whoopigsooie

HONDURAS HOGS, HOMES, AND HUGS

2007-11-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

Its been almost 6 months since I've made a post. I really have to be inspired to put words on a page or even read words on a page; (I'm almost done with The Barbarian Way which I started reading at the Pepperdine lectureships in May!) Ok...I'm remedial and just plain slow. All that aside, inspiration and perspiration hit me by the wheelbarrow loads last week. Terri and I had planned on doing some mission work somewhere in the world this year and God led us to Honduras last week with a team of 14 wonderful people. Among our group was a medical doctor, who made a few medical consults but mainly hauled blocks and mortar for a house we were building for a lady, a couple of business owners, an aeronautical engineer, a banker, a marketing director, a medical transcriptionist, a heat and air man, a commercial services entrepreneur, some retirees, and a self described slug!

We ventured to Central America to work with a wonderful children's home called Por Los Ninos. There are approximately 30 children who each have a special story on how they arrived at this wonderful safe haven; many of which are gut wrenching horrific journeys. By God's grace, these kiddos are doing incredible under the direction of a tough loving, crusty, hard nosed director and his angel of a wife who refers to all the children as simply "her kids."

Sticking with the theme of my blog, my beloved HOGS, I must tell you this story. About the third night of our trip, we were sitting in the restaurant where we gathered each evening for our meal, when the owner walked into the dining room wearing a Razorback cap! I almost choked on my chicken and beans! I motioned to him as if we'd been lifelong friends and waved him over to our table to inquire about his Hog Fanhood. As luck would have it, he was in the states a few years back, visited Arkansas and picked up the cap and was wearing it proudly. We both agreed that this is probably Houston Nutt's last year, and the basketball team should make the Sweet Sixteen!!! Actually, we communicated in grunts and smiles, posed for a quick pic, and said adios. It was crazy seeing another Hog fan in a third world country...I mean what are the odds? About the same as us going to a bowl outside of Shreveport this year I suppose!

Anyway, after arriving in Tegus and riding sardine style 3 hours to Catacamas, we unloaded and got to meet the precious souls for which we came. The Honduran kids are simply beautiful. Dark skin, big brown eyes, thick black hair and huge smiles radiated from most of them...except one. She was the one that caught my eye. She had me at the first glimpse of her. Her perfectly round face attempted a smile but it was sad at best and my heart sunk in my chest. Her expression painted a picture of her short life that I was scared to inquire about; but I had to. Her journey to this point was unimaginable; something the innocence of a child shouldn't experience. I witnessed that stoic stare transform into a beautiful smile as the week progressed. I spent a little time each day visiting with her; mostly just sitting and hugging. Her name is Cinthia and she is one of God's special children. At age 7 she has blessed my life in a way that she may never know. I love you Cinthia. Keep smiling.

(...to be continued...Next Post-"Extreme Home Makeover; Honduras Edition")

Fifty Years; More Precious Than Gold

2007-06-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

On June 16, 1957, George William Riley hoodwinked the lovely Lennie Grace South into slipping away somewhere in Northern Mississippi and getting hitched. No fancy wedding with bridesmaids, no church setting overflowing with flowers and no three tiered wedding cake. Even without all the bells and whistles, the love committment stuck and the milestone of 50 years together was celebrated with friends and family yesterday. It was neat to see each of their high school year books, early sweetheart pictures, and reminders of harder times. My parents weathered the storms of difficult economic times with my mom ironing clothes for additional money, and working at the high school as a secretary where she retired and dad farming with my grandpa, working on small engines part-time, and landing a job as a foreman in a copper tubing plant where he also retired. My sisters and I had a good life and mom and dad provided us with a great example of hard work, solid christian core values, and the importance of family. We never missed a meal, always went to school with clean clothes on our back and shoes on our feet, and attended church everytime the doors were open. I was very blessed and looking back I wouldn't change a thing about my upbringing. Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad. You're the best.

FATHER'S DAY, ONE DAY REMOVED...

2007-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Even though I was not physically with my kiddos this Fathers Day, I got calls from every one of them wishing me a happy Dad's day and telling me they love me. Cards are nice and all, but to hear their voices is like the commercial says...priceless. The greatest gift I recieved from my children yesterday was the assurance of their walk with the Lord. I was reminded of it from the sermon I heard yesterday which came from III John verse 4... "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." Jenny, Laura, and Stephen...I love you, I am proud of you all, and I continue to pray for you. You make me very happy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TP

2007-06-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

A LONG TIME AGO, BACK IN THE 60'S, A FIESTY BUNDLE OF JOY CAME INTO THE WORLD TO THE DELIGHT OF HER WONDERFUL FOLKS, JOE BENNY AND JANE COOPER. ALTHOUGH HER DADDY DID HIS BEST TO MAKE A BAMA FAN OUT OF HER, SOMEHOW HER LOYALTY LEANED TO THE ORANGE AND BLUE OF THE AUBURN TIGERS. ONLY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR HAS THIS FAIRWEATHER FAN FLIP-FLOPPED EVEN AGAIN. HOG FANS, PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR SLOP BUCKET, MISS TERRI, A RECENT CONVERT TO OUR PIG PEN. DO I HEAR A HOG-A-LUJAH? IN THE FUTURE TP, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU NEVER BET AGAINST THE MIGHTY HOGS...SNORT, SNORT, SNORT...(YOU DO MAKE A CUTE MISS PIGGY) LET ME BE THE FIRST TO WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Are You Kidding Me...

2007-05-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

A Majestic Performance
If Michael Jordan was watching TNT last night, his jaw was probably dropped open with awe like most late night viewers as a new youthful King notched his place in NBA history. I had intended to turn in early and was winding down when the game went into overtime, double overtime to be exact and LeBron was just getting warmed up. With the series ties at 2 games apiece, King James made the Detroit Palace his shrine and put on what announcers called the greatest individual performance in the history of NBA post season basketball. First of all, the KID is 22 years old. The Detroit starting lineup has about as many years experience in professional ball as LeBron scored points last night; 48. The King made the veteran Pistons look like rookies and scabs as he single-handedly diced, dunked, fingerolled, scooped, fired from downtown, coached, encouraged, scolded, and basically carried his team on his back to a victory on the road by winning game 5. Get this...he scored the final 23 points of the game for the Cavileers and 29 of their last 30! Everybody in the gym knew he would have the ball and they still couldn't stop or contain him. Flip Saunders tried a half court trap, a zone defense, double and triple teams and it seemed to only make King James more determined to score and will his team to win. I don't know it he can upstage himself in game six, but since they move back to Ohio, I am predicting Cleveland to land in the championship game to face the even more veteran squad of San Antonio. In case the Spurs weren't watching, experience doesn't seem to be an advantage against King James.
Slight of Hand
The 7th seeded Hogs host a NCAA baseball regional this weekend and most likely a Super-Regional next weekend in Fayetteville. Albany is first up for the Diamond Hogs and the boys in Red and White are a huge favorite. The other 2 teams are Oklahoma St. and Creighton. The Razorback sluggers will face a unique pitcher if they play Creighton in ambidextrous hurler Pat Venditte. He has a special glove with two webs that allows him to switch hands at his disgression. He is equally effective from either side and presents this obvious advantage; he can throw twice as many pitches as a specific armed pitcher. Pat is known as a location pitcher and a grinder. He wasn't recruited by Creighton; he literally pitched himself by walking on and paying his own expense in hopes of earning a scholarship, touting his ability to pitch with either arm. He has earned his spot in the rotation and comes in regularly for middle relief and is currently the only switch pitcher in NCAA D-1 baseball. What a talent. Should make for an even more interesting tournament which experts say is the toughest regional. Go Hogs...all the way to Omaha for the College World Series.
Pork Point- During the 2006-2007 season, the Hogs have competed in the SEC championship game in football, basketball, and baseball and won the SEC track and field championship. Pretty salty...even though we lost in every game...

Cheeseburger in Paradise

2007-05-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

Phil, Terri, Donna, Steve and I were living these words of the famous Jimmy Buffet song Friday atop the campus of Pepperdine overlooking the waves of the Pacific ocean. We had just sat down to a table on the patio at the rear of the bookstore with 5 thick, freshly grilled burgers and an appetite to boot. We had already been feasting at the feet of spiritual giants such as Jeff Walling, Mike Cope, Randy Harris, and Monte Cox and this was icing on the cake to witness such a majestic view during lunch. It was all we could do to keep the ocean breezes from swiping our paper plates or blowing Terri's trademark sunglasses off the top of her head, but it didn't matter; the view was gorgeous and it was another defining memory of a spirit filled week praising God and fellowshipping with friends. This was my second pilgrimage out west and proved to be every bit the blessing it was to me last year. Don McGlaughlin was my favorite with his 3 days of lessons on "Getting the Passion Back in our Churches." Order the CD's on-line; it will be a great investment for you individually and for your church leaders. Go to the Pepperdine website for info. I'm not as savy as my blogger friends in linking from this post. Just Google it or something. If you get the opportunity next year, plan on attending. I believe the theme will focus around The Beatitudes. It will be rich. I promise, you will be encouraged, uplifted, filled to the brim with resource information, and equipped with a modern strategy for helping claim lost souls in your communities. Wouldn't that be enough of a bribe to get you there...not to mention the cheeseburgers for lunch with a view of paradise?

Stay The Course

2007-04-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

I've been running for about 8 months now and typically go 5-6 nights a week. I haven't been training for any race in particular, but had the opportunity recently to enter a 5K so I bit the bullet and signed up. A 5K is a little over 3 miles. My jogs up until that race had been 1-2 mile stints in preparation so I was a little nervous about finishing this longer distance. About 3 weeks ago, my daughter Laura and I, started running together. She was tougher on me than I was on myself and she helped prepare me for the upcoming race with a new technique which consisted of a 30 minute run where we would sprint for 30 seconds every 5 minutes during the run. It was definately a painstaking process but in time, I could tell my endurance was increasing.

The race was in Alabama, where I joined my friend Terri in this annual event to raise money for a local charity. I thought Alabama was supposed to be mainly flatland like central Arkansas, but during the last half of the race, I found that out to not be entirely true. I was in the 45+ age division and I really wanted to do well in my first race. I scanned the crowd to see who my competition would be and picked out who I thought might be the "rabbits" in our division. I edged up close to the starting line and waited for the starter. Running with people, a mass of people, is different than running by yourself. Its hard to not over-pace yourself as you all lunge for positioning early out of the gate. I disciplined myself early and didn't get too depressed as 20-30 youngsters passed me like they were shot out of a cannon. I settled in on my pace and was content. About the one mile marker I could count about 20 people in front of me and felt pretty good about my pace and position. The course was fairly flat until we started mile two. I suddenly felt about 25 pounds heavier and thought my lungs were shrinking as I drudged up "heartbreak hill" number one. I could have been convinced that it was Mount Kill-A-Man jaro at that point. I thought it would never end; but it did. Coasting downhill was a welcomed relief but topping the first hill only gave me a glimpse of the future hills that would await me. I considered slowing down to a walk a couple of times but I could hear Laura's voice urging me to labor on and I did. I stayed behind a stocky little high school girl who I was sure would give up any minute but didn't. She inspired me to hang in there because she didn't look like the typical runner prototype but never slowed for a minute. I was determined to beat her in this race. As we approached the last several blocks of the race, I was able to reach deep within my soul and find the energy to sprint and pass my younger competitor. When I passed what I thought was the finish line I was directed by an official to turn right and go one more block where the "real" finish line awaited me. My error in judgement allowed my younger counterpart to overtake me in the end and finish 18th overall and give me 19th place. I congratulated my running buddy for motivating me to run hard and immediately put away a couple of bananas and some gatorade. My time was 24:26 and my goal was to finish under 30 minutes so I'm happy. I won't tell you Terri's time but she finished strong and helped raise money for a good cause. I was very proud of her because she's the first to admit she isn't a runner although she walks periodically and has a runners stride. Next up; the MADD Dash in Searcy. I'm looking at knocking a couple of minutes off my time in this one. The guy who won the 45+ division was 58 years young and finished in around 19 minutes! I was high on him. We talked after the race and he gave me some good pointers. Moral of the story; You can do much more than you body tells you sometimes. Practice the 3 "P"'s in life and you'll finish strong. Preparation. Patience. Participation. See you at the finish line.

The Upwards Experience

2007-03-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

My daughter Laura and myself coached a 3rd and 4th grade girl's basketball team this year in a newly formed Upwards Basketball league. If you're not familiar with Upwards B-ball, its spiritual based with its purpose to use basketball as a tool to reach the unbelievers. Practices include a break for a short devotional and scripture memorization. We begin and end games with prayer. Parents and fans cheer for each team equally and winning is not emphasized; sportsmanship, fundamentals, and teamwork are. Its a great program that helps us focus on the truely important parts of the game at that level. Believe me, I'm want to win as bad as anyone, but its not a priority at this age. Having fun is. Learning how to dribble and pass and shoot and screen is something they can carry with them if they choose to continue playing in the next few years. (We did, however, come back and tie the only undefeated team in the league to finish the season in dramatic fashion!) We had a great experience and fell in love with 9 wonderful little girls. Thanks to Mallory, Maddie, Hannah, Raeanne, Sydney, Ashton, Sierra, Elizabeth, and Jacqline for making Laura and I smile so much. It was a blast. Above is a pic of Laura doing a devo during one of the practices. The girls fell in love with Laura. How could they not? She's my daughter!

Rivalry: The Remedy for Razorback Rut

2007-02-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

As March Madness approaches, the Hogs are again a bubble team and must most likely win the SEC tourney to punch a ticket to the Dance. They have a little momentum, having beat Mississippi State and Vandy on the road to end the regular season and start their "streak." During the road to the tourneys, we fans in Hog Nation have had to endure a 'soap opera like' atmosphere with all of the uneasiness lately on the hill. Football coaches and players leaving with and without comment, derogatory e-mails circulating from coaches families slandering players performances, and talk of Stan Heath loosing his job if he doesn't make the NCAA tourney. Heck, even our womens basketball coach resigned. None of this is what I want to read in my daily sports section. I have an answer to help us get past the papparazzi's we've become; and its not just winning because we won the SEC West in football with a 10 win season. We need a Rival. You know, like Alabama-Auburn, N.C-Duke, Ohio St.-Michigan. The Razorbacks have no one. Its us against the world. We currently have nano within the confines of our state's borders with whom we can arm wrestle and trash talk year round for bragging rights. Thus our water cooler talk gets boiled down to "who's calling the plays" and "when will F.B. ever retire." We only have 2 other schools in the state that would qualify as a D-1 rival; ASU and UCA. UCA is not even playing true D-1 status yet. On one hand its good to be the premier school in the state that everyone can rally around and support. On the other hand, a rival school would make the coaches recruit harder and smarter and the players practice and play harder in anticipation of the "big game." ASU would be our immediate rival, although their teams have historically been known as the whipping child of many big name schools. I say, schedule it for a 4 year home and away series and see what happens. If the Hogs have the program they think they have, they shouldn't be worried about being embarrassed. I would rather read print leading up to that game than read about what the Springdale recruits may be doing on Spring Break! How fun would it be to be part of an "Ironbowl", or "Tobacco Road" or "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." It works everywhere else in the country. Why are we any different? Maybe the new A.D. can help us with that one.

Headed To The Hill

2007-02-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

I will get to see the Hogs play in Bud Walton Arena tonight for the first time this season. They take on the Auburn Tigers in what is becoming the Wacky Western division of the SEC. Its wide open for the taking and still, no one in the West has a winning conference record. I'm taking a long time friend and customer and we'll get to sit in our luxurious bank box and eat bar-b-que. Except for the 3 1/2 hour trip both ways it should be a fun evening. The Tigers have some impressive wins under their belt but the Hogs play pretty good at home. (excluding the Kentucky game last Saturday where we blew a 14 point lead and have lost 7 straight times to them) Stephen Hill will be the difference in tonight's game. I sure hope he comes back next year. Is there a 7 footer in the country that hustles any harder than Mr. Hill? I don't think so.
Signing Day
Today is an exciting day for the elite high school football players of the country. These kids have the once in a lifetime opportunity to ink with a school that has recruited them and agreed to pay their entire college tuition in exchange for strapping on some pads and moving the ball up and down the field. Pretty good gig, huh. Its amazing how many family members, friends, neighbors, and townsfolk who have supported these kids are bonded together by their accomplishments and keep up with their progress religiously. Congratulations to all the 1-star barely got ins, all the way to the 5-star recruits who had several options before settling on what school thought best fit them. The Hogs are ranked somewhere between 8 & 9 in the SEC in recruiting this year which on paper looks disappointing but there are a lot of diamonds in the rough with this group. Speedy backs and big ole lineman seem to make up the cream of the crop. Time will tell how good they will be. One thing is for sure. Arkansas has the finest facilities in the country so if you want to work hard and invest in yourself its yours for the taking. Boys will become men if they will buy into what the coaches, conditioning staff, and tutors tell them to. I still don't know why I didn't get a look out of high school. Would you have turned down a 4'11", 125#, 4.8 in the 40, with juking skills that would rival Barry Sanders? How did those coaches sleep at night?

The UN-known

2007-02-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

Have you cringed when witnessing the latest marketing tool that movie makers and some book companies are resorting to when pitching their products? It goes like this. "Coming out on DVD next week, The Return of Chuckie V, the directors UN-cut, Un-censored, and UN-rated version." This is a "no holds barred" effort to tweak our dark side and temp us into watching something that should otherwise throw up all sorts of red flags; at least for moral minded christian folk. First of all, isn't the regular "R" rated version of most horror flicks and the like, where blood flows like water, and guts and innards are spilled like hot soup, not enough to make us vomit? How much more gory and stimulating would the uncut, uncensored, unrated version of that be? I mean, once you've seen a decapitation in living color on the regular film, what's there to be added that would make us delight in it even more? I watched the movie "SAW" with my son-n-law last year and even though the creativity of the sicko was intriguing, I have no desire to see SAW II and now SAW III or the un-cut directors take of that movie. I like to sleep at night with my eyes shut. What's scary about this technique is that it works, and we need to guard ourselves from the temptation to fall under the spell of getting an "insiders look" at something never before seen; especially when it involves movies we really shouldn't be watching frequently that contain themes such as violence, nudity, profane language,...you know the drill. For some reason, we get an adrenalin rush when faced with the possibility of doing something even slightly "over the top." Movie makers and promoters know this and attack this weakness we have. I suggest we try to remind ourselves that if it is marketed with an UN-something on the box then its most likely UN-suitable for viewing. Don't fall into this dangerous trap of the UN-known. God discloses the dangers of traps like this all through His Word. The temptation won't go away so sharpen your sword and make ready the armor for your family and battle this UN-acceptable practice of movie marketing mayhem. I have some new adjectives I may forward to Hollywood to see if they'll consider them for their next racy flick campaign...words like UN-healthy, UN-fit, UN-settling. I'm guessing they won't be taking them under advisement.

quirk (kwûrk) An unpredictable or unaccountable act or event

2007-01-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

We all got 'em. Some quirkier than others. Some of mine surfaced the last few weeks and you know you have 'em when you start wondering if your actions are only specific to you. Its true confession time. Feel free to show your cards as well.
1. When purchasing a newspaper from a coin stand I NEVER take the top copy; I usually scurry down 3 or 4 as if its a more complete publication than the top one.
2. I bleed the watery substance off the top of the mustard container before applying a coil shaped pattern of mustard to the top of a freshly grilled burger patty.
3. The smallest piece of litter on the carpet bugs me to no end and I must pick it up and dispose of it properly. Ladies at work occasionally "plant" hole punch knock-outs to see how long it takes for me to pick them up. And believe it or not, I'm not a clean freak.
4. My alarm is set for 6:00 a.m. but I rarely get out of bed before 7:30. Snooze intervals are 11 minutes apart and I savor all 8.2 of them.
5. I typically sing along with the radio, at the top of my lungs if its a favorite, and if I get 6 out of 10 words correct that make up a lyrics line, its a good day. My kids hammer me mercilessly for this one.
6. Does Wal-Mart not train their clerks how to count back change and distribute it properly to its patrons? With my hands already carrying keys and refolding my wallet I recieve in this order, placed neatly on my palm, the reciept, the bills and the remaining change all at once. This immediately has to be resorted because they all three go in different compartments. How about this Waltonites...give the customer their reciept while thanking them for their business and allowing them time to put it in its proper place. Then count the coins to them up to the nearest dollar, also allowing time for them to dispose of them in their proper pouch, and then finish with the folding paper to close the deal. Maybe this is protocol at Wally World but its a quirk of mine. So am I being a jerk or is this a legitimate quirk?

Wag The Hog

2007-01-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

In 1997, Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro led an all-star cast in a movie which manipulated the public viewing audiences of the actual goings-on in the world of politics, entertainment, and world events. The movie, Wag the Dog, involved a scheme where DeNiro, a spin doctor, concocted a false war in a movie studio with the help of Hoffman, to shift the media focus from the current presidents falling approval rating in lieu of an upcoming re-election campaign. The high tech smokescreen worked so well that the media and viewers were duped into believing the war was actually happening. Thus, the country was literally being run in a studio.
The Razorback athletic program is being run much the same and everyone who bleeds red, (I know that includes more than Hog fans so hush), knows who is at the controls on the hill. Its Frank Broyles. Coach Broyles has done more to put the Hogs on the sports map than anyone in Razorback history. But,...its time for a change. The change I am speaking of is relinquishing his hold on the reins of micromanagement of the football program in particular. It is so obvious that Houston Nutt was forced by Broyles to hire an O.C. against Nutts will. It is obvious now that when Gus Malzhan was hired as the O.C. it was simply to acquire the likes of his four high school standouts to attend the university. Malzhans HUNH offense wasn't implemented at all during the year even though glimpses of his influence were noticible. Yes he did call the plays; the ones written on a postage stamp for him to use sparingly. And he nearly had to run every play by Nutt who in turn was most certainly influenced by Broyles to keep the RUN as their bread and butter offense. Broyles was quoted in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on January 16 as saying, "Any coach that doesn't hand it off to McFadden and Jones won't last one game. It ain't hard to be an offensive coordinator with McFadden and Jones." So if Broyles loves seeing his hogs run up and down the field every play, why did he approve/dictate the hiring of a coach who wrote a book on the Hurry Up No Huddle Offense that spreads the field and implements a balanced attack. Huh, go figure. Refer to my earlier statement about the high school boys from Springdale. Broyles is possibly the most powerful athletic director in the country and the University of Arkansas has the absolute best facilities in the country, bar none, thanks to Broyles. That is where he excels; marketing the Hogs, and he's the best. But, that's where his duties should end for a couple of reasons. The game is changing and teams indeed need to be more balanced to be successful. Even McFadden and Jones can't pile up yardage on the ground if we aren't balanced in our attack. SEC opponents are big ole boys and can stop the run with 8 men in the box. Broyles will never buy into this. Secondly, and most importantly, we will never be able to attract skilled players, specifically wide recievers and strong armed quarterbacks if we our offensive philosophy remains vanilla. Florida's Urban Meyer proved that you can spread the field and still run the ball. The key is balance. We had a man on our staff who was a believer in a balanced offense that keeps defenses off balance, but now he'll be wearing a headset for the Tulsa Hurricane. Dang-it. Thank you Coach Broyles for your tireless support of Razorback athletics but please walk away from the control room that leads directly to the sidelines of the gridiron. We, the average fan, are smarter than you give us credit for. We see you through the smokescreen.

Bama Hog-Tide

2007-01-08T22:16:00.001-08:00

I must revel while I can. The Hogs blistered the Tide of Alabama Saturday in the most lopsided victory in their history over a top 10 ranked team. Whoopigsooie. Enuf said. We blink and we got the Florida Gators Tuesday night in Gainsville. I needant remind myself that after last night Florida is the only team in NCAA history to be both football and basketball national champs in the same year. Amazing feat. They are well coached by Billy Donovan as are the ironclads by Urban Meyer. Congratulations on a great season. You represented the SEC very well and reminded the top 5 sports beat writers that SEC football remains the number one conference in America. Not one of them picked Florida to upset Ohio State. I am happy for Chris Leak who was booed earlier in the year by his own fans, who displayed discontentment if every play wasn't a homerun. He is a classy quarterback who dismissed the lack of support and lead his team to a National Championship and the MVP honor.
The jury is still out on the Hogs basketball team this year but the early signs point to one common denominator that could lead to continued success; unselfishness. Five players scored in double figures and two of them had double doubles. Everyone looked to pass first and shoot second. There is no clear cut leader or superstar on the team with the loss of Brewer and Modica and that could prove to be a blessing in disguise. I see it possibly brewing into what I will call the season of Camelot. Just a team huddled around a round table with no head or foot; everyone sees themselves as equals, which translates into true team unity and success. Arkansas needs to win at Florida to prove that the Bama win wasn't a fluke. It will be difficult, but if the unselfish play continues, Camelot lives.

Facing Your Giants

2007-01-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

Those of you that know me personally, know that I use a calendar to keep up with how long it takes me to finish reading a book. I have good intentions and get a good start mind you, but finishing is almost impossible for me. I finished a couple of Grisham books on vacation last year, (one week period) and I boasted for weeks of my accomplishments. And see...since most of Grishams books end up on the silver screen, I could have just used the excuse of experiencing the read through the movie but I didn't. Boasting again.
One of my Christmas gifts this year was the new Max Lucado book "Facing Your Giants." It is an easy read, (duh, its Lucado), and inspired by the life of David which is one of my favorite bible characters. I faced an incredible giant in my life in '06 and could have used the book earlier but with the help of some amazing friends and God's grace I made it just fine.
Giants come in all shapes and sizes. Here's an excerpt from the book that sorta wraps up its contents for me...
"Goliaths still roam our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Danger. Deceit. Disease. Depression. Super-size challenges still swagger and strut, still pilfer sleep and embezzle peace and liposuction joy. But they can't dominate you. You know how to deal with them. You face giants by facing God first."
Focus on giants-you stumble,
Focus on God-your giants tumble
The above 'Goliaths' were brought to you by the letter "D". There are 25 other letters in the alphabet which would love to raise their ugly head as well. Its inevitable. When one gets defeated another will be itching to take its place.
My prayer is that when the giants show up this year, and they will, I will be better prepared to combat them. Reading this book, spending time in the word and praying more consistently will be a good starting place to equip me for those battles. I am determined to face my first giant of the new year. Its name is "Do It Later." I AM finishing this book.
By the way..."Happy New Year" and remember...God is a giant killer. Include Him in your arsenal.

Whoopig Wishes

2006-12-24T12:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas is the time of year when children dream of being showered with gifts. We groom them from the time they discover wrapping paper and bows that this festive holiday means extra meals, extra sweets, and lots of presents. My folks were no different. Christmas morning for me and my two sisters always greeted us with no less than 5 or 6 gifts each and stockings full of candy and fruit. Ever since those early years, I get a little wishy still but I hope for different things than I did as a child. Here is my top 10 list, in no particular order, of my wish list for the Christmas season and the coming year. Happy Holidays to all of you, many I have never met, and may your wishes come true in the coming year....
1. The powers to be in the Middle East will finally discover that killing each other is not the answer to peace.
2. The US government will allocate matching funds equal to what is spent on the NASA space program to addressing more pertinant needs such as homelessness, drug addiction, and hunger...(especially for children)
3. The Hogs to win the Capital One Bowl and jumpstart their 2007 season from their dream 2006 run.
4. That I figure out at least one week this year to spend in some mission field.
5. That my children remain faithful and build an even stronger bond with their Lord.
6. I want not one day to go by that I don't spend some time in the Word.
7. That I will learn to live with less and confront challenges head on knowing that God didn't promise an easy life but rather simply the help necessary to get through life.
8. That I will have at least 5 more years in my 40's even though I am currently 48.
9. I want to impact people in such a way that they will see Jesus despite my flaws.
10. I want our Upward Basketball team of 3rd & 4th grade girls to see Christ through this silly game of hoops that I love so much.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year all you blogging buddies

ALL FOR TEAM

2006-12-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine, who is also an excellent golfer, coined a phrase that several of us repeat when we play golf scrambles during the summer. The phrase is "All For Team." We may repeat it 30-40 times during a round and usually after one of the four shanks a ball into the woods, or hits one into orbit. (a large percentage of the times that shanker is me) The good thing about a scramble in golf is that the foursome is not dependent on one particular "ringer" to score lower. All four contribute and you play the best ball after each shot. One person doesn't generally have to carry the team. I'm not a long driver, a consistent putter, or particularly good around the greens...so what am I doing on the team? Well I'm a banker and we support every tournament that comes along by paying the entry fee so I put the team together; that way I get to play...the only way I get to play. Anyway, the phrase "All For Team" is expressed aloud to encourage each other when one hits a bad shot and when one hits a good shot. We do well as a team and we struggle as a team. No leader, no follower, just a band of brothers. "All For Team" keeps us humble when one of us connects on a John Daly drive, and "All For Team" lifts our spirits when the ball makes a "splash." Isn't this what Jesus had in mind for his brothers and sisters when he establised the church? When one rejoices, we all rejoice. When one struggles, we are there to pick them up. We are accountable to each other and no one ourshines the other. We are equal in the kingdom. I love golf scrambles because I would never win a flight without my team mates. I love church because we approach the throne of grace as equals. Thank you Ragsdale for the phrase "All For Team." Thank you Jesus for this safe haven of peace and band of believers you provided for us known as church. "All For Team."

PIGGIN' OUT

2006-12-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

Just a few thoughts about the Hogs best season on record in the Houston Nutt era. I will always be for the underhog in a contest and this year was no exception. The Hogs were picked to finish 4th in the West and ended up winning it and giving Florida all they wanted in the SEC championship game. Just a couple of bounces on special teams and we would be in the land of Sugar in January, but all things considered, it was a great run. Players recieved more honors regionally and nationally than I remember in my lifetime with the most prestigeous being Darren McFadden up for the coveted Heisman Trophy award. Pretty good for a sophmore who in August didn't know if he would ever run again. Our O-line did a fantastic job blowing holes open for D-Mac, Felix, and Michael to run through. Houston Nutt recieved a much deserved SEC coach of the year honor after back to back loosing seasons and shifting responsibilities that even he is still adjusting to. Two road trips this year to Auburn and Mississippi State were highlights for me and wet my appetite for next years campaign. Congratulations Hogs on a great year. Beat the Badgers and welcome in the new year with a bang.
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My good buddy, David Underwood wouldn't want me posting this but I can outrun him so here goes. He went in Wednesday to address some chest pains and had a heart cath done. Fortunately there was no blockage, except for a couple of jelly doughnuts wedged between the aorta and the sternum, and he was released under his own power. I'm putting him on a strict exercise regement in place of his current routine of "couch potatoe remote thumb crunches." Glad you got a good report dude. Only salads for you at Lenny's for a while. In the event the next report is not so good...can I have your mower?
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I'm slowly unpacking boxes in my new home, to the tune of about 2 per night. I didn't know I had so many towels. I may switch them out more than once a week now! I will be spending some extra time at Lowes and Home Depot repairing leaky faucets, building an entertainment center, and repainting the walls. Any painters out there...? Only requirement...must be able to apply at least 50% of the goods to the walls. Incentives include piggin' out on frozen pizza and all the Sams water or sweet tea you can drink. Tempting huh! I will also be flipping channels more regularly between ESPN and HGTV for decorating ideas. Maybe I can just hang towels everywhere.
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A good friend and I were talking about the times in college or shortly thereafter, when it was cool to wear t-shirts or sweat shirts from some far away or unconventional colleges. After thinking a little, here are 3 school jerseys I would want to get...Holy Cross, Hofstra, and Gonzaga. I know very little about them if anything...just cool names. I would take it a step further and get a rowing shirt. What would your shirt choices be?

IF THE SHOE FITS

2006-11-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

It's not midnight yet and the Razorbacks are still wearing the glass slippers going on 11 weeks. Tomorrow they will hopefully be refitted for new shoes as they take on the Tigers of LSU in The Rock for the "Battle of the Boot." For those of you who didn't pay attention in geography glass, the shape of Arkansas and Louisiana together resembles a boot and thus the official name of the rivalry which had its conception in 1996. Many are saying this is the biggest game every played by the Hogs in Little Rock because technically, we still have an outside shot at playing in the national championship game if we get some help from Notre Dame and USC. And of course, if we take care of business and beat LSU and Florida next week in the SEC championship game. This has been some ride since the USC debacle in week one. I don't want it to end. Winning is a lot of fun, and its been a long time coming for Razorback players, staff, and fans. I don't remember a football season where the Hogs have gotten as much national TV exposure as this one. Its great to finally recieve regular mentions on ESPN, CBS Sports, and many other national media venues. Winning brings these media types out of the woodwork. Winning also means opportunities for successful staff to be courted by other programs for their winning formulas. I don't see Gus being an assistant coach much longer and rumblings are that some major programs have recognized his talents and will come calling at seasons end. So here's the deal Tyson, Lindsey, Walton and Broyles. Lock him in quick and we can all enjoy these glass slippers for several years to come. I want to stay at the ball long after midnight.
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Thanks Mom, for the wonderful spread of turkey, dressing, ham, sweet potatoes, rolls, sweet tea, casseroles, and pies that were delicious and downright sinful. No one even comes close to matching your tastey cornbread dressing. Love ya.
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Kudos to Coach Heath and the roundballers who beat SIU in the first round of the Old Spice Classic basketball tourney in Orlando, FL. The Salukies were playing like the tournament team they will be come March with defensive pressure creating havoc for the new look Hogs. The national exposure on ESPN will also help recruiting and winning means more visibility Friday when they take on Marist. Who is Marist? I might want to call the folks in Minnesota. I bet they know...Actually they are a little college in Poughkeepsie, NY. Without googling it, take a guess at what their mascot is......????
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Answer- the "Red Foxes" Store that one away for Trivia Night.
My prediction- Hogs 28, LSU 17
B-ball- Hogs beat Marist by 12
All you shoppers, enjoy the Retail Rat Race today. Highlights at 10:00.

ROADHOGS

2006-11-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

In my quest to travel and visit each away venue that the Hogs play in the SEC, I can now scratch Starkville, MS off my list. Several friends warned me earlier in the week about this being a dead end trip and I was prepared for the worst. But as usual, I was pleasantly surprised. For starters, we got there in record time; 4 hours flat. That's almost as quick as a trip to Fayetteville from Searcy. (Jay was driving and reliving his old Dallas cop days chase experiences I do believe). Secondly, it was a gorgeous day with temps in the low 60's and the sun was shining in a cloudless sky. I was warned that the facilities were less than stellar, and there was nothing to do there. Well, we traveled there ONLY to watch football so I wasn't concerned about typical "after-game" celebration hot spots. Yes, the stadium is old and small and there was no hot water in the Razorbacks dressing room, but the campus was neatly landscaped and access to the stadium was fan friendly. Like our Auburn trip, we got there early enough to walk down to within a step of the field and enjoy seeing the players and coaches go through pre-game warm-ups as if we were on the staff. The Bulldog faithful were very hospitable and engaging and seemed to appreciate the 8,000 or so Hog fans who joined them for the game. As we waited outside the stadium to greet the Hogs an older gentlemen came up and asked us about our trip and our team and where in Arkansas we were from. After a short visit, we knew he was probably SOMEBODY and I asked him were he was sitting. His seats were in one of the boxes in the exclusive "M" club. I asked if we could come sit with him and he simply winked at me and said "yall enjoy the game." Oh well, didn't hurt to ask! The five of us, Gary, Jim, Jay, James, and I had a great time. The game was closer than we wanted with Coach Croom's bunch holding us to our lowest offensive outing of the year. We found out we were a complete football team Saturday with the first two scores coming off of special teams efforts. Defense only gave up one big running play and allowed a TD pass but was stingy otherwise. I will always remember the Starkville trip for several reasons. We won the SEC West outright that day, James was sick the whole trip but managed to even call the hogs a couple of times, and being with friends trumps a championship every time. I can't go to Atlanta this year, but I plan on watching the SEC championship with a friend or two as well...after we take care of the Bayou Bengals friday! I wonder if Hawaii will ever try and join the SEC.....ROADTRIP!

ONE WIN AND WE'RE IN; ROAD TRIP II

2006-11-15T21:35:00.000-08:00

The weekend's game with Mississippi State presents the biggest opportunity for advancement than any game of the season for the Hogs. A victory means the SEC West championship and spot in the SEC championship game on December 2 against the Gators of Florida. A win also takes away a little of the pressure of having to beat LSU to clench the SEC West crown the day after Thanksgiving. With all this on the line, it didn't take much persuasion for several of my banker buddies and I to put together a spur of the moment road trip to Starkville. Its only 4.5 hours from Searcy and its a 1:30 kickoff so it just made sense. Besides, there is no television broadcast of the game this weekend so we had to go. It also a goal of mine to try and visit every conference venue that the Hogs play against in the next few years, so I was an easy sell when approached about going. We called the Bulldog ticket office and purchased our tickets in section U, row 56 and will join several thousand Hog fans that have scarfed up tickets in the last few days. If this road trip is anything like our trip to Auburn on October 7, it will be a great weekend of football. The Bulldogs scare me because this will be an opportunity for them to play the role of spoiler; or at least make it more difficult for us to get to Atlanta. Coach Croom doesn't care about spoiling our day. He simply wants to win a football game. His program needs more victories than the one he stole from Shula 2 weeks ago. A win against the Hogs and then against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl would give his team a much needed boost going into the offseason. The Hogs are focused and have approached practice and this week's all important game in a very businesslike manner. Their quiet leader on defense, Sam Olajubutu called a player only meeting Tuesday and stressed to the team the need to stay focused and play one game at a time. When Butu talks, the players listen. My prediction is the Hogs win by 3 TD's, 35-14. We leave at 6:00 am Saturday. I'm not ready for this magical season to end.

HOUSE SOLD
Just an update since many of you knew I have been trying to sell the house for most of the year. My 6 month sales contract was to end with Remax on November 30 and I had been telling myself that if the Hoggard team couldn't sell it, it wouldn't be sold. They are terrific at what they do but the truth is, the real estate market is a little soft right now in Searcy. As the deadline approached, I had prayed hard, and others as well, that God would find me a buyer. A couple of weeks ago, after being encouraged by the preachers at DT church to stretch in the area of personal contributions, I decided to double my weekly giving. I confessed to God my lack of faith in him being in control of the situation and asked him to forgive me. The next week, I got my first offer in nearly 2 years with 3 different realtors. A blessing from God? You better believe it. We close next week. Be careful what you ask for.

An OT Template for a NT Church

2006-11-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

Before I relate my comments on this post you must link over to Patrick Meads blog, www.patrickmead.blogspot.com and read his latest on "Shall We Plant." The church in Rochester is embracing culture and have determined to reach up, reach in, and reach out to their neighbors in some radical ways. Its an awsome read. Have your church leaders read it as well and challenge them to try some of these methods of reaching the lost and un-churched of your communities.
At DT where I attend, the focus for the month has been on giving. We are studying a book series entitled "Expect a Harvest" by Dr. Kregg Hood that encourages us to stretch in relation to our giving and allow God to prove that he can bless you beyond your wildest dreams. This theme brings me to the thoughts for this particular post. I was reading in Exodus about Moses and his communication with God and the instructions God gave him to implement for the Israelites as they began to construct the tabernacle.
"They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. (and we always tighten up when a baptist brother mentions that word) And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, "The people are bringing MORE THAN ENOUGH for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
Read on, it gets better.....
Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp; "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were RESTRAINED from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work." Exodus 36:3-7
When was the last time an elder got up in your fellowship and said,"OK folks, this constant giving is gonna have to stop! There is nowhere else to store all that you have so freely given, and the craftsment can't even turn around without stepping on your gifts. This is your official Restraining Order on giving. What will it take for our churches to have an attitude of giving like these good Israelites did when the challenge was given them? What will motivate us to "sell our possessions and goods and give to anyone as he had need," as the first century christians did in Acts chapter 2? I would love for a brother to get up in the next few weeks and write these 4 words on a dry erase board..."No More Giving Necessary."
I believe that the key to a group giving in this manner is found in several verses in Exodus 35..."and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord." Its a heart issue. Something tells me these people became a community of believers and giving then became second nature. It was a natural outpouring of the bond that was developing among them. It was a snowball effect in the Israelites case; so much that Moses had to put out a proclaimation for them to quit before someone gets hurt. I want to be a part of a community, so involved in outreach and sharing that one day my Lord may say to me,"You've done more than enough to do the work that I commanded."

WHY I LOVE THE HOGS

2006-11-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

I made a trip to Paragould Saturday to watch the Razorbacks play the Gamecocks of South Carolina with my mom. Waiting on me was some homemade taco soup, banana pudding and of course, mom's famous sweet tea. Mom is the reason I am such a fan of the Hogs. For as long as I can remember, I have always known how to "call the Hogs" and cheer them on thanks to the influence of my wonderful mom. The earliest game we watched together was of course the classic of '69 when the Hogs fell to the Longhorns in the Shootout of the Century. Growing up, we would go outside at halftime and toss the football around, reinacting the highlights of the first half. I get my competitive nature from my mom, who was a pretty good basketball player in her day and will give you all you want in a game of ping pong or any board game. Thanks for another great Razorback experience Saturday, mom. You are the greatest. See you at the Tennessee game...

EIGHT YEARS LATER...

2006-11-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

On November 14, 1998, almost exactly 8 years ago, the Arkansas Razorbacks carried a national ranking and an 8-0 record into Neyland Stadium hoping to knock off the Vols and continue their run for a national championship in Houston Nutt's rookie year. I was coaching my son's U-10 soccer team in a big tournament in Little Rock. The parents and spectator's typical loyalty to cheering their son's performances were split that fall afternoon with one eye half-heartedly on their kids and the other on one of many portable color T.V.'s scattered throughout the gallery on tailgates. Every now and then a cheer would explode from the spectator's sideline and it wasn't because one of the soccer players had headed in a goal; it was because the Hogs had just scored. My loyalty was divided as well. I was missing the biggest game of the year so I could "coach" fifteen 10 year old boys and hand out banana's and juice at the end. It was worth it though. But, it was the shortest post game talk in junior soccer history as we high-fived each other and scampered over to join the parents to watch the "real game." Well, Tennessee comes to Fayetteville this year for a very similar rematch, along with the biggest frenzy that ESPN has produced for college football; ESPN Gameday. This will be their first ever appearance on the campus of the U of A. Students, fans, and players will have an opportunity to showcase one of the best kept secrets in college athletics; the outstanding facilities of the Arkansas athletic program nestled in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. Like 1998, the Hogs come into the game on a 8 game winning streak and a chance to win the SEC West like they did then. Back then, a national championship was within reach for the winner. The boys won their soccer game 1-0 but the Vols beat the Hogs 28-24 in a nailbiter on a strange quarterback fluke fumble and went on to win their sixth national title in January. This week's game and the ESPN exposure will be an important catalyst in getting the national respect back that the Hogs enjoyed in the glory days of the 60's and 70's. That much needed catalyst is recruiting. Winning programs, first class facilities, and TV cameras are the things that the blue chippers are looking for when deciding where to attend school. Hopefully eight years from now, I can refer back to this post, and highlight it as the turning point in a string of upcoming championships for the Hogs. Hopefully this will also become an annual stop for ESPN commentators Chris, Lee, Kirk, and Desmond.

NEW TERRITORY

2006-11-02T19:59:00.000-08:00

After back to back loosing seasons as well as no bowl appearances, the Hogs find themselves in new territory. Not unchartered territory, mind you; its more like coming back home from a loooong journey. Its almost a joke to be bowl eligible anymore with just 6 wins, especially when many teams play a 12 game schedule. It waters down the whole bowl system. The bowl situation is a whole different blog so I digress. Anyway, the Hogs are bowl eligible, but they have bigger fish to fry this year. Currently they are on a 7 game win streak after getting humbled in game 1 by USC. They are the only undefeated SEC team, the toughest conference in America, and yet the BCS can't seem to find a place for them in the top 10. How Auburn remains at #6 after the shellacking we gave them at their place and their squeaky wins against LSU and Florida is still a mystery to me. Again I digress. The Hogs square off against the "Ole Ball Coach" and his South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday in Columbia. It will be hostile territory but familiar; remember the road win at Auburn in front of 80K people. Spurrier will be unpredictible, especially in this game, because he has to. S.C. does not match up well with the Hogs on either side of the ball, so expect the unexpected. It will be fun to witness our playcaller, Gus Malzhan match wits with the heisman trophy winner of the early 60's. The Hogs appear mostly one dimensional with their potent running game, but the passing game is simply hibernating, waiting for an opportunity to unveil itself. It could come out this week or next season, depending on the whether opponents find a way to stop the run. If D-Mac and Felix continue to roll up impressive ground game numbers, and the Hogs win, I don't care if they ever toss the ball past the line of scrimmage. But, the insurance premium of the passing game has been paid and is there just in case of an emergency in the form of Monk, Crawford, Williams, and of course the slinger, M16. Everyone is healthy and that's a trememdous advantage being on the road. Butu is back in the linebacker corp and the captain will lead us to victory. The Gamecocks will remain winless in conference games at home this year and M16 will remain undefeated as the quarterback of the Hogs. Final score...27-17, Hogs. One step closer to a BCS bowl, which indeed is unfamiliar territory.