Time to hit the line for the 2012-2013 football season. Spring practice starts Wednesday March 14th, 2012. Anyone excited about this year? Seeing Knile back is going to be one heck of a highlight, in my opinion. What do you guys think? Who will be the impact players? Anyone have any intel on the new recruits? Do you think freeing Willy will be the game changer we need to compete with the upper echelon of the SEC? Does Paul Haynes have mojo? Any pre-preseason Rasputin-ish predictions?

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=205396209

Last year I was able to watch all but one game (I missed El Paso) thanks to my then new Direct TV subscription. I had to pay-per-view a few times and that set me back about $90 for three games. Living in Colorado, there just isn't much football except what ESPN and CBS show. Fox seems to think that tennis and racing are more important than college football (or so it was last year). So, do any of you have any tips or tricks for me?

Being a Direct TV guy I can buy their "Game Plan" package, but I have no way of knowing if the Razorbacks will be broadcasted. I really want to see the September 3rd Missouri opener and I have no way of knowing how to watch it without spending an arm and a leg, heck, after viewing the info at Arkansasrazorbacks.com I think it may only be available to Arkansas and Missouri people.

I would appreciate any help you can throw my way. :)

While I was drinking my morning cup of joe at the computer a familiar face popped up on a news article. I hadn't heard anything about him since he was arrested for selling prescription drugs (not marijuana as is common in SoCal) what later became just an "isolated incident". Anyway, I may go see my old fav-QB up in Canada sometime.

Check it out:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/What-happened-to-Mitch-Mustain-?urn=nfl-wp2417

If you read the USA Today, you will have noticed that The Ohio State is getting into a lot of trouble thanks to the fives players who will be suspended for fives games beginning this season. I don't know what to make of it, but it is clear this is no small matter. I dug up a SB nation blog that had some interesting reading material, but I do like the USA Today article more. http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/2011/3/8/2038958/timeline-of-ohio-states-official-report-and-investigation-of

Greetings Hog Fans,

In just a few days we will see the kickoff between our Hogs and the Buckeyes. This matchup is particularly special to me given I have spent a few years strongly disliking Ohio State, so I figured I would share my dislike with you. Not in a "reasons to hate post"... oh no, I already hate them! I figure I'll just share with you why!

In 2006 I moved to Colorado Springs, CO with my wife. We quickly found an apartment in an area we both liked as there were several bars, restaurants and shopping within walking distance. In 2007 we watched Florida manhandle Ohio State at a nearby Old Chicago's. Great time considering I was the only SEC fan in the building. I didn't think much of it then, but I would soon come to realize that this area of Colorado has more Ohioans than I would have ever imagined. I still can't figure out why so many Ohioans relocate to Colorado Springs but in the rest of 2007-2008 football season my favorite sports bar, Buffalo Wild Wings, became the official gathering spot for the Pikes Peak Buckeyes Chapter.

I hated it with a passion. Celebrating mediocrity is how I referred to it. Week after week I would watch my beloved Razorbacks play top ten teams while the Buckeyes were playing lesser ranked Kent, Akron, Youngstown State... and at every shellacking touchdown the buckeye's would score, the 100 plus Ohio State fans packing Buffalo Wild Wings would play their fight song thanks to a few trumpet-alumni who couldn't get enough of playing that fight song. 

Imagine my estatic joy when we beat LSU, at LSU, and they went on to play in the BCS National Championship game. I had made some LSU friends here in Colorado Springs. In fact, there was a Louisiana restaurant here that I visited the week before the game. While they were preparing to host a party there for the championship game, I graciously declined the offer to attend their party as I had made plans... to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. "You'll be killed" my new friends said when I announced my intentions. I replied, "Not a chance... by halftime the place will be empty!"

I then did something that I never thought I would do. I donned LSU paraphernalia. While I have friends and family in the various parishes of Louisiana, I had never thought I could possibly wear purple and gold. I made the exception given that my razorbacks had "brought the wood" two years in a row.

My wife happened to be 7 months pregnant with our daughter at the time and while she was reluctant to go she accompanied me to Buffalo Wild Wings. We arrived an hour prior to kickoff only to notice two inflatable Buckeyes greeting those who would enter. In addition to my LSU apparel, I was wearing a ton of mardi gras beads, which I offered to any of the persons jeering me when I walked into see the 300+ Ohio fans visiting their holy establishment.

At kickoff the roar of the room drowned the cranked sound system and it was clear to see I was the only person cheering for LSU in the establishment. I actually had people nearby me tip the waitress so as to give us poor service. I thought to myself, "They aren't going to get rid of me that easily." Meanwhile my wife was trying to hide the fact that she was with me. I didn't blame her for my endeavor was a risk I hadn't meant to involve her in; nevertheless, she gracefully stayed put while the jeers and fingers were directed more toward us than the game. When Ohio State scored first, the room when nuts. I thought the entire Ohio State band had forgone the game and had instead visited the Buffalo Wild Wings of Colorado Springs. With the celebration an Ohio State flag was run around the room and was held for 30 plus seconds over my head. I smiled, thinking of the many times that season I had watched LSU give up points only to later dominate the game. When LSU soon answered with a score of their own, my yell was heard by everyone of the dropped-jawed and silent Buckeye fans. Oh, how sweet it was.

At halftime things were starting to look more favorable for the Tigers, but the game wasn't over yet. I went to the bathroom only to have a guy get in my face and say, "I'll be surprised if you leave without broken arms!" to which I replied, "I'll be surprised if you leave with a win." Tensions were heating up.

The second half was a thing of beauty. By the end of the third quarter the room had been reduced from >300 to <150 and I was living it up. Victory was near. By the end of the game my wife and I were two of twenty or so that had stayed! LSU had put Ohio St to 0-9 against SEC teams and you could hear the crowd at the game start to chant "SEC! SEC! SEC!" I left satisfied that LSU had finished the job when no Jr college teams could that year.

Since that game, I have not gone back to Buffalo Wild Wings on a college football Saturday. Just can't stand the ease of the Buckeye's schedule and their expecting to be number one. Needless to say, our matchup should prove to be a good game, but like always, I think the majority of Ohio St fans are kidding themselves when they think of their team being superior.

I think we can all agree that the Arkansas Expats have the most underrated blog in the SB Nation. Their professionalism is certainly shown in the interviews they've done. From Pat Bradley to Ken Hatfield these interviews are really well done. Of course, the coverage of our football season has us all learning the names of the staff at our local hospitals but, if you could have Expats interview any Razorback alumni, who it (or they) be?

I wouldn't mind catching up on Anthony Lucas or Cedric Cobbs. Maybe Fred Tally, Tenarius “Tank” Wright, or Kareem Reed. My list would probably be a mile long. How about yours?

I really would rather not mention the name of "he who must not be named" (aka Houston Dale Nutt). But, Chris Low on the ESPN SEC Blog did a Q&A with the now infamous coach. I had to read it as I have always got a kick out of his blabbing about how kids have "lot of heart" and "play between the whistles". I was surprised to see that HDN has increased his diction and become a little more spacey than previous. 

I should let the reader interpret for him or herself the intelligence of such an egotist, but I would like to point out a few "red flags" as to the sanity of such a Nutt. 

When asked about the Sr. D-end Greg Hardy's foot surgery, he replied, "... He got a haircut, hasn't missed meeting."

And when asked the hype surrounding said Nutt, he replied, "... But what do you do? I can't control it. The only thing I can try to control is the attitude of our players and how they go about it. I can't control Sports Illustrated and ESPN and all the attention. The only thing I can do is say, 'We've got to work harder.' "

While it maybe true HD Nutt might not be able to control publications about him or the program, he obviously has no problem posing for them either.