What do you guys think about the Arkansas series?

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by @TheBayouBlogger, Nov 14, 2014.

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  1. @TheBayouBlogger

    @TheBayouBlogger Veteran Member

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    @TheBayouBlogger, Nov 14, 2014
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  2. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    It has always been a contrived rivalry. The SEC wanted to make Arkansas comfortable in the SEC away from their old SWC rivals. LSU's traditional rival, Tulane, had dropped out of the SEC and became a minor football program and LSU couldn't even schedule them annually anymore after going to an 8-game conference schedule. So they invented this cross-state rivalry on the day after Thanksgiving as a made-for TV game with a big honking' trophy.

    But it just never captured the imagination of fans, especially LSU fans. Arkansas was rarely a contender in football, while Alabama, Florida, and Auburn were and we also played them every year. By the time the Arkansas game rolled around it was either a letdown game after LSU was already out of the title race or it was a trap game after LSU was already in the title race. Nobody really like the holiday game either. The students were out of town and it disrupted holiday travel plans making for a light crowd.

    The "rivalry" will not be missed. We have much more of a history with A&M. Arkansas is better off trying to create a rivalry with Missouri.
     
    red55, Nov 14, 2014
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  3. @TheBayouBlogger

    @TheBayouBlogger Veteran Member

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    It's a good border-state rivalry. I don't know why it was dormant for the better part of 60 years, but even though I'm from Southeast Louisiana, I know some Arkansas fans, people who lived there, etc. I imagine that's a lot more common for North Louisiana people.

    I agree A&M-LSU and Arkansas-Missouri fit better as rivalry-week games though.
     
    @TheBayouBlogger, Nov 14, 2014
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  4. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    Since they are an SEC West opponent we play them every year but now that the SEC has decided to make the LSU-A&M game the preferred end of season rivalry game for both teams. I'd like to see the R Kansas game moved to earlier in the season. I hate that we have to play them the week after the Bama game this year while the Hawgs are coming off of a bye week. I also hate the idea of playing on Thanksgiving Day unless both teams don't have a bye week before the game. In a year when there are two bye weeks it makes more sense for LSU to schedule it earlier and then play a cupcake game the week after Bama. In a one bye week year like next year I want to keep the bye week before the Bama game. You know the Tide is going to use their bye that week.

    The Golden Boot means so little to the players that more than once the winning team has left if on the field after the game and somebody had to be sent to retrieve it.
     
    Bengal B, Nov 14, 2014
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  5. HalloweenRun

    HalloweenRun Founding Member

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    I don't have the data, but my feeling is that this has recently been a poor game for us. Whether it is after Bama, after season hope is lost, or we are looking ahead, I have dreaded this game, every year. Not because of the possibility of us getting beat, that's the SEC West, but after so many IMPORTANT games, this one just comes along.
     
    HalloweenRun, Nov 14, 2014
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  6. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    To be fair, though, most of the games have been very competitive and close.
     
    Bengal B, Nov 14, 2014
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  7. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    It weighs 175 pounds and is 4 feet tall. Nobody wants to carry it around.
     
    red55, Nov 14, 2014
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  8. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    If the BCS Crystal Football had weighed that much nobody would have left it behind.
     
    Bengal B, Nov 14, 2014
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  9. @TheBayouBlogger

    @TheBayouBlogger Veteran Member

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    They've also been unpredictable. Often the team having the worse season wins, so that's another reason to worry about it.
     
    @TheBayouBlogger, Nov 14, 2014
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  10. Rouxleaux

    Rouxleaux Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?

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    See I'll go against the grain with this one, I think this is not so much of a rivalry game. Maybe back in the day it was but now it is kind of the ho hum bowl. Lets face it our rivals currently have got to be (IMHO) the gumps, war chickens, and ole piss. I could maybe throw the faggies into the mix. Piggies don't get me all that hyped up.
     
    Rouxleaux, Nov 14, 2014
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