Stories by Wally Hall

OPINION | LIKE IT IS: Favorites of the ‘experts’ not at Final Four When this crazy basketball season started, it appeared the trip to the Final Four would be a short bus drive for the Cougars of Houston, a short plane ride for the Crimson Tide of Alabama, another vis... March 28, 2023

This Madness unprecedented with no No. 1s While never expecting to see the Arkansas Razorbacks dominated by UConn, the Huskies were the best team seen this season, or at least they were Thursday.Little did anyone know it was a prelude to what... March 26, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Huskies keep the Vegas dream in Vegas LAS VEGAS -- What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and what happened Thursday night was a high-flying, rebounding, dead-eye shooting machine known simply as UConn.It wasn't that the Arkansas Razorb... March 24, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs in Sweet 16 is a surprise, not a shock A week ago today, 64 teams woke up with their dream intact: Survive and advance.Today, 16 of those teams are left. They represent 11 different conferences and only two No. l seeds survived the opening... March 23, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks’ victory still worth celebrating One of the beauties of being a fan is you get to marinate in a huge win for as long as you want, while the players have to move on to the next challenge, or at least they better if they want more of M... March 22, 2023

Razorbacks’ thrilling win one to remember DES MOINES, Iowa -- It will go down as one of the most historic wins in Arkansas Razorbacks history.At 6:37 Saturday night, Kansas -- the storied basketball program and defending national champs -- a ... March 19, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Jayhawks’ Self knows heart of the matter DES MOINES, Iowa -- Bill Self should not be coaching Kansas today when it plays Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament.He's here and part of the planning, but he doesn't need to be on the sideline ge... March 18, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks earned team victory over Illini DES MOINES, Iowa -- Eric Musselman jumped on a chair in front of the loud and proud Arkansas fans and led them in a resounding Hog call.Wells Fargo Arena -- Bud Walton North -- was filled with Razorba... March 17, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs need to break out their track shoes DES MOINES, Iowa -- This a friendly city. Cold with snow on the ground as far as the eye can see, but courteous.People hold doors open and try to help with your briefcase as if this was the heartland ... March 16, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Committee had plan for Hogs-Illini opener There are no easy draws for NCAA Tournament seeds Nos. 7-16.An eight seed, like the Arkansas Razorbacks, is going to play a No. 9, and so basically there is no difference.The NCAA likes interesting st... March 14, 2023

Time for Hogs to have dance card filled A disappointed Eric Musselman was making his way off the Bridgestone Arena court.Arkansas had just dropped its seventh game of the season by six points or less when the Razorbacks had a held a lead in... March 12, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Second half should prove a learning lesson NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- At the half, it appeared Arkansas was going to stroll into day's semifinals of the SEC Tournament.Appearances were deceiving.The Razorbacks led 38-25 at intermission. They had ... March 11, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs made the most of their time to advance NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- They took it to heart.The motto of March Madness is survive and advance, and that's exactly what the Arkansas Razorbacks did in a 76-73 win over Auburn in the SEC Tournament on... March 10, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Arkansas-Auburn will be hotly contested Auburn is a half-point favorite in tonight's SEC Tournament game against Arkansas, which seems about right considering the Tigers won 72-59 in their one meeting.That was played at Auburn, and of c... March 9, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Staley has built a well-oiled winning machine A few random thoughts before March becomes madness.The South Carolina women's basketball team is so good, the Gamecocks should be getting votes in the men's polls.OK, a bit of a stretch, but t... March 8, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Some bubbles bound to burst on Sunday Chris Reynolds will sit down at 5 p.m. Sunday with Greg Gumbel, Jay Bilas, Clark Kellogg and Seth Davis on CBS and bring both joy and sadness when the NCAA Tournament field of 68 is announced.Reynolds... March 7, 2023

Wildcats landed more haymakers on Hogs That old hockey joke kept coming to mind Saturday watching Arkansas and Kentucky.Went to a fight and a basketball game broke out.In the end, it was payback as the Razorbacks split the games with the W... March 5, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: UK game still holds meaning for Arkansas After playing perhaps their worst game of the season, the Arkansas Razorbacks now host Kentucky in the regular-season finale Saturday and with something on the line.If Arkansas wins, it is the No. 9 s... March 2, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs out-muscled, out-hustled by Volunteers It had nothing to do with officiating, but no one got more camera time Tuesday night than those guys who seemed bigger than the game.The bottom line was the Arkansas Razorbacks were out-hustled and ou... March 1, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: SEC didn’t botch this one with Tide player The SEC's slogan, "It Just Means More," never meant more than it did Monday when the league announced its player of the week.It was not Alabama's Brandon Miller, who as everyone know... February 28, 2023

Second half delivers Tide past Razorbacks Alabama fired out of the dressing room to start the second half Saturday and Arkansas walked out.The Razorbacks let a nine-point halftime lead become a 75-63 deficit as the Crimson Tide attacked the r... February 26, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Where’s the wave of backlash for Tide? It is the most discussed sports story of this basketball season, and it seems most people outside of Alabama feel Brandon Miller is at least complicit in the death of Jamea Jonae Harris.Details are sl... February 24, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs looking more like a complete team On Tuesday night, the Arkansas Razorbacks looked like the team that was voted to finish second in the preseason in the SEC behind Kentucky.They owned the Georgia Bulldogs in Walton Arena.A big part of... February 23, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Bulldogs had no bite against Razorbacks If it had been a game of H-O-R-S-E, Georgia would have only lost by five letters.Instead, the Bulldogs looked like a football school in the 97-65 loss.The turning point wasn't the opening tip, but... February 22, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs should be leery of White, Bulldogs On paper, and probably on the court, the Arkansas Razorbacks are better than Georgia.The return of Nick Smith Jr. and the bounce-back effort against Florida after two road losses, should have the Razo... February 21, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Better Smith, better Razorbacks in victory It certainly appeared the wait was worth it; that Nick Smith Jr. made the team better in a game that was an Arkansas Razorbacks highlight video.The 84-65 win against Florida on Saturday wasn't as ... February 19, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Aggies able to cash in when needed on Hogs It wasn't so much the number of free throws Texas A&M shot as it was how many Arkansas missed.In a 62-56 loss, the Razorbacks made only 7 of 14 free throws, and that included the front end of ... February 16, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs have time to recover from loss to ’Dogs Last Saturday was not the perfect storm. Granted, no one really expected the Arkansas Razorbacks to lose to Mississippi State in Walton Arena, but it happened.The Bulldogs' only road wins before l... February 15, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Reid’s coaching superb in Chiefs’ victory It was just beautiful clock management.Like Andy Reid controlled time.Not sure Vince Lombardi would have done it that way, but because Reid did, the Kansas City Chiefs are the Super Bowl champions and... February 14, 2023

Today doesn’t appear to be a Stupor Bore When Jerry Izenberg and Jerry Green started covering the Super Bowl, it was called the AFL-NFL Championship.In its third year, it got the name Super Bowl. Sometimes through the course of history, it h... February 12, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: NET rankings nearing the critical stage At this point in the season, every game is important for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who are tied for sixth place in the SEC with Missouri and Florida.Currently, the Hogs are one of four SEC Quad 1 teams... February 10, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Kentucky’s loss a result of its head coach It was a big win, but don't let expectations get too high too soon.Arkansas dominated Kentucky in the second half and strolled out of famed Rupp Arena with a resounding 88-73 win, but those are no... February 9, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Fletcher’s horses making plenty of noise Every time the University of Arkansas plays Kentucky in basketball, there's a flood of memories.Such as the first time Nolan Richardson took a team into Rupp Arena and won. Then there was his last... February 8, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Wildcats are starting to wake up finally David Wallace is one of those guys who is at church every time the doors open.Need someone to help someone, he's in.Someone to lead the singing, he can be counted on.David always dresses nice. He&... February 7, 2023

Escape or survive: Hogs finding ways to win Escaped or survived, take your pick.Arkansas went 40% of the second half, eight minutes, without scoring Saturday and saw a 52-43 lead evaporate into a 59-58 deficit before bowing up and getting out o... February 5, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Razorbacks will take this recruiting class Apparently, all the talk and concern about Name, Image and Likeness was not a major influence on the 2023 recruiting class, at least not overall.Or the great recruiters combined with success still wer... February 3, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Mental toughness key for Hogs rest of way Texas A&M is a good basketball team, but the Arkansas Razorbacks were better Tuesday night.Arkansas shot and defended better, but the most obvious thing in the win was its confidence is growing wi... February 2, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Henry Moore was a real Arkansas treasure Sunday morning after church a few men, including F.H. Lyons and Tom Fowler, were talking football and Henry Moore's name came up.To a different generation, Henry and his brother Billy were sports ... February 1, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs ran out of ammo against the Bears A few random thoughts while waiting on the ice storm.The Arkansas Razorbacks took a huge step forward on Saturday in their 67-64 loss to No. 17 Baylor.It was a road game in a pretty hostile environmen... January 31, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs should expect to continue to see zones It was that dreaded four-letter word.Not profanity but the one that can make fans curse.Zone.Baylor came to its senses at halftime and went with a zone defense in the second half and while it wasn&#39... January 29, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: QBs in championship games young but good While Tom Brady, who at 45 is old enough to be the father of the four quarterbacks in the NFL championship games Sunday, deliberates his future, young guns have taken over pro football.Brady will cont... January 27, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Brady was never pretty in pink vs. Hogs Undefeated: That's what the University of Arkansas men's basketball team is when wearing pink.Head coach Eric Musselman ordered the pink uniforms the Hogs wore Tuesday night as part of the sch... January 26, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Davis, Razorbacks take bite out of Tigers Davonte "Devo" Davis was the most invaluable player in Tuesday night's crazy 60-40 win by the University of Arkansas over LSU.The junior made the big plays, did the dirty work and two of... January 25, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Quarterbacks carry teams to championship games In a showdown of defenses, the difference was quarterback play.Seven weeks ago, Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant, the last player taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. A third-string quarterback for the San Fran... January 24, 2023

Victory shows Hogs’ confidence is growing It appeared the Arkansas Razorbacks turned the corner.In fact, it looked like they were sprinting down a newly-paved road against Ole Miss, leading 63-42 with 6:16 to play before letting up on defense... January 22, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Hogs better but still have plenty to overcome They had a chance to turn the corner Wednesday night against Missouri but blew a 10-point lead in the last five minutes and fell 79-76.The Arkansas Razorbacks were improved, may have at least found th... January 20, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Don’t count Smith, Hogs out this season The Arkansas Razorbacks' offense was built around 6-10 Trevon Brazile and 6-5 Nick Smith. Both can score inside or out.Brazile, a transfer from Missouri, is out for the season after knee surgery.S... January 19, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Cowboys-49ers is again much-watch TV It had rained for days and Candlestick Park was a quagmire.Groundskeepers had worked around the clock, even laying down all new sod, because the San Francisco 49ers were hosting America's Team, th... January 18, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: It will be difficult to top this playoff weekend It was dubbed Super Wild-Card Weekend, and going into Monday night's Dallas-Tampa Bay game pretty much lived up to the hype with four of the five games decided by a touchdown or less and three of ... January 17, 2023

OPINION | WALLY HALL: Musselman faces different kind of challenge Arkansas went on a run in the first half to take a 42-34 lead into intermission Saturday. Vanderbilt went on runs in the second half and put the Razorbacks away 97-84.In the first half, it appeared th... January 15, 2023