Bill's Blog: Goes to the BPL show

The blog went across town tonight to visit at Bobby Petrino Live. Many of you that listened on-line got this fresh, and we managed a few Tweets along the way. Here’s the blog-style recount of the evening. We’ll have the audio archive attached to this story as soon as we can from the encoders, and there is a quick gallery of iPhone snapshots that were also TwitPic’d out.

8:00 p.m. — It’s a wrap from Fayetteville; until Friday’s pre-game blogs from Little Rock and North Little Rock.

7:59 p.m. — Remember, there is no BPL next week with the open date. Pat with the Catfish Hole says to call in for reservations.

7:57 p.m. — Chuck asks about the Little Rock atmosphere; BP: “I’m sure the people will be a little crazy by 6 o’clock.”

7:52 p.m. — Trivia question is who is the all-time leading interception leader. “Steve Atwater,” yells out Jim Lindsey and he’s the trivia winner.

7:51 p.m. — Into the final break of the hour.

7:50 p.m. — I haven’t tallied the numbers yet, but about twice as many questions came in this week through the email. Not an empty seat in the house.

7:49 p.m. — Talks about “touchdown blocks” from the receivers.

7:48 p.m. — Chuck asks about the depth at running back; BP says the key for the running backs in the rotation is “Keep coach happy and I’ll keep calling their number”; smiles at the crowd, “that’s a joke; it’s OK to laugh.” Goes into detail about each running back and how he’s excited about game breakers. “When they can go all the way, you don’t have to call as many plays.”

7:46 p.m. — BP on how the entire state gets behind the Razorbacks: “That is something really unique and very, very awesome.”

7:45 p.m. — Question from crowd about new SEC deal: “It’s great for us; we’ll have SEC games in the state of Texas; playing in Dallas this year will help us; those guys will get to play in one of the greatest stadiums ever built. The TV helps us as university. It allowed Jeff Long (the AD) to be able to give a $1 million to the school for academics.”

7:44 p.m. — BP: Must focus on one play at a time; winning is the end result of doing things right one play at a time.

7:43 p.m. — CP talks a little about Missouri State’s offense being balanced and their defense being new for this year and that they anticipate they will bring a lot of pressure — “I’m really looking forward to that.”

7:42 p.m. — Chuck mentions that D.J. and Ryan have made several national nomination lists; Coach is pleased they are getting the attention but points out “it’s a show me world” and they understand they’re going to have to show folks their skill every day.

7:39 p.m. — Jeff Long has made it back from visting with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys organization; he’s chatting with Jim Lindsey.

7:37 p.m. — Big round of applause for players as they step down and we head for the break.

7:36 p.m. — D.J.: Coach Petrino makes every practice seem like a game situation and we won’t be surprised.; Ryan: I was watching more last year, but it seemed like the team was nervous — new coach, new team; it’s not that way this year.

7:35 p.m. — Ryan: Playing against the defense, they are faster and better as a unit.

7:35 p.m. — D.J.: The speed of the defense and their team chemistry is light years from where it was last year.

7:34 p.m. — After the break, Ryan and D.J. talk about the conditioning program.

7:29 p.m. — Ryan: People have lots of expectations of us, but since the LSU game last year, we’ve been coming together. Notes that in the locker room, they have even higher expectations of themselves than the fans would have.

7:28 p.m. — D.J. when asked what it’s like having Ryan in the huddle and who he might remind him of: There’s no comparing; We’re going to see the first Ryan Mallett.

7:26 p.m. — D.J. about going over the middle: You’re going to take a big hit, but you can take the hit and catch the ball, or take the hit and drop it — might as well catch it.

7:26 p.m. — Chuck asks, when you played in the backyard as a kid, who where you: Ryan: I was Clint Stoenrer; he was my guy, that’s who I made my game resemble.

7:25 p.m. — D.J.: Looked up to leaders like Felix Jones and Darren McFadden as a young player.

7:24 p.m. — Ryan: I’ve always been a Razorback at heart.

7:24 p.m. — Ryan: Growing up I always wanted to be a Hog; even when I was at Michigan, I was always checking the scores. The fans are so supportive, and we’re playing for the fans.

7:23 p.m. — D.J.: Little Rock is my home town and I’ve got lots of friends there; we’ve got a new quarterback and I’m excited.

7:22 p.m. — Ryan Mallett: It’s been 658 days since I’ve been on the field; we want to see another color uniform.

7:20 p.m. — Into the second break, and it looks like the players are headed to the stage; BP steps down. Mallett needs to watch his head as he’s a good six inches higher than the big beam across the room. Chuck also steps down from the stage so both Ryan and D.J. can put on the headsets to answer questions.

7:19 p.m. — Chuck asks if it’s exciting to have freshman who can have an immediate impact; BP says “Picks some guys up, makes some guys nervous;” they start working harder and competition makes everybody better.

7:19 p.m. – Linebackers have settle in, BP mentions all three of the LBs on the starting chart; highlights some of the younger players that he expects to also contribute.

7:17 p.m. – Our depth is night and day from a year ago; it will be crucial to that 11 game run at the end of the year.

7:15 p.m. – Question is what do you look for in a QB — A history of winning, a good athlete that plays other sports and has a history of being a great leader; then you look at the skills, the throws that you need.

7:13 p.m. — Qustions begin from emailers and those at the show. Opens up with question about uniforms, and BP chuckles and says for fans to “come out to the game” and see if there are any changes.

7:06 p.m. — Chuck asks the first trivia question — where did Bobby Petrino begin his coaching career?

7:05 p.m. — Into the first break and Chuck explains to the group how the questions work. Fill out your slips for questions and come up to Brittany, the “time out” coordinator, to ask their questions in person. This is the important difference between phone in — you get to actually be here to ask your questions right with Coach Petrino.

7:05 p.m. — Chuck Barrett calls it a sell-out crowd.

7:03 p.m. — Coach Petrino is fired up that it’s finally game week.

6:58 p.m. — Chuck Barrett is warming up the crowd and explaining that during the radio breaks, there will be trivia contests and give-aways of game tickets.

6:54 p.m. — First Hog Call of the night, and there’s no doubt the room is at capacity.

6:50 p.m. — Coach Petrino has arrived, and begins working the room; right now signing a pair of mini helmets for two young fans.

6:50 p.m. — Pretty sure this will be SRO.

6:46 p.m. — Ryan Mallett and D.J. Williams have made it here from practice.

6:35 p.m. — The room is over half full already, and the folks keep coming in.

6:31 p.m. — Razorback letterman Jim Lindsey is in the crowd tonight.

6:28 p.m. — The buffett is moving at a pretty steady rate, and the trays of catfish keep flying out of the kitchen; couple of young fans have made paper airplanes and are tossing them around the room. It’s very much a family atmosphere.

6:23 p.m. — The room can hold about 170 with the configuration for the sound stage.

6:18 p.m. — KNWA’s Jason Carroll just rolled in to set up for video.

6:17 p.m. — Tables starting to fill, and more important, the buffet line just opened.

6:09 p.m. — The sound crew is getting the stage set for tonight’s show.

6:05 p.m. — Walking inside and we’ve got a ton of reservations, it might be a full house tonight for week two.

6:00 p.m. — Just arriving at the Catfish Hole and the parking lot looks full.