Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
Ep 425: Let's Talk About it, Inside the Arkansas-Texas Football Rivalry: Razorback Legends Share Their Stories
Imagine standing in the roaring stands as the Arkansas Razorbacks clash with the Texas Longhorns, feeling the intensity of one of college football's most storied rivalries. This episode brings you right into the heart of the action, as I, Shawn Clynch, am joined by former Razorbacks Marshall Foreman, Greg Thomas, and Limbo Parks, who share their firsthand experiences of battling Texas both on and off the field. We dive into the unforgettable 1969 game and the electrifying atmosphere that continues to fuel this fierce competition.
Our conversation takes a nostalgic turn as we reminisce about Arkansas's glory days under Coach Ken Hatfield and the strategic genius of the wishbone offense. Marshall, Greg, and Limbo recount the camaraderie and lessons learned on the field, offering an insider's view of the transition from the Southwest Conference to the SEC. This historical shift not only changed the landscape of college football but also shaped the very essence of rivalries, including the enduring animosity between Arkansas and Texas.
We wrap up with reflections on modern football strategy compared to old-school gridiron grit, emphasizing the importance of mental preparation and unity. As anticipation builds for the next chapter in the Arkansas-Texas rivalry, we discuss the potential impact of conference changes and our hopes for the Razorbacks' future matchups. Through laughter, heartfelt stories, and genuine passion, this episode captures the essence of the Razorback spirit and the lasting bonds formed through a shared love of the game.
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A most crucial fourth down play again for the Longhorns, at their own 43 and a half. And going to go to Randy Peschel and Peschel catches the ball. What a cross For a team to be behind 14 to nothing and then not to lose its cool and to go on to win.
Speaker 3:That proves you deserve to be number one and that's what you are 1969, I wasn't even born, and that was one of the many, many great games that was a part of the Texas-Arkansas series. It discontinued in 1991, after 91, when Arkansas left the old Southwest Conference to go to the SEC. And they did meet a few times in bowl games and had a couple of series contracts. But for those of you watching who have no idea, maybe, what Texas-Arkansas means, it's pure hatred. Pure hatred. One of the best rivalries in college football. The 1969 game literally determined the national championship. Before bowl games, bcs, cfp, before any of that, texas and Arkansas. I've got three Razorbacks from the mid-'80s era who can tell you what it's all about. Arkansas, texas, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:And I think Sark said it the bestest. You know that Arkansas might dislike Texas more than they like themselves. It might be a true statement and we understand that.
Speaker 3:Sam Pittman, the head coach of the University of Arkansas. He beat Texas three years ago. Fans stormed the field. I was there, the worst place I've ever been on the road as a fan. I loved every second of it. I love the beer thrown at me, I love being alone in the restroom and I thought somebody was going to take my life in the restroom in Arkansas. But that's all part of the rivalry. Texas and Arkansas unbelievable. And you're about to meet three guys who played in it, loved playing Texas, loved beating Texas and they hated losing to Texas. And they got to experience it.
Speaker 3:And, by the way, if you are not aware, my name is Sean Klitsch, the host of Stories Inside the man Cave. Before we get going, before I introduce you to these three fine American gentlemen from Arkansas with ties to Texas and Missouri, like and follow each of our social media platforms and follow us on all of them. And I'm still four months behind on TikTok. I am not a millennial, I'm not a Gen Zer. I need some help on that and let's give a shout out to all of our sponsors, in particular, honest Plumbing and Air, where a handshake still means something, and that game, saturday morning, can't arrive fast enough.
Speaker 3:Let's get these guys on board and let's talk hogs and longhorns. Look at this perfect transition. We've got marshall foreman, former running back for the arkansas razorbacks, in the lower left and to his right, the former quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Greg Thomas, in the upper right. He fills out the screen. He's still in good playing shape at this day, limbo Parks, and he's with us from Missouri. Gentlemen, I appreciate you guys being here. We're going to have some fun in this episode. Yes, sir, thanks for having us.
Speaker 4:Hey, we're going to have some fun in this episode. Yes, sir, thanks for having us. Hey, if you're going to start this off right, sean, how dare you bring up the 1969 game? Don't do that, man, and you know he didn't catch that ball right. You know he didn't catch it.
Speaker 3:He didn't catch it. If we have, a video today.
Speaker 4:That's not a catch.
Speaker 3:No, it would be ruled an incomplete pass.
Speaker 4:That's right. It should have been an incomplete pass back then. Yeah, I mean, but probably had Texas officials. They did, you know they did. I know they did, you know they did. That's a good complaint.
Speaker 3:So, greg Thomas, by way of San Angelo Texas. It's not that grainy. This was what? 1985, something like that. 85 or 86. 85 or 86. It's 86. 86. That's in. It looks like it's in.
Speaker 4:That's in Fayetteville, it's in Fayetteville.
Speaker 3:It's in Fayetteville against TCU TCU. And Foreman, you're playing fullback, right.
Speaker 5:I'm playing fullback.
Speaker 3:And Limbo, which side of the line Are you 78?
Speaker 4:I'm that beautiful. 78 right there.
Speaker 3:You filled it out nicely, my friend. Yes, so you guys were. You played for Ken Hatfield. Give us a little background of what it was like. Ken Hatfield won a lot of games at Arkansas and the wishbone to this day. I know these kids nowadays are rolling their eyes, but that was my favorite offense. It still is to this day. What was it like? We'll start out with you, Marshall.
Speaker 5:Well for me. For me, I mean well. He sold me on the idea of the wishbone because he told me I'm always the first option. I'll get the ball more than anybody else. The first year he didn't lie to me. The following two years he lied to me. The following two years he lied to me and I did this at what? About 198 pounds? Nobody has a 198-pound fullback, but that's where he wanted me. But you know it's Ken Hatfield. I think he had dreams of something else back there behind me.
Speaker 3:GT. You were the guy that made it go. You and Quinn Groby in the latter 80s, I mean, and you guys in Oklahoma were the teams that ran this offense to perfection. I mean playing with these two guys, what was that like? I mean, and then we'll get to Texas here shortly.
Speaker 4:Well, I can honestly tell you that handing the ball off to Marshall is always going to be some positive yards, you know. And if they were out of position, he 20, 30 yards down the field. So that's a great first read. And we got to the point where he could tell me let the ball go or keep it, keep it, keep it. And we didn't split second time. And he could tell we learned how to read it together and he could say yes, yes or no, no. And then we go to the second option. And then the best thing about it was running behind Limbaugh. Over there on the left-hand side. We ever needed the yard. We're going to go behind 78. No matter what the circumstance, no matter who was on the other end, we know Limbaugh's going to get his man out the way. We're going to get that yardage.
Speaker 4:And I love running the wishbone. I like throwing the ball more, but I love the Well because you don't get hit as much. Speak for yourself. Well, you get hit. Well, the fullback gets hit every play. The quarterback gets second most after that. And then we get downhill and pitch it. Then you know that's great, but it is the best offense for me. The spread right now is still the wishbone. It's just seven yards deep. It's like inverted yes.
Speaker 3:Lincoln, I mean Lincoln Limbo. My goodness, I don't know why I called you Lincoln. Remember the big tackle he used to play for the University of Washington, was it?
Speaker 2:Lincoln.
Speaker 3:Kennedy. I don't know why I was thinking about him. Limbo, you guys, what was your? I know your responsibility was to smash that edge in with your tackle there, but what was a perfect day for you? Blocking for the wishbone for Arkansas?
Speaker 4:Perfect day was getting up to the second level, taking my man getting up to the second level, marshall coming man getting up to the second level, marshall coming off the left side, and then boom, there's the crease. I mean, that's pretty much what it was, wasn't it, fellas?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Because he's coming off. You know, depending on he's coming, left or right of my cheeks, didn't matter, whatever the play was, you know, and it's all about running railroad tracks, you know, I mean, that was the beauty of it, I mean, all you had to do was know the snap count and come off and just play, smash mouth. Now I think I remember, I think Grant Taff made a statement when we play Arkansas, our coaches get to go home and see their families that week, because they knew what we was going to do. It wasn't no secret, it was probably about basics as you can get, but you still couldn't stop it. I mean, what was our motto? 40 minutes of 40 points Is that what it was, yeah.
Speaker 4:So we kept the ball, scored 40 points, Whichever one came first. That's what we did.
Speaker 5:Hell, I thought it was three yards in a cloud of dust.
Speaker 4:Well, you still didn't get no first down.
Speaker 2:You had to get at least one yard.
Speaker 5:You know how happy it was. We got three yards. Let's do it again.
Speaker 3:Well, you guys had an opportunity to experience this rivalry before the transition came, the transition meaning Arkansas exiting the SWC to go to the SEC. What was the buildup like back then? For the young bucks, who have no idea what this is about, and for the old heads like ourselves, hey, we're still pretty though we're older, but hey, we're still hanging on. But people who love the SWC, man, it was a, it was a fun league. It was fun back then. But what was it like? And we'll start with you, limbo, get gearing up for Texas, home or down in.
Speaker 4:Austin. Okay, myself, personally, I went to Juco first and then transferred in two years, right, yeah, two years. I wanted to. I want to be part of the SWC. Okay, southwest Conference to me was the best conference in the 80s. That's why I came. Yes, it was yes and it was special.
Speaker 4:And coming down playing Texas, you play Texas, you play Texas A&M, you play Baylor, I mean those were some powerhouses back, you know, back in the eighties and stuff, and it was. I mean I hate that the conference dissolved, right, you know, and I really, just like you know, cause I was, you know, I was fortunate to get first team all Southwest conference. So I mean that's why I love the conference, conference. So I mean that's why I love the conference. So, and to me, just getting that honor in that conference is huge to me. So I mean, so I hate it for it to dissolve. But I understand, like when we go down to Rice or to Houston back in the day, we had more fans than they did, or SMU, you know. I mean, unfortunately, college football is about the almighty dollar and that probably was one of the biggest reasons Arkansas left, because, you know, I mean Greg and Marshall when we went on the road. It was like a home game for us, for some of those stadiums we went into. How about you?
Speaker 3:GTR Marshall. You go ahead, you continue that.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it was definitely like a home game whenever we played on the road conference play, because I mean that was the only time my parents get to see me play, because they didn't they never made it up to fayetteville for a game. So most most of my time after practice doing that week getting ready to play one of those games was trying to con somebody out of their tickets because I needed more tickets, which I think Limbo helped me out a few times too.
Speaker 4:Yeah, my parents. I was fortunate. My parents came to every game. I ever played and always had two tickets on the road. I always had two tickets because we got four back then. So when we went on the road, you know, I always had two tickets because we got four back. Then when we went on the road, I always had two extra. I was always giving to Marshall. I gave to someone who actually needed them, you know Now GT tell me about.
Speaker 3:For these guys for what it was like back then in addition to playing the SWC, great rivalries. For these guys for what it was like back then in addition to playing the SWC, great rivalries, great programs and some really good talent. But was it true hatred to play about Texas.
Speaker 4:Now, marshall and I are from Texas, right. Okay, born and raised he in Houston, I'm in San Angelo, texas. Okay, born and raised he in Houston, I'm in San Angelo, texas. We didn't understand the rivalry until we got to the University of Arkansas, and the fandom is second to none. We're not talking about the game, we're just talking about the fans, how they get so geared up, and that goes all the way back to that 69 game. Yeah, it goes back to the 64, when Arkansas won the conference and then won the national championship. Yeah, and they were the only two teams that were undefeated and battling it out that last weekend in November. So it is a true hatred. Now, I'm not sure that Texas hates Arkansas as much as Arkansas hates Texas, but Arkansas will set Texas on fire if they have a chance. The fans hate it.
Speaker 4:Remember the student bodies, greg, the student body. Before we played Texas, the sororities came and serenaded us. I was like what in the cornbread hell is this? Remember that? Yeah, it was weird. They would buy shirts that would say Tuck Texas on it and sell it Back then. Back then they would put it in the dorms and they would spell it in the dorms in the windowsills.
Speaker 3:They still do it.
Speaker 4:Yes, and so it is. I tell you, it's the coolest thing Playing in Texas. Playing in Austin is even better, and in 86. Beating them is even better, beating them and beating them down in Austin.
Speaker 1:That was wonderful.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that was my only win against them was in Austin, and that was 20. It was a 20 year span that Arkansas hadn't beat Texas. Wow, in Austin, and it was 20, it was a 20-year span that Arkansas hadn't beat Texas in Austin and it was. For me, it was very, very special and I know you and I we discussed this before in the past Because my father could not attend the University of Texas.
Speaker 4:He had to go to Houston Tillerson, on the other side of 35. So you were talking about earlier, you know, the segregation. And then to integration and all the players come. My father didn't have that opportunity. It was not in his thought process that his son would ever go to the University of Texas. So for me to go to Arkansas and come back and play Texas and for us to win in Austin on national television man, you can't ask for anything more and to see the look on my mom's face after the game. To see Marshall in there Limbo, pick up Hatfield and carry him off the field, because you know 40 years is a long, god know, 40 years is a long, goddamn time.
Speaker 1:That's a long-ass time and Debo almost ran over me.
Speaker 4:Yeah, did he really? Yeah, you know, I used to come out of the stadium on the side.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And we coming out, and here comes big old.
Speaker 3:Big old Vine.
Speaker 4:Yeah, big old, I mean I had to step back, you know. Yeah, I was like whoa, this is awesome, big old sellout crowd down there. It's beautiful.
Speaker 3:Well, this was to give you an idea. This was three years ago in Fayetteville. It was Steve Sarkeesian's first team in Texas, started out slow, but Arkansas started to impose their will. Sam Pittman had a really physical team and really put it on Texas, and this is how it ended in Fayetteville three years ago and Rocket Sanders and the Razorbacks that was just running wild inside the 10 and into the end zone.
Speaker 1:How about that Falls? Tonight, folks, football, and this one runs deep, real deep. Arkansas thinks this of Texas the past, the present, the future All converging to celebrate a win over the team that they don't like so much.
Speaker 3:And that what he said, he did his homework. So, listen, I've been a Texas fan since I came out of the womb and I've always thought that Texas I was spoiled because there were always three big rivalry games Arkansas A&M OU and not many people really truly understood that. Only you guys and people from Arkansas can. And he summed it up that game every year means so much. And if you look at the last seven games, look at this five and two against Texas, the last seven games. I mean I know you guys play Texas every year when you played, but does this seem like reality? I mean, why is it that Arkansas has had a shift in this series?
Speaker 5:I mean, I think it's just because the switch to the SEC, we have to have that better talent in the SEC and even though Texas is still getting some of the best talent in the country, they're getting better talent this year because they're in the SEC.
Speaker 3:That's right, yeah, yeah, I think that's, yeah, I think that's. But could y'all see the potential Greg and Limbo, when Sark was there, when you saw that game in 2021, I know it felt good for you guys, but did you see Texas becoming who they have been the last year and this year?
Speaker 4:Well, I'll say they knew that they had to amp up something. It wasn't just the players, it had to be the support, it had to be the money. They knew leaving the Big 12, coming to the SEC and the embarrassment that they took. You know, sark said hey, man, I came from Alabama here. I have to recruit those kinds of players. We've got to get better on the offensive line, defensive line, and in order to compete in the SEC, we're going to have to do like they did, and so they did.
Speaker 4:Y'all put money into that. Y'all hit the streets, y'all hit these high school coaches, and Sark has done what he does. He goes and he builds a program and unfortunately, we didn't pick up where y'all took off, right. So the talent level is still. We still have talent, but the talent level that Texas is bringing in on Saturday is a little bit more than what we have. So we got to fight a little bit harder, we got to dig a little bit deeper, we got to pay attention more and, you know, kudos to that. We just have to refocus and do what we have to. I can tell you this. I remember what, like 2018 or 19, texas wasn't very good. I remember posting something saying that Northwest Missouri State had more people drafted than Texas did in the NFL draft, which is pretty bad.
Speaker 5:You know what.
Speaker 4:I mean A Division II school. I don't think I had anybody drafted that year One of them years, if you go back and look see if I'm and Texas should always have the best players Should always come to Texas, unfortunately, I mean I'm from Missouri. Texas should always get the cream of the crop.
Speaker 3:Well, to that point and to what you guys have mentioned about the feelings of Arkansas fans, even Steve Sarkeesian he said it, you know, back at SEC media days I almost said Big 12 media days. He mentioned that Arkansas fans hate Texas more than they like themselves. But he also pointed out he was asked about the rivalry that Arkansas fans hate Texas more than they like themselves. But he also pointed out he was asked about the rivalry. He broke it down because he's a college football junkie too. He's a fan of college football and loves it, so he knows the history. But I found this one amusing because he was trying to relay God, how did this become a rivalry? I was joking with the team this morning.
Speaker 3:I don't know what Darryl Royal did to Arkansas back in the day, but they absolutely hate our guts and I think we learned that the first time around when we went there. Hey, he's not wrong. I mean, who was he? It was Darryl Royal and he and the arkansas hit frank broils were very close. I think daryl had more wins against arkansas. I think they were like I don't know what this wreck 12 and 5, something like that, or 25, I can't remember. But what is? What's the old, historic. What are you guys? What do you guys remember about that? You learned about this rivalry beginning with DKR and Frank Royals.
Speaker 4:I just think because Arkansas I think Arkansas hate the whole state of Texas because we was the only thing outside of Texas. I mean just like y'all y'all always caught the brakes. It was like we was always the little state that you know and y'all got big Texas. You know everything, you know. It's kind of like everybody looked down on the state of Arkansas and I think the people of Arkansas are just sick of it. I mean I'm just, you know, from me being coming in from Missouri and just looking at the whole. You know the whole thing. I mean we was the only team outside the Southwest Conference and like that ball that wasn't caught. You know A lot of those plays went a long ways in a bunch of games.
Speaker 3:How about you, GT? What are you thinking, playing off of what Sark said?
Speaker 4:It's true, it's true and honestly, there's no love lost from us players either. Can we see it? We felt that we were disrespected a lot of times. Also, the media were disrespected. But going back to with Coach Royals and DKR, that friendship was good. Fred Akers was from Arkansas, played at Arkansas, and Charlie yeah, and so when you have those kind of connections and both teams are winning, it brings out a great rivalry. And sometimes, you know I don't want to be bitter, but we know that all the referees were from Texas and we knew that we had to not make mistakes because if there was a chance, we felt like something was going to go against us. So we had to play with a different form of eagerness and focus and you know, I wouldn't say hatred, but shit, yeah, we didn't like that. A sense of urgency, for sure. We didn't like it.
Speaker 4:We couldn't wait. We circled it on our calendar also. Yeah, we didn't like it, we circled it on our calendar also. And you know, in 85 and 86, I believe we had, of the 22 starters, probably 14 or 16 were from the state of Texas, other than Limbo, other than Limbo. The other 15 were from the state of Texas and they were calling us what Texas North? Is that what they called us, bro yeah? Or the University of Texas at Arkansas. They were calling us what Texas North? Is that what they called us, bro yeah? Or the University of Texas at Arkansas, yeah, something like that, something like that.
Speaker 4:And we appreciated that. And we love to come down and play against Texas. Our families get a chance to come, we get a chance to be on national television. And, yes, we wanted that game. We wanted that game. It was just we lost on the last second catch to Tony Jones. Oh, we'll get to that, sure. Oh man, that's the worst, not only losing the game, but how you lose it. And then you got to live with that for the rest of your freaking life. And Texas League it's like you're putting on a 69 game. We're turning you watch the Longhorn Network and they're showing that game every three or four days. They never showed Arkansas beating Texas, which we beat a whole bunch, but they never show us winning the game on the Texas Longhorn Network. That's why I hated that damn thing, you know, because you didn't win every game. But they always show and show Texas winning. But it just adds fuel to the fire and it's a good rivalry and it should be appreciated for what it is.
Speaker 3:Marshall, I was going to ask you you know, I know the game, Do they still? What happened to the agreement of playing a game in Little Rock? Is that still? Are they all playing them all in Fayetteville, the home game?
Speaker 5:I think they still play one there, don't they? Great, they play one game a year there. Now that's it.
Speaker 3:So I experienced Fayetteville firsthand. It's a great college football environment.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and that stadium.
Speaker 3:what it's become is beautiful and it's right on the pitch of it. That place is louder than some stadiums I've been to that have 20, 30,000 more seats. All right, the Fayetteville factor in this game. People will anticipate Saturday morning. How would you describe what this will be like, even at 11 am?
Speaker 5:to me, I mean and I'm pretty sure Greg and Limbo remember this the same way To me it's going to be like us going to Texas A&M playing. When you go there you already know that you're not going to audible at the line of scrimmage. So, whatever play, you call it at the huddle, that's what you're running, because the fans are going gonna get so loud now with their yell practices. So they know when they start so soon, as soon as you break that hole and the quarterback's getting ready to go on the center, hey, you, you cannot hear. You can't hear greg standing next to you. If you want it, I mean, and that's that's. That's what it's. That's what it's like when texas is here.
Speaker 5:It gets really, really loud. I'm pretty sure they're going to be ready for that. Actually, it's a little different now, because these players nowadays they just look to the sideline and get the damn play. That's right. Back then we didn't do all that. We let the quarterback play quarterback and let him have a little bit of lead somewhere. But now they just look to the sideline, get the play and I guess that kind of eliminates that loudness. I guess I don't know, because you got to get the snap count.
Speaker 4:Right, you can't get the snap count. I mean you can't hear it. Yeah, I mean you can't hear it. Yeah, I mean you know that's my whole thing is offensive linemen getting the dang snap count. Because what Marshall was talking about, like A&M, you know, like I said, I play left guard. Greg was calling out the signal. I'm looking up saying what, what, what, and I'm trying to relay it to the tackle, dale Williams, who's from Texas. I'm trying to. You know, trust me, it's a problem. Okay, and I hope, and I seriously hope, the Razorback fans get super loud Saturday.
Speaker 3:Well, I call it the hornet's nest because all the pressure in this game is on Texas. I mean we can all agree on that, All the pressure.
Speaker 5:No, we can't say that, because even though they've already told Sam that he will be here next year, I think they're wanting a game out of this. They're not wanting one of those. It's over at halftime, mornings, afternoon, whatever, I think. If it turns out really bad, I still think that's not going to be a good look and not going to be good for Sam.
Speaker 3:GT. Do you agree with that?
Speaker 4:You cannot give up 550 yards in the air and six touchdowns through the air. That's one thing Arkansas cannot do, like they did against Ole Miss. Ooh that was great.
Speaker 5:Yeah, limbo, you and I actually I guess we talked about that a little bit on the podcast that morning Was that the one we did? Yeah, and I think I actually said that. I said, hey, listen, I love our defense coordinator, but he's young, he makes a lot of mistakes and he's been getting away with them. I say, but against Kiffin it's not going to work. It was exposed and, my God, he did it. I mean, we knew it was going to happen. Yeah, we knew you cannot do that against a great coordinator.
Speaker 4:Yeah, this weekend Texas better be on their P's and Q's Because the Hogs are due. They're due to play a good game offensively and defensively, in specialty we haven't done that all season defensively and specialty we haven't done that all season. And what a better opportunity to play an arch rival that's right now in the playoff system or scenario and come out and give your best offensive, defensive and specialty in Sean. I expect nothing less, but then again, you still got to play the game. The young men got to come play the game and I'm hoping for their own legacy. It ain't got nothing to do with us as the old head, but I'm hoping for their own legacy that they take this opportunity and play in unison and come out and give their best shot.
Speaker 2:I hope you're right.
Speaker 4:I mean think about when we played Before. We played Texas and Austin and beat them. We lost the week before against Texas Tech. We got upset right. Yeah, arkansas is going to have to bounce back and find a way to bounce back Now. We could have went into the tank back then because that was a devastating loss for us, but we rallied the forces and rallied the troops and went down there because we knew we weren't going to get embarrassed.
Speaker 4:You know you're going to have to have some type of pride. So I'm hoping the old Razorback spirit comes out in Fayetteville Saturday. That's I'm hoping the old Razorback spirit comes out in Fayetteville Saturday. That's what I'm hoping. Talk about that the Rock. Talk about how we lost the check. There are some times you just don't prepare.
Speaker 5:You know what? You're right. We didn't prepare like we should have, we wasn't focused like we should have been. We what we? We wasn't focused like we should have been, but which was our fault? But it was also the coach's fault for not, for not getting us to that point where we needed to be, but not seeing that, hey, we're on a high right now. I mean, we're not even we're looking past this game. I mean, but I, but I look past, I ain't going to lie. I mean most of us did. Most of us did at that time because, man, we were rolling.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we were. We were in the nation to beat everybody by 35 points.
Speaker 3:Was that 85? 86.?
Speaker 4:86. Okay, when I say that we didn't care about Texas Tech, that we were already looking at the Texas game, that's exactly how we practiced.
Speaker 5:But you know what, if you go back and look at the play call in that game too, greg, the same thing was with the coach.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and I broke my hand too. You remember I broke my thumb in the first quarter, but we didn't practice. And I broke my hand too. You remember I broke my thumb in the first quarter and played, but we didn't practice. Well, you know, we literally were jacking around during practice week, not thinking about tech. We were already talking about getting tickets and where we were going to stay in Austin and, you know, arguing about where we were going to eat. You know, because we were talking about eating at the hotel, we were like, look man, we're in Austin, we ain't going to eat at the hotel, we are distracted 10 days ahead of time, but you got to get more folks.
Speaker 5:You bring up eating off, the subject of what we're talking about here. But my freshman year, when I was playing for Lou Holtz, we were playing down there in Austin. I want to say it's my freshman year. Oh, no, hold on. Was it my sophomore year with Hatfield? Anyway, we were playing in Austin that year and somehow the dessert came and it was rum raisin ice cream with real rum. You talking about Coach going off.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 5:I think that was happier than I think about that.
Speaker 4:That was your sophomore year when you played down there yeah, that was your sophomore year they had the coke machine down there Four times. It changed. Not just people doing crazy stuff. We don't share those stories a lot. We have some real funky crazy stuff happen to us in certain places. Yeah, fire alarms going off every other hour, people calling your rooms. Calling your rooms. You know, we played in one game where you know they must have tripped the deck of electricity because everything was out. Whoa, you know, and played in one game where you know they must have tripped the deck on electricity because everything was out Whoa you know, and it was hot and so you know we got the doors open trying to get.
Speaker 4:it was just stuff that don't really normally happen happens.
Speaker 5:Not being able to warm up before the game at A&M.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they knifing all the football with the bayonets what yeah?
Speaker 3:Weird stuff Nice way to end it like Texas.
Speaker 4:That's the weird stuff man.
Speaker 3:I don't think nothing like that happened in Austin did it.
Speaker 4:No, they threw water. With what did they have in the water balloon they were throwing at it? They had something in the water balloon and it burned when they were hitting us. Oh Bleach, they had have in the water balloon they were throwing at him. They had something in the water balloon that had burned when they were hitting us. Oh Bleach, they had bleach in the goddamn water balloon thrown up from the stands. The fans were, and it would hit you and it would literally burn and if it hit you in the eyes, your eyes would burn. Yeah, stupid stuff like that.
Speaker 1:I know Bebo would run away or something.
Speaker 3:Yeah, bebo going to hit me. Well that's out of control Before we hit a quick break. I know Greg alluded to it, but this is one of those memories of this rivalry back when they played a couple, maybe three games. They split the home games between War Memorial and Little Rock and Razorback Stadium and Fayetteville. This game Greg had a great game, but Texas it was just one of those games that came down to literally the last four seconds. The 1987 game in Little Rock, arkansas, four seconds left.
Speaker 1:fourth down Stafford to Jones touchdown Texas.
Speaker 3:So Tony Jones is shorter than me, 5'4. Brett Stafford threaded that needle. Was that at Was that at water, that's at water, 27. That would be the perfect pass.
Speaker 4:Yeah, perfect, I mean.
Speaker 5:He would have knocked his head off. Yeah Well, he did the year before.
Speaker 3:He did. That was the quietest I've heard of stadium.
Speaker 4:Oh, you didn't hear the fans talking to us or coming back? Dude, our own fans were throwing and cussing and screaming.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 4:Oh man, it was sad. I heard about it, I was in San Francisco at the time, but I heard they was spitting on people. Yeah, I heard it was pretty bad, it was rough. Yeah, it was rough walking off the field. Anthony, I tell you, those are those games. That's our fans. Those are our fans doing stuff to us, it wasn't them doing that to Texas people.
Speaker 3:Bill Clinton was governor that year. I remember him being at that game. He was governor of Arkansas. That tells you how long ago that was.
Speaker 4:That really was Sean 85 was worse, it was all field goals by Texas right yeah, and we scored two touchdowns and they kicked five field goals.
Speaker 5:And we missed several field goals. That game too, we missed three field goals yeah.
Speaker 4:That's crazy. And we was ranked like fourth in the nation or fifth in the nation.
Speaker 5:And we had a better kicker on the sideline.
Speaker 3:There are some similarities between Texas-Arkansas and Texas-OU when weird things happen and it's so many intense waves of energy in this game, but also weird turnovers. Man, we're going to take a quick break On the other side, we're going to try to figure out what's going to happen Saturday morning and maybe these guys will give those Longhorn fans some recommendations of what to do while they're in Northwest.
Speaker 4:Arkansas, take that ass whooping like it's coming.
Speaker 5:I think he's talking about before that.
Speaker 4:Oh, okay okay, okay, I'm sorry I got the silence. Help them people. I'm sorry I got the sign myself. Help them people.
Speaker 6:Please don't make them. Honest is a strong word and we all need honesty when it comes to plumbing and HVAC needs. Somebody who will take care of the repairs efficiently and with quality Honest Plumbing and Air is who I trust, and they take pride in that word.
Speaker 2:Honest Plumbing and Air, where a handshake still means something. Well, our rivalries. We got Missouri, you know. We've got a boot for LSU. We've got a freaking something else for A&M. We got plenty of rivalries to sit here and say, oh yeah, I want to play Texas every year. But then who are you going to trade them for? You know LSU, you're going to trade them for. You understand what I'm saying? So I think the way that they did it before was that we could get a home-and-home with everybody in the league. If you were here for four years, if you were a four-year student and you played for us for four years, you'd get home and home with everybody in the league at an eight-game schedule. To go nine, in my opinion, would be ridiculous.
Speaker 3:What's your thought about that? Because there's so many teams in the SEC, greg Sankey has a tough job that crew who runs the SEC. Is it worth adding a ninth conference game, just so?
Speaker 5:Texas and Arkansas can play every year. No, no, no, we need that break.
Speaker 4:Everybody needs that break that.
Speaker 5:Break that when we're playing out of a conference or just a bye week or whatever. We need that break.
Speaker 3:And that's for everybody in the league. Yeah, everybody, yes, everybody needs it.
Speaker 4:And here's the thing was back when we played before we played Texas, they had a bye week, and before we played A&M they had a bye week, you know? So, yeah, I mean, no, they don't need it.
Speaker 2:No, we played straight.
Speaker 4:We played 11 straight games Right. We never had a bye.
Speaker 5:There was no middle of the season break for us. Yeah, that being a.
Speaker 4:Southwest Conference fall, that being outside of Texas, that being where all the Texas schools had that power to say we'll schedule this, this, this and this, and we never had a break. Everyone else always had a break somewhere in the season. We never had a break.
Speaker 3:That's wild to me. Not having bye weeks, man, that just wouldn't go over well in this modern society. You got to have a break, man. Injuries pile up, especially in the SEC. All right, saturday morning, gentlemen, what's your thoughts? We'll begin with. Who wants to go? Let's go with limbo. First, give me your predictions. What do you think is going to happen? Saturday morning, 11 am in Fayetteville.
Speaker 4:Like I said earlier, the Razorbacks need to have that fighting Razorback spirit and come out and play if they don't want to get embarrassed on national TV. Okay, sometimes fear is good. I don't know if they have the fear because, like I said, when we went down to Texas we had the fear of getting beat and it drives us. I'm hoping my Razorbacks come out and play, but if I had to, if I was putting money on it, I would pick Texas. But my heart tells me woo, pick Sui.
Speaker 3:You take it for what it's worth. Hey, gt, I think you guys, your quarterback last I checked, taylon Green is healthy. Well, healthy enough to play.
Speaker 4:He's going to play, but he's not healthy. Well, healthy enough to play. He's going to play, but he's not healthy. If he's healthy. I watched him play three years here in our district where I coached him. We played against him for three years.
Speaker 4:I totally forgot, he's from that area. Yes, sir, another Texas boy, long, lanky and can run, but I'm not sure if he's healthy and so it will either be here or Singleton. But they just have to play well. And I'm going to say it again, I'm not going to pull against my hogs, but if they're focused, if they're paying attention to detail they know they're doing the scouting for it and we play better defense, we got a chance. But all them ifs and buts and candids and nuts, you know that stuff don't mean nothing until you strap it on those young men strapping on with some fighting hard and like Limbo keeps saying, with Razorback fight, and then I look for it to be successful. Otherwise, you know, we may get steamrolled If they don't come out with the right attitude. You know.
Speaker 4:And I'll say this, An 11 o'clock game in Fayetteville is difficult. They have to stay down in Fort Smith. They got to get on that bus for two and a half hours and ride up there. It's a different kind of atmosphere at 11 o'clock in the morning. So we have to get back.
Speaker 5:It's been a long time since you've been here. What are you talking about? Two and a half hours 45 minutes.
Speaker 4:They got the new hallway. I'm sorry, I forgot. They got the new hallway for y'all.
Speaker 3:What's your thought? What do you see happening? Let's say, does it matter who plays at quarterback against Texas?
Speaker 5:Oh, you mean on the Texas side.
Speaker 3:Well for Arkansas.
Speaker 5:Oh, you know, it definitely matters who plays. I think Green is the better quarterback right now. I think he has more of an upside than the other kid right now. I do think his biggest problem is is a lack of confidence whenever things aren't going good. I think if anyone needs a sports psychologist, I think it's him, because he gets down on himself and you can see it from a mile away when things aren't when things aren't going great. But I think Arkansas will come out ready to play this game. I don't know, I don't know if they're mentally ready to be able to do it for 60 minutes, but I think, I think they will come out with the right attitude and and the right fire. I think there'll be ready for at least a half.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, keep in mind Arkansas beat Tennessee who's back in the top seven or five in the country. Arkansas upset Tennessee this year gave them their I think their only loss. Only loss of the year, my take on this game. I hate predicting scores and I'm not going to do it for this one, but I will say Texas got steamrolled last time in Fayetteville. Different team, more experience, bigger, faster, stronger. I will say it's going to be a fight. I will say Texas wins between six and nine points, which means they get out of there with a W, like they did at Vanderbilt. They're going to get hit though, absolutely.
Speaker 4:They're about to get the bus hit and I'm telling you, man, 11 o'clock start time is a little bit different than 12, 30, 1 o'clock, 3 o'clock, that's an early bus ride. You gotta get up and eat early early.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so it's like you're playing peewee football to leave Fort Smith to get to the stadium at 7. So you gotta be up at 4 o'clock To leave Fort Smith to get to the stadium at 7.
Speaker 4:So you got to be up at 4.30. They're going to be there 45 minutes on that bus. Even within that score, I don't care what Marshall just said. That ain't happening. That ain't happening, they're going to be on that bus for two hours. They may make them drive all the way around to Missouri and back.
Speaker 5:They're going to be on that dang bus, they're going to end up in Bella Vista real quick, there you go I mean you know we can get a line of us to go down there and meet them in Alba and slow them down.
Speaker 4:There you go.
Speaker 3:Hey, you guys have any. There's going to be Texas fans pouring in probably Thursday evening, Friday. You guys have any must-see, must-visit, must-eat anything for these Longhorn Nation Catfish?
Speaker 5:hole You're right. You're right, catfish hole.
Speaker 3:Man, I'm putting that on my list.
Speaker 4:As for the what's that? The honey butter, honey butter, with your the hush puppies. The hush puppies, yeah, hush puppies with the yeah, the butter, the honey butter, yes, awesome. Hey, I'm just going to tell you to walk around campus. It's the most beautiful campus in the SEC, I agree. We have all the facilities and many. Texas fans will send their kids up there when they see the facilities. Oh hell, they already said that you know what I mean.
Speaker 5:About every third license plate is a Texas plate.
Speaker 4:It was like that when we had 8,000 students too. Remember, yeah, it's been good. Yeah, that's how far back it's been. We only had 8,000 students too remember.
Speaker 5:Yeah, yeah, hey, john yeah 8,000 students.
Speaker 3:If Arkansas won't win.
Speaker 4:They need to play one of them. I coach football up here in Kansas City. They need to play my guy, monte Harrison. That's who they need to play.
Speaker 5:I've been waiting on him forever.
Speaker 4:You know who Monte Harrison is.
Speaker 5:I know who he is the baseball player.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's one of my players.
Speaker 5:Hey, ben, tell me something good.
Speaker 3:We'll go around the horn. Marshall, you can keep it quick, you can be positive, inspiring. It can be hate on Texas. Whatever you want to do, tell me something good. My brother Something good.
Speaker 5:I'm from Texas born and raised. I will always be a Texan. Only reason I don't like the Texas-Arkansas game is it's been drilled in my head but at the end of the day it's just another team to me. But if anybody wins a national championship and it ain't Arkansas this year, I'd like for it to be Texas.
Speaker 3:That's a hot take. There you go. I respect that Limbo.
Speaker 4:Tell me something good, my brother Well the one and only time I've been down to Austin, I'll tell you it's a beautiful place. I love it. It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen. When I came down to Austin, texas. So I would like to say that. But I'm up here in Missouri where it gets cold and I'm a Razorback. I love playing against Texas and I just hope it be a great game between two longtime rivals.
Speaker 3:Ooh, that's wow. There's a lot of love going on here, hey you won't get none from Greg, though. Hey GT, you ain't getting no love from Greg GT closing it up. Tell me something good, my brother.
Speaker 4:Hey, I am so appreciative to be a part of this rivalry we didn't know this 40 years ago On how good and what it feels like to come home and play in front of your family or your family travel to be a part of this game. The good thing about it is it's a great opportunity for the young men to do something good, and so we wish the best to both teams. Play as hard as you possibly can and win the game. Win the game.
Speaker 3:Man, you guys are inspiring. It's almost emotional, it is. I like that. I like that. Hey, you guys are inspiring. It's almost emotional, it is. I like that I like that hey, what is it? Can you guys in unison show me that chant that Arkansas fans do so well?
Speaker 4:With the woo pig 3, 2, 1. Woo Pig One, two, three, two one Woo. Pig Pig. Suey Woo Pig Pig.
Speaker 5:Suey. Woo Woo Pig Suey.
Speaker 4:Razorback Woo. 80,000. You're going to have baby. 80,000 people are screaming this on Saturday. Y'all better get used to that.
Speaker 1:Hit that line Hit that line.
Speaker 4:Keep on rolling baby, Move that ball right down that field. Can you hear, Sean Can you hear?
Speaker 3:Can you hear? It is ringing in my ears. Can you hear 2021, I have not forgotten. I have PTSD from 2021. I was stuck. I should have listened to my cousin who said to wear a white shirt and I wore burnt orange. I was emotionally abused for four hours. This episode was beyond expectations with the Arkansas boys from Missouri and Texas, but Razorbacks for life, the Greg Thomas, the Marshall Foreman and the Limbo Parks gentlemen, I appreciate it. We had so much fun tonight. We got to do it again. We got to find an excuse to do another episode.
Speaker 4:Yes, sir, yes sir. Appreciate you, Sean.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Absolutely Love my brothers right there man, Two of my best men I know in the world. Thank you, sir.
Speaker 3:I remember you guys all playing together, man, but hey, we're all brothers for life as well.
Speaker 4:Amen.
Speaker 3:Man, let's do this again.
Speaker 4:All right, sounds good. Appreciate you. Sounds good to me.
Speaker 3:Anytime you get an opportunity to talk about the Longhorns and Razorbacks playing tackle football.
Speaker 1:It's always good to talk about it. You.