Bobby Petrino conducted his first interview with ESPN since he took the Razorback Head Coaching jod yesterday on ESPN’s College Football Live. Video of the interview is below.

This Week From the Bench…

There are still some who are obsessed with hating former Razorback coach Houston Nutt, and there are also some, believe it or not, who still love him. Many are still very preoccupied with Nutt as he shows up on radio shows in this state and at banquets.

I believe this continued preoccupation with Nutt and his occasional reappearance in his home state is not helpful for the healing process in Hogland. I believe it would be similar to dwelling on your ex-wife after she has moved on with her life. The Razorback Nation needs to do the same.

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This borders on the ridiculous but available this July and August, exclusively at your local Large Super Central Buy Everything store, is the Gillette Fusion Razorback Razor…

Sometimes marketing cuts too close to the bone.

Gillette College Razor

This Week From The Bench…

Matt Jones fall from stardom was tragic this past week. Who was the writer that said show me a hero and I will show you a tragic ending (Maybe, it was Emerson). I could write a long diatribe about sports and drugs and how one is ruining the other. How the abuse of drugs and alcohol have hurt the Razorback football team in the past. I could dwell on these negatives, but instead I will dwell on something else negative instead of jumping on the Razorback football team that has had abuse problems in the past under Houston Nutt.

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As most of you probably know, former Arkansas QB and current Jacksonville Jaguar Wide Receiver Matt Jones was arrested on a count of Felony possession of a controlled substance (Cocaine) this Morning. Not as widely mentioned is that he was arrested with former Hog tight end Jared Hicks. The Razorbloggers/Slophouse/TMN’s Hog Blog have it covered. LB Wendel Davis was arrested on June 28th. He was arrested after an altercation at a stop light with a person he has a history with.

I’ve reported previously that the University is merging the Men’s and Women’s Athletic Departments. The first sign of that is the merging of the UA’s athletic websites, Hogwired and Ladybacks.com, into ArkansasRazorbacks.com. It opens on July 21st. KATV is looking at the 16 most memorable moments since the Hogs joined the SEC…Here are the Expats’ choices.

Levan Patsatsia is going to transfer from the Hog Hoop squad. Patrick Beverley impressed King LeBron James and New Orleans’s Chris Paul in a pickup game.Former Hog Darian Townes has made the Sacramento Kings Summer League Team. Some Diamond Hogs are heating up Summer Leagues. Tyson Gay has a mild muscle strain in his leg. He pulled up lame in a quarterfinal heat for the 200 meters at the US Olympic Trials. He was the defending world champ in the event. Felix Jones and Darren McFadden have been ranked as two of the best NFL running backs.

College Football News says the SEC Title Game hurts the SEC. Here’s CFN’s 46 reasons to love SEC Football. Here’s a take from a SEC Gal In California. Here’s three sets of SEC football predictions. The Razorbloggers are looking at the new NCAA football rules.

UPDATE: I forgot to link to a couple of Expat stories…Their Hodge Podge mentions Marcus Monk-Competitive Eater, Houston Nutt’s wrong number, and SEC home court advantage…a must read! Also in non-Hog news…Fort Smith & Texarkana add to the “Embarrassing Arkansas Moments” File courtesy of Borat.

This Week From The Bench…

The last seven years have been a columnist’s dream, and I would like to personally thank all parties involved for providing such rich content to write about. Even in the offseason, there seemed to be one scandal after another that kept the chat rooms active. (I love to call the Internet boards “chat rooms” as a way to mock all those many media people who had no clue and used to do the same.)

So with the blaring lack of controversy at the UofA, the big issue for July is this: The University of Arkansas is hiring a personal PR flack for Petrino. That’s the biggest news around and if it doesn’t seem that big to you then I am about to manufacture it into something else like they do on Fox.

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I’ll be heading out early but I wanted to wish all of our readers a Happy Independence Day!

Hog Logoland

One of the most popular posts on this site is the Razorback Crocs post. Well the company has released a new thong version, which they call Athens….

Here’s the link…

Crocs: Arkansas-Athens Style

I’ve been slightly lazy in updating recently so there is some stuff to catch up on…

Backup Linebacker Freddy Burton was arrested for DUI this morning. Former Hog Tyson Gay qualified for the US Olympic squad in the 100m. Arkansas Hired Northern Iowa’s Chris Bucknam as the new Track and Field and Cross Country coach replacing legend John McDonnell. Sonny Weems was drafted by Chicago then traded to Denver. Steven Hill has signed a contract to play with Portland’s summer league team.
John Pelphrey auctioned off a round of golf with himself, Bobby Petrino, and LPGAer and former ladyback Stacy Lewis. It went for $5,100. Speaking of Stacy Lewis, she finished tied for 3rd at her first LPGA event as a pro…the US Women’s Open. Petrino’s not a big talker. But The Hog Blogger knows what he’s getting into with Bobby. The Razorbloggers have been counting down the best football games of ‘07 (with video)…my fav’s South Carolina and LSU. AOL fanhouse has a story up about if College Football teams were comedians…Arkansas would be Larry the Cable Guy. Which lead me to two other such lists…Rappers-Kool Keith…and Simpsons Characters-Groundskeeper Willie.

Finally two stories unrelated to the Hogs…So Long to Deadspin’s Will Leitch, I echo what the Expats wrote…and RIP to UGA VI.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that today is the last day on Nolan Richardson’s Contract with the UA and it’s also Chancellor John White’s last day on the job.

This Week From The Bench…

I believe the new coach is much more willing to take that chance. Whether you like it or not, the fate of this team almost certainly lies on the shoulders of your fourth-year quarterback. Players who are good as freshmen and have unproven ability will rise or fall with the play of Dick. He will make the difference if they become great as players and a team. We will see this season if Dick can pick himself off the grass with turf in his helmet and if his teammates still believe in him to carry on the battle to hit back.

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