Summer Doldrums No Reason To Panic
Last updated Sunday, June 15, 2008 8:25 PM CDT in Columns
By Robbie Neiswanger
THE MORNING NEWS
FAYETTEVILLE -- Relax Arkansas fans.
Just stay calm. Take deep breaths.
I know this is the time of year you dread. I understand your panic. The last Arkansas sport in a long and eventful season has just wrapped up, leaving you with weeks to do nothing but gaze at your Hog hat and wonder how you're going to survive until football practice kicks off in August.
It's the kind of sports withdrawal every true, die-hard college fan goes through. You may have forgotten what it was like because you didn't experience it last summer with all the hot and heavy drama still swirling about Houston Nutt.
But it's here again. It's June 16 and the Arkansas sports calendar is blank until Bobby Petrino and the Razorbacks take their turn at Southeastern Conference Football Media Days on July 25.
The good news is that I'm here to help you get through this trying time. I've got some ideas that could help pass the next 39 days. They may not be quite as exhilarating as watching Petrino and the football team in action on the field, but it should quench your Razorbacks fix the next month.
So here's hoping this makes this easier:
• June 25 -- Remember former Arkansas pitcher Jess Todd? The righty is tearing up the Texas League with the Springfield Cardinals. In fact, he has earned a spot in the all-star game, which will be played in Springfield on June 25. It's not out of the question that Todd could be the all-star game starter because it will be played in Springfield. And if you don't catch him there, his Cardinals team will play again in Northwest Arkansas again in late July.
• June 26 -- Former Arkansas basketball player Sonny Weems won't be the main attraction, but the small forward is hoping to find a new home when the NBA Draft is held in New York City in 10 days. The West Memphis native, who led the Hogs in scoring, has caught the attention of a handful of teams and is projected as a second-round pick.
• June 27-July 6 -- Several track and field Hogs -- both former and current -- will be on display at the end of June when they compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. Most of the attention will be on sprinters Wallace Spearmon and Tyson Gay, but you can keep up with other Hogs like Nkosinza Balumbu and Katie Stripling, too.
• July 4-6 -- Former women's golfer Stacy Lewis, who turned pro late last week, will be all over the place the next few weeks. But the stop that will draw the most interest is the one here in Northwest Arkansas. Lewis will be playing in the LPGA P&G Beauty Northwest Arkansas Championships over the Fourth of July weekend and is being touted as the face of the tourney.
• July 15 -- Want to see what the Razorbacks will look like on the football field next fall? Then rush on out to the store and get your copy of the EA Sports game, NCAA Football 2009. The popular video game will be released on July 15, giving you plenty of time to lead Arkansas to a national title. Even more, former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is one of the cover boys this year.
• July 24 -- NFL training camps are set to begin in late July, which means McFadden mania will kick into high gear for the Oakland Raiders. But don't forget about Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones. His first camp with the Cowboys begins July 24 and there's a bonus: You can watch it in August because HBO's series "Hard Knocks" will document the Cowboys training camp this summer.
How do you feel about that? There's still plenty to pay attention to isn't there? So grab your Hog hat, have a seat, settle down and take a deep breath.
The next few weeks won't be as dry as you think.
Reader Comments (No comments posted.)
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.
Not already registered?
