Razorback Expats

Wally Watch: Where we read Wally Hall so you don't have to.

May 1, 2008: Kentucky Derby memories are forever vivid

Primary Theme: The Kentucky Derby sure is fun. But, things ain't like they used to be.

Key Elements: A virtuosic combination of name-dropping and nostalgia that only the sports editor of the state's largest newspaper could pull off.

The Odd Couple?: When Wally writes "A couple of years were spent crashing in Randy Moss’ room", we know he's not referring to THAT Randy Moss, but you have to admit it's a pretty amazing image. In fact, we'd pay a substantial sum to be a fly on the wall watching the antics caused by those two rooming together.

Grammar Alert #1: "My financially favorite race was 1987."

Names Dropped: Rex Nelson, Randy Moss, Kane Webb, Spider Webb (!), Jeff Krupsaw, Kim Brazzel, Angel Cordero, Ray Lincoln.

Aspiring Journalists, Take Note: In true Wally fashion, this super-brief paragraph appears out of the blue with no apparent connection to the words immediately before or after it: "Once I got a call from an old friend; he was there on his honeymoon. Now Jeff Krupsaw is the deputy sports editor at the Democrat-Gazette." After reading it through several times, our only conclusion is that Mr. Krupsaw's current career path owes a lot to that timely phone call.

Grammar Alert #2: "Wednesday, three couples, personal friends, left for the Derby." (that's a full paragraph, by the way)

Our Analysis: There's probably a worthwhile point buried somewhere in there about how corporate influences have changed our most beloved sporting events, but of course Wally takes about six personal detours too many to make any of that really hit home.

However, as far as Wally columns go, this one is pretty innocuous. Although the random name-dropping (at this point, if you're even a casual acquaintance of Wally and haven't been referenced in his column, you're probably doing something very wrong) gets a little old, he manages to stay away from the tendencies towards innuendo and preachiness for which he's so beloved.

In the end, though, we were a little disappointed that he couldn't fit at least one reference to a lavish meal (preferably Mexican food) he enjoyed during his Derby travels. And most of all, we're finding ourselves wishing we lived in a world where Wally Hall was buddy-buddy with the football playing Randy Moss rather than the sportswriting version. One can dream...

(more at www.razorbackexpats.com)

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What's everyone's favorite ex-Razorback coach up to these days over in Oxford? Well, according to this glowing profile in the Laurel (MS) Leader-Call, he's certainly taking the locals by storm. Here's the money quote:

If you meet Nutt, you will be impressed even if you are not a Rebel fan. He is an excellent people person who is a great communicator. His passion for what he does comes out very quickly. He has that look in his eye that draws you in. The look speaks outwardly that he cares about what he is selling. In this case, Ole Miss football was the sales pitch to these eager takers. When he spoke to the Rebels fans in attendance in a one-on-one meeting during the night, they all came away with these thoughts: Nutt is a genuine and a very likeable down-to-earth person with a special passion for what he does.

Also, it's nice to see that he was able to stay true to his unique fashion sense by finding a goofy straw hat with the Ole Miss logo on it:

(more at www.razorbackexpats.com)

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As America's favorite non-sporting sporting event, the NFL Draft certainly receives a lot of coverage. And, with six players drafted the Hogs were a major factor this year. Here are some links I've been saving up:

* Probably the best thing I read after the draft was this interview with Felix Jones. He landed in a great situation and sounds incredibly excited about it...he refers to it as "a dream come true" three times in a short span. Here's a good quote on how he happy he is to be a Cowboy:
It will be an honor. I know that for sure. That star represents a lot. That is something I am going to wear and play my best and I am just happy now that I am getting a chance to put it on. This is a dream come true for me.

* Of course, there are always naysayers and Arkansas Sports 360 reminds us that some folks in Dallas aren't too happy about Felix being their first round draft pick. (editor's note: Why??)

* On the flip side of that argument, SI's Don Banks has the full story on why Jerry Jones went with Felix and ESPN's John Clayton praises the choice.

* Surely you've been wondering what Warren Sapp thinks about D-Mac going to the Raiders. Well, wonder no more...according to this interview with Michael Silver, he wholeheartedly approves, calling the match "a perfect fit".

* More from Don Banks: he pegs the McFadden vs Bush vs Fargas running back situation in Oakland as one of the top training camp battles to watch.

* Several undrafted Razorbacks were invited to various training camps. Tom Murphy has the latest on Robert Felton, Michael Grant, Matteral Richardson, Weston Dacus and more.

* What does Wally think about all this? Here's his breakdown of the draft.

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In the days leading up to the NFL draft, I posted a couple of rants about why I didn't think Oakland was the best place for Darren McFadden to wind up...I've lived in the Bay Area for 12 years now and have seen numerous good players get swallowed up by the disfunction that surrounds every aspect of the Raiders, never to be heard from again. As great as D-Dawg undoubtedly is, he's not immune to that possibility.

But, after the pick was made, I have to admit that I started feeling pretty excited that he'll be playing for my local team. After all, I live roughly 1,837 miles from Fayetteville (according to Google Maps), so I've never seen him play in person...I expect that to change this fall. And, it will be certainly easier to follow his progress in the pros when his every move is covered by the paper I read every day anyway.

So that's what I think. What about McFadden himself? Well, in a conference call with local media, he said pretty much all the right things, including this:

It’s going to be very important for me to carry on a tradition. You never want to ruin a tradition, you always want to carry it on. I love the Raider Nation, they’re very passionate about the Raiders so I’m looking forward to getting out and playing for them.

The full transcript is also worth a read if you want more details. I'm sure you're also wondering if D-Mac will be able to afford living in the notoriously expensive Bay Area. The good news is that I think he'll be be able to scrape by and get a place with enough guest rooms for all his brothers and sisters:

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is by far the most dynamic offensive player coming out of college. As such, he will command a six-year deal worth at least $50 million with no less than $20 million in guarantees.

In other words, if Darren and I ever cross paths at a local piano bar, he's buying. More thoughts on the draft coming soon...

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I expect the Rapture to begin any second now. Or a meteor to smash into Earth. Or maybe the Cubs will finally win the World Series.

What has me feeling this way? The Atlanta Hawks — sporting the worst record of any of this year's NBA playoff teams and arguably the most pitiful professional sports franchise over the last decade — beat top-seeded Boston last night, 97-92, to even their first-round series against the Celtics at two games apiece. Boston won 66 games during the regular season, the Hawks 37.

What does this have to do with a Razorback blog? Well, former Hog and current Hawk Joe Johnson had the game of his life last night, scoring 35 points — including 20 in the fourth quarter, when he looked virtually unstoppable and uncorked several Jordanesque drives to the basket.

I live in Atlanta, and the sports-talk-radio rap on Joe is that he is an immensely talented player who doesn't have enough alpha male in him to be The Man in crunch time. For one night, at least, it was nice to see him prove his critics wrong.

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We're very excited to announce a new addition to our team of expert correspondents: the Hog Blogger. After more than a year of writing pretty much our favorite Razorback blog out there, the sorely missed thehogblogger.com, he abruptly dropped out of the public eye. Rumors abounded that he had moved to Oxford to become Houston Nutt's personal biographer, but we were able to lure him back into the fold with a generous benefits package, including stock options and a full health plan. At any rate, the Razorback blogosphere has sorely missed his sharp wit, so without further ado, here's his eyewitness report on Saturday's Red-White game:

The guys at the Expats are terrible, lazy Razorback fans, so for your Spring Game coverage, they’ve foolishly outsourced, employing me — the now-defunct Hog Blogger — to give my take on what I witnessed at Razorback Stadium Saturday night.

I had been unable to see much of the Hogs’ new offense before Saturday, but after the first two series, I realized something.

I’m pretty sure I could have thrown for 300 yards in that game.

That’s not a knock on Casey Dick. I mean no disrespect to the mustachioed Willy Robinson’s defense, either.

That statement is a testament to the offensive genius that is Bobby Petrino. All the highlights, all the hype — believe what you’ve seen and heard. It’s going to happen in Fayetteville for as long as he’s here. Sure, this team will lose it’s fair share of games this year, maybe next year, and who knows after that.

For all of his past failures, I noticed something different about Dick on Saturday. He was having fun, perhaps for the first time since high school. He was making playing quarterback look easy. Tight window over the middle? Dick hit it. Quick nine-yard out? Dick hit it. Streaking receiver over the top? Dick hit him. Running back in the flat? Dick hit him too, in stride, no less.

The thing is, playing quarterback for Bobby Petrino maybe is just that easy. Something tells me Stefan LeFors might agree. (You may have to look that one up.)

Could the Hogs turn into a signature Big East, “Score 40, give up 50” team? It’s possible. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather watch the Hogs lose like that than do it by scoring three points at home against Auburn (twice in four years, I might add.)

I don’t know if these Hogs will be terrible, mediocre, or dominant this year. It’s too early to think about guessing. There’s one thing I’m sure of, though. Whatever they do, it’s going to be fun to watch.

Of course winning is “important,” but honestly, that’s all I really want when I watch the Hogs.

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* Nothing was Shocking - In yesterday's first round of the NFL Draft, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones landed where most prognosticators believed they would. Fun facts, courtesy of Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

"McFadden, a Little Rock native and two-time runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting, became the Razorbacks’ highest pick in the NFL Draft since Dan Hampton was selected fourth by the Chicago Bears in 1979.

It’s the fifth time two Razorbacks have been first-round picks, including 1967 (Loyd Phillips and Harry Jones ), 1983 (Billy Ray Smith Jr. and Gary Anderson ), 1989 (Wayne Martin and Steve Atwater ) and 2004 (Shawn Andrews and Ahmad Carroll ), but the first time two Arkansas running backs were first-rounders."

For more coverage, including the reactions in Dallas and Oakland, visit the Razorbloggers by clicking here and here.

* In Other Draft News - Marcus Harrison was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 27th pick in the third round (90th overall).

* Offensive Behavior - The Red team posted a mere 601 yards of total offense yesterday in cruising to a 45-14 victory over the White team in Bobby Petrino's first spring game. We'll have more on this game later, when we post an eyewitness report from an old friend, someone whom the Razorback blogosphere misses dearly.

* No House of Payne - Forward Daniel Payne of Coffeyville (Kan. ) Community College will not joining Razorbacks next fall after all, apparently for academic reasons. Without Payne, the Hogs have five signees and are in the market for more.

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We've been a little slack in discussing this, but, per Brandon Marcello of The Slophouse, Patrick Beverley will be returning to Fayetteville for his junior season. Marcello's report, which is based on a TBO.com blog post, says Patrick wanted to transfer to the University of South Florida to reunite with ex-Hog coach Stan Heath, but Beverley's mom talked him out of the move. (We could get snarky and say that perhaps Patrick missed being part of a team that routinely blew double-digit leads and that couldn't get past the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but we're much classier than that.)

We originally thought that the hard-charging Beverley would mesh well with the hard-ass Pelphrey, but there's obviously been some difficulties in the relationship. Considering the lack of proven SEC-caliber talent that the Razorbacks currently have on their roster, though, we're very happy that Beverley Beverley's mom feels that Pelphrey and Fayetteville are worth another look.

(more at www.razorbackexpats.com)

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The NFL Draft is almost upon us, and like my Expat counterpart, I generally find it to be one of the most ridiculous events on the yearly sporting calendar. If we could only apply the same level of intense analysis and attention to detail to some of our thornier national problems as we do the draft I'm sure things would be in much better shape right now.

But, I digress. Despite my cynicism I'm actually pretty excited about this year's draft because of all the ex-Hogs who will factor in the mix. Here's a quick look at how last year's "Big Four" might fare:

* Darren McFadden. Naturally there are haters who prefer to obsess about his skinny calves rather than him blowing up the SEC for three years, but the general consensus is that he's the top talent in the draft. However, most of the teams picking first don't need a running back, so his future team is still very much in doubt. Earlier this week I was fretting about him going to the Raiders, but the latest buzz has him going to the Jets, who seem to be very interested in D-Dawg.

* Felix Jones. The "experts" are telling us that Felix is a late first round pick, which wouldn't be too shabby at all. No one really knows anything, of course, but multiple mock drafts have him going to Dallas. That would seem to be a good on-the-field place for him to be, but he would be well-advised to decline any invitations to go strip clubbing with the team's newest cornerback.

* Peyton Hillis. In a classic example of the type of overthinking that permeates most draft coverage, the word is that Peyton's stock is dropping because he had a rough workout at the Scouting Combine in February. Only in the world of the NFL Draft would one bad day at a practice facility overrule the fact that he was money on the field for four years, but nonetheless he'll be a solid middle round pick for someone.

* Marcus Monk. Surely every Hog fan is pulling for him after the year he's had...passing up a solid NFL future to return for his senior year, getting seriously injured during preseason practice and then having a less impactful than hoped return to the field late in the season. The good news is that he performed well at the Scouting Combine and Pro Day and his stock is back on the rise. He won't be a top round pick (like he might have been last year), but his future is much brighter than it seemed a few months ago.

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Courtesy of Max Brantley's Arkansas Blog, we came across this Sports Illustrated article about Darren McFadden's efforts to address the concerns NFL franchises have about his off-field issues, such as his involvement in two bar fights. D-Mac's strategy in short: straight talk.

We'll highlight the same passage that Brantley did:

"Deserved or not, McFadden had an image problem. His team of advisers -- including former Olympic track star Mike Conley Sr. (marketing), Ian Greengross (contracts), Mike Vick (financial planning; no relation to the quarterback of the same name) and Frank Shaw and David Cornwell (legal counsel) -- decided to confront it head-on. They told McFadden to be open and honest in interviews with teams and media. Does he have a brother who used to be a Crip? Yes. And another who was a Blood. One brother is in prison for a drug-related offense, and another served five years for possession of crack with intent to distribute. McFadden spoke frankly as well about paternity questions he has faced recently and said he would accept responsibility for two children who may be his."

Sounds like a good plan: When a string of bar brawls and paternity suits threatened to sully the Expat name a few years back, we rehabbed our image by following much the same strategy.

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It seems that the Oakland Raiders management (i.e. owner Al Davis...everyone else there is irrelevant) was unswayed by my diatribe against the team last week, as they are considered the most likely team to pick Darren McFadden in this weekend's NFL Draft.

The fact that the Raiders had the 6th best rushing game in the NFL last year and have pressing needs at almost every position BUT running back doesn't matter much, writes the San Francisco Chronicle's David White. For anyone wondering why I'm so down on Oakland (the team), his article only scratches the surface of the insanity but still gives a pretty nice overview.

White's article also provides a handy breakdown at the various draftniks' (I love/hate that word) guesses at who the Raiders will take. Interesting stuff:

Pundit / Pick
Mel Kiper, ESPN / RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Todd McShay, Scouts Inc / McFadden
Mike Mayock, NFL.com / DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio St.
Vic Carucci, NFL.com / McFadden
Pat Kirwan, NFL.com / Gholston
The Sports Xchange / DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Profootballtalk.com / McFadden
NFLdraftcountdown.com / McFadden
Draftinsiders.com / McFadden
Sporting News / OT Ryan Clady, Boise State
NFL Draft Scout / McFadden
Don Banks, SI.com / McFadden
Mike Lombardi, NFL Network / Gholston

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* Bye-Bye Beverley? - That's the jarring headline of Brandon Marcello's latest Slophouse blog entry. According to the post, Patrick has been making some comments on his Facebook page that could lead some to believe that he won't be with the Hogs next season, including "I'm leaving." Apparently, though, the page doesn't make it clear exactly what he will be leaving. But ... Marcello says he ran into Patrick at this weekend's Real Deal on the Hill AAU Tournament, and Beverley wouldn't comment on the matter. That doesn't sound good.

* More Hoops News: Pelphrey continues to add to his 2008 recruiting class by inking 6-7 forward John Henry, who played high school ball in West Memphis and spent last season at Cincinnati Harmony Prep School. And, scroll down about halfway through this story, and you'll see that the Hogs could also add 6-5 shooting guard Nick Williams of Mobile, Ala., this week. He might come in extra handy if indeed Patrick decides to take his act elsewhere.

* Draft Talk: Next Saturday marks the arrival of what I find to be the sporting world's most obnoxious event: the NFL Draft. I usually avoid this like the plague. This year, however, there are two obvious reasons to tune in: McFadden and Jones, and I'm sure that a hefty percentage of this week's postings will deal with speculation concerning the two. Here's some material that's sure to be a conversation starter: Fox NFL Analyst Brian Baldinger is no fan of D-Mac:

"I think he's the colossal bust in this draft. He doesn't run with patience. He's a very incomplete back who tries to run you over. If he gets a crease, he can take it to the house. But he doesn't break tackles and he fumbles. I'm not impressed."

And add this unnamed scout to the list of those not overly enamored with No. 5:

"I can't believe how skinny his calves and his shins are. It's almost scary. It's like a skinny wide receiver. At the running back position, you want a guy who's a little wider on his base. is built on top, but he's got a very skinny base. I think that's a little bit of a concern."

* Practice Makes Perfect - To stay on top of the football team's spring practice, be sure to check out the Razorbloggers' top-notch and highly detailed daily reports.

* I'm in Charge Here - Houston Nutt is back to doing what many Razorback fans think he does worst: calling plays.

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By the end of next week, Darren McFadden is going to be the richest man in the world with "Arkansas Bred" tattooed on his abs (until I win the lottery, at least). But the big question is, which team will draft him?

A lot of mock drafts have him going to the Oakland Raiders, who have the fourth overall pick. On that subject, allow me to say this directly to Mr. McFadden:

D-Dawg, I live in Oakland. It gets a bad rap, but it's actually a really nice place (as long as you stay out of the deadlier areas). It's got great year-round weather, a thriving arts and music scene, a diverse community, good restaurants, nice neighborhoods, etc. But, I have to ask to you to do whatever you can NOT to get drafted by the Raiders.

I read on your blog how you had a good visit with the team recently. That's cool, but trust me on this - that organization is the worst one in professional sports. It's where promising careers go to die. So, as much as I'd like to be able to invite you over for weekend BBQs and the like, I think it's in your best interest to play elsewhere. I promise you, the ridiculous dramas they have here make anything you went through with Houston Nutt seem as small potatoes as our nonconference schedule last year.

So please, even if Al Davis acts nice and backs up the money truck, use that 4.33 speed to run the other way. Tell him you're going to be hanging out every shady piano bar in town. Do what you have to do. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks,
John

P.S. You're still invited over for BBQs whenever your future team plays the Raiders, of course.

(more at www.razorbackexpats.com)

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Someday we'll all look back at the University of San Francisco's Eddie Sutton era - all six wins and 13 losses of it - with nostalgic fondness, but today the only word is that it's officially over. The Dons hired former Kansas player Rex Walters, and it sounds like Eddie wasn't exactly an integral part of the search process:

"Rex Walters? I thought perhaps they'd want someone from the West Coast to be able to recruit," Sutton said over the phone. "I gave them suggestions to help the basketball program ... evidently he made a big impression."

Personally, I was hoping they'd continue to go the ex-Razorback coach route and hire Nolan Richardson. That nitpick aside, here's wishing Eddie a happy and peaceful retirement.

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Bird-Magic. Chamberlain-Russell. Kleine-Koncak.

OK, so maybe the last pair doesn't belong on the list of all-time great player rivalries. But in the mid-1980s, few of college basketball's individual rivalries were more prominent or more heated than the one between Joe Kleine of Arkansas and Jon Koncak of SMU.

For those of you who weren't around then or who know the two only as the quintessential NBA journeymen, we know that statement sounds kind of crazy. But, it's true. That was the Era of the Shaggy-Haired Hulking White Center, and Kleine and Koncak were considered the crème de la crème of the breed. (Other notable examples include Bill Wennington of St. John's and Uwe Blab of Indiana, both of whom, incredibly, were drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft.)

We were reminded of the Kleine-Koncack battles recently while digging through the SI Vault, Sports Illustrated's online archive of all of its issues. (To see the articles we found on Alvin Robertson, click here.) "A Double Helping of Very Special K"appeared in the Jan. 14, 1985, edition of Sports Illustrated and was written just after SMU's 63-60 overtime victory over the Hogs nine days earlier. The article notes that the win was Koncak's first in five tries against Kleine. "Arkansas is like that mosquito in my bedroom," Koncak told the writer, Jack McCallum, before the game. "The one I could never swat dead."

(Arkansas would defeat SMU in the regular season rematch and then again in the conference tournament, meaning that Smokin' Joe from Slater, Mo., finished his Razorback career with a 6-1 record against Koncak and the Ponies. Take that, Jon.)

Some items of interest from the article:

* At the 1984 Olympic trials, Michigan State Jud Heathcote, apparently confused by the various similarities between the two, introduced Koncak to a group of fellow hopefuls by saying, "Fellas, I'd like you to meet Joe Kleine of Arkansas."

* McCallum writes, Kleine and Koncack "are likely to be high first-round picks who may not 'make' an NBA franchise but who will get one back on its feet." Well, at least he got the part about the high first-round pick right.

* Like all good rivals, they didn't much like each other. Koncak on Kleine's demonstrative on-court persona: "Why does he have to do that stuff?" Kleine on Koncak: "Early in his career he said some really ignorant things." Trash talk like that is truly not for the faint of heart.

* Eddie Sutton recruited both Koncak and Kleine out of high school, meaning that, had things turned out differently, the 1981-82 Hogs could have featured Koncak, Kleine and Scott Hastings. Wow. That team would have been the Traveling Wilburys of slow white centers.

Alas, that didn't happen ... and the rest is mid-1980s college basketball history.

(more at www.razorbackexpats.com)

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Sorry about our slacker posting habits lately. Real life occasionally interferes with blogging, but we'll get back on track soon. In the meantime, a quick rundown of some recent Hog links:

* The football Hogs have opened their first spring practices under Bobby Petrino, and there have already been some changes from the old regime. Nobody covers this sort of thing better than the RazorBloggers, so be sure to check out their most recent reports here and here.

* Nolan is heading to the Hall of Fame (but someone should make sure he's not seated next to his old buddy Billy Packer at the induction dinner...that could get awkward).

* What do the Razorback Expats and Darren McFadden have in common? Aside from blazing speed and a nose for the end zone, we're both Arkansas bloggers. The difference is, D-Mac has been posting a lot more than we have lately...here's one where he breaks down his famous tattoos.

* Remember that guy who played QB before the Casey Dick era? Mitch somebody? If you do, Arkansas Sports 360 has clued us in to a radio interview he did in in New York or Seattle or wherever it is that we heard he's playing now.

* Ever since Wally clued us in to the possibility that the Oklahoma State job opening could leave to John Pelphrey's departure, we've been keeping tabs on that situation. Our Kentucky friends at A Sea of Blue have a good report on what's what.

* News flash: Bobby Petrino is the 10th best coach in the SEC.

* We'll take Whit E. Knight's three part retrospective of the 1978 Final Four season over anyone else's, but if you want more of Eddie & the Triplets, check out Bob Holt's recent article in the Dem-Gaz.

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Tonight, of course, is the NCAA championship, and for only the 68th time in the 70-game history of the event, the title bout will not feature the Arkansas Razorbacks. I know, I know: it will be oh-so-strange to not see the Hogs out there, but we'll just have to get used to it, I guess.

Some random championship thoughts:

* The CBS broadcast of the game has always struck me as pretty hilarious. First off, there's the ridiculous and pompous title of the pre-game show: "Prelude to a Championship." And, then, there's the song that plays over the closing credits.

* Watching the post-game interviews on Saturday, I couldn't help but think of Billy Packer's interview with Nolan Richardson just after the Hogs defeated Arizona in the 1994 national semifinals. Packer mentioned to Nolan that he thought the turning point of the game was when Corey Beck re-entered the second half after sitting out much of it with foul trouble. Nolan snarled something like, "Wow. What insight, Billy. I mean, a blind man could have seen that."

Packer responded, "I think that's a slam at me." To which Richardson replied, "I guarantee that it is."

As much as I loved Nolan, I thought at the time that he was being a little harsh on Packer. Having heard more about Packer over the years, though, I've changed my mind.

* Question time: What's your favorite non-Razorback championship game memory? And your least favorite?

My favorite is the 1986 game between Louisville and Duke in Dallas. Not because it was the greatest game (although it was a very good one), but because I was there. The previous fall, my dad entered the Final Four ticket lottery, and he hit the jackpot. I was 13 years old, and I don't think I've ever been as excited about a sporting event before or since.

My family stayed at a hotel that was heavily populated with Louisville fans. The hotel had a shuttle service to and from Reunion Arena. On the way to one of the games, an elderly man asked my father, "Do you remember a gentleman by the name of U.S. Reed? He ruined my summer one year."

My least favorite is, believe it or not, Houston's loss to North Carolina State in 1983. I was a pretty big Phi Slamma Jamma fan (except, of course, when they played the Hogs - then I hated them), and, heading into that game, I felt a rare bit of SWC pride and was really excited about seeing someone from the conference take home the trophy. (By the way, I also rooted for the Soviet Union in the Cold War and for Darth Vader in "Star Wars.")

* Finally, prediction time. I've consulted the tea leaves and Ms. Cleo. Here's what will happen: Memphis 77, Kansas 72.

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I've been enjoying the commentary following my recent post about who not to root for in the Final Four. To answer commenter Chris Iafolla's question, in the end, I had to go with Memphis. As I texted Stephen (we Expats are oh-so-modern in our communication methods), I never would have believed this 10-15 years ago but in the end I had to go with Memphis.

My reasons were pretty much the same as Stephen's: lots of affection for the city from the years we lived there as well as general admiration/fear of Justin Baker's technical abilities.

I'm currently visiting family in Southern California and my (at least temporary) Memphis fandom was confirmed when I picked up the newspaper today and read all the obnoxious local sports columnists in the LA Times. You could tell they were shocked that a team from a backwater (in their minds) like Memphis would so thoroughly dominate their mighty Bruins. That brought back all sorts of memories of the "no respect" days, when the national media constantly criticized Nolan's whining - how could a team ranked #1 most of the season be disrespected, they thought - but anyone from Arkansas understood his point.

Anyway, now I'm really digressing. Here's hoping the Tigers finish what they started, and may the Hogs challenge them at that level soon.

(P.S. If Kansas wins, I won't really be that sad. I'd take them or Memphis over UCLA or UNC any day.)

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This year's Final Four features the consensus best four teams in all of the land, so it should be a highly competitive and entertaining weekend of basketball. However, as Stephen already noted Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA each have NCAA tournament histories with Arkansas, and I'm having a very difficult time deciding who to root for. In fact, it's much easier for me to decide who to root against, so allow me to put on my hater hat for a minute and elaborate:

Kansas: I probably have the fewest tangible reasons to root against the Jayhawks, yet I can't think of a good reason to root for them either. They just don't inspire much passion either way, which might be the worst thing of all. Plus, I think their fans need to grow up and get over the whole Roy Williams thing.

Memphis: When Stephen and I lived in the Bluff City back in the mid-90s we literally almost came to basketball-related blows with some friends who happened to be Tigers fans. We've all grown up since then, thankfully, but I still can't bring myself to actively root for Memphis. Also, to be quite frank, John Calipari just seems like kind of a dick.

North Carolina: It might be their baby blue uniforms, the years of constant hype or the fact that they're just so damn good, but to me UNC ranks only slightly ahead of Duke on the likability scale...both teams come across as arrogant, annoying, elitist ACC snobs. Sorry, but I'm sick of the Tar Heels.

UCLA: Ever since a certain fateful day in April 1995, I've fervently rooted against UCLA in any sport and at every available opportunity, and I plan on doing that for the rest of my days. Call me an irrational grudge holder, but hey, I'm a Razorback fan - that's how I roll.

Now that I've exposed the darker and more malevolent side of my sports fandom, it's your turn to tell us what you think. Who are you guys rooting for? Rooting against? What's a Razorback fan to do?

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Wally Watch: Where we read Wally Hall so you don't have to.

April 3, 2008: Domino effect could see Pelphrey in Kentucky

Primary Theme: The forced resignation of Sean Sutton at Oklahoma State could set in motion chain of events that would result in John Pelphrey coaching at Kentucky next year. Nobody likes the sound of that.

We Do, However, Like the Sound of This: "A deadly domino"

Wally Hall Writing Tip #419: To add a little color and familiarity to your writing, refer to sports figures by punny versions of their real names. For example, the "Sean Sudden" reference in this column. (However, there's at least a 10% chance that's a typo.)

Wally Hall Writing Tip #627: To add a little color and familiarity to your writing, refer to sports figures by their first, middle and last names. For example, see the "Billy Clyde Gillispie" and "John Leslie Pelphrey" references in this column.

More Proof that You Never Really Outgrow Junior High: According to Wally, here's how it breaks down: Boone doesn't like Sean (or Eddie). Boone likes Bill, but Bill's not interested. Boone might also like Billy, and if Billy likes Boone then John might leave us for his first love. Got all that?

Our Analysis: One of our biggest complaints about Wally is that his columns are usually about 98% fluff, so to be fair it's nice to see him write about something more meaningful, even if it does come across as a bit rumor-ish.

On one hand, you'd think that the (theoretically) leading sportswriter in the state would have some inside information that makes this a legitimate story. On the other hand, it might just be that Wally hasn't been to any good new Mexican restaurants lately and thus is desperate for something to write about.

In the end, this is definitely a story we'll monitor, but we're having a hard time imagining the Kentucky basketball coach voluntarily leaving after one year in favor of Oklahoma State, no matter how annoying the UK fans are. We'll probably have to deal with these rumors every offseason until Pelphrey actually does leave for Kentucky, but the guess here is that for now he sticks around.

Special Non-Wally Addendum: Here are a couple of other links dealing with the Gillispie-to-OSU rumors:

* Could Gillispie be tempted away to Stillwater?

* Big Oil, Oklahoma State Targeting Gillispie

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