Category Archives: Current Events

Video and story on Iowa St victory over Oklahoma State

November 21, 2011 – 8:43 am

Several pieces of the puzzle have to come together for Arkansas to have a chance at the national title. This was a big piece!!!

Mark Schlabach of ESPN wrote this article below:

AMES, Iowa — So what happens now?

We’ve spent the past few weeks wondering what would happen to the BCS national championship race if No. 2 Oklahoma State lost to No. 5 Oklahoma in the Dec. 3 Bedlam game in Stillwater, Okla.

[+] EnlargeIowa State celebrating

AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIowa State notched its biggest win in program history Friday night.

We’ve pondered what would happen if No. 1 LSU lost to No. 6 Arkansas in Baton Rouge, La., on the day after Thanksgiving, or maybe even against No. 14 Georgia a week later in the SEC championship game.

If the Cowboys lost to the Sooners, which they’d done in each of the past eight seasons, would No. 3 Alabama play LSU again in the Jan. 9 Allstate BCS National Championship Game?

If not Alabama, then what about No. 4 Oregon? The Ducks lost to the Tigers 40-27 in their Sept. 3 season opener and haven’t lost since.

Or, even better, what would happen if LSU and Oklahoma State both lost?

Well, let the debate begin.

Somehow, Bedlam arrived two weeks early, and it was delivered by the most unlikely of teams. Iowa State, which had been 0-56-2 against opponents ranked in the top six of the Associated Press top 25 poll since 1936, stunned the No. 2 Cowboys 37-31 in double overtime at Jack Trice Stadium.

The Cowboys, who only had to win at Iowa State and then beat Oklahoma at home to punch their tickets to the BCS title game, had a chance to defeat the Cyclones in regulation. But after OSU intercepted a tipped pass at the Iowa State 29 with the score tied at 24 with 3:16 to play, Cowboys kicker Quinn Sharp narrowly missed a 37-yard field goal wide right with 1:17 to go.

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After the teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, the Cyclones intercepted Heisman Trophy candidate Brandon Weeden for the third time on the first play of the second overtime. Three plays later, Iowa State running back Jeff Woody plowed into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown, giving the Cyclones their biggest win in school history.

“Once I got in the end zone, I realized the enormity of what happened,” Woody said. “Senior night. Friday night on ESPN; only show in town. We’re 0-for-history [against top-six teams]. We need a sixth win to go bowling, and on ESPN.com they say we’ve got a 12 percent chance of playing in a bowl. All those things combined together create the perfect storm.”

On a cold night in America’s heartland, the Cyclones turned the BCS race into an absolute mess.

“We knew when we got on the field, it was our time,” said Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett, who completed 31 of 58 passes for 376 yards with three touchdowns, while running 14 times for 84 yards. “It was our time to shock the world.”

It was a nightmare for the Cowboys, who might have been playing with heavy hearts after OSU women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke, assistant Miranda Serna and two others were killed in a plane crash Thursday. The Pokes committed a season-high five turnovers against Iowa State.

[+] EnlargeBrandon Weeden

AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallHeisman candidate Brandon Weeden threw three costly picks in the loss.

“Obviously, it’s a real tough loss for our team, and I hated it for the guys,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “But it’s real simple: If you lose the turnover battle in such a big fashion, it’s definitely difficult to win games, especially on the road. We had five turnovers. And with five turnovers, it’s quite difficult to overcome.”

Weeden didn’t labor through the game, completing 42 of 58 passes for 476 yards with three touchdowns, but his three interceptions were costly. Running back Joseph Randle lost two fumbles, and the Cowboys failed to cover an onside kick in the third quarter.

“They’re just mental errors,” OSU receiver Tracy Moore said. “Fumbles aren’t something Joe does and throwing picks isn’t like Brandon. You can blame it on the weather, but that’s not what we do. I don’t expect it to happen in the next game. Those are the things that happened just in this game and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

With two more weeks to play in college football’s regular season, the Cowboys might not be entirely out of the BCS championship race. But their loss at Iowa State certainly pushes them to the back of the line.

As many as five teams — LSU, Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma and Arkansas — could end up being in the mix to play in New Orleans. The Tigers still have to play at Ole Miss on Saturday, host Arkansas next week and then play in the SEC championship game if they win the first two. Alabama plays FCS foe Georgia Southern at home Saturday and at No. 24 Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 26, which is never a given regardless of the teams’ records.

The Ducks might be tested by USC at home on Saturday night and then host rival Oregon State in the Nov. 26 Civil War. Oklahoma still has three games to play — at No. 22 Baylor on Saturday, home against suddenly dangerous Iowa State next week and then at Oklahoma State.

The Razorbacks host Mississippi State on Saturday before playing at LSU next week.

With so many games left to be played, there’s still a lot left to shake out.

But there’s little doubt the Cyclones mucked it up pretty good on Friday night.

“We know this isn’t the end of the road,” Iowa State receiver Darius Darks said. “It didn’t surprise us.”

Hang on. College football might have plenty of more surprises in store for us.

Mark Schlabach covers college sports for ESPN.com. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.

Follow Mark Schlabach on Twitter: @Mark_Schlabach

By Everette Hatcher III | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Razorbacks’ road to national championship just got more simple

November 21, 2011 – 7:52 am

[+] EnlargeTyler Wilson

Before the BCS standings came out yesterday, it was the common belief that the Arkansas Razorbacks were possibly going to finish 11-1 and miss out on a BCS bowl, but now that has all changed. Arkansas is sitting pretty at number 3 and I no longer hope Auburn beats Alabama so we can get into the SEC Championship game. ALL WE HAVE TO DO NOW IS BEAT LSU AND WAIT TO BE INVITED TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

That means instead of beating two great teams (LSU and Georgia), we just got a bye if we beat LSU and Alabama has to go face Georgia!!!!

Life is funny that way sometimes. The Arkansas News Bureau reported:

“I think we’ll have the opportunity,” Bequette said. “That’s what I believe.”

All we got to do is beat LSU and keep that boot in Arkansas hands. Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times Blog rightly noted, “The Boot looms larger than ever.” (Picture below from Arkansas Times Blog)

boot.JPG

Below is an article from Arkansas 360.

11/20/2011 at 8:54pm

Arkansas’ approach to climbing in the BCS Standings has paid off.

Rather than politick or complain, the Razorbacks just talked about the importance of winning and letting the rankings “take care of themselves.” Now they sit at No. 3 with an opportunity to play No. 1 LSU on Friday for a shot at the BCS national title.

Of course the Razorbacks had help to go along with their seventh consecutive victory, a 44-17 demolition of Mississippi State.

A wild weekend of upsets in college football, including Iowa State over Oklahoma State, USC over Oregon and Baylor over Oklahoma, helped the Razorbacks climbed three spots.

This is the highest ranking for Arkansas since Jan. 4, 1978.

Joining the Razorbacks in the Top 3 are the Tigers and No. 2 Alabama. All three aren’t just members of the SEC, they’re all in the SEC West Division.

BCS Top 10
1. LSU (11-0)
2. Alabama (10-1)
3. Arkansas (10-1)
4. Okla. State (10-1)
5. Virginia Tech (10-1)
6. Stanford (10-1)
7. Boise State (9-1)
8. Houston (11-0)
9. Oklahoma (8-2)
10. Oregon (9-2)

______________________

Update: I just checked Tolbert out and here is what he had to say:

As I see it, there are three possible ways Arkansas could end up playing in New Orleans on January 9 and much of it depends on Alabama.

  1. Auburn beats Alabama – By far, the clearest path for Arkansas is for Auburn to help us out by beating Alabama when they meet in Auburn on Saturday.  This – along with Arkansas beating LSU – would likely put Arkansas at the top of the polls in the SEC Championship game against Georgia.  Then, if Arkansas beats Georgia, they will play for the National Championship.
  2. Alabama beats Auburn, but loses to Georgia – If Alabama and Arkansas both win, there will be a three-way tie. It could go several ways, but most likely this would mean Alabama would play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.  However, Georgia is one of the most improved teams in the country.  After losing their first two games, they won their next nine straight. If Georgia pulls an upset here, Arkansas could go to the title game.
  3. Alabama beats Alabama and Georgia – There is still a good chance Arkansas could play for the National Championship even if Alabama wins out.  Of course, Alabama would go but we could be their opponent in an all-SEC title game.  To do this Arkansas will need to overcome a couple of biases.  Voters in the polls which factor into BCS rankings do not like to see a non-conference winner in the title game nor do they like to see two teams from the same conference.  The best case Arkansas can make to overcome these biases is to not only beat LSU on Friday, but to win big.
By Everette Hatcher III | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Mangino speaks at Little Rock Touchdown Club (Part 2)

November 21, 2011 – 7:17 am
Mangino at a 2007 KU basketball game

Eric Mangino is a very good speaker. Here is a portion of an article by Jim Harris:

11/14/2011 at 3:37pm

It’s easy for fans who don’t follow Kansas football closely to forget just how successful Mark Mangino was in building the Jayhawks’ program before he was controversially shown the door nearly two years ago.

When Arkansas upset top-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge 50-48 in three overtimes in the 2007 regular-season finale, Kansas was sitting one slot behind the Tigers at No. 2 and playing Missouri that same weekend. Mangino’s Jayhawks lost their only game of the season to Missouri 36-28, but earned a BSC bowl spot anyway and defeated Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl to start 2008.

Mangino and the KU administration were in a dispute over his contract, and the coach was alleged to have struck a player. That gave the Jayhawk athletic brass at the time an excuse to unload Mangino and his big contract.

After nearly two full seasons on the sidelines, Mangino said Monday during a visit with the Little Rock Touchdown Club that he’s ready to return to coaching.

“My wife says I need a team,” he said after the luncheon at the Embassy Suites. “She’s had me around for a year and a half now and she says I really need a team to be around.”

Mangino said he’s had some overtures already, but he’s looking for the “right job” where the fanbase is fully behind the football program. Even at KU, football played second fiddle to the tradition rich basketball program, but that didn’t stop Mangino from guiding the Jayhawks to five bowls in eight years.

There were at least a couple of references during the Touchdown Club luncheon about the opening at Ole Miss. The Rebels could do a lot worse that Mangino, who took over at Kansas when the program was in the dumps. Last we checked, the Jayhawks weren’t doing too good without Mangino now, either. (Turner Gill was chosen to replace Mangino).

Mangino’s previous appearance in Little Rock before Monday was in early 2001, after Oklahoma had won the national championship, to accept the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the nation. He joined Bob Stoops at OU as offensive line coach in 1999, and became offensive coordinator the very next season when Mike Leach left Norman to become Texas Tech’s head coach.

That would be quite a pair together — Mangino and Leach. And Mangino had the large crowd Monday laughing about the year they were together on the OU staff, and Leach always seemed to end up watching Mangino’s TV, keeping the big man awake, during recruiting season well into the early morning. Hard to believe both are looking for jobs. And, just in case you didn’t notice, Texas Tech lost to Oklahoma State 66-6 on Saturday, the Red Raiders fourth straight shellacking after shocking Stoops and OU in Norman 41-38.

Mangino and a friend drove from Naples, Fla., to Fayetteville for Saturday’s Hog win over Tennessee and returned to Little Rock on Sunday, where some of the Touchdown Club board took them to dinner. Mangino was a guest in the USA Drug skybox on Saturday night. He said, “I’d never watched a college football game from a skybox like that.”

He was high on the Razorbacks after seeing them in first for the first time Saturday, as the Hogs walloped Tennessee 49-7. “They’ve got such great speed, both the offensive and defensive lines are physical and quick, and they are well coached.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 11)

November 21, 2011 – 12:55 am

Coldplay

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 11)

This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference:

My son Hunter Hatcher’s 10th favorite Coldplay song is “In My Place.”

Hunter noted, “I love the drum intro. I’m a drummer so i love it when the drummer gets stage recognition and the song is great too.”

The Best Coldplay Songs Of All Time – And Why?

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No one can argue that Coldplay is one of the best bands of today. Their music has been spread across the globe from the US to Canada, Australia to New Zealand, England to France and many more. Personally, I’m a huge Coldplay fan and when the question of “what are the best Coldplay songs of all time” came up amongst a few friends of mine while playing Rock Band it got the cogs in mind thinking…

I decided that there were too many great Coldplay songs so I narrowed it down to just five. Here’s what I came up with…

Trouble

Trouble is the song that made me fall in love with the band. A great starting piano tune that not only delivers an excellent chorus but then tops that with a remarkable ending. Not too many songs these days change total direction at the end and give their listeners something more at the finale. A gorgeous video combining stop-motion and digital effects. If you’re unfamiliar with Coldplay’s music then this is a great place to start.

Speed of Sound

Great beat. Great lyrics. Again, you have a beautiful piano part starting the song off. Where “Trouble” is a steady horse from start to end, Speed of Sound is more like a gallop that increases as the song progresses. Just when you think they’ve drawn you in with the ultimate hook they continue to deliver hook after hook in this song. And not just in the vocals. The guitars and piano are all throwing in their cool little hooky riffs. Its kinda like one of those russian dolls that you keep opening up to more and more cute little dolls. This song is guaranteed to fill your musical palette over and over again.

In My Place

In My Place starts with a rockin drum line with kick, snare and hi-hat by the ever-talented “Will Champion”. Then a beautiful guitar line comes in with Jonny Buckland leading us through the whole song. This is the first hook we hear in the song, played in the upper registers of the guitar with a combination of arpeggios and melodic note choices. I always find it funny to hear instruments in a song that don’t show up in the video. If you listen closely you’ll hear a gentle organ playing its way through the verse but in the video it’s not featured. And once again Chris does an amazing job coming up with the best hooks in the chorus providing not only a great Pop/Rock tune but a memorable song that will last through the times.

Clocks

I don’t think any piano line has been played more than the one from Clocks. You’ll not only hear this song in every romantic movie out there but the piano hook itself has been dissected from the song just to be featured by itself in many movies and tv shows. The song is a basic 4/4 form but what’s great is how they divide the meter. A constant division of 3-3-2 driving you throughout the entirety of the song. It provides not only a great rock feel but with such a rhythm it’s guaranteed you’ll find yourself alone in your room dancing like a freak until your mum walks in on you embarrassing you in the process.

The Scientist

No other song by Coldplay gives me goosebumps like The Scientist. A sweet and nostalgic tune that enjoys a long intro with Chris Martin on vocals and piano. It’s not until the 1:38 mark does the full band finally come in. That’s a big no no in the Pop world. You see, by Pop standards you’re supposed to hit the full chorus by at least the first 30 seconds. But that’s perhaps what I love about this song. They manage to go outside that box and provide a moving a wonderful musical tale. In the July 14th, 2005 edition of Rolling Stone magazine, Chris Martin is quoted as saying:”On the second album I was thinking there was something missing. I was in this really dark room in Liverpool, and there was a piano so old and out of tune. I really wanted to try and work out the George Harrison song ‘Isn’t It A Pity,’ but I couldn’t. Then this song came out at once. I said, ‘Can you turn on the recorder?’ The first time I sung it is what’s out there.”

Whether you agree with my choice for the best Coldplay songs of all time or not, there’s no disputing that they are one of the greatest bands of all time.

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“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 4)

Dave Hogan/ Getty Images This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference: For the 17th best Coldplay song of all-time, Hunter picks “42.” He notes, “You thought you might […]

Documentary on Coldplay (Part 2)

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I am presently involved in the counting down of the best Coldplay songs of all time, but I am also in a series here reviewing the upcoming songs on Coldplay’s new cd that will be released soon. Here is a review from Rolling Stone: Coldplay Debut new song ‘Charlie Brown’ June 6, 2011 Coldplay debuted […]

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Great documentary on Coldplay. I have written a lot on Coldplay the last few years and I see something spiritually happening with the group as they continue to search for a deeping meaning in life. Coldplay Max Masters – Part 1 of 7 Uploaded by thepostbox on May 6, 2009 The ASTRA Award winning music documentary […]

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“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 3)

 This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference:   Hunter has chosen the song “Viva La Vida” as his number 18 pick. Hunter noted, “The violin synth is a […]

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Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall Published on Jun 28, 2011 by ColdplayVEVO The new single, taken from Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall EP (featuring two more new tracks). Download it from http://cldp.ly/itunescp Music video by Coldplay performing Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall. (P) 2011 The copyright in this audiovisual recording is owned by […]

 

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SEC week 12: SEC dominates BCS, Vandy gets ripped off by refs

November 20, 2011 – 5:35 pm
By Chris Low
As it turns out, the weekend was a productive one for the SEC, even if there were more than a few shaky performances around the league against lesser opponents.Here’s a look at what we learned in Week 12:1. BCS takes on SEC flavor: Brad Edwards, ESPN’s BCS standings guru, is projecting that the top three teams in the newest BCS standings that come out Sunday night will be No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Arkansas. In other words, it might as well be an SEC world. The losses over the weekend by Oklahoma State, Oregon and Oklahoma cleared the path more than ever for two SEC teams to meet in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game and extend the league’s streak to six straight national titles. And at this point, it’s just about impossible to come up with a scenario that doesn’t include at least one SEC team in the national title game when you look at the entire BCS picture after this weekend. LSU obviously controls its own destiny. But, really, so does Alabama. In fact, if the Crimson Tide can win comfortably over Auburn next Saturday, they might be in the best shape of anybody, especially if LSU wins Friday over Arkansas. That’s because Alabama would just about be a lock at that point for one of the top two spots in the final BCS standings and wouldn’t have to risk anything in the SEC championship game. Yes, it sounds crazy, but that’s the way it looks right now. As for Arkansas, the Hogs are going to have a difficult time making it to the SEC championship game unless Alabama loses to Auburn or looks shaky in winning over Auburn and drops in the polls. Even so, Arkansas could also settle into that No. 2 spot in the final BCS standings just by winning at LSU next Friday and not going to the SEC championship game. The only team really lurking at this point that could possibly break up the SEC stranglehold is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are strong in the computers, but they also still have to play Oklahoma on Dec. 3. It was a wild weekend, for sure, but the jockeying these last two weeks could be even wilder.

[+] EnlargeTyler Wilson

AP Photo/Danny JohnstonTyler Wilson continues to spread the ball around as eight different players caught passes on Saturday.

2. Arkansas is on top of its game: For the third straight week, Arkansas blew out an opponent, which suggests that the Hogs are as ready as they’ll ever be to go into Baton Rouge next week and take down No. 1 LSU. Junior quarterback Tyler Wilson is spreading the football around, and Jarius Wright and Joe Adams are the kind of game-breakers who can soften up any defense. The Hogs have been outstanding in special teams and are playing more consistently on defense. This is also a different team than the one that was battered 38-14 at Alabama back in September. For one, the Hogs are healthier. Senior defensive end Jake Bequette is back in the lineup and playing great. He didn’t play at all against Alabama with a hamstring injury. Senior defensive end Tenarius Wright is also back after breaking his arm in the Alabama game, while junior running back Dennis Johnson has added a different dimension to the running game after being slowed by hamstring problems to open the season. What the Hogs still have to prove is that they can win a big game on the road. Take a look at their home performances this season, and take a look at their performances away from home. There’s been a noticeable difference.

3. Vanderbilt is still Vanderbilt: There’s no need to take offense, Vanderbilt fans. We’re not talking about the way the Commodores play, because they’ve come miles under first-year coach James Franklin. We’re talking about all the screwy calls that have seemed to go against Vanderbilt over the years. There’s another one to add to the vault after Saturday’s 27-21 loss to Tennessee in overtime, although Vanderbilt was its own worst enemy in a lot of ways. The Commodores threw three costly interceptions and committed a horrid clipping penalty that nullified a pass play down to the Tennessee 1-yard line. But the officials’ gaffe in overtime was the clincher. An official blew Eric Gordon’s interception return for a touchdown dead because he incorrectly thought that Gordon’s knee had touched the ground. By rule, the play is not reviewable, according to SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw, because a whistle was blown. The Vols should have been given the ball at the 25 for their possession in overtime. But Gordon continued running for a 90-yard touchdown on the play. The officials did allow it to go to the booth for a review, and the call on the field was overturned, giving the Vols the winning touchdown and adding to the Commodores’ misery of late calls that haven’t gone their way.

_________________

Here is another article on the bad call at the Vandy/Vol game:

SEC coordinator of officials: Crew blew call twice in Vols victory

By Andrew Gribble

Originally published 09:35 a.m., November 20, 2011
Updated 06:49 p.m., November 20, 2011

For Tennessee to survive a blown call at the end of Saturday’s 27-21 victory over Vanderbilt, the officiating crew made it right by bypassing proper protocol.

SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw released a statement early Sunday morning detailing how the crew erred on multiple occasions during the game’s final, hectic moment.

“On the last play of the Vanderbilt-Tennessee game, in overtime, the Tennessee defender intercepted the pass, his knee did not touch the ground and he returned the interception for a touchdown,” Shaw wrote of Eric Gordon’s game-winning, 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. “During the play, the head linesman incorrectly ruled that the Tennessee player’s knee was down when he intercepted the pass by blowing his whistle and giving the dead ball signal. The play was reviewed as if there was no whistle on the field and as a result, overturned the incorrect ruling.

“By rule, if there was a whistle blown, the play is not reviewable.”

But it was, and UT (5-6, 1-6 SEC) escaped with its first SEC win of the season and its 28th win in the past 29 meetings against the Commodores (5-6, 2-6).

“He made a huge play and it was really exciting and then it almost got ripped out,” UT coach Derek Dooley said. “But you know what, maybe the ole luck has turned on Tennessee.”

Though he was irate on the field, Vanderbilt coach James Franklin was calm and even-keeled when detailing his side of the story shortly after the game.

“They blew the play dead,” Franklin said. “They blew him down, but they explained to me again why you can do that and it still counts.

“They explained every call on the sideline and I didn’t have my rulebook. They explained it very well. (The referees) were very pleasant when they explained them.”

 James Franklin – Tennessee 27, Vanderbilt 21 (Nov. 19, 2011)

Uploaded by on Nov 19, 2011

http://vucommodores.com – Vanderbilt football Head Coach James Franklin addresses the media following the Commodores’ 27-21 loss to Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Nov. 19, 2011.

By Everette Hatcher III | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Arkansas razorback Garrett Uekman found dead this morning

November 20, 2011 – 5:11 pm
Arkansas tight end Garrett Uekman runs on the field with team mates Saturday, Nov. 19, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Photo by Stephen B. Thornton

I saw him play for Catholic against Bryant and I saw him run out on the field just yesterday, but he was found dead this morning in Fayetteville.

The Arkansas News Bureau noted:

I am proud of the way he represented our program,” Petrino said. “He did everything right and had one of our highest GPA’s on the football team. There was nothing Garrett loved more than competing. …

“I know it was Garrett’s dream was being at Arkansas and being a member of this football team. Our team will honor and respect his memory as we build this program.”

 Below is a story from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette website.

Arkansas tight end Garrett Uekman runs on the field with team mates Saturday, Nov. 19, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

By Matt Jones 

Originally published November 20, 2011 at 2:56 p.m., updated November 20, 2011 at 4:27 p.m.

FAYETTEVILLE — Garrett Uekman, a redshirt freshman football player at Arkansas, died Sunday at the age of 19.

Uekman was pronounced dead at the Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville Sunday. The cause of death was not immediately known, though an autopsy to determine the cause is expected some time this week.

News of the tight end’s death came just hours after the team returned to Fayetteville from a game against Mississippi State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Uekman’s home town.

Uekman graduated from Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys in 2010.

Arkansas football players were informed of the death at a team meeting Sunday afternoon, NBC affiliate KNWA-TV reported, and coach Bobby Petrino is expected to address the situation at some point Sunday afternoon.

photoArkansas redshirt freshman Garrett Uekman died Sunday, according to reports. + Enlarge

Several football players took to social media website Twitter to express their condolences. Among them, running back Knile Davis said, “Garrett Uekman rest in peace my brother. Watch over us as we continue to chase the dream (you) started with us. I love (you) and will forever miss (you).”

The No. 3 Razorbacks will play at No. 1 LSU on Friday.

Rachel Hood contributed to this report

Read tomorrow’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

Thank you for coming to the website of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.We’re working to keep you informed with the latest breaking news.

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Tim and Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Christians in a secular world (Part 3)

November 19, 2011 – 10:35 am

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, talk show host

Birthdate: May 28, 1977

Birthplace: Cranston, Rhode Island

Read Full Biography

Photos: 27
News: 5

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Tim & Elisabeth Hasselbeck get personal

Tim and Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Christians in a secular world (Part 3)

The Hasselbecks are special people.

Sharing Her View

by Dan Ewald

Copyright Christianity Today International

She’s the baby of the bunch on ABC television’s morning chatfestThe View, while he’s the second-string quarterback for the New York Giants. Not your typical Christian couple by any stretch, but they’re not afraid to share their faith with others….

How do you wade into controversial topics without losing your cool?Elisabeth: I know some subjects are going to be a battle. Every time a heavy subject comes up, I can feel my body temperature rise and my blood pressure probably goes through the roof. Sometimes it takes me a little while to vocalize what I’m trying to get at. But you’re either a warrior or a coward. Sometimes you back down and sometimes you fight with all your might. Probably four days out of five I come home wishing I’d said something differently, or [wondering] why couldn’t I have said this? Thankfully, there’s always another show.

How do you approach the subject of Jesus with someone who doesn’t necessarily want to hear it?Elisabeth: I think a lot of Christians get a bad rap for pushing their faith because they’re so excited about it. Some people are very put off by that. And some Christians come across as judgmental, and I don’t think that’s the way to let someone understand your faith.Faith in God is a tricky subject to bring up in a public forum. But, for example, you can talk about creation. People say it’s random. But what if someone walked up to the David sculpture in Italy and said, “This is random. All these particles came together and this gorgeous sculpture came together.” Even someone who doesn’t believe in a power other than himself would say, “That’s ridiculous. An artist knew exactly what he was going to do when he put this here. There’s no way this could be random.” Apply that same thought to God. If you wouldn’t believe that Michelangelo’s sculpture was created in a random fashion, how can you possibly believe that human beings—the most gorgeous creation in this world—can be random? If people were to separate just that thought process away from faith, then maybe they would consider that it really isn’t sporadic and random and chaotic.What, then, is the key to sharing your views with someone who may disagree with you?Elisabeth: Any conversation two people can have, coming from different places, is priceless. Because no one has it all figured out. Who’s to say that because I believe in God I’m a better person than someone who doesn’t? That’s absolutely not true. I think sometimes people choose to surround themselves only with those who think similar to them, and that’s dangerous because you all end up yes-ing each other. It all comes down to “love one another.” Very simple. It’s unbelievable, though, how we mess it up.Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today’s Christian magazine.
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2011 Arkansas Baptist Eagle Football team best ever?: Barton game will answer that question

November 19, 2011 – 8:35 am

On November 18, 2011 the Arkansas Baptist Eagle football team went to 11-1 for the year with a hard fought 26-6 victory at Camden Harmony Grove. Before this game Barry Groomes of Hootens Arkansas Football picked Camden to win over the eagles because Arkansas Baptist had never won a playoff game on the road. Actually before this year Arkansas Baptist was 3-7 in the playoff with two victories coming in 1998 and one in 2004.

Is the 2011 Eagle team the best ever?

1. The 1998 team featured a huge line with the Witcher brothers (Sam and Ben) in the secordary and the eagles tied Harding and Carlisle for the conference championship. Knocked out of the playoffs by Gus Malzahn’s first state championship team at Shiloh (Gus has won championships at higher levels since, ask Arthur Bennett about that).

2. The 2004 team like the 1998 team also advanced in the playoffs and is the only Arkansas Baptist team to secure sole possession of a conference championship, and it included the most all-conference players (10) in Eagle history on one team.

3. The juniors and seniors on the 2011 team can claim to have more Arkansas Baptist victories in a two year span than any other team (a total of 20 over last two years, the 2003-2004 teams previously held the most).

My final conclusion is very simple: If the 2011 eagles get three victories in the playoffs this year then they have to be considered the best Arkansas Baptist team ever. The problem is they are going up against the Barton Bears who hold more state championships than any other 3A team. We will be pulling for this group of Eagles and we know they can do it.

All State Receiver Greg Bowie catches game winning pass
against Bauxite in the final seconds of the game.

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Pictures from Arkansas’ 49 to 7 victory over Tennessee (Part 4)

November 19, 2011 – 8:23 am

 My son Wilson and I went to the game on Nov 5, 2011 and we enjoyed every minute of it.

Tennessee wide receiver Zach Rogers makes a catch against Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, ©KNS/2011

Tennessee wide receiver Zach Rogers makes a catch against Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley asks about a call against the team while playing Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, ©KNS/2011

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley asks about a call against the team while playing Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Tennessee linemen, Nigel Mitchell-Thornton, Willie Bohannon, Curt Maggitt, A.J. Johnson and Antonio Richardson leave the field after a 49-7 loss to Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, ©KNS/2011

Tennessee linemen, Nigel Mitchell-Thornton, Willie Bohannon, Curt Maggitt, A.J. Johnson and Antonio Richardson leave the field after a 49-7 loss to Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Tennessee defensive back Izauea Lanier is unable to stop a touchdown run by Arkansas running back De'Anthony Curtis at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, ©KNS/2011

Tennessee defensive back Izauea Lanier is unable to stop a touchdown run by Arkansas running back De’Anthony Curtis at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Tennessee quarterbacks coach Darrin Hinshaw sends in Matt Simms in the fourth quarter against Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, ©KNS/2011

Tennessee quarterbacks coach Darrin Hinshaw sends in Matt Simms in the fourth quarter against Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Nov. 12, 2011. UT lost the game 49-7. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)

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US Soccer beats Slovenia (Soccer Saturday)

November 19, 2011 – 8:08 am

The USA comes through.

US Soccer Beats Slovenia: Offense Awakens In 3-2 Win At Slovenia

 In the fog at Stozice Stadium, the U.S. offense became visible for the first time since Jurgen Klinsmann became coach.

On a night when the Americans celebrated captain Carlos Bocanegra’s 100th international appearance, Edson Buddle, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore all scored Tuesday to give the United States a 3-2 victory over Slovenia in Ljubljana.

“We have a three-month break until our next game, so to get the win tonight was the biggest thing for us,” said Bocanegra, who became the 12th American to reach the century mark. “It wasn’t the prettiest game we’ve played, but the result was what we were looking for.”

The Americans had been outscored 5-2 in going 1-4-1 since Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in late July, and they had been 0-5 in Europe since a March 2008 victory at Poland.

Klinsmann switched to a 4-4-2 formation, starting two true forwards for the first time in his seven matches. The change led to far more scoring chances on a 36-degree night with fog coming off the Alps.

“That’s the first time that I have ever played in a game with that much fog,” Dempsey said. “You couldn’t really see from one end of the pitch to the other.”

Buddle scored his third goal in 10 appearances, and his first since June 2010 against Australia, after Handanovic’s attempted clearance was stripped by Dempsey from Darijan Matic. Dempsey tipped the ball to Buddle, who put the ball in off a post from 25 yards.

Tim Matavz scored the first of his two goals for the Green Dragons in the 26th to tie it as Timmy Chandler was beaten, leading to the defense getting split.

“With the lights and the fog, it makes it a little difficult to read balls,” American goalkeeper Tim Howard said.

Dempsey put the Americans back in front with an 8-yard header in the 41st off Michael Bradley’s corner kick, and Altidore made it 3-1 when he converted a penalty kick two minutes later after Miso Brecko tripped up Fabian Johnson in the penalty area,

After the highest-scoring first half for the Americans since June 2008 against Barbados, 27th-ranked Slovenia responded with a furious rally, and Matavz cut the deficit in the 61st. The Green Dragons outshot the Americans 14-11.

“The attitude was to go forward,” Buddle said. “It was good to receive the ball and to look up and have a partner up there and see Jozy. It was much easier to combine with two strikers and having Clint sitting right in behind.”

At last year’s World Cup in South Africa, the Americans rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second half to tie 2-2 on goals by Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley, and an apparent go-ahead goal by Maurice Edu was inexplicably disallowed by referee Koman Coulibaly.

Slovenia returned its four defenders and goalkeeper from that match. The Americans played a higher defensive line and got caught several times.

“When the tempo is that high and a team like Slovenia has very, very good individual players that can always create something out of nothing, you always have to be very alert,” Klinsmann said. “This is something that we have to improve.”

Buddle and Bradley – son of the former coach – got their first starts since Klinsmann’s debut in August.

Johnson, who started for Germany in the 2009 European Under-21 final, was in the midfield, four days after making his American debut as a second-half substitute.

“We know that Michael has tremendous qualities in terms of his commitment. He covers so much ground, stays calm and is very experienced,” Klinsmann said. “Fabian Johnson is now coming through the ranks and his big potential in terms of how he sees the game. He reads the game well, sees gaps and can play killer balls. For the last couple months we have been working on our strikers to get them fitter and fitter. At this point we see Edson at his best again. He’s healthy, sharp and hungry.”

Johnson nearly put the U.S. ahead in the first minute, with goalkeeper Samir Handanovic just tipping his volley over the crossbar. Altidore had a good scoring chance in the 13th but skied one over the crossbar from Johnson’s cross.

“We needed a win. We’d been struggling a little bit,” Bocanegra said. “We have a three-month break until our next game, so to get the win tonight was the biggest thing for us. It wasn’t the prettiest game we’ve played, but the result was what we were looking for.”

NOTES: The U.S. is planning exhibitions at Panama on Jan. 25 and at Italy on Feb. 29. The second is a FIFA fixture date, meaning most of the player pool should be available. … With his 24th international goal, Dempsey tied Joe-Max Moore for fourth place on the U.S. scoring list, trailing only Donovan (46), Eric Wynalda (34) and Brian McBride (30). … The Americans, who have dropped to 34th in FIFA’s world rankings, finished the year 6-8-3, their worst record since going 7-9-11 in 1994. … Bocanegra received an engraved crystal cube from the U.S. Soccer Federation and a jersey from Slovenia with his name and the number “100” to mark his milestone appearance. “That was a nice, classy touch,” Bocanegra said. “I’m really proud to have accomplished this.” … Howard’s 38th victory moved him past Tony Meola for second among American goalkeepers, trailing only Kasey Keller’s 53.

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