A Trip To Remember
January 7, 2008 at 6:05am by HogBaller
Filed under Arkansas Razorbacks, Basketball
I headed to Dallas over the weekend for my birthday…a surprise trip that my wife had planned for months. Initially, the plan was just to watch the Mavericks play host to the Miami Heat on Friday night. But as we were picked up at the airport by good friend HogN_TX, we had already decided that the Arkansas vs. Baylor game was a must-see as well.
As luck would have it, we were able to score four great seats only five rows up at mid-court behind the Razorbacks’ bench.
It was definitely setting up to be a great birthday weekend. With tickets in hand, my only concerns were: a) would Hog fans show up; and b) could the Razorbacks win a game on the road against a very good Baylor team.
When we arrived at the American Airlines Center about 40 minutes before game time, I started to get the feeling that it was going to be a good crowd, as we were seeing Razorback red everywhere.
But as we reached our seats right before tipoff, I couldn’t believe the number of Hog fans in attendance. There were entire sections full of Razorback fans and they were in the best seats, too. By contrast, the majority of the Baylor faithful were in the end zone and the sections near their bench.
Once the game started, both crowds were vocal in support of their team. In fact, a couple of Baylor students in the section next to us were ushered out for being a little too vocal. I guess they weren’t very happy sitting around all us Hog fans.
As the game progressed, you could see the confidence building in the Razorback players. I thought they played much better perimeter defense and definitely had one of their best shooting nights of the season.
The Bears had a hard time defending Beverley and Weems on the perimeter, while Townes, Washington and Thomas presented matchup problems for the Baylor frontcourt.
By the time the Hogs took the lead in the second half, the Bears looked tired and unsure. Their guards began breaking out of their offensive sets and firing desperation threes that were missing badly.
For the Hogs, I definitely saw some individual and team growth come out of this game…and it couldn’t have come at a better time. These guys have been trying to run a new system and, at times, have looked lost doing it. On Saturday, they seemed to get it.
If the Hogs can follow this win up with another one on Thursday at Auburn on ESPN2, I’ll definitely start to believe that they’ve turned the proverbial corner under John Pelphrey’s system.
A few quick notes:
- Marcus Britt continues to impress me with his defense and poise.
- Even with all the Hog fans in attendance, it was still a very hostile environment. The Razorback fans, however, certainly made their presence felt. And that even carried over after the game when they were calling the Hogs outside a local news station in Victory Park.
- And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Baylor halftime performance that consisted of the Baylor bear mascot dancing, and then a 100 guitar band playing Johnny Cash.
Finally, I’d like to say thanks again to HogN_TX for the hospitality, great seats, and showing us around Dallas. And…for letting me present him with his RazorBloggers T-shirt in person for winning one of our predictions contests during football season.
Hey Mr Hogblogger I was only three rows behind you.
Question? Where were the razorback cheerleaders? I thought the Hog fans did a good job calling the hogs without them. WE seemed to have good timeing when to crank up and cheer.
I thought the halftime show was really bad. That was all Baylor good come up with?
Will we be playing in Dallas next year as well?
Is it just me or does Marcus Britt look like Lee Mayberry in the face? Maybe it was the Go-T he was sporting on Saturday. If he can play half as good as Mayberry he’ll be an asset to this team.
One moment I forgot to mention was after the game when Charles Thomas was showing the front of his jersey. You could see him start to lift his leg like he was seconds away from climbing up on the scorer’s table.
But before he could, Rob Evans said something to him and then gave him a swat on the backside as Thomas headed off the court.
Now that made me laugh.
Happy Birthday HB. It is good to see the T-shirts out in circulation. I gave mine as X-mas gifts to our other commenters. I will have to win some more next year.
I do still see a little Heath still in the basketball team and and little Alabama State in Pelphy. What a wonderful story it would be to see them grow together this year and each meet their potential. It was good to see them come down the stretch with skill and confidence. A very good sign.
I was very impressed with the team and the poise it showed when down a couple of tmes. I knew it was only a matter of time before PB and Welsh started making some of those long range shots they made last year. The only thing that started to bother me and was corrected at half was those uncontested layups. Great win.
I had a wonderful time with you and your family! I got to see the players pretty close and see what isn’t evident when watching from TV which was helpful. I still see some players weaning themselves off of Heath style and learning a new system, hense I feel that the future will be brighter for the players that get this one at an earlier level. Thanks for the T-Shirt, I wear it with pride and I hope to see you soon for some games in Walton Arena very soon. Britt does look like Mayberry with the goatee. If we get some damn good point guards, watch the Hogs, watch them! What have the Hogs not had in great amounts since Richardson? Point guards. We have no rocket midgets like Kareem Reid, or Becks, Mayberrys, etc… that defined what the team could do. I think we have a bright future with the recruiting classes and new style. Thanks for the game! See you guys soon. LSU… National Champion, beaten by Arkansas!
A bit of irony. the halftime show was the 100 guitar band (There wasn’t 100, but what the heck) The irony was that they played an all Johnny Cash medley.at what was a Baylor home game against Arkansas. Johnny Cash was originally from Arkansas. I’m surprised nobody else noticed this. The way the game was beng called showed the home cookiing grill was really fired up at this game.. One ot the big Baylor centers was camped in the lane for 6 seconds and made no attempt to move out. Np violation call. Also, the dunk that resulted in 2 foul shots started with a schufle of the feet and then he took two steps to the basket. No walking call. .On the other hand, lots of walks (some deserved) and early charges on Arkansas Also a number of out of bounds plays went to Baylor when they were the obvious players to last touch the ball. The fouls and violations on Arkansas were not replayed on the overhead screens (hmm?). My son teevoed the game and when we got back to his house in Allen we were able to reviewe the plays that were not reshown.it. Tough to win in someone else’s house .Razorbacks came back after nine down. Showed a lot of character.
White to retire as University of Arkansas chancellor after 11 remarkable years in Fayetteville!
Dreams do come true! As you may recall, my preference was to clean house: Nutt, Broyles, and White. Mission Accomplished!
With all of the stuff that has happened, I’m disappointed in the RazorBloggers for not jumping on this story. Are you guys slipping?
‘Mission Accomplished’
So now having said that; how long does the moratorium on wailing, gnashing of teeth, tearing of clothes, and overall bitching and crying last?
Not too long, I’ll bet. ;^)
As far as I’m concerned Hawgfan, it is over and done with. I couldn’t be more pleased to be done with the soap opera. Many felt it was a necessary evil, the best of a few bad choices, for the sake of the program. There is no need to rehash all of that. But, I can’t tell you how happy I am that it is over and that we can go back to just supporting our team and hoping for the best. Does that mean we will never see something that makes us scratch our head and make a less than positve comment? I doubt it.
White was a mess on the academic side for years before he stuck his nose into athletics. The boy didn’t have skills.
Hawgfan100, I can’t answer that question but I’ll let somebody that fits your description answer that question if they want.
I couldn’t be happier. The final nail in the coffin of the “good ‘ol boys club” has been struck. No more “I need to take a shower” or golden handcuffs” BS! Finally, we can start with a clean slate! This is long, long over-due!
I am really happy that White is stepping down being fired or how ever you want to spin it. I think this shows the University is serious about the program and have sent the message that the extra things going on want be tolerated.
In the coming season, with all the rebuilding we’ll have to do, it might not turn out pretty, but at least now we can build for the future instead of having to drag our feet through the sand, while we try to keep up with half of the other SEC schools. The ring leaders of the biggest fiasco in college football of the past year have all retired or moved on. I’d be willing to bet if we go 4-7 this year under Patrino, you won’t here fans complaining about the direction of Razorback football like you did the last time we went 4-7 under the Nutt. What a wild ride this program has had to endure to get back to square 1. I’m so glad it’s over!
While some observations and comments could be made, i’ll agree with Blind that there’s no need to rehash. Will we see a resurgence in dissatisfaction with the program and it’s overseers? Almost cerainly given that you can’t please everyone even a substanial amount of the time apparently. The only things left to be seen are how long does it take for the dissatisfaction to manifest itself and is it manifested by the ‘usual suspects’ so to speak or a brand-new set of commentators?
So, who’s Kaiser Sosei? ;^)
I know you and others need to believe that for a while Hawgfan but, it is really over. It is Razorback history now, that’s all.
Actually, I think that quite the opposite is true. Especially with the drama queens gone, people are going to be twice as ready to leave things alone for a while even if they don’t work out too well. Having some rebuilding in the major sports is good timing in this case.
We’ll see, Blind, we’ll see…I will say I’m a huge believer in human nature and that the ‘drama queens’ were by no means limited to the athletic dept., not by a long shot. How long will it be before someone needs a fix?
Don’t you guys wish all of this would have went down last year about this time. I think we would have had even more success oh well. The future is looking bright at U of A.
There is an old, and true, saying that a dead fish stinks from the head! Chancellor White richly deserved his demise! Moving on to the future with enthusiasm, I am. I personally can assure all the Huggers that I have never been so upset and disgusted with Razoback program as I was these pasts two years and I cannot imagine that I will ever feel so awful about it ever again. That said, who knows what could transpire that might even be worse? Not likely given the history of the past 110+ years.
Well said T-towner, and the reasoning behind that theory is because we won’t ever witness that kind of incopetence in the Hogs athletic program again. It isn’t possible! Have you ever seen lightening strike in the same place twice? The laws of nature simply don’t allow it.