In the middle of, well to put it politely, changes in Arkansas’ athletic department, it appears the Razorback games in Little Rock is going to get back in the discussion.
I thought — or was hoping, anyway — we had put that issue to rest for a year and it appeared likely to be buried in a year or so.
Roughly a month ago Gov. Asa Hutchinson got in on the fun in a meeting with Chancellor Joe Steinmetz and others. Reportedly, Razorback football games in Little Rock was a discussion item.
Longtime friend Harry King wrote on the PulaskiNews.net website recently about the issue.
The governor’s support is a powerful tool and Long’s dismissal last week apparently helped the Little Rock cause. Ironically, without fanfare, it was Long who provided $500,000 for improvements to the Lettermen’s Club at War Memorial.
Apparently, Hutchinson is pushing to have the Missouri game played in Little Rock every other year. It makes sense as school is out for Thanksgiving and with students home, well, playing in Little Rock then is about as good a time as any.
Fans can also go to the deer woods in the morning and make the game, which is why I’ve argued if you’re going to do one of those lame “special” uniforms, make it a camo look and I’ll guarantee you a solid camo-looking crowd. In this state you can pull that one off.
But if Asa is going to jump in the middle of this, he might as well go all in. Let’s not stop with just getting that game in Little Rock every other year.
He might as well do something that could benefit the state economically more than the Hogs simply playing a random SWAC school.
Make the Hogs play other Arkansas schools. Keep that money they are giving to schools from outside the state right here at home.
It’s past time for that silly old argument about not playing any other Arkansas schools. Especially if you’re going to continue playing games in Little Rock.
If you play just one game in Little Rock every year how about this:
• In odd-numbered years, play the Missouri game at War Memorial on the day after Thanksgiving where the biggest problem is going to be, well, getting the league office to agree to it.
• If the SEC won’t allow the Missouri game to be played there (which will likely be the case), then play either Central Arkansas or Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock in the early November game each year. The Hogs have FCS opponents on the schedule already … from out of state and cancelling those contracts likely wouldn’t be that expensive.
• Open the season each year against Arkansas State in Fayetteville. Get it out of the way early and be done with it. Instead of cutting that check to a Sun Belt school from out of state, keep the money in Arkansas.
• If the state forces two games a year in Little Rock, then move the Arkansas State game there with the Hogs as the home team, but instead of a guarantee ASU gets it’s cut of the tickets for the game.
Having said all of that, I stand by what I’ve written and said on the air since 1978 about games in Little Rock: The UA should not play games there.
Yes, I have fond memories of attending games there growing up. I also have fond memories of driving a muscle car in the ’70’s that got four miles to the gallon on the highway and not worrying about it because gas was about 50 cents a gallon. A $10 bill would fill up the car, buy a hamburger, fries and Dr Pepper at the Chat-n-Chew in Warren.
Well, that ain’t coming back, either.
From a fiscal standpoint, I haven’t seen how the Hogs could justify playing a game in Little Rock that didn’t have a corporate sponsor underwriting it.
Hey, get somebody to underwrite a game in Little Rock against Arkansas State where both schools get cash slightly above what they would get for a normal home game and I’ll change my opinion.
Asa should go all in if he’s going to get involved at all and not try to come up with some half-baked political solution.
Which, of course, would be a pleasant change of pace.
