Perfect weather Feb. 13, 14, 15 for Dawg fans in Hog city

[aubunique]

Predicted highs 46 Friday, 53 Saturday, 51 Sunday. Perfect baseball weather in the Ozarks!
My post way down this thread now has list of top three choices for unusually good dining in Fayetteville. Please check it out.
First day 1 p.m., next two days 2 p.m. I may be going to work late the first day!
This would be a nice trip for someone with a motorhome. There is a fine Hog-fan motorhome lot about 200 yards from the baseball field. I expect a visitor can use it for a fee. It is on a high hilltop with a view of the Ozarks to the south of the city.
There are even shade trees if you can get the right spots. I can't promise shad will be needed that week, however!

[ARKDAWG02]

Could be some cold weather for baseball playing in Fayetteville in February. I may try to come up for one game. I'll let you know if I can.

[aubunique]

I hope you can make it up from Russellville if it is snowing!
We have had plenty of good days for baseball this WINTER! Today would be fine!
Who else is coming to Fayetteville to see the Dawgs hang a loss on the Hawgs in the UA's opening baseball series Feb. 13,14, 15?
Article in NWA Morning News today about new rye grass on sand field after removal of turf. Temporary because they were late getting ready. They expect to have bermuda in before long.
Algae bloom on the storm-water retention pond outside center and right field all fall polluting Beaver Lake, of course. The application of all that manmade fertilizer violates the spirit of all the efforts nationwide to clean up our drinking-water sources.
Baseball fields are actually the only areas that should EVER be mowed except hayfields. You can't lose a football in unmowed grass! And who wants a soccer ball anyway?
Most Razorback athletic facilities are built on wetland that historically featured mostly hydric soil, which allows water to soak in and cleanses the water as it enters the shallow aquifer, preventing both pollution and flooding of the steep creeks running off all the ridges in and around Fayetteville to form the White River to the east and the Illinois River to the west.
I wish coaches and athletic directors had to study physical and biological science!

[aubunique]

Link to our newspapers' daily Hog coverage:
http://www.razorbackcentral.com

Link to the following baseball story with photos
http://www.razorbackcentral.com/stor...559239.bsp&s=3

Natural grass has replaced the artificial turf at Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks open the season Feb. 13 against Louisiana Tech. The natural grass is only part of the second phase of an ongoing renovation project which started last year. J.T. Wampler, The Morning News/NWAonline.net


By Jerry Reed, The Morning News
FAYETTEVILLE -- Baum Stadium arguably is the best college baseball park in America -- it was named the No. 1 facility in a Baseball America poll in 1998 -- and today it's getting even better reviews.

It still is going through some cosmetic surgery but should be finished for the opening pitch on Feb. 13 when Arkansas meets Louisiana Tech in the season opener.

Razorback coach Dave Van Horn can't wait.

"I have to admit, everytime I get out of my truck and walk up to the ballpark, I get a grin on my face," Van Horn said. "It's especially good now because that steel ... it's the first thing you see after you walk in the gate. I just picture the new scoreboard. It's going to be huge. It's going to be a good recruiting tool. I just know the fans are going to love it.

"Just listen to our players. You know, everytime they put another piece of steel up there, they (the players) can't believe how big (the new scoreboard) is going to be. It's going to be a nice sight to see and a lot of fun."

That scoreboard is due soon to compliment a new grass field and new luxury boxes and coaches offices on the upper deck.

This is the second phase of the stadium renovation which actually started last year in Van Horn's first season at the helm.

Last year, 2,600 chairback seats were added -- 1,300 going down each foul line -- and the hitting and pitching cages were enclosed.

The stadium, which officially opened April 13, 1996 with a construction cost of $ 8.9 million and today with a seating capacity of 9,477, still lacks some finishing touches -- more skyboxes will be added in the future -- and Van Horn is authentically optimistic about the latest face-lift.

"Just everything about it is good, from the grass, to the seats last year, and enclosing the pitching and hitting area," Van Horn said. " As far as the team, that's been the number one thing (enclosed hitting and pitching cages) we've done and that was the first thing I asked for.

"The skyboxes, I didn't ask for skyboxes. I did ask for coaches offices and they are going be great.

"It's been fun, it's been fun watching it go up. It'll be nice to get all the construction out of here and get it all cleaned up and just start playing baseball and not worrying about getting a new scoreboard.

"We are going to be battling the surface a little bit this year. You guys are going to see some days that it looks pretty good. You're going to see some guys slip out there. You're going to see it torn up. It's not a groundskeeper's fault, they're doing a great job. They're working hard. We've got Rye grass on sand. We need more of a base grass which would be Bermuda which we'll have at the end of the year. This year we'll get through it. Next year, it'll be incredible.

" It will be a great surface."

"They did Rye because they didn't get the Bermuda down in time. We were a month late. They didn't know if they would get it to root far enough. Then we would be slipping and we'd be in trouble.

"It's OK out there. Our players are going to get used it. It might even be a home-field advantage."

Razorback first baseman/designated hitter Haas Pratt seemed excited about it.

"I think it's great," Pratt said. "It plays really true. It's a great infield. It's just a little soft right now but it should be ready when the season starts. It's great.

"I like it."

Pratt also is thrilled about the total renovation.

"Really, it's awesome," Pratt said. "It's going to increase the fan base and everything else. It's cool being out on the field and looking up at those skyboxes. It's just a great atmosphere. It just adds to all the excitement."

Arkansas sophomore pitcher Charley Boyce smiled.

"Yep, we made a lot of improvement," Boyce said. "Hopefully, it'll make it a little more confortable for the fans.

"Coach Van Horn came here and definitely got things rolling and it's definitely going to help things in recruiting. "It will get this place back to the number one place to play."

[aubunique]

There is a tailgating area outside left field where a person can actually watch the game from a slight rise. You have to walk 100 feet from the parking lot but can set up cooking stuff, etc. People do it a lot. No beer there, I understand, but they don't inspect coolers going into that area, I suspect. People drink in the parking lot outside, of course, quite comfortably.
If no one is cooking, which I sadly won't be, there is a good sports bar on Dickson Street called Big Daddy's for lunch or dinner after the game. Dickson Street runs east-west from the campus. It is two miles northeast of the baseball field.
There are fine ribs there, considering Fayetteville is a long way from the Mississippi and Red Rivers! The place was opened across the Street from Doe's Eat House by the owner of Doe's. Doe's, of course, is an offshoot of the original Doe's in Greenville, Miss. There it is a little old house in a run-down part of town and you reach the dining area by walking through the kitchen. It is historically wonderful.
Doe's would be the fine-dining choice if you are spending the night or want first-class food. Doe's put in a restaurant in Little Rock at least 15 years ago and then one here about six years ago. The Greenville original owners don't run these in Arkansas but supervised the set up and cooking, so they aren't too far off. I think others are being built in Arkansas as well. Steak, tamales, shrimp, gumbo, all the right stuff.
My first visit to the Doe's in Greenville was in the 1970s while competing in a bass tournament on the Mississippi River out of Greenville. All the full-time pros and tackle-company reps knew the way there from the launching ramp!
Another top choice in Fayetteville is Herman's Ribhouse at 2901 North College (US 71B) about four miles northwest of Baum Stadium at George Cole Field.
Herman's ribs, steaks and chicken, etc., are still famous. It is the equivalent of the original Doe's in Greenville. The paint faded off the old house over the decades and there was NO SIGN. But in 2,000 the original letters were repainted on either side of the building saying Herman's Ribhouse. It still isn't noticeable unless you know it is a house alone in a commercial area on a knoll on the west side of the street.
Herman's often has a line of people waiting during prime dinner hours and won't be open Sunday but is a great experience on Friday night or Saturday night.
I would be happy to dine with Tech visitors on that Saturday or Sunday evening or both at one of those places or a lesser spot if others choose. Fayetteville now has all the ridiculous chains you find in the big cities of the southwest but many people on the board were hoping to add to Ruston a year or two ago.
Herman's and Doe's are expensive for us poor folk and most students. Big Daddy's is perfect for getting to check out the basketball games those nights on big screens while eating. Doe's also will have a TV or two in the bar dining room and Herman's might.
I would feed ONE starving student if we have a Tech gathering but couldn't pull an HD and feed them all! I hope a lot of Tech supporters show up for the Hogs' first three games of the season. The Dawgs will already have a week's experience by then.
The Razorbacks are supposed to have a really huge new scoreboard but it is not up yet. The old one is down, so I assume that, weather permitting, it will be operating by the 13th. With rain predicted for Sunday, the workers were busy all day Saturday on it. I expect to be able to attend both Saturday and Sunday games and maybe watch the first few innings Friday afternoon before heading 12 miles north to work.

[aubunique]

I hope the Dawgs' success in the McNeese series in Ruston will encourage more people to drive to Fayetteville to help the Dawgs compete with the Hogs Feb. 13, 14, 15. There will be a big Hog crowd regardless of the weather. The stadium has been enlarged with plenty of comfortable seats and enough roofed area to provide standing room for those who buy bleacher seats in case it is really cold or damp.
Bring your warmest Tech sweatshirts and jackets with hoods, etc. WEAR a blue outer garment if possible, because a lot of Hog fans wear red rather than the Cardinal red that the Hogs are supposed to wear. It likely won't be like a spring weekend in Ruston. But having a group of Tech fans to cheer should help a lot if we stick together.
I'll be shooting some digital photos of the games and the Tech fans who attend to post at http://www.aubunique.com
I won't be able to stay until the end of the Friday game because I go to work in Springdale by 4 p.m., but I'll be there the whole game Saturday and Sunday.

[aubunique]

It is 39 degrees at 1:20 a.m. or whatever on my front porch. However, it is expected to reach 29 by 6 a.m. as a cold front that already has hit Tulsa brings rain and snow showers that may end by noon, maybe.
This is a warm night for February here. The long-range weather forecast on the Weather Channel says 46 for a high Friday, 53 for a high Saturday and 51 Sunday with sunshine as the Arkansas Razorbacks face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on George Cole Field at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I hope the new giant scoreboard is completely installed by then or we'll keep score on the little scorecards and remind the umpires!
When it is 50 degrees in winter in Fayetteville, I usually organize a softball game. This week, however, we'll skip that to attend the game!
Wear blue in Wilson gear if you have it and support the Dawgs!

[aubunique]

If the wind is blowing, you may still appreciate your heaviest Tech royal blue coat, whatever the weatherman says about the temperature!

[aubunique]

Yes, coats will be in order.
Friday high 41, Saturday 51, Sunday 41. But the forecast changes every day.
It is around 40 degrees at 3 p.m. Wednesday and rain and snow showers expected tonight with a high of 30 on Thursday! The bad stuff is supposed to be all gone by Friday and the scoreboard appears close to completion. But will it work?
Who is coming?

[Bossdawg]

aub, are you just talking to yourself.

[OmahaDawg]

LOL LOL LOL!

[Dwayne From Minden]

aub, are you just talking to yourself.

Scary thing is that he answered himself not twice, not thrice but six times...

[TYLERTECHSAS]

It is definitely interesting watching him decide which type and color of coat to wear.

[markay714]

I've been thinking this same thing for days, guys, but I wanted to see just how far he'd go. I was figuring he'd have a discussion of the scores, weather, scenery around the stadium - you know streams, birds, etc. throughout the weekend without a soul responding. Well, we did make it a long time! Poor old, Aub. Hope he can find a Tech friend or two to watch it with in the freezing cold!!!

[aubunique]

If the Dawgs can spoil the Hogs' opening weekend, you smart alecks will wish you had been up here.
It is a really big deal for me to just see another car with a Tech sticker driving through northwest Arkansas. When a Dawg team plays up here it is special! Baseball will be under way in three hours or less!