Bikes, Blues & BBQ Rolls into Town by LEIGH JACKSON Staff Writer
The 12th annual Bikes, Blues and BBQ motorcycle rally began Wednesday and will continue until Oct. 1. The annual rally has been expanded this year to include numerous events in both Fayetteville and Springdale. “We’ve simply outgrown Fayetteville, and Bikes, Blues & BBQ is good for all of Northwest Arkansas,”said Joe Giles, executive director of the event, at a press conference earlier this year. Springdale administrators are pleased to see the growth move north of Fayetteville. “This is a very important event for Fayetteville and for Northwest Arkansas,” said Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse. “I’m excited for Springdale and just wanted to express my appreciation.” The charity rally is viewed as a boost to the local economy. “Bikes, Blues & BBQ is not only a great event, but it gives some folks help when they think they don’t have a hope,” said Lioneld Jordan, mayor of Fayetteville. “That’s what it’s about: people helping people.” A new attraction to the festival this year will be a team of stunt bike riders from Tulsa, Okla. “They will be really entertaining,” Giles said, “depending on how much you like sparks and flames.” There’s going to be a high-wire motorcycle trapeze show at the Washington County fairgrounds, and there will be some motocross events in Springdale, Giles said. The motocross was included to bring in a larger audience for Bikes, Blues & BBQ. “The kid who rides a dirt bike could care less about my Harley, but he’ll show up to watch the motocross races,” Giles said. The professional motocross races will start Friday, Sept. 30, and the amateur races will start Saturday, Oct. 1, Giles said.
Candy red polish reflects some of the Dickson Street’s booths out for the opening day of Bikes, Blues & BBQ Wednesday as this hog sits on display. The amateur races include age groups starting at 5 years old, Giles said. Cowboy Kenny Bartram will be at Bikes, Blues & BBQ this year, Giles said. Bartram is a famous freestyle motocross driver, Giles said. “Bartram will be a major growth attraction.” Another attraction will be an addition with more family friendly events. This year, Bikes, Blues & BBQ has
partnered with Cross Church to provide free snow cones for kids. There will be a family friendly area and a kids’ bicycle parade. “We are trying to help parents and kids to get more involved,” said Coleson Burns, one of the coordinators of Bikes, Blues and BBQ. Bikes, Blues and BBQ will also feature music from a variety of artists. “It’s a rally full of free music,” Giles said.“Really good, totally free music.”
Performances will start 5 p.m. Wednesday and will go until 11 p.m. every night of the rally, Giles said. There will be a $200 V.I.P experience offered to Bikes, Blues & BBQ participants this year, Giles said. There will be two concerts at the Arkansas Music Pavilion: Candlebox and Jamey Johnson, Giles said. Bikes, Blues and BBQ has become a recognized event in the state. “Gov. [Mike] Beebe even said that
JACKI FROST STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
we are the official Arkansas state BBQ cook-off,” said Ron Autry, one of the coordinators of Bikes, Blues and BBQ. “When Bikes, Blues & BBQ started, there were only six teams in the cookoff. Last year, there were 52,” Autry said. There will be a “people’s choice awards” BBQ cook-off event Friday night at the Washington County fairgrounds. The first 3,500 ticket buyers will be allowed to vote, Autry said.
FEATURES THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER WEEKENDER
PAGE 2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
FEATURES EDITOR: LAUREN LEATHERBY ASST. FEATURES EDITOR: KELSI FORD
Bikes, Blues & BBQ:
Cloud Nine for the Grease-Lover’s Soul by LAUREN LEATHERBY Features Editor
COURTESY PHOTO
Home or Away: A Festive Weekend Student Dilemma by STUART ROBINSON Contributing Writer
Scorching temperatures have finally given way to cool afternoons, a subtle reminder that it’s time to make one of the biggest decisions of the fall semester – stay in Fayetteville for Bikes, Blues & BBQ or roll down to Arlington to call the Hogs? Nearly 400,000 enthused motorcyclists will take over Northwest Arkansas Sept. 28 through Oct. 1 for the 12th annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ
rally. The hub of the festivities is Dickson Street, meaning that campus, too, will be swarming with tattooed biceps and thunderous Harleys. This is cause enough for many students and residents of the city to want to escape elsewhere. Fortunately, they have somewhere good to go. The third annual Southwest Classic is taking place Saturday at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. ESPN is
HOME OR AWAY on page 3
Barbecue, funnel cakes, Philly cheese steaks, ribs and deep-fried pickles – if there is any weekend to indulge, Bikes, Blues & BBQ is the time. Bikes, Blues & BBQ annually brings infinite amounts of deliciously buttered, fried and sweetened food – a fattening culinary Heaven on our very own Dickson Street. Admittedly, the vendors’ food is not known for its health benefits. “Everything’s deep-fried,” said Amanda Short, a worker last year at a concession stand owned by Carsten Concessions. “It’s not really healthy at all.” Indulgences in such treats on special occasions is okay, but moderation is key, said Cindy Moore, a UA assistant professor of food, human nutrition and hospitality. Moderation just might be the thing that bikers attending the festival need to learn. “We’ve had the EMS have to come and take people to the hospital because they overindulge themselves,” said Coleson Burns, assistant event director of Bikes, Blues & BBQ. Many vendors see this overindulgence firsthand. Talon Carsten of Carsten Concessions has been working at Bikes, Blues & BBQ for the last 10 years, and has seen his fair share of overeating. Bikers often place big orders – “a lot of four and six items at a time at least during nighttime,” Carsten said. Other vendors agree. “Bikers sometimes order massive amounts,” said Felix Etheridge, a worker last year at Pat’s Kitchen concession stand. “Once we have a good crowd going, they’ll come up and buy a whole bunch at one time,” Etheridge said. Eating massive amounts of fatty food at one time can immediately cause acid reflux and indigestion, said Jerald Foote, a UA associate professor of food
and human nutrition. It also has the potential to cause much more damage. “There is some research indicating the chance of a heart attack increases after a large fatty meal,” Foote said, “And if the individual has diabetes, the surge in blood glucose and fat both can be problematic. It can be risky.” The long-term effects of a high-fat diet may include cardiovascular disease, strokes and has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, obesity and diabetes, Foote said. In addition to bad health effects later down the road, eating a high-fat diet can have immediate effects on the way people eat food. “It is much easier to consume too many calories on a regular basis if one consumes a highfat diet,” Moore said. “Plus, people just don’t feel as good or have the energy level they need when they are carrying around excess body fat.” Vendors aren’t apologetic about the amounts of food that bikers buy. When customers buy a lot from a C&D Concessions stand, workers see it from a perspective of proof that their food is delicious. “We enjoy it because we know our product is good,” said Debbie Bilderback of C&D Concessions at last year’s event. “We’re putting out a good product, so we know they enjoy our food. That’s what we like.” While cardiovascular disease is linked to a high-fat diet over a long time, health fanatics may face serious consequences too if they try to intervene. “Telling a biker what to eat is linked to black eyes, fat lips and a knot on your head,” Foote said. Until a fat-free funnel cake is introduced, bikers will likely continue to enjoy delicious barbecue, Philly cheese steaks, corndogs and deep-fried Snickers bars. And if they’ve chosen to indulge only for this weekend and this weekend only, they should go right ahead.
Brisket Adds Smoky Flavor to Weekend
Ten-inch Philly steak sandwich 980 calories 66 grams of fat
Funnel cake 760 calories 44 grams of fat
Deep-fried Snickers 450 calories 30 grams of fat
Corndog 250 calories 15 grams of fat
EMILY RHODES STAFF WRITER
by EMILY RHODES Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again. The bikes come roaring, the barbecue is plentiful and the blues are blasting from every corner of Dickson. Bikes, Blues & BBQ is coming to town, and in true Fayetteville tradition, it’s only fitting to eat as much smoked meat as possible. Before hitting Dickson Street to celebrate at
the bars and pick up your favorite leather apparel, head to the kitchen to make this great meal. This brisket is simple to make and a great alternative for those living in dorm rooms. Slow cookers are a great appliance to have on campus, as they are energy-efficient and safe to have in your room. This meal is bursting with flavor and is made right in the kitchen, so there's no need to face the chilly
fall weather to make a great barbecue sandwich. The ingredients are inexpensive and easily duplicated to fit your biggest or smallest crowd, so invite your friends and have a potluck barbecue to celebrate the charity weekend. Estimate around half a pound of meat for each person; this recipe will serve four. Ingredients 2 lbs. brisket – I used fresh bris-
ket from Richard’s meat market, but packaged works perfectly well. 2 teaspoon garlic salt 2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder, chopped 1 medium onion 2 teaspoon liquid smoke 2 cups hickory smoked barbe-
BRISKET on page 3
1/4 rack of barbecue ribs 370 calories 24 grams of fat COURTESY PHOTOS
PAGE 3
FEATURES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
Sunshine and Chrome
GRACE GUDE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Sunshine and chrome hit the streets on Fayetteville early Wednesday morning. Bikers travel from all over the country for the event.
BRISKET from page 2 Place the brisket in the slow cooker and rub the liquid smoke over the meat until absorbed. Mix the garlic salt, pepper and onion powder together in a small bowl and then cover the brisket, really rubbing the spices into the meat. When the spices are all added, chop the onion into small chunks (no need to dice into tiny pieces) and add to the slow cooker. Cover the meat and onion with the barbecue sauce, and turn the slow cooker on low. The barbecue sauce will look thick when you first turn the cooker on, but as the meat cooks, the juices will incorporate with the sauce, and it will thin with time. It’s important to cook the brisket low and slow to get the perfect pullapart meat, so cook for seven to eight hours to get great tenderness. After the allotted time, pull the meat apart into chunks and enjoy on burger buns for a tasty brisket sandwich or make into a full meal with veggies and mashed potatoes. The brisket has so many flavors and is tender and delicious with any side item. Accompanied by the liquid smokiness and tangy barbecue sauce, this is the perfect meal to celebrate the 2011 Bikes, Blues & BBQ weekend. So, before heading to your favorite spot to enjoy the sights and sounds of biker bliss, enjoy creating your own barbecue dish to compare to the smokers on Dickson Street.
AD SPACE AD:
EMILY RHODES STAFF WRITER
HOME OR AWAY from page 2 airing the televised game between the Razorbacks and Texas A&M, which begins at 11 a.m. Brandon McKay, a senior and civil engineering major, is one of many students who will be making the trip south. “I have a lot of friends in the Dallas area, so it will be good to see them,” McKay said. “I had fun at the game in Arlington last year and can’t wait to go again this weekend.” Despite roaring sounds and late night shenanigans, Bikes, Blues & BBQ is an event that greatly boosts the local and state economies each year. It’s the “largest motorcycle rally in the United States benefiting local charities,” according to the event’s website. Hundreds of thousands of people attend the rally from all 50 states and many other countries. An estimated $35 million was expended to Arkansas businesses during the rally in 2005, according to a study conducted by the University of Arkansas Center for Business and Economic Research. And with the rally attracting more and more visitors each year, that revenue increases. Despite the expenses of traveling to Texas to watch the Hogs, an overwhelming number of students agree it’s worth skipping Bikes, Blues & BBQ. Rob Curry, a junior and industrial engineering major, is another student who will join the caravan of Razorback fans to the Lone Star state. “Even though we lost last weekend, I’m excited to go watch the game this weekend and see Cowboy Stadium,” Curry said. Though many students have chosen to attend the football game Saturday, they will still be able to enjoy part of Bikes, Blues & BBQ because the rally kicks off on Wednesday. For a calendar of events and information regarding Bikes, Blues & BBQ visit www.bikesbluesandbbq.org.
OPINION EDITOR:SABA EDITOR: SABA NASEEM
PAGE 4 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011
MANAGING EDITOR: MATTIE QUINN
Traveler Quote of the Day “We are expecting 3040,000 more people this weekend,” - Steve Clark, CEO of
Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce on Bikes, Blues, & BBQ
MARCUS FEREIRA STAFF CARTOONIST
Bikes, Blues & BBQ Good for Fayetteville ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper of the University of Arkansas, is published every day during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays. Opinions expressed in signed columns or cartoons are those of the individual writers and cartoonist and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editor makes all final content decisions. One copy of The Arkansas Traveler is free to every member of the UA community. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents each. Mail subscriptions for delivery within the continental United States can be purchased for $125.00 per semester. Contact the Traveler Business Manager to arrange.
Rocket Science
by Joe Kieklak Traveler Columnist
CONTACT 119 Kimpel Hall University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701 Main: 479.575.3406 Fax: 479.575.3306 traveler@uark.edu facebook.com/uatrav twitter.com/uatrav
STAFF EDITORIAL SABA NASEEM Editor -in-Chief 575-8455 traveler@uark.edu
MATTIE QUINN Managing Editor 575-7694 travmgr@uark.edu
LAUREN LEATHERBY Features Editor 575-7540 travlife@uark.edu
JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor 575-7051 travsprt@uark.edu
ZACH TURNER Asst. Sports Editor
SAMANTHA WILLIAMS Enterprise Editor 575-3226
BOBBIE FOSTER News Editor 575-3226 travnews@uark.edu
CHAD WOODARD
Asst. News Editor
KELSI FORD
Asst. Features Editor
JORDAIN CARNEY Opinion Editor
SARAH CHAMPAGNE Photo Editor BEN FLOWERS Asst. Photo Editor
ADVERTISING & DESIGN CANNON MCNAIR Sales Manager 575-3839 travad1@uark.edu
JAIME HOLLAND Account Executive 575-3899 travad2@uark.edu
ZACHARY FRY
AARON TAN
Respectfully, Rachelle Cagle Receptionist Pat Walker Health Center
The Traveler Board’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly The Good
ANDY KOUCKY
(
Amazon’s recently revealed tablet. (Watch out Apple.)
—
Israeli housing plans have angered Palestinians...again.
:
Sports Designer
(
TAYLOR WHITE
Graphic Designer
(
DYLAN CRAIG
—
Despite health care law, health insurance costs have increased an average of nine percent, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Iran is mass producing a new missile. The president’s job approval rating has hit a new low.
: ((
Features Designer
Citizen charged with U.S. Capitol terror plot.
:
LEAH YOUNG
Graphic Designer
A majority of GOP voters favor raising taxes on wealthy, according to a Daily Kos poll.
—
The Ugly
: ((
News Designer
:)
CELI BIRKE
SARAH COLPITTS
:)
Lead Designer/ Web Developer
Texas A&M vs Arkansas in Dallas Saturday.
The Bad
: ((
Account Executive 575-8714 travad3@uark.edu
Joe Kieklak is a columnist for the Arkansas Traveler. He is a freshman majoring in philosophy and journalism.
I am writing today about the article in Monday’s paper (Vol 106 No. 21) concerning childcare on campus. I am a student, mother and member of the Faculty/Staff. I work full time at the Pat Walker Health Center. This article highlighted the Infant Development Center and the Nursery School as a nod to the UA’s awareness of student parents. May I say (and I speak for many moms and dads) that IDC is outrageously priced and both centers have hours that are completely unrealistic. Two-hundred dollars a week is out of most parents’ budgets, let alone student parents. I am happy to hear that a new childcare facility is being constructed, however I think even more should be done concerning on-campus childcare. One-hundred and forty spots are not nearly enough to accommodate the need of student parents. Also, what about our Faculty/Staff who have children under the age of five years old? Wouldn’t it be beneficial to the university as a whole to make some sort of childcare available on campus for them as well? Think of the jobs it would create and the peace of mind that parents would be given. I for one would be willing to work in such a facility on campus and would definitely enroll my two-year-old son in an on-campus day care even if I didn’t work there. I have struggled to afford day care, balance work, family and school for my entire career at the university. IDC was a big let down for me when I was looking for infant care. I am a rising junior (English Major) and have had to withdraw from classes more than once while having difficulty balancing school, work and family. I urge the university to support its campus community of parents with bigger efforts.
Campus Account Executive 575-7594 travad4@uark.edu Campus Account Executive 575-7594 travad4@uark.edu
for the noise, but welcome it as just another part of the rally. A grand experience. Finally, people tend to stereotype the biking crowd, which is one of the best parts of the rally — the people attending it. Not every biker is a kind-hearted soul, but then again, neither is every driver, or even every person we pass daily as we walk to class. Each biker has a different story, a different hometown and, of course, a different motorcycles. We should thank every biker for what they bring to the city. Even if you aren’t into the bikes, as Jordan points out it’s an opportunity to experience something different. So this week, if you haven’t already, walk down Dickson and catch another element that has been a Fayetteville claim to fame for more than ten years, and has helped to always “Keep Fayetteville Funky.”
Dear Editor,
:
ERIK NORTHFELL
especially about the donations. “The estimates are between a $35-$50 million impact from as many as 400,000 visitors to Northwest Arkansas. That, plus donations to local charitable groups, is positive,” said Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan. What both Giles and Mayor Jordan highlight is the strong economic impact that the city is being graced with, which, would be impossible without the large number of people creating the traffic, though sometimes unpleasant. One aspect of the event that isn’t funneling very much money into the city is noise. The issue has long been a complaint, but after considering how much business the “noise” is bringing, should we really look down upon it? Also, riding in on that noise are the bikers. These thousands of people each have an individual story to tell, and come from all over the nation. We should be embracing everything this noise represents. While I’ll cede that I’m not a huge fan, I will say that it’s only a few days, and we should see to it that we don’t shun the rally
Letter to the Editor
:)
Account Executive 575-8714 travad3@uark.edu
MICY LIU
It’s officially underway, the 12th year. The largest motorcycle rally in Arkansas, and largest non-profit rally in the nation began yesterday, fit with roaring choppers, carnival food and music from the roots — Bikes, Blues & Barbecue. When I moved here in the fourth grade, I didn’t understand the tradition. It seemed like a fusion of terrible, congested traffic and odd black leather. My dad took my family and me to the corner of College Avenue and Maple Street to watch a parade of bikes that seemed to go on for hours, and all I could think about was getting home to the air conditioning, and a quiet neighborhood. Which, is how a lot of
people, students and Fayetteville residents alike, still view the event. This is perfectly reasonable; the rally brings in a lot of traffic, noise and the biker stereotype isn’t extremely friendly. If you’re new to the event, don’t expect to catch a bus from Dickson until Saturday that is running on time, or get anywhere in a timely manner if you’re using main roads like College Avenue. Yet, we have to remember what this traffic is bringing. People. In this expedient economy, the more people we have in town, the better. While vendors do take some profit away from the city, bikers will be eating and shopping in Fayetteville, boosting the local economy. “The one thing that we keep first and foremost in mind is what will our customer like. Everyone who comes to town, we consider them our customer, our clientele, our friends. What is good for them?” said Joe Giles, executive director of Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue. “That all translates into donation dollars for our charities, and our charities are the most important thing about it.” Giles is completely right,
A study has shown that students’ memory of the civil rights has diminished.
OPINION EDITOR:SABA EDITOR: SABA NASEEM
PAGE 4 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
MANAGING EDITOR: MATTIE QUINN
Traveler Quote of the Day “We are expecting 3040,000 more people this weekend,” - Steve Clark, CEO of
Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce on Bikes, Blues, & BBQ
MARCUS FEREIRA STAFF CARTOONIST
Bikes, Blues & BBQ Good for Fayetteville ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper of the University of Arkansas, is published every day during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays. Opinions expressed in signed columns or cartoons are those of the individual writers and cartoonist and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editor makes all final content decisions. One copy of The Arkansas Traveler is free to every member of the UA community. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents each. Mail subscriptions for delivery within the continental United States can be purchased for $125.00 per semester. Contact the Traveler Business Manager to arrange.
Rocket Science
by Joe Kieklak Traveler Columnist
CONTACT 119 Kimpel Hall University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701 Main: 479.575.3406 Fax: 479.575.3306 traveler@uark.edu facebook.com/uatrav twitter.com/uatrav
STAFF EDITORIAL SABA NASEEM Editor -in-Chief 575-8455 traveler@uark.edu
MATTIE QUINN Managing Editor 575-7694 travmgr@uark.edu
LAUREN LEATHERBY Features Editor 575-7540 travlife@uark.edu
JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor 575-7051 travsprt@uark.edu
ZACH TURNER Asst. Sports Editor
SAMANTHA WILLIAMS Enterprise Editor 575-3226
BOBBIE FOSTER News Editor 575-3226 travnews@uark.edu
CHAD WOODARD
Asst. News Editor
KELSI FORD
Asst. Features Editor
JORDAIN CARNEY Opinion Editor
SARAH CHAMPAGNE Photo Editor BEN FLOWERS Asst. Photo Editor
ADVERTISING & DESIGN CANNON MCNAIR Sales Manager 575-3839 travad1@uark.edu
JAIME HOLLAND Account Executive 575-3899 travad2@uark.edu
ZACHARY FRY
AARON TAN
Respectfully, Rachelle Cagle Receptionist Pat Walker Health Center
The Traveler Board’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly The Good
ANDY KOUCKY
(
Amazon’s recently revealed tablet. (Watch out Apple.)
—
Israeli housing plans have angered Palestinians...again.
:
Sports Designer
(
TAYLOR WHITE
Graphic Designer
(
DYLAN CRAIG
—
Despite health care law, health insurance costs have increased an average of nine percent, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Iran is mass producing a new missile. The president’s job approval rating has hit a new low.
: ((
Features Designer
Citizen charged with U.S. Capitol terror plot.
:
LEAH YOUNG
Graphic Designer
A majority of GOP voters favor raising taxes on wealthy, according to a Daily Kos poll.
—
The Ugly
: ((
News Designer
:)
CELI BIRKE
SARAH COLPITTS
:)
Lead Designer/ Web Developer
Texas A&M vs Arkansas in Dallas Saturday.
The Bad
: ((
Account Executive 575-8714 travad3@uark.edu
Joe Kieklak is a columnist for the Arkansas Traveler. He is a freshman majoring in philosophy and journalism.
I am writing today about the article in Monday’s paper (Vol 106 No. 21) concerning childcare on campus. I am a student, mother and member of the Faculty/Staff. I work full time at the Pat Walker Health Center. This article highlighted the Infant Development Center and the Nursery School as a nod to the UA’s awareness of student parents. May I say (and I speak for many moms and dads) that IDC is outrageously priced and both centers have hours that are completely unrealistic. Two-hundred dollars a week is out of most parents’ budgets, let alone student parents. I am happy to hear that a new childcare facility is being constructed, however I think even more should be done concerning on-campus childcare. One-hundred and forty spots are not nearly enough to accommodate the need of student parents. Also, what about our Faculty/Staff who have children under the age of five years old? Wouldn’t it be beneficial to the university as a whole to make some sort of childcare available on campus for them as well? Think of the jobs it would create and the peace of mind that parents would be given. I for one would be willing to work in such a facility on campus and would definitely enroll my two-year-old son in an on-campus day care even if I didn’t work there. I have struggled to afford day care, balance work, family and school for my entire career at the university. IDC was a big let down for me when I was looking for infant care. I am a rising junior (English Major) and have had to withdraw from classes more than once while having difficulty balancing school, work and family. I urge the university to support its campus community of parents with bigger efforts.
Campus Account Executive 575-7594 travad4@uark.edu Campus Account Executive 575-7594 travad4@uark.edu
for the noise, but welcome it as just another part of the rally. A grand experience. Finally, people tend to stereotype the biking crowd, which is one of the best parts of the rally — the people attending it. Not every biker is a kind-hearted soul, but then again, neither is every driver, or even every person we pass daily as we walk to class. Each biker has a different story, a different hometown and, of course, a different motorcycles. We should thank every biker for what they bring to the city. Even if you aren’t into the bikes, as Jordan points out it’s an opportunity to experience something different. So this week, if you haven’t already, walk down Dickson and catch another element that has been a Fayetteville claim to fame for more than ten years, and has helped to always “Keep Fayetteville Funky.”
Dear Editor,
:
ERIK NORTHFELL
especially about the donations. “The estimates are between a $35-$50 million impact from as many as 400,000 visitors to Northwest Arkansas. That, plus donations to local charitable groups, is positive,” said Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan. What both Giles and Mayor Jordan highlight is the strong economic impact that the city is being graced with, which, would be impossible without the large number of people creating the traffic, though sometimes unpleasant. One aspect of the event that isn’t funneling very much money into the city is noise. The issue has long been a complaint, but after considering how much business the “noise” is bringing, should we really look down upon it? Also, riding in on that noise are the bikers. These thousands of people each have an individual story to tell, and come from all over the nation. We should be embracing everything this noise represents. While I’ll cede that I’m not a huge fan, I will say that it’s only a few days, and we should see to it that we don’t shun the rally
Letter to the Editor
:)
Account Executive 575-8714 travad3@uark.edu
MICY LIU
It’s officially underway, the 12th year. The largest motorcycle rally in Arkansas, and largest non-profit rally in the nation began yesterday, fit with roaring choppers, carnival food and music from the roots — Bikes, Blues & Barbecue. When I moved here in the fourth grade, I didn’t understand the tradition. It seemed like a fusion of terrible, congested traffic and odd black leather. My dad took my family and me to the corner of College Avenue and Maple Street to watch a parade of bikes that seemed to go on for hours, and all I could think about was getting home to the air conditioning, and a quiet neighborhood. Which, is how a lot of
people, students and Fayetteville residents alike, still view the event. This is perfectly reasonable; the rally brings in a lot of traffic, noise and the biker stereotype isn’t extremely friendly. If you’re new to the event, don’t expect to catch a bus from Dickson until Saturday that is running on time, or get anywhere in a timely manner if you’re using main roads like College Avenue. Yet, we have to remember what this traffic is bringing. People. In this expedient economy, the more people we have in town, the better. While vendors do take some profit away from the city, bikers will be eating and shopping in Fayetteville, boosting the local economy. “The one thing that we keep first and foremost in mind is what will our customer like. Everyone who comes to town, we consider them our customer, our clientele, our friends. What is good for them?” said Joe Giles, executive director of Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue. “That all translates into donation dollars for our charities, and our charities are the most important thing about it.” Giles is completely right,
A study has shown that students’ memory of the civil rights has diminished.
PAGE 5
FEATURES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
by NICK BROTHERS Staff Writer
Well everyone, it’s that time of year again. Motor kickbacks resounding off the walls of the residence halls well into the night, men with strange—yet very impressive—facial hair, people of all ages in full leather attire, faint smells of fine barbecue and tobacco, tattoos of all kinds, numerous emblems of fire and skulls and bandannas everywhere. Beginning Sept. 28, Dickson Street will become a full-fledged motorcycle rally, full with barbecue, tons of live music, beer gardens and all types of vendors selling their wares. For those unfamiliar with the event, Bikes, Blues & BBQ is a major motorcycle rally that was founded in 2000 by Richard
Watson, then police chief of Fayetteville; Steve Ward, president of Fayetteville’s Chamber of Commerce; and Neal Crawford, the owner of Jose’s Mexican Restaurant, according to bikesbluesandbbq.org. Judging from what they had seen across the nation at other bike rallies, they thought Northwest Arkansas could largely benefit from it. Plus, the area’s location in the scenic Ozark Mountains would make the perfect fit for such an event. The first rally started with a little more than 300 bikers, and it has since grown to an estimated 400,000 people who attended the rally last year from all 50 states and many other countries, according to its website. In a rally a few years ago, Arkansas businesses brought in an estimated $35 million during Bikes, Blues & BBQ, according to a 2005 study conducted by the University of Arkansas Center for
Business and Economic Research, and the event has only grown since then. The rally also prides itself on being a charitable event, and has donated more than $500,000 to local charities since it began in 2000, according to its website. Students who moonlight as bikers should get ready for an awesome weekend. But for those who aren’t - and let’s face it, probably more than 95 percent of students aren’t - the festival is cool in theory, but there really isn’t much to do. Non-biker students will likely be walking around with a bunch of leather-clad piratelooking people and a lot of loud noises. That’s where these ideas will come in handy to get the most out of the festival. It can actually be a lot of fun if you make it out to be.
The most interesting thing to observe about this festival, second to the people who attend, would without a doubt be its awesome motorcycles and choppers. The easiest way to look at all of the bikes is to stroll up and down Dickson Street, checking out all the designer and rare-model bikes parked along the streets. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Among the truly impressive are the always funny novelty bikes that make their appearance. A highlight of last year’s festival was a chopper with a full charcoal grill attached to its body. For students ambitiously considering buying their own motorcycle, there probably isn’t a better time than this to ask advice from the pros here on what to get.
If there is one thing that this article can do to educate readers with what to do at Bikes, Blues & BBQ, it’s to people watch. Is this also known as creeping? Of course it’s creeping, but no one is going to judge, because that’s what everyone at this rally will be doing. They will be observing and entertaining themselves with the sights and spectacles of every biker enthusiast that comes to town. It’s a lot of fun when you take the time to appreciate the clothes, the variety of hair styles, the sheer amount of leather that people are wearing, the uniqueness of facial hair and the outrageous tattoos. One more time, readers: tattoos. They will never disappoint.
We’re talking about the blues, man; meaning one-totwo guitars on tube overdrive, a bass “walking” through every song, drums keeping your body moving and vocals ranging from raspy and gravelly to soulful and deep. Prepare yourself for talented intense solos and a variety of stellar musicianship from blues artist local and far. The lineup includes Little Hoojin, Trick Bag, Kory Montgomery, The Nace Brothers, Dante and the Hawks, Uncrowned Kings, Louisiana Crossroads, Oreo Blue, David Kimbrough, Jr. and many more throughout each day. At the AMP, Candlebox will light up the stage Thursday night, and Friday night Jamey Johnson will play.
Probably the next greatest thing about the festival is the copious amounts of food there is to consume the most obvious being the amount of great barbecue brought to the rally. Friday night, Sept. 30, $6 will grant you access into the People’s Choice Barbecue Contest at the Washington County Fairgrounds, located at 2356 N. McConnell Ave. On top of all of that, there are a lot of carnival foods, like funnel cake, foot-long corn dogs and countless other questionable fried foods. Don’t be afraid to eat like a ravenous crazy person - that’s the idea here.
COURTESY PHOTOS
For some unconventional fun: -Lawn Mower Pulls at 4 p.m. Friday for staging and 5 p.m. for full-on pulls at the Washington Fairgrounds. There are people on enhanced lawn mowers towing trailers literally five or more times its own size. Get real. -Get a gang of people who own scooters and mopeds together. Then, with all your pride and glory, take to Dickson Street with all your 55-mph-max vehicles showing the rally you know what’s up. Applause is almost guaranteed; themed attire optional. -Dress up. What do you think a stereotypical biker looks like? Find
your wardrobe at thrift stores, Walmart or deep within your closet.
-The Circus Una Motorcycle Highwire Thrill Show will be show-
Use sharpies for tattoos, wear bandannas or skullcaps, and the more
cased at the Washington County Fairgrounds this year on Friday and
leather, skulls, and sleeveless, the better. For the ladies, be sure to use
Saturday throughout the day. It’s two beautiful women, a motorcy-
red lipstick and smoky eye shadow/mascara. Or, if you’re up for per-
cleand a 50 ft tall high wire. Worth it.
sonifying an antonym, dress to the nines in a clean cut suit or dress. Bicycle optional.
-Busk. For those with the ability, busking is whenever you do some sort of street performance, which is usually playing instruments for
-Get together with friends and hold records for how many different
tips. There will be thousands of people walking through Dickson
types of people you can count. For example, how many men with fun-
Street. If you can find a nice corner before other people do, set up shop
nel cakes in hand, Willie Nelson look-alikes, confederate flag-themed
for some pay. Keep in mind your audience though. Knowing Lynyrd
clothes and women in lace.
Skynyrd is a must.
NEWS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER WEEKENDER
NEWS EDITOR: BOBBIE FOSTER ASST. NEWS EDITOR: CHAD WOODARD
PAGE 6 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
Bikes, Blues & BBQ Could Cause Transit Delays by CICELY SHANNON Contributing Writer
Bikers have already flooded Dickson Street on Wednesday, September 28 as the 12th year of Bikes, Blues, and BBQ begins.
GRACE GUDE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
City Officials Expect Millions in Revenue by BOBBIE FOSTER News Editor
Fayetteville chamber of commerce officials are expecting an extra $100 million to be spent during Bikes, Blues & BBQ this weekend. “It is the fourth largest bike rally in the country and the only family friendly rally,” said Steve Clark, CEO of the Fayetteville chamber of commerce. The Fayetteville chamber of commerce counts each visitor once for every day, Clark said, “We count vendors, producers and bikers. We are expecting an extra 35,000 more
people because of the expansion to Springdale this year.” Some businesses on Dickson Street make special arrangements for the event. “We set a table out fount [of the store] with sun glasses to bring people into the store,” said Amy White, Something Urban owner and manager. All animal print and black clothing items are placed in the front window, White said. “It is not a great weekend, we loose a lot of regular customers, but we do a lot of business.” Something Urban offers free shipping, White said, which is a big draw for the
bikers. “We also sell a lot of boots and shoes,” White said. During the event, White uses the opportunity to make some money for the Fayetteville Humane Society, she said. “We take donations for bathroom use on behalf of the humane society,” White said. Some businesses off of Dickson Street do not always expect big profits. “We are not really sure if we will make a lot this weekend,” said Amy Smith, owner of Lucky Luke’s BBQ. “We do not have a booth on Dickson
Street this year.” The booth caused scheduling conflicts and spread things out too far, Smith said. “We over stalked for the weekend,” Smith said. Bikes, Blues & BBQ has an impact like a big game weekend, Clark said. “We are expecting 3040,000 more people this weekend,” Clark said. The exact numbers for the economic impact for the last four or five years are not known, but the rally has grown of the years, Clark said.
Buses Will be Tracked with New GPS System by JACK SUNTRUP Staff Writer
A new software will allow the Department of Transit and Parking to locate buses, count passengers, track miles driven and conduct electronic vehicle inspections, said transit officials. “We’re going to make sure that when the bus is rolling down the street that we’re gathering information on the miles that the bus is going and hours of operation that the bus is logging,” Mike Seither, associate director of transit said. He also noted how electronic vehicle inspections will help with safety. “When the vehicle’s inspected in the morning by the operator, he’s doing it and entering it into a electronic device to make sure he’s doing proper vehicle inspection to make sure the buses are safe,”
Seither said. A key component to the new technology will be to make the location of buses available to the public. Seither said he hopes this will be a three step process. “Step one will be to gather all the information we need. Step two will be to do web enabling and three will be to do specific smartphone enabling,” he said. Department officials are also weighing how they should buy the equipment. “We talked about using TransLoc, who provides vehicle location to schools like Alabama, Auburn and Florida,” Seither said. “They want $175,000 for the first 18 months and $50,000 for every six months after that -- and all they provide is somebody to look at their cell phone and see where the bus is.” A more economical way is
WEEKEND EVENTS: For students, faculty or staff members looking for things to do besides attending Bikes, Blues and BBQ this weekend, there are other events going on in Northwest Arkansas.
Lincoln Apple Festival The festival will begin Friday at 9 a.m. and will end on Sunday at 3 p.m. The event features an arts and crafts fair as well as a parade. More information can be found at http://www.arkansasapplefestival.org
The Gridiron Show The show will be Friday and Saturday at 7:30 at the Rogers Little Theater. The Gridiron show, themed “True Grit-Iron” this year, is a parody of local, national and world news written by the members of the Society of Professional Journalists and preformed by local journalists and public figures. Tickets are $25 and will include the show and reception during intermission.
to find an alternative source that provides more services. The department is still working out whether to have someone at the university write the smartphone app or go with someone that has already done it professionally, Seither said. “Once we have the GPS installed and there’s a database of information available to an IP address, at that point we’ve got people on campus that are working to develop a webbased vehicle locator system,” he said. “We’ve also been approached by [many] companies who can write iPhone apps and smartphone apps.” The tracking technology is unnecessary, said Taylor Cole, senior. “I wouldn’t buy it,” she said. “I really don’t think it’s a good use of money. You can just pick up a map to find out where (the bus) is.” “I want the transit system to operate smoothly and he noted that the GPS technology is an addition to other transit technology,” Seither said. “It’s a trade-off, I suppose, if you want the latest technology, but ultimately we really wanted the grassroots of transit to really work as well as we can make it,” Seither said. “We will have the same balls on the screen as TransLoc provides but we will also have an awful lot more information as well, and for a lot less money.” Students said the new tracking system would be helpful, especially when the buses are running late. “That would help me so much,” said sophomore Chris Lyngaas. “Sometimes (the bus) is 15 or 20 minutes late.
Which, you know, if you’re relying to get to class on time for the bus, then that sucks.”
The Bikes Blues & BBQ Motorcycle Rally will cause delays and detours in some regular bus routes, including the Brown, Purple, Grey, Green reduced, Purple reduced, and Blue reduced, according to Razorback Transit department officials. There are three problem areas: Dickson Street, the area around the Washington County Fairgrounds and the area around Baum Stadium, UA transit officials said. “The Brown route will be most affected because the bus makes frequent stops on Dickson Street,” said Don Austin, transit operations supervisor. Normally, buses on the Brown route leave campus heading east on Maple Street and then Lafayette Street, Austin said. During the rally, buses will have to take a detour to Church Street, because Dickson Street will be closed off to anything vehicles motorcycles. “The bus will not be able to stop at the corner of Highland Avenue and Dickson or at the corner of Church and Dickson,” Austin said. The normal stops at the Walton Arts Center, the Dickson Street Bookshop and Bell Engineering will not accessible to students, Austin said. It’s going to cause the normal 20-minute Brown Route to take 30 minutes or more, depending on traffic, Austin said. Students did not express
anger over the changes. “It’s not life crushing,” said Doug Pollock,sophomore, undeclared major. “I am sure we will still get to class and get back home eventually.” “If they have alternative routs it will be okay,” said Britt Coello, undeclared major and sophomore. Delays are also expected at the Washington County Fairgrounds during the BBQ contest, Austin said. “We’re going to have detours and times we are unable to go out that way at all,” Austin said. The Purple reduced route can expect delays around Baum Stadium because of activities and vendors in that area. Delays should be mostly late afternoons and evenings. The police now say that they have no plans to close any streets except Dickson Street, but when traffic and the bikes get heavy they will make the decision at that time, Austin said. Officials predicted Saturday will be the worst day for traffic. During the parade we’ll be shut down for a period of time of probably 30 minutes when we won’t be able to move at all in the areas affected by the rally, Austin said. Delays will be dependant upon how many bikes will be in town. It’s going to be a bigger impact on it this year because the activities are so spread out, Austin said.
MARY MCKAY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Each year Dickson Street becomes a haven for the roaring engines. More than 30,000 bikers are expected to come to Fayetteville for the festival.
DOWNTIME THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER WEEKENDER
PAGE 7 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
LAUGH IT UP
Comics, Games, & Much Much More!
SUDOKU
Q: Why do businessmen carry umbrellas? A: Because umbrellas can’t walk. Q: What did the carpenters call their brass
quartet? A: The Tuba Four.
Do you want to hear the story about the broken pencil? No? Oh well. There’s no point to it, anyway.
Difficulty:
TODAY’S SOLUTION Q: Why was the picture sent to jail? A: It was framed!
WELCOME TO FALLING ROCK
Josh Shalek
THAT MONKEY TUNE
Michael A. Kandalaft
BREWSTER ROCKIT
Tim Rickard
BLISS
Harry Bliss
CALAMITIES OF NATURE
CROSSWORD ACROSS
DOWN
1 Support gp. for the troops 4 Words of deliberation 11 Audience for 1-Across 14 Mom’s business partner 15 Concisely put 16 Hairy Addams Family cousin 17 Hotel room cleaner 19 Long-snouted fish 20 “Green” energy type 21 Opening for a peeping Tom 23 Manage, barely 27 Pelvic bones 28 Painter of melting watches 31 Arm-twisting wrestling hold 35 56-Down, biologically 36 Jumped the tracks 37 Electric car’s lack 39 Threatened 43 Like glue 45 Tire layer 46 Rodeo event with obstacles 49 Really bugs 50 “__ ain’t broke ...” 51 “Hardball” airer 53 Gridiron five-yard penalty 57 “You __ to know!” 61 Nothing at all 62 Without prior inspection 66 Ill temper 67 Vigilant against attack 68 Greenwich Village sch. 69 Divs. on some rulers 70 Attaches securely 71 Guinness suffix
1 Lines on mdse. 2 Arty Big Apple area 3 October birthstone 4 Cuba __: rum drink 5 Opposite of WSW 6 Road sealer 7 Certain bachelor, in ads 8 Relax in the tub 9 New York canal 10 Whirling water 11 Paid male escort 12 Slanted type 13 10 consecutive wins, say 18 Nativity trio 22 Broom-__: comics witch 24 Stanley Cup org. 25 Carnival pitchman 26 Singer Sumac 28 Boxer or pug 29 Gardner of “On the Beach” 30 “Deck the Halls” syllables 32 Tries to act like 33 Late news hour 34 Descartes or Russo 36 Florida’s Miami-__ County 38 Queen of Hearts’ pastries 40 EMT’s skill 41 Yellowstone grazer 42 Prefix with functional 44 Walton of Walmart 46 Like the Six Million Dollar Man 47 Declare true 48 Weapons in which you can find the starts of 17-, 31-, 46- and 62-Across 49 Closely monitored hosp. areas 52 Slugger Barry 54 “Time __ the essence” 55 Actress Merrill 56 Incubator items 58 Hereditary unit 59 Casual greetings 60 Letter-shaped fastener 63 “Survivor” shelter 64 __ kwon do 65 Java vessel
Crossword provided by MCT Campus
SOLUTION
Tony Piro
SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER WEEKENDER
PAGE 8 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
SPORTS EDITOR: JIMMY CARTER
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: ZACH TURNER
No. 18 Arkansas at No. 14 Texas a&m 3-1, 0-1 Big 12
11 a.m. Saturday, ESPN
Cowboy Stadium– Arlington, Texas
3-1, 0-1 SEC
Paging Primetime Players Top Razorbacks’ skill players trying to bounce back by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor
No. 18 Arkansas became the first school to have four receivers named to the preseason Biletnikoff Award Watch List this year. Junior Cobi Hamilton and seniors Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Joe Adams were all pegged as candidates for the award presented to the top receiver in the nation. The quartet was nearly invisible in the Southeastern Conference opener against No. 3 Alabama, though. They combined for 13 catches, but totaled just 99 yards. Hamilton hauled in an acrobatic 19-yard touchdown in the back of the endzone from junior quarterback Tyler Wilson, but the Crimson Tide had already pulled away. “Our primetime players,
our top performers, our upperclassmen, the guys that we’re counting on to come up huge and teach everyone else how to compete at an extreme level, those guys did not come through for us,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “It’s not their production that didn’t come through. It’s their competitive spirit. “I’m OK saying it because that’s what they’d expect me to say because they watched the film themselves. We are up front with each other that we don’t hide anything. We’re just not proud at all and I’m not happy at all with the way that our headline guys performed in that game.” Of Wilson’s 22 completions, 14 were for less than 10 yards. Alabama’s secondary limited the receivers after the catch. Adams came into the
game averaging 141.7 allpurpose yards per game, but was limited to 35 against the Crimson Tide, including just 37 yards on six catches. Wright leads the Razorbacks (3-1, 0-1 SEC) with three touchdown receptions, but was held to 26 yards on four catches as the Hogs had their worst offensive output since a 52-10 loss at Texas in 2008, coach Bobby Petrino’s first season. “We’ve just got to come out and play hard out wide as receivers,” Wright said. “I don’t feel like the wideouts played as well as we could’ve played or should’ve played. We’ve just got to look in the mirror, come out and play twice as hard as we did against Alabama.” Wilson paid for trying to get the ball to his playmakers
see PRIMETIME on page 9
GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas offiensive-coordinator Garick McGee challenged the Razorbacks’ primetime offensive players after a lackluster performance in a 38-14 loss at No. 3 Alabama.
In the Line of Fire What’s Next for Hogs-Aggies series? Matt Marshall and Trey Flowers fill in, play big
by MONICA CHAPMAN Staff Writer
Junior Matt Marshall and true freshman Trey Flowers entered the Alabama game with 11 combined career tackles. The duo combined for nine against the Crimson Tide, helping fill in for injured starters Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright. “I just appreciate the opportunity,” Marshall said “That’s all we ask for is opportunity. Coaches always say when we get the opportunity take it, so that’s what we did.” Bequette missed his second consecutive game against Alabama with a tweaked hamstring. Flowers entered the game after Wright broke his left arm on the opening series of the game. He made a tackle on his first play and finished with two.
He almost came up with an interception on a screen pass, but was unable to get control of the ball, allowing Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson to make the catch and race 61 yards for a touchdown. “I think about it every minute,” Flowers said. “It was just a missed opportunity. We practice over it in practice the week before. I read it good, but I just didn’t make the play.” Marshall had only five tackles entering the season, but had seven against Alabama, giving him eight this year. It felt good to almost double his career tackles, Marshall said. “Coaches always say when you get your opportunity take it,” Marshall said. “That’s what we’re trained for.” The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder is listed on the roster as a
linebacker, but played defensive end with the Hogs thin at the position. “Yeah, he did a nice job filling in for us,” defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “That’s one thing about Matt, he might not know it cleanly, but he is going to give you great effort all the time. The thing that I was really impressed with Matt, is he brought an attitude when he played, you know? “He wasn’t wishing things to happen. He was making things happen. That’s always what you’re looking for on defense.” Flowers could get extensive playing time Saturday against Texas A&M because Bequette is questionable and Wright is out four to six weeks, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. Flowers broke a finger against the
see FLOWERS on page 9
Future site for SEC Arkansas-Texas A&M series undecided by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor
Texas and Oklahoma play the annual Red River Shootout in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Georgia and Florida play the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., every season. It’s undetermined whether Arkansas and Texas A&M will keep the Southwest Classic at Cowboys Stadium when the Aggies move to the Southeastern Conference in 2012. “We wanted to play Arkansas in the Metroplex,” Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne said to the Houston Chronicle Monday of the original intentions of the Southwest Classic. “We
see HOGS-AGGIES on page 9
RYAN MILLER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas and Texas A&M will play the third game in the Southwest Classic at Cowboy Stadium Saturday. The site of the game when A&M joins the SEC in 2012 is undecided.
Aggies Changing Face of SEC by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor
LOGAN WEBSTER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER True freshman defensive end Trey Flowers (86) could start against Texas A&M if senior Jake Bequette misses a third consecutive game with a tweaked hamstring injury.
Arkansas has 23 players on its roster from Texas, most in the Southeastern Conference. That will change next year when Texas A&M joins the conference as the 13th team. The Aggies have 106 players – including walkons – from in-state on their roster. “We’re excited that they are coming into the conference,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said.
“I think that is good for us. It’s good for our recruiting. There’s been a number of guys in the last three or four years that we didn’t get to come here and they grew up watching Big 12 football and maybe chose a different school because they were used to it so much. “All of the publicity, exposure, everything that we get now with A&M coming in in the state of texas, I think helps us a lot.” Texas A&M’s move will make the Aggies the most westward school in the conference, a distinc-
tion the Razorbacks previously held. The Hogs beat Texas A&M the last two seasons in the Southwest Classic and lead the all-time series 40-24-3 “They have a very good team,” senior receiver Jarius Wright said. “Their players are just as good as players in the SEC. For them, I think it’s a good thing for them, but they’re still in the Big 12 when I play them and I won’t get the chance to play them as an SEC team.”
PAGE 9
SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
Traveler Staff Predictions NCAA/NFL
Jimmy Carter Sports Editor
Zach Turner Asst. Sports Editor
Rumil Bautista Staff Writer
Liz Beadle Staff Writer
from PRIMETIME on page 8
Monica Chapman Staff Writer
Martha Swearingen Staff Writer
Consensus
Against the Spread
No. 14 Texas A&M vs. No. 18 Arkansas (-3)
Arkansas 27-21
Arkansas 31-20
Arkansas 27-24
Arkansas 28-27
Arkansas 31-24
Arkansas 35-28
Arkansas
Arkansas
Mississippi State at Georgia (-4.5)
Georgia 28-20
Georgia 24-17
Georgia 31-28
Georgia 31-28
MSU 28-17
Georgia 28-21
Georgia
Georgia
Auburn at No. 10 South Carolina (-10.5)
S.C. 34-24
S.C. 35-20
S.C. 38-28
Auburn 41-31
S.C. 35-21
S.C. 28-21
S.C.
Even
No. 13 Clemson at No. 11 Virginia Tech (-7)
Clemson 24-16
Va. Tech 21-17
Clemson 34-31
Va. Tech 24-21
Clemson 31-24
Va. Tech 21-14
Even
Clemson
No.3 Alabama (-6) at No.12 Florida
Alabama 31-17
Alabama 28-27
Alabama 35-24
Alabama 27-13
Alabama 42-27
Alabama 24-21
Alabama
Even
No. 8 Nebraska at No. 7 Wisconsin (-7)
Wisconsin 34-14
Nebraska 31-28
Wisconsin 35-24
Wisconsin 38-14
Wisconsin 35-21
Wisconsin 30-20
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Detroit at Dallas (-1)
Dallas 23-17
Detroit 28-20
Dallas 28-17
Detroit 20-17
Dallas 24-20
Detroit 20-19
Even
Detroit
Washington at St. Louis (Even)
Washington 28-14
Washington 17-10
Washington 24-21
St. Louis 24-21
Washington 35-10
Washington 22-21
Washington
Washington
Pittsburgh at Houston (-4)
Pittsburgh 24-20
Houston 35-24
Houston 28-27
Houston 17-14
Houston 38-24
Houston 24-20
Houston
Houston
New York Jets at Baltimore (-3.5)
Baltimore 17-13
N.Y. Jets 21-20
Baltimore 30-24
N.Y. Jets 17-10
Baltimore 28-21
Baltimore 21-20
Baltimore
Even
Last Week
8-2 28-12
5-5 25-15
7-3 28-12
6-4 23-17
8-2 29-11
6-4 28-12
Year to Date
from FLOWERS on page 8 Crimson Tide, but stayed on the field. “He was in there 30-something plus snaps and he played extremely hard,” coach Bobby Petrino said. “Didn’t do everything right, but his effort and his strength helped us.” Flowers said he realized he didn’t do everything perfect. “I just went out there. I didn’t do all the right things, I just tried,” Flowers said. “I
from HOGS-AGGIES on page 8 felt once we lost our contacts with TCU and SMU, we needed a presence in the Metroplex. We still think we do. “Having said that, we need to talk to Arkansas and see whether they want to continue having a conference game in the Metroplex.” The Aggies will join become the 13th member of SEC July 1, 2012 and will play the Hogs the following season. The teams play Sat-
ARKANSAS (3-1)
RUSHING R. Wingo Jr. K. Walker D. Curtis Bran. Mitchell J. Adams T. Wilson D. Johnson PASSING T. Wilson B. Mitchell
No. 54 20 14 12 6 19 7
made sure even if I didn’t know the play I gave 100 percent and was running to the ball. Just giving effort.”
Flowers was able to get his feet wet against a BCS opponent before the game against the Aggies.
Trey Flowers
Matt Marshall
“It felt good to make a tackle, but it’s a big-time conference, big-time team. It’s still football so it isn’t my first tackle,” Flowers also said. Flowers verbally committed to Georgia Tech last fall before deciding on coming to Arkansas to play in the SEC. “It’s a nice atmosphere,” Flowers said. Coming into big time college football in the SEC. Pretty much the coaches said they really wanted me to come here so that made a lot of difference.”
urday in the third game of the 10-year Southwest Classic series. “To be honest with you, I haven’t really thought it all the way through,” Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said to ArkansasNews.com in early September. “I guess my kneejerk reaction is I would like to keep it in Dallas because of what it does for our program, what it does for our institution. All the reasons why we wanted to play that game in the first place, in my mind, are still there. But I have not
really played it all through. “It also depends on what that SEC schedule would look like and how they’re going to accomodate 13 with the schedule. So I’ve got to factor all those in, but my initial reaction is that I’d like to stay in Dallas and play in Cowboys Stadium.” Arkansas won the first two games of the series, but are the lower-ranked team – the Aggies are No. 14, the Razorbacks No. 18 – this season. The Hogs are in favor of keeping the game in Cowboys Stadium, senior receiver
Jarius Wright said. “It would be definitely great for it to stay in Dallas,” Wright said. “Going to Dallas is a great experience for the kids and being in that stadium is a feeling you can’t really replace.” Junior linebacker Alonzo Highsmith – a junior college transfer and Missouri City, Texas, native – will play his first game in Cowboys Stadium Saturday. “I am looking forward to that,” Highsmith said. “That’s like the Disneyland of football.”
Yds 260 68 60 53 51 40 17
TD 2 5 0 1 0 1 0
AVG 4.8 3.4 4.3 4.4 7.3 2.1 2.4
YPG 65.0 22.7 15.0 13.2 11.0 10.0 8.5
C-A Yds 81-121 1007
Int 3
TD 7
CMP 66.9
20-29
242
1
2
69.0
No. 21 15 14 12 10 7
Yds 235 197 271 117 129 57
TD 1 3 2 1 1 0
AVG 11.2 13.1 19.4 9.8 12.9 8.1
YPG 58.8 65.7 67.8 29.2 32.2 14.2
RECEIVING J. Adams J. Wright C. Hamilton C. Gragg R. Wingo Jr. M Wade TACKLES Solo J. Franklin 8 A. Highsmith 10 E. Bennett 8 B. Jones 3 R. Rasner 9
Ast. Total 17 25 12 22 14 22 14 17 7 16
TFL Sacks 2.5 .5 5.0 1.0 1.0 0 .5 0 1.0 1.0
2011 Season Statistics
INT 0 0 0 0 0
Thomas Called Out Defensive coordinator challenges safety by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor
Arkansas senior All-Southeastern Conference safety Tramain Thomas was pulled in the Razorbacks’ 38-14 loss at No. 3 Alabama because of Thomas was replaced by senior Elton Ford. “He was disappointed,” Thomas said. “The thing about it is, that was his last time to play against the University of Alabama. So he was very disappointed, but I’m not going to sit down there and allow what was going on during the course of the game continue, so I made a switch there. Everybody every once in a while has a bad day. He was having a bad day, so why continue it? “Probably should have done
it sooner. Probably should, but I wanted to see how much he fought back.” Thomas has 14 tackles and one interception this season. Last season, he had 83 tackles and led the team with four interceptions and four forced fumbles. “This week he knows he’s under fire and he better give us better effort, work on things,” Robinson said. “He’s still one of our leaders. Shoot, if we had gone with our evaluation after watching the game on Sunday, the guys that missed multiples tackles, we’d be starting with a whole new unit. “He’s very disappointed in it, but he knows you can’t let it happen again. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. You’ve got to tackle and that’s what he didn’t do.”
RUSHING C. Gray C. Michael R. Tannehill B. Malena
TEXAS A&M (2-1) No. 63 25 10 3
Yds 268 178 65 3
TD 4 2 1 0
AVG 4.3 7.1 6.5 1.0
YPG 89.3 59.3 21.7 1.0
C-A 75-112 4-4
Yds 892 40
Int 4 0
TD 6 0
CMP 67.0 100
RECEIVING No. R. Swope 21 J. Fuller 17 U. Nwachukwu 13 C. Gray 9 K. McNeal 7 M. Lamothe 4 H. Prioleau 2
Yds 288 186 140 71 96 26 53
TD 2 2 0 1 0 0 1
AVG 13.7 10.9 10.8 7.9 13.7 6.5 26.5
YPG 96.0 62.0 46.7 23.7 32.0 8.7 17.7
PASSING R. Tannehill J. Showers
TACKLES Solo S. Porter 12 T. Hunter 9 J. Stewart 8 G. Williams 9 T. Jerod-Eddie 4 D. Harris 9 L. Smith 6 T. Frederick 7 S. Jenkins 5
Ast. Total 11 23 11 20 11 19 10 19 10 14 3 12 5 11 3 10 4 9
TFL Sacks 5.5 3.5 .5 0 1.0 0 .5 0 3.5 3.0 0 0 0 0 2.0 1.0 0 0
Saturday, taking a beating against a physical Alabama defense. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder didn’t get sacked, but was hit 11 times after releasing a pass. “I’ve been working on teaching him how to make his reads faster and get the ball out of his hands,” McGee said. “When you ‘re playing against teams that we’re better than, that we’re faster than, it’s OK to hold the ball until the last minute and then lob balls out to people. In the conference we’re play in and the games we’re have the rest of the season, the ball has to come out of your hand fast and there has to be steam on the ball so the guys won’t close in and cut down our yards after catch. “We can take a lot of shots off of Tyler in the quarterback meeting room.” The offensive inability played a large role in the Hogs’ worst loss since a 35-7 beatdown against the Crimson Tide in 2009, the last time Arkansas visited Bryant-Denny Stadium. Following that loss, Petrino said the team didn’t believe it could win. This season, the Crimson Tide limited the high-powered Razorbacks offense, containing the Hogs’ playmakers and allowing just one play of 20 or more yards, a 39-yard pass from Wilson to junior running back Ronnie Wingo to help set up Hamilton’s touchdown grab after Alabama built a 31-7 lead in the third quarter. Whether the game remains in Arlington doesn’t concern Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino. “I don’t think that’s up to me,” Petrino said. “I’m worried about this game, this weekend. We can think about that when the football season is over with. That is the one thing I’ve always wondered is why don’t we just do all this stuff after football. I don’t’ get why we’re doing it in the middle of the football season. Obviously, nobody cares what I think.”
Wilson called a playersonly meeting for the offense Sunday night. “I think it’s important you make sure everybody is on the same page,” Wilson said. “You get to a point like this where you get beat by a pretty good margin and you’ve kind of got to realign things. It wasn’t just me. We had a group of guys that got together and we talked about what we wanted to agree about. “It was a meeting that needed to be had.” Arkansas will play No. 14 Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1 Big 12) Saturday in the third Southwest Classic. The Aggies rank No. 23 in the nation in scoring defense, but allowed 484 yards in a 30-29 loss to then-No. 8 Oklahoma State last week. “I think the OSU game that they just played on Saturday is a great game I’ve been watching on film,” Wilson said. “It shows a lot of stuff. It was a competitive game right down to the last minute. They’ve got a good defense. They played us hard last year. There’s a lot of good film.” Both the Razorbacks and Texas A&M will try to avoid a second consecutive earlyseason loss. “This is a must win, in my mind and anybody that’s here in this program,” Wilson said. “I guarantee. We’ve got to go out and have a great week of preparation, make sure we’re on the same page and execute on Saturday.”
SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
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