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Post by Eddie Goodson on Sept 6, 2007 21:23:55 GMT -6
They were as talented as Springdale '05 in '78. I'm not stretching it. You'd have a really tough time making that argument to anybody outside of Ashley County. Springdale was ranked nationally and widely is considered to be the best team in the history of the state. It obliterated teams not just inside of Arkansas but outside of Arkansas. Mercy-ruled every single opponent, except West Memphis in the title game I think. I'm not saying that Crossett wasn't talented but you're making a comparison to a team that had the national Player of the Year, two other players who were offered by the best program in the nation and and least four others who were Division-I signees. If Crossett had been that good at the very least Arkansas would have offered seven or eight of its players that year. I'm not sure that seven or eight even signed with AIC schools. Different era Heath. Some of the best players of that era would have never went to college no matter who came calling. Several did go on to play. Grades weren't nearly as important in those days. Bill Peirce was ranked as the top QB prospect in the nation during his Sr. year. A cheap shot by a Watson Chapel defensive player ended that. He did have several offers Oklahoma, UA, and others wanted him. He ended up at Bama after an 'incident' at Fayetteville. To get an accurate picture, you have to look at the primary players from "78 to '80. There were sophomores who were major players on the '78 team. I'm telling you they reminded me a lot of the '04 LR Central team that was so dominant. The defense was stifling. The Springdale bunch now appears to be the product of a masterful public relations job. When it's all said and done, Alex Tejada will be the most successful of the bunch. Bartley Webb may never see the field at Norte Dame. Andrew Norman will at Tulsa, but won't be a factor. Damian Williams will get to play at USC, but I don't expect much from him. Mitch Mustain may get to start at USC eventually, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Ben Cleveland should be pretty good, if he is ever physically able to play again. These guys were the products of an innovative system that teams in the state weren't used to seeing. |
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Post by heathwaldrop on Sept 6, 2007 21:49:15 GMT -6
The Springdale bunch now appears to be the product of a masterful public relations job. When it's all said and done, Alex Tejada will be the most successful of the bunch. I think that you're casting judgment far too early. Reports on Mustain at USC are very good and a lot of people are saying that he's going to end up being the next starter ahead of whomever the other highly-recruited underclassman is who is there now. Williams is out hurt so there's no way to say for sure on him. I don't know anything about Webb but he's only a sophomore (perhaps a redshirt freshman) and that's incredibly young for an offensive lineman. Norman hasn't even suited up for Tulsa yet so I don't think that you can say that he won't be a factor. As for the innovative system, that was Gus Malzahn and apparently he wasn't good enough to stay at Arkansas either. There's the PR campaign. Remember, we also were told all year long last year that Broderick Green was overrated and the product of a system but at USC he drew all kinds of raves throughout the preseason (although I think that he too is out hurt now). Anytime that Houston Nutt fails to land one of these recruits, Otis Kirk and the other apologists start the sour grapes routine. You know that. |
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Post by ctownvillian on Sept 6, 2007 22:51:53 GMT -6
i seen on ESPN ( which isnt always right) that LSU leads the nation with instate starters. I mean how is it that we cant keep the good players we have here??
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Post by jwh on Sept 6, 2007 23:12:03 GMT -6
okay but how many of them went to D-2 though i mean Brandon Kidd, Trevino Scott, john grannon, Cedric carter,Dwight bridges, Cedric Collins and James hays. i mean thats just a few seniors i am probley forgetting a few. I still say if we could have beaten Stuttgart in that overtime game we would have enough momentum to take us all the way to the rock. You're talking about the 2002 team here, but you said the 2003 team before. The 2002 team was the most talented to come through Crossett at least since Johnson's best teams in the early '80s, if not ever. Of course if you have to look at where they ended up finally... •Kidd signed with U of A but never played a down of football anywhere •Scott had three decent seasons at Arkansas Tech •Grannon didn't sign with anybody •Carter signed with Arkansas Tech but never suited up •Bridges didn't sign with anybody •Collins didn't sign with anybody •Hayes signed with UAM but never made it to campus Grant Jackson (still playing at OBU) and Ray Charles Tucker (somebody told me that he's at UAPB now) also were starters. Ridiculous amount of talent on that squad. Went 7-4. I was told yesterday that Ray Charles Tucker is working at the plywood mill.... |
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Post by heathwaldrop on Sept 7, 2007 2:34:39 GMT -6
I was told yesterday that Ray Charles Tucker is working at the plywood mill.... Could be right. One of his classmates told me that he had transferred to UAPB but that might have been back in the spring, or she might have been mistaken entirely. |
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