Tradition is defined by Merriam Webster
as: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought,
action, or behavior. If there was one thing that tradition runs
through on a daily basis it is the world of sports. Scoring a
touchdown at Lambeau Field and jumping in the first row of fans.
Yelling WOO PIG SOOIE while sitting among 70,000 of closest friends
in Fayetteville. Chanting Rock Chalk Jayhawk when seeing your team
win a big game. Tradition is all through sports but there is one tradition that makes sports the best entertainment value out there. Rivalry. Two
teams settling all the bad blood out their chosen place to play. Duke
and North Carolina in battle of tobacco road. The Boston Red Sox and
The New York Yankees in baseball. Michigan and Ohio State in college
football. These are the games we as fans look forward to. We know
it's going to be a good game and very intense. However, one county in
Arkansas lost their tradition due to the negligence of others.
In the state of Arkansas, in the
northeast corners lies a county named Lawrence. This county is not a
big area in fact it is made up a lot of smaller communities. The
official population as of 2011 was 17,178. One of the towns that
makes up this county and the largest is Walnut Ridge. A town of
around 5,000 people. The second biggest town is the small community
of Hoxie. The population of this small area is around 2800. These
cities are separated by an imaginary line. However, there is one
thing that you will find the people of these towns doing on a Friday
night. They are going to be yelling for their alma mater.
The Bobcats and The Mustangs, execute
their craft in front of all their fans. Both teams are well loved by
their respected communities but for 30 years they played each other
on the gridiron battling back and forth year after year. This all
came to a screeching halt a few years ago. Both sides would vandalize
their rival in doing things that would make each school look bad.
Breaking windows, burning their school initials in the other teams' field. It was out of acts of hatred but that is what rivalries are.
That is what makes these games special. People want to prove that
their school is better and will go at any lengths to prove it.
You have read the bad as to what
happened when these two schools played, I have heard horror story
after horror story. However, there is a flip side to every coin. If
you were to go anywhere in Walnut Ridge or Hoxie, people would talk
about which school was better. The game might not be played but
people play out scenarios if it was. I have heard stories of when the
two schools would play that there would not be a seat in the house. Think about the electricity at the fields. The dueling chants, the cheerleaders, the bands, If that does not send a chill down your spine, there is something wrong with you.
People would have to stand along the fence to cheer on their school
of choice. If you are one of these two schools wouldn't you want the
revenue from this one game alone ever other year. These are the
stories that sports fan love to hear.
I am an outsider to this area and have
not had the chance to experience the game between Walnut Ridge and
Hoxie. Maybe I am in the wrong in mentioning this but I have heard
excuses from both sides as to why the game has not been played in
years. Walnut Ridge Superintendent in a story with the news network
out of Jonesboro, Kait 8 cited the vandalism the reason the game was
stopped. Hoxie fans say that since Walnut Ridge was losing the last
four years. Does both arguments sound like excuses to you? Decide that for yourself. In my opinion, Throw out
excuses from both sides. Let these two fight for bragging rights in
Lawrence County.
Two cities, Two Schools Two Miles
Apart, One Rivalry that needs to be renewed under the lights on
Friday Night.
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