Arkansas question

[Dwan]

Ok, now take money out of the equation, which I realize is impossible, but take it out, would they have been better off staying in the SWC? They left in 92 and the SWC ended in 95. They stay and they end up in the big 12 (Baylor probably is left out of the big 12 then). They have not been and probably will never be a year in, year out factor in the SEC for football, but they could be in the BIg 12. Their basketball program, which was a top ten program in early to mid 90s has fallen off the map. The big 12 is a far better basketball conference than the SEC. From a competitive standpoint, and not a financial standpoint, are they better off in the big 12 then SEC?

[mrydel]

They are 100 times better off in the SEC. Period. I do not understand why people keep asking this. The money is a factor. Plus they compete. They have been in football division championships, BCS bowl. Which is more than Miss St, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and maybe some others. Right now they are conference and division mates with Alabama and LSU. No one looks dominating next to them right now, but things move in cycles.

They won a national championship in basketball and are rebuilding to reach that type of level again.
Mike Anderson will have them in the top 20 within a year or so.

Another similar question would be, aside from travel, would TCU be better off in the MWC than the Big 12? Of course not.

Go and ask the other members of the SEC if maybe they should leave and go to the Big 12. I think you will find the entire membership is very happy where they are.

[TidePony]

Hmmmm, ask Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and aTm if they are glad they left the Big 12? Heck, yes Arkansas made the right move. While the SEC has some BIG players in the sandbox, they still play equally. After all, they don't have or need an exit fee, and that says it all.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Arky made the right move at the right time. There is no question about that.

One comment in the first post that I've seen before is that Arky would have gotten the Big-12 nod over Baylor if they had still been in the SWC. I'm not sure of that at all. Baylor got the nod because of their political juice in Austin. Arky was always the odd-man out (the only non-Texas school in the SWC) and I question whether the Texas schools would have been permitted to leave Baylor in the dust and take Arky instead. The Arkansas people I know at least are convinced Arky would have gotten screwed in the Big-12 deal based on Baylor's political power. I guess we'll never know.

[East Coast Mustang]

SEC > Big 12. Period.

Just wait until they start getting those SEC Network checks next year. SEC schools will be swimming in cash

[PonyKris89]

Hey Dwan,
I suppose it is all about the money...

Cuz it sure as hell isn't about football success!

From 1959-1989 Razorbacks had 19 seasons of 8-3 or better, and finished first or 2nd place in SWC 20 times.
Since joining SEC they have had 8-3 or better record 3 times.
Yes they have been competitive in what became the best conference, but they clearly dominated the late great SWC.

And as for basketball, I think B12 would have been more up to razorbacks speed, as they were once great in hoops in the SWC and big12 has a lot more strong teams in hoops.

So sorry to disagree with the preceding comments but I'd have to say their longtime fans are probably sick about missing the glory days.. At least that's how I would feel.

I believe Razorback prestige in the nations eyes was far superior to what it is now.

[leopold]

Go right now to secrant.com and ask any Arky fans about not going to the Big XII and see what kind of the reaction you get. Or ask any friends of yours who are UA fans in private and see if it's any different.

I know plenty of their alumni, both young and old, and not a single one of them are 'sick' about missing the glory days. Any regrets about leaving the SWC are purely sentimental, and you have fewer and fewer people who remember those years.

Arguably every school in the Big XII save Baylor has talked to another conference about membership. The signing over of the their media rights is the 'Berlin Wall' of the Big XII, with the other schools threatening to shoot each other for leaving. It's only going to last for so long until something changes.

The hogs know this and are happy where they are.

[East Coast Mustang]

The signing over of the their media rights is the 'Berlin Wall' of the Big XII, with the other schools threatening to shoot each other for leaving. It's only going to last for so long until something changes.

Yep. Texas, OU, Tech, and Okie State will be off to the Pac-12 as soon as that media rights deal expires. The Whorns and Sooners can't like splitting their TV money with the likes of Iowa State, Kansas State, WVU, and TCU. They'll follow the money eventually

[PonyKris89]

I believe i said Longtime fans.

Their football success pales in comparison to their SWC past.
Their fans are just full of their SEC pride and that's great, I guess.

And the fans that do miss all that winning would probably never admit that they miss it...because its a done deal..
Hey, I'm not saying they should do a do over, but lets be realistic, their football has been a disaster compared to what it was. And I don't think they have much hope of climbing out of it.

Do they get their share of Texas top recruits like they used to??
I assume not. I really hope they are happy, but it would drive me nuts.

[mrydel]

Arkansas was treated as an outcast in the SWC. They always looked at Texas as their big rival. Texas ignored them and of course had their rivalry with A&M which they have now lost ironically to the SEC. Arkansas gets total respect from the SEC as do all of their members. They are a strong bloc and will do nothing but reap more money. I grew up here. I played football here from 1960 through 1968. I know many old time SWC fans and none of them want the old SWC. Some would like to play Texas again but Texas stays away from that. Arkansas will be playing Aggie in Dallas every year and their recruiting in Texas will pick up again. They will have a foothold in Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida through contacts and geography. They are very content.