Looking back at the year on the Hill
Swinging for the Fences
Matt Watson
Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: Sports
With finals just around the corner, there's no better time to reminisce about all the great moments Arkansas fans shared here on the Hill in 2008-09. This isn't a season-in-review by any means, because several Razorback teams will still be competing into the summer, including the No. 12 Diamond Hogs and the No. 3 men's track team.
But before you stock up on No. 2 pencils and scantrons, take a minute to relax and enjoy this year's final edition of Swinging for the Fences, complete with all the drama and entertainment you've enjoyed every Monday the past two semesters.
10. Courtney Fortson's hair
Okay, that's not really a moment, but Fortson had enough moments to fill up this list himself. He was named a freshman All-American by a few publications, finishing the year averaging 14.9 points and 5.9 assists per game. He recorded the second triple-double in school history against North Carolina Central (20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists), and was featured on "Courtney Fortson Wig Night," one of which was worn on air by ESPN analyst and Arkansas alum Jimmy Dykes.
9. Gymnastics team finishes program-best 5th place at NCAA Championships
The No. 10 Razorback gymnastics team made the school's first "Super Six" this year, in just the program's seventh season. Junior Casey Jo Magee recorded a team-best 9.90 on the floor, and Arkansas piled up All-America honors. The Razorbacks were also one of the youngest teams at the NCAA Championships, with only one graduating senior on the roster.
8. Razorbacks upset previously-undefeated Tulsa at Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Back in November, former Arkansas coordinator Gus Malzahn returned to Fayetteville with the high-powered Golden Hurricane offense for the Razorback homecoming game. The underdog Hogs punched the Tulsa defense right in the mouth behind Casey Dick's career-best 385 passing yards, upsetting the No. 19 Golden Hurricane 30-23 and derailing Tulsa's golden season.
7. Diamond Hogs start season with school-record 8-straight SEC wins
The Arkansas baseball team came flying out of the gates, off to a 19-4 (8-0) record before dropping its first conference game of the season in the second-half of a doubleheader against Mississippi State. We'll blame it on fatigue. The Hogs won five of their next six games, climbing to No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll for the first time in school history.
6. "Celebration of a Championship"
There was no shortage in coverage of that magical March afternoon, when the University of Arkansas finally recognized the 1994 National Championship basketball team. Fifteen years later, coach Nolan Richardson finally got to call the Hogs again at Bud Walton, and the best basketball team in Arkansas history was welcomed back with open arms.
5. Track Hogs blow away the field at SEC Indoors, win school's 92nd conference crown
While the UA was celebrating the only hoops championship in school history back in Fayetteville, the most successful program in the history of collegiate athletics was in Kentucky earning its first conference championship under new head coach Chris Bucknam. After decades of domination under former coach and track icon John McDonnell, the Hogs found themselves back on top of the national rankings for multiple weeks in Bucknam's first season.
4. Arkansas tops No. 1 Arizona State on second straight night
With Arkansas No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll and Arizona State first overall in all the other polls, Baum Stadium hosted an unforgettable series to determine "Who's No. 1" - and the Hogs came out on top in dramatic fashion. The Razorbacks set an attendance record at the second game, on a midweek game no less, and swept the top-ranked Sun Devils with back-to-back comeback wins in Fayetteville.
3. Hoops Hogs shock Oklahoma
John Pelphrey's Razorbacks were not hospitable hosts in December when they topped previously-unbeaten No. 4 Oklahoma. Arkansas scored 96 points in the win, led by Michael Washington's double-double of 24 points and 11 boards against Associated Press Player of the Year Blake Griffin.
2. …then upset Texas the next week
The big question after the OU upset was whether or not the Hogs (11-1 at the time) were for real. Most media said no, but the Razorbacks knocked out the No. 7 Longhorns for their second victory over a top 10 team in a week. I don't really remember anything else that happened the rest of the season.
1. Casey Dick to London Crawford, Hogs knock off LSU in the Rock.
For as disappointing as the Razorbacks looked for most of the 2008 season, there could not have been a more incredible and improbable way to end the year. After being benched for his little brother, embattled senior quarterback Dick found receiver Crawford in the end zone for the game-tying score, a 24-yard lob and go-ahead extra point that gave the Hogs a 31-30 lead and their second-straight win over the Tigers. After a long season, the Razorbacks went out on top with the best game-winning, season-ending, list-topping moment of 2008-09.
Matt Watson is the assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler.
But before you stock up on No. 2 pencils and scantrons, take a minute to relax and enjoy this year's final edition of Swinging for the Fences, complete with all the drama and entertainment you've enjoyed every Monday the past two semesters.
10. Courtney Fortson's hair
Okay, that's not really a moment, but Fortson had enough moments to fill up this list himself. He was named a freshman All-American by a few publications, finishing the year averaging 14.9 points and 5.9 assists per game. He recorded the second triple-double in school history against North Carolina Central (20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists), and was featured on "Courtney Fortson Wig Night," one of which was worn on air by ESPN analyst and Arkansas alum Jimmy Dykes.
9. Gymnastics team finishes program-best 5th place at NCAA Championships
The No. 10 Razorback gymnastics team made the school's first "Super Six" this year, in just the program's seventh season. Junior Casey Jo Magee recorded a team-best 9.90 on the floor, and Arkansas piled up All-America honors. The Razorbacks were also one of the youngest teams at the NCAA Championships, with only one graduating senior on the roster.
8. Razorbacks upset previously-undefeated Tulsa at Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Back in November, former Arkansas coordinator Gus Malzahn returned to Fayetteville with the high-powered Golden Hurricane offense for the Razorback homecoming game. The underdog Hogs punched the Tulsa defense right in the mouth behind Casey Dick's career-best 385 passing yards, upsetting the No. 19 Golden Hurricane 30-23 and derailing Tulsa's golden season.
7. Diamond Hogs start season with school-record 8-straight SEC wins
The Arkansas baseball team came flying out of the gates, off to a 19-4 (8-0) record before dropping its first conference game of the season in the second-half of a doubleheader against Mississippi State. We'll blame it on fatigue. The Hogs won five of their next six games, climbing to No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll for the first time in school history.
6. "Celebration of a Championship"
There was no shortage in coverage of that magical March afternoon, when the University of Arkansas finally recognized the 1994 National Championship basketball team. Fifteen years later, coach Nolan Richardson finally got to call the Hogs again at Bud Walton, and the best basketball team in Arkansas history was welcomed back with open arms.
5. Track Hogs blow away the field at SEC Indoors, win school's 92nd conference crown
While the UA was celebrating the only hoops championship in school history back in Fayetteville, the most successful program in the history of collegiate athletics was in Kentucky earning its first conference championship under new head coach Chris Bucknam. After decades of domination under former coach and track icon John McDonnell, the Hogs found themselves back on top of the national rankings for multiple weeks in Bucknam's first season.
4. Arkansas tops No. 1 Arizona State on second straight night
With Arkansas No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball poll and Arizona State first overall in all the other polls, Baum Stadium hosted an unforgettable series to determine "Who's No. 1" - and the Hogs came out on top in dramatic fashion. The Razorbacks set an attendance record at the second game, on a midweek game no less, and swept the top-ranked Sun Devils with back-to-back comeback wins in Fayetteville.
3. Hoops Hogs shock Oklahoma
John Pelphrey's Razorbacks were not hospitable hosts in December when they topped previously-unbeaten No. 4 Oklahoma. Arkansas scored 96 points in the win, led by Michael Washington's double-double of 24 points and 11 boards against Associated Press Player of the Year Blake Griffin.
2. …then upset Texas the next week
The big question after the OU upset was whether or not the Hogs (11-1 at the time) were for real. Most media said no, but the Razorbacks knocked out the No. 7 Longhorns for their second victory over a top 10 team in a week. I don't really remember anything else that happened the rest of the season.
1. Casey Dick to London Crawford, Hogs knock off LSU in the Rock.
For as disappointing as the Razorbacks looked for most of the 2008 season, there could not have been a more incredible and improbable way to end the year. After being benched for his little brother, embattled senior quarterback Dick found receiver Crawford in the end zone for the game-tying score, a 24-yard lob and go-ahead extra point that gave the Hogs a 31-30 lead and their second-straight win over the Tigers. After a long season, the Razorbacks went out on top with the best game-winning, season-ending, list-topping moment of 2008-09.
Matt Watson is the assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler.
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