USC@Arkansas

[billybud]

I spent a long day in Eldorado ,Arkansas once...touring on the Harley headed from Louisianna to Hot Springs. I thought Alabama folks had strong southern accents but I almost needed a translator while getting a tire repaired. My "tar" was on a "war wheel" and it gave them problems.

[Dossenator]

Yes. If you are in Central or Southern Arkansas the accents are quite strong. I am from the nortwest corner. Most people there have a very mild accent. I have lived in California for two years now and when I tell people I am from Arkansas they say that I do not have a Southern accent. Who knows....I am sure I have a slight one. The worst accent in the state of Arkansas is in West Memphis. It's like they are speaking another language. I do not mean that in a bad way....not trying to say they are not inteligent....that is just how they speak.

[Derek]

I liked the way Arkansas played LSU, Bama, and Georgia last year...they could have (should have) won all three games....the Razorbacks are much better than their record would indicate.

Arkansas will give USC a better game than most of the PAC 10 will....

However, Shockley was injured in that game and was gone after the 1st or 2nd quarter. They were up by 2-3 touchdowns when that happened I think. Short term memory not so good.

I still give them credit for a good comeback.

[Dossenator]

Well, some bad news for Arkansas. The SEC's best running back, Darren McFadden had to have toe surgery yesterday and will be out several weeks. The reports are saying he will probably not be ready for the opener against USC. Here is the statement from the University of Arkansas sports page (http://www.hogwired.com). FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden has undergone surgery on a joint in his left toe and will be sidelined for several weeks it was announced by UA head coach Houston Nutt on Saturday.
McFadden suffered an open dislocation of the distal IP joint of his big left toe. The sophomore underwent surgery early Saturday morning in Little Rock to repair the capsule surrounding the joint. A small pin was also inserted in the joint to stabilize it.
Arkansas head trainer Dean Weber says McFadden will not practice for several weeks and is doubtful for Arkansas’ season opener against Southern California on Sept. 2.

As for the Arkansas vs. Georgia game last year...Arkansas was never down by more than 10 points. Georgia scored a TD in the first quarter, Arkansas scored a TD in the second quarter, Georgia scored a TD and kicked a field goal in the second quarter...the half time score was Georgia 17 - Ark 7.......Both teams kicked a field goal in the third quarter, Georgia kicked a field goal in the fourth and Ark scored a TD and kicked a field goal in the fourth to make the final score (Georgia 23 - Ark 20).....Arkansas had the ball at the end of the game but could not capatilize on it. It is hard to win on the road in the SEC....especially when you are playing the number 4 team in the country....I believe that is what Georgia was ranked at the time.

[Eric]

Well, Arkansas has some other pretty good running backs. They'll be fine, but will have a hard time defeating USC without McFadden. He's the guy they have to lean on in order to win the game. I think he might play injured in that game, do you?

[Dossenator]

It seems that McFadden got into a fight when he was leaving a bar. How stupid can you be. Top 1 or 2 RB in SEC, big game at beginning of the season, etc. and you get into a fight at a bar. Houston Nutt will not like that he was even in a bar. Nutt is the type of coach to make McFadden sit a few games for violating team rules and/or representing the University of Arkansas in a bad way. Who knows if he will play. We will just have to wait and see how fast he can heal. As for who will take his place that is easy....Felix Jones a fellow sophomore who as a Freshman last year was second in the nation in Kick Off Return yards (32 yards a return) and as a back up running back rushed for 626 yards on 99 carries (6.3 yard average...same average as McFadden had last year) and 3 TD's. The Razorbacks also have an outstanding Full Back in Peyton Hillis who can run and catch the ball (38 Rec. for 400 yards and 4 TD's as well as rushing for 315 yards and 3 TD's). I compare the Arkansas running game to that of Denver's....it really does not matter who they put back there to run....they will get somewhere between 150-300 yards rushing every game as a team....however, McFadden has that special something that can not be replaced). It definetely changes the game without him.

Latest Associated press article:
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden, a first-team All-SEC selection, underwent surgery on his toe Saturday morning following an overnight bar fight and is doubtful for the Razorbacks' season opener against Southern California.

McFadden got into a fight at 4:20 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Palace the Club, a Little Rock private club, according to a police report. The fight was still going on, and a crowd was watching, when officers arrived.


McFadden told police he didn't know the person with whom he was fighting, the report said. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment.

The Razorbacks said McFadden dislocated a joint in his left big toe and had surgery in Little Rock to repair the capsule surrounding the joint. A small pin was also inserted into the joint to stabilize it.

Arkansas trainer Dean Weber said McFadden will not practice for several weeks and is unlikely to play against USC on Sept. 2.

McFadden rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, becoming the seventh freshman in Southeastern Conference history to run for 1,000 yards.

[RazorHawk]

Same crap with Cedric Cobbs, except he went down in the Bama game at the start of the year.

What is an underage football star doing at a all night club, in the first place.
Felix Jones is also a tremendous back, but not with quite the power of McFadden.

Hopefully this will not affect his total career.

[billybud]

And why is he fist fighting? Where's the boy's gun? Maybe things are different in Arkansas than in Florida..

Hey, Razor...what you doing down in retiree country?

[RazorHawk]

Hey, Razor...what you doing down in retiree country?

Trying to retire, but am a little short on that green stuff, so will need to work a couple more years.

[Eric]

I think Felix Jones is an awesome runner, it's just that I agree with Dossenator, he doesn't necessarily have as much "it" as McFadden. It's going to make that game against USC that much tougher of a road to hoe.

[Dossenator]

The story is that he was doing more kicking then punching. The team doctors are saying that McFadden will not even practice for several weeks. Even if the toe is healed in time for the USC game I am not sure that he would get to play that much or at all. He would miss all the game planning....they have not said but Felix Jones will more than likely get all of the practice time with the first team offense. He would be the back that is ready to play. Also there would be a question about McFadden's conditioning. No practice for 3 to 4 weeks. It may be week 2-4 of the season before he is back to normal. I think the Hogs will be ok until then....barring an injury to another running back (knock on wood). If McFadden was the only weapon that they were going to throw at USC then they were all ready beat. It is going to take a total team effort to beat USC. I think the other backs will do fine. If Arkansas can establish a consistent throwing attack, pressure USC's QB, then they can still win the game.

[mountainman]

Hey Dossenator ...... Please, going forward, copy and paste the link to Associated Press stuff. Evidently the AP guys are a little sensitive to folks copying their stuff ......

Thanks.

[Dossenator]

Mountainman...no problem. I did not even think about that. I will make sure to post links in the future.

[Dossenator]

Here is a link to the latest news on McFadden. What a crazy story....he did not have a shoe on when he was kicking at a man trying to steal his car....he missed the man and kicked the concrete curb instead...barfoot! (ouch). Link (http://nwanews.com/bcdr/Sports/37907/)

[mountainman]

Thanks for the understanding and cooperation, Dossenator.

Good thing this guy is a tailback ...... instead of a kicker.