What a difference renewed hope makes

[Albert Einswine]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

[OneLardAlmighty]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

Yeah, and of all the reasons I was skeptical about this hire, my first, above all, was that I didn't think Chad Morris could restore hope to a downtrodden fan base or to me.

I was wrong. 

[OLDHOG]

all ya need is hope, without it ya got nothing.

[WichitaStateRazorback]

where does one find this hope?

[SooieGeneris]

I can't explain it, it's kinda like that quote by former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart that he couldn't define porn, but knew it when he saw it..

For the first time in my life since I was 9 or 10, I had no enthusiasm for this season, and didn't look forward to the games.

I watched them all except the 2nd half of LSU due to a family situation, I DVRed it but still haven't watched it.

The TCU and A&M 2nd half meltdowns felt like watching a bad movie after seeing it many times before.

The NM State game was very blah, but the USCE game was the last straw if the A&M giveaway wasn't.

I was convinced that this team would not get any better and that Bert was on his way out regardless of what media tools like Bolin spouted.

Leaks started to drip out that his buyout wasn't as much as we thought, Wally started to openly criticize him and he never does that until he knows something.

This wasn't the worst team in my lifetime, '90 and '92 were worse, 96-97 were about the same, as were 04-05, 12 was worse because expectations had been so high, 13 was worse because 0-8 in the SEC, but it still fell into the 5 worst seasons in my memory.

A new coach brings a new start. 6-6 next season won't make everyone happy, but it is a start to something better, so at least we will have some hope which Bert had completely extinguished in the last calendar year..

[311Hog]

rebellions are built on hope =P

[moses_007]

where does one find this hope?

A town called Hope in south Arkansas.

[Porkette]

Hope is really what it's all about for fans. Now we have a fresh beginning and something to get excited about again. It's good to see some positivity. I just hope that when skeptical fans say they're "willing to give the new coach a chance," they mean for several years, not until our next loss. 

[The Kig]

There were a couple of games that I didn't watch...or watched only part of this year.  In the past, even if I went/watched live, I would still DVR and watch portions of later.  Not this year.

At some point, I realized the wheels were off and we were watching a dead man walking.  The Coastal Carolina game was the first time I thought if he loses this it becomes his Citadel and he's gone.  I believe CBB was a well intentioned coach, but there were some glaring soul crushing deficiencies over the last 3 years (especially on defense and 2nd half decisions) that were going to cost him his job eventually.    Change was an absolute necessity.

CCM makes no bones about the type of offense he is going to run...and it will be exciting.  Some part of me is still a bit skeptical, but I no longer believe he was a bad choice.  If he can actually attract a good DC, we could be in for some good times.  I am realistic about expectations and the impact all this change will have on next years record... but I do have hope for where we are going.

[cityhog]

Change in Razorback land

[12247]

Just seeing the fire in the new hire is very encouraging.  Folks here on Hogville gave me crap all the time about fire in the belly and refusing to be denied.

One way I can explain fire is just look at Baker Mayfield:  Had to walk on at Texas Tech and won the starting job as a Freshman.  Was and is the only walkon freshman QB to ever start a game for a major conference school his first year as a freshman.  Asked for a schollie after his Freshman year and was refused.  He left that team and walked on at OU.  He sit out a year, then beat out Trevor Knight as the starter is 2015.  He will win just about every award given to a QB this year.  The Kid started out with just about everything about him being average except the fire in his belly. 

I believe we got a coach with fire and he will hire like folks to help him.  He will make mistakes but he will keep bringing it, keep getting up off the mat and keep marching forward.  I want to believe he will keep his mouth shut and let the results do the talking.  It is very early to say this, but I see a little Frank Broyles in this Guy.

[HogPharmer]

where does one find this hope?

I think she works at the Paper Moon over off Asher in SWLR Tuesdays and Thursdays.

[razorbackcaller]

Just seeing the fire in the new hire is very encouraging.  Folks here on Hogville gave me crap all the time about fire in the belly and refusing to be denied.

One way I can explain fire is just look at Baker Mayfield:  Had to walk on at Texas Tech and won the starting job as a Freshman.  Was and is the only walkon freshman QB to ever start a game for a major conference school his first year as a freshman.  Asked for a schollie after his Freshman year and was refused.  He left that team and walked on at OU.  He sit out a year, then beat out Trevor Knight as the starter is 2015.  He will win just about every award given to a QB this year.  The Kid started out with just about everything about him being average except the fire in his belly. 

I believe we got a coach with fire and he will hire like folks to help him.  He will make mistakes but he will keep bringing it, keep getting up off the mat and keep marching forward.  I want to believe he will keep his mouth shut and let the results do the talking.  It is very early to say this, but I see a little Frank Broyles in this Guy.

This Aggie is no Frank Broyles!
Don't commit sacrilege!

[Albert Einswine]

This Aggie is no Frank Broyles!
Don't commit sacrilege!

That's right. Frank was a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket.

[Kevin]

I have really liked what he has done. trying to stay level headed about this hire.

[razorbackcaller]

That's right. Frank was a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket.

Frank was a Razorback!
This guy can't wait to get his shot to go to A$M!
You obviously don't know anything about the aggies!

[razorbackcaller]

When Frank got his chance to go back to Tech he turned them down!
He lived this university!

[HogPharmer]

Frank was a Razorback!
This guy can't wait to get his shot to go to A$M!
You obviously don't know anything about the aggies!

Obviously you don't either because they just signed a coach to a 10 year deal with a guaranteed $75 million.

[razorbackcaller]

Obviously you don't either because they just signed a coach to a 10 year deal with a guaranteed $75 million.

If he doesn't win a national title he will not be there 6 Year's from now the aggies have money they will buy him out and move on to Morris.
They are already talking about that very thing.

[razorbackcaller]

The aggies are referring to the Arkansas job as his audition

[farmhawg]

where does one find this hope?

Gomer's

[Bacons Rebellion]

I watched every game. And I dreaded every one of them. Especially when we were ahead, since I "knew" we would find a way to collapse at the end, like so many times before.

I never gave up watching the Ole Miss game, but I watched our comeback with a bizarre cynicism, as in "My lord, we found a team that is even more keystone cops than we are." I should have enjoyed the biggest comeback in Razorback history (I remember being glued to the radio as we tried to comeback against TCU in 1990), but there was no enjoyment in beating Ole Miss.

I was not particularly upset when we went down by 9 against Coastal Carolina. It was just comical.

Glad we have a change. I'm looking for the defensive staff to form.

[HawgWyld]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

About halfway through the season, I noticed that a lot of us longtime fans were doing things other than bothering with games (that revelation came in a Sunday school class the day after some dismal loss -- I decided to go shopping with my wife rather than watch the Hogs blow another game and I wasn't alone in that). That's quite a thing for someone who is a third-generation UA grad, went to his first Razorbacks game when he was three-years-old and has attended his fair share of games over the years.

The UA just had to get rid of Bielema, regardless of the price. He was simply losing the fanbase. Thank goodness the UA managed to pick someone who fans appear to be rallying around right now.

[HawgWyld]

I watched every game. And I dreaded every one of them. Especially when we were ahead, since I "knew" we would find a way to collapse at the end, like so many times before.

I never gave up watching the Ole Miss game, but I watched our comeback with a bizarre cynicism, as in "My lord, we found a team that is even more keystone cops than we are." I should have enjoyed the biggest comeback in Razorback history (I remember being glued to the radio as we tried to comeback against TCU in 1990), but there was no enjoyment in beating Ole Miss.

I was not particularly upset when we went down by 9 against Coastal Carolina. It was just comical.

Glad we have a change. I'm looking for the defensive staff to form.

I hear you on Coastal Carolina. I went to dinner with my wife and saw the score at the restaurant.

"Coastal Carolina? Who the hell is that and why is that team beating the Hogs?" I asked.

[orvillesghost]

I like Morris and how he has started out and am for him all the way.

That being said though, he is going to face the same challenges all our coaches have since we joined the SEC.

I don't want to ride the wave too much right now. We will take some lumps in 2018 and that would have been the case no matter who we hired.

Cautiously optimistic at the moment. If he pulls a great DC hire and we make a few small strides in recruiting this year, that would be a super sign that we are on the way.

[JONAS]

Frank was a Razorback!
This guy can't wait to get his shot to go to A$M!
You obviously don't know anything about the aggies!

He did not play at A&M.  Anyway, how do you know he can't wait to go to A&M?  Has he said this to anybody or is this what you think??

[The NewEra]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

Many share those same feelings.  I've missed your post over the past several months.  You're always a good read with a great sense of humor.

[The NewEra]

I can't explain it, it's kinda like that quote by former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart that he couldn't define porn, but knew it when he saw it..

For the first time in my life since I was 9 or 10, I had no enthusiasm for this season, and didn't look forward to the games.

I watched them all except the 2nd half of LSU due to a family situation, I DVRed it but still haven't watched it.

The TCU and A&M 2nd half meltdowns felt like watching a bad movie after seeing it many times before.

The NM State game was very blah, but the USCE game was the last straw if the A&M giveaway wasn't.

I was convinced that this team would not get any better and that Bert was on his way out regardless of what media tools like Bolin spouted.

Leaks started to drip out that his buyout wasn't as much as we thought, Wally started to openly criticize him and he never does that until he knows something.

This wasn't the worst team in my lifetime, '90 and '92 were worse, 96-97 were about the same, as were 04-05, 12 was worse because expectations had been so high, 13 was worse because 0-8 in the SEC, but it still fell into the 5 worst seasons in my memory.

A new coach brings a new start. 6-6 next season won't make everyone happy, but it is a start to something better, so at least we will have some hope which Bert had completely extinguished in the last calendar year..

I'm hoping we have enough talent on the offensive side of the ball to overcome what is sure to be a defensive work in progress to eek out 7 or maybe even eight wins next year, but a bowl at 6-6 would do for the first year in a completely new system with a new staff.  At least I have hope.  Since the SC game I've felt like energy leaches were attacking me and draining any bit of enthusiasm I could muster completely out of me.  I hate to think of how low the interest in football for 2018 would have been had Bielema been allowed to stick around another year. 

[The NewEra]

Hope is really what it's all about for fans. Now we have a fresh beginning and something to get excited about again. It's good to see some positivity. I just hope that when skeptical fans say they're "willing to give the new coach a chance," they mean for several years, not until our next loss. 

It wasn't merely the losses that put the Indians on the rampage in our fan base, it was the way we were losing and a team that was just giving up, led by a coach telling us we were so close in year five, when everyone knew what they were seeing was just the opposite.

[elksnort]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

Your first paragraph is profound and I'm not feeling like spending the time saying why, but really good post.

[Mikey]

I'm just as glad that Long & CBB are gone now too after the past season and a half, and I'm just as hopeful as everyone else that CCM is successful.  With that said, don't get your hopes up too high because it's far from a certainty that CCM is going to be more than a 7-win average coach here.  I hope I'm wrong, but it's far too early to tell.  Just a lot of hoping going on around here. 

[SoonerBaHog]

The past 2 seasons, especially the one just concluded, robbed me of my lifelong enthusiasm for Razorback football. This season I was totally disinterested. I listened to a few games on internet radio, but at nearly 52 years old, and for the first time since my single digit years, I didn't watch a single game. I had no faith and no hope.

Since the jettisoning of Jeff and Bret, and especially after the hiring of Morris, my hope is renewed and I can't wait for the return of Razorback football. It's gonna be a long, long wait for August.

This has to be the best post of the last few weeks. I am sure most of us can relate.