All is not lost yet...

[HognitiveDissonance]

Do I think CBB is all that and a bag of chips?
Not really.
Said that when he was hired.

BUT...it's a long season.
In 2015, we lost to Toledo and Texas Tech...at home. Then we won 6 of our last 7 games, which no one saw coming. The one loss was a 52-51 loss to Miss St that could have easily been a win except for a blocked 29-yard FG by...guess who? Cole Hedlund.

Did that make the Toledo and Texas Tech games excusable? Not really. But it points out that most view that season as a positive, and it COULD happen again.

Also, in basketball, Mike Anderson had one foot out the door in early February after two embarrassing debacles with Vanderbilt and Ok St. But they finished strong and no one talks about that anymore.

I'm not crazy about CBB either, but let's see how the season plays out. Many of us had us splitting the Texas schools so beat the Aggies and it's back on schedule.

[ZERO]

Last year the whole "Novembert" thing didn't really happen. Didn't happen the first year, either. We could improve as the year goes and beat some good people, but I'm not going to expect it or hold my breath. I also really just don't care if we win 6 or 7 again. I'm over that.

[mckinneyhog5]

Man I've been waiting for what seems like forever to watch Hog football and I'll be darned if a bunch of negative Nancy's ruin it for me this early. I'll be attending the A&M game and maybe one in Fayetteville and will be rooting for the hogs win or lose. Still looking forward to the season and a rebound.

[ZERO]

Man I've been waiting for what seems like forever to watch Hog football and I'll be darned if a bunch of negative Nancy's ruin it for me this early. I'll be attending the A&M game and maybe one in Fayetteville and will be rooting for the hogs win or lose. Still looking forward to the season and a rebound.

I didn't let the negative nancys ruin it for me, either. I let Bret Bielema ruin it for me.

[mckinneyhog5]

I didn't let the negative nancys ruin it for me, either. I let Bret Bielema ruin it for me.

Feel sorry for u..I'm going to enjoy the games.

[ZERO]

Feel sorry for u..I'm going to enjoy the games.

It's easy to enjoy the ones we win. It's harder when your coach loses more than he wins. It's easy to enjoy the ambience of game day and the time spent with friends and family. Good food, maybe getting a little liquored up, hell yeah. Sign me up. But I'm not stubbornly going to force myself to grin and bare against all odds in some "can't let the terrorists win" way when we're generally a bad team, or mediocre at best. By the same token, I'm also not going to let a loss get me down the whole day or week or whatever. I look forward to football all year, but that doesn't mean I let it ruin my life, it's just one of my passions. I have others. I'm not going to make myself love something that's turned entirely crappy just on principle.

I had a fantastic day last Saturday. Hung out with some good friends, had some awesome pizza from Marley's, had a couple beers. The only thing missing was a team that you felt still had a chance to win the game when they were down by one score and missed a 20 yard FG attempt. But we all know how Bielema's teams like to wrap these games up at halftime like they have somewhere else to be. You know what? I just remembered I have somewhere else to be, too.

[ShadowHawg]

I have yet to see a successful season described in this thread.

The one you tried to present as such was a failure because of Toledo and Tech.

[smb]

I would imagine that about 99.9% on this board want the hogs to win. But most importantly be at least competitive to top 25 teams. I just didn't see that in the offensive line, receivers or the kicking game. I think we all get tired of hearing that Bielema's team get better as the season goes along every year. It certainly didn't happen last year.

[Uberanubis]

I would imagine that about 99.9% on this board want the hogs to win. But most importantly be at least competitive to top 25 teams. I just didn't see that in the offensive line, receivers or the kicking game. I think we all get tired of hearing that Bielema's team get better as the season goes along every year. It certainly didn't happen last year.

but we are not a top 25 team. what makes you think we are? your opinion?

[Ex-Trumpet]

Man I've been waiting for what seems like forever to watch Hog football and I'll be darned if a bunch of negative Nancy's ruin it for me this early. I'll be attending the A&M game and maybe one in Fayetteville and will be rooting for the hogs win or lose. Still looking forward to the season and a rebound.

This is what Hog fans do!

But it is possible to do these things and recognize the fact that the program doesn't seem to be moving forward.

Hopefully that will change; whether or not it will be with this staff remains to be seen.  Where the debate lies, is whether it should be or not.

Regardless, I will be watching the Hogs, hoping for the best!

[jcharkansas]

Pretty close though....

[jkstock04]

I would imagine that about 99.9% on this board want the hogs to win. But most importantly be at least competitive to top 25 teams. I just didn't see that in the offensive line, receivers or the kicking game. I think we all get tired of hearing that Bielema's team get better as the season goes along every year. It certainly didn't happen last year.

I get tired of that along with many of the other mantras and company lines that have been SHOVED down our throats the past few years. Think about some of this BS...

-Offensive line gonna pound on you til you are wore down in the 4th quarter

-deepest we have been since joining the SEC (1&2 deep). Heard this for 2 years now.

-redshirt/walkon program will eventually yield mostly all upperclassmen in 1&2 deep.

-well behaved kids doing what they are supposed to do off the field will also yield better results on the field

-"building it the right way"

-the players love him like a dad thus will run through a brick wall for him

-the players have worked harder this offseason than ever before...daylight to dawn. You will see these results on the field.

-former position coach (insert any name) was a Broyles level hire when we hired him but now is trash if he is gone. Doesn't know how to coach and was the only reason we were weak there. Not Bielemas fault...he's great for getting rid of him. New coach is awesome and much better than what we had.

-teams hate to play Arkansas (never mind that they beat us). They hurt so badly after the fact they just go on a losing streak. We are so physical we beat them up much worse than they are used to in a normal game.

I could go on and on but this crap that people push so hard and scream about is the reason there is such a negative reaction when it doesn't come so. When something gets pushed over and over and over by people that act like they know everything and are Gods gift to football...only it turns out they are full of it...theres gonna be some negativity and push back. I've read and heard this kind of BS so much over the last few years and none of it is true....just a bunch of fairy tales.

[Etowah]

2015....where would we be now if not for the miracle win over Ole Miss..........and coming back from the dead v. Tennessee.

A glass half empty view I know...but that season could have been the end of BB before he hardly got started.

[HognitiveDissonance]

I have yet to see a successful season described in this thread.

The one you tried to present as such was a failure because of Toledo and Tech.

If that was a failure, then the basketball season was a failure too because of epic train wrecks against Minnesota, Ok St, and Vanderbilt, and Missouri on the road. Since those games never should have turned out the way they did, the entire season was a failure. Same logic.

Look at the season as a whole. In 2015 they won 6 of 7 and finished strong with a bowl win over K State. Eight wins. By Arkansas standards, that's a good season. If he was doing that every year, his job would be safe.

Likewise, nobody talks about the epic fails in basketball because of finishing strong and second-round NCAA play.

Consider those seasons as a totality and they're good seasons. Enough to keep the wolves at bay.

For the record, I am not and never have been a strong proponent of either of our major sport coaches(CBB and CMA). I've always said the best you can hope for is 'pretty good', but never great. But that all falls on Jeff Long, he hired both of them. Common denominator.

[bphi11ips]

Feel sorry for u..I'm going to enjoy the games.

Good OP and good for you. 

This Hogville meltdown was predictable but pretty silly, especially given the opponent.  TCU has won 10 or more games 11 times in the past 15 years, 9 of those were 11 or more.  They led the NCAA in total defense 5 times during that period.  The squad we played Saturday starts the most seniors of any FBS school.  We were the betting underdog. 

Every team, Alabama included, has at least one game every year when they come out flat.  It doesn't always happen when you think it will.  Every QB has an off day.  Saturday our QB had an off day and the team and crowd were flat.  Was it the heat?  Who knows.  And before anyone blames AA's performance entirely on the receivers, read Dan Enos' s comments.  He says AA had a bad day, that his "form" was off on longer throws, and that he missed open receivers several times.  He said AA needs to play faster.

We aren't going to miss many more 20 or 23 yard field goals. 

The defense played well.  That can be repeated.

We know what AA is capable of.  He will play better the rest of the season.  The offense will gel.  We talked here all preseason about how it will take time for that to happen with all the newcomers.

Enjoy the A&M game and the rest of the season.

[bphi11ips]

Nice try OP.  All you're going to get are crickets from the crowd here today.

[Bacon_Bitz]

Good OP and good for you. 

This Hogville meltdown was predictable but pretty silly, especially given the opponent.  TCU has won 10 or more games 11 times in the past 15 years, 9 of those were 11 or more.  They led the NCAA in total defense 5 times during that period.  The squad we played Saturday starts the most seniors of any FBS school.  We were the betting underdog. 

Every team, Alabama included, has at least one game every year when they come out flat.  It doesn't always happen when you think it will.  Every QB has an off day.  Saturday our QB had an off day and the team and crowd were flat.  Was it the heat?  Who knows.  And before anyone blames AA's performance entirely on the receivers, read Dan Enos' s comments.  He says AA had a bad day, that his "form" was off on longer throws, and that he missed open receivers several times.  He said AA needs to play faster.

We aren't going to miss many more 20 or 23 yard field goals. 

The defense played well.  That can be repeated.

We know what AA is capable of.  He will play better the rest of the season.  The offense will gel.  We talked here all preseason about how it will take time for that to happen with all the newcomers.

Enjoy the A&M game and the rest of the season.

+1,000,000,000,000,000,000

An American Quintillion

[jacobp]

Good OP and good for you. 

This Hogville meltdown was predictable but pretty silly, especially given the opponent.  TCU has won 10 or more games 11 times in the past 15 years, 9 of those were 11 or more.  They led the NCAA in total defense 5 times during that period.  The squad we played Saturday starts the most seniors of any FBS school.  We were the betting underdog. 

Every team, Alabama included, has at least one game every year when they come out flat.  It doesn't always happen when you think it will.  Every QB has an off day.  Saturday our QB had an off day and the team and crowd were flat.  Was it the heat?  Who knows.  And before anyone blames AA's performance entirely on the receivers, read Dan Enos' s comments.  He says AA had a bad day, that his "form" was off on longer throws, and that he missed open receivers several times.  He said AA needs to play faster.

We aren't going to miss many more 20 or 23 yard field goals. 

The defense played well.  That can be repeated.

We know what AA is capable of.  He will play better the rest of the season.  The offense will gel.  We talked here all preseason about how it will take time for that to happen with all the newcomers.

Enjoy the A&M game and the rest of the season.

Amen

[jkstock04]

Nice try OP.  All you're going to get are crickets from the crowd here today.

It takes more than blind faith to get me optimistic. I've got to actually see it. SHOW me something to get excited about and I'll be the first on board.

Something nobody is talking about...one of the reasons for such a loud backlash to the TCU game. Blind faith...many assumed simply because "its year 5" that this would be a breakout year. I heard on the radio the other day of a stat something like we haven't gone 5 years without an 8 plus win season in forever. Razorback fans are used to the downs but also expect the occasional ups too.

So there is this underlying assumption it's just going to happen because that's the way it's always been. Really, that's not logical in my book. The blind faith stuff doesn't make me optimistic. I desperately want to see dominant O-line play under Bielema. That would make me excited. All I've seen so far is hype.

[Poker_hog]

By the same token, I'm also not going to let a loss get me down the whole day or week or whatever. I look forward to football all year, but that doesn't mean I let it ruin my life, it's just one of my passions. I have others. I'm not going to make myself love something that's turned entirely crappy just on principle.

The losses don't bother me as much as they used to either but the thing is you can't have it both ways.  If the losses don't bother you then the wins don't mean much either.  Pretty soon you have full blown apathy.  Thats not were the program should want the fan base. 

[HognitiveDissonance]

Nice try OP.  All you're going to get are crickets from the crowd here today.

I'm actually with the 'negative nancies' from a high level perspective, but the thought occurred to me how foolish it is to celebrate or bemoan games one at a time. There are always unexpected things that happen in a season. Who knows what will happen the rest of the year? I actualy had TCU beating us, so no shock. We do need to beat A&M, though. Can't lose to both of the Texas teams and keep the wolves at bay.

[bphi11ips]

It takes more than blind faith to get me optimistic. I've got to actually see it. SHOW me something to get excited about and I'll be the first on board.

Something nobody is talking about...one of the reasons for such a loud backlash to the TCU game. Blind faith...many assumed simply because "its year 5" that this would be a breakout year. I heard on the radio the other day of a stat something like we haven't gone 5 years without an 8 plus win season in forever. Razorback fans are used to the downs but also expect the occasional ups too.

So there is this underlying assumption it's just going to happen because that's the way it's always been. Really, that's not logical in my book. The blind faith stuff doesn't make me optimistic. I desperately want to see dominant O-line play under Bielema. That would make me excited. All I've seen so far is hype.

It doesn't take blind faith to understand that we played a very good football team on a bad day but were still in the game until very late in the fourth quarter.  It doesn't take blind faith to know that AA is a much better QB than he has shown the first two games. 

I'm not saying that I'm optimistic myself.  I've said for 3 months this is the most unpredictable season I've seen on the front end than maybe any of the other fifty or so I remember.  I've said I can see anything from 9-3 to 3-9.  I've said the TCU and A&M games would be critical, and I still believe that.  We have five conference games that could go either way.  Nothing I saw Saturday changes that in my mind.  The defense kept us from getting blown out and gave us a chance to win near the end in spite of the kicking game mistakes and sputtering offense.  The defense's play is something to be optimistic about. 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that the players haven't lost faith the way most here have before the conference season even starts.

[jkstock04]

It doesn't take blind faith to understand that we played a very good football team on a bad day but were still in the game until very late in the fourth quarter.  It doesn't take blind faith to know that AA is a much better QB than he has shown the first two games. 

I'm not saying that I'm optimistic myself.  I've said for 3 months this is the most unpredictable season I've seen on the front end than maybe any of the other fifty or so I remember.  I've said I can see anything from 9-3 to 3-9.  I've said the TCU and A&M games would be critical, and I still believe that.  We have five conference games that could go either way.  Nothing I saw Saturday changes that in my mind.  The defense kept us from getting blown out and gave us a chance to win near the end in spite of the kicking game mistakes and sputtering offense.  The defense's play is something to be optimistic about. 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that the players haven't lost faith the way most here have before the conference season even starts.

It doesn't take blind faith to understand that we played a very good football team on a bad day but were still in the game until very late in the fourth quarter.  It doesn't take blind faith to know that AA is a much better QB than he has shown the first two games. 

I'm not saying that I'm optimistic myself.  I've said for 3 months this is the most unpredictable season I've seen on the front end than maybe any of the other fifty or so I remember.  I've said I can see anything from 9-3 to 3-9.  I've said the TCU and A&M games would be critical, and I still believe that.  We have five conference games that could go either way.  Nothing I saw Saturday changes that in my mind.  The defense kept us from getting blown out and gave us a chance to win near the end in spite of the kicking game mistakes and sputtering offense.  The defense's play is something to be optimistic about. 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that the players haven't lost faith the way most here have before the conference season even starts.

Defense has for sure looked better than last year, absolutely. But it's not like they are going to be a dominant force and carry the team to wins in spite of the offense.

How do you know the players haven't lost faith? This is just heresay but what the hell...Austin Allen evidently went on Monday and gave a speech to the Fville high football team. General message I heard was to have fun while you are in high school because when you get to college it sucks. lol I mean that had to be a tough time for him to go talk to a bunch of kids but still it makes me wonder about the attitude of the team. There were whispers last year of all kinds of attitude problems.

[311Hog]

Novembert lol man i laughed to hard at that.

[Pig Power]

It doesn't take blind faith to understand that we played a very good football team on a bad day but were still in the game until very late in the fourth quarter.  It doesn't take blind faith to know that AA is a much better QB than he has shown the first two games. 

I'm not saying that I'm optimistic myself.  I've said for 3 months this is the most unpredictable season I've seen on the front end than maybe any of the other fifty or so I remember.  I've said I can see anything from 9-3 to 3-9.  I've said the TCU and A&M games would be critical, and I still believe that.  We have five conference games that could go either way.  Nothing I saw Saturday changes that in my mind.  The defense kept us from getting blown out and gave us a chance to win near the end in spite of the kicking game mistakes and sputtering offense.  The defense's play is something to be optimistic about. 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that the players haven't lost faith the way most here have before the conference season even starts.

This

[bphi11ips]

Defense has for sure looked better than last year, absolutely. But it's not like they are going to be a dominant force and carry the team to wins in spite of the offense.

How do you know the players haven't lost faith? This is just heresay but what the hell...Austin Allen evidently went on Monday and gave a speech to the Fville high football team. General message I heard was to have fun while you are in high school because when you get to college it sucks. lol I mean that had to be a tough time for him to go talk to a bunch of kids but still it makes me wonder about the attitude of the team. There were whispers last year of all kinds of attitude problems.

I didn't say I know anything, only that I'm optimistic.

As for college football, it's a full time job. AA does it in a fishbowl at a high level.  I have a son playing his senior year of high school ball for a top ranked team.  There are 35 seniors on that team. Most have played together for 10 years. For the most part it's a full time job for them, too. Year round.  Pretty much life in a fishbowl at the local level for some of them. I can see the wear and tear on the boys' faces.  Football isn't as fun for them most of the time the way it once was. But on Friday night on the field after a win, most of them wouldn't trade their uniform for anything. Not even the players who didn't see the field.  They'll never experience anything again like what they are experiencing now. I think that's what AA meant.

[texas tush hog]

I'm actually with the 'negative nancies' from a high level perspective, but the thought occurred to me how foolish it is to celebrate or bemoan games one at a time. There are always unexpected things that happen in a season. Who knows what will happen the rest of the year? I actualy had TCU beating us, so no shock. We do need to beat A&M, though. Can't lose to both of the Texas teams and keep the wolves at bay.

TCU has a great defense. Offense not so much. That's what makes it hurt the more. We are catching A&M with their third string quarterback. They are ripe for the plucking. If we lose to the Ags, which we very well could, kiss this season goodbye.
On the other hand, if we beat them, we could very well win 6 and go to the Outhouse bowl.

[presidenthog]

Last year the whole "Novembert" thing didn't really happen. Didn't happen the first year, either. We could improve as the year goes and beat some good people, but I'm not going to expect it or hold my breath. I also really just don't care if we win 6 or 7 again. I'm over that.

I coined that term on a separate board in 2015.

To put this in perspective though. In 2015 there was still hope after toledo. We all chalked that game up to a fluke. We knew we had a damn good team on offense. We could see it, but we had to just start running the ball like we knew we could. We had faith in novembert from 2014. In 2015 novembert was confirmed we thought.

This year there is no hope. We looked unprepared, and lost on offense. Defense is not good enough to win us games by itself. Last year novembert was proven to not be real, and it was proven that we actually got worse down the stretch.

So we don't even have faith that novembert will happen .