19 Years Ago Today: 1994 National Championship - Arkansas vs Duke

April 4th 1994 sticks out to all of Razorback Nation. It is the last time the Hogs have won a championship in one of the major sports. The Razorbacks have come close since including a return to the championship in 1995 but a loss to UCLA. Take a look back as Razorback Nation remembers this very important date in Razorback History.

NFL vs The World: International Bowl

A friend and I were talking sports the other day when we stumbled upon an idea that I wanted to get some feedback on. We both the NFL. He is a die-hard Steelers fan and I am a die-hard Cowboys fan. It's fun to raze each other about the others team. We were talking about how the NFL team that wins claims to be the World Champion. My part of the argument was that they would be because its the biggest organization for professional football. He said that they weren't because they didn't beat world competition.

When he said that it really got me thinking. NFL had NFL Europe from 1998-2007. It was used sorta like a developmental league like the NBA has with the D-League. NFL also plays a game or soon two over in London each season. Those games have had pretty good turnouts and have led to the NFL thinking about expansion over there. It would be really tough on that team as well as the teams they played because of the obvious home field advantages because of jet lag.

At first my friend mentioned that maybe they could do another league overseas and get other countries involved and have them play just like the league in America and then the winners of each Super Bowl would play each other for the World Championship. At first I thought that was a really cool idea but then I got to thinking that the NFL wouldn't want to do anything that could water down the Super Bowl. It would however create a true World Champion.

 So we got to talking some more and I came up with and idea that could get close to that and revamp another part of the NFL that is lacking these days. It seems like the players could care less about playing in the Pro Bowl except for the extra pay that goes along with it. What if the NFL could create an International League overseas and at the end of each season have a NFL All-Stars vs International All-Stars. It would create interest in the football All-Star game again and give the players some pride in playing in the All-Star game. They could trade off each year holding it on each of their side of the ocean. It will probably never happen but it is something worth talking about.

What are your thoughts? Would you like to see a championship game between the two leagues to get a true champ? Do you like the All-Start idea?

Razorback Pledge of Allegiance

Former Razorback Coaches Throw Players Under the Bus.

Earlier this week an article came out through Sporting News talking with former Arkansas Razorback coaches Paul Haynes, Paul Petrino, and John L. Smith. What the men had to say has Razorback Nation up in arms. Players are also upset as they are at the center of the story. The story is based around the fact that the former coaches say the players quit on them. You can read the article here

I understand that the coaches are upset as to how the season went down. But the problem I have with them going out and throwing the players under the bus is that they are all coaching. All three are Head Coaches now. Paul Haynes is now the Head Coach at Kent St. Paul Petrino is the Head Coach at Idaho. John L. Smith actually got another Head coaching job at Fort Lewis College which is Division II.

Maybe the players did quit some on the coaching staff. There were a lot of issues going on last season. But correct me if I am wrong but I believe a coaches job is to coach the players and if they did quit then the coaches should try harder to get the attention of the players. I think the coaches quit first. It was especially prevalent in the second half of the Louisiana Monroe game.

Coaches are supposed to be role models of the players. Most players will have their coaches in their lives throughout their career and even their life. This act by these men shows no class to me. They showed that they really don't care for those kids. I hope parents of kids who might end up at those schools read the article and really think about the men they are before letting their child go there. I felt like those men were in a lame duck situation but they should have made the best of it and used the season as a showcase for their resume. Unless a player comes out and bad mouths a coach and he is responding then coaches should always have the players back. As I fan I feel disrespected by those three men. I can only imagine how the players that played for them felt.

How you feel about coaches throwing players under the bus?

Give Mike Anderson Some Time

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Razorback fans need to take a huge chill pill when it comes to the Arkansas Razorback Basketball program. Its only year two of the Mike Anderson era. He has brought back the fastest 40 mins of basketball style to Arkansas. Anderson has had some success quickly at other schools. I think that might be why people are already expecting big things from him. The difference is there were players that could play that style better. Anderson inherited some not so great players for his style. Fans need to give him some time to get his players in that can run that style. He is off to a good start with that and next year there are a few more guys that are coming in that should be able to give him a greater chance of getting his style implemented. I am just as frustrated as everyone that the basketball program has been down as long as it has. Nolan and Anderson spoiled us in the 90's with the dominance the program had. I can remember watching the NCAA selection shows right after the basketball program fell from dominance and the announcers talked about how it was different to see the bracket without the Hogs. Being frustrated and voicing concerns is one thing. Calling up sports radio stations and calling for Mike Anderson to be fired is ridiculous. Fans need to just relax. I have full faith that Anderson will get the job done and take the Hogs back to being a tournament team every year and maybe recapture that glory from 1994. I have a strong feeling that Arkansas is on the rise when it comes to all sports programs. Bottom line is fans need to just sit back, relax, and give Mike Anderson some time to work his magic. Go Hogs! WPS!

2013: A Razorback Rising

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In 2013 the Arkansas Razorbacks athletic department looks to bring a Razorback Rising to the college athletics. In 2012 their was a big buzz around the program. The beginning of the year saw the football team buzz of a possible National and SEC Championship run. The Diamond Hogs reached the College World Series. The basketball team had the return season of Mike Anderson and fans were extremely excited over his return. The Ladybacks also had a good season last year. They made the NCAA tournament and advanced into the second round. 

We are only a few days into 2013 but there is already a big buzz around the Razorback program. After a disastrous 2012 the Razorback football program is already on the road to recovery. After going 4-8 the Hogs hired a new permanent coach. Bret Bielema has put together a top notch staff and has brought back the excitement to the fans. There is no where to go but up for the football team. A return to a bowl isn't out of the realm of possibilities. It probably won't be a BCS bowl but a lower tier bowl with a 7-5 record is reasonable. 

Mike Anderson has the basketball team off to a good start. As of this writing they are 8-4 and about to enter SEC play. I expect this team to make a run toward the NCAA tournament. This team is getting better and better every game. 

The Diamond Hogs are getting ready to start up the season but the accolades are coming in already off the heels of the College World Series trip last season. The Diamond Hogs are ranked #1 in the preseason poll. Three players were named preseason All-Americans. 

The Ladybacks are off to a hot start again this year. As of this writing they are 12-1 and ranked 23rd in the country. They are also about to begin SEC play. I haven't keep up with them much but they look poised for a return trip to the NCAA tournament. 

The softball team didn't have a great season last year. Only winning 7 games in the SEC they look to improve on that and continue the Razorback Rising in 2013. 

2013 hopefully will be known as the Year of the Razorback by the time its all said and done. The program has several teams poised to make runs and some ready to return to relevance. 

Welcome to 2013: A Razorback Rising! 

From the Outhouse to the Penthouse: Bret Bielema is new Head Hog

Bret Bielema from Wisconsin is the new Head Coach at Arkansas. Bielema has had a pretty good career at Wisconsin. He went 68-24 and led the Badgers to three straight Rose Bowls including this season. Coach Bielema likes to play hard nose defense and that will be a big factor in whether or not he is able to get the Hogs competitive quickly. His teams are also a run first style team. Bielema was a lineman when he played at Iowa. He knows how to focus on the run and recruit the players that can do that. It may take a couple of seasons for him to really get the players that he needs to play his style. I hope the Razorback fans will all get on board and give the guy a chance and lets see what he can do. I agree with most analysts that he is a solid coach and knows how to win games but only time will tell if he is that home run hire that everyone expected. Doing a quick twitter poll (you can follow me on twitter @rzrbckmaniac) A lot of Hog fans seem to be excited. Some are excited because the search is over. Some are excited because of the smash mouth style he likes to play. Some of the ones who are not excited are upset because he is not that sexy hire that everyone has expected. I am taking a wait and see approach. I am excited that the coaching search is finally over and the Razorback football program can finally move on from the Petrino debacle. Coach Bielema will instantly become a rock star in the state because of the entire state's focus on the Razorback program. To me it doesn't matter who the coach of the Razorbacks ultimately is because I will always bleed Razorback Red!