Hog Calls

UA's SWC successes worth celebrating

Arkansas coach Norm DeBriyn is introduced prior to an NCAA super regional game against Clemson on Friday, June 7, 2002, in Clemson, S.C.
Arkansas coach Norm DeBriyn is introduced prior to an NCAA super regional game against Clemson on Friday, June 7, 2002, in Clemson, S.C.

FAYETTEVILLE -- As former Hogwild Band director Jim Robken cleverly added his revised version of "All My Exes Live in Texas" into the musical repertoire during the Razorbacks' lame duck 1990-1991 Southwest Conference season before leaving for the SEC, it became fashionable in Arkansas to demean its old league that has been defunct since 1996.

Time tends to heal all wounds. And it even wounds all heels, some Razorbacks fans might say after Arkansas' trouncing of old SWC nemesis Texas at the Advocare Texas Bowl last December.

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema's recent "borderline erotic" comment about ending the 31-7 rout with kneel downs on the Texas goal line resonated among older Razorbacks fans. Many recall emotions way beyond borderline during those times that Arkansas defeated its bigger, richer and -- in Arkansas' view -- privileged tormentor.

It was big for Bielema's rebuilding project, although old Arkansas fans know neither team was remotely up to the 1960s national classics between Frank Broyles' Razorbacks and Darrell Royal's Longhorns or Lou Holtz's Hogs and Fred Akers' 'Horns in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The euphoria of being an SEC member has been digested but is still appreciated, but many have realized that demeaning the old league wrongfully demeans the Razorbacks' greatest accomplishments prior to 1992.

Living remnants of the old conference who were once so bitter at the Razorbacks for leaving have experienced enough conference jumping to forgive Arkansas and recognize that Broyles did what was best for Arkansas.

The SEC was Arkansas' best path, but its old league didn't always founder on hard times. It carried a proud history in all sports, with Arkansas a strong part of it.

Mutual recognition is deserved and is getting attained.

Texas Hall of Fame inductees with an SWC past are automatic SWC Hall of Fame inductees. That made UA grads Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson -- both Dallas Cowboys icons -- the only Razorbacks in the SWC Hall.

But since 2014, under the Texas Hall of Fame in Waco, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame has sought to catch up on Arkansas inductees.Broyles, former men's track coach John McDonnell and former basketball coaches Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson have been among those inducted.

Lance Alworth (football), Clyde Scott (football/track), Mike Conley (track) and Sidney Moncrief (basketball) have been among previous inductees added at 10 per year.

Arkansas' catch-up continues with nine more of its greats inducted Nov. 9 in Little Rock through joint efforts of the Arkansas Hall of Fame and Texas Hall of Fame with retired SWC champion baseball coach Norm DeBriyn one of the nine from each SWC school to be inducted Oct. 5 in Dallas.

The football inductees in Little Rock are Ken Hatfield as a player and coach, Bill Burnett, Chuck Dicus, Wayne Martin, Billy Ray Smith Jr. and the late Wayne Harris. Others inductees include Bettye Fiscus (women's basketball), Todd Day (men's basketball) and Niall O'Shaughnessy (track and field).

Their achievements are worth remembering in the bygone conference that Arkansas should never forget.

Sports on 08/15/2015

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