Charles Thomas Loves Fried Chicken

When Charles Thomas came to Arkansas as a freshman he weighed 245 lbs.

Coach John Pelphrey and Conditioning coach Kelly Lambart have been working with Charles to get down to 225 which means one thing for the Senior Forward from Jackson, MS.

He can no longer eat his favorite food... Fried Chicken.

"After our last game, I'm probably going straight to Popeye's, but not during the season." With the hogs picked to win the SEC west and finish 2nd overall in the SEC, it may be a long time before the Manimal gets his Fried Chicken as they are hoping to make a deep run into the NCAA tournament.

Basketball Season is nigh!

The Razorbacks take on West Florida tonight at Bud Walton Arena for an exhibition game. Here are some images to get you amped for the Razorback Basketball season.

The Manimal, Charles Thomas, shoots against South Carolina Forward Bryce Sheldon during the 2007 SEC tournament

Patrick Beverly lays it in against USC during the 2007 NCAA 1st round in Spokane, WA

Darian Townes boxes out for a rebound during the SEC tournament

Arkansas Center Steven Hill hangs on the rim after a dunk in Bud Walton Arena

SEC Basketball Player Profile - Charles Thomas

Name: Charles Thomas

Height: 6'-8"

Position: Forward

Class: Senior

Nickname: Manimal

The man is a beast. At 6' 8" he is constantly against bigger guards in this league, but he doesn't rely on his spotty outside shooting, instead he takes it right at them in the paint. Charles Thomas is just a basketball player. He regularly lights up student section at Arkansas with his sacrificing his body. He regularly ends up standing on media tables and in the crowd after plays out of bounds, to the chagrin of a coach that doesn't want to see him injured and to the delight of the resident crazys in Bud Walton Arena.

At SEC media days Charles had this to say about new coach John Pelphrey.

" He's after us to give all-out effort, " said senior Charles Thomas, who has never had a problem surrendering his body for the team. " Everybody is on the floor after the basketball. It's intense. I've had my mouth bloodied, we all have strawberries on our legs and knees and one of our freshmen, Nate Rakestraw, broke his pinky. It was all twisted. "

Last Season Charles Thomas turned in over 10 points a game and 5.7 rpg. Thomas is the offensive center piece of one of the most experienced frontcourts in America and the SEC. He has Seniors Steven Hill, Darian Townes, and Vincent Hunter playing with him down on the block. Sophomore Micheal Washington will also be there after some impressive play during last year's SEC tournament.

The Manimal and the Razorbacks have been picked to win the weak SEC west and have been picked as a top 25 team in a few preseason polls. When it's all said and done Charles Thomas would love to be out in the crowd at Bud Walton Arena singing "Hard to be Humble" with the razorbacks and standing a little higher than 6'8" on a ladder cutting down nets in Atlanta