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No Bias Against Arkansas Except in One Sport

Lack of Perfect 10, befuddling low scores make legit case for fans' claims of bias against Razorbacks

Kent Smith

No Bias Against Arkansas Except in One Sport
No Bias Against Arkansas Except in One Sport /
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It's fun watching sports with Arkansas fans, especially basketball games. Regardless of the sport, the referees are always out to get them. 

Time and again, a cry goes up among Hog fans in the room of an unjust foul being called. Of course, as soon as the replay shows a clear hack of an opponent, without fail they're all in agreement nothing happened. It was just a disgruntled referee doing the bidding of the SEC office who will be called out by name because Razorbacks fans have them memorized and can recite specific blown calls from seven years ago.

Without fail, seconds later outrage will be voiced again because Arkansas fans believe it is required that a referee call a foul on the other end to even things up even though their opponents simply aren't making the dumb mistakes the Hogs are. Doesn't matter though because hat other SEC school is already in the bonus while only committing three fouls because the league hates the Razorbacks. They just can't stand to see Arkansas have success.

This mentality is why guys like comedic YouTuber Matt Mitchell can make videos explaining to Texas and Oklahoma that yes, the referees hate all SEC schools simultaneously and are out to get them in football unless their name is Alabama. It's a laugh out loud moment because it's so true.

And while the comedic relief provided by Arkansas fans are how unbiased journalists get through having to watch every second of football and basketball seasons like the Razorbacks have had over the past seven months, there is one area where Hog fans have a legitimate beef. The world of gymnastics.

In the entire history of Arkansas gymnastics, there has never been a perfect 10. To put this in perspective, LSU has eight in the past two months alone spread across three events and four gymnasts. Kentucky has six in that same span. 

Even Missouri, a team the Razorbacks have been locked in a dead heat with lately in the national rankings, has had two in the past two weeks, including Sienna Schrieber's beam performance against Arkansas on Sunday. 

It's not like Jordyn Wieber hasn't brought in athletes who can hit a perfect score. Sure, there are years in the Razorbacks' past where there weren't athletes with the skill to pull off perfection, but that is not the present. 

Still, the unsuccessful quest for perfection in at least one event isn't argument enough to suggest something is awry with how Arkansas is being judged. However, those who have taken the time to watch gymnastics, especially this year, know what is coming.

Time and again the Razorbacks have had huge performances that had every appearance of perfection. Of course, even after watching so many meets over the years, there's always that doubt in trusting your own eyes.

However, there's a false comfort in trusting your ears. These events always have a former championship level gymnast on color who sees the same thing everyone else saw. The excitement kicks up in their voices as they say something along the lines of "That's going to be a high score for Arkansas. That might be a 10. I didn't see anything there where there could be a deduction. There might be something small they can deduct, but that will still be a high score if they do."

Razorbacks fans know what will soon follow. Not only does a 10 not flash up on the scoreboard, but it's often some ridiculous number like a 9.675 that sends the team into a tailspin. So many times I've found myself going back trying to figure out what the starting score must have been only to see it was for sure a 10-point routine. 

For those new to watching gymnastics, there are deductions even laymen can recognize. Steps forward or a really big bend at the waist on a landing, falling off bars or the beam, or stepping out of bounds are simple enough for pretty much anyone to figure out. 

As they watch more, newbie fans begin to pick up on more subtle point deductions such as not hitting a handstand on bars in the vertical window or holding that handstand long enough to count. They also learn what a college stick is on a landing and how that's scored, 

However, no amount of watching and learning can prepare anyone for these strange, out of left field scores. It's as if years of Arkansas not being the elite program it has grown into is being held against the Razorbacks. 

The good news for the Razorbacks is despite the lack of 10s, Arkansas had another record-setting performance in knocking off Missouri on the road, 197.650-197.525. After a string of rough meets in front of large crowds that often exceeded those of SEC basketball games, the TWU meet in its quaint setting of the Magee Center provided a needed reset that has paid off since.

The team will step out of conference for its biggest challenge as they host Oklahoma on Sunday. If the current averages hold, this could be a preview of the Norman regional. The Sooners are once again the best team in the nation by a wide margin. However, Arkansas is a strong No. 2 in the South Central behind OU. 

The Razorbacks then host Nebraska Friday evening before heading to New Orleans where they are the highest seed in Session I of the SEC championships. Those three meets will be an opportunity of improving on their national qualifying score of 197.335 after being able to drop a 196.800 from Fort Worth a few weeks ago.

Arkansas will now try to chip a 197.150 from the season opening meet against Georgia from its national qualifying score. Of course, a 10 would go a long way toward making that happen, but Razorbacks fans won't be holding their breaths.

Arkansas divider

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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. 

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