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University of Arkansas alumnus shares special bond with son as Razorbacks

"We'll have that other connection for the rest of our lives too, not just father and son, but we're Razorbacks," Oliver Sims III said.

ARLINGTON, Texas — There's so much pride and passion that comes from being a Razorback fan and they traveled from all over to cheer on the Hogs in Arlington. 

Oliver Sims III is a University of Arkansas alumnus from Central Arkansas who shared what that pride means to him and the special person in his life he can now share it with. 

"There's a lot of lions, tigers and bears, but there's only one Arkansas Razorback, so why wouldn't' you want to be one," he said.

Sims has lived in Dallas for over 35 years, but his heart is a state line away.

"Grew up across the street from the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, UAPB, but I went to Fayetteville. I really loved it and I wanted to go to the best school in the state. That's why I chose University of Arkansas Fayetteville," he said.

Graduating from U of A in 1985, Sims described it as the fastest four years of his life.

"There's something to be said about us having Arkansas Razorbacks and no pro team. That means we can all line up behind the Razorbacks and it's just in my heart," he said.

After college Sims moved to the state filled with UT & A&M fans, but quickly found his own kind in the sea of burnt orange and maroon.

"It's great to be the underdog here in Texas, but it's great that we have a critical mass, a large number of alumni down here. It's awesome being here and not being from UT and not being from A&M, but being a Razorback," he said.

Being the underdog is something Sims loves the most when he wears his cardinal red. 

A pride he gets to share now with someone who means everything to him.

"He told me, dad I want to go to Arkansas, and I tell you what. I had my thumbs up behind my back when he told me that, I was so thrilled, I didn't want to go over the top but he made me so proud," he said.

Sims' son, Oliver Sims IV, is now sporting his own cardinal red as a junior at the University of Arkansas.

Following in his father's footsteps by creating a game changer in their own family.

"We'll have that other connection for the rest of our lives too, not just father and son, but we're Razorbacks," he said.

A connection that Sims hopes continues down the family tree.

"His name is Oliver Sims IV, so we have tradition in my family. We'd like to carry on the Razorback tradition too," he said.

Sims is fired up about the game, like several Hogs fans. 

He said beating UT and then beating A&M would just be the cherry on top.

    

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