All Hogs

Eric Musselman's Great Prom-Posal

Hogs' coach pulling out all the stops to get 5-star recruit to say yes

Kent Smith

When Arkansas coach Eric Musselman started pushing for a red-out against Tennessee this weekend, complete with red pop-poms and special permission from the Southeastern Conference to wear red uniforms at home since a game against Rice in the early '80s, it raised some eyebrows.

Something seemed a little off, but most of us wrote it off as Musselman being Musselman.

Then came a tweet from Musselman on Thursday outlining a Who's Who of Arkansas Razorbacks who will be at Saturday's game – Isaiah Joe, Bobby Portis, Justin Smith, Moses Moody, Mason Jones and Jalen Tate.

The first thought was, "Wow! If Musselman could run that starting five out there plus that sixth man, this national championship would be in the bag!"

But then suspicion crept in. What's going on here because something up? 

A small memory from the earliest realms of my childhood crept in as the great orator and philosopher Ric Flair's voice bounced around in my head asking one simple question – "What's causin' all of this?"

Flair's voice would ring even louder, because, soon after, Daniel Gafford was added to the list, followed by the announcement that two of Musselman's former Nevada Wolfpack players would be present.

That raised a whole new set of questions. I checked the stats and a win over Tennessee would only be career win No. 175, so no milestone there. A quick check confirmed Musselman's birthday is in November, so that rules that out. 

I went so far down the list trying to find a special occasion that I called one of my guys to check in and see if Musselman had purchased a new shirt he just really wanted to celebrate and it was confirmed he wasn't wearing a shirt at all. 

During that time it came out that Bobby Portis pennants and head bands would be given out at the game, along with Muss Bus shirts to students in the Razorback Trough who needed them.

This was a level of over the top only reserved for teenage boys with high maintenance girlfriends who are desperate to make sure she still says yes. Then it hit me. 

Who requires more love an attention than a high school "it" girl? A top-notch recruit. 

It didn't take long to remember that Anthony Black is still sitting over at Duncanville High School needing someone to take him to the Big Dance.

A brief search of social media, and there it was. Black recently narrowed his choices down to Arkansas, Gonzaga, Georgia, TCU, Oklahoma State, and this scenario's version of that guy who graduated three years ago who's still willing to go to a high school prom – the NBA G League.

The search also revealed enough smoke surrounding an impending Black visit to choke out everyone from Lake Village all the way to St. Louis. Everyone plus their sister and their cousin's best friend's boss claims to have seen Black somewhere in Northwest Arkansas today, so there's either something to this Arkansas holds the record for highest rate of liars per square feet of anywhere in the country by a mile.

It's literally the beginning of prom-posal season and Musselman realizes that just because Black is a McDonald's man doesn't mean he's a cheap date. Musselman hopes he can pull out all the stops to get Black to join his No. 2 rated prom group, which would clearly make them the No. 1 most envied prom group at the dance.

Once again it will be up to Hog fans to prove their worth and play their role in making Arkansas an elite destination. 

Arkansas fans lose their minds at a white-out game upset of No. 1 Auburn at Bud Walton Arena.
Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports

Musselman is clearly doing his part by calling in every favor possible. If he's putting in this much effort, then he must truly believe Black is the final piece needed to win a national championship next season.

It will now be on the fans and current players to hook him, and hooking a big fish is something Arkansas fans do well.

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments.