Where I Come From: My Favorite Razorback Football Player
by Stephen Expat on Jul 8, 2010 2:18 PM CDT
in EA Sports NCAA FB 11
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PrintThis is the fourth in a week-long series of posts sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.
When it comes to personal preferences, I'm often an "obvious answer" kind of a guy.
Favorite pizza? Pepperoni. Favorite band? The Beatles. Favorite maracas-and-tambourine player? Why, Davy Jones, of course (man, could he shred those suckers!).
So it should come as no surprise that my all-time favorite Razorback gridiron hero is … (drumroll, please) … Darren McFadden. I know, I know - not terribly original. But there it is. (For the sake of surprise, I considered naming Gary "Peanut" Adams as my fav, but my vast staff of personal assistants talked me out of it).
His talent was simply breathtaking, and his list of legendary games is seemingly endless. I won't soon forget the way he sliced through Auburn in 2006 or the Volunteers a few weeks later. And his efforts in 2007 against South Carolina (323 yards rushing) and in the triple-overtime triumph over No. 1 LSU (206 yards rushing and 34 yards passing with one touchdown pass) are among my very fondest Hog memories. This sounds cheesy, but his talent was so rare that even after Hog losses, I could say to myself, "Well, if nothing else, at least I got to watch Darren McFadden play today" and feel a little better about the situation. Just a little, though.
On top of all that, he's got personality, a certain goofiness that is on display in this delightfully insane post-game interview and in this clip of him at home with his pit bulls (federally mandated joke: I sure hope Darren doesn't invite Michael Vick over to his house. Sorry, had to say it.). To be sure, he has some less-than-admirable habits, such as fathering out-of-wedlock kids and getting into the occasional bar fight, but I'll leave the preaching about his off-the-field ways to humankind's only perfect person - Bill Bennett. Besides, I can't be hypocritical - like a lot of bloggers, I've been the subject of my fair share of paternity suits and have gotten into at least a handful of barroom brawls.
But I digress: Who is your favorite Razorback football player? Don't be shy. Say it loud and say it proud.
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Can't Argue with Darren McFadden
The guy really did have a love for the Hogs. And he was such fun to watch! But for me it is hard to pick one favorite Razorback because all of the ones you think about have such great moments associated with them. And you are always going to be prejudiced towards those players you saw play. Steve Creekmore? Wayne Schoonover? Clyde Smackover Scott? Not too many of us alive today saw them, but they were great Hogs. But if I had to name one, I would name Clint Stoerner because his career rather represents all of Razorback history to me. From the relative obscurity of the first two years, to the heights of national championship talk in year three, the fumble in Knoxville, the lowest of lows, and then the revenge game in Fayetteville the following year, Stoerner to Lucas, and a win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Clint had his faults, but he was always a tough and firey competitor with that never say die attitude, which I think is very much the Razorback spirit.
OK, here's a less obvious choice
Tom Crowder. I don’t have a press guide handy, but he was more or less a contemporary of McFadden and Jones (probably Matt Jones, now that I think about it). Totally fearless receiver, defensive back, and an absolute witch on special teams, as a gunner on the punting unit. Rumored to be the fastest Razorback on the field. I have kind of a vague memory of him in maybe the 2004 Auburn game, when things weren’t looking so good, and he made a great catch when it looked like everyone else on the team was choking. Sorry I don’t have all the documentation at hand that this nomination deserves, but there you have it.
Tom Crowder
I think he was also a really good special teams player. Can we get him another year for that reason alone? haha.
Speaking of special teams ...
Orlando Watters will forever have a special place in my heart for his insane, 70-yard, fourth-quarter punt return that sparked the Hogs’ 1992 upset of the Vols in Knoxville.
I have nominated him for sainthood and am waiting to hear back from the Vatican.
Seriously, though, what an electric moment. I was in Neyland that day and will never, never forget it.
by Stephen Expat on Jul 8, 2010 6:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Has there been a 4th quarter
punt return since then? Maybe. But I can’t recall one as timely as Orlando’s. I wish we were playing the Vols this year.
Put me in the Felix Jones fan club...
One of the best all-around players in a long time in my opinion. If it wasn’t for the big shadow he played in, he would’ve gotten a lot more recognition. I have no complaints with McFadden, I loved watching him run, but Felix is definitely something special. Special enough to command respect at the highest level! He is truly a playmaker!
"It's not by chance that I bleed Razorback Red, it's what God intended for us all!"
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