Living in Arkansas all of these years has taught me one
thing: Arkansas Razorbacks fans are desperately loyal.
It’s a loyalty that oftentimes leads the fandom to believe
that their team is capable of doing anything and everything, which while
probably fitting the definition of a “good fan”, sometimes comes off as
delusional.
Razorbacks fans had good reason to believe in their team
after last season when they go as high as number three in the college football
rankings and only fell to the two best teams in all of college football
(Alabama and LSU). Many, if not most, Razorbacks fans felt that the 2012
Razorbacks could have a shot at the National Championship, and honestly it was
a feeling that wasn’t that far-fetched.
However, then came the bombshell that ended the tenure of
head coach Bobby Petrino and led to the hiring of new coach John L. Smith. This
scandal in itself led me to believe that any shot the Razorbacks had at a
national title had been taken away. I don’t think it’s possible for any team,
even one as talented as the current Razorbacks, to win right away under such
unfortunate circumstances.
Not only is the head coaching change and the way it came
about insurmountable, in my opinion, but I still believe that the Razorbacks
are probably only the third best team not even in just their own conference,
the SEC, but in their own division. Alabama is clearly a better team than the
Razorbacks and LSU is likely better than the Razorbacks.
Yet, Hogs fans continue to believe in their team, which is
in no way a bad thing, except that they unreasonably believe in their team. I
had one Razorbacks fan say to me a few days ago that the Hogs were going to win
the SEC this year, which would presumably put them in the BCS National
Championship game. Winning the SEC would mean both defeating Alabama and LSU
and either Georgia or South Carolina (all of which are currently ranked in the
top 10 ahead of the Razorbacks).
You can see from their week one game against Jacksonville
State why the Razorbacks are not a championship caliber team. While the number
two (and probably soon to be number one) ranked Alabama Crimson Tide were
curb-stomping the number eighth ranked team in the nation the Michigan
Wolverines 41-14 the number 10 ranked Razorbacks allowed a FCS team to drop 24
points on them.
Now, I know technically a win is a win and a 25 point win is
typically a very good win, but for the Razorbacks to allow a FCS (formerly
Division II) team from the Ohio Valley Conference to score 24 points on them
has to be considered an embarrassing win, though I haven’t heard a single
Razorbacks fan yet fess up to it.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are a really good team and I expect
them to have a really good season. They will likely either go 10-2 or 9-3, but
they are simply not a championship caliber team and have already proven so.
Fans, I know you have to root for your team, but don’t be buffoons about it.
