If you read my entry last night on Bruce Pearl's firing, you would see that I was worried about the SEC in terms of providing us a fun rivalry. I may have spoken too soon as ex Missouri coach Mike Anderson has been named the new Arkansas coach. BBN, this right here is just what the Wildcats need with Bruce Pearl being sent on an early vacation from Knoxville.
Most of you all remember the early to mid 90's with Nolan Richardson running the show for the Razorbacks. Mike Anderson is a former assistant to Richardson and plays that same up tempo '40 Minutes of Hell' style that we loved to hate during our rivalry with the Hogs in the 90's. Anderson's teams love to get out and run, press, shoot it deep, and play with reckless abandon. Being an Richardson man, you know he will have a vibrant personality as well. Furthermore, Arkansas has a great fanbase that is knowledgeable to boot. If Anderson can revive the Hog fans, it will make the SEC Tournaments much more exciting. They're no Kentucky but when they are good, they travel very well.
Anderson is just what the doctor ordered for the SEC. Although we took our share of defeats to the Hogs, it was a very fun rivalry. Florida is uber talented but it just lacks the pizazz when it comes to rivalry aspect. That is because Billy Donovan is more of a reserved personality. Tennessee offered a fun rivalry because while talented, they had Bruce Pearl to fuel the fire. I don't think Mike Anderson will draw the hatred of the BBN but he will not back down from our tradition. He will have the Hogs running and believing that they are just as big of a deal in the SEC as our beloved Cats.
It was hard to have a rivalry with Arkansas because recently fired coach John Pelphrey is one of us. Now all I can say is WELCOME BACK ARKANSAS! Hopefully the Anderson era will take us back to those epic late winter battles like we had at Barnhill Arena when Nolan Richardson had The Razorbacks in the national title hunt on an annual basis. By the way...Hogs, you may believe again that you are our equals but in the end, there is only one groom in the SEC and that program resides at the intersection of I-75 and I-64. Hey, no shame in being the best man!
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