Old, current Hogs create celebratory mood

FAYETTEVILLE — Bud Walton Arena was not filled to the rafters like 25 years ago when attendance regularly eclipsed 20,000 and the University of Arkansas won big.

But on Saturday to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of the national championship, Nolan Richardson and most of the team were introduced at halftime. After a short talk by Richardson — perhaps his shortest ever, delivered with warm smiles — the fans were asked to get on their feet and “Call Those Hogs.”

It was a loud and proud crowd, one that may have come to honor but stayed to serve.

Much of the atmosphere seems the same, like the spirit squad routines, the overblown Razorbacks balloon and the band’s songs, although there are more ways to get the students involved during timeouts than with loud music. A quarter of a century ago, the students engaged long before the games began and stayed that way to the end.

In fact, there were a few who enrolled, got their tickets and then dropped out of school. They did it to be Hawg wild every time the Razorbacks played.

The crowd Saturday was into the game. The fans were on their feet, calling the Hogs, and just plain hollering with 18 seconds to play and their home team down 73-72 but in possession of the most important thing — the ball.

Some had to think there was a chance this was going to be another heartbreak for the Hogs, but they kept getting louder and louder.

Jalen Harris rewarded them with a drive to the left for a layup and the lead, the 19th lead change of the second half. Then the surprise team of the season, Ole Miss, called its play, and everyone knows a lot can happen in 5.9 seconds in basketball.

Mike Anderson set his defense. With all the fans in the place on their feet, Breein Tyree inbounded the ball to Dominik Olejniczak, who was in the game for Bruce Stevens after he fouled out primarily because of having to deal with Daniel Gafford on the blocks.

Olejniczak swiveled right and passed left for the dangerous Tyree, but instead he threw it to Razorback sophomore Gabe Osabuohien. The game was over, and the Razorbacks had snapped a sixgame losing streak by winning a game that could have gone either way.

After the Hogs played Kentucky off their heels in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday, the strongest of hearts will say the Razorbacks are peaking and look out SEC Tournament.

They could be right, but that won’t be known until the tournament, which is the Razorbacks only route to March Madness. It is up to the Razorbacks whether they have to win four in four days, or take on the impossible chore of winning five in five days, depending on the seed they earn over the last week of the regular season.

What was obvious Saturday was that Razorback Nation appreciates what Richardson and his teams accomplished, and it was just as obvious that it is different now.

It wasn’t just that Richardson created a winning attitude, he created a winning culture. Fans didn’t hope to win, they expected to win.

On Saturday, a bunch of guys who weren’t born when the Razorbacks were in the eye of the storm made it a perfect afternoon by crowning the event with a hardfought victory, just like the old days.

Back in the day, championships ran though Arkansas, and Saturday everyone responsible for all that success was honored by the UA, the fans and a team that needed to pay a tribute of its own.

One thing that hasn’t changed, and may never change, is when Hog fans want to make a difference, they do.