The Great Stadium Debate

There are two issues that will almost always divide Razorback nation as soon as they're mentioned. The first is the departure of Houston Dale and everything it encompasses. The other is the merits of playing games in Little Rock, Arkansas. As soon as any question comes up about any Little Rock game, it is only a matter of time before someone chimes in with the "why do we play games in that dump anyway?" Before you know it, you're in a full blown debate which has managed to pit Little Rock against Northwest Arkansas, and you'd swear we were living through the War of Northern Aggression all over again.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Great Stadium Debate (GSD) didn't really arise until the beginning of the decade. It was at that time that Frank Broyles raised the funds to construct what would become Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (DWRRS). It was transformed from a double sided 55,000 seater to what we currently see five Saturdays each fall. With the addition of the south endzone and the upper deck on the east side, DWRRS became an elegant 72,000 seat beauty complete with the largest jumbotron in the world (at the time).

It was no surprise that a power struggle ensued between the Stephens family and other Little Rock donors and the Broyles administration. Broyles wanted to have all of the games at his new home, and the Little Rock crowd wanted to continue the unique tradition of having two home stadiums for an entire state with only ONE team. After much debate, it was decided that two games each year would be played at War Memorial Stadium (including one SEC game), and the remainder would be played in Fayetteville. It was a compromise that made most happy, but as with any debate, there will always be two sides.

As it turns out, there were still some that were unhappy with the newfound compromise. These people felt that with this new Taj Mahal of a complex (which is the 7th largest in the SEC), we should play all games underneath the lights of DWRRS. They said good riddance to Little Rock, and that there was no need for the dumpy outdated War Memorial Stadium (WMS). It was argued that the tailgating at DWRRS was at least as good as the golf course at WMS, and that the atmosphere of the 72,000 strong would always overshadow what would be seen in Central Arkansas. To this day (over a decade later), they contend that there is no way anything about WMS could ever compete with the stadium on The Hill, and they will fight tooth and nail to convince you otherwise. Simply put, these people are WRONG!

I'll be the first to admit that WMS is outdated. I'll also be the first to make fun of what was formerly known as Waste Managment Field. But under no circumstance will I ever allow someone to deface a loyal home of the Razorbacks for decades on end. In order to keep from going on what could be a days long reading about the merits of War Memorial Stadium, I'll narrow this down to five issues that support Why We Should Keep Games In Little Rock.

• It's named WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM. This stadium was built as a tribute to all of the brave men and women who have fought to protect everything that we love about being Americans. The stadium is a lasting monument to veterans of two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By abandoning games in Little Rock, you're abandoning those who have lost their lives protecting our country from those who want to take away your ability to do things like, say... watch college football. But hey, DWRRS is nicer, right??? Simply put, if you think we should move games out of Little Rock, you're un-American!


• It just so happens that We Win at WMS. I know that one of our games there every year is a cupcake, and one SEC game every other year is a lower tier SEC school, but we still win. I don't know if there is something different about playing in front of a Little Rock crowd, but the Hogs always seem to bring a little extra to the Rock, and it shows. Unfortunately, we are not so lucky when we show up in DWRRS. We have lost more SEC games than I can care to remember, and many of them were absolute BEATINGS. Maybe if we had played UGA in Little Rock this year we would've pulled it out. But hey, who cares about winning??? As long as you've got your upper deck you're happy, right???


• Location, location, location. Unfortunately, as much as I love Fayetteville, and I really do, it happens to be forever away from a majority of the state. Hell, it's faster for me to get to Fayettenam from Dallas than it is for someone who lives in West Mumphis or Helena. Good luck seeing a Hogs game if you are from Lake Village. In this instance you might as well be a Ole Miss, Miss St., or LSU fan, because they're easier to get to. Little Rock games offer people from all over the state the ability converge to Central Arkansas and see their Hogs play. One state, one team! But who cares about people who aren't from NWA??? As long as you've got your jumbotron you're happy, right???


• The Miracles on Markham. It is well documented that the Jones to Birmingham in the endzone (I miss hearing Paul Eells voice by the way) and Dick to Crawford in the endzone were two of the most exciting comeback wins in the history of Arkansas. These games are what you remember 30 years later. These games are what you tell your children about. These are games where it's more than acceptable to have a "sports cry." Can we really forget the stadium where these incredible moments happened. And these were just two instances in the last 7 years! It just simply doesn't make sense to abandon the stadium and the city that have given so much to the Hogs over the years. But hey, those are the past, and who needs those??? As long as you have your AQ Chicken to eat you're happy right???


• THE ATMOSPHERE. Fayetteville doesn't even begin to hold a candle to what is offered at WMS. 55,000+ people all gathering in one place to tailgate in an open area, and on a golf course no less. You know where else that happens? Pasadena, and that's it! Let's forget about the tailgating, because there is absolutely NO argument about this, and talk about the game time atmosphere. Time and time again opposing coaches and players have left WMS in awe of how loud 55,000 screaming Hog fans in that bowl can be. There are times when it's hard to hear yourself think. The fans in Fayetteville are nice, but they simply don't have what the Central Arkansas contingency has. In DWRRS I've been told on numerous occasions to sit down b/c I'm blocking the game. I've also been deemed "too drunk" at games on The Hill. You know where that doesn't happen? Little Rock. You know where approximately 70% of the crowd is drunker than I am? Little Rock. You know where people always have more fun? Little Rock. But hey, who needs 55,000 of the most passionate fans in the state? As long as you have your luxury boxes you'll be happy, right?

I know this all seems like a bit much, but it's what happens when you debate one of the most sensitive subjects in the entire Arkansas Razorback fanbase. The truth of the matter is, I could go on about this for days, and so could the other side. What it all boils down to is a nicer stadium vs. an extremely unique tradition. There are plenty of arguments to be made for both, but I know which side of the fence I fall, and I embrace it with every bone of my Razorback loving body.

Sorry it's been so long, and I'll try to be better. Predictions will be on the way tomorrow.

And as always... GO HOGS!!!