…Both have lost to Louisiana-Monroe this year.

Certainly a banner year for the Sun Belt – our Indians have underachieved after almost knocking off Texas, but the league has wins over C-USA, the SEC, the Big 10, and the Big XII. ASU can go a perfect 3-0 versus C-USA this season if they knock off Southern Miss this Saturday in Hattiesburg.

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In the continuing battle for “Hub of Northeast Arkansas” supremacy that we here at Ridge Writer like to call ‘Keeping up with the Jonesboros’, Paragould has apparently had Jonesboro in check thanks to the new Community Center Park on US 49 South. The park’s aquatic center, pictured above [click for large view], features several pools and large slides as well as two indoor pools with a retractable roof. The rest of the park includes several softball and soccer fields and a large convention facility.

Jonesboro officials haven’t liked the fact that city residents find it necessary to drive the 15 minutes up Highway 49 to Greene County’s flagship city to get summer fun, so they want to build a similar facility in their city.

The City Council will meet tomorrow to consider a resolution to hire a consultant so that a feasibility study can be created. The contract is expected to be valued at $45,000.

In 2002, Jonesboro Parks & Recreation conducted a study that concluded an aquatic facility was the primary local need but that the cost would prohibit such a facility from being constructed. Per The Sun, the only municipally owned pool is at the Earle Bell Community Center and was constructed in the 1930s.

Several media outlets, including Jonesboro’s KAIT, claim to have independently verified that embattled head football coach Houston Dale Nutt is coaching his final game in the state of Arkansas for the Razorbacks today.

Normally, the Ridge Writer avoids news about Pig Slop State for two reasons: (1) it isn’t located on the Ridge, and (2) he could care less.

But, as a hard core college football fan, a little coaching speculation got the best of him.

Who will replace Nutt as the highest paid employee of the state of Arkansas?

A new athletics director is taking the helm of a newly combined athletics department in Fayetteville. Would he dare make a run at our very own Steve Roberts, head coach of the Arkansas State Indians?

Hear this out. Steve Roberts turned around the Indians after several years of underachieving. He brought the Tribe a league championship and a bowl game.

He has proven he can take a troubled program and build it into a winner.

He’s a Little Rock man and brings no baggage – he is a very respected member of the Jonesboro community and has made a reputation for recruiting players who can achieve academically as well as athletically.

Also, to the Arkansas fans who are always complaining about a one-sided offense, Roberts makes good use of what he has. For his first several years at ASU, he coached a power running game because he had great running backs. Now with Corey Leonard’s play-making ability and rocket arm, he has put together a very balanced offense that ranks among the nations elite.

The Ridge Writer hopes we don’t lose him, but thinks he could be a good fit at Pig Slop State.

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The Rotary Club of Jonesboro is willing to donate up to $150,000 toward the construction of an indoor archery range at the Forest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center in Jonesboro.

The range will be open two nights a week to the public and will be used for school competitions and the like. They also plan on using the facility for archery and air riffle lessons.

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The troubles of Arkansas State University in the mascot department have been well chronicled. The Flagship University of the Delta will soon retire the Indian mascot it has used since the 1930s in favor of one of these mostly non-offensive options:

Black Wolves

Red Wolves

Red Dragons

Red Storm

Ridge Raiders

Ridge Runners

A’s

Diamonds

Mallards

Express

Mustangs

Thunderbirds

The Ridge Writer thinks that the obvious choice is Red Wolves, but strong consideration should be given to Black Wolves and Ridge Runners.

Red Storm and Express should only be considered if the University is considering fielding an Arena Football League team.

Red Dragons and A’s are just goofy choices, in the Ridge Writer’s opinion.

With Red Wolves or Black Wolves, you have two options that are easily marketable anywhere and not overused in NCAA Division I or the Football Bowl Subdivision.

With Ridge Runners, you get a very unique option with a regional tie-in (as well as a tie-in to this blog). If the imagery is handled carefully, this could be a very strong option that would truly set Arkansas State apart.

So, since everyone including ASU Athletics Director Dr. Dean Lee was wondering, the Ridge Writer throws his support behind Red Wolves, Black Wolves, or Ridge Runners.

[Hit the picture for related story from Arkansas Sports 360.]