Wooooo Pig Sooie!!! Razorback Baseball Is Here!

Today the Razorbacks kick off the start of their college baseball season.  This should be a fun year for the Hogs who are ranked in the top 10 in most college baseball polls.  The pitching should be steller, led by Team USA member DJ Baxendale:

This is not my card, but I would like one.  If anyone has one of these, please let me know if you are willing to trade it.

The offense is good, and could be very good if some of the hitters progress as the coaches think they will.  This guy is very good:

 

This is my card, and it’s my second nice Ficociello card.  It’s cool to be able to get cards of these guys while they are still in college.  

If the weather is decent today or tomorrow, we’re going to venture out for a few innings.  When I come back I’ll bring pictures and we can all "Call the Hogs".  For those not in the know, you call the hogs by saying and doing the following:

Raise your hands in the air and wiggle your hands as you slowly say “Woooooooooooo” then bring your elbows  down as you emphatically say “Pig!” and then pump your right fist in the air as you say “Sooie!”

Do that 3 times.   On the third “Woooooo… PIG! Soooie!”  you keep continue to pump your fist in the air and say “Razorbacks!”    Practice it a few times and you’ll get the hang of it. 

Ficociello a la Dimwit oooh la la Magnifico

Hey, you like-a the Dominic Ficociello? Is good eh?  He play-a for the... emmm how you say: Arkansas Razorbacks?

Ok, it's taking too long to write this post in Italian, so I'll just go back to my backwoods English.

So, Sam at the Daily Dimwit was giving Topps the what-fer about a month ago for a) terrible collation on some redemptions of Topps Chrome USA autographs (2 of 5 of the autos were of Razorback stud Ficociello), but worse b) mucking up the autographs of one of the Ficociellos, and worst of all c) refusing to do anything about it.   It's actually an unbelievably poor display of customer service, and the above links have to be read to be believed.

I'm a little embarrassed to look back on these posts regarding Sam's ordeal.  If you read the comments on the first post, you'll several offerings of concern and support from considerate folks... followed by yours truly asking if he could have the Ficociello card that wasn't screwed up.    What a guy I am.

Well, what a guy Sam is, because he was willing to send the Ficociello my way.  He liked a couple of Jeff Bagwell cards I had, including a really cool "game used dirt" card and we worked out a deal.  My cards arrived Friday, and the Ficociello is every bit as awesome as I thought it would be.  You never know on  prospects, but I think he's the real deal.  Of course I am a tad biased about my Razorbacks.  Even if he doesn't get to the Majors, I'll still have a great card of a great Razorback.

And I got a few bonus cards too.  You may be familiar with the gentleman on the bottom right.  Yes, that is former Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton.  I'm thrilled there is a card of him out there.  I know Arkansas is a small state, but Clinton was a pretty high profile governor and made a few appearances on late night shows like Letterman and Leno, so he has some national appeal.

Thanks for the trade Sam!  Hope you enjoy the dirt I sent you!