What type of school is Arkansas?

[Smithian]

Kind of like Ohio State is a football school and Kentucky is a basketball school, what type of school would you consider Arkansas?

Although the general interest in Arkansas seems to be geared to football, including myself, it doesn't change the fact that over our history basketball has been a much more successful program. Arkansas program is most likely probably a top 10 program whereas our football program has a lot more "what if?" moments than championship moments like basketball.

Although BBall has been down lately, most people still know were a major program and this is more of a rought patch in our history. Football has been down for what seems like decades and most people don't even consider Arkansas more than an upper mid-major.

I think were a basketball school.

[Pork Twain]

We are a football school...  Nolan just confused us for a while.

[ReturnToDynasty?]

Clearly we are a track school.  But we fool ourselves into thinking we are a football school. 

[HogFather]

redneck 

[Pork Twain]

No offence to our great track team but no one in the NCAA wants to be considered a track school.  That is like asking Duke if they want to be considered a polo school.

When you think of Arkansas' great teams does a track team ever pop into your mind???  When you think of your favorite player ever at the UofA is it a track star???

What coach has done with our track team is absolutely amazing but I don't want to be known as a track school.  To me that just says you suck at the big three.  While we have sucked at the big three I would like to be known as a football school again.

[Smithian]

Super, I put track there to prevent 20-such people from posting track and being like, "That is all we win in."

[Pork Twain]

I agree and it has to be there because coach has put us on the map with his program.

[WilsonHog]

In whose perception? Recruits? National media? SEC fans? Our fans?

I don't believe we've experienced enough success in the two major revenue sports over the last 10 to 15 years to be considered much of either one. The kids that Stan Heath is currently recruiting were maybe six or seven yaers old when we won the National Championship. The players that HDN is currently recruiting have seen us finish in the Top 25 twice in their lifetime.       

[yraciv]

I rank them track, basketball, football, but unfortunately it is the oppisite for fan interest.  If you ask an educated ncaa sports fan; they would call us a track school.  As much as it's not the glamorous thing to be thats where we dominate year in, year out.

[mikeirwin]

This question keeps coming up. You aren't a..
(a)football
(b) track
(c) basketball
(c) baseball
(d) tennis
school because you are good at one or more of the above.

You are what you are because of what your fans support.

Arkansas is (a).

What other sport at this school draws 65,000 at the tail end of back to back losing seasons ?

[ReturnToDynasty?]

You may not want to be known as a track school, but the reality is, we have over 40 national championships in the sport.  It's either tracks or nada. 

The question should be, what would it take for Arkansas to be realistically considered a football school?

[Chappeee]

Give Coach Broyles some props here.  The fact that we have to ask this question suggests that he has built an all around good sports program.

SSSSOOOOIIIEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!

[3kgthog]

It's easily football. We have sucked for two years, but what kind of discussions comprise 90% of posts on Arkansas message boards? That would be football topics ranging from Mitch sightings to "Fire Nutt" threads.

[werehog]

Football, hands down.

[Theolesnort]

Football is the straw that stirs the whole drink. In other words the interest in football is where the money comes from. We just need to stir a lot harder.

[mikeirwin]

Obviously more fans will go to football games than track meets.  Just because our fans like football better than track (as does every friggin school) doesn't mean anyone would consider us a 'football school'.  For the last 2 years we haven't even played .500 football. 

Who is anyone ?
You are a football school if large numbers of fans turn out for your games win or lose.
South Carolina is a football school. They don't have a history of success but their fans turn out big time anyway.
Now if the question is, What do people outside of Arkansas think when they think of Razorback sports, well that's a different matter. But that wasn't the question that was asked in this thread.

[Brutalis]

I'd say it's 55% Football and 45% Track. Whatever else is successful is just a bonus..

[GAMECOCKBOY]

Obviously more fans will go to football games than track meets.  Just because our fans like football better than track (as does every friggin school) doesn't mean anyone would consider us a 'football school'.  For the last 2 years we haven't even played .500 football. 

Who is anyone ?
You are a football school if large numbers of fans turn out for your games win or lose.
South Carolina is a football school. They don't have a history of success but their fans turn out big time anyway.
Now if the question is, What do people outside of Arkansas think when they think of Razorback sports, well that's a different matter. But that wasn't the question that was asked in this thread.

your right we dont have alot of history in football and barly enough in basketball... the way i see it i want us to be a 2 sport school why not ? hell why not 3 since we have a good baseball team...i think of arkansas as a football school but hell yall could be a 2 or 3 sport school...

[noprayerfornutt]

Football with basketball not too far behind.

[trufanofhogs]

It depends on who you talk to. To be honest, the Univ. of Arkansas has one of most all around successful athletic programs anywhere. We have been rated as an all time top ten basketball program. I have seen a recent ranking of all time football programs and we came in at #19. That is after not being ranked hardly at all for over 15 years. I remember seeing a similar poll about 20 years ago which ranked us at #11. We have, arguably, the most dominant track and field program in NCAA history. The baseball program has been a solid success now for about 25 years. Can we get back to being a big winner in football and basketball again?  I am certain of it. With these coaches or with some  others, the committment and the interest are there to get it done. Maybe it is just my perception, but too many people posting on this board don't give "us" enough credit. And as for the national media and individuals around the country who don't seem to give the Razorbacks their props, I don't think they really know what they are talking about. The facts bear this out - THE ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS ARE ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING SUCCESS STORIES IN THE HISTORY OF MAJOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS. For those that don't see it- What have they been looking at? Or, maybe they are jealous.

[bigeasyhog]

yeah, ya know ,Louisiana State didn't think they were a football school back in 1999 either. I remember my first trip to Tiger Stadium that year to watch the Hogs play them, the stadium was virtually VACANT! I went to get a coke before the kickoff, and everyone complimented my hog hat, and hoped " we would take it easy on them..."  true story folks... with a little success, you're outlook changes quickly and dramatically...

[Tony Sloprano]

This idea of "football draws 65,000 people so we're a football school" is a case of oversimplification.

I'm sure Kentucky football outdraws Kentucky basketball so does that make Kentucky a football school ?      Hardly.

[thehill1414]

This idea of "football draws 65,000 people so we're a football school" is a case of oversimplification.

I'm sure Kentucky football outdraws Kentucky basketball so does that make Kentucky a football school ?      Hardly.

Exactly what I was going to say, same thing with UCLA.

[PorkSoda]

Arkansas is a football school.  The other sports are just there to take up time while we wait around for football season to start.  JMO

[mikeirwin]

This idea of "football draws 65,000 people so we're a football school" is a case of oversimplification.

I'm sure Kentucky football outdraws Kentucky basketball so does that make Kentucky a football school ?      Hardly.

Go hang out in bluegrass country for a while. Listen to what Kentucky fans talk about. They talk about basketball.
Do the same in Arkansas. They talk about football even when the football team is not winning.

[Tammany Tom]

yeah, ya know ,Louisiana State didn't think they were a football school back in 1999 either. I remember my first trip to Tiger Stadium that year to watch the Hogs play them, the stadium was virtually VACANT! I went to get a coke before the kickoff, and everyone complimented my hog hat, and hoped " we would take it easy on them..."  true story folks... with a little success, you're outlook changes quickly and dramatically...

I fully realize this thread is about what type of school Arkansas is and apologize for changing the subject to LSU, but I have to respond to this post. You go to your first football game in Tiger Stadium in 1999 and you automatically know how we fans in Louisiana view our program. I don't think so.

A little history lesson just for you. LSU's football program didn't just become successful in the year 2000. Go to the College Football Data Warehouse and look up the Top Ten Football Programs of All-Time.

LSU had back to back losing seasons in 1998 and 1999 posting overall records of 4-7 and 3-8 respectfully. We were 2-6 and 1-7 in the SEC respectfully for those two seasons. LSU was number ten nationally in attendance in 1998 with an average attendance of 80,290. LSU was number eleven in attendance in 1999 with an average attendance of 78,630. Tiger Stadium's official capacity for those two years was 80,000. The Arkansas game in which you reference that was virtually vacant had an attendance of 77,610.

Since we fans didn't consider our school to be a football school, as you say. It is quite interesting that Tiger Stadium was in the midst of being expanded during the 1999 season to 91,600 for the 2000 season to accomodate the thousands of fans that were on the season ticket waiting list.

I can assure you that LSU has been, is, and always will be a football school in the eyes of the people of Louisiana. For Thirty years from 1958 until 1988, LSU was in the Top 10 in Football attendance nationally. Only in 1989 when several football stadiums across the country were expanded did LSU fall out of the Top 10 in Football attendance dropping to number 12. After expanding our stadium in 2000, LSU found itself back in the Top 5 in football attendance nationally.

And yes, you did take it easy on us that afternoon. I guess you do remember the final score don't you?

[ClubChubby]

How many fans show up for bball? How many for football? There is your answer.

[Theolesnort]

 Hang on thar Tammany. Some of us old timers remember Billy Canon and that fantastic punt return against Ole Miss back in 59 when they were a power. I wish we could jump start our program like y'all finally did.

[VoR]

No offence to our great track team but no one in the NCAA wants to be considered a track school.  That is like asking Duke if they want to be considered a polo school.

When you think of Arkansas' great teams does a track team ever pop into your mind???  When you think of your favorite player ever at the UofA is it a track star???

What coach has done with our track team is absolutely amazing but I don't want to be known as a track school.  To me that just says you suck at the big three.  While we have sucked at the big three I would like to be known as a football school again.

Nahhhhh, Duke's no longer known as a polo school, they are known for their rugby team.

[GorillaJMonsoon]

This question keeps coming up. You aren't a..
(a)football
(b) track
(c) basketball
(c) baseball
(d) tennis
school because you are good at one or more of the above.

You are what you are because of what your fans support.

Arkansas is (a).

What other sport at this school draws 65,000 at the tail end of back to back losing seasons ?

Arkansas might WANT to be (A), but by that logic, South Carolina has always been a football school due to fan support alone.  I think it has to factor in the amount of national success, so, fan support aside, we have had unprecedented success in Track and so of all the sports listed I chose track, even though our losing football team has more fans than our incredible track program. 

[Tony Sloprano]

This idea of "football draws 65,000 people so we're a football school" is a case of oversimplification.

I'm sure Kentucky football outdraws Kentucky basketball so does that make Kentucky a football school ?      Hardly.

Go hang out in bluegrass country for a while. Listen to what Kentucky fans talk about. They talk about basketball.
Do the same in Arkansas. They talk about football even when the football team is not winning.

If you'll notice, I didn't disagree with the idea that Ark is a football school, I only disagreed with the rationale that was used to back up your beliefs.

Ark is a football school.

I think it boils down to what an individual's definition of a "football" school or a "basketball" school is.

To some, it means which sport has that school been most succesful in for the majority of their lifespan. Success is their defining factor.

To others, success has nothing to do with it, only the amount of fan interest which includes attendance, water cooler talk and the number of calls fielded on a radio call in show. Fan interest is their defining factor.

Neither one is wrong, just different.

[dana caldwell]

i go by regional and national perceptions, which are based on performance. i care more about how other folks perceive the UA than how UA fans and administrators want the UA to be perceived.

that said, arkansas has been different things in different eras:

1960s-football school
1970s-football and basketball (more so in the mid- to late-70s)
1980s-both, but on the fringe (bkb more so in the early-80s)
1990s-basketball power
2000s-neither

yeah, it's a track school, but that holds about as much national interest as, quick, name the men's tennis school or the rowing school. not to insult, but sports bar talk NEVER centers on track unless you're across the street from the Penn Relays or something.

arkansas can again be a basketball school. that's realistic. just not with the direction it's going. regionally, and even nationally, arkansas still holds a thread of respect basketball-wise. not as salty, but as a possible returnee to national power.

and it can be a solid, sometimes dangerous, auburn-caliber football program if things play out right in the next couple of seasons. but bc of the small recruiting ground of the state, i don't see it having the potential of basketball to again be a CONSISTENT national power like in the '60s when lots of things (almost exclusively white boys, much less than 119 programs, SWC sched, etc.) were different.

[#3 HogFan Kyle]

I figured I'd give my opinion on this matter...

I've always considered us a basketball school.  We've had all around more success in roundball over the last, well, pretty much well before my 23 years of existence started.  Football, in it's history, has always seemed to have a losing season every 5,6, or 7 years (the only big difference between nutt and broyles is frank wrapped them with 10-win seasons, we'll see about this year).  I could also say that I want us to be a baseball school, since it's my favorite sport to go to on campus (not to mention it's the only one we've been consistently good at in the 5 years I was on campus).  You could also, as most others have said, say track because of the dominance.

However, when the people of Arkansas spend almost an entire year talking a high school senior quarterback, and the press conference with him announcing his commitment gets as much press as it did, in most eyes, we will ALWAYS be looked at as a football school.  It matters not one bit how many championships we win in all the other sports combined.

Ok, I'm done.

[SuthrnFballer15]

I like to think that we are a Football school, and I understand that our football record cant top the school's track record but our football program is coming back around slowly.  :razorback: The track and field program at UofA is one of the most successful programs in NCAA history, led by head coach John McDonnell, are the most decorated teams in the athletics department at UofA. The program has won 42 national titles in Cross Country and Track & Field. One of its most famous stars is recent graduate Alistair Cragg who competed for Ireland at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.

[blake]

If we are a football school than why are we settling for mediocre seasons. We must demand more from our team and hold the coach's and others accountable. Back to back losing seasons are not acceptable in my eyes and I don't want to here any excuses! Win or get on down the road and get someone in here that while finish the job PERIOD

[bigeasyhog]

Tammany, I was also back in Baton Rouge in '01 for the Hogs and Tiggers of Louisana State..and based on the attendance then, there is  NO WAY IN HELL 77,000 fannies were in the seats...they may have SOLD 77,000 tix..but there were some NO SHOWS,,,I mean think about it, according to your post ,y'all are 2-8, with an 0-7 record in league play, going in to the last game of the year, with NO BOWL GAME on the line, and you're saying that 77,000 out of a capacity of 80,000 seats in 1999 were in attendance?!....NO WAY!!!  I have been to SEC games in 5 different stadiums; I know what I saw that afternoon, there was maybe 50k there. But, if it makes you feel bettter......do what you need to do...  BTW  last 8 games in series... Louisiana State 5 HOGS 3 ...see ya in LR  this year Tammany!!!   WPS!!!

[harbingerofhog]

This question keeps coming up. You aren't a..
(a)football
(b) track
(c) basketball
(c) baseball
(d) tennis
school because you are good at one or more of the above.

You are what you are because of what your fans support.

Arkansas is (a).

What other sport at this school draws 65,000 at the tail end of back to back losing seasons ?
 

I disagree.  It's a fallacy to say attendance designates affinity.  Twice as many fans show up for Kentucky football games as do basketball games.  I think the answer lies in a combination of fan support/intrest and success. Outside of Arkansas, people probably don't think of us as any "type" of school. We're average, or occasionally slightly above average in each of the major sports.  Track, well...is track.

[gohogs]

football... just look at the name of this board.