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Vice TV Documentary Will Finally Let Fans, Local Media See What's Been Going On

Secretive Arkansas Razorbacks program has opportunity to at least let Hogs fans understand what happened
Kent Smith|
Former Kentucky head coach John Calipari waives at the crowd during a Blue-White game. He will now have a documentary showing him leaving Kentucky for Arkansas.
Former Kentucky head coach John Calipari waives at the crowd during a Blue-White game. He will now have a documentary showing him leaving Kentucky for Arkansas. | Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Arkansas RazorbacksKentucky Wildcats

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While the Vice TV documentary "Razor's Edge" showcasing the arrival of John Calipari at Arkansas and the season that has unfolded so far may be coming at in inopportune time, it will have its loyal viewers.

Vice TV is known best for its "Dark Side of the Ring" series, which provides brutally honest looks into the world of professional wrestling. As a result, the hope is the latest documentary series won't be the whitewashed of anything but sunshine and rainbows perspective fans get from the PR pieces pushed out by Hogs Plus as the lone source of insight of this nature.

Not because there has to be some evil skeleton hiding in the closets at the University of Arkansas. It's because there's a desperate need to get a journalistic look at what's really been going on lately, no matter what's behind the door, good or bad.

Because the local media has been shut out of being able to see anything the public doesn't also simultaneously see and Calipari won't even talk to local media unless the national media also might be present, little is known about what has been going on behind the scenes.

Following a loss, Calipari can simply say "I don't know. I'll have to look at the tape," and since the press conference between games is handled by assistants, no one can follow up to find out exactly what Calipari saw. Other than those eight minutes after the game, he's not talking to the local media.

Whether it be getting to know players as actual humans or catching a glimpse of practice to at least have a means of logical explanation as to what's going on, this particular regime wants nothing to do with local reporters trying to help fans get to know the team. It's an approach that has backfired to an extreme, creating massive disconnect between fans and the program.

However, national media is welcome to all the access it would like to Calipari and his team, leaving reporters scrambling to rewatch games, pregames, halftime and postgames shows to gather whatever tidbits were shared with them. That is why, in addition to an entire legion of Kentucky fans, the local media will be tuned in come February to see if much of what they have suspected is the ultimate cause of this team's downfall, or if something completely different has sent the Hogs tumbling with no direction as of late. 

Odds are the documentary won't dive into a lot of deep issues, but if players can't improve because there aren't enough quality players on the roster to push them consistently through practice to make them better, that will be hard to hide. It will also be interesting to see the players' side of the lack of connection between the team and the fans.

Either way, unless it's yet another rehash of Chicken Man stories and going for long walks to decide whether to leave for Arkansas, it should be at least somewhat insightful. It will certainly kill a few game free nights in Kentucky, and that's what this season has currently devolved into — inadvertently bringing joy to Kentucky fans.

After all, Razorbacks fans have made it abundantly clear they have moved on to baseball and unfairly placing the weight of their frustration on Dave Van Horn. Perhaps if tonight's late night game turns into an unexpected upset of Georgia a few may tune in, but most have been clear they just don't want to hear any more about Razorback basketball and its well-funded NIL program.

HOGS FEED:

• Can Arkansas keep recruiting momentum going on with 2026 class in Top 10?

• Razorbacks must neutralize Georgia's sensational freshman forward

• Report: Razorback Freshman Guard To Miss Rest of the Season

• Razorbacks hoping another Sorey arrives in transfer portal

• Calipari Can't Ride Past Success Much Longer for Razorback Fans

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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