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ESPN Should Reconsider Arkansas-Kentucky Visit

Game Day picks worst possible time to come to Bud Walton to check out Musselman's Razorbacks

Kent Smith

ESPN Should Reconsider Arkansas-Kentucky Visit
ESPN Should Reconsider Arkansas-Kentucky Visit /
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In just about every season imaginable, the idea of ESPN bringing college basketball's version of College Game Day to Fayetteville for the Kentucky game is not only a welcome sight, but reason for celebration.

However, as the network tried to hype its appearance throughout another low effort Razorback game against South Carolina Saturday afternoon, the response from Razorback fans was tepid at best. 

This really isn't a good time for ESPN to come over. It's like having the in-laws say they're driving over after a long, stressful week where no one has had time or energy to wash the clothes and dishes and no one could drag themselves off the couch to deal with whatever random items the dog was shredding all over the carpet. There's still a pile of food piled on a plate from some day this week, but it's decomposed to a point where it's unidentifiable.

There are few people who have lived long enough to have seen a previous Razorbacks team inspire as little hope as Arkansas has generated among fans right now. If there were a requirement that Arkansas-Kentucky has to be on ESPN+ at least once a decade, this would be the year from the Hogs' perspective. 

The ESPN crew can show up if it would like, but it's going to be awful lonely if they do. This will likely be the lowest attended and watched game against Kentucky from an Arkansas perspective ever.

Typically, it could be said at the very least there would be a benefit because the  Razorbacks' head coach can pop onto the set and sell potential recruits and transfers on the value of coming to learn under Eric Musslman tree, but even that's unlikely to happen. Instead, he will have to go on and try to answer what has gone wrong while clips of players talking about how everyone quit and a lack of effort all around.

That's not what's best for business. It's a business killer. 

If it's possible for this event to go elsewhere, it would probably be a smart move on ESPN's part. Just claim the company equipment truck is having problems and can't safely navigate the hills around the university so a flat landscape like Iowa is preferable, thus why things are being moved for No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 24 Iowa State.

Anywhere is fine. Just don't swing by until Musselman has time to catch up on the dishes and wash a few loads of laundry. Things are a little messy and just not fit for company right now.

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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.