Weak In Review Yes, I suppose it is a play on words, but it makes sense doesn't it. We who are "weak and heavy laden" are constantly being reviewed by our Creator through His loving eyes. God is not a critic though; He's our biggest fan, cheering us home as we round the preverbial bases of our lives. Along the way we will get tripped up, thrown out, get caught in a rundown, and occasionally move forward by hustling and sliding in safe while avoiding trouble.(Can you tell I'm watching the Cardinals in game 5 while I post?) Honestly, my life should be broken down into daily phases of self-evaluation, constantly searching for ways to improve my walk. Your comments and encouragement are invaluable in this journey of mine. Thanks. Here are a few ramblings which happened in my world this week...
The First Big Job
My oldest daughter, Jennifer went through a rigorous 3 week interview process and was hired by Edward Jones as an investment representative this week. They will set her up in an office in Houston, complete with a laptop, furniture, a part-time assistant, and an OPEN FOR BUSINESS sign. She is extremely excited about this new phase of her life and I have no doubt she will set the woods on fire. She put herself through Harding selling cars, knives, advertising, managing a steakhouse, and car-hopping at Sonic. She could sell ice to an Eskimo and I've told her that Pharoah would have freed the Isralites after plague number 3, had she been the negotiator. (Its a joke-so don't go reporting this to the elders) I love you, Jenny. Find some good stocks for me.
House For Sale
I have had my house on the market for several months and everyone says they love it, but no offers yet. It is a 2-story country style with 4BR upstairs and a large great room and kit/dining down. The kicker is that everyone wants a downstairs bedroom. Well, I'm not going to add that so I just have to wait for that certain couple that finds it has everything they want. Someone is coming Sunday afternoon for a second visit. Keep you fingers crossed for me. Looking to downsize and minimize.
Cardinals Win The World Series
Tony LaRussa and his Cardinals just won the 2006 World Series, by defeating the error riddled Detroit Tigers in game 5, with Wainwright closing out the side. They did it with their stars like Pujols and Edmonds playing well below their potential. Key project players like Weaver, Molina, and Bulliard and the most underrated shortstop in the league, David Eckstein, stepped up and etched their place in baseball anals. Eckstein, the smallest player on the field, was awarded the MVP. First title since 1982 for the Cardinals, and their 10th title in baseball history. St. Louis is the greatest baseball city in the world. Yea, that's right New York. They support their team like no other. Congratulations Redbirds.
HOGWILD
The Hogs play The University of Louisiana Monroe tomorrow in Little Rock. I'll be there in Hog Heaven, literally. I am going with my good buddy Jim and some friends and we have tickets in a skybox on the 50 yardline. Banking has its priviledges. Hogs will win by 35 and I'm not gonna predict a score this week. My wish is that we play well and nobody gets hurt. Our stretch run begins in November with games at South Carolina and Mississippi State and at home against Tennessee and LSU. I am going to predict we finish 10-2 and play Florida in the SEC championship game December 2. My christmas wish...Please Coach Broyles-do whatever it takes to keep Gus Malzhan in HOG attire for the coming years. He will be a hot commodity after this season and we haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg yet.  ¶ 7:45 PM 8 comments

  RUNNING ON EMPTY
Typically, our search for satisfying basic human needs begins when we are "running on empty." When our bellys are growling we begin looking for food. When the cupboards are bare, we trek to Wal-mart, at 6:00 am if you want to beat the crowds, and fill a grocery cart. When the gas guage light comes on we search for a filling station. (I realize gas is not a basic human need but stay with me) When we are filled to capacity, as in the afore-mentioned categories, we become content and maybe complacent-at least short term. I said all that to say this; I don't search until I'm needy. In my spiritual life this holds true as well. I often don't search for truth or help until I am at a low point in my life-until I am empty. Why do I wait for a light to go off before I seek help? If I wait until the last minute, that displays a characteristic of desperation in me. That's not the kind of relationship Jesus wanted with me. In Matthew 5:6 Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for rightousness, for they shall be filled." He didn't say, "When you have no other options, look me up." I have selfishly struggled with this "emptying concept" lately. Its a lack of faith I'm sure. The hungering and thirsting that Jesus speaks of here is a matter of constantly seeking Him; not just when the lunch alarm goes off. He is like the gas station attendants of the 50's; nozzle in hand, waiting patiently to Fill Me Up. Full service is so much better than self-service.  ¶ 8:26 PM 7 comments

  BALANCED ATTACK

There will be those who won't be satisfied until they see Mustain hurl the ball around 25-30 times a game. After all he was the top quarterback in the nation last year coming out of Springdale and he didn't get the Gatorade Player of the Year award for handing the ball off the Damian Williams. He's a true passing quarterback. On his good days he's sensational; on his bad days...well, lets just say, "He is a freshman." But, he is undefeated as a starter so he hasn't done anything major to get the Hogs beat. Coach Malzahn has indeed introduced a balanced attack but it's not what we expected. Instead of stretching the field through the air, like he said they would do in the spring, he has decided to more or less widen the field. With McFadden, Jones, Hillis, and Smith all capable of hitting over 100 yards a game, the balanced attack now becomes rotating carries with the heavy hitters. If the defense sees 3 out of these 4 on the field at the same time, their job becomes even tougher. Who will they key on? Any one of the 4 has shown the ability to break a big play in the blink of an eye. The success of the running game, in the case of the Hogs, will create possibilities for the passing game instead of vise versa. The planets could not have lined up any better to help introduce Mustain to the SEC in his inaugrual year. With 2 All-Americans in the backfield to carry the load and a corp of others waiting for their turn, Mustain can gradually get a grasp on the speed of the game, and throw the less risky dump off and screen passes. He will end the year with more handoff efforts than passing attempts but his learning curve will flatten in the process. He is capable of throwing the long ball and can lead a successful drive like he did in his opening night performance against USC if necessary. Hogs are favored by 21 today and my pick to compliment that spread is Hogs over the Rebels, 31-10.  ¶ 7:50 AM 6 comments

  Slumps and Streaks
In baseball terms, I've been in a slump this week in terms of blogging. Nothing much going on upstairs; at least that I feel like sharing with my electronic community. What causes slumps? In baseball, its a question that has confounded even college professors and researchers. Southern Cross University in Austrailia did a qualitative research test to determine the affect that slumps have on baseball hitters and how they cope with the anxiety associated with the lack of productivity. I went into a funk just reading about it. Johnny Bench said that slumps are like "sleeping in a soft bed; easy to get into and hard to get out of." Slumps are no respector or persons. They affect everyone. They can last for a short time or weeks at a time. How they latch onto us and how we can break the jinx is the million dollar question. No one knows. In baseball, players have been known to entertain changes in rituals to combat the slump. The smelly, rigid socks that have been worn for 10 consecutive days during a streak are now tossed aside when a slump is recognized in hopes that a change in uniform will in some way change his luck at the plate. The pivotal point in my slump ending this week came in the form of a long drive with a friend for lunch. I didn't have to tell him I was in one; he knew. Our remedy started with a Don McLaughlin CD from Pepperdine and some encouraging words from my buddy as we traveled to a hole in the wall diner in a neighboring town. We passed the time by gleaming from Don's wisdom on the ride there and back. As a baseball player starts a new streak with one swing of the bat, I began feeling better as I was reminded of the love of a Savior who stands beside me during both slumps and streaks. I also got some "tough love" from a blogger friend. What do you do to snap out of your slump? What measures do you take to get the streak going again in your life? This post is just one hit for me, but just maybe it will be the start of a streak. I know one thing; I'm gonna keep swinging the bat.  ¶ 9:55 PM 5 comments

  Heart of a Servant At Downtown church this weekend, the theme was that of servanthood and the local policemen, firemen, and EMT's were honored for their around-the-clock service to the community. David Matthews gave a great lesson on christian service and a video was played whith local members sharing stories of tragedies in their lives and how important the role of a first responder was to them. Oftentimes, relationships are spawned between the responder and those on the recieving end of help. Isn't that true when we decide to reach out to those in need? A neighbor who can't mow their yard because of a terminal illness. A family who just lost everything in a fire. An aging spouse who just lost his/her companion of 40 years. I want to become more aware of the fires of hurt around me and help to put them out. Take the time this week to thank a first responder and let them know how much you appreciate their choice of careers. I will sleep better tonight knowing someone has my back.  ¶ 7:51 PM 4 comments

  Happy Homecoming


The Queen will be crowned at the pre-game ceremonies, the mood will be festive, and the game will be over at halftime. Welcome to the SEC, SEMO. Their coach was quoted as saying earlier in the week that he basically dreaded playing Arkansas. And why shouldn't he. The Hogs are rolling after a huge upset on the road at Auburn and everyone, except "Butu" is healthy and he may play a series or two. This is one of those games where you can experiment and gain experience with some younger players. The Hogs need an opponent like SEMO right now. The rest of October's schedule couldn't have lined up any better with Ole Miss next week and UL-Monroe the next, both at home, to finish out October. We SHOULD be 7-1 going into South Carolina on November 4th. I can breath easy this week and bask in the October sun as I winterize the pool and listen to Mike Nail and Keith Jackson do the play by play on radio. No TV this week. Kickoff next week at 11:30 a.m. on Lincoln Financial. What's with all the "brunch games" for the Hogs?  ¶ 6:11 AM 4 comments

  Celebrity Sighting

I returned from lunch and a familiar face appeared outside my office door. It was Howard Mix, a mentor of mine who gave me my first secular job out of college. Howard hired me to work flipping burgers at Andys Hamburgers and within a couple of months, worked me into management. I only stayed about a year and went into the lumber business for the next 15 years, blah, blah, blah. Howard and I are still friends and I am fortunate to bank him now. He comes in and introduces me to a friend of his from California who wants to talk about financing a small farm for him. After small talk, Howard excused himself and left me and Dave Olsen to get acquainted. We talked about his upcoming purchase and a couple of boring options. Then we came to the part of the conversation when I ask, "So Dave, what do you do for a living?" He responded with some impressive answers ranging from real estate development to consulting. Then in one unforgettable, matter of fact statement with Dave not changing his inflection he said, "and I also handle a few deals for my daughters; you may know them...Mary Kate & Ashley. I'm sure he witnessed my jaw drop to the desk as I stammered for just the right way to ask him, "Did you just say Mary Kate & Ashley?" My voice, on the other hand, had elevated a couple of octaves. He humbly responded yes without words and only by shaking his head up and down and grinning at me. "DUDE", you're their DAD, I was thinking to myself? My insides were shaking but I held my composure in the most professional banker stiffness manner possible as to not give away my adolescent excitement that the father of the richest actress kids on the planet was in my office to borrow money. We continued our visit and he couldn't have been more California laid back and relaxed. He gave me his cell phone number and we shook hands, closing the deal. This doesn't happen every day in Searcy, AR. so forgive my giddyness. If this banking gig gets too boring, I may give Dave a call and try to cash in on a favor as an extra in the Olsen twins next movie. Stay tuned.  ¶ 8:00 PM 4 comments

  WALMART AT 6:00 A.M.
I have discovered, in honor of Columbus Day and Christopher's passion for discovery, that the sunrise visits to Wal-Mart are the best times to shop there. I had returned from Little Rock this morning from dropping my oldest daughter off at the airport at 5:00 a.m., and arrived back in Searcy about 6:00. This is extremely early for me cause I'm a night owl. But for my daughters, I'll do about anything. When I hit the final exit ramp for Searcy, I decided to pick up a few items from the store and gas up so the empty Wal-Mart parking lot looked inviting. I found a spot close to the door, which was a treat in itself. The greeter had only me to greet and gave me a kind word and a nod, somewhat more personal than the Saturday noon visits. The floor was waxed to a shiney, mirror-like finish and customers were far and few between. The shelves were neatly and completely stocked. I felt like a celebrity when they sometimes shut down the store just for them! When I got back to the dairy section, near the rear of the store, the scenery changed just a little. The zombies that were working the graveyard shift where frantically finishing their aisle assignments and pallets were scattered blocking the soft drink section. I had to get my Pepsi One 24 pack and no propane powered floor buffer was going to stop me. I manuvered around the buffer zombie, gagged a little on the propane exhaust, and headed for the checkout line. The grandmotherly blue vest was extremely cordial and we hit it off very well. I thanked her for her smile and she left me with, " Now you come back and see me." I made a new friend. I guess this was my way of celebrating Columbus Day, in the name of discovery. I discovered the best time to shop at Wally World. I also discovered, when putting groceries away, that I don't use 80% of the junk in my refrigerator. What is that green stuff growing out of the top of that tupperware bowl? That discovery will have to wait another day. Maybe Columbus Day, 2007!  ¶ 5:25 AM 2 comments

  Weekend Review After logging over 1,000 miles on the van and spending 18+ hours on the road, mostly at night driving through Mississippi and Alabama,(which by the way is the most scenic time of the day to drive through them there states-kidding!!)I'm home. It was a great trip if you were a Razorback fan. I won't refer to any of the stats of the game or boast about the incredible underdog victory. You've seen all that on ESPN, FOXSPORTS, CBS, blah, blah, blah. I do want to make note of a few highlights of the experience besides what happened on the turf..
CLASSY TIGER FANS. I haven't been to many other venues outside of Arkansas, but I was totally impressed with the way us Red Shirts were recieved by the sea of Orange. The Tiger walk was incredible. Approximately a half mile of admiring Tiger fans forming a walk-through for their players in route to the stadium. Not one time during, before, or after the game did a crazy fan taunt us, yell at us, or throw stuff at us. Instead we were assisted kindly with directions when asked, and engaged in many pre-game conversations with their crowd. During the game, our small contingent of 3,000 or so in sections 37 and 38, were screaming our heads off and singing the fight song at the top of our lungs. No one asked us to sit down or seemed irritated about it. I saw very few drinking. When Jeremy hit the final field goal that made it apparent that victory was ours, several fans around us came up and shook our hands and congratulated us on the win, and wished us a safe trip home. Are you kidding me? I thought I was in enemy territory! That would probably not have happened at Ole Miss or LSU. (I've been to Oxford and Baton Rouge)
A tiger fan came up to us at a restaurant afterwards and offered to buy us all a round of beverages. Unbelievable. I even have a new found respect for Tommy Tuberville. He accepted defeat very humbly, and said that his team was both "outplayed and outcoached," and went on to applaud several thinks about our program. So, thanks Auburn, Alabama for an incredible experience that I won't soon forget and its not just because we won. You folks are very classy people. See ya next year in Fayetteville, and I hope we can return the hospitality half as well as you extended it to us.
***********************************************************************************
WOODY is the name of a trick play that the Hogs pulled on Auburn after a shanked punt in the 3rd quarter. Our offensive coordinator, Gus Malzhan, has a boat load of them up his sleeve and he continues to suprise opponents with the trickery each week.(although my insider sources told me before the kickoff that the running game would be the choice of HDN for the most part; and it was-only 10 passes the whole game, and the magic show would have to wait another day). Reggie Fish is 5'6" maybe, and about 150 pounds. By far the smallest player on the field. Little number 7, lined up behind the right guard and tackle, literally hidden from the Tiger defense, crouching and waiting for Mustain to fake the sweep to Felix Jones and put the ball in his hands for a reverse. Reggie looked like a "fish out of water" as he dodged and darted around would-be tacklers for a 38 yard gain that would eventually lead to a TD. The old timers thought it was the "fumbleruskie" but it was even better. Reggie hasn't got many if any touches this year, and if this is his last one, it was a special one in a key game.
***********************************************************************************
BOWL BOUND The Hogs haven't been to a bowl game in 3 years and are hungry to do so. Our schedule is very favorable for October and we should be 7-1 going in November. A BCS bowl would be fantastic and within reach. We have 8 home games this year and have already won 2 SEC road games; Vandy and Auburn. The remaining travel games are at South Carolina and Mississippi State, one of which should be a write in "W". We will go bowling, but the question now is where. If we plan another Road Trip, I hope its by plane. I'm getting too old for these van trips. Where do we get ranked this week??? Homecoming next week. Everybody plays.  ¶ 1:16 PM 6 comments

  Midnight in Montgomery Yes it is Alan Jackson. We finally made it to within an hour of Auburn at 1:00 a.m. The Marriot kept our rooms for us and welcomed us even though we were wearing RED. Our van pulled into the parking lot complete with Razorback magnetic logos plastered all over the vehicle and flags flying proudly. We removed them for safe keeping overnight,(didn't want some Tiger fan to take them thinking they were jumbo refrigerator magnets). We'll get about 5 hours of sleep tonight and then catch breakfast at Cracker Barrell around 7 a.m. Then its off to Jordan Hare to witness a great SEC football game. The weather is supposed to be perfect. All the game film has been reviewed by players and coaches. The game plan is being revisited in dreams as I print this post. Its game day. Midnight in Montgomery means something different to me tonight, Mr. Jackson. The sun will soon replace the magnificent moon that is glowing brightly and the quiet of the night will be replaced by nearly 100,000 fans screaming for their favorite team. I will be among those. I can't wait till kickoff. The Hogs have an opportunity to make a statement about their program if they can win a big game on the road. Only Tommy and his Tigers stand in their way. I like our chances. Remember the story of David and Goliath....  ¶ 11:36 PM 5 comments

  PREGAME PUMP YA UP



Headed to the GAME. For all of you HOG FANS out there...both of you...click below for some inspiring "Music to your Piggy Ears"

Arkansas Fight Song SORRY, I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT LINKED...BUT JUST HUM IT... IT GOES LIKE THIS...Dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun dunnnn(hold it): Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun...you get the idea! See its easy. Maybe it will be as easy for the HOGS tomorrow.
Somebody with some IT savy jump in with some help here. No "hillbilly comments" please.  ¶ 1:53 PM 4 comments

  When Pigs Fly
Tiger the Eagle will be flying around the stadium just prior to kickoff Saturday morning when the Hogs take the field against Auburn in an important SEC West college football game. There will be approximately 87,000 fans, including at least 3,000 from Arkansas who will witness the famous flight. He will start on top of the pressbox and fly gracefully in a couple of circles, whipping the faithful into a pre-game frenzy. The atmosphere will be electric. It will be the largest crowd that the Razorbacks will play in front of this year; unless they make it to a BCS bowl. I look forward to seeing the eagle and the stadium. I respect the support displayed by all the great SEC teams leading up to game day, and witnessing their respective passions. I look forward to being the underhog going into a hostile environment. I look forward to playmakers like McFadden, Jones, and Hillis busting runs for long gains and quieting the home crowd. I look forward to Mustain hooking up with Monk or D.Williams on a long pass play. I look forward to a game changing play made possible by the athletic Hog defense, who are hungry for more turnovers. I look forward to Gus letting the HUNH offense cut loose and spread the field. I even look forward to watching Kenny Irons run hard. He's a great player; one of my favorites. I wish he were a HOG. The experts say Auburn wins this one by a couple of scores and the only way that Arkansas can win is "When Pigs Fly." Move over Eagle. Your air space is being invaded by flying pork.....   ¶ 10:19 PM 3 comments

  Get Your Copy Today
This is not the blog you visit to get book reviews but I have a few cultural genes swimming around inside me. If you have a hard to buy for relative or friend this holiday season, consider a unique gift like the book, "A Red State of Mind" by Nancy French from Paris, TN. They are available at amazon.com and are coming soon to a bookstore near you. The subtitle alone should be enough to make you look creative to your giftee..."How A Catfish Queen Reject Became A Liberty Belle." I'm looking forward to the read and I hope you will as well.
Visit me often if you enjoy my slant on the Hogs because occasionally you will get props to gems like this one. Enjoy.  ¶ 5:12 AM 3 comments

  ROAD TRIP

This weekend, 5 banker buddies and myself embark on Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama to watch the Hogs take on the #2 ranked Tigers. We will leave immediately after work friday and drive to Montgomery and find a cheap hotel for a few hours, before leaving early again Saturday morning to get to the stadium for the 11:00 kickoff. We've rented a conversion van complete with a DVD player and captains chairs. It will hopefully be a fun and memorable trip. The 11:00 kickoff is too early for a weekend football game start time in my opinion, but history favors the visiting team in these situations. The early kickoff doesn't allow the home team fans to tailgate all day long and consume beverages of choice that will enhance their "team spirit" come game time. I'll take the advantage if there is one. The Hogs are outmatched physically on paper. Auburn is big and strong and fast and have only allowed opponents an average of 8 points per game scoring thus far. The key to an Arkansas victory, in my opinion, is the unveiling of first year offensive co-ordinator Gus Malzhan's new "no huddle, hurry up offense", if head coach Houston Nutt allows him to run it full throttle. We have seen glimpses of it in the first 4 games but it is definately a watered down version. Rumors are that the players have embraced it and want to run it but the Head Hog subscribes to a more "ball control" philosophy. In my opinion, it boils down to pride. Coach Nutt had to give up play calling responsibilities this year in order to secure his job but he didn't want to. He conceded in hiring an O.C. but one rein still lays in Nutt's hand. Pride. Now Tuberville has some pride issues of his own. Reflect back to his post game comments after the South Carolina game in which the reporter asked about the surprise on-side kick that completely caught Spurrier off guard. It was a great call. Did he give his staff any credit? No. His response was, (paraphrased),"It worked at the time and made me look like a genius." Pride. I think the winner of this game may come down to which head coach gives way to his prideful thinking, and allows the staff they have assembled go out and do their job. Arkansas in an upset, 21-17.

  ¶ 9:02 PM 13 comments