There was fanfare aplenty as the Little Rock Touchdown Club returned from a 20-month covid-19 hiatus Tuesday at the Doubletree Hotel in Little Rock.
University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman, the guest speaker, waited patiently on the podium, and he listened intently as club founder David Bazzel thanked a large number of sponsors, volunteers, dignitaries, friends and more sponsors.
Pittman received a rousing ovation from the audience of 600 that turned into a Hog call.
Then, he cleared his throat and pointed to a gentleman at a table near the podium when the applause died down.
"Sir, what's your name?" Pittman said.
"Walt Kelly," the man said.
Pittman asked Kelly to stand.
"Everybody, this is Walt Kelly, and I feel so terrible because he's the only person in the room that Bazzel didn't acknowledge."
The crowd roared for about 15 seconds, then burst into applause with laughter.
Pittman wasn't done with the one-liners.
He looked over at his agent, Judy Henry, feigning surprise that he had come to Little Rock for no fee when Bazzel said other speakers ranged from $1,000 to $30,000.
"We did this for free?" said Pittman, drawing another round of laughter and applause.
Bazzel said the crowd's response to Pittman is a rarity over the past quarter century.
"I think I compare it back to Houston Nutt's first year," Bazzel said of the reception Pittman receives in public. "Just how the fan base has really connected with him. It's personality. You know you've got to win, you gotta win. He knows it. Definitely, this is the best connection I've seen since Houston."
One difference between Nutt and Pittman is that Nutt's 1997 team won its first 10 games; Pittman's first team went 3-7.
"He wants to be here, wants to stay here," Bazzel said. "It's nice to see. He knows he's got to get out and win. He knows that."
Bazzel said Pittman just looked at him after Pittman was told that Democrat-Gazette sports editor Wally Hall predicted a 7-5 season.
Pittman told the crowd that he is squarely focused on the Hogs' Sept. 4 season opener against Rice, not the games after it.
"We're really excited about the old Southwest Conference rivalry coming in here," Pittman said. "Rice. Rice. We play Rice. Rice ... and then Texas."
The crowd got the message.
"I do know this," Pittman said. "Whatever I say, you all listen. Sam's club tearing it up with 'Yes Sir!' T-shirts."
About the season, Pittman talked about the 19 returning starters, the 21 seniors, and the improved depth on the defensive line and all across the defense.
He talked about the kind of player he is looking for.
"I like big people," Pittman said. "I used to be slim. I wanted to like myself more, so I gained weight.
"I like bigger, faster more than I do smaller, faster. We're trying to look like an SEC football team, and I think you'll see we're getting close."
Pittman spoke about how 110 of the Razorbacks' 121 players are fully vaccinated..
"The only reason I'm telling you that, I want you not to worry about our team," he said. "I don't want you to worry about us not playing. We're going to play.
"Our kids want to play, and they want to represent the University of Arkansas."
Pittman also brought up the subject of name, image and likeness.
"That's a scary slope," Pittman said. "I don't know what I can say, or if I'll get in trouble, but we do have NIL at the University of Arkansas."
If Pittman was hinting at anything with NIL, he was more direct when discussing the impact Arkansas fans can have at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Hogs are scheduled to play six games in Fayetteville, with a seventh scheduled against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
"Let's do a challenge," Pittman said. "We need a few of them illegal procedures. Don't you think you're worth seven points. I sure as hell think you're worth seven points.
"Come in there, raise a little hell, be who you are. Do that tailgate, have some fun.
"Go Hogs."