Be Honest Hog Fans

[hawgdawg63]

Most before the season said we could be much improved but only win 4-5 games. Well 4 wins are in the books. The Hogs do look better. However, are you really happy with where the team is at?

If the Hogs lose out or just win one more what will be the expectations at a minimum for 2015? What you say!!!

[JT_Dav]

Most fans tend to have a sliding scale when it comes to expectations.  The same people that said we would win 3 games are now pissed that we aren't 6-1.

[razorbackkid]

We let the A&M and Bama game get away from us.  That's frustrating but this team is going to really good next year.

I was expecting six wins this year and that hasn't changed any.

:razorback:

[spiritof92]

The Hogs are still on track to do what I thought they would do this season.  Only halfway through the conference schedule and I think it's very possible the Hogs pick up 2 conference wins with what remains on the schedule.

[showme]

Most before the season said we could be much improved but only win 4-5 games. Well 4 wins are in the books. The Hogs do look better. However, are you really happy with where the team is at?

If the Hogs lose out or just win one more what will be the expectations at a minimum for 2015? What you say!!!

losing the aggie and bama game the way we lost them is frustrating and disappointing regardless of how many wins you predicted 2 months ago whether it was 8 wins or 4 wins. Period. Basically, one has nothing to do with the other.

[TheRazorbackGuy]

Most before the season said we could be much improved but only win 4-5 games. Well 4 wins are in the books. The Hogs do look better. However, are you really happy with where the team is at?

If the Hogs lose out or just win one more what will be the expectations at a minimum for 2015? What you say!!!

This year is not successful without a bowl game.

[DeltaHog82]

This team has definitely made strides from what we were last year! Defense is the big surprise to me. Our record may not reflect how much we have improved but the future is looking real bright to me! Still have a chance to go bowling. Hang in there because success is coming! WPS

[popcornhog]

I expected 4 with a few getting away just because that's what Bielema does. I still don't expect us to win another one and no, I'm not happy.

What would it have taken this year to make you believe we were improving and that we were on the right track?

Will 6 do that?

Would it have taken 8-4? 10-2? 12-0?

[trashcan maN]

I thought 7-6 with a bowl win. Losing to TAMU put us a game behind. Gotta make that one up and beat Mizzou.

[10thPlanet]

Secondary is better.

[Hogwild]

This year is not successful without a bowl game.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

I still think we can pick up two games. We probably won't win in Starkville but we have a good shot at ole miss or Lsu. Both of those games are at home. Lsu beat ole miss despite committing 4 turnovers. And Lsu isn't that good. I think something will finally click and we'll win one of those two. Then we'll have 5 wins going into the Mizzou game and we can for sure beat mizzou

[WashUhog6]

We're exactly where I expected us to be going into November: 4 wins. At the same time, I am a little disappointed because this team played well enough to have 6 already but couldn't finish.

We've exceeded my expectations with the product we've put on the field, but the TAMU and Alabama losses were extremely difficult to stomach which is why I'm both satisfied and disappointed at the same time.

[Athog]

I can see the progress and I am not ready to say the season is over with no more wins. Let's play the schedule and look after the season is over.

[spiritof92]

ITT:  The Hogs are right where I thought they would be but I'm disgruntled because we aren't 2 games better than I thought we would be. 

[HF#1]

Defensively I think we are actually good.  We aren't great but we aren't atrocious either as we have been the last several years.   I love where we are defensively.  The improvement is tangible. 

Offensively, we just need so much.  We need speedy playmakers in a bad way.  We need another year or two of depth on the offensive line. We need to be balanced but we need to be smart as to how we achieve balance.  Meaning, don't be predictable about it.  Don't run on every first down and don't throw on every third down. 

This team was never going to be better than six wins.  I had always thought we would be in a lot of games but we may not win them.  It appears the national talking heads were correct when they said Arkansas may be better but their record won't reflect it.  Really looks to be playing out that way.

Am I happy with where they are?  Happy isn't a good word.  I'm satisfied with some things, looking for more in other things.  I'm content enough to not bark about the coaches.  It will be interesting to see what happens with Chaney should we continue to fall short in these conference games.  There is something to be desired offensively but I'm not sure it's ALL his fault.

[hawgfan4life]

Saying you are not surprised AR lost a couple games they could have won because that is what BB does is asnine.  Saban is one of the best coaches ever in college football and he averages a couple of losses his team could have won every year.  Fans that gripe about those games with that kind of logic are cancers to the program because their idiotic ideas spread.

[mlloyd4]

The team needs a signature SEC win to get over the hump.
The Defense is much better than I expected.
My hope was 5-7.
6-6 would be fantastic.
4-8 would be disappointing.

[Rhog]

My pick was 5-7 before the season started.
I think we end the year at 4-8. I will look for 6-6 next year.

[onebadrubi]

What would it have taken this year to make you believe we were improving and that we were on the right track?

Will 6 do that?

Would it have taken 8-4? 10-2? 12-0?

He would still be a hater and only post negativity things if we ended 10-2.

[root_hawg]

I said 4-5 and we are right on track

[WarPig88]

Love what I am seeing on the defensive side of the ball, especially secondary play.

I believe we are right where I always felt we would be at this point when CBB was hired. I will openly admit that I do not believe in this hire so being on track may not be that good a thing.

However, do not label me a hater because the facts are that if the coach is doing well, then my Hogs are doing well. The Hogs are all I ever care about and so I am hoping that CBB does well because I ain't gonna live forever and hope we start winning big again sooner rather than later.

[Vildsvin]

There will always be a percentage of your fan base, if you are a football team in the south, that will cry, kick, scream, and demand instant gratification will little or no investment in time.

For all the good qualities of college football in this region, this spoiled since of entitlement is one of the worst.

We've heard it from LSU fans when they were having a bad year.. we are hearing it from Bama this year.. would be nice if we were different.

[PORKULATOR]

I really wanted 7 wins this year.  We can still get there,  but it's gonna be tough.

[MountieDawg]

Saying you are not surprised AR lost a couple games they could have won because that is what BB does is asnine.  Saban is one of the best coaches ever in college football and he averages a couple of losses his team could have won every year.  Fans that gripe about those games with that kind of logic are cancers to the program because their idiotic ideas spread.

WHAT??? Saban loses a couple games a year he shouldn't. I think he has lost 5 in the last 5 years. Find a better excuse.

[1highhog]

Most fans tend to have a sliding scale when it comes to expectations.  The same people that said we would win 3 games are now pissed that we aren't 6-1.

True.  I said before the Season started we'd be 5-7 and would have showed a lot of improvement, I believe we've went overboard my expectations on the improvement department.  We will still win at least 1 more game, with luck, 2, so this has been a good season that could have been a great one with a few breaks here and there, kicking game, untimely penalties.

[MountieDawg]

Just because some predicts 5 wins and they are not happy doesn't make them a bad fan. I beat CBB is not happy with 4 wins so far, nor is Jeff Long. If you are happy with 4 wins then you just accept losing, but it doesn't make you a better fan.
No one is saying they aren't hog fans anymore, they just want better for the team. I would rather you say you support CBB than say I predicted 4 wins and I am satisfied with where we are!!!

[Peter Porker]

Just because some predicts 5 wins and they are not happy doesn't make them a bad fan. I beat CBB is not happy with 4 wins so far, nor is Jeff Long. If you are happy with 4 wins then you just accept losing, but it doesn't make you a better fan.
No one is saying they aren't hog fans anymore, they just want better for the team. I would rather you say you support CBB than say I predicted 4 wins and I am satisfied with where we are!!!

By your logic the only fans that can be happy are fans of teams that stay undefeated.

[MountieDawg]

By your logic the only fans that can be happy are fans of teams that stay undefeated.

Maybe....  If you are satisfied losing, guess what that makes you?  Teams should be ticked off when they lose. Show me a team that likes moral victories and I will show you a team stuck in moral victory land.
I dont believe this team should be undefeated, but winning a couple conf games in year 2 would give some confidence. If we end up with 20 straight conf losses at the end of the year, do you still see the light at the end of the tunnel. IF you do, be careful because its probably a train!

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Most before the season said we could be much improved but only win 4-5 games. Well 4 wins are in the books. The Hogs do look better. However, are you really happy with where the team is at?

If the Hogs lose out or just win one more what will be the expectations at a minimum for 2015? What you say!!!

Before the season I think that I figured we would be sitting at 4-5 wins by this time of the year. Figured Auburn to be a loss though I felt that we had a chance. I also figured on wins against TT and NIU.

I thought we might beat A&M and we should have, never thought we would play Alabama as close as we did (another we let get away) and I think that I thought that winning the Georgia game was a 50-50 proposition, but who saw that 2nd quarter crash coming? I knew Georgia would be talented and we would have to play really well to beat them in any case, but the 2nd quarter spelled our demise.

I figured we would beat UAB and of course, we did.

Looking at the last four games I figured we would win at least 2 of the last 4 with a chance at 3. While I figured that Ole Miss and Miss State would be improved, I have to admit that I never saw THIS coming. I actually thought that LSU and Missouri might be the toughest games of those last four. Now it appears that it may turn out to be the other way around.

I still like us to win 2 of the last 4 games if we don't do dumb things to shoot ourselves in the foot.

And remember that many on here said before the season, that if Bielema won 6 games this season with this killer schedule, he probably deserved COY honors. All we can do is wait and see if either happens.

[Peter Porker]

Maybe....  If you are satisfied losing, guess what that makes you?  Teams should be ticked off when they lose. Show me a team that likes moral victories and I will show you a team stuck in moral victory land.
I dont believe this team should be undefeated, but winning a couple conf games in year 2 would give some confidence. If we end up with 20 straight conf losses at the end of the year, do you still see the light at the end of the tunnel. IF you do, be careful because its probably a train!

Yes, I see a light. I see who we have coming back, who we are redshirting, and who we have committed and thstgets me excited. I'm not a -satisfy-me-now guy. I knew (and called it out back in 2010) that Petrino's recruiting was going to hurt us and i knew JLS would too. Bielema is recruiting better than any of our previous SEC coaches. He's building the lines. Can you give him that? He's adding length to the back 7. Can you give him that? He's bringing in playmakers like KJ to the receiving corp. Can you give him that?

He's developing these guys.


The problem with you anti-Bielema folks is ALL of you hated the hire and therefore won't give him a chance. There's not one of you that liked the hire and then hated him.

I truly believe you guys love when we lose. How are you a fan if that's the case?

[hogsanity]

The thing is, many that predicted 6 wins did so thinking it would be 4-0 ooc, and the beat GA and Mizzu.  Not many thought about beating A&M and/or Bama.  Then of course it turns out, after the fact, that A&M is horrible, and the Hogs caught Bama playing one of the worst games they have played in a long time, and suddenly many of those who had predicted 6 wins, with none of the 6 being A&M or Bama, were now saying the Hogs SHOULD BE a 8 win team. This team does not have the depth, or the starting talent at some spots for that matter, to be a 8 win team with the schedule they have.

   

[jkstock04]

At beginning of year I said we would win 1 conference game...I'm gonna stick to that simply because of the law of averages. Eventually its gonna happen.

In my opinion, Bielema really needs a signature win. This weekend would be picture perfect for that.

Like I have said before, some fans need to see wins to be satisfied...some don't. That's what this really all comes down to. If the losing streak continues into next year the criticism will only continue to mount.

We are improved over last year though...despite the Georgia blow out at home, this team IS improved. That's not saying much in my book, because I can't take what I have seen this year and forsee greatness in the future like many others on here can. We really need to get a win IMO. But, that's just me talking...cause im one of the fans that really wants to see the W's.

[Hogwild]

It amazes me that the same people who were up in arms with Nutt winning 7-8 games a year, are telling people that we should be happy with 5 or 6 wins. 

I thought before the season that we would win 5 or 6 games this season, & it looks like we still could.  That won't make me happy, it would make me right.  What would make me happy is a winning season, a bowl trip, a top 25 ranking, the things that every other team in our division will accomplish this year.

That said I realize that we aren't where the other teams in our division are talent wise, & CBB has a tougher row to hoe. Whether that is a reason or an excuse, well each person can decide that on their own.  I know that I should be patient, I don't have to be happy with a 16 game conference losing streak.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

No team has EVER faced a schedule like this. First team ever to face FIVE straight top ten teams in conference play.

With the amount of bullets we have in the gun, Im satisfied with where Arkansas football is at.

With the competition level, Im not sure we are good enough to take two games to finish at 6-6. LSU and Mizzou are our best bets.

Progress.

[McKdaddy]

We let the A&M and Bama game get away from us.  That's frustrating but this team is going to really good next year.
I was expecting six wins this year and that hasn't changed any.

:razorback:

Agreed, except I picked 5 wins. The team has met the improvement on the field that I expected to see this season.

[jkstock04]

It amazes me that the same people who were up in arms with Nutt winning 7-8 games a year, are telling people that we should be happy with 5 or 6 wins. 

5 or 6 wins WOULD be a marked improvement over last year. One problem with that is I have seen coaches at the university get axed with this type of "improvement."

In all honesty, all Bielema has to do here is stay in Jeff Longs good graces by keeping up the current "doing it the right way" image...and average 6-7 wins a year starting next year. Majority of fans will be perfectly content with this.

[McKdaddy]

We're exactly where I expected us to be going into November: 4 wins. At the same time, I am a little disappointed because this team played well enough to have 6 already but couldn't finish.

We've exceeded my expectations with the product we've put on the field, but the TAMU and Alabama losses were extremely difficult to stomach which is why I'm both satisfied and disappointed at the same time.

Agreed.

[Science Fiction Greg]

There is apparently a lot of confusion about what "being happy" means.

This coaching staff has a job to do.  That job is win football games.  We all understand that.  What some people don't understand (or are at least are refusing to acknowledge) is what it takes to do that consistently.  I mean, if your job is to paint the house and you don't have any paint, 15 minutes into the job, your boss should not be upset that you haven't painted the house yet.  He should be satisfied if you either have gotten the paint or are in the middle of getting the paint.

To win football games consistently in the long term, you have to build the program.  This takes years.  When people say they are "happy with the progress" they can see that the staff is getting the tools it needs to succeed, and that they are the right tools.  They aren't happy that the house is unpainted and are just going to accept an unpainted house and a bunch of brushes and paint cans laying around as a moral victory.

No one accepts losing.  However, people are accepting of losses that are occurring during the building process because they are inevitable (or at least, highly unusual to avoid).  The first two years of a build, especially one like this, are just gathering the tools and building the skills to do the job.  Sure, you might win some games, but if you don't, it doesn't mean you aren't on the right track to getting the job done.

We all want the same thing.  Let's stick together and help the team out instead of running around stomping that the job's not done yet.

[hogsanity]

There is apparently a lot of confusion about what "being happy" means.

Balance
Be happy
Success
Expected Qb play
add term here

All things/terms that get thrown around here with no real definitions. Makes it hard to discuss, because people will change their definition of any of these 4 or 5 times in one thread to fit whatever THEIR idea or agenda is.

I, personally, can be happy with the the improvement shown without being happy with the # of losses.

[Piggfoot]

I use something like this to temper my expectations:
Arkansas vs. Alabama (8-15)   .348
Arkansas vs. Auburn  (10-11-1)   .476
Arkansas vs. Florida (1-8)   .111*
Arkansas vs. Georgia (4-9)   .308
Arkansas vs. Kentucky (3-4)   .429
Arkansas vs. LSU (20-36-2)   .357
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State (15-7-1)   .682
Arkansas vs. Ole Miss (32-26-1)   .552
Arkansas vs. South Carolina (13-8)   .619
Arkansas vs. Tennessee (4-13)   .235
Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt (7-2)   .778#
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (41-25-3)   .621
Arkansas vs. Missouri (2-3)   .400
SEC Football Records Conference Teams
Sorry for the error on TENN and Missouri couldn't correct

[jkstock04]

I use something like this to temper my expectations:
Arkansas vs. Alabama (8-15)   .348
Arkansas vs. Auburn  (10-11-1)   .476
Arkansas vs. Florida (1-8)   .111*
Arkansas vs. Georgia (4-9)   .308
Arkansas vs. Kentucky (3-4)   .429
Arkansas vs. LSU (20-36-2)   .357
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State (15-7-1)   .682
Arkansas vs. Ole Miss (32-26-1)   .552
Arkansas vs. South Carolina (13-8)   .619
Arkansas vs. Tennessee (4-13)   .235
Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt (7-2)   .778#
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (41-25-3)   .621
Arkansas vs. Missouri (2-3)   .400
SEC Football Records Conference Teams

Sobering reality.

I can promise you one thing, if we ever get to where we win 10 (or more) games in this conference again I'm gonna relish it much more than the last go round.

[jm]

Not happy with the second half of many games. They can't seem to maintain focus. I don't know how or why, but it must be corrected if they are going to be considered a good team.

[Wright43]

We're exactly where I expected us to be going into November: 4 wins. At the same time, I am a little disappointed because this team played well enough to have 6 already but couldn't finish.

We've exceeded my expectations with the product we've put on the field, but the TAMU and Alabama losses were extremely difficult to stomach which is why I'm both satisfied and disappointed at the same time.

Well said. I expected somewhere in the 5-7 to 7-5 range before the season, and we're right on track for that. It really sucks we could already be at 6 wins, but at the same time I didn't even expect those games to be close-which shows a lot of progress.

I think I'm most happy about our improvements on defense. This is the first year in awhile where you can't blame our defense for almost every game. We're actually attacking the ball and covering people-it's crazy!

I also think our offense will be much better next year, as what is our main problem is depth and inexperience, both of which will be improved next year.

As rough as the Bama and A&M game were, we're in a pretty good place. The fact that we were so dissapointed after both games in itself shows improvement-after a blowout (like the last 2 years against Bama) it's not dissapointment, it's just recognizing they're at a different level. This year, not so much.

All reasonable hog fans expected us to be around this number of wins-but we didn't expect to look so good in those wins (and in the losses). I think we beat mizzou almost for sure, and I think we can definitely pull out 1 other win and go bowling.

[scruf]

Hogs will finish no worse than 5-7 because they WILL beat a Missouri team that is on par with Texas Tech. The big question is, where will the other win come from? I'd say the LSU game is 50-50, Ole Miss is 40-60, and MSU is 10-90. Bielema's 2nd year compares more favorably to Petrino's first year in terms of where the program is going and where it needs to be. Thanks to the "Lost Year" with SMILE, the program had a lot more ground to make up between Petrino-Bielema than between Nutt-Petrino. I would think that CBB's third year will look a lot more like CBP's second year, which is 8 wins (includes bowl game). I think that our bowl record will be very good once we get there, which is probably next year.

Does this make me disappointed in this year? Yes, but I'm not going to jump off of a bridge or try to run the coach out of town. They are making progress. I'm enjoying watching the team get better.

I don't use the Hog wins as an self-esteem boost or for bragging rights so maybe that makes me less-vested emotionally. Whatever. I'm a huge fan. On the other hand, you can tell that there are a bunch of guys on here who work with or are friends with fans of other SEC teams and they can't stand that the team is losing. To them I say, "I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend..."

Lastly, there are a lot of negative nancys on here. Some are just sad little souls. Others are not. For example, I know a guy on here who trolls his dad on Hogville incessantly. The dad has no clue that it's his son. There's another guy I know who is hiding his IP. He has 10 accounts, all of them for trolling.

The more you know! *insert rainbow swoosh*

[Science Fiction Greg]

I know a guy on here who trolls his dad on Hogville incessantly. The dad has no clue that it's his son.

While I am generally annoyed by this stuff, this is actually pretty hilarious.

[Hogwild]

For example, I know a guy on here who trolls his dad on Hogville incessantly. The dad has no clue that it's his son.

That's funny, wish I could do that.

[alohawg]

This hog team at their best can literally play with anybody. I'm hoping to see their best this week for 4 quarters against #1- that happens and 7 wins becomes much more realistic.......and the momentum towards next year will be huge. #hogsfinishstrong#ghg.

[MJ2]

Most before the season said we could be much improved but only win 4-5 games. Well 4 wins are in the books. The Hogs do look better. However, are you really happy with where the team is at?

If the Hogs lose out or just win one more what will be the expectations at a minimum for 2015? What you say!!!

More pleased than I expected, but still not satisfied.   Gotta win some SEC games.

[sickboy]

It amazes me that the same people who were up in arms with Nutt winning 7-8 games a year, are telling people that we should be happy with 5 or 6 wins. 

The two situations aren't comparable. They're different coaches with different styles of coaching and playing philosophies, who had/have different players, different recruiting situations, different assistant coaches, going up against different programs with different coaches and players and were/are playing in two different eras of college football.

Use your head and base your expectations on what's happening in college football now... not ten years ago.