The throwback unis, pictures of which were revealed Thursday, capped what frankly feels like a week of good mojo surrounding our Hogs.
Of course, I'd have preferred Alabama had won in
Maybe A&M last year to a degree, but really, not since the Bama game of 2010 attracted Verne, Gary and the Goodyear blimp have we welcomed a game to Razorback Stadium with this much palpable excitement.
We're nowhere near the build-up to that 2010 showdown, of course, but the mojo leading up to this one feels good, doesn’t it?
The commemoration of the '64 team (the true national champs) and all the trappings therein, the announcement of the planned "wild band of Razorbacks" monument, the cautious optimism, heck, even the arrival of Gameday Lite…Saturday's gonna be a fun day on The Hill rain or shine.
I understand the mere presence of Bama has a little something to do with it. Bama's the closest thing in the SEC to the old, (I type this begrudgingly) dominating Texas squads of the SWC. You know, a benchmark. Easy to hate.
My head knows this game remains a fairly high wall for our Shoats to climb. We're still green and have proven only that we're a tough out. Plus, 104-0 and all. Ole Miss hiccup notwithstanding, Bama remains formidable and its focus will be machine-like coming off that loss.
But my heart senses that we're due: to overachieve, to finish...to revel. On a primal level. Overdue, in fact. We make it to the fourth, this time we close. Through the sheer will of an entire state, if that's what it takes. Despite my generational-appropriate hesitation to embrace field-rushing, wouldn't breaking both SEC and Bama-losing streaks — and officially emerging out of the post-Petrino wilderness — be worthy?
We'll see. A raucous crowd and opportunity await.