Arkansas Would Have Ended Up in the SEC Anyway

[ncrebel]

Looks like this thread has brought out some of the "wish Arkansas was in the Big12" crowd.  Some folks think the grass is greener on the other side, when it is not, or just different grass.

Regarding the OP, I agree with you. If Arkansas ended up in the Big12 back in the 90s then we would have eventually left just like Nebraska, Colorado, Mizzou and A&M.  SEC would have been the most logical destination. 

[PonderinHog]

Why would anyone want to go back to looking at this 24/7/365?

[Cinco de Hogo]

Looks like this thread has brought out some of the "wish Arkansas was in the Big12" crowd.  Some folks think the grass is greener on the other side, when it is not, or just different grass.

Regarding the OP, I agree with you. If Arkansas ended up in the Big12 back in the 90s then we would have eventually left just like Nebraska, Colorado, Mizzou and A&M.  SEC would have been the most logical destination.

If I were ask if I would swap places with Texas I would say "yell hes".  See what I'm getting at?  There is nothing wrong with the Big 12 if Texas was to leave.  We could handle OU and would be in the mix for a championship on a regular basis.

However I realize that that rainbow is still out there and that pot of gold is sure to be at its end.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Also, Arkansas was a big reason he Big whatever even exists.  If Arkansas wouldn't have left the SWC the SWC would have hung on and possibly broke up the Big 8.  Instead, Frank "took the money and ran" to the bank.  Im glad he had the foresight to see what was coming.  Other than Tejass and aTm I don't have a connection to anyone/thing in the current Big whatever. 

I'll take it 1 step further.. NO JFB none of this happens...

[GuvHog]

If I were ask if I would swap places with Texas I would say "yell hes".  See what I'm getting at?  There is nothing wrong with the Big 12 if Texas was to leave.  We could handle OU and would be in the mix for a championship on a regular basis.

However I realize that that rainbow is still out there and that pot of gold is sure to be at its end.

Never happen because if Texas were to leave, OU and OSU would be right behind them. The Big 12 would literally collapse.

[Hoginsavga]

My dream conference is any conference that Arkansas can win on a consistent basis and still be in the national talk.  Kansas State is a good example, so take Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12 and add a few competitive teams to get to 12 and let us win it and we would be just fine.  The money from winning would roll on like it did in the 60-80 era. We would operate in the black just like we did then and everyone would be happy with an 80% winning record.  I don't give a freek about the prestige of being in the SEC or any certain conference and I don't care about trying to keep up with the rich, elite teams of the world.  Heck in the SEC we have trouble even doing what Baylor and TCU has done lately...that's embarrassing. 

The problem here is that some of you think if you work for a rich man and live in a shack on his property you are better than that poor soul that has a regular job and or is self employed.  Either is fine as long as the egos don't mess you up.

What I am saying is I had rather win championships and have 10-2 records than be rich.

So you would be happy if we were in the Sun Belt Conference?  I don't get it. I love playing the best, win or lose.

[Cinco de Hogo]

So you would be happy if we were in the Sun Belt Conference?  I don't get it. I love playing the best, win or lose.

See that is what I'm talking about.  In the history of Razorbacksports we have never been anything but someone's stepchild.  I'm sick of that role, I want to be the best, at least in my own conference for awhile and see how it feels.  We are not Boise State stuck out in no mans land somewhere.  We are in the middle of Football Country and we will be fine no matter what conference we are in.  We are still The Arkansas Razorbacks and our popularity is not based on the SEC but rather on the great fans in the State of Atkansas

[Hawghiggs]

If you're waiting on something better than the SEC to come along, you're going to be waiting a long, long time.

And I don't get this whole "LSU might leave" vibe.  LSU is a charter member of the country's richest, most powerful conference.  They're just never going to leave. 

I'll go even farther--none of the 10 charter SEC members will ever leave.  It's just way too close knit for that, and the advantages are simply overpowering.  It's not like the old SWC or the Big 12 or even the ACC. 

Maryland left the ACC due to money issues. The state of Louisiana is cutting something like 300 million from the states budget. LSU has already started restructuring its finances.  http://www.businessinsider.com/lsu-is-drafting-a-financial-exigency-plan-2015-4   Not saying it will happen. But I never say never.

[Hoginsavga]

See that is what I'm talking about.  In the history of Razorbacksports we have never been anything but someone's stepchild.  I'm sick of that role, I want to be the best, at least in my own conference for awhile and see how it feels.  We are not Boise State stuck out in no mans land somewhere.  We are in the middle of Football Country and we will be fine no matter what conference we are in.  We are still The Arkansas Razorbacks and our popularity is not based on the SEC but rather on the great fans in the State of Atkansas

Not sure we were anyone's stepchild for the period 1959-1991, depends on the definition. During that timeframe we won or tied for the conference champs 10 times. Texas won or tied 14 while the Aggies had 6. I understand your wish for championships as I do too and maybe we are headed in that direction. I think we were getting there in 2010 and 2011 until the train wreck.

I really think CBB will get us back to that level and it will be soon. I am looking forward to winning against the best. I always thought of the Hogs as elite during the Broyles, Holtz, Hatfied and Petrino years, except for the Hatfield bowls. 

[NaturalStateReb]

With Misery in the SEC I believe I see and talk to more Chiegs fans now, and having Knile there doesn't hurt.

As an occasional Branson tourist, I can say that the amount of Mizzou stuff you see up there has exploded.  Used to be, you didn't really see much; mostly Cards stuff.  Still plenty of people wearing St. Louis merch, to be sure, but much more Mizzou stuff than I've ever seen before.

[NaturalStateReb]

My dream conference is any conference that Arkansas can win on a consistent basis and still be in the national talk.  Kansas State is a good example, so take Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12 and add a few competitive teams to get to 12 and let us win it and we would be just fine.  The money from winning would roll on like it did in the 60-80 era. We would operate in the black just like we did then and everyone would be happy with an 80% winning record.  I don't give a freek about the prestige of being in the SEC or any certain conference and I don't care about trying to keep up with the rich, elite teams of the world.  Heck in the SEC we have trouble even doing what Baylor and TCU has done lately...that's embarrassing. 

The problem here is that some of you think if you work for a rich man and live in a shack on his property you are better than that poor soul that has a regular job and or is self employed.  Either is fine as long as the egos don't mess you up.

What I am saying is I had rather win championships and have 10-2 records than be rich.

Here's the deal with the SEC:  you're going to win it less often, but when you do, your ticket to anywhere you want to go is automatically stamped.  If you finish 2nd or even 3rd, you're probably going to a BCS-level game.

Finish 3rd, or sometimes 2nd, in the Big 12, and you've got a date in the WhoGivesACrap.com Bowl.

[NaturalStateReb]

Maryland left the ACC due to money issues. The state of Louisiana is cutting something like 300 million from the states budget. LSU has already started restructuring its finances.  http://www.businessinsider.com/lsu-is-drafting-a-financial-exigency-plan-2015-4   Not saying it will happen. But I never say never.

Maryland left the ACC due to athletic money issues.  LSU's financial issues aren't athletic.  The LSU athletic department isn't in financial trouble.

If you think that all of those LSU graduates/voters out there are going to let their representatives allow the LSU system to go broke, well, it ain't gonna happen.  If it does, those representatives will be back in Corndog, LA selling cars so fast it'll make their heads spin.

Imagine a similar situation in Arkansas.  Think Hog fans would put up with the General Assembly letting the UA system crash and burn?  Not for a second.  Tiger fans won't put up with it, either. 

[Inhogswetrust]

Why would anyone want to go back to looking at this 24/7/365?

That's an OU cheerleader..................

[Inhogswetrust]

If I were ask if I would swap places with Texas I would say "yell hes".  See what I'm getting at?  There is nothing wrong with the Big 12 if Texas was to leave.  We could handle OU and would be in the mix for a championship on a regular basis.

However I realize that that rainbow is still out there and that pot of gold is sure to be at its end.

Not only NO but H.....E.....double hockey sticks NO!

[Inhogswetrust]

My dream conference is any conference that Arkansas can win on a consistent basis and still be in the national talk.  Kansas State is a good example, so take Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12 and add a few competitive teams to get to 12 and let us win it and we would be just fine.  The money from winning would roll on like it did in the 60-80 era. We would operate in the black just like we did then and everyone would be happy with an 80% winning record.  I don't give a freek about the prestige of being in the SEC or any certain conference and I don't care about trying to keep up with the rich, elite teams of the world.  Heck in the SEC we have trouble even doing what Baylor and TCU has done lately...that's embarrassing. 

The problem here is that some of you think if you work for a rich man and live in a shack on his property you are better than that poor soul that has a regular job and or is self employed.  Either is fine as long as the egos don't mess you up.

What I am saying is I had rather win championships and have 10-2 records than be rich.

I think you have started to drink too much Tequila or Cerveza too early for Cinco De Mayo. First off you will not GET any nationally competitive teams to JOIN a watered down little 12. Next the media contracts and ratings for some of the other teams left after they leave would be horrible after that so money would be much less from the conference coffers. You might as well join the CUSA or AAC conferences because that is what it would be relatively speaking...........

[hoghiker]

I don't think Arkansas joining the SEC was inevitable which seems to be some peoples thinking. It was a unique set of circumstances that brought us to the SEC. A confluence of events and a man of vision came together. Opportunity coincided with Frank. Frank had the power and vision to pull it off without much biotching. Not sure that could happen again. Could Long. Maybe. Maybe not. Frank had the mojo, the vision and the moment.

[Cinco de Hogo]

I think you have started to drink too much Tequila or Cerveza too early for Cinco De Mayo. First off you will not GET any nationally competitive teams to JOIN a watered down little 12. Next the media contracts and ratings for some of the other teams left after they leave would be horrible after that so money would be much less from the conference coffers. You might as well join the CUSA or AAC conferences because that is what it would be relatively speaking...........

I think your wrong but since you have yourself convinced that we can only be successful in the SEC I'll let it rest.

[Inhogswetrust]

I think your wrong but since you have yourself convinced that we can only be successful in the SEC I'll let it rest.

Please provide a quote from me where I said we can only be successful in the SEC. You CAN'T. We can be very successful in a different conference. I happen to prefer the SEC success or not.  I also don't define my conference preference simply by football and basketball but by the whole program.

[Cinco de Hogo]

Please provide a quote from me where I said we can only be successful in the SEC. You CAN'T. We can be very successful in a different conference. I happen to prefer the SEC success or not.  I also don't define my conference preference simply by football and basketball but by the whole program.

Forgive me for reading the lines and between the lines, it obviously a matter of ones definition of success.  My definition is more based on championships(in the three major sports)and wins than its is money and prestige.  Also I could survive only playing an SEC team once or twice per year just fine.

One of my problems is I love the west and pretty much dislike anything east of the Mississippi.  If that's not you that's fine. 

And please don't think I ever want to be in a conference with Texass again. 

[Inhogswetrust]

Forgive me for reading the lines and between the lines, it obviously a matter of ones definition of success.  My definition is more based on championships(in the three major sports)and wins than its is money and prestige.  Also I could survive only playing an SEC team once or twice per year just fine.

One of my problems is I love the west and pretty much dislike anything east of the Mississippi.  If that's not you that's fine. 

And please don't think I ever want to be in a conference with Texass again. 

I think we have found some common ground with that tejas comment. I love the west, at least the mountain parts and would even consider moving out west to live. That doesn't mean I like the areas of the current little 12. I don't. I just don't'like the idea of "west" as a conference affiliation in college sports in any fashion. I'm curious as to why you dislike east of the mississippi. There are a lot of nice areas east of that river.

[secfan30]

According to the Nielsen ratings Arkansas is the number three college football program in the nation in terms of local TV viewership.

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2014/sec-best-local-fan-bases-2013/

This is impressive.

[rtr]

Arkansas belongs in the SEC in every way imaginable.

[HogWall Jackson]

Do not believe Arkansas would get an invite to join the SEC in the current configuration of college football. Possible but not probable. Not enough TV sets in Arkansas to make us a viable option.

I agree with you. As far as the SEC is concerned, ArkansasWe are still viewed as being inferior by the major SEC programs. has been a disappointment.