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A True Fan: A Bed, a Baby, and a Bracket


A baby-sized caption: The Razorbacks' lucky charm, Chase Gross.


First, I have an admission to make. After eating supper, watching some Smallville (yes, I know I am the only person over thirteen that still watches this show), and saying goodbye to my wife (who left to dissect a cat or something), I had one thing on my mind: watching the Arkansas-LSU basketball game. However, after a stressful day at work, which consisted of sitting in an empty computer lab for over three hours, I was exhausted. Blah, blah, blah: I feel asleep in the recliner. I woke up around ten and checked my phone, which showed the usual pre-midnight text: “Wanna play some COD (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for PS3 for my non-gaming readers)?” I needed to do homework, intended to watch the game, and wanted to play COD; nevertheless, I crawled into bed and slept. And Wednesday ended.

I am a terrible fan, I know. But it’s the first thing I thought about Thursday morning. I opened Firefox with anxiety. For a moment, I considered not checking the score. Why? The Hogs have been on such a hot streak and I didn’t want it to end. Of course, reason prevailed: the outcome was set whether I checked the score or not. Luckily, I was flabbergasted by their success and not a letdown. A 35-point win, even against a Tigers’ team that is winless in conference play (9-15, 0-10 SEC), is impressive. Granted this isn’t the same LSU that went 13-3 and won the SEC last year, but they still have enough talented players, like Tasmin Mitchell, to pose a threat to Arkansas.

Heck, I’ll sleep through every Arkansas game if it will help them win by 35 points. Wait? Would I? Which leads me to the inspiration for this blog: What is the true nature of being a fan? Would a true fan rather sleep through every game and have his team win by double-digits OR does a true fan watch every game intently and live with the ups and downs of winning and defeat? It’s an interesting question. Is the team’s success or the fan’s enjoyment more important?

If it wasn’t my sleep that propelled the Hogs to victory then it was my co-worker’s newborn. The basketball Razorbacks haven’t dropped a game since Chase Gross was born. In fact, he was born at halftime of the Mississippi State in which the Hogs trailed by 13 points. After Chase’s birth, Fortson scored 33 points in the second half to carry Arkansas to victory and the team hasn’t let up since. Chase is already a Hog legend in my book.

Back in Northeast Arkansas at my alma mater, Arkansas State is matching if not surpassing the success of the Hogs. Currently, the Red Wolves are 9-3 in league play and sit alone atop the Sun Belt Conference. John Brady was a great hire for ASU, and the program will only continue to get better under his guidance. I’m just not sure ASU will have the money required to pay Brady when it comes time. However, even Joe Lunardi, resident bracketologist at ESPN, has taken notice of the Red Wolves’ winning ways. In his latest projections, he has ASU as the 15th seed in South Region with a first-round date against Duke (you can check out the projections here, dear reader: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology).

Since I can’t sleep during the day, I guess I’ll just have to rely on Boss Hog Chase to carry the Razorbacks to victory on Saturday. Or, maybe I’ll start a new superstition and take my wife out to dinner for Valentine’s Day instead of watching the game. I mean, I know I don’t have to ask what’s more important, being a spouse or being a fan. Right?

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