Granted, the Razorbacks have a strong relationship with the Cotton Bowl. The game attracts a lot of Razorback fans, which means money. Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl ensures a successful Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma and old Southwest Conference powers like Texas and Texas A&M could do as well or better. LSU would fare well, especially now. Nebraska would draw well. But Cotton Bowl organizers like the Hogs too.
It isn't fair, but money and fan support supersedes a good season. Good old capitalism puts 8-4 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl while teams with better seasons play earlier. And don't overlook the influence of the SEC, which wants the Cotton Bowl's big payout. Cotton Bowl money translates to SEC money. All of the SEC's teams enjoy equal distribution of bowl proceeds. Still, I believe Boston College deserves more than what they got, especially when an underachieving team like Arkansas is playing in the Cotton Bowl against 11-2 Missouri. It isn't fair, but clout wins out.
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Arkansas' Newfound Clout - The Razorbacks didn't always have the clout they have now, in sports or otherwise. In the 1970s and '80s, there was a perception in Arkansas that the national media didn't really respect the Razorbacks. The state didn't get a lot of respect either. Arkansas was a poor state full of barefoot hillbillies in the minds of many.
A lot of those negative perceptions changed with the rise of Wal-Mart. Sam Walton became the richest man in the world, a billionaire whose personal worth hasn't been duplicated since, not even by Bill Gates. No one could have imagined someone from northwest Arkansas achieving such a feat. Walton's success seemed surreal to many.
Then Bill Clinton ran for President of the United States. Clinton had modest goals with his candidacy. He didn't expect to win. He was merely trying to get his name in the public eye to set up a more serious run in the next election. A lot of people won't remember that. Kids might never know.
His victory over George Bush was a windfall for Arkansas. The state gained credibility. Suddenly, Arkansas' movers, shakers and Friends of Bill became prominent nationally. Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys, and an ex-Razorback won the PGA Championship. Hooray for John Daly!
Clinton's presidency drew a lot of attention from celebrities. In turn, those celebrities piled into Little Rock for his election wins. The state received more help than usual from government programs. Locals got White House jobs. Clinton's presidency helped his home state directly and indirectly. For a while, it was cool to be an Arkansan. It still is, and we all enjoyed a nice eight years whether conservative Arkansans will admit it or not.
Around the same time, Nolan Richardson built his powerhouse basketball program with Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller. The Razorbacks basketball team started winning more. They had credibility, respect, lofty seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Richardson's success continued with Corliss Williamson and Scottie Thurman. They won the 1994 national championship.
Nowadays the football Hogs are beating No.1 LSU on the road while floundering in games it should win. The athletic department is also stumbling through coaching searches and drawing harsh criticism when it finds someone. Despite the sniping, ESPN will remain infatuated with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In politics, it's the Hillary/Huckabee show. Everyone expected Hillary to run for president, but when Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy I suspected the nation would be faced with an all-Arkansas final in the general election. Matters look to wind up that way. Arkansas will likely have someone with Arkansas ties in the White House once again. This blog is betting on Hillary.
The state stands to reap rewards for sure, assuming either candidate wins. I have no doubt about this after seeing what occurred with Bill Clinton. The state's run of luck will continue. The perception nightmare of the 1970s and '80s is well over.
