ESPN's Todd Walker Will Be Arkansas Punching Bag Today, For Near Future

Razorback fans, local radio stations in frenzy following intentional snub of Dave Van Horn's No. 2 baseball team

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
May 19, 2023 12:47 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Everyone in Arkansas either saw it or immediately had a friend or spouse text to tell them about it.

Last night, the SEC Network's Todd Walker, who made his name as an LSU College World Series hero before a career as an MLB journeyman, picked the four SEC teams he thought had the best chance to win a national championship.

As the Nos. 3 and 4 rankings went up on the graphic, Razorback fans waited to see if it would be Florida or Arkansas in the final spot. Once Florida popped in at No. 2, everyone gave anyone who happened to be in the room a knowing nod of "Yeah, he better be glad he put Arkansas No. 1 because Razorback fans would eat him up."

But then something unexpected happened. At the top of the board popped Tennessee, a team that just a few weeks ago was projected to not even make a regional. Razorback fans everywhere flipped their lids. Phones blew up with texts and fiery tweets flew all over the place with expressions of indignation.

By the time the sun came up, radio shows prepared to dedicate entire broadcasts, not segments, broadcasts, to the absurdity that was Walker's disrespect of the Razorback program. For those in states where college baseball isn't a thing, imagine the passion that Alabama has for football and its prominence in the sport. Now picture the Tide ranked No. 2 in the nation this December, but former Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace goes on television as an analyst and lists Georgia, LSU, Tennessee on a list of which SEC teams are good enough to win the national championship before dropping a struggling Texas A&M team that Alabama beat by 40 at No. 1. That's where Arkansas fans are this morning in passion, expectation and a feeling of blatant disrespect.

He's even polling at 97% as being this year's equivalent to ESPN Arkansas's Derek Ruscin. For those who don't know, Ruscin, one-third of the afternoon show in Fayetteville, went off on former Arkansas catcher Michael Turner as bad rental player, who because of his temporary status, had no right “to come in here and criticize this fan base.” He used other words such as disgrace and loser to describe Turner. Despite attempting to defend Razorback fans, they turned on him so quick and hard that not only did it get Ruscin suspended and almost cost him his job, it landed Turner an NIL deal with a rental company. That says a lot about how perturbed Razorback fans are at Walker.

However, one thing the people of Arkansas need to understand is they are doing exactly what Walker hoped would happen. He intentionally left the top team in the SEC off the list because the outrage that followed would generate ratings, Twitter reactions and views. Bad publicity is often great ratings. Baseball may be a massive draw in Arkansas, but television numbers are down in Mississippi, which carries a lot of ESPN's baseball viewership, because both SEC schools are essentially out of the running. It's been hard times in the Magnolia State.

Tennessee and LSU bring OK numbers, but nothing like what Arkansas and Mississippi draw. It was clear when watching the Razorback game Thursday night that even Vanderbilt is a little down in support this year and baseball is really all the Anchor Down crowd have.

So, the best way to make sure numbers stay where they need to be is to excite Tennessee fans who disengaged back when things were falling apart for the Volunteers to get them back on the bandwagon and poke the most passionate fan base in all of college baseball with a very hot, pointy stick. Very few people were watching SEC Now late on a Thursday night in mid-May, but once that list went up, people in Tennessee and Arkansas definitely caught one of the 20 replays that get aired afterward.

Razorback and Tennessee fans are being played by Walker and hopefully everyone in those states knows it. However, that doesn't make it less fun. Arkansas fans haven't had a good TV personality to truly despise since Mitch Albom said the 1994 Razorbacks would lose to Duke in the basketball national championship game because they weren't smart enough to win.

Things can get a little slow this time of year, so getting to lay into Walker will be cathartic for Razorback fans. Also, while there were concerns that the long list of injuries may come back to haunt Arkansas once regionals start, that graphic being shown over and over again may be just what the Razorbacks need to cure what ails them.

In the meantime, it will be interesting to hear what fans have to say on the various radio shows throughout the day. It's been a while since Arkansas really got riled up, so it will be a nice appetizer before an evening of Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt and softball regionals.