Bill's Blog: A 100 Year Homecoming
SHUTTLING AMONG EVENTS IN FAYETTEVILLE — Could not have asked for a better weekend for Homecoming.
It is a crisp upper 40s tonight as Arkansas’ soccer and volleyball teams take to the court to begin Halloween on the Hill: We Bleed Razorback Red weekend. Both teams are in their all Cardinal uniforms tonight.
Tonight also marks an important time in the 100 Years of Razorbacks celebration as the first of the 20 entrants in the Fan of the Century contest will be selected at soccer.
Each of the 19 sports, plus one more for all the distant CyberFans of the Hogs, will be represented by a Fan of the Century pick. To enter, register at any home Razorback event, except for football and the CyberFan. Both of those groups can register on-line.
Tonight’s Fan of the Century for soccer, Jane Dilatish, receives a package of soccer gear and clothing, along with a special sport-specific prize. The 20 finalists return at the 2010 Razorback football spring game to compete in the final drawing for the overall Fan of the Century, which includes additional Razorback prizes along with a special season ticket package.
To learn more details on the Fan of the Century contest, jump here.
Football fans can sign up on-line, or visit the Hog Heaven kiosk in Razorback Stadium to sign up in person.
Drawing for football’s Fan of the Century participant is set for the final home game of the year versus Miss State. Volleyball fans can sign-up this weekend at the Kentucky and Tennessee matches. The drawing for the men’s and women’s cross country fans will be held at the first indoor track meet of the season in January.
Plenty of chances to sign up remain, including next week’s men’s and women’s basketball exhibition games and the home swim meet on Friday evening.
LEGENDARY FANS — Speaking of 100 Years of Razorbacks contests, nominations are still being taken for the Legendary Fan program. Do you know a Razorback super fan? Click here to read more and make your nomination on-line. The first two Legends have been selected, but there is still time for your fan to be considered.
PART OF THE HOMECOMING/HALLOWEEN FUN: Lots of Trick or Treat chances for young fans. These came in costume and competed at the Friday night Razorback volleyball match.
BTW, let’s dispel some haunting rumors about the Eastern Michigan game:
The Athletic Department changed from its default 11 a.m. game time: FALSE. With the new SEC TV contract, there is no longer any "default" football game times. If there were, it would have been either 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. — the traditional times from in the past.
The Athletic Department should have set kickoff for the afternoon: FALSE. Again, it’s all the SEC TV contract. The good news — all but one game each year is on TV. The bad news — all of the games are on TV. The networks set the game times now, and from now on, the likelihood is non-conference games, like Eastern Michigan, will be night games.
The Athletic Department has banned costumes for the EMU game: FALSE. Now, there are ground rules:
Your costume can’t have any accessories that would not have been allowed under the stadium rules. Sorry, Boba Fett, no laser rifles.
Your costume can’t take up more space than your seat. Sorry, Jaba the Hutt . . . OK, sorry for the repetitive Star Wars references.
Your costume should take into consideration the length of the game, your comfort, the forecast for upper 40 degree temps and a family atmosphere. Once again, Princess Leia as Jabba’s prisoner costume — ill advised (please, after the first two, you knew that was next).
The Athletic Department has banned Trick or Treating and bringing candy into the game: Well, mostly true. For safety and security reasons, the same rules on bringing bags into Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium apply for this game. And distributing candy in the stands is discouraged for everyone’s safety. However, the first 2,500 kids entering the stadium will receive a voucher for a bag of candy courtesy of Sodexho.
Along with the first 2,500 kids getting the candy treat bags from the concession stands, the first 2,500 students receive the special Halloween on the Hill: We Bleed Razorback Red tee-shirts.
For more info on the Halloween game, jump here.
