Southwest Classic: Old Traditions, New Benefits

The Arkansas Razorbacks expect benefits from longtime rival Texas A&M (Courtesy Photo).

By Harold McIlvain II

The Arkansas Razorback football team hasn’t played Texas A&M since 1991 when the Razorbacks left the old Southwest Conference.

But now with a 10-year contract pairing the teams to play at the new state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium, the Razorbacks are expecting benefits from the Southwest Classic and the old rivalry.

When building the $1.1 billion Cowboys Stadium, owner Jerry Jones wanted the facility to be a spectacle.

The Arkansas graduate said he had a vision to create a stadium that would remind him of his former college town.

“My dream when I was building Cowboys Stadium was that it could become Arkansas Razorback Stadium west,” Jones said during a press conference in Northwest Arkansas. “And I think that is what it is. I envision one side of the plaza to look just like Fayetteville, Ark.”

Jones said the facility would show potential recruits a stadium they could play at.

“It’s important that fans know that you are supporting the Razorbacks with a ticket purchase,” Jones said. “But it also shows support to the North Texas area, which is the greatest recruiting area in the country. They have the best football players in the country. North Texas is critical for the future of the Razorbacks.”

And Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said the evidence has shown with more than 20 players currently on the roster.

But Petrino said Arkansas needs to do keep doing a good job in the state that has produced a starting quarterback, a defensive end, a middle linebacker and two safeties for the team.

“It’s an area that we have said would be more of an emphasis (for our staff),” Petrino said. “We are wanting to work hard and get the best players out of there. We have had some success from there in the last recruiting class.”

Texas natives in recruiting classes at Arkansas: 2010: 2* 2009: 7 2008: 2 2007: 8 2006: 8 2005: 5 2004: 8 *The class of 2010 is not final.

But Petrino said there is more talent to obtain in Texas.

Texas has produced more than 970 college football recruits in the last four years, according to SI.com recruiting writer Andy Staples.

Jones, who was a co-captain of the Razorback football team during the national championship season of 1964, said the Southwest Classic was a needed strategic move to add more players from Texas.

“This is a strategic move for the university and for the fans to support the Razorbacks playing in Dallas, Texas,” Jones said. “Because that’s how you are going to get the attention of some of the finest athletes to come play football in Northwest Arkansas.”

Jones said the NFL connection with the team should help sell recruits who have interest in Arkansas.

“Grandmothers and mothers of high school athletes like to know they will see their son play in Razorback Stadium west,” Jones said. “Kids love to have a connection to the NFL. And there isn’t a mothers and grandmothers that doesn’t envision their son playing in the NFL.”

With Texas schools having spring practices--which Arkansas doesn’t have--players are able to gain more football knowledge and experience over a high school career.

“If the NFL allowed the Cowboys the ability to draw a line around North Texas and let us have just those players, we would win a Super Bowl every year,” Jones said.

However, Arkansas will miss an opportunity for recruits to make official visits during this weekend because of it being a neutral site game, which is critical part of the recruiting process, an Arkansas official said.

Arkansas plans to offset the negative by heavily recruiting the area during the weekend while also getting exposure with the game being televised in primetime.

But the Razorbacks will not benefit from just recruiting visibility. Both Arkansas and Texas A&M are guaranteed $5 million for the game, according to the Southwest Classic contract.

The two schools will also split evenly the use of 16 suites while also receiving staff to manage the game at no cost from Jones, which creates an opportunity for more revenue for the schools.

Jones said he expected the two schools to sell out the 82,000 seat stadium despite tickets starting at $150 and ranging to $300 for club seats. Student tickets for the event is $50, which costs over six times more than a student season package.

As of Thursday afternoon, tickets were still available for the event.

But because of the nature of the rivalry, Petrino said he expected fans to show up in great numbers.

“Ever since I’ve got here, there has been a lot of people who have talked about the rivalry,” Petrino said. “And the Dallas area has been a great source of our fans base. I know to restart the rivalry from the Southwest Conference days is huge for our fans.”

According to the contract, the Razorbacks were given approximately 34,500 tickets that went on sale to the general public in March. Despite having about 37,000 less tickets to sell if it were a Fayetteville, Ark., home game, the Arkansas program expects to make more money.

And the additional money will help the program with funds outside of the yearly Southeastern Conference revenue sharing plan, which distributed $132.5 million last year to the 12 conference schools.

However, Texas A&M has sold more tickets than Arkansas by pricing lower quality stadium locations for $85.

But because of scheduling conflicts, Arkansas had to push another rivalry out of the way with the Texas Longhorns until after 2014 to make way for the Southwest Classic.

And because of having to schedule a bye week so early in the season, the Razorbacks played only one game into the season before taking a week off from the schedule.

“There were some issues with the bye week,” Petrino said. “It was something we couldn’t get around. It’s something you don’t necessarily want early on in the season.”

Meeting Mr. Paul

Paul's Bakery has served customers for 50 years at four different locations in Van Buren, Ark. (Photos by Harold McIlvain II)

By Harold McIlvain II

VAN BUREN, Ark.--Things have changed after 50 years for Paul Lehnen.

After opening a bakery at a Van Buren, Ark., location in 1959, the 74-year-old still shows up to work every day.

But the location has changed four times. The number of employees has increased significantly. And the products have been altered.

Lehnen has gradually given more control of the store to his family throughout the years, but Lehnen still helps out with the dream store he built.

“I don’t do it much anymore,” Lehnen said of making donuts. “I started out with three people working with me. But now I have 20. My vision was to have an elaborate donut shop someday.”

And he has done it.

The store features elaborate cakes, cookies ranging from state shaped to local mascots and balloons and party favors.

Lehnen said he started with donuts. But Lehnen challenged himself to find what the customers want, which has included cookies that are bright green and shaped like a frog.

“It’s fun to do different things with the classic products,” Lehnen said. “We do things with different cookie cutters. I’ve even made things as simple as a green frog cookie that recently sold over 300 dozen to a company.”

Although customers will usually stay with their favorite product, Lehnen said people want to try new things.

“I just roll with the punches,” Lehnen said. “You just have to take your chances on something new. I’m always looking for an opportunity to better our product.”

And that has been the case with the cake making side of the business, Lehnen said.

With extravagant cakes being made on several television shows on multiple networks, Lehnen said customers are looking for more than the usual birthday or wedding cake.

“Today they want tiered birthday cakes,” Lehnen said. “Customers want different designs and airbrushing. I taught my girls how to decorate. But my goodness they have surpassed me now.”

But Lehnen said he didn’t always know he would be successful in the industry.

After football season was over in high school, Lehnen said he needed extra money for school supplies. One of the customers he delivered newspapers to had just opened a donut shop, so Lehnen asked if he needed any help.

A week later he was on the job, learning the craft he still tries to perfect today.

“I thought it was something I could learn about and have something to fall back on,” Lehnen said. “Now 50 years later, I’m still learning.”

After returning from the Army as a cook in 1958, a mutual fund investment at the age of 18 was enough money for Lehnen to make a down payment on a building.

And ever since Lehnen opened the doors at the bakery, he has wanted to extend that same opportunity he was given to local high school students.

“I’ve always hired a lot of high school kids,” Lehnen said. “My proudest moment is that I have always hired local high school kids. It’s just a real treat.”

Lehnen said he learned important life lessons like hard work and determination while working at bakery in high school. And watching the development of character with his younger employees in the same environment Lehnen learned has been important to him.

“I feel like I have a feather in my cap when I see youngsters who have gone from high school to bigger and better things,” Lehnen said. “I use to wash dishes, too, and that was apart of the job. If you can do a good job at washing dishes, you can do good in what you want to do.”

Former employees have gone on to work as engineers, bankers and for the state of Arkansas.

“It’s a real gratifying thing,” Lehnen said. “It gives people a pat on the back in the right direction.”

Food or tradition?

When Lehnen opened Paul’s Bakery, he wanted the name to be short and sweet, something people could associate with.

“I wanted them to know about me,” Lehnen said. “I didn’t want it to be named sweet shop or anything else.”

Customers ever since have gotten to know the Fort Smith, Ark., native for a half-century.

“All the kids still ask where Mr. Paul is at the store,” Lehnen said. “Getting to know the kids over the year has been a lot of fun. As long as they are happy, I’m happy.”

He has seen some of the same faces enter his store after 50 years. But even after meeting so many people, Lehnen still enjoys greeting nearly all of his customers.

“Kids tell me that their grandma use to come here,” Lehnen said. “It’s something special.”

And it’s that tradition that keep some coming back for more.

UCA student Megan Batey said she recalls going to Paul’s throughout her childhood.

“My grandma would often take me and my siblings there after school to get a treat,” Batey said. “I can recall going to Paul’s as far back as I can remember.”

But Batey said the food wasn’t the only aspect that attracted her to the store.

“I think it is a nostalgic landmark for almost everyone from Van Buren, Ark.,” Batey said. “The sweets are decent, but I think the memories are what keep the locals coming back.”

Others find the taste of the treats enough to keep them coming back for more.

John Lewis, who has eaten at Paul’s for over 20 years, said the product is always great.

“It’s a place that always has good eats,” Lewis said. “It always does. Once in a while there are mistakes, but 99 percent of the time you get good, wholesome food.”

Former police officer Jonathan Evans said he has been to his fair share of donut shops across the nation. But Evans said he hasn’t found one as successful as Paul’s.

“You don’t see them like this anymore,” Evans said. “It’s just a style of business you can get behind and support. It’s a nice change these days.”

Lehnen said making a quality product has been a big factor in the business throughout the years.

“People are still going to eat quality products,” Lehnen said. “That isn’t going to change. After 50 years, people still want quality products. And they don’t mind paying for it.”