Forgive me readers, for what I’m about to do, which is to throw some serious shade. Specifically, that of cardinal red.
Recently, I finally found documented proof concerning the original sporting nickname for the University of Arkansas.
As most Hog fans know (or should), the UA’s mascot was not “Razorbacks” until 1910 (Hugo Bezdek and all). Among Razorback Nation, it was generally assumed that the previous mascot, the Cardinals, stood for the bird. I always suspected that was not the case, however, my time usually being devoted to thinking about such important things — you know, as opposed to my studies … or my career … or saving for retirement. But I digress. Alas, the Arkansas Alumni Association has confirmed my suspicions.
The university mascot/nickname at the flagship U. prior to 1910 was the Cardinal, singular. As in recognition of the school color — and not for the bird. Thank goodness UA students voted early on, before the UA even fielded teams officially, to adopt cardinal as the school color over heliotrope, which, essentially, is violet.
“What is worse than LSU purple?” one may ask. The correct answer, of course, is nothing … or heliotrope. Try to imagine a costumed wild boar named Big Purple? Ugh. On second thought, don’t try to imagine that.
College sports fans among you may be aware that the sporting squads at a certain hoity-toity school on the west coast go by the Cardinal and have since the early 1970s, being a very early adopter of woke.
Therefore, “the Cardinal” was there for the taking.
You’re welcome, Stanford, by the way, for unveiling the possibilities. You know how it is, though. Sometimes the trails of innovation we blaze here in the Natural State take a few years to reach the coasts.
***
Sticking to the theme, I’d be remiss not to mention the Diamond Hogs’ dominating sweep of what should have become the former No. 1-ranked mad cows of Texass. (Calculus, women’s minds and college baseball polls … three things I’ll never come close to figuring out.)
After a much-needed midweek break, the Hogs returned to form against UT and reminded many casual fans why so many were so high on the Hog, as it were, in the preseason.
As of this writing, the Hogs were scheduled to finish up with series at LSU then at home for Tennessee before Omaha 1.0 (the SEC tourney) commences in Hoover. A brutal gauntlet, sure, but one Arkansas fans have come to expect as part of life in the SEC. We’ve yet to tear up the check the league hands out each year, so there you go.
For those of us eligible for membership in AARP, beating Texas — in virtually anything, really, but especially in the sports that mattered — was and remains a big, big deal. When the UT-OU move to the SEC was announced a couple of years ago, Texas knew what needed to be done to stay competitive, and to its credit (ugh), it has been plenty competitive. Now, one can only assume (and hope) that bevo finds the room in Birmingham a little less easy to bully. You know, what with the big elephant (and dog, and tiger, and gator, etc.) in the room and all.
