The Angry Divide

[thefisher]

As soon as the Forest City Joes of this world obtained internet access, we started complaining and attacking each other. But I do agree with him that we are unnecessarily adversarial in general...and always have been.

Basically, we are a stupid and emotionally unstable fan base.

Very nice! +1

Hogville - the natural extension of what happens when an entire fan base goes full retard!

[DukeOfPork]

There are those that suck the life out of everything. They're unhappy and therefore WE must all be unhappy right along with them.

Yes, this is what I have a problem with.

I am not a Kool-aid drinker; I'm not convinced that CBB can turn this around.  But I'm taking a wait-and-see approach because that is all you can do. 

Incessantly b!tching on Hogville won't run CBB or Long out of here one day earlier.  All it does is drag everyone else down into your misery.  We're all beat down enough as it is without the same dozen people reading the Book of Job to us on a daily basis.

[Atlhogfan1]

Hogville posters are more stupid than most message board posters.  It's a fact.  Hogville is the butt of jokes on other boards.

Don't get me wrong, the board itself is great.  It's among the best in terms of layout, functionality, etc.  It's the unhinged opinions and histrionics that are tolerated here that makes HV such a farce.

Yes, Bama fans are insane.  Worse than us.  But we earned this:

http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/the-ten-dumbest-fan-bases-in-america-4-arkansas-.php

Unfortunately we don't have a good message board for our fan base. 

[Jeff "hogfanintx" Anderson]

First of all, they're not mad just for the sake of being mad.  They're mad because the football program just had the worst year in the entire one hundred plus year history of the program and they don't agree with the direction of the program.  You don't have to agree with their anger, but you can at least acknowledge their reasons.

So, once again in order to promote unity, you start a thread bringing up the differences and castigating those with whom you disagree? 

I see very few thread around here started by people who are mad anymore but I see plenty started by people who just can't stand it that maybe not everyone agrees that everything is hunky dory in Razorback Land right now.

Great post!

[DukeOfPork]

You are naïve.  Interest in Waning fast and look what has happened to our basketball team since that started with the firing of Nolan.  The results of the firing of Nolan and the firing of BP have so far been very similar...

The BB program was already on a downward trajectory.  Don't revise history.  We compounded that problem with a series of poor hires.

I agree that BP and Nolan are similar; they both sabotaged themselves and the program.

[DukeOfPork]

Forgive me for not being excited about our evolution into a (hopefully) cotton bowl team.

BP's last team was a Cotton Bowl team.  I've got news for you: BP did not have enough talent on campus to duplicate our Sugar Bowl season.  That was a fluke, unless he came across another bumper crop of talent like he stumbled into in 2008.

[EastexHawg]

What this program needs the most is STABILITY.

Maybe, maybe not.  If a coach wins for several years, then has a down year or two, I can understand calls for stability.  But...how many years do you hold onto a coach who isn't winning for the sake of stability?  What if he's never going to win at an acceptable level and all you're doing is delaying moving onto a better option?

Note:  I am discussing the CONCEPT of keeping a coach just for the purpose of stability...not just the current coaching staff.

[bphi11ips]

I have loved college football from the time I was young enough to understand the game.  I spent hours and hours watching it on television with my grandparents and parents.  They took me to Razorbacks games before I could walk.  I have never lost my love for the Hogs or the game itself, and I assume I never will.  This past season was as exciting as ever.  I enjoyed it without regard to the Razorbacks' poor record.  Even they had their moments. 

I first visited Hogville in November, 2006 while researching what was going on with Houston Nutt and Mitch Mustain.  If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn't have clicked.  Once I learned the details, I was happy to be part of the group who made every effort to have Nutt ousted.  That was the right thing for the program and the right thing in general.  I love the direction Bret Bielema is taking things on and off the field. 

The non-stop negativity and vitriol on this Board is frustrating.  It could damage my enthusiasm for the Razorbacks and Arkansas if I let it, but I can take it with a grain of salt.  I have to believe that what we see here, although perhaps a barometer of the fanbase, does not represent a splintered fanbase as much as it is a community of diehard, know-it-all, opinionated Razorbacks fans with too much time on their hands, self-absorbed with their own belief that their opinion matters.  I will plead guilty of being one of those people myself.  There are also plenty of trolls and smart alecks here who stir the pot. 

The trick is to not let Hogville adversely affect your love of the game.     

         

[hogsanity]

Maybe, maybe not.  If a coach wins for several years, then has a down year or two, I can understand calls for stability.  But...how many years do you hold onto a coach who isn't winning for the sake of stability?  What if he's never going to win at an acceptable level and all you're doing is delaying moving onto a better option?

Well, first someone has to define " win at an acceptable level". Is it having a winnign record?  Wining conf record? at least being 8-4 every year?  Once you define acceptable level, then how long do you allow to try to get to that level? What was the record the year before the coach started his tenure?

If a guy has been on the job 5 years, and the best he has done is 7-5, then I would have no problem with him being let go.  Where it gets dicey is if his 5 years have been, 4-8, 7-5, 6-6, 10-2, 8-4. Was 10-2 an anomoly or was it the result of 4 years of hard work, then 8-4 the result of losing a Sr class and reloading a bit?

[Jek Tono Porkins]

Maybe, maybe not.  If a coach wins for several years, then has a down year or two, I can understand calls for stability.  But...how many years do you hold onto a coach who isn't winning for the sake of stability?  What if he's never going to win at an acceptable level and all you're doing is delaying moving onto a better option?

Note:  I am discussing the CONCEPT of keeping a coach just for the purpose of stability...not just the current coaching staff.

You can't really answer those question unless you have a number of factors to first consider, including coaching record and pedigree, overall state of the program, who you could get that was better, recruiting classes, overall character of the coach, etc.

Coaches usually aren't fired or hired because of one reason. It's a combination of many different reasons, of which stability is just one.

But one thing is for sure....successful programs in college football  (read: programs that have sustained periods of success) don't constantly ride the coaching carousel.

[DukeOfPork]

Maybe, maybe not.  If a coach wins for several years, then has a down year or two, I can understand calls for stability.  But...how many years do you hold onto a coach who isn't winning for the sake of stability?  What if he's never going to win at an acceptable level and all you're doing is delaying moving onto a better option?

Note:  I am discussing the CONCEPT of keeping a coach just for the purpose of stability...not just the current coaching staff.

Well, there are a lot of variables to consider on that.

In our case, CBB will have two or three more years before we can seriously discuss sending him packing.

[DukeOfPork]

I have loved college football from the time I was young enough to understand the game.  I spent hours and hours watching it on television with my grandparents and parents.  They took me to Razorbacks games before I could walk.  I have never lost my love for the Hogs or the game itself, and I assume I never will.  This past season was as exciting as ever.  I enjoyed it without regard to the Razorbacks' poor record.  Even they had their moments. 

I first visited Hogville in November, 2006 while researching what was going on with Houston Nutt and Mitch Mustain.  If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn't have clicked.  Once I learned the details, I was happy to be part of the group who made every effort to have Nutt ousted.  That was the right thing for the program and the right thing in general.  I love the direction Bret Bielema is taking things on and off the field. 

The non-stop negativity and vitriol on this Board is frustrating.  It could damage my enthusiasm for the Razorbacks and Arkansas if I let it, but I can take it with a grain of salt.  I have to believe that what we see here, although perhaps a barometer of the fanbase, does not represent a splintered fanbase as much as it is a community of diehard, know-it-all, opinionated Razorbacks fans with too much time on their hands, self-absorbed with their own belief that their opinion matters.  I will plead guilty of being one of those people myself.  There are also plenty of trolls and smart alecks here who stir the pot. 

The trick is to not let Hogville adversely affect your love of the game.     

         

+1

So the moral to the story is "check Hogville if you must, but ignore Hogvillians."

[LZH]

Well, there are a lot of variables to consider on that.

In our case, CBB will have two or three more years before we can seriously discuss sending him packing.

I can't understand why Iowa has kept ol' whats-his-name so long.  Seems like it's been 20 years since he got that huge contract and he hasn't done squat since.  If they get enough of his mediocrity, I don't see any scenario in which Iowa won't offer BB the job.  And I bet he'd take it.

[Atlhogfan1]

I can't understand why Iowa has kept ol' whats-his-name so long.  Seems like it's been 20 years since he got that huge contract and he hasn't done squat since.  If they get enough of his mediocrity, I don't see any scenario in which Iowa won't offer BB the job.  And I bet he'd take it.

Because they understand what their program is.

Bielema should take it if he were fortunate enough to be offered it. 

[superior_wang]

Because they understand what their program is.

Bielema should take it if he were fortunate enough to be offered it.

nice.

so. what are we ? 7-5, 8-4  forever?  ewwwww

[Atlhogfan1]

nice.

so. what are we ? 7-5, 8-4  forever?  ewwwww

I didn't comment on us.  I commented on Iowa.  Still the same old wang after all of these years.  Troll and instigate. 

[Hawgon]

nice.

so. what are we ? 7-5, 8-4  forever?  ewwwww

The real reason is that they gave him a stupidly long contract and an insane buyout that pays him for the remaining years on his contract.  At something like $4.5 million a year, he is over $16 million or some stupid stuff like that.

[LZH]

The real reason is that they gave him a stupidly long contract and an insane buyout that pays him for the remaining years on his contract.  At something like $4.5 million a year, he is over $16 million or some stupid stuff like that.

It's way up there.  I know Ferentz has NFL experience and at the time was a pretty hot commodity, but he has turned out to be not unlike Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame.  Have a good year, throw a fortune at him, and then watch hopelessly as he dogpaddles his way thru his tenure.

[superior_wang]

I didn't comment on us.  I commented on Iowa.  Still the same old wang after all of these years.  Troll and instigate.

hmm are we better than iowa?

[Hawgon]

I know it is Bleacher Report, but this little article spells out clearly why Ferentz is still at Iowa.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1346534-iowa-football-kirk-ferentz-has-the-worst-contract-in-all-of-college-football

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I have loved college football from the time I was young enough to understand the game.  I spent hours and hours watching it on television with my grandparents and parents.  They took me to Razorbacks games before I could walk.  I have never lost my love for the Hogs or the game itself, and I assume I never will.  This past season was as exciting as ever.  I enjoyed it without regard to the Razorbacks' poor record.  Even they had their moments. 

I first visited Hogville in November, 2006 while researching what was going on with Houston Nutt and Mitch Mustain.  If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn't have clicked.  Once I learned the details, I was happy to be part of the group who made every effort to have Nutt ousted.  That was the right thing for the program and the right thing in general.  I love the direction Bret Bielema is taking things on and off the field. 

The non-stop negativity and vitriol on this Board is frustrating.  It could damage my enthusiasm for the Razorbacks and Arkansas if I let it, but I can take it with a grain of salt.  I have to believe that what we see here, although perhaps a barometer of the fanbase, does not represent a splintered fanbase as much as it is a community of diehard, know-it-all, opinionated Razorbacks fans with too much time on their hands, self-absorbed with their own belief that their opinion matters.  I will plead guilty of being one of those people myself.  There are also plenty of trolls and smart alecks here who stir the pot. 

The trick is to not let Hogville adversely affect your love of the game.     

         

Great post.

[MTBrookHog]

I understand that, but if we're sending money to the RF, we are buying the right to have a say.  Doesn't mean anyone has to listen.  But as long as you keep the kids' names out of it, everyone who's getting paid big money is fair game, imo.

This is one of the problems. What makes you think that just because you donate to the foundation that your opinion carries any weight. I hate to break your heart but unless you're an upper Broyles/Matthews donor, your opinion carries jack squat!

[MuskogeeHogFan]

This is one of the problems. What makes you think that just because you donate to the foundation that your opinion carries any weight. I hate to break your heart but unless you're an upper Broyles/Matthews donor, your opinion carries jack squat!

He wasn't saying (if I understood correctly) that his opinion "mattered" because he donates, merely that he has a right to his opinion and voicing that opinion, which he does, as with anyone who donates. May not sway anyones opinion or vote, but you still have the right to have your say.

[chitwnhog]

Started with HDN.

Our fanbase learned how to be divided. You were either a ‘hugger’ or a ‘darksider’. It’s no longer important who was right or wrong, because the lesson learned was…we could argue and fuss with each other…AT each other…instead of discussing football.

You know, I used to really like college football. I mean…the actual play of the game. Now, I’m supposed to measure my pleasure EXCLUSIVELY by whether or not we win or lose.

By that criteria, only the fanbase of an undefeated team can find any joy. Ever.

So we’ve been divided by Nutt. And Mitch. And Teresa. And Gus. And Jeff. And Mike (it’s not football…but we fussed) And Bobby. And Ryan. And Willy. And motorcyclegate. And Jeff again. And Gus again. And coaching searches in general. And JLS (never have understood blaming a figurehead for behaving like a figurehead, but that’s just me). And Bret. And Jen. And (sigh) Gus….AGAIN.

And right now it’s Ash.

There is a multi-page thread trashing a coach for leaving…and apparently we(someone) didn’t like him anyway. So the folks who are glad he’s gone…are trashing him for leaving.

Can’t make this stuff up.

I used to really like college football.

I never got to wear the Colors. Did you? I’m a former UA student, but I didn’t ever dress out in the uni’s. So any opinion I voice about them NOW…I haven’t really earned the right. We all…on any message board…just ASSUME the right. But unless you actually sweated and bled…and wore the Colors well…you’re just a pundit. Like me. And what we choose to say, and how we choose to say it…tells the world who WE are. But not who the TEAM is.

You know what’s significant about the LSU game this past year? Those kids…those MAGNIFICENT young men in Hog Colors….were STILL TRYING!!
After everything I just listed. After a spirit-crushing season and (probably) watching themselves get completely dissed on Hogville…THEY were TRYING to win!

We don’t. Not so much. We don’t have teamwork here. We just try to beat each other. In our never ending quest to ‘be right’…or ‘be right…ER’ than the next guy, we are just sucking the joy out of being fans of football…and Hogs.

Our team is gonna keep trying to win, whether Hogvillains (sic) try or not. We’re going to be BETTER in 2014 than we were in 2013. And we’re gonna be DANGEROUS in 2015.

Bret might have made some faux pas in his first year, but he knows how to coach. He obviously knows how to recruit. He and the staff are getting athletes who will add to the strength of our team.

And he’s building a football team the way it should be built.

By 2015, we’re going to have to fabricate some crisis or another. Or that divide will just go poof. Maybe we can argue about there being nothing to argue about.

And some of us... are renewing our faith and joy in college football...win or lose...whether the rest of you want us to or not. Because Hogs will be on the field, playing their snouts off!

I agree with you 100%

[LZH]

He wasn't saying (if I understood correctly) that his opinion "mattered" because he donates, merely that he has a right to his opinion and voicing that opinion, which he does, as with anyone who donates. May not sway anyones opinion or vote, but you still have the right to have your say.

Yeah, he seemed to have skipped the next line where I said it doesn't mean anyone has to listen.

[Atlhogfan1]

The contract may be a reason Iowa is keeping Ferentz.  4 top ten teams, 6-5 bowl record and two Ornage Bowls with one win are probably other reasons.  He and Fry are the two best coaches in their program's history. 

As far as Arkansas being similar, yes.  It is one of the most comparable programs to ours.  They don't have the pre integration history we do.  But in the sense they are an 8 win type of season on average program capable of having a great team every so often capable of winning its conference and finishing in the top 10, we are similar.  We face tougher competition but we are closer to more recruits as well.  We are also similar in if something goes wrong, we can face a major rebuild and have some bad seasons while doing it.  Both of our programs go in cycles of good seasons followed by some rebuilding ones.  The one thing they have had is stability.  And Eastex is right in that stability isn't always good.  For our program right now, it is. 

[LZH]

I know it is Bleacher Report, but this little article spells out clearly why Ferentz is still at Iowa.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1346534-iowa-football-kirk-ferentz-has-the-worst-contract-in-all-of-college-football

Yikes.  What a mess.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

Ferentz is the only thing keeping Iowa from being Indiana, Ilinois, or Purdue.

Iowa understands this.

The good news is that we're not Iowa.

[LZH]

Ferentz is the only thing keeping Iowa from being Indiana, Ilinois, or Purdue.

Over the past few years, Iowa is closer to being Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue than Michigan, Michigan St., and Ohio State.

[ChitownHawg]

Started with HDN.

Our fanbase learned how to be divided. You were either a 'hugger' or a 'darksider'. It's no longer important who was right or wrong, because the lesson learned was...we could argue and fuss with each other...AT each other...instead of discussing football.

You know, I used to really like college football. I mean...the actual play of the game. Now, I'm supposed to measure my pleasure EXCLUSIVELY by whether or not we win or lose.

By that criteria, only the fanbase of an undefeated team can find any joy. Ever.

So we've been divided by Nutt. And Mitch. And Teresa. And Gus. And Jeff. And Mike (it's not football...but we fussed) And Bobby. And Ryan. And Willy. And motorcyclegate. And Jeff again. And Gus again. And coaching searches in general. And JLS (never have understood blaming a figurehead for behaving like a figurehead, but that's just me). And Bret. And Jen. And (sigh) Gus....AGAIN.

And right now it's Ash.

There is a multi-page thread trashing a coach for leaving...and apparently we(someone) didn't like him anyway. So the folks who are glad he's gone...are trashing him for leaving.

Can't make this stuff up.

I used to really like college football.

I never got to wear the Colors. Did you? I'm a former UA student, but I didn't ever dress out in the uni's. So any opinion I voice about them NOW...I haven't really earned the right. We all...on any message board...just ASSUME the right. But unless you actually sweated and bled...and wore the Colors well...you're just a pundit. Like me. And what we choose to say, and how we choose to say it...tells the world who WE are. But not who the TEAM is.

You know what's significant about the LSU game this past year? Those kids...those MAGNIFICENT young men in Hog Colors....were STILL TRYING!!
After everything I just listed. After a spirit-crushing season and (probably) watching themselves get completely dissed on Hogville...THEY were TRYING to win!

We don't. Not so much. We don't have teamwork here. We just try to beat each other. In our never ending quest to 'be right'...or 'be right...ER' than the next guy, we are just sucking the joy out of being fans of football...and Hogs.

Our team is gonna keep trying to win, whether Hogvillains (sic) try or not. We're going to be BETTER in 2014 than we were in 2013. And we're gonna be DANGEROUS in 2015.

Bret might have made some faux pas in his first year, but he knows how to coach. He obviously knows how to recruit. He and the staff are getting athletes who will add to the strength of our team.

And he's building a football team the way it should be built.

By 2015, we're going to have to fabricate some crisis or another. Or that divide will just go poof. Maybe we can argue about there being nothing to argue about.

And some of us... are renewing our faith and joy in college football...win or lose...whether the rest of you want us to or not. Because Hogs will be on the field, playing their snouts off!

Completely agree.

[Kevin]

i get confused. am i a hater or lover, or hugger or darksider.

[Steef]

i get confused. am i a hater or lover, or hugger or darksider.

Yes.

[Oklahawg]

Great OP Steef. Love it.

[Steef]

Great OP Steef. Love it.

Thanks, bud.

[Oklahawg]

A few notes summarized vs quoting a bazillion things.

1. giving $ to the RF doesn't buy you access (and thus a right to think your voice matters very much) unless it is a 6-digit gift.
2. winning cures a lot; Bobby's success only muted the critics, the success did not disappear.
3. there is nothing to suggest that several posters in this thread will not be happy with anything short of 15-0 every year. EVERY year. Then, after a year or two of 15-0, they will begin grumbling that we give up first downs on defense, and have incomplete passes from time to time. Wanting to win is fine, but too many have an ureasonable level of expectation.
4. The rationale for hating on Long may exist, but it relies on one of two (flawed) things: (1) they "know" something that cannot be corroborated publicly (indeed, there may be something "behind the scenes" but until it can be proven by media types we can't hold that as a real reason to hate Long); and/or (2) decision Long has made (that the poster doesn't like) have proven successful enough to be hailed by others.
5. Too many are fans of something/someone ahead of being fans of the Hogs. That turns into an agenda.
6. Too many fans have an unreasonable understanding of how athletics really work - rational discussion of a game, let alone a season's worth of development, are impossible because the fan is ill-equipped for that discussion. Sorry, it hurts I realize.

This doesn't mean that you can't dissent (some solid dissent in this thread). HV won't censor dissent. The perpetual rant doesn't work. The nightmare is over. One of these days Long will move on and we'll hire a new AD - and I will support his replacement even if I don't like them. I am glad CMA is our hoops coach, and CBB is our football coach. But, when they move on I'll support the next coach (even if it's not Gus).

[Steef]

A few notes summarized vs quoting a bazillion things.

1. giving $ to the RF doesn't buy you access (and thus a right to think your voice matters very much) unless it is a 6-digit gift.
2. winning cures a lot; Bobby's success only muted the critics, the success did not disappear.
3. there is nothing to suggest that several posters in this thread will not be happy with anything short of 15-0 every year. EVERY year. Then, after a year or two of 15-0, they will begin grumbling that we give up first downs on defense, and have incomplete passes from time to time. Wanting to win is fine, but too many have an ureasonable level of expectation.
4. The rationale for hating on Long may exist, but it relies on one of two (flawed) things: (1) they "know" something that cannot be corroborated publicly (indeed, there may be something "behind the scenes" but until it can be proven by media types we can't hold that as a real reason to hate Long); and/or (2) decision Long has made (that the poster doesn't like) have proven successful enough to be hailed by others.
5. Too many are fans of something/someone ahead of being fans of the Hogs. That turns into an agenda.
6. Too many fans have an unreasonable understanding of how athletics really work - rational discussion of a game, let alone a season's worth of development, are impossible because the fan is ill-equipped for that discussion. Sorry, it hurts I realize.

This doesn't mean that you can't dissent (some solid dissent in this thread). HV won't censor dissent. The perpetual rant doesn't work. The nightmare is over. One of these days Long will move on and we'll hire a new AD - and I will support his replacement even if I don't like them. I am glad CMA is our hoops coach, and CBB is our football coach. But, when they move on I'll support the next coach (even if it's not Gus).

This added substance to the thread.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

Great post. You sell yourself short Steef. Anybody that loves the Hogs enough to stay on a message board as you do prolly has earned the right to his opinion whether anyone else agrees or not. If you are a person who donates, buys tickets,tailgates, buys the gear.....then you have the right to your opinions. We as other fans of the same school need to give each other person the space to have their opinions. IE We don't have to be so right all the time. Especially not arrogant about it.Everything is just speculation right now about our programs direction and near future. I hope your right and our teams come back to prominence soon.

[Wants2Win]

Oklahawg..are you certain the nightmare is over? I sure hope it is. I will admit I said after the JLS fiasco "Well, at least it can't get any worse." Still haunts me.

[secfan30]

Started with HDN.

Our fanbase learned how to be divided. You were either a 'hugger' or a 'darksider'. It's no longer important who was right or wrong, because the lesson learned was...we could argue and fuss with each other...AT each other...instead of discussing football.

You know, I used to really like college football. I mean...the actual play of the game. Now, I'm supposed to measure my pleasure EXCLUSIVELY by whether or not we win or lose.

By that criteria, only the fanbase of an undefeated team can find any joy. Ever.

So we've been divided by Nutt. And Mitch. And Teresa. And Gus. And Jeff. And Mike (it's not football...but we fussed) And Bobby. And Ryan. And Willy. And motorcyclegate. And Jeff again. And Gus again. And coaching searches in general. And JLS (never have understood blaming a figurehead for behaving like a figurehead, but that's just me). And Bret. And Jen. And (sigh) Gus....AGAIN.

And right now it's Ash.

There is a multi-page thread trashing a coach for leaving...and apparently we(someone) didn't like him anyway. So the folks who are glad he's gone...are trashing him for leaving.

Can't make this stuff up.

I used to really like college football.

I never got to wear the Colors. Did you? I'm a former UA student, but I didn't ever dress out in the uni's. So any opinion I voice about them NOW...I haven't really earned the right. We all...on any message board...just ASSUME the right. But unless you actually sweated and bled...and wore the Colors well...you're just a pundit. Like me. And what we choose to say, and how we choose to say it...tells the world who WE are. But not who the TEAM is.

You know what's significant about the LSU game this past year? Those kids...those MAGNIFICENT young men in Hog Colors....were STILL TRYING!!
After everything I just listed. After a spirit-crushing season and (probably) watching themselves get completely dissed on Hogville...THEY were TRYING to win!

We don't. Not so much. We don't have teamwork here. We just try to beat each other. In our never ending quest to 'be right'...or 'be right...ER' than the next guy, we are just sucking the joy out of being fans of football...and Hogs.

Our team is gonna keep trying to win, whether Hogvillains (sic) try or not. We're going to be BETTER in 2014 than we were in 2013. And we're gonna be DANGEROUS in 2015.

Bret might have made some faux pas in his first year, but he knows how to coach. He obviously knows how to recruit. He and the staff are getting athletes who will add to the strength of our team.

And he's building a football team the way it should be built.

By 2015, we're going to have to fabricate some crisis or another. Or that divide will just go poof. Maybe we can argue about there being nothing to argue about.

And some of us... are renewing our faith and joy in college football...win or lose...whether the rest of you want us to or not. Because Hogs will be on the field, playing their snouts off!

Best post in a very long time. Thank you for taking the time and effort to post.

[jvanhorn]

I don't know about divide, but I am still pretty peeved we didn't hire the guy from Wichita State when we had the chance instead of Anderson.

I know he was a fan favorite, but just because he coached under Richardson didn't make him the second coming of the Messiah.  I noticed that Self at the University of Kansas evidently didn't lose any sleep about having to play him.  KU wasn't exactly shaking in their boots at the thought of it. 

If you look at his record he was an ok coach than ran a clean program and a little better than average record.  The guy at Wichita State had/has all the signs of a great coach in the making for some big time program.  All we had to do was offer. 

I don't dislike Richardson.  I just think we could have done a lot better.

[Kc-Razor]

Even if BP was still here, we wouldn't have had double digit wins the last couple of years.

The idea of Arkansas lingering at the top of the SEC on a regular basis is a fantasy.  13 other schools are trying just as hard as we are and about nine of them have way more resources and way more access to recruits than we do.

You do the math.

   This is so very true. Yet, it seems to be totally beyond comprehension for so many on here!

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

BP's last team was a Cotton Bowl team.  I've got news for you: BP did not have enough talent on campus to duplicate our Sugar Bowl season.  That was a fluke, unless he came across another bumper crop of talent like he stumbled into in 2008.

Must be nice knowing what could have been.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

   This is so very true. Yet, it seems to be totally beyond comprehension for so many on here!

Well time to quit I guess

[Oklahawg]

Oklahawg..are you certain the nightmare is over? I sure hope it is. I will admit I said after the JLS fiasco "Well, at least it can't get any worse." Still haunts me.

Oh God No!

The nightmare will lurk until all of the following are removed from consideration:
1. Long leaves or the following all happen
2. CBB wins bigger than Bobby (which likely means at least a BCS win, if not an SEC crown)
3. CMA makes the NCAAT in back-to-back years, probably at least one with a tourney win
4. CBB can consistently beat Gus (or, Gus consistently does NOT perform as well as CBB over the course of the season, head-to-head disregarded)
5. WMS is ultimately removed from the equation - it'll hurt but it will happen (it is a divorce, we seem hellbent on having it play out in court vs a quick/dirty $99 ending).

[OldCoot]

The whole Nutt fiasco taught me one thing, don't be a sheep.

[EastexHawg]

I think I understand now.  True Razorback fans, the real diehards, are the ones telling everyone else how limited our program is and that it's unrealistic and ridiculous to ever expect greatness.  We should accept, even learn to enjoy and embrace, mediocrity with an occasional pretty good season sprinkled in.

The haters, on the other hand, are the people who don't want to settle.  They point out that we've seen national prominence, even in the last few years, and ask why we can't climb the mountain instead of standing around at the bottom, looking toward the top, and commiserating about how difficult and unlikely the ascent would be.

[chitwnhog]

I have loved college football from the time I was young enough to understand the game.  I spent hours and hours watching it on television with my grandparents and parents.  They took me to Razorbacks games before I could walk.  I have never lost my love for the Hogs or the game itself, and I assume I never will.  This past season was as exciting as ever.  I enjoyed it without regard to the Razorbacks' poor record.  Even they had their moments. 

I first visited Hogville in November, 2006 while researching what was going on with Houston Nutt and Mitch Mustain.  If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn't have clicked.  Once I learned the details, I was happy to be part of the group who made every effort to have Nutt ousted.  That was the right thing for the program and the right thing in general.  I love the direction Bret Bielema is taking things on and off the field. 

The non-stop negativity and vitriol on this Board is frustrating.  It could damage my enthusiasm for the Razorbacks and Arkansas if I let it, but I can take it with a grain of salt.  I have to believe that what we see here, although perhaps a barometer of the fanbase, does not represent a splintered fanbase as much as it is a community of diehard, know-it-all, opinionated Razorbacks fans with too much time on their hands, self-absorbed with their own belief that their opinion matters.  I will plead guilty of being one of those people myself.  There are also plenty of trolls and smart alecks here who stir the pot. 

The trick is to not let Hogville adversely affect your love of the game.     

         

My experience with the Razorbacks/College Football and Hogville is very much in line with the above and unfortunately I believe that is the case with the majority of Razorback fans. The problem I see is that the "lunatic fringe" has taken over and I fear that people of their ilk will make me become indifferent about Razorback Football.

[chitwnhog]

Oh God No!

The nightmare will lurk until all of the following are removed from consideration:
1. Long leaves or the following all happen
2. CBB wins bigger than Bobby (which likely means at least a BCS win, if not an SEC crown)
3. CMA makes the NCAAT in back-to-back years, probably at least one with a tourney win
4. CBB can consistently beat Gus (or, Gus consistently does NOT perform as well as CBB over the course of the season, head-to-head disregarded)
5. WMS is ultimately removed from the equation - it'll hurt but it will happen (it is a divorce, we seem hellbent on having it play out in court vs a quick/dirty $99 ending).

Yep..

[The_Bionic_Pig]

Winning cures all ill....doesn't matter which side of the debate you reside.  Arkansas doesn't have to win 8-9 games next season but rather should a marketable improvement over the previous season.  Something the fans can grasp & hold onto to focus on future success. 

We immediately get a stiff test with Auburn coming of a National title game.  We challenge them for 4qtrs or do the unthinkable and win RESPECT is gained even by those who's negativity is considered spectacularly overachieving.

[Kc-Razor]

Well time to quit I guess

No, it's not time to quit trying and doing the best the team can do. The fans should realize that Arkansas is not the only team striving to achieve that status and other teams are striving for the same goals (I am not saying all fans are this way, it just seems that there are many that expect to be at the top continuously).

That's not very realistic.

Only 2 teams are going to win divisions and to think Arkansas is going to consistently beat out the Alabama, Lsu, Georgia, Florida's etc. on a consistent basis for the Sec. Championship probably isn't to realistic. Arkansas is not the only school paying their coaches in the millions of dollars trying to achieve the same goals.

And that doesn't even take into account the 100+++ teams that would like to win the national championships that are talked about so much.

It just seems that many think Arkansas with their facilities and well to do donors should automatically be qualifiers for many of those honors.

For the most part, life doesn't work that way.