Arrogance vs. optimism for Razorbacks against Bama

If you are headed up to The Hill for the game, be prepared. You will see them. They will be wearing red, toting white A’s upon their hats, and sporting extreme pride in their team.

No, it’s not a hoard of Razorbacks fans to which I refer. Here is a hint: they are coming, and their arrogance is coming with them.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are in Fayetteville, and this team has never looked better. If you listen to “The Morning Rush,” you probably heard John Nabors and Tommy Craft discussing how this may very well be the most complete Tide team ever under Nick Saban.

Perhaps under any coach at any program.

On an unrelated note: Happy birthday week, John.

Saban has called this a trap game. And while the sports journalists and radio personalities must do the politically correct thing of publicly analyzing his statement, permit me to say what we are all really saying: by definition, this is a trap game. By reality, nice try, Nick.

Yes, the Arkansas faithful is feeling a bit better about the future after the close game against Texas A&M. How far can that get us? Let’s take a look.

The Razorbacks offense is definitely progressing under Ty Storey, however, they are in trouble. Big trouble. If they find a weakness in the Alabama defense, they had better exploit it over and over.

And at halftime, Arkansas’s leadership had better start looking for a second flaw in the Crimson defenders.

If anyone believes the Tide’s coaching staff is incapable of making the proper adjustments, then I have a Houston Nutt “I Called That Play, Chuck!” t-shirt ready to ship directly to you.

Let us fill our Hog heads with hope Coach Morris can dial up some good statistics which defensive coordinator John Chavis can utilize against Tide quarterback Tua Tagov … Tagovel … Tagava … uh, Tua, who has taken Alabama offense to possibly the highest level ever achieved on an NCAA field.

Can Arkansas even limit what may wind up being the most vaunted offensive assembly in our lifetime? Do not count on it. [Pun intended … Think about it.]

Which brings us back around once more to the special teams. Focus is key to success. So, Coach Morris, let’s center our strategy by going for it on fourth down, kicking it out of bounds, and crossing our fingers on every field goal attempt.

On a positive note, kicking seems to be the only possible weakness in Alabama’s arsenal.

However, for Arkansas to wish this imperfection will change the projected outcome of the game, then the Tide’s fancy footers had better be horrible. How horrible you ask? Like Leigh Tiffin in 2006 horrible. Like Halle Berry in 2004’s “Catwoman” horrible, but that is a whole other story, man.

Yes, despite Saban’s best efforts, this Alabama team and its band of energetic supporters possess enough ego alone to fill the entirety of all SEC stadiums.

Can this lead to complacency? If you’re an optimistic Hogs fan hoping for any chance of a scoreboard win, then you’d better hope so. Stay positive fans, and remember, like Andy Hodges stated, Arkansas’s victory will not be on the scoreboard.

Arrogance 31, Optimism 17

Speaking of, many of you have stated to me that Mr. Hodges is on a roll [pun not intended] with his picks as of late. In fact, the word “perfect” has been a word floated around the past couple of weeks.

Do not let my not posting my record each week fool you – I am right on his heels, and that end of the season championship barbecue dinner will be mine. Yes, I just raised the “steaks.”

• Missouri at South Carolina – Too close to call, yet I will say the Gamecocks at home by 6.
• (5) LSU at (22) Florida – The Tigers knock the Gators back out of the Top 25. LSU by10
• University of Louisiana – Monroe at Ole Miss – Rebels by 15
• (13) Kentucky at Texas A&M – [UPSET ALERT] Aggies by 10, but can you really call this an upset?
• Vanderbilt at (2) Georgia – Bulldogs by 22
• (8) Auburn at Mississippi State – Tigers by a close 14

Go HOGS!!!

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