Arkansas Fans Only Hurting Themselves Whining about Hog Call

Making new coaches do ritualistic chant one tradition that needs adjustment

Arkansas Razorbacks fans call the Hogs days before COVID-19 shut down the college basketball world. / Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It's been said here before and it will probably have to be said here numerous times going foward – Arkansas fans are their own worst enemy.

Everything was going well. Bud Walton had a big crowd out for the introduction of John Calipari as the newest head coach. Everyone associated with the event absolutely rocked it and the former Kentucky coach said all the right things in as believable of a manner as possible to turn people who celebrated his every failure the past 15 years into lifelong fans.

Then, as the introductory event ended and it was time to transition over to the press conference, a lack of Razorback habit clashed with an old Razorback habit. Calipari, who has never had to end a speaking engagement with a Hog call, instinctually got up to do something that was pressing for him.

He walked down to the row where all the coaches were, including a coach who helped him get his start in the business as a volunteer assistant, and warmly greeted each of them, squeezing in short chit-chat on a live microphone before he would have to quickly move over to the press conference. Meanwhile, Arkansas fans were taking a moment to be upset at Calipari because the one thing they wanted to see was the former Kentucky coach, just hours from changing from a blue shirt to a red shirt in the back of a plane, stand on stage and call the Hogs.

Let's address three things:
1. It's awkward that Arkansas makes coaches do this pretty much the same day it's made official. For people who didn't grow up here, it's a weird, unnatural thing to do. Even for those who did grow up here, when people first start pressuring you to do it as a kid, it's an experience similar to being forced to do hand motions with every song in elementary school. It works for some people, but for others, it's uncomfortable.

2. It is way more important that Calipari build a strong working relationship with those other coaches than it is for him to run up on stage and do his best Dana Altman impression with a disingenuous Hog call just to appease the masses. The tight public relationship between Musselman, Sam Pittman, Dave Van Horn and Courtney Deifel had a lot of value. Subbing Calipari in for Musselman in that mix brings even more value, especially for recruiting situations and future access to NIL.
There's a saying in teaching that says "Keep the main thing the main thing." It applies to making decisions and how to feel about whatever the situation or newest change is going down. It's important that Razorbacks fans keep that thought in mind. It will serve them well.

3. Arkansas fans need to stop pretending their desire to see Calipari struggle though a Hog call and slowly lift his arm above his head with spirit fingers (I believe the PC police among Razorbacks fans call them sparkle fingers) has anything to do with showing how much he loves the state of Arkansas and the program. First off, Calipari has been dating Arkansas for a few hours. Love is a bit aggressive this early on. It's not even at the holding hands stage yet. Don't be so needy Razorbacks. This is the time for good conversation, which was had.
In actuality, Hog fans are upset because they wanted their moment to rub things in Kentucky's face. They wanted Wildcats fans to turn on the SEC Network or open up their phones to social media and see video of their coach dressed in red doing a ritualistic chant the Wildcats despise and they didn't get their moment.
Here's the thing though. Arkansas fans did get that moment. For several days Kentucky fans had to slowly watch their coach slip away and then see a television special showing every second of their coach walking out in Bud Walton as the Razorbacks' coach and explaining how he was stolen out from under their noses. It's all over every sports site in America right next to stories about Scott Drew, Dan Hurley and Nate Oats not wanting to take their job. That's a lot of ego hits in the span of about three days.

The good thing in Arkansas' favor is Calipari made it clear he isn't going to be moved by their complaining and whining. He said he isn't going to come to them for advice on how to do his job, so he's not going to waste time fretting over their criticism.

Still, it's a lesson that needs to be learned. Getting mad over a coach missing out on the Hog call is not only petty, especially considering the magnitude of what was actually happening, it's selfish.

From now on, it might be best to do the Hog call to bring out the coach so he or she can enjoy the energy it brings when that happens instead of forcing them through an awkward situation for the amusement of fans. That's a better reflection of the true nature of the Hog call.

If Calipari never calls the Hogs, it shouldn't matter. He's at Arkansas to do a job – win games. Fans complaining about not getting to rub things in Kentucky's face even more doesn't help him do that.

HOGS FEED:

• Yurachek simply sat back, let Calipari talk himself into leaving Kentucky

• Roles boosters, athletic director played luring John Calipari to Razorbacks

• Calipari managed to make himself relatable to Arkansas fans in a single press conference

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