A popular comic has a routine in which he shares tell-tale
signs that you may be a redneck. In the midst of another football season, you
can tell you are a real fan if you have a list like what follows- my ten most
memorable Razorback games. These are in chronological order, because there is
no way I could rank the memories from best to worst. They are all a part of the
fabric that makes up the lives of the people I love the most.
1.
Arkansas
vs. Texas A&M-1975 War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. My former
boyfriend gave me and my new fiancé tickets to a game in December that was
televised. While generous ex watched from the comfort of his couch, future
hubby and I almost literally froze in the end-zone. I remember driving his
precious Dodge Challenger through the bumper to bumper traffic. I was very surprised while researching this
column to learn that we actually won that game. The score did not play into my
memories at all. I was happy to be with a great guy, but longing for a warmer
location!
2. Arkansas vs. Tulsa 1976-
Fayetteville. As newlyweds, we drove
up to the Ozarks with some friends and witnessed a defensive duel, highlighted
by two record-setting field goal kickers- Steve Cox of Tulsa and Steve Little
of Arkansas. Tulsa kicked three of them, and the Hogs only managed one. The
final score 9-3 Tulsa.
3.
Arkansas
vs. LSU 1996- Little Rock. Our oldest son, with money from his first job
burning a hole in his pocket, bought tickets for himself and his dad. A friend
who was a State Legislator at the time let us use his passes, so the whole family
went on a cold, rainy weekend after Thanksgiving and stayed for most of a
miserable defeat. I remember that the purple and gold ponchos outnumbered the
red ones by quite a bit when we finally made our way to the exits.
4. Parent’s Day in
Fayetteville- Arkansas vs. Alabama 1998- While
recalling that game today, son’s comment was- “Were y’all at that game?” We
watched the action from the student section, and observed our college freshman
having the time of his life in the end-zone, A big 42-6 win that cemented our
fervor for all things cardinal and white.
5. Arkansas 28, Tennessee 24, Fayetteville,
1999. We watched on television, as our college
student spent the weekend after his 21st. birthday helping his
friends dismantle the goal posts after a glorious game. He still owns a baggie
with a piece of the turf from that game. Some relics are more precious than
gold.
6. Arkansas vs. Tennessee-
September, 2001. Just days before the world changed forever,
we were seated on metal seats at the very tip-top of the newly remodeled
stadium during severe thunderstorm warnings. After several back and forth trips
to the safety of the concourse, hubby and I decided we would be better off
watching on the television in our hotel room. Our kids wanted to divorce us
that day, but we’ve gotten over it, well most of us have. Anyway, Tennessee
won.
7.
Seven
Overtimes- Arkansas vs. Mississippi in Oxford- 2001 I
actually watched this from a hospital bed after knee surgery. My future
son-in-law was keeping an eye on the heart monitor and threatened to turn the
television off if I didn’t calm down. Calm? Not a chance. Arkansas 58,
Mississippi 56.
8.
War
Memorial Stadium- Arkansas vs. Louisiana Monroe 2004.
Our
second son had graduated from the U of A by this time, and he came to town for
the game. We bought tickets from a scalper outside the stadium, and had
terrific seats next to the Razorback band in the South end zone. Son was still
in full-on student mode, and performed all of the songs right along with them. We
won the game, but it wouldn’t have mattered to us in the least.
9.
Arkansas
vs. Mississippi State at Starkville, MS 2008.
This
was a road trip with our son’s fiancé and his friends from Memphis. Our now
daughter-in-law still remembers that my husband made her leave her warmest coat
in the car because it was the wrong color. We left when the game seemed lost,
only to hear a rally as we were leaving. Our son pulled in and out of the
parking space to get the best reception on the radio. Final score- Mississippi
State 31, Arkansas 28.
10.
Arkansas
vs. Auburn- Fayetteville, 2009. After a terribly difficult week that
included the funeral of someone we all loved, we took a very refreshing trip to
the top of The Hill. A great victory, 44-23. How ‘bout them Hawgs, indeed.
A bonus memory that doesn’t
directly include me- After my oldest son married, his wife and I stayed at
their apartment in Fayetteville, while “the boys” went to the Auburn game. They
had two student tickets and a spouse ticket between them, and only one of them
was an actual student. Dad was told to try to act like a professor, and brother
was praying no-one would challenge his “spouse” status.
The Razorbacks are more
than our favorite team, they are part of our lives. Here’s hoping your family
has some memories together that will last long after the final seconds click
off the stadium clock. Woo Pig Sooie!!
