(Slump) Bustin' Makes Me Feel Good

In the now imortal words of Gerry Dorsey from the comments section below:

Nothin' says slump buster like a mediocre Bama team debuting an interim coach on the road.

Indeed, the Tide was just what the Hogs needed Thursday night before a decent crowd inside of Bud Walton Arena. Given the fact that there are still thousands of homes and businesses without power in the area, the game went off and so did the Hogs.

Students sported Courtney Fortson dreadlock wigs while Rotnei Clarke did some slump bustin' of his own raining six threes on an Alabama defense that had trouble staying with the six foot guard out of Oklahoma who had a career high of 26 for the Hogs.

No time to celebrate as the Hogs are in Louisiana today to take on a LSU team playing very well at home. The Tigers only loss at home was last Saturday to Xavier and they come into today's game leading the SEC West at 4-1.

Gametime: 4 pm on Fox Sports Net


Oh, and you need a Super Bowl pick? Pittsburgh 27 Arizona 17.

Bama In Tha House Tonight

Despite the miserable weather conditions this part of the world has experienced over the last few days (still many places have no power), the Arkansas - Alabama game is ago for tonight.

The game is being televised by ESPN and set for an 8:05 tipoff. Entry to the game is now free to any students while supplies last.

Freshman Brandon Moore is still suspended while it is currently unknown whether Marcus Monk will be able to return to action tonight.

Time to end the four-game skid.

Cold As Ice

This picture represents the Razorbacks recent shooting woes as well as the view from my front porch.
Want to see another one?
Sure you do.

Dismal Shooting Leads Razorbacks to Fourth Straight Loss

Dismal Shooting did it again. "DS" as his teammates like to refer to him as reared his ugly head once again in Bud Walton Arena on Saturday afternoon as the Razorbacks lost their fourth straight game - all in the SEC.

"You know, I've just been in the zone," said Dismal after the game, "Look at these three point shooting stats - 5 for 24! 30% field goal shooting for the game! Wow. Those kind of stats are the essence of dismal. Dismal is in tha house!"



Dismal has really been on a roll for the Hogs the past four games. Just look at the shooting numbers prior to Auburn:

- 2 for 14 three point shooting at Florida
- 3 for 15 three point shooting at Ole Miss
- 3 for 22 three point shooting against Mississippi State and only 36% overall

The Hogs are shooting 17% from three point range during this four game skid.

"I can't take all the credit," said "DS", "I mean, Courtney is 1 for 18 in three point shooting the last four games, Rotnei is 3 for 17, and Stefan is 6 for 26. Those guys have really helped contribute to my cause. Solid, solid teammates. When you're in the zone like I am right now, you just have to ride it out, because it will end soon and then it won't be pretty. Dismal will be a thing of the past, but for now I'm really enjoying it."


The best thing about Saturday's game?

D-Mac was back checking in on Dismal Shooting and the Hogs.



"Dismal is a mother," said McFadden after the loss, "I never hung out with him here at Arkansas. I was with him the night in Little Rock when I almost lost my toe and then we hung out some this season in Oakland. Dismal is a big fan of the Raiders."

Next up for DS and the Razorback basketball team: at home against Alabama this week

Make Or Break?

Damn, Double K. You already pulling out the make or break game on us only four games into SEC play?
Yes. Yes, Double K is.
It's only game four in SEC play for the Hogs, and I may be a little premature in jumping into this, but a home loss on Saturday to Auburn 11-7 (1-3 SEC) could be pretty crushing. I'm not saying 0-4 in SEC play is impossible to come back from, but 0-4 with two home losses in SEC play is going to be pretty damn tough to overcome.
This game is huge with a capital H, baby. Were Texas and OU just flukes? Have the Razorbacks already peaked this year? Can the chicks on Rock of Love Bus be anymore trashy?
I think not on all accounts, and I think the Hogs come to play at 12:05 Saturday as they make some Cream of Tiger soup out of Auburn something like 178 - 16.

A President with Game?

A new day, a new President of the United States. We know President Obama likes to hoop, but the important question is does he got game? The next four years should tell us if President O can take it strong to the hoop or if he is going to settle for 20 foot jumpers that occasionally hit, but more often then not clank off the rim.

Will his ventures into the paint result in 12th row rejections like the one Tyler Hansbrough is about to lay on him above or will he finish with authority.
When he signs legislation into law will Bill Raftery be there yelling "Send it in Jerome!" followed by knuckles and high fives to his teammates all the way around?

Whatever the case, we are definitely making history here, and it's an unbelievable time to be alive and witnessing such events. With all that in mind though, I think I could take Obama on the court. I've seen enough of his game on tv to know that he's weak going to his right (that's nothing new though, we all know he leans left and goes left whenever he can). He's going to have to use that crossover and go right to be successful in D.C..

Also, his jumper is average at best, so he's going to have make the right passes to the right teammates at the right times. President O has many things to worry about including the economy which has shredded our current 2-3 zone, so it will be interesting to see if Obama's got game or not. Only time will tell.

Being kicked to the curb is former President Bush, who has been blamed for many things. Some things rightfully so. Others not. Whatever the case, and whatever your political views, I cannot deny the Razorbacks basketball below average performance over his eight years as president as the fellows over at Razorback Expats note. That's some good research there, I don't care who you are.

Elsewhere...



I saw Razorback Michael Sanchez at last night's UA-Ft. Smith vs. Northern Oklahoma College - Enid matchup at the Stubblefield Center in Ft. Smith. He was surrounded by lots of kids signing autographs in between the women's and men's games. I didn't get an autograph. Instead, I just yelled out - "quit fouling so much!"

One guy that won't be fouling in any games anytime soon is Brandon Moore who has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested Sunday morning by the U of A po po for DWI, no insurance, reckless driving, a fictitious vehicle registration, and possession of a dead body in the trunk. Ok, so I made that last one up, but c'mon Brandon - what were you thinking? If the Hogs hadn't lost three in a row, maybe this doesn't happen. Or if the fictitious dead body in the trunk was Osama Bin Laden, maybe this doesn't happen.

And, finally, from the - if-you're-going-to-play-a-joke-on-someone,-don't-be-a-dumbass file:
A couple of Eagles' haters crossed the line with Donovan McNabb when they used diesel fuel on his lawn, but were later caught when a box they left on his driveway with "Go Cards" on one side and "Beat Philly" on the other had a return address label on it that police tracked to one of the culprits. Brilliant.

Ice Ice Baby

Alright, stop. Collaberate, and listen.
Double K is back and let me mention...

You did know that the University of Arkansas has a hockey team didn't you? If not, where have you been and you call yourself a University of Arkansas fan? Ashamed you should be.

The mighty Hogs on ice are 9-3 on the year, and I caught some of their stellar play on the local Jones TV station here Sunday afternoon. I watched some of the dismantling the Hogs performed on LSU recently winning 14-2. I saw a few skirmishes and witnessed some nice body checks into the boards. Poor LSU. Not only do they suck at hockey, but their team wears purple shorts. They didn't stand a chance. We got dat boot in football, and we also got dat ice boot now!

Justin Gaddy and Michael Bugbee are the Razorback badasses on ice as they lead the way for the Hogs with 24 and 20 points respectively on the season.

This post also gave me reason to post a pic of my favorite trio of hockey studs...



So, if you get a chance, it looks like Razorback hockey only has four more home games this season for you to go see.
Remaining home games:

vs. University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 7 pm, and Sat Jan 24th, 2009 at 7 pm at the Jones Center in Springdale

vs. University of Alabama, Fri Feb 6, 2009 at 7 pm, and Sat Feb 7, 2009, at 7 pm at the Jones Center in Springdale


(Blades of Steel for you old-school gamers)

Will Razorback hockey ever stop? Yo, I don't know.
Turn off the lights, and I'll glow

Word to your mother.

Gayness in Gaynesville

(Tim Tebow in disguise? Where is the John 3:16 headband?)

Well, I missed the whole first half yesterday on tv, but I got home and quickly realized that it was the first four minutes of the second half that pretty much told the story in Gainesville as the Gaytors handed the Hogs their third straight loss.

Florida turned a 37-34 halftime lead to a 46-36 lead on a 9-2 run to open the second half, and actually increased it to 56-41 by the 14 minute mark. It was pretty much over at that point.
During that six minute run by the Gaytors, Nick Calathes (ugly mug above) scored 11 of Florida's 19 points.

The Hogs are now 0-3 in SEC play, Rotnei Clarke has now gone two games without a point, and the Razorbacks lack of depth and poor three point shooting over the last three games have exposed the Hogs as the young and in-experienced team that they are.

There is still a long ways to go this season, but the Hogs have started digging a nice sized hole for themselves so far. A home game with Auburn is up next on Saturday followed by Alabama at home and LSU on the road (who put an ass-whipping on Ole Miss yesterday).

Coach Pelphrey ended his post-game press conference by dropping a couple of bombs telling reporters that Florida cheats at everything and that he doesn't consider Billy Donovan a friend anymore. And also that Billy Donovan's wife is cheating on him with Nick Calathes.

Mississippi Burning

OK, so we are the best team in the Big 12 South by way of our wins over Oklahoma and Texas, but we are apparently the third best team in Mississippi now?

This is a suck, suck, sucky (it's my adjective of the day!) way to open SEC play after those two stunning wins over OU and Texas.

The game wasn't on tv and I didn't listen to one second of it on the radio either.
All I know is what I read - the Hogs trailed by as much as 21 points in the first half, cut it to six early in the second half, but could never get any closer in the 74-65 loss to the Rebs.

Fortson went for 24 points but only two assists to go along with four rebounds and four turnovers.

Even though Fortson's shooting numbers were pretty good (10-19 shooting 1-5 from three point range), I've never thought it a good sign when your point guard takes a third of your teams' shots (actually 36% last night). Michael Washington played 30 minutes but only had seven points and eight rebounds. The dismal three point shooting continued as the Hogs hit only three of 15.

On the plus side of things, just a couple games off of knee surgery, freshman Jason Henry scored 19 points and had eight boards off the bench in 19 minutes of play for the Hogs last night.

Next up: at Florida Saturday to take on the Gaytors.

Pelphrey To Redeem Screw Job

(We're coming for you Kennedy...)

Still scathing after the pass interference call that wasn't from the Arkansas - Ole Miss football game, head basketball coach John Pelphrey has vowed revenge upon the Ole Miss Rebels when the Hogs (12-2, 0-1) and Rebs (9-6, 0-1) hook up on the hardwood Wednesday night.

"Everyone, including the Ole Miss fans, know that the Arkansas Razorback football team got jobbed back in October in Fayetteville. I will avenge that loss, and help to lessen the sting a little bit on Wednesday night. I spoke with Bobby (Petrino) about it the other day and he agrees that I should do what I can to run up the score on Ole Miss and really rub their faces in it."

Ole Miss is without one of the conference's stars in Chris Warren who averaged 15 points per game as a freshman last season and was averaging 19 points per game this season.
Warren, who is having breast implants put in so that he can become a woman after he graduates, went down with a season ending injury when a body wax experiment turned horribly wrong (or maybe it was an ACL injury), and won't be available for the game. Also out for the Rebs is sophomore Trevor Gaskins (torn ACL) and junior Eniel Polynice (cartilage damage).

Basically, without those three players, the Rebels suck. Arkansas should kill them.

Of course this game also marks the second return of Arkansas assistant Rob Evans who coached at Ole Miss from 1992-1998 where he was National Coach of the Year according to College Hoops Insider in 1997.

So, let's win this game for Coach Petrino since his football team got screwed at the hands of the officials in his contest against Ole Miss, and let's win this one because we need to get back that horrible home loss against Mississippi State that I am still trying to rid from my mind.

Mississippi State Spoils The Party

It was a SEC-opener party for the Hogs on Saturday evening. An event not to missed.

The Razorbacks graciously invited lame-duck opponent Mississippi State to come to Bud Walton arena and witness a team on the verge of greatness (or at least the Top 25).
Mississippi State was one of those guests that was supposed to hang out by door, not eat any of the food, and watch and observe as the Razorbacks entertained the guests with feats of greatness.
But what did those dirty, dirty David Hasselhoff Bulldogs do? They had a little too much to drink. They laced the brownies with laxatives, broke your television, spilled drinks on the brand new carpet, became loud and obnoxious, puked in the coat closet, offended most every guest, and set fires to various parts of your house.
The Bulldogs basically raped and pillaged and left the town in flames while you were left to clean up the mess.

Bulldog bastards.

A perfectly good 10 game winning streak that included wins at home against #4 OU and #7 Texas seemed to go to waste as SEC play opened up with a stunning loss to the team from Starkhell.


(Jarvis Varnado, you are not invited back to any more Razorback parties. You and your 27 foot wingspan should stay out of Arkansas.)

Now, the Hogs head to Ole Miss for a Wednesday night road test that will be the first road test for the Hogs since winning at South Alabama back in November. The win at South Alabama followed a loss at Missouri State, and began the 10 game winning streak.

The Hogs will have to shoot better than the 35% they shot on Saturday night, and the 3-22 three-point shooting will have to be better as well.

Come on, Hogs. Time to go crash someone else's party.

The So-Called National Championship Game

Doesn't it seem like football has been over for forever around these parts?


(Here's our bowl trophy. Suck it, LSU.)


My thoughts on last night's BCS Championship game (because I know you want it): Weak.

I'm happy for the SEC, sad for the Sooners, and after listening to Fox's crew last night, I realize that Tim Tebow can cure cancer, give sight back to the blind, and can single-handedly stop global warming. Tebow apparently is Jesus in a football uniform... only better.

Now that college football is officially out of the way, we can start focusing solely on college hoops.

SEC play starts tomorrow and the Hogs host Mississippi State. I know nothing about this year's Mississippi State team except that they are 10-5 with four home losses to teams like San Diego, Charlotte, Texas Tech and Washington State.

They just better be ready to enter the basketball mecca of the midwest tomorrow, because they will get spanked if they are not ready. Jarvis Varnado leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding at 13 pts. and nearly 10 boards a game.

I think the Hogs complete their run into the top 25 next week with a big win over an outmatched Mississippi State team in a hostile Bud Walton Arena.

Respect Us Now

(Pittman is a beast, but M-Dub still went for 22 points and 9 boards against a solid Texas front court)

There is nothing quite like the natural high you get after an effing awesome win celebrated with 19,000 of your closest friends. You know the feeling. You walk out of the arena and the night air is crisper. Your hands are still shaking from the adrenaline rush and maybe a little sore from clapping, but you don't mind. Your throat is a little bit raspy, and you even still have a slight buzz from the beer you chugged at halftime.

Well, that's what I felt like last night walking outside of Bud Walton arena after the Arkansas Razorbacks dispatched their second top 10 team in one week taking down Texass 67-61. The Hogs were out-rebounded 45-32 and Michael Washington and Courtney Fortson spent most of the first half on the bench with two fouls apiece, yet the Hogs held on trailing by only five at the half.


(Courtesy of my camera phone from one jacked up Hog-high after the final buzzer)

There were many key plays down the stretch as Fortson came up with a conventional three pointer, Stefan Welsh hit a three with the game tied at 57, but none was more dramatic then Michael Washington's dunk while getting fouled and the Hogs holding onto a 62-61 lead. I thought I felt some cool air after that happened because I swear the roof of Bud Walton arena lifted slightly.

Hey AP poll. Hey ESPN Coaches Poll. Are you taking notice now? The Razorbacks sniffed the top 25 in both polls after beating Oklahoma last Tuesday night but didn't generate enough momentum to break through in either poll while an Oklahoma team that was nearly run out of Bud Walton dropped only a couple of spots. An Arkansas win over Mississippi State on Saturday, and these young Hogs better get recognized!




There was no roundhouse hook to the face of Rick Barnes last night, but Pelphrey looked dapper pulling off the orange hair and bright red jacket combo which is normally a fashion faux pas. Hey, Pel can wear that jacket anytime he feels like beating a top 10 team. It's alright with me.

Pelphrey Should Punch Barnes in the Face Tonight

I'm getting geared up for the Texas game tonight. I'll be at the game, and I want to see John Pelphrey punch Rick Barnes in the face. Yes, you read me right. I want to see John Pelphrey and his crazy, googily eyes lay into Barnes with a right hook to the side of Barnes' dome.

Why?

Rick Barnes didn't say anything derogatory towards Arkansas, nor has he offended me personally in anyway, but he just has that type of smarmy (yes, I just said smarmy) face that just begs to be re-arranged. I think he needs a nose job, and I think John Pelphrey should be the man to do it tonight.



Some people just have that look. See his weasley expression above. Makes you want to punch him doesn't it? It's ok. You can admit it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to stick your knuckles into another guy's grill occasionally. It's a man thing. We don't need reasons. We just need motivation. Here's your motivation: Texas. There, that's it. That's all you need.

Pelphrey is from Kentucky so I wouldn't fully expect him to understand the level of hatred for the University of Texas that exists in these parts, but if he wants to go down in Razorback coaching lore with the likes of Nolan and Frank, he doesn't need to win any championships or cut down any nets. If Pelphrey were to cold-cock Barnes during the pre-game handshake at halfcourt tonight I would wish him well and bow before his presence as they sent him off to jail. I would even cheer him on when he takes over the Kentucky job in a few years. Think how a well executed jab to the face would excite the crowd tonight? Texass wouldn't know what hit them, literally.

You need something better than that? Well, here's his top two boosters...













You can't tell me that you don't want to knock his lights out now can you? If you are still hesitant, then you need to move out of the country. Immediately. I'm not kidding. Right now. Stop reading. Get your anti-American ass out of this great country before John Pelphrey finds you.

Yes, some people will say that Barnes resembles their favorite author John Grisham, and how could you punch someone who looks like that? But, I've wanted to punch John Grisham in the face since he wrote "The Chamber" and wasted two days of my life.


For your own safety, John, I recommend that you keep your ass in Mississippi or wherever the hell it is you live at these days. Keep coaching T-ball and writing your watered-down legal thrillers that haven't had any bite since "The Firm."


So, to sum up what I expect to happen tonight: For God, for country, and for Arkansas, Pelphrey punches Barnes in the face. Barnes looks like a bleeder to me so he probably doesn't take it well, and the visably shaken Barnes can't get his team focused enough tonight to take down Arkansas as the Hogs claim their second top 10 opponent in seven days. Hogs by 12.


Better keep those hands up for protection tonight, Ricky.

Gearing Up For a Texas Sweep

You're next, Texas! You're next!

Texas schools to beat this season:
Texas Southern (check)
Stephen F. Austin (check)
North Texas (check)
Texas (Jan. 6th, 8:05pm)

Well, the Hogs rallied from a 2 point deficit at halftime on Saturday to take down North Texas. Personally, I DVR'd the Little Rock game and haven't even watched it yet. Not sure if I even will at this point, because it's on to bigger and better now anyway.

The University of Texass Longhorns come into Bud Walton Arena just one week after the Hogs took care of #4 Oklahoma for an ESPN2 showdown tomorrow night. Texass is a legitimate final four contending team whereas I think OU was a little bit overrated. After the Hogs win this one, SEC play gets underway with Mississippi State on Saturday.

Congratulations On Making it to 2009

Pelphrey has things going in the right direction w/ Hogs hoops

Petrino has some good talent coming back to work with next year and should be improved from this year's 5-7 team.

The baseball team is going to kill everyone.

Razorback track is Razorback track.

John Daly is serving a six month suspension from the PGA tour.

The stars seem to be aligning... I'm cautiously optimistic...