It's Getting Better... Sort Of

I think if you asked any Hog fan going into September, they would've taken 4-4 at this point in the season. Too many people, myself included, got too caught up in some of the hype that surrounded a completely unproven team. Subsequently, we got our hopes ripped limb from limb after watching a win against Auburn bookended by back to back SEC losses. But it's got to be looking better, right? In a few short words, I really think it is.

1. For starters, Arkansas has beaten the teams they were supposed to beat, and they've done so in style. The game this past weekend proved that our offense is one of the most dynamic in the nation, and I hope scoring at will will give this team the confidence they need going into the final four games of the regular season.

2. Bobby Petrino is really starting to get away from the stigma that surrounded his exit at Hotlanta, and has started to be a coach fans can get behind. Maybe this will come back to haunt us in the future, but that's like worrying about your Playboy playmate girlfriend cheating on you... no need to worry about the future as long as she's yours now!

3. Joe Adams is back! Wow. I honestly didn't realize how incredible this kid is, but it is evident in his playmaking abilities that he displays week in and week out. I'm not saying we would have beaten Ole Miss had he played that game, but I think Florida is a definite W. He is a gamechanger, and it's wonderful to see him back on the field.

4. We have an actual home stretch. Four games in a row at home is HUGE after having to play at Alabama, at Florida, and at Ole Miss. And let's not forget the fact that we also played in the Death Star, which wasn't exactly a 100% Hog friendly environment. I'm glad this team gets to play several games in a row without traveling and without having to deal with the hazards of the road.

5. Ole Miss sucks. I actually got up on Saturday morning and started drinking at 11 a.m. just to root for Auburn. I'd like to think that Springdale Holiday Inn and I helped to cheer on Gus Malzahn to victory over HDN. While I know my alcoholism had nothing to do with Auburn's win, I know that I loved that Ole Miss loss as much as I loved the Hogs beating up on a terrible opponent.

It's been a nice and quiet week in Hog headlines (except for a that whole special prosecutor investigating our basketball team thing) and I think it's exactly what I needed going into the final four games of the season. I'm looking forward to being in God's country for game on Saturday, and I can't wait to kick of Thanksgiving week with a good old fashioned tailgate at War Memorial Stadium. It may not be exactly what we had hoped for Hog fans, but honestly... it's getting better.

Go Hogs!!!

Hoculied

It's been three days and I believe I'm finally ready to come to terms with what happened. I'm only going to write two paragraphs, as that's all I have left in me when it comes to thinking about what the nation saw on display at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. I'm pretty sure if I had actually been in attendance I would have had not choice but to start my favorite high school chant... "Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts, we... got... SCREWED!!!" I have never in seen a game that was officiated in such a biased manner. It was so bad that even Gary Danielson managed to stop talking about Tim Tebow long enough to comment on how Arkansas was the better team on the field, and how the refs obviously had no idea what they were doing.

So here's what it comes down to. Arkansas was the better team on the field last Saturday, plain and simple. Our defense was better. Our offense was better. Our coaching was better. The Hogs had that win from the get go, and it was only because of a bunch of jackass zebras that they were cost what was rightfully theirs, a W. What makes it even worse was the SEC's response to the whole deal, merely saying that there was no reason the Personal Foul should have been called. But the fact of the matter is, there were about 45 yards worth of penalties that the Gators were given out of utter stupidity and love for the team that was supposed to win. These guys have been shown to be incompetent on many levels, and there is no reason why they should still have their jobs. But alas, this exact same crew will be in Oxford on Saturday making sure that Houston Nutt has a chance to win (just like they did last year in Fayetteville). Mike Slive, I HIGHLY question what on earth is going on over there in Atlanta.

The Crown Pub Show

One of the most enjoyable parts of the week after a big win is looking back at all of the moments and remembering how great the Hogs looked on the field. In a way, there are never enough highlights. ESPN never seems to play that 5 yard touchdown scamper by a far from stealthy Ryan Mallett. And how on earth did they miss the 70 yard kickoff return by one of the most electrifying return men in the game, Dennis Johnson? To add insult to injury, Sports Illustrated's look back at the Top 25 in pictures showed an Auburn D-back (names McFadden ironically enough) intercepting a deep ball thrown by #15. But despite all of this, it's still all good.

However, there comes a time to move on and to start looking to the opponent ahead. I realize that the coaches and players were already moving on at about 3pm last Saturday, but as fans we love to revel in a good old fashioned ass kicking. So when is the proper time to move on? In my own experience, I have finally gotten my fill after watching one of the most boringly wonderful hours of television ever produced... The Bobby Petrino Show.*

Ever since I was a little kid I remember staying up on Sunday nights with my parents to watch what was originally the Danny Ford Show. Holy s***, if you ever want to hear someone butcher the English language, just watch an hour of Danny Ford talk about the games he coached. I still to this day remember the only player he knew on the entire team was BarrLunneyJunr (one word). Everyone else was "Good play #__." How this man won a National Championship I'll never know.

Then came the decade of Nutt. This was ten years of terrible television that was highlighted by quotes like "Gosh Chuck, you just gotta make that tackle. You bring that guy down and it's a diferent game." Or who can forget "He's a special player. He's a winner. A real fighter." In the words of a famous Alabama dimwit, that's all I got to say about that.

So with the introduction of Bobby Petrino came the introduction of the Bobby Petrino Show. Somehow, it's completely different than the previous 15 years of "entertainment" we've been blessed with, but equally as terrible. I have never seen a man make a huge win seem so damned boring, but somehow Coach Petrino does it. He manages to take what is an offensively spectacular display of passing and rushing and make it seem like the most mundane highlight reel ever put together.

But, for some reason, I've actually found my peace with this situation. It doesn't really bother me that I don't understand half of what the man talks about. I guess it just shows that he knows exactly what he's doing, and his coaching staff really is top notch. I don't really need to see the plays in the order they happen, just as long as I get to see them one last time. And just because Petrino may not be the most enthusiastic man on Earth doesn't mean he does not love the game with everything he's got.

So, if you ever find yourself looking to get that one last Saturday fix, look no further than to one of the most underrated hours television you'll ever find. But don't wait too long to do so, because before you know it, Tim Tebow will be here trying to circumcize your children and baptize your dogs.

~ Crown Pub

* The Bobby Petrino Show airs at 4pm on Tuesday afternoons on Fox Sports Southwest for viewers not currently residing in the Great State of Arkansas