Bobby Petrino Too Scared to Play Texas

I think this story slipped by nearly everyone, well, with the exception of The Wiz and my man Arnie Spanier at Sporting News Radio. According to the Austin Statesman, Arkansas called over to Texas to ask about canceling their scheduled game for ’09, the back end of a home-and-home series. The teams will meet this coming season in Austin, a home game for Texas, but Bobby Petrino’s backing out of the game in ’09. One has to wonder why Arkansas would cancel a future home game against a notable opponent, but the answer became clear: Bobby Petrino is a manipulative weenie when it comes down to it.

Apparently Arkansas will begin playing Texas A&M in the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington beginning in ’09, scoring a major payday for each team. The paper says Arkansas does not want to have both Texas and Texas A&M on their non-conference schedule in the same season. I think we saw this season that having a creampuff schedule is the way to go these days in college football, given the success of Kansas and Ohio State to name a few. I could easily understand it if coaches tell their ADs to start scheduling patsies in the future. But to come right out and ask to cancel a game with a tough opponent? That spells wussie, chicken, puss, whatever you can think of. Certainly seems like Bobby Petrino’s M.O, so I can’t really say I’m surprised.