Why I love the Helmet...(title change)

[clew]

by Chris Lewis

Like most of you, I grew up watching and cheering for the Hogs.  It's always been such an up and down, see-saw affair.  A poet, Khalil Gilbran (sp), once said that only by knowing the depths of sorrow can you understand the sweetness of joy.  In many respects, it is the same way I feel about the Hogs.  We have felt the angst of a fumble against this UT or the other.  We have known the joy of a Thurman shot over the outreached hand of Lang and have seen with our own two eyes true magic on the gridiron in the form of Matt Jones.  We have for so long been right there at the edge between good and great--literally a play here or a play there.  I am so thankful that we've had the opportunity to have shared in the joy. 

There are some schools that NEVER have that opportunity.  Greatness is not a God-given right.  It doesn't happen everywhere.  After reading this message board for the last week or so, I think some here believe we are entitled to it.  Not to burst anyone's bubble, but that's just not how it works.  I have been working for the evil empire down here in Austin for the last seven years and these fans truly believe they are entitled to greatness.  It always cracks me up to see OU knock them off their pedestal each October (if UT doesn't win this year, they never will).   It was even sweeter to see the Hogs blow into town and absolutely demolish them (and even better yet to be in the stands!!!).  After listening to their trash talk for the month leading up to the game, I will definitely say there is such a thing as sweet silence.  If you believe in entitlement, you will always be let down.

There is always the optimism of a new season--football, basketball, baseball, track, etc.  The slate is clean.  There are new players to learn, new coaches to evaluate, and new recruits to ponder.  There is the possibility of winning it all.  Now, that's only happened with basketball and track in the last 25 or so years (the length of time I've been actively watching Razorback sports), but it sure is sweet when it happens.  For the most part, we're an upper middle tier division one school.  I have no idea if we'll ever truly crack into the "elite" (great on a year-in/year-out basis) bunch of schools and I mostly doubt it.  But, to me, it doesn't matter.  Just knowing that there is a chance to have a great season gives me hope and great anticipation every year.  The Hogs will have my allegiance--win or lose.

There's nothing quite like a sunny mid-October day in the Ozarks...I don't think you can fully appreciate it until you have had to suffer in the God-forsaken land of the shorthorn.  There are two seasons here...summer and almost summer.  I miss the leaves changing color and wearing a jacket at night to keep the chill out.  I miss the beautiful campus.  Mostly, I miss what I consider home.  I was only in Fayetteville for six short years and I truly regret not savoring the time a little more.  For those of you in NWA, please don't take for granted that you live in a breathtakingly beautiful part of the country.  I've literally been around the world, and if I could move back there right now, I would.  There's a really old song...Arkansas, You Run Deep in Me that really has special meaning to me.  "I may wander, but when I do.  I'll never be far from you.  You're in my heart I know you'll always be.  Arkansas, you run deep in me."  I am envious of those of you who are able to go to all the games.  Don't take it for granted.

I am so glad that it's almost time for football again.  I'm going to make my every-other-year jaunt to the Hill to watch us play Auburn.  Like all of you, I hope we win, but if we don't I'll still support the Hogs--and their coach, whoever that may be--until I can't (read until I'm dead).  To me, there are many things that are more important than football (GASP!) but when it comes to things I enjoy, the Hogs rank right there at the top.  There is nothing like the thrill of victory (MJ running all over the shorthorns) or as painful as defeat (Clint's fumble), but it sure let's you know that you're alive.  It's great to be alive, y'all, and it's great to be an Arkansas Razorback Fan, so...

Hit that line, Hit that line,
Keep on going!
Move that ball right down the field!!!
Give a cheer! RAH! RAH!
Never fear! RAH! RAH!
Arkansas WILL NEVER YIELD!
On your toes Razorbacks to the finish,
Carry on with all your might!
For it's A-R-K-A-N-S-A-S for Arkansas,
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

I'm out.

[BigPapaHawg]

Great post!   

GO HOGS!    :razorback:

[Feralhog]

Great Post.  Too bad you weren't around when we were indeed a force on the national scene.  It's been a awhile, but We'll be back

[WILL CLINTON]

First of all- GREAT POST!!  I have been reading this board for about 3 months now, and rarely, if ever, have I seen someone truly capture my thoughts and feelings like this.
Unfortunately I wasn't in the stands for the Ar-Ut game in Austin, but I was in the stands last year in Fayetteville for the rematch. Luckily I even got seats in the UT section. I harassed their fans all night, up until the fumble.  After the game, it was the only time I had ever seen Texas fans be good sports.  Almost everyone within 2 rows came by and shook my hand because they knew they had stolen one from us.  But I digress, if we, as hog fans can make it through the Danny Ford years (the only years I can really remember) we can certainly make it through the Nutt years.  I dont think it can even be argued that Nutt is doing a worse job than Ford.  AS you stated though, no matter if Mack Brown was the coach, I'll still always support the hawgs.  If anything we, as fans, owe it to the university for giving us all special memories (good and bad), and something to look forward to on Saturdays in the fall in the Natural State.  We wouldn't get chills everytime we hear Paul Eells on the radio, our afternoon drive home wouldn't be the same without all the talk of football or basketball or any other Razorback sport, we wouldn't all have at least one copy of NCAA football where the Razorbacks are undefeated for the past 4 or 5 seasons, and I wouldn't be nearly as excited to take my 4 year old daughter to her first football game this year if it wasn't our beloved Razorbacks (she has been saving all her money in a Razorback bank for the past year to go, not that I wouldn't have taken her anyway).  This year might be good, it might be bad, but it, without a doubt be another season of memories for true Hog Fans. 

[mikeb]

good stuff

[HighOnHogs]

That really got me missing living at Home!  (Arkansas)

[Macgyver_Hawg]

As a 9 year old I loved the summers most, as a 29 year old I can't wait for fall.
I've always gotten a chill when the drumline starts out the tunnel.

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[Hawgzilla]

   I love it when the player's run through the ''A''.......Also do they still do the Badass Hog on the jumbotron stomping the other teams helmet.......At the Mississippi St game 2 years ago at Fayetteville i saw it up there............Fricking sweet.......... :razorback:

[clew]

my name is engraved in that sidwalk just about even with the tree in the foreground...   some reason they put me in the class of 99 (I graduated summer of 98).

[madduckdog]

Welcome to  the  "FELLOWSHIP  OF  THE  FRANK" . Great post

[Flatfoot]

Great post but I will never accept being a middle level division I school. 

[Tomhog™]

I was always on the left side of the "A", every year.  That is the side the cheerleaders run out of.  Left, as in furthest away from the home side stands.

[arkhogball]

This is great stuff.  You guys are making my eyes water a little.  I went to my first game when I was 12 with my grandfather, and could not believe how crazy it was in WMS.  I don't remember every part of the game, but I remember the thunderous roar of 54,000 hog fans when A&M's pass fell incomplete in the end zone as the Razorbacks won the game.  I've been going to LR and FAY games for 20 years now, and the greatest part of the whole season is to hear the band coming into the stadium and the pregame cerimonies for the first game of the season.  I can't wait.  Too bad the band is not present at fan day.

[Macgyver_Hawg]

This I got from freeze frames of Bayor 1988 and Auburn 2001.
Just think, some of you were at both games and will be again Sept. 3rd.
There's fans now who weren't born in the first pic and others no longer with us.

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[Macgyver_Hawg]

The South End Zone.



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[VoR]

Thanks, wonderful post

[cityhog]

It makes me sad that some of the young'uns don't remember the Hogs being part of the elite of the colllege football world.  As a kid, I remember during football season litening to the radio (KAMO) every Monday morning in anticipation of "where will be ranked this week?"  I remember being so distraught when we would occassionally fall out of the top 20.  My how things have changed.
It's like that Saturday Night Live skit "Lowered Expectations", just not funny.

[cityhog]

From your mouth to God's ears, as my mother would be want to say.

[Inigo Montoya]

my name is engraved in that sidewalk just about even with the tree in the foreground... some reason they put me in the class of 99 (I graduated summer of 98).

You got lucky, my name is next to trash can in the entrance way of the Art building.  Good post.  I think you summarized what it's like to be a hogfan.  I think victory is much sweeter sometimes when in small doses.  But I'm looking forward to the days when victory is obtained across all UofA sports and the nation acknowledges it.  It's a dream I'm sure all Hogfans have but it's the losses and shortcomings our programs have been through that give us Razorbacks character.

[RazorDrummer]

very nice, CLEW.  Ditto on all fronts and great post. 

I recall my first utterance of the word "Razorback" when, as a 6-year-old (in 1974), coming to visit my grandmother in Fayetteville (we were an Air Force family) .  We drove into town on the west side of Razorback Stadium to then turn down Garland and over to Wedington to the street where she lived.  On the west side of the stadium at that time, it was all the metal support beams exposed like massive high school bleachers.  From the top, there was a banner hanging down and flapping in the wind with the cartoonish hog painted about 12 feet across.  I pointed to the banner and said, "why is there a pig on that sign, Daddy?"  My father (a UA alumnus 1966) replied proudly, "Son, that's no pig.  That is a Razorback!"  From that moment on, I was hooked.   :razorback:  I just kept saying "Razorback" over and over again because I thought the word was cool...

When I graduated high school and chose the UA over the AF Academy and some other schools, I realized that what I had come to visit every year between moves was actually home.  I have lived all over the country and I would choose NWArk over any place else to live.  The Razorbacks are a big part of that.

Thanks, CLEW, for reminding us why we came, why we stay, why we root, and for the real reason we all post here...

[Macgyver_Hawg]

RazorDrummer, bring a snare to the tailgate and play some marching beats for us.

[HornetHog]

Great Post. Too bad you weren't around when we were indeed a force on the national scene. It's been a awhile, but We'll be back

Yea the idea of the team from the south that had a pig on their helmet and was whippin everybody ass.......days will be back

[Feralhog]

my name is engraved in that sidewalk just about even with the tree in the foreground... some reason they put me in the class of 99 (I graduated summer of 98).

You got lucky, my name is next to trash can in the entrance way of the Art building. Good post. I think you summarized what it's like to be a hogfan. I think victory is much sweeter sometimes when in small doses. But I'm looking forward to the days when victory is obtained across all UofA sports and the nation acknowledges it. It's a dream I'm sure all Hogfans have but it's the recent losses and recent shortcomings our programs have been through that give us Razorbacks character.

Fixed it for you. 

[Flatline]

I was wondering if anyone one was going to say it.  It use to not be this way.  We were the top of the ladder for years.  Then came 1990.................Jack Crowe..........AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

I miss those days.  I hope we see them again.

[Inigo Montoya]

Sorry, I forgot about all you old fogies on the board.   

[Flatline]

What do you classify as old PUP!!!

[HogInMemphis]

   I love it when the player's run through the ''A''.......Also do they still do the Badass Hog on the jumbotron stomping the other teams helmet.......At the Mississippi St game 2 years ago at Fayetteville i saw it up there............Fricking sweet.......... :razorback:

Yeah, that's really a cool thing to see. But, what I hate is to see them come out all fired up then get shitstomped by Fla in RRS and down 30-3 at the half. That's a real buzz kill and it happens too frequently in RRS.

[HighOnHogs]

Yeah, that's really a cool thing to see. But, what I hate is to see them come out all fired up then get shitstomped by Fla in RRS and down 30-3 at the half. That's a real buzz kill and it happens too frequently in RRS.

Nice negative spin

[Inigo Montoya]

What do you classify as old PUP!!!

Didn't mean to get you worked up.  Take a joke.  I'm a 31 yr old Arkansas alumni so I don't remember these glory years so many HOG fans speak of.  Don't really want to live in the past either.  I would like to see us win another championship why I'm still alive.  But if we don't I'll still be a hog fan.  Just not going to brag about our program to much if things stay the way they have for the last decade.

[HogInMemphis]

Yeah, that's really a cool thing to see. But, what I hate is to see them come out all fired up then get shitstomped by Fla in RRS and down 30-3 at the half. That's a real buzz kill and it happens too frequently in RRS.

Nice negative spin

Spin?? What part of that is not totally accurate and completely factual? See 'Bama game in RRS in '02, see KY game in RRS in '02, see UTenn game in RRS in '01, see GA game in Razorback Stadium in '00, see Fla game in RRS in '03, see Auburn in RRS in '03, see Ole Miss game in Razorback Stadium in '00 and probably a couple of others I'm leaving out. Those weren't just losses, they were all embarrassing shitstompings (other than the '03 Auburn game, a very boring 10-3 loss).

[Feralhog]

Yeah, that's really a cool thing to see. But, what I hate is to see them come out all fired up then get shitstomped by Fla in RRS and down 30-3 at the half. That's a real buzz kill and it happens too frequently in RRS.

Nice negative spin

Spin?? What part of that is not totally accurate and completely factual? See 'Bama game in RRS in '02, see KY game in RRS in '02, see UTenn game in RRS in '01, see GA game in Razorback Stadium in '00, see Fla game in RRS in '03, see Auburn in RRS in '03, see Ole Miss game in Razorback Stadium in '00 and probably a couple of others I'm leaving out. Those weren't just losses, they were all embarrassing shitstompings (other than the '03 Auburn game, a very boring 10-3 loss).

  Let's see, Bama '02 check a Shiite stompin
Kentucky '02, I guess anytime Kentucky beats you it's Shiite stompin, but I don't recall us being down so far that the foot on the helmet thang looked stupid on the tron.
Tenn '01, Hardly a Shiite stompin
UGA 00, bzzzzzz, foul, Shiite stompin hog on helmet didn't exist in 2000
Ole Miss 00 bzzzzzz, foul, see UGA 00
Auburn 03, hardly a Shiite stompin but you did correct that one.
Florida 03, yep we were down, had the hog do the Shiite stomp, and we damn near came back and won.  Don't know if I could categorize that in light of how you structured your original post. 

Spin means taking a subject and turning it in a different direction using shaky facts.  Yeah, we lost all those games but were they Shiite stompings?  Yep, seems to me you were taking a post, and spinning it in a negative direction.

[Biggus Piggus]

Spin?? What part of that is not totally accurate and completely factual? See 'Bama game in RRS in '02, see KY game in RRS in '02, see UTenn game in RRS in '01, see GA game in Razorback Stadium in '00, see Fla game in RRS in '03, see Auburn in RRS in '03, see Ole Miss game in Razorback Stadium in '00 and probably a couple of others I'm leaving out. Those weren't just losses, they were all embarrassing shitstompings (other than the '03 Auburn game, a very boring 10-3 loss).

That is EXACTLY the problem with fan sentiment.  What's really funky is last year represented progress.  We were very competitive in Fayetteville games.  Even though we still usually lost, at least we didn't look sick the way we did in so many of the big home games in the past few years.  It should be intolerable to be unable to play well at home.  It doesn't matter how you qualify the games, we played like crap in all the big Fayetteville games for several years running.  The team got to talking about not feeling good about home games.  That's nuts!  Absolutely intolerable.

This year, we need to win the big Fayetteville games.  It is time.

[rlreev]

Great Post.  I am down here in the Nose Picking Aggie Land and have to listen to their trash.  The thing about them is that we(Arkansas) have always beat TAMU.

[HogInMemphis]

Spin?? What part of that is not totally accurate and completely factual? See 'Bama game in RRS in '02, see KY game in RRS in '02, see UTenn game in RRS in '01, see GA game in Razorback Stadium in '00, see Fla game in RRS in '03, see Auburn in RRS in '03, see Ole Miss game in Razorback Stadium in '00 and probably a couple of others I'm leaving out. Those weren't just losses, they were all embarrassing shitstompings (other than the '03 Auburn game, a very boring 10-3 loss).

That is EXACTLY the problem with fan sentiment.  What's really funky is last year represented progress.  We were very competitive in Fayetteville games.  Even though we still usually lost, at least we didn't look sick the way we did in so many of the big home games in the past few years.  It should be intolerable to be unable to play well at home.  It doesn't matter how you qualify the games, we played like crap in all the big Fayetteville games for several years running.  The team got to talking about not feeling good about home games.  That's nuts!  Absolutely intolerable.

This year, we need to win the big Fayetteville games.  It is time.

Last year represented progress......in Fayetteville. And as a trade off, we took our first loss in LR, to LSU, a huge shitstomping and embarrassing loss.

[TulsaHogFan]

Hey its still better than the year Alabama went 80 on the first play.  That game was pathetic.....

[RazorDrummer]

Too bad CLEW's great post turned into someone else's squabble...  Someone should have cut it off when things turned sour.

[Lanny]

Too bad CLEW's great post turned into someone else's squabble... Someone should have cut it off when things turned sour.

Chris post is also in the article sections on the home page.

[Inigo Montoya]

There's nothing quite like a sunny mid-October day in the Ozarks...

Is there anything better than going to a fall football game at noon in Fayetteville, walking down that hill to the stadium through the dewey grass, smelling the bbq grills smoking, drinking a bloody mary, hearing the hog wild band echo through the valley.  Ahhhh.....

[HighOnHogs]

Spin means taking a subject and turning it in a different direction using shaky facts.  Yeah, we lost all those games but were they Shiite stompings?  Yep, seems to me you were taking a post, and spinning it in a negative direction.

Thanks for clearing that up for HiM.  I thought it was pretty clear but obviously he didn't get it.  HiM is good for one thing and that is to create negativity to anything positive.  Unless of course you want to talk about his stock holdings.  He wouldn't want to say anything negative that could negatively effect his purse.

[HogInMemphis]

Spin means taking a subject and turning it in a different direction using shaky facts.  Yeah, we lost all those games but were they Shiite stompings?  Yep, seems to me you were taking a post, and spinning it in a negative direction.

Thanks for clearing that up for HiM.  I thought it was pretty clear but obviously he didn't get it.  HiM is good for one thing and that is to create negativity to anything positive.  Unless of course you want to talk about his stock holdings.  He wouldn't want to say anything negative that could negatively effect his purse.

Jealousy and envy don't become you. Take that crap over to Woopig where many are infected with what you have.

[HighOnHogs]

Jealousy and envy don't become you. Take that crap over to Woopig where many are infected with what you have.

At least I don't have a man crush on Howard.

Woopig didn't want me either.  I guess I'm a drifter.