As the interest and intrigue build for Saturday night’s debut of Bobby Petrino’s brand of football, the Razorbacks Nation needs to keep two new policies in mind.

First, Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium and the entire University of Arkansas campus are now tobacco-free.

No smoking, dipping or chewing is allowed.

Second, and this is an SEC rule, there will not be any reentry to the stadium.

If you have to run out to your car at halftime to check the ice or antifreeze or both, you will have to have a new, unused ticket to get back in.

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The announcement that next week’s game with Louisiana-Monroe will be on payper-view is a win-win for Razorbacks fans, or at least those who have cable in Arkansas and Louisiana.

Outside of those two states, it will be up to ESPN GamePlan to decide if it is part of its package.

Who would have ever thought Louisiana-Monroe would have a home game on pay-per-view and could have as many as 30, 000 pay the $ 34. 95 ?

Amazing times we live in.

America was in a recession, unemployment was up, a gallon of gasoline was 25 cents and the average cost of a home was $ 2, 390 when Frank Broyles coached his first Arkansas Razorbacks game.

That was 50 years ago, and for the first time since then, Broyles will not be the head coach or director of athletics for a football game when the Hogs open their season Saturday.

Most likely, though, he will still be there, watching from his suite and analyzing every play.

Old habits are hard to break, especially for coaches.

Also missing Saturday will be Bill Gray, who was always armed with a two-way radio hours before and after every game.

Gray retired during the summer, and he was the man responsible for all game management for many years.

It was impossible Thursday not to recall the day Lu Hardin was in the Democrat-Gazette meeting with the editorial folks and stopped by the sports department to say that the University of Central Arkansas would be leaving the Gulf South, an NCAA Division II conference, for the Southland Conference.

The Southland plays D-I basketball and in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly I-AA.

Whatever else, the now former president of UCA was a visionary with guts and appreciated what athletics does for a campus.

For the first time in 27 years, there will be no Wally Hall television show.

It was my decision, and a difficult one because the folks at Comcast have been so cooperative for the past 22 years.

It has been a great run, lots of fun that started on KARK-TV, Channel 4, for five years and then on to cable (which had a different owner to begin with ).

I’ve been blessed to have had some great co-hosts, starting with David Bazzel and continuing on through the years with Marcus Elliott, Anthony Lucas, Ron Crawford and a bunch of other good guys.

For the past couple of years, Mondays have just gotten too loaded and something had to go.

I let my sponsors — One Banc, Crews and Associates, and Gary Eubanks and Associates — know a couple of months ago, as well as my friend Mike Wilson at Comcast.

There were too many great guests to thank, and a ton of great memories. I’ll never forget the Sunday night Larry Lacewell was on. He was the head coach and athletic director at Arkansas State, and he brought a volunteer assistant with him.

“Get to know this guy. He’s going places,” Lacewell said.

It was Tommy Tuberville.

Between my real job here, the Little Rock Touchdown Club lunches and Sports Animals in the evening, my plate is full enough.

So until next time, thanks for being there.