Hey, remember when the Arkansas Razorbacks were ranked? Those were good times.
A little mourning is good for the soul. We all mourn in our own way. Some people take to twitter to aggressively lash out at other fans. Some people, like myself, punch a hole through a cheap IKEA ottoman. What I’m saying is, there is no wrong way to grieve.
And grieving time is upon us, Razorback nation. Everyone, from the coaches to the players to the fans, overlooked the Toledo Rockets. The Hogs were outplayed, out-hustled, and out coached up and down the field at War Memorial Stadium. The #18 Razorbacks are going to fall out of the top 25, and they may not see it again for a while. Coach Bret Bielema is going to have to pull off a serious mental turnaround, because literally, Toledo was the 3rd worst team on our schedule. So strap in, Hog Fans. And bring a cooler. Cause you’re going to need it.
Nothing helps me deal with pain and heartache better than music, so I’ve taken the time this evening to put together a nice little playlist to share with you. Here’s my advice: Pour a drink, keep the bottle beside you, dim the lights, and let the music take over your mind. Don’t watch other games. Because other games involve teams that win, and we’re not focusing on them right now. Now is a time for reflection and decompression.
And alcohol.
So here it is, the Sad Razorback Fan Playlist. Don’t listen while driving. Emotional drivers are the worst.
Let’s break it down song by song.
1) The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel – I mean, the opening line should speak directly to Hog fans who were around for the 2012 season and ULM game. “Hello darkness, my old friend/I’ve come to talk with you again.”
2) If We Make it Through December by Merle Haggard – The Hogs have a tough road ahead in conference play. If they can make it through to December….maybe, just maybe….they’ll be ok.
3) Arkansas Blues by Hayes Carll – The title says it all. Every time you think “maybe we’ll be ok” a moment like this happens and all these sad feelings come rushing back. Let Carll’s unique voice and sad dang lyrics take you away. “Well it’s the same old scene/Borrowed love and faded dreams./and you just can’t hide/from those Arkansas Blues.”
4) Help! by The Beatles – From the opening line, the British sensations echo my current sentiments. “HELP/ I need somebody/HELP/Not just anybody/HELP/You know I need someone!/HEEEELP!”
5) Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash – This song describes how my weekend is going to go from here on out. “I woke up Sunday Morning/With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt.”
6) I’ll Make a Man Out of You from Disney’s Mulan – This song needs to be played on a loop in the weight room and field house for the Hogs. No way around it. The ‘biggest O-Line in the country” got hammered tonight. Time to man up. “Be a man!/ You must be swift as a coursing river/BE A MAN!/With all the force of a great typhoon/BE A MAN!/With all the strength of a raging fire/Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!”
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7) Hang Down Your Head by Tom Waits – Nobody does depression like Tom Waits. From his gravelly voice to his lyrics, he is the king of melancholy. “Hang down your head for sorrow/Hang down your head for me.”
8) Mad World by Gary Jules – In a world that is supposed to make sense, moments like today don’t make sense at all. This was supposed to be a comeback season for the Hogs. “Hide my head I want to drown my sorrows/No tomorrow, no tomorrow.”
9) Everybody Hurts by REM – It wouldn’t be a sad song playlist without this classic. REM reminds us that we aren’t the first team to be upset by an unranked, non-power 5 school. Hell, it ain’t the first time for Arkansas this decade. “Don’t throw your hand/If you feel like you’re alone/no, no, no, you’re not alone.”
10) If It Takes a Lifetime by Jason Isbell – Finally, we’ll wrap this up with a bit of an optimistic song off Jason Isbell’s new, brilliant album “Something More than Free.” A song about dealing with loss and loneliness, and fighting the destructive urges that come along with it. I know what you’re feeling, Hog fans. You’re mad and upset and sad. Trust me, it will get better. And taking to social media and attacking people out of frustration won’t make it better. “But I’ll keep on showing up/Hell-Bent on growing up/If it takes a lifetime.”
So congrats to Toledo for a great game on their end. And the Hogs now have to hunker down and face the toughest remaining schedule in the country.
Better keep this playlist handy.