ability of Auburn to get pressure on Wilson. If Arkansas is able to play their game offensively, this game could get ugly. If Auburn can disrupt Wilson, it’s a completely different game. Auburn’s ability to control time of possession then comes into play. Wilson can’t throw if he doesn’t have the ball. I like Auburn in this one.
We all know the class of the SEC is in the West. Arkansas is close, but I’m afraid the loss of Knile Davis and defensive question marks may keep them out of the race. As much as I hate to say it, Alabama is gonna take it all. The Bama/LSU game may essentially be the national championship game. I just don’t see LSU offensively being able to take down the Tide.
BH: And, one for fun–I’m setting The Over/Under on The Mississippi Coach’s Date of Termination at December 7, 2011. Are you taking the over?
AUJ: TMC uses one of his 9 lives again. This time its Pete Boone who goes down.
(Note: Check back this afternoon, when I will post the 2nd half of our interview–when AU asked the questions and we responded with brilliant answers.)
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Gus Malzahn, Kiehl Frazier, Michael Dyer | 1 Comment »
Posted by Adam Butler on October 6, 2011
Unlike Texas A&M Coach Mike Sherman, I’m going for it this week–no punting, here. The second half of the BlogHawgs Week 6 Twitter Style College Football Preview is going to be as strong as the first.
And, once this season is over, I am taking my vast resources to The Big Lead (They just don’t want to announce it without going through the process-I have to resign from BlogHawgs and then apply for employment with TBL).
Until then, though, we will soldier on, here.
The only rules for the BlogHawgs Twitter Style CFB preview are that the fake user names can’t be longer than 15 characters (but may or may not be registered, already), Tweets cannot exceed 140 characters, and I have to end each tweet with a smartazz (that’s for BK–he LOVES Zs in place of Ss) hash tag. Here we go:
Texas A&M at Texas Tech: @30minutefails: Ags may not leave the field at halftime. Seriously. #noleadissafeherekindarhymeswithmorleysaferonlyitdoesnt.
Oklahoma v. Texas: @imisstiescores: T-sips revenge tour bus goes into a ditch. #overredriverrated.
Illinois at Indiana: @Silent”S”: Is Paul Petrino a safer head coaching candidate than That Shiloh Coach? Methinks so. #ivegotyourbubblescreenrighthere.
Vanderbilt at Alabama: @footballsmart: Bama is a 29-pt. favorite. The “Over/Under” is 41. You don’t have to be a Vandy grad to do that math. #shutoutalert.
Mississippi State at UAB: @daschlgoinsouth: Remember when MSU was about to make the leap? #starkvilleisalwaysafittingname.
Iowa at Penn State: @bringbackJoPa: Huh? JoPa is still there? Pillows will be handed out to the first 20,000 in attendance. Including JoPa. #Ambien.
Auburn at Arkansas: @alphabetsoup: The WDET’s will rely on TRBTHBMICG, TSC and TSQB to try to pull the upset. #halfahundymaynotwin. (OR #thedeadhorsebeingbeaten).
Georgia at Tennessee: @hotseatinAtl: Has anyone ever been fired after playing in the SEC Championship Game? #RichterrrrrScale.
Miami at Va. Tech: @indifference: It really ISN’T “All about Tha U”. #coralFables.
Air Force at Notre Dame: @tripleoption: It’s a travesty that ND isn’t eligible for the Commander-in-Chief trophy. #theywouldntwinit.
Kentucky at South Carolina: @gr8fulitsdead: Has the Stephen Garcia Experience FINALLY ended….for good? #ithad2beblackmail.
Florida at LSU: @muschompthis: A freshman QB in Red Stick = trouble for Fla. and Muschamp. #lookout!.
Ohio St. at Nebraska: @ugh: First team to 10 points wins. #ihopethetatswereworthit.
Thanks for reading.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | 2 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on October 5, 2011
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, College Football | 6 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on October 5, 2011
As 10th-ranked Arkansas gets set to host 15th-ranked, and defending national champion Auburnat 6 p.m. Saturday night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, it is easy for Hog fans to peek at the preseason depth chart and wonder where everyone has gone (especially on defense).
Due to injuries, the Hogs have been playing on the defensive side of the ball without stalwart defensive ends Jake Bequette and Tenarius “Tank” Wright, and may also be without their starting cornerbacks–Isaac Madison and Darius Winston, Saturday (to be fair, both could play, too. That is not the kind of information Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino shares).
Throw in hoss defensive tackle Robert Thomas (who left Saturday’s win over Texas A&M in the 2nd half and did not return) and Arkansas will be rolling out another skeleton crew, unless some of its walking wounded return.
But, Auburn is dealing with its own issues, too. The WDET‘s 2 best Wide Receivers (Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery) moved on after last season, and their 2 best this season (Trovon Reed and Emory Blake) are unlikely to play against the Hogs.
Look for That Shiloh Coach (TSC)–the Auburn Offensive coordinator–to adjust accordingly and feature a heavy dose of The Running Back That Likes Body Mass Index Challenged Girls (TRBTLBMIG) and That Shiloh QB (TSQB) (ie Kiehl Frazier–Hagers, as part of your duties as BlogHawgs Dictionary front man, please add TSQB–a new entry).
Also, if you think TSC doesn’t have a few gadget plays up his sleeves, you haven’t been paying attention–and I am not even counting the WDET’s staple red zone play–the tight end throwback to Lutzen%^*&en.
It will be interesting to see how TRBTLBMICG bounces back after last week’s 41-carry performance in which he tweaked his ankle. We feel confident that he will be a major factor. He’s accustomed to carrying a heavy load and Arkansas’ defensive line looks like a MASH unit.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, NCAA Football | 11 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on October 3, 2011
Oh, what a difference a half makes.
Down 35-17 at intermission to Texas A&M in a game that, strangely enough didn’t even seem that close, the Arkansas Razorbacks proved that everything really is bigger in Texas—including comebacks, and collapses.
Luckily for Razorback fans, Arkansas (4-1, 0-1) provided the former, and not the latter, Saturday afternoon, and as a result of a rousing, come-from-behind 42-38 victory in the Southwest Classic at Cowboys Stadium, is suddenly climbing in the national polls. Meanwhile, the Aggies (2-2, 0-1), and their fans, are undoubtedly rung out after their second consecutive epic collapse.
What We Saw:
Arkansas had every chance to give up Saturday, and it didn’t. Battered, bruised and bullied by Texas A&M to the tune of a ridiculous 404 total yards allowed in the first half, the Hogs responded and showed strong collective character by getting off the deck and battling back from down 18 points.
No one stood taller for the Hogs than their signal-caller, Tyler Wilson and his favorite target, Jarius Wright. Both set school records—510 passing yards for Wilson and 281 yards receiving for Wright.
But, the intangibles are what made Wilson and Wright’s performances Razorback Classics. For the second week in a row, Wilson took a beating. He was sacked 4 times, and hit seemingly 40 more, but he continued to stand his ground and deliver the ball to his playmakers.
More importantly, though, he found a way to finish what he started. Trailing 38-35 with 80 yards to paydirt and 4:22 left to get there, Wilson rose to the occasion and calmly led an 80-yard march for a score.
Wright had a baker’s dozen catches, including one on the last drive in which he absorbed contact and took the ball down to A&M’s 35-yard line. But, his biggest play came earlier in the 4th quarter.
Trailing 35-27 but driving for a potential game-tying score, the Razorbacks’ season flashed before their eyes when Cobi Hamilton took a hitch pass and, as he struggled to reach the end zone, fumbled.
Wright was Johnny on the Spot, though, hustling over to dive on the pigskin in the endzone for a touchdown with 11 minutes left in the game. Wilson then kept the ball on a timely, well-designed and successful 2-pt conversion to knot the score at 35 and signal that the Football Gods might be smiling on the Hogs.
The biggest smile of the day, though, was plastered on the face of UA runningback and Little Rock native Broderick Green. And who can blame him, really?
Much maligned for all the things, he isn’t, Green came through in a major way for Arkansas, rushing for 2 touchdowns, including the game-winner from 3 yards out with 1:41 left in regulation.
Remarkably, the performance came just 5 months after Green underwent what was thought to be season-ending knee surgery in the spring. Green certainly isn’t the fastest running back around, but he must be the quickest healer.
And, by providing some punch in the redzone and in late-game situations, Green was just what the doctor ordered for an ailing Arkansas ground attack.
Meanwhile, for the first half Saturday, Arkansas’ defense wasn’t just sick—it was nearly dead. Aggie runningback Christine Michael ran over the Hogs like he was pummeling each and every unexpecting playground bully who had mocked his effeminate given name.
Michael and Cyrus Gray combined to drain the color from the faces of every Hog fan in the first 30 minutes, helping the Aggies rack up a whopping 225 rushing yard in the first half.
Arkansas’ defense responded in the second half, though, and gave up just 3 points while also coming up with a key turnover 4th-down stop late in the contest.
What We Didn’t See:
For the first half Saturday night, we didn’t see any semblance of a Arkansas defense. The Hogs missed a ton of tackles, were consistently knocked off the line of scrimmage and once again seemed flummoxed by a hurry-up offense.
We didn’t see any quit from the Hogs, though, despite the fact the Twitterverse was aflit with knee Jerks questioning their collective heart.
On the other hand, after seeing Aggie Coach Mike Sherman punt on two 2nd half 4th and short situations despite decent field position, a tightening score and his team dominating the line of scrimmage most of the day, Aggie fans had to be wondering about their leader’s decision-making.
What You May Not Have Seen:
Arkansas’ defense was so banged up and/or struggling to find answers that during TAMU’s extended, 4th quarter field goal drive, Arkansas was playing without SEVEN of its defensive starters, including both of its defensive ends and cornerbacks. The only starters on the field were linebackers Jerry Franklin and Alonzo Highsmith, converted safety Eric Bennett and defensive tackle Byran Smith.
One familiar face that could be seen late in Saturday’s game was the look of primal fear on my ugly mug when a cute Hog fan, but obviously one who was oblivious to the dangers of the jinx, decided it would be a good idea to send a shot over the bow to soon-to-be conference rival Texas A&M and hold up a “Welcome to the SEC” sign while she was being shown on the massive Cowboy Stadium big screen right after the Hogs took the lead in the closing minutes. It LITERALLY made me pee in my pants.
It was such a scary move that it almost allowed me to forget the loud, sometimes impressive, but mostly confusing Aggie Yell Boys or whatever they are officially called. Almost.
The part I do remember involved a blonde-headed Chris Kattan doppelgänger of a percussionist who received more facetime on the big screen than Jerry Jones and continually smiled like a Cheshire Cat while beating a bass drum with a fervor typically reserved for love or war.
The rest has only come back to me in bits and pieces. I remember true freshman Tevin Mitchel (no typo), son of Pine Bluff, AR, native and former Oklahoma Sooner Eric Mitchell stepping up in a big way with 9 tackles and a fumble recovery.
I remember UA wide receiver Greg Childs showing some signs of recovery as he battles back from last year’s knee surgery. Childs had a key 19-yard reception on 3rd and long, but more hope-inspiring were a pair of vicious blocks—one which paved the way for a nifty Ronnie Wingo, Jr. TD catch and another that decleated an A&M defensive back on the final drive of the game for Arkansas.
I even vaguely remember Arkansas fullback Kiero Small pulverizing linebackers as a lead blocker on two different touchdown runs and Arkansas playing with just 10 players on a play in the final quarter (or was that the entire first half)?
What We Hope to See in Week 6:
Arkansas needs All-SEC defensive end Jake Bequette to return from a hamstring injury that has had him out since early in the Troy Game. Bequette was a game-time decision Saturday, and the decision was “no go”.
Arkansas could use Bequette and several other fallen defensive starters as it gets set to take on That Shiloh Coach, That Running Back That Likes Body Mass Index Challenged Girls and the War Damn Eagle Tigers.
It could also be helped by more touches for runningback Dennis Johnson. Although he is a strong back, DJ sometimes struggles in pass protection and that may be one of the reasons he has not seized the bulk of the carries. At some point, though, the Hogs may have to give more reps because he is their best all-around threat on the ground.
The Arkansas/Auburn matchup should be fun. Gametime at Reynolds Razorback Stadium is scheduled for 6 P.M. Saturday on ESPN.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, College Football, SEC, Texas A&M | 10 Comments »
Posted by Jeff on September 30, 2011
From one Hawg to another...
That rumbling you hear is the sound of 300,000 people going through a mid-life crisis in and around Fayetteville this weekend. It’s BB&BBQ time again. The big names in town at the AMP for BB&BBQ this year are Candlebox (last night) and Jamey Johnson tonight. Oh… and no dogs allowed.
Fayetteville has to renew a one cent sales tax this year. You know it is important if the two traditionally conservative aldermen are supporting it.
A 51-year old woman turned herself in this week after the city worker that she hit on Joyce Blvd died as a result of his injuries. She was charged with driving under the influenceof prescription drugs.
What?! A new restaurant where parking is SOOOO Hard to find? Weird. (Picture stolen from FayettevilleFlyer.com)
Several new restaurants have opened in Fayetteville. One of which occupies the space that Kosmos left. Wow. I guess maybe parking isn’t that bad after all, huh?
Uncle Gaylord’s has closed. The owner died quite a while ago so this isn’t really news. The news is what his former building is now going to be. Enter the Dragon…
Jones TV is turning out the lights. The award-winning, not-for-profit station started by the Jones family trust had become too expensive for the trust to continue.
I wonder if news reporters get as tired of doing this story as I do. Beaver Lake is turning over. The water smells and tastes bad. It won’t hurt you.
Posted in Commentary, News | Tagged: BBQ, Bikes, Blues, Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Jones TV, NW Arkansas | 6 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on September 28, 2011
Last night’s grinding, gripping, sometimes gruesome 13-6 victory over Houston was a fitting way to almost end the baseball season for the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was the Cardinals’ 2011 season encapsulated in an excruciating, but ultimately exhilarating 3 hours and 35 minutes.
I have had surgical procedures (with anesthesia) that were shorter, and less painful, but as these Redbirds have proven, there is no other way.
St. Louis’ long, winding trek to All Square (ie tied with Atlanta for the Wild Card lead with one game to play) started in the first week of Spring Training when staff ace Adam Wainwright was lost for the season due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John (ligament replacement) surgery.
Then, closer Ryan Franklin started pitching like Benjamin Franklin—and I don’t mean because he was inventing ways to lose. I mean that he was pitching like a 5’7, 220 lb old man.
In 21 appearances Franklin posted an 8.46 ERA and 1.84 WHIP with 9 home runs allowed in 27 2/3 innings. He was FINALLY cut by St. Louis on June 29th, but had been constructively fired long before then, making only rare appearances as “the guy you throw out there before you resort to position players pitching”.
The resultant uncertainty in the back end of the bullpen has plagued St. Louis all season. Rookie Fernando Salas has been the most effective closer for the bulk of the season, and he didn’t make theclub out of Spring Training, only began getting save chances in mid-summer, and is tied for 7th in the national league in blown saves with 6. As a team, St. Louis is one off of Washington’s major league-worst 27 blown saves. The Cardinals haven’t had as many “walk off” losses as they have had this season (18) since the 1930s.
Thankfully, the Redbirds’ offense has been better, leading the NL in average and runs for most of the season, but it also holds the distinction of having hit into a major-league record 158 double plays this season, and having 3 of the league’s 5 worst in that category (Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina). The Cards might have had 4 out of the top 5 but for third baseman David Freese’s inability to stay healthy for long periods of time.
St. Louis’ biggest guns—Pujols and Holliday–have both had star-crossed seasons. Pujols began the campaign in a slump that had nothing everything to do with his contract push and looming free agency. Then, to make matters worse, he suffered a freak injury (breaking a bone in his wrist on a literal bang-bang play at first base) that put him on the disabled list for a few weeks this summer.
Pujols returned about a month ahead of early forecasts and at times has flashed the form that has made him the game’s premiere player. Despite his struggles, Pujols (.300 BA 37 HR 98 RBI) is still second in the National League in home runs and has a chance to run his streak of seasons with .300 BA, 30 HRs and 100 RBIs to 11 seasons.
To put that into perspective, the second longest such streak in baseball history is Lou Gehrig’s nine. Pujols is the only player to ever have 10 such seasons consecutively at any point in his career. And, no player other than Pujols has started a career with 2 such seasons, much less 10.
If he extends the streak with a hit and 2 more RBIs tonight, Pujols will be in position to tie the record for most .300 30 100 seasons of all time (12) with some guy named Babe Ruth.
Holliday, meanwhile, has had one of the craziest individual seasons in recent memory. He has missed time due to food poisoning, appendicitis, back stiffness, a quadricep injury, a strained oblique (suffered during a pregame weight-lifting session) and a reoccurring hand injury that he first injured while was swinging the bat on the ondeck circle. The hand injury caused Holliday to leave last night’s game (and has left him unavailable for much of St. Louis’ September rush).
I know— Holliday’s season sounds like biblical, swarming locusts stuff. It should. He even had to be removed from a game in August when a giant moth flew into, and became lodged inside of, his ear.
Thanks to all of these issues, Just over a month ago (August 25th), St. Louis was 10.5 games behind Atlanta in the NL Wild Card race, and was more worried about October tee times and finishing over .500 than making the playoffs.
But, the Cards swept Atlanta (September 9-11) to pull to within 4.5 games of the Wild Card lead and signal that the Braves had a fight on their hands. The sweep was part of a 20-8 finish for St. Louis, while Atlanta went 10-19 in that span and has lost its last 4 games with St. Louis breathing down its neck.
In order to pull even last night, St. Louis had to first overcome blowing a 4-run 9th-inning lead last week to the New York Mets and a extra-inning, bloop, back-to-back bunt, walk-off defeat at the hands of a 104-loss Houston Astros team in front of family, friends and beer vendors on Monday.
Then, Tuesday, the Cardinals overcame deficits of 5-0 and 6-5 while scoring 13 of the game’s final 14 runs and embodying their manager Tony LaRussa’s pet slogan, “Play a hard 9 (innings)”. It was a testament to Cardinal comeback stories like Lance Berkman, but also to castoffs, afterthoughts and career minor leaguers who have chipped in to make this team a joy (and a pain plenty of times) to watch.
Now, they turn to their grizzled veteran, former Cy young Award winner Chris Carpenter, to try and pitch them either into the National League playoffs, or a 1-game playoff with Atlanta.
After having an advanced metrics-loving Sabermetrician’s dream season (READ: Carpenter has had a very solid season, but doesn’t necessarily have the “baseball card” numbers—10-9, 3.59 ERA–to reflect it), Carpenter is the guy St. Louis wants and needs on the mound.
He is good, he is mean (on the field) and after overcoming a myriad of career-threatening injuries, Carpenter is not going to be scared off by the big stage, a tie in the standings before game 162 and a 105-loss Houston Astros club.
Stay tuned, though. If we have learned anything from the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, it is that it won’t be easy.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Atlanta Braves, NL Wild Card, St. Louis Cardinals | Comments Off
Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 28, 2011
I saw this story in the evil New York Times last week, printed it, and never read it. Thankfully NBC’s Today program condensed it into video form. It seems some folks in Mountain Grove, Missouri (about 60 miles from the Arkansas border) REALLY like to talk badly about each other.
Sounds like a great idea…
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Posted in Commentary, News | Tagged: Missouri, Mountain Grove, NBC, Ozarks, Today | Comments Off
Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 27, 2011
If you haven’t already, be sure to “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Please…. We’re begging. Seriously… I’m typing this from my knees, begging for your affection. We need you to validate us. Now. Hurry. Before we do something drastic like post video of Nancy Grace’s nipple.
Woops…too late. Who knows what we’ll do next!
Posted in Commentary, Pop Culture | Tagged: Begging, Facebook, Twitter | Comments Off
Posted by Adam Butler on September 26, 2011
at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. It will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU but that detail has not been finalized, yet.
The 18th-ranked Hogs face 14th-ranked Texas A&M this Saturday 11 a.m. at Cowboys Stadium in the third annual Southwest Classic.
BlogHawgs will have boots on the ground in Big D. We will report what we remember.
Posted in Commentary | Comments Off
Posted by Adam Butler on September 26, 2011
Someone has to put an end to jersey mania. Apparently ESPN writer Rick Reilly is spearheading the effort.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: grown mwn wearing jerseys, Rick Reilly | 2 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on September 26, 2011
Ugh. We waited a year for this? Does anyone else have a case of the Mondays? Let’s go ahead and get this behind us. I know I will feel better.
What We Saw:
We saw a Razorback squad that was beaten soundly in all 4 (if you include coaching) phases of the game as the Alabama Crimson Tide rolled the University of Arkansas 38-14 in Tuscaloosa Saturday.
The matchup between the league’s country’s best defense and the league’s best offense never really materialized. A punchy 12-play, 63-yard, Fool’s Gold touchdown drive by Arkansas tied the score at 7-7 and saw Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson go 11-12 for 73 yards and a touchdown to that point (the 1:18 mark of the first quarter) in the game.
But, after Wilson’s 10-yard strike to senior running back Dennis Johnson knotted the score, Alabama’s defense made adjustments and Arkansas’ high-powered offense had no answers. Although he showed his toughness, Wilson was a miserable 11-23 for 112 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception following the Razorbacks’ initial touchdown drive.
On the Hogs’ next 6 possessions, Arkansas punted 5 times and threw a “pick 6” interception. Of the 5 drives that ended in punts, three were “3 and out”, another lasted 4 plays and went 17 yards and the longest covered 5 plays and 22 yards. Game. Set. Match.
The Arkansas special teams were every bit as bad as the offense. Alabama’s Marquis Maze signaled the rout was on when he winded 83 yards for a punt return touchdown that gave Alabama a 24-7 lead with 11:29 left in the 3rd quarter.
If that play was potentially avoidable—one could argue it could have been with a punt that was 5 yards higher and longer (it traveled only 42 yards and was not a rainmaker by any stretch of the imagination)—a similar gut punch for Arkansas was Alabama’s fake field goal touchdown pass on the first series of the game that gave Alabama a 7-0 lead. It was definitely avoidable.
Coming out of a timeout, Arkansas should have been prepared for the situation. With Bama looking at 4th and 4 from its own 37-yard line, the specter of chicanery should have been at the forefront of the Hogs’ minds.
At the very least, Arkansas should have been in a base defense guarding against anything other than a field goal attempt. But, in any event, once he saw Bama quarterback A.J. McCarron stand up out of his position as the holder for a field goal, Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino should have called a timeout. (To his credit, Petrino admitted the mistake following the game.)
Petrino let the play go on, and the result was a gift touchdown that set the tone for the rest of the day.
Arkansas’ defense line availed itself as well as any of the other Razorback units, and that says a lot about the game considering Alabama rushed for 197 yards on 39 attempts (5.1 yards per carry). Arkansas defensive tackles Robert Thomas and Byran Jones had 6 tackles each (a good number for an interior lineman) and the Hogs stoned Alabama after it had 1st Down and Goal from inside the 1-yard line with just under 6 minutes left in the first half. The Razorbacks also had 2 sacks while Alabama had one, but hit Wilson on numerous occasions.
Considering it played almost the entire game without its 2 preseason All SEC defensive ends, Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright, (Wright was hurt very early in the game and Bequette did not dress out due to a hamstring injury) the production from the defensive line could have been worse.
However, 2 plays that the Arkansas defense line could have made to pick up its struggling offense, but did not, kept the Hogs from being able to climb back into the game.
Arkansas Freshman defensive end Trey Flowers recognized a screen pass only to see it go through his hands to Alabama running back Trent Richardson. Richardson then took it 61 yards for a touchdown to give Alabama a 31-7 lead early in the 3rd quarter. That may well have been a 14-point swing.
Then, later, Arkansas’ defensive tackle/end Dede Jones had his paws on another potential “pick 6” interception in the 3rd quarter that could have again given Arkansas the momentum and stemmed the Tide after the Hogs had pulled the score to 31-14. Instead of making the score 31-21 with over 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, though, Jones’ play merely forced a punt.
What We Didn’t See:
Cobi Hamilton’s brilliant, leaping, back of the end zone touchdown reception notwithstanding, Arkansas did not make the number of plays that it was capable of, even against a team as talented as Alabama.
The Crimson Tide back 7 on defense is as salty as you will ever find in college football. Nonetheless, Arkansas’ wide receivers had opportunities to make plays in space and didn’t. Greg Childs continued to be a shell of his former self. I hate to continue harping on it, because I was the President of his fan club before a knee injury ended his 2010 season, but Childs is a liability right now.
He is not getting any separation and he is also playing tentatively. If the light does not come on for him, soon, Marquel Wade—a major playmaker in the Joe Adams mold—could start to get more reps.
The Arkansas running game should have expected to have to earn every yard it got, but it had to find a way to be more productive than a paltry 19 yards on 17 carries.
Weekly whipping boy—Razorback running back Ronnie Wingo Jr.–will receive much of the blame but Jim Brown wouldn’t have been productive on Saturday given the number of Arkansas rushing plays that Alabama blew up in the backfield.
On the other side of the ball, Razorback middle linebacker Jerry Franklin looked overwhelmed. Amazingly, Franklin, who is in position to become the first player in Razorback history to lead the team in tackles 4 consecutive years, played the majority of the game and logged 2 tackles.
That is simply a ridiculously low number given the fact that this was Franklin’s fourth look at an Alabama team that lines up and comes right at you. Arkansas’ defensive line was occupying Alabama’s offensive linemen on plenty of occasions, leaving Franklin free to fill the hole and make plays. He was a no-show.
What You May Not Have Seen:
Although the CBS crew of Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson lauded Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw in the 3rd quarter for nailing Wilson and then picking him up after the play, they failed point out that in the second quarter he tried to low bridge Wilson well after a play in the same manner that Kansas City’s Bernard Pollard ended Tom Brady’s 2008 season.
Call it sour grapes if you must, but if you check the film, you will see it was just one of several late and/or helmet hits on Wilson. If it had been an NFL game, numerous fines would have been levied upon review of the tape.
On the bright side, something else you may not have noticed is that Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith continued to show he is a playmaker that is the closest thing the Hogs have to Bama’s headhunting linebacker corps.
What We Hope to See in Week 5:
Arkansas and its fans need to keep things in perspective. A year ago at this time, I used this space to tell you that all was not lost after a deflating 24-20 Arkansas loss to Alabama in which the Crimson Tide rallied from a 13-point deficit to stun the Hogs.
Alabama returned 8 players from that defense, and from my seat, looks to be the best team in America. Arkansas clearly has some work to do and probably, more than anything, needs to get healthy.
However, if 18th-ranked Arkansas can rally quickly and beat an equally (if not more so) deflated 14th-ranked Texas A&M team in Dallas, Arkansas will be fine—and could actually be favored in all of its remaining games prior to a November 25th showdown with LSU.
USCE fans that want to squabble with that contention feel free to do so, but don’t forget last year’s 41-20 Arkansas beatdown of the Gamecocks in Columbia that was worse than the final score, or the fact that South Carolina has lost its last six games in Arkansas and last won in The Natural State during the Danny Ford and Brad Scott eras.
That forecast may sound crazy at this point. I admit that.
But, chances are, this will either be an exciting, tantalizing and somewhat frustrating 9-3 team, or it will prove to be a resilient, program-changing 10+ win squad.
If the last paragraph sounds familiar, it should. I wrote it a year ago, today, and Arkansas went on to win 7 of its last 8 regular season games, earning the school’s first BCS bowl invitation.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Bobby Petrino | 2 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on September 23, 2011
It’s back–by popular demand.
And, by popular demand I mean that the funniest guy I know told me he dug last week’s BlogHawgs Twitter Style College Football Preview and, a certain, injured All-SEC Razorback running back just “happened” to send out a tweet today with the hash tag #dontsleeponme a few days AFTER the inaugural CFB Twitter Style preview featured the fake Twitter user name @dontsleeponnavy.
Was the latter coincidence? Absolutely. Am I going to use that coincidence to allow myself to think I am using this space to in some small way buoy the spirits of a great, fallen Hog? You betcha.
So, in honor of Knile Davis, let’s get right into this week’s BlogHawgs Twitter Style CFB preview. The only rules are that the fake user names can’t be longer than 15 characters (but may or may not be registered, already), Tweets cannot exceed 140 characters, and I have to end each tweet with a smartazz (that’s for BK–he LOVES Zs in place of Ss) hash tag. Here we go:
Colorado at Ohio St.: @bringlotsocoors: 1 More Bad Loss and Luke’s Fans Will Be Fickle. Bucks will Re-Buff CU. Big time. #imissdanhawkins
SMU at Memphis: @betitallonsmu: Seriously. I know it’s SMU, but Memphis gave up 600 passing yards to Ark. St. #junejones’viagra
Georgia at Mississippi: @QB1killa: There’s (SIC) lots of championship games and bowls, but there’s only 1 monster.com bowl #thegigisup.
Arkansas at Alabama: @Iheartltiffin99: We need a anti-hero. #whydoeseveryunder40manfrombamasoundsuper!thanksforasking!
LSU at West Virginia: @maybelesISmore: The over/under is 5 1/2…….full sets of teeth in the stands in Morgantown. #taketheunder
Florida at Kentucky: @countdown2hoops: Big Blue is counting down the days ’til Cal can hang a “almost” championship banner that will come down. #jokerneedscalsrecruitingmanual
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh: @zzzzzzzzzzzzz: Even my dislike of Notre Dame couldn’t keep me awake thru this one. #meritbasedrelevanceis4suckers
Fla. St. at Clemson: @toneitdowndabo: Dabo Swinney has a definite “The Mississippi Coach during the salad days” vibe working. This is not a good thing. #actlikeuhavebeenthereevenifuhavent
Vandy at USCE: @realvandymania: Vandy throttled Mississippi last week. Too bad they begin SEC play, now. #whoucallinaDoremat
La Tech at Miss. St. @shelfrelf: It’s no bueno when you have a running QB who can’t throw on the run or make tacklers miss. #atleastwearenttheschoolupnorth
Oklahoma St. at Texas A&M: @tripledigits: Look out for a flag football score & lots of awkward kissing. #SECSECSEC!
Missouri at Oklahoma: @showmehate: This one could get ugly. #payback
Tulsa at Boise: @flyntheointment: One of Boise’s tougher games (this one) involves a 28-point spread. #weeklyglorifiedscrimmage
Fla. Atl. at Auburn: @cecil17: I can think of 180,000 reasons to skip this game. #isthegusbuseverleaving?
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, College Football, Top 25 | 8 Comments »
Posted by Adam Butler on September 22, 2011
At least that is apparently the case this season.
Carter, the son of NFL great Cris Carter who, ESPN’s Chris Berman and Tom Jackson liked to say, quoting the inimitable Buddy Ryan, “only caught touchdowns” was in line to be Bama’s replacement for physical super freak Julio (pronounced “Jew-Lee-Oh” if you are Reynolds Razorback Stadium PA Announcer Jon George) Jones this season.
But, eligibility issues have kept him from taking the field as a member of the Crimson Tide and will likely cause him to have to redshirt this season.
Without Carter, Marquis Maze will have to be a threat for Bama if they want to get their passing game going in 2011.
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Alabama Crimson Tide, Cris Carter, Duron Carter | Comments Off
Posted by Adam Butler on September 22, 2011
Today we hit the third and final installment of our “What if…” series regarding the Arkansas and Alabama football programs. You may recall that we told you yesterday that ESPN ran a short-lived, underwhelming series called “What if…” that examined what would have happened if chosen moments in sports history were changed. And, we co-oped the idea.
On Tuesday we set the stage for these seemingly star-crossed programs. As you now know, just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 Bear Bryant agreed to be the Hogs’ head coach. On his way back to his home state, though, after hearing of the bombing, Bryant reversed course, returned to Nashville and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. That led to this question: “What would have happened to Alabama if Bear Brant had kept on trucking to Fayetteville in 1941?”
Yesterday we explored what Alabama football may have looked like without The Bear. Just as we predicted, folks in the land of Houndstooth and Emo haircuts, said Bear’s absence would have changed nothing, arguing that that Wallace Wade and Frank Thomas had laid the groundwork for Alabama one of college football’s dominant all time programs (Wade must not have seen the same potential, because in 1931 he left Alabama after winning the national championship to take over at Duke University, a school that, even then, had less football tradition than Alabama).
Nonetheless, it seems clear that Bear’s absence would have had a huge impact on Alabama and the college football world. I am not sure how anyone could argue differently.
But the impact of the move would not have merely changed the face of Alabama football. It was have drastically changed Arkansas’ as well. This made us think:
( Again, we provide this DISCLAIMER: Don’t take this too seriously, Bama fans. I know asking a Crimson Tide fan to not take anything involving Bear Bryant and Alabama too seriously is like asking a fish to walk. But, this is is not a referendum on Arkansas’ football history and tradition or the envious rambling of a Bama wannabe. It’s merely a fun, hopefully thought-provoking series to help pass the time until Saturday afternoon).
What if:
With Bear taking over in the Ozarks in 1941, the Hogs emerge as one of the dominant programs in the country. As a result of the Bear having a Paterno-esque tenure at Arkansas, there are many more national championships displayed in the Bryant Athletic Complex at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. As a by-product of Arkansas being in the SWC, the access to Texas athletes as well as a propensity for Bear to “stretch” the rules provides ample fuel for a dynasty.
This is accelerated by one of Texas’ worst stretches in program history in the early 50’s prior to the hiring of Darrell Royal in the late 50s.
During the Longhorns’ decline Bear is able to secure a recruiting pipeline from Texas to Arkansas. Rather than suffering through mediocrity until Frank Broyles’ arrival, Arkansas instead becomes the power team in the Southwest Conference.
Royal brings stability back to Austin, but it’s too late to unring the bell of Arkansas football. The Longhorns stem the tide of the talent drain enough, though, to create a rivalry comparable to the Michigan-Ohio State feud with a 20-year head to head battle between Royal and Bryant.
After stocking the cupboard with talent for his successor, the Bear rides off into the sunset in early 1981. In his 39 seasons at Arkansas, Bear racks up a remarkable seven national championships and 17 SWC titles. He holds a 19-8-2 record against his good friend and rival, Royal. Bear moves into the role of AUniversity of Arkansas thletic Director for the 1981 season, beginning a second career. Staying at work extends Bryant’s life significantly before he finally succumbs to lung cancer in 1994.
Looking for an energetic young coach willing to accept the enormous challenge of replacing a legend, Arkansas hires former player and rising coach at Oklahoma State, Jimmie Johnson. Johnson continues the tradition – with slightly less success amid ridiculously high expectations – all the while, skirting the rules as his predecessor made famous. Luckily for Arkansas and Johnson, this occurs during a time where the NCAA shows no propensity to spank “royalty” programs for transgressions.
After eight successful seasons at Arkansas, including 3 SWC titles and one national championship, Johnson is lured to the NFL by former Razorback teammate Jerry Jones. Johnson & Jones build an NFL power in Dallas, winning two Super Bowl championships before the relationship sours. (See! Some of this is actually true!)
Searching for just their third coach in almost fifty years, the Hogs once again turn to a former player – and teammate of Johnson. After passing over Ken Hatfield to hire Johnson in 1989, the former Hog, Hatfield, is hired to guide his alma mater. Hatfield and his wishbone offense wins immediately in the SWC which begins to fall apart thanks to rampant cheating in Texas. Arkansas is not immune, landing on NCAA probation starting in the 1991 season thanks to infractions under the Johnson administration.
In the meantime, A.D. Bryant has been engineering a shocking move of conference affiliation for Arkansas. Leaving behind the conference he once dominated, Bryant steers the Hogs to the SEC because “my love for this school exceeds that of beating Texas every year – but not by much.” Unfortunately for the Hogs, the probation, an antiquated offense and a talent gap sets Razorback football back to a quite unfamiliar station – middle of the conference pack. Sensing a change is needed, Hatfield resigns under pressure after the 1993 season in which Arkansas manages a 6-5 regular season record before beating Texas Tech in the Independence Bowl.
In his final act as athletic director, Bryant turns to a little known defensive-minded coach for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. On January 18, 1994, Nick Saban is introduced as the next head coach at the University of Arkansas. Coach Saban enters the 2011 season as Arkansas’s head coach with 6 SEC titles under his belt and 2 BCS national championships.
While Bryant cements Arkansas as a national football power, there is no significant attention paid to other programs. Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson never make it to Fayetteville, and the Razorback basketball program fails to achieve national prominence. Also, the track programnever competes at the elite level because John Barnhill would not have come to the Ozarks in 1946 from Tennessee as head coach and AD to hire John McDonnell. Norm DeBriyn still becomes the head baseball coach at Arkansas, but the fundraising for baseball facilities never materializes. The Hogs remain nationally competitive on the diamond but they continue to play their home games at a renovated (yet woefully out classed) Hugo Bezdek Field.
The final question of the ties between Bama, the Bear, and Hogs: What would life as a Houndstooth wardrobe, coach-idolizing Arkansas fan include? Stability and large doses of success.
All things being equal, though (ie we still have our sanity and connection to rationale thought), I’m happy with how things have turned out for Razorback fans – save every football season from 2000 -2007. Those we’d like to forget. Okay…and most basketball seasons over the past decade. And, don’t get us started on The Big Shootout……..
Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Bear Bryant, Frank Broyles | Comments Off
Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 21, 2011
Special to BlogHawgs.com from Jim Gooch
I pride myself on being able to size a movie up pretty accurately just by watching the trailer and reading a bit about it on IMDB. I form an opinion, and then measure that opinion against the score the movie gets at Metacritic.com – which is far better and far more accurate than RottenTomatoes.com. Like Rotten Tomatoes, it provides a consensus opinion from amongst the nation’s most prominent film critics, using a 1 to 100 score. Metacritic simply provides better reviews and ratings. To give you an idea, Academy Award winners typically score in the 80s, and very occasionally the 90s, while Tyler Perry movies score in the teens and 20s.
Here is the IMDB.com plot summary for Drive: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.
Sounds pretty routine doesn’t it? I’m thinking, “Not again, Nic Cage.” Next I’m thinking, “I know how this happened. Some hack producer walked into some drivel-pimping studio head’s office and said something like, ‘It’s Too Fast Too Furious meets Gone in Sixty Seconds meets The Notebook.’”
As it turns out, I was way off the reservation on this one. Drive, the new action film from Danish director Nicolas Windin Refn, is about as routine as a five-star recruit signing with the Hogs.
A more accurate pitch would have been (and could have been) A History of Violence meets Heat meets Halloween. Ryan Gosling, channeling his best Steve McQueen and even a bit of Clint Eastwood ala man with no name trilogy, is the driver (the character’s name is never revealed), a taciturn loner who does stunt driving for the pictures by day and getaway driving for criminals by night. As the driver, Gosling takes the anti-hero label to sociopathic levels rarely breached in mainstream cinema by anyone other than villains.
And speaking of villains, look for the unlikely Albert Brooks to get some recognition this awards season for his razorblade wielding, B-movie producer/Jewish gangster Bernie Rose, which he plays without even a hint of the lovable, self-deprecating goof that he has made a career of playing over the years.
Drive isn’t your usual action movie. It’s as much style as it is substance. It’s as beautiful as it is brutal, and believe me – it is brutal. See this movie.
Click here for a link to the red band trailer.
Posted in Commentary, Pop Culture | Tagged: Albert Brooks, Drive, Movies, Ryan Gosling | 9 Comments »
The Idiot Box
Posted by Jeff on October 12, 2011
Quick Hits… or… Drive By Columnist-ing
I had a long weekend. Adam and Brett tried to kill me again. Although to their credit it was as much Bobby Petrino, That Shiloh Coach, and ESPN’s fault for turning a three hour game into a two-day event. I even missed Saturday Night Live! So for that reason, this week’s Idiot Box will be… succinct.
Tim Allen & Nancy Travis
Last Man Standing This premiered last night starring Tim Allen as a gruff, manly man with three kids and a wiser wife. Sound familiar? It was but for some reason it worked. We’ll see if his Home Improvement reboot scores some ratings for ABC. Now if only he’d start talking to the top half of his neighbor’s head…
The Sing Off Season Three is underway. This reality competition show pits teams of acapella singers against each other. It’s group American Idol with no instruments or background music. The Hagers really like this one because of the seriously high level of talent. Not just on stage either. Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman are joined this year by Sara Bareilles. That’s three incredible judges. Now if only Nick Lachey would quit…
Badge? Check. Gun? Check. Stupid hat? Ugh. Uncheck?
Prime Suspect This show did not get hyped enough for how good it is. So far I love the effort to include comedic elements into pretty serious storylines. That may get old quick though. Now if only Maria Bello would ditch the stupid Bear Bryant fedora…
The Today Show I’m still trying to get used to Ann Curry. I always wanted her to get the gig when Meredith left but now I am having post-honeymoon regrets. Not sure why. Maybe I just dig Natalie Morales too much. Anyway, Today is still my favorite in the a.m. Now if Chuck Todd would shave that stupid goatee…
The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon Conan showed up last week. Great walk-on bit. He said he was in the neighborhood and had left something in the studio. He found Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and left. Now if only NBC would let Robert Smigel take Triumph to TBS once in a while…
All the other BlogHawgs are out to get me. And keep me from watching TV.
Posted in Commentary | Tagged: Idiot Box, Jimmy Fallon, Last Man Standing, Maria Bello, Prime Suspect, The Sing Off, The Today Show, Tim Allen | 4 Comments »