Hogs Disrespected by AP Voters
The second the newest college AP poll came out, the temperature across Arkansas rose three degrees as Razorback fans seethed in anger.
The disrespect is real and Hog fans are hopping mad.
Crant Osborne / allHOGS Images
Fans excitedly clicked Monday at the first sight of the poll's release in anticipation finding their former Top 10ish Hogs back in the rankings again. However, a quick scan revealed Arkansas was nowhere to be found.
Yet, there was LSU, which meant the most Christian of Razorback fans had to choke back numerous choice expletives, but more on that later.
After searching the internet a bit more, fans found the extended version of the poll that included the "Others receiving votes:" section tacked on below. Surely Arkansas was at least floating just beyond the outskirts of the Top 25.
No. 26 or 27 with a large collection of votes serving as a warning of the charge up the rankings about to be made by the Hogs would be disappointing, but could be tolerated as Musselman's team worked to restore its reputation.
Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports
But, alas, no sign of Razorback red in the first few lines. Surely this had to be an old poll.
After checking the date only to confirm the posting was just. minutes old, fans took to digging through the rest of the list.
Finally, there deep at the bottom of those getting votes for Top 25 consideration was Arkansas. The Razorbacks barely cracked the afterthoughts list with seven points, at what essentially was No. 32 in the country.
Seven points was a slap across the face, but looking up to see the Hogs would have to match LSU's 180 points to break the Top 25 barrier was enough to make an Arkansas fan throw the good cooking pot across the room.
How the?!
What were they?!
I mean!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
LSU?!?
Stephen Lew / USA TODAY Sports
That same LSU that Arkansas beat on their home floor in Baton Rouge two weeks ago?
It couldn't possibly be the LSU team that's three spots below Arkansas in the SEC standings?
They must have...Nope! LSU doesn't have a better record either.
So let's weigh this one out.
The AP voters looked at two teams with the exact same record, then ignored the head-to-head, devalued the conference standings, and chose to put the team that held every advantage over the other 173 points and essentially seven spots below the team that hasn't been able to prove it's better on the court.
When Nolan Richardson used to talk about no one believing in the Hogs and "Us against the world!" in his heyday, it was more to just get his guys fired up. Those teams held tremendous respect across this country.
Clearly the respect earned by being the second best team in the tournament last year as the only team to challenge national champion Baylor has been tossed and long forgotten.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
It's time for the team to internalize the disrespect. Fans would even be justified for finding creative ways to display their favorite potato and tortilla chips on their shoulders at game.
The fall from grace was well-deserved. This Hogs team had lessons to learn.
But just like the fall was well-deserved, the impending rise has been earned also.
Arkansas already did its part to put LSU in its place. Now it's time the AP voters did the same.
