Visitors

28 August 2011

Soccer Recap - 8/26, 8/28

Tigers upset Buckeyes, derail Boilermakers
by Mizzou Matt 8/28/11
COLUMBIA- Friday night, the Tigers of the University of Missouri and the Buckeyes of Ohio State squared off on the soccer field at the Audrey J. Walton Track Complex. Ohio State came into the contest ranked 7th in the country, but would be leaving with one in the 'L' column as the Tigers' McKenzie Sauerwein made five saves and notched the first shutout of the season. Dominique Richardson scored the game winning goal at the 50:07 mark of the match, her first of the season.

Physical play dominated the game, as five yellow cards were handed out, three to Mizzou, two to Ohio State. Jessica Greer, Allison Hu and Kendra Collins were the recipients for the Tigers.

On Sunday the Tigers were back in action at the Walton Complex to face off against the Purdue Boilermakers. Despite falling behind early on an Alex Tryba goal for Purdue, Missouri regrouped and with the help of a goal from Abi Raymer (1) and a second goal from Richardson (2), the Tigers went into the half leading 2-1. Mizzou's Danielle Nottingham (2) beat goalkeeper Kara Kridler to make it a 3-1 margin. Purdue brought and sustained considerable pressure in the second half, eventually finding the back of the net for a second time off the foot of Kaitlyn Blacha at 74:54. Alyssa Diggs added the final goal of the game at 79:25.

"Purdue gave us all we could handle," said Mizzou head coach Bryan Blitz. "Sunday games are always tough."

Two yellow cards were given in Sunday's game, both to Purdue. One to Lauren Montenegro for a hard take down of Alyssa Diggs at the 26:00 mark, the other to the Purdue bench at 34:52.

Danielle Nottingham beats the Purdue keeper in the second half.
With the sweep of the Big Ten over the weekend, the Tigers improve to 3-1-0 on the 2011 season, while Purdue drops to 1-3-0. Mizzou hosts Northern Arizona on Friday, September 2nd at 6:30p/CT before traveling to TCU on Sunday.

23 August 2011

2012 And Beyond

Future football schedules*

Home games in bold print.
2012
9/1 - Open
9/8 - vs Southern Illinois Salukis
9/15 - vs Arizona State Sun Devils
9/22 - @ Miami (OH) Redhawks
9/29 - vs Oklahoma Sooners
10/6 - vs Kansas State Wildcats
10/13 - @ Iowa State Cyclones
10/20 - @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
10/27 - vs Texas A&M Aggies *Homecoming*
11/3 - vs Baylor Bears
11/10 - @ Texas Longhorns
11/17 - @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
11/24 - kansas jayhawks (Kansas City)

2013
8/31 - vs Murray State
9/7 - vs Toledo
9/14 - OPEN
9/21 - @ Indiana

2014
8/30 - vs South Dakota St.
9/6 - @ Toledo
9/13 - OPEN
9/20 - vs Indiana

2015
9/5 - @ Memphis
9/12 - TBA
9/19 - TBA
9/26 - TBA

2016
9/3 - vs Memphis

2017
9/9 - vs Wyoming

*Schedules may be subject to change.

18 August 2011

Here We Go Again

Frank Haith named in accusations
by Mizzou Matt
COLUMBIA- Years after the era of "thou who shalt not be named", the University of Missouri basketball program was starting to get back on the right track. A questionable hire at the time, Mike Anderson came from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and wound up leading the Tigers to a Big 12 Championship in 2009 and three consecutive NCAA National Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2009. Anderson became the fastest MU coach to eclipse 100 victories, reaching the feat in just five years, one ahead of legendary coach Norm Stewart. After a 23-10 (9-9 Big 12) 2010 season that appeared to leave so much on the court, it all came to an abrupt end. An end that left a sour taste in Tiger fans' mouths. "We will bring a national championship to the state of Missouri." Anderson told the Missouri Congress, among other statements of his commitment to Mizzou. What happened next left many fans scratching their heads as to what happened.

It was time for a new coach, but who would we court to replace Anderson? We had our eyes on VCU's Shaka Smart, Butler's Brad Stevens and Purdue's Matt Painter. After a considerable $2.2 million offer to Painter, the news broke via Bernie Miklasz on Twitter that Matt was the new coach of the Missouri Tigers. The next day, Painter struck a $2.4 million deal with his current job and Alma Mater, the Purdue Boilermakers.

Usher in Frank Haith. "Frank who?" Frank Haith. The name was widely unknown in the world of Missouri athletics until he was named as the new head basketball coach in wake of Anderson departing for Arkansas. His departure from the Miami (FL) Hurricanes was questionable, and quite a few Mizzou fans doubted his hire by athletic director Mike Alden.

The woes and worries were somewhat alleviated when he started landing some 4- and 5-star recruits, but their doubts were reawakened Tuesday, August 16, as Nevin Shapiro accused Haith of having knowledge of a $10,000 donation to secure recruit DeQuan Jones. Shapiro was convicted for being the architect that masterminded a $930 million ponzi scheme, he is a former Miami booster and self-proclaimed 'runner' for an NFL agency. According to what Shapiro mentioned in a Yahoo! Sports article, at least nine other coaches and athletic personnel are believed to have knowledge of his bribes. "I can tell you what I think is going to happen. Death Penalty," Shapiro told Miami's WFOR via a telephone interview from an Atlanta, GA federal prison.

The term "Death Penalty" is an unofficial term used by media and fans to describe what the NCAA imposed on the Southern Methodist Mustangs back in the mid-1980s.

Following the story breaking online, the universities of Missouri and Miami along with Frank Haith released statements Tuesday regarding the allegations, and all report to being fully cooperative with the NCAA in the matter.
"I can confirm that the NCAA has asked to speak with me regarding the time I spent at the University of Miami. I am more than happy to cooperate with the national office on this issue and look forward to a quick resolution. The reports questioning my personal interactions with Mr. Shapiro are not an accurate portrayal of my character and per the above I am unable to comment further." -Frank Haith
The new developments bring back painful memories to the 2003 scandal involving Missouri player Ricky Clemons, and the sanctions that were imposed as a result. You can't change the past, as painful as it may be, and while were able to recover from that, the wounds have been reopened. But what I wanted to know is what real people, the fans, thought of the current situation.

I took to the streets and hit the message boards as well as the social networking websites to find out what Mizzou fans think of the situation, and was met with a mixed bag of responses. Some fans seem to stand by Frank and still have "Faith in Haith", whereas others seem to want to cut losses and move on.
"I think this could be a long shot but it seems like there is something behind the scenes going on, I mean he came out of nowhere for the job, and now this, maybe, just maybe, he just wanted to get out of Miami before these rumors surfaced and got run out of town."-Tyler
"Alright, he needs to go, and Alden needs to go. Yeah Alden sure did a "background" check on Haith. Yeah the hire was bad, and now we find out this. There has to be more to the story. Just fired me up. Hope it's not true, but most things like this don't turn out good, especially at Mizzou, everything blows up in our faces." -Jon
"I believe Haith is genuinely innocent, because if not wow...I wont even go there." -Toby
"Believe me Frank Haith is the last guy I wanted at Mizzou in the first place and now with the light of these accusations at Miami, it just makes his hire all the more head scratching. If these allegations are true and Miami is given the SMU treatment, the Frank Haith era at Mizzou would crash and burn before it ever left the ground." -Justin
"It's bull. We were getting too good, the other schools didn't like it, so they try to drown our coach."-Chelsea
What does the future hold for Frank Haith? As it stands, things are not looking so well for the coach. He's said he's being fully cooperative, but the evidence against him seems overwhelming. Shapiro, despite his conviction, tells a compelling story. The photos in his records are pretty damning evidence against Miami, but still no proof has surfaced of Haith's involvement or knowledge of the payments. The NCAA is conducting their investigation, and everybody gets their due process. If Haith is guilty, nothing will come of Mizzou other than firing him. That is, unless Alden had prior knowledge of Haith's role in the scandal. If there is proof that Missouri had an inclination of wrongdoing, but hired him anyway, repercussions could come Mizzou's way. Until that point, the Tigers have nothing to worry about other than possibly having to find a new head basketball coach, again.

15 August 2011

The King Has Left The Building

Elvis Fisher out with injury
by Mizzou Matt 8/15/11
Columbia, MO- Details are sketchy right now, but it seems that starting LT Elvis Fisher has gone down with what Gary Pinkel calls a "significant and serious" injury to his left knee.

Via Dave Matter and the Columbia Daily Tribune:
Missouri senior left tackle Elvis Fisher suffered what Gary Pinkel called a serious knee injury during this morning’s practice. Fisher, who has started every game since 2008, went down during a 1-on-1 pass-rush drill against defensive end Michael Sam and instantly clutched his left knee and screamed in pain. The co-captain was helped off the field by two trainers and taken into the team facility.

“He’s got a very serious knee injury,” Pinkel said. “It’s very serious. We’ll know more about it … and he’s probably getting an MRI as we’re talking right now. But it’s very significant.”

Sophomore Justin Britt took over at left tackle with the first-team offense after Fisher left the field. The Tigers are also without starting center Travis Ruth, who’s out indefinitely with a strained Achilles’ tendon. Right guard Jayson Palmgren filled in for Ruth at center, and Jack Meiners joined the starting lineup to replace Palmgren at left guard.

Fisher has started 40 consecutive games for the Tigers, which is 10 short of the school record.

14 August 2011

NOTICE

Due to a rift among the Missouri fan base, this blog will no longer be covering talks of the SEC expansion until final the word is given from all parties involved. The situation is currently taking a very similar shape to the Matt Painter ordeal, and in order to prevent any fraudulent reporting, I will refrain from publishing further on the situation until the process is completed.

13 August 2011

Gabe DeArmond Q&A with Mike Alden

via: PowerMizzou.com - In-Depth with Alden
The Longhorn Network has approached some Big 12 schools about televising games against Texas. How would you react if you were approached?

Mike Alden: "That probably wouldn't be something we'd be interested in. Because again, I think that our focus is Mizzou. And so, I don't know how that matches up with what our focus is."

Even though the money is there for it?

MA: "It's a different thing than money. I think philosophically that wouldn't be consistent with what (we want)."

Would there be pressure from other schools to say you shouldn't do it?

MA: "I don't know. That hasn't been discussed. The only one that I knew of that they'd talked to is Texas Tech."

Have any representatives from Mizzou talked to anybody from the SEC?

MA: "No, we haven't. With any of this stuff you guys have been throwing out there and everything, any talk about those types of issues going forward?The answer to your question is no. I want to make sure. No. But I want to make sure, what I don't want is almost on a daily basis, 'Has anybody talked to anybody?' No?Those types of issues are better left to the conference offices. So, short answer, no. I know it's hard for me to answer questions short, I know my trend is always to talk too much, but no."

Any feeling for any school if Texas A&M does leave, you've lost three in two years, if you get an opportunity to go to a league that's stable that you have to think about it seriously?

MA: "Oh, I just think that's all speculation. Our deal is just, I think we've got a league that's getting ready to start the football season and we're focusing on the football season. Anything beyond that is just speculation because, again, this is something that just came up."

You're aware that Deloss Dodds went as far to say I think they're gone and the Kansas AD said they know nine schools are going to fulfill their commitment. Do you have a read of how likely it is A&M is going to stay?

MA: "You know, the nine institutions, ten institutions that we have right now, I know that everybody's committed to the Big 12 that I'm aware of."

Including A&M?

MA: "That I don't know. All I've done is reading about it."

You feel they're likely to leave?

MA: "Do I think they're likely? I don't know. I don't know on that at all. I haven't talked to A&M, but I know that those nine schools are committed to the league."

When this all blew up last summer did schools have to actually sign any sort of a commitment?

MA: "You know, those questions, I have got to refer those to Dan Beebe and the commissioner. The commissioner really needs to be speaking on those types of issues. Mizzou is committed to the Big 12 for our stuff, but as far as those kind of comprehensive things, that's the kind of thing Dan and his staff; we look to our commissioner to be able to talk about that and run all that."

In your opinion is a nine team league viable?

MA: "Yes. I think it is. I think we've got really strong institutions. I think you should be open to perhaps expansion, though. But again, I think that's something Dan and his staff need to talk about. Now we have a conference call at 3 p.m. I got an email last night when I was in Kansas City from Dan that said we were going to have a conference call. There wasn't an agenda attached to it, but my assumption is they're going to talk about those types of things. I do think a nine team league is absolutely viable. Is it something that I think the league is maybe looking to expand beyond that if in fact it was nine? I think they are, but I think I'll know more about that today."

Gary was fairly outspoken about the Longhorn Network and what it might mean. First, did you have any issue with those comments?

MA: "Not at all. Not at all. How was that?"

Second, is there a problem with a league where it appears one team wields so much power?

MA: "Ask that again."

It appears from the outside that there are eight votes that count a little bit and then there is Texas' vote. Is that anywhere close to accurate and is that a problem?

MA: "I wouldn't say that that's accurate. When we're in those meetings and stuff, everybody has an equal vote, everybody has a chance to voice their opinion. I think in every league there's going to be some schools that are traditionally, and actually currently, successful. So in the Big Ten, you're going to have Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State. In the SEC, you're going to have Alabama and Florida. In the ACC you're going to have North Carolina and maybe Duke, or whoever that may be. In our league, it's been Texas and Oklahoma and Texas A&M have traditionally and over the long term had a lot of success. That's a long answer to tell you I don't see that as in reality of one school having more stick than another school. Because I think when we're in those meetings, everybody's voting for their institution so I think that could be the perception, but I haven't seen that when I'm in on those meetings."

But everyone says, we could lose A&M and go forward, but the reality is if you lose Texas or Oklahoma, the Big 12 can't survive, right?

MA: "I don't know. I hate to speculate on those types of things. They're obviously a very, very strong part of the brand. I think that certainly they're important to us moving forward. I don't think there's any question about that. But speculating beyond that, anything else that could happen, might happen, whatever, shoot, I mean I wouldn't have speculated that this was gonna happen, or more officially possibly could happen, 48 hours ago. So I hate to speculate on that part."

What effect could that have on the TV contract? Is that set in stone or if A&M leaves does that change?

MA: "I think that, again, I've got to refer that to Dan and his staff. That will probably be something that we talk about. My understanding is no. That's my understanding. Bug again, I think Dan and his staff, that's what our commissioner needs to answer."

But if A&M does leave, or anyone else, would you feel like they were insincere in their renewal of vows?

MA: "It was as recently as a couple of months ago-maybe not even a couple months ago, you guys probably would have the records better than I would-you have ten CEO's, we're just AD's, CEO's all looking at each other and saying hey, we're committed and we're locked together and everything. I think there's certainly an expectation that when people do that, you want them to stay the course."

One of the things Beebe has said is that the spirit of the thing has become when there's an issue, we're going to leave instead of when there's an issue, we've got to figure it out. It seems like such a reactionary stance.

MA: "All I know-not all I know, but coming back to your original point-a couple months ago, again it may be less than that, you had ten CEO's that were locked and publicly stating that we're going forward and everything so that certainly should give you confidence in everything. But if in fact, again this comes through and I have no reason to believe it wouldn't, but that wasn't consistent with what was said a few weeks ago."

If you get to the point of the potential of expanding and adding schools, who makes that decision? Is that University presidents that get that vote?

MA: "Yes, that's correct."

Do you know if everyone has to approve it? In the SEC, just two thirds have to approve it.

MA: "I don't know. Because we haven't discussed any expansion in the past. Today, again, I think on that conference call, those types of questions, we would ask those. But in our governing structure, I know the visibility most times is the athletics directors and our coaches. But the people that make those decisions on expansion or make decisions on the television contracts or all that, those are our CEO's. So those are the leaders of our institutions ultimately. In the Texas A&M situation, that's probably why we're hearing most of the comments out of President Loftin because he's the guy that has to make that decision, not Bill (Byrne)."

In your opinion, what is the criteria for adding teams. If you replace Nebraska, Colorado and A&M with lesser schools, at some point aren't you expanding just for the sake of expanding? Where's the line?

MA: "I think you've got to look at what they bring for the brand of the league and what they bring for your brand with television partners. I think those are key things. I think from our fanbase standpoint, it's important that folks don't see any consideration of expansion just to expand. As far as scheduling and playing teams, shoot, you know, we can all work those types of things out. But within a league, I think the key is how's it going to be able to impact your brand? That needs to be in a positive way. Then, secondly, how's it going to impact your television contracts? Those are the key things anymore."

When the conference formed, I know you weren't here then, but if they had decided we're going to pool all the television contracts and revenues equally, is it still a 12-team conference?

MA: "You know, you hate to guess on that one way or the other. The one thing I do know is the most successful leagues, the NFL and beyond, I can go on and on, are those that are predicated on we're all in and we all share equally. Those are the ones, over the course of time, that have been the strongest leagues. I don't know if that would have been done by the founding fathers, that was before I got here, or not, but certainly what we know is in those leagues that are the most successful, that is the model."

Have you heard how contentious an issue that was?

MA: "Way back then? I don't know. I'm guessing it was probably pretty big."

I seem to remember the biggest thing was the Prop 48 and whether you allowed them or not. I don't remember anybody talking about the TV and the revenue.

MA: "The one thing with Mizzou, and I know you guys know this, our league brethren, when we're going into a meeting, they know what our position always is, it's always been. We believe in that (revenue sharing). But we're just one vote."

But if there is nine, how does that change the voting dynamic in having a majority that might want to do it that way?

MA: "I think we'll find out more today. I don't know if that's a topic that will come up today. I'm looking forward to our commissioner getting us together on the league today. Looking for his leadership and his direction on where we're going. For all of us as institutions, we're looking to Dan as our leader and to be able to direct our board, to work with our board, and then direct us to see where we're going to go."

Is the conference call AD's and CEO's?

MA: "No, today, my understanding is it's just AD's. And I don't know if they scheduled a CEO conference call. Brady (Deaton) is the chair of the Big 12. I know he was on the phone a lot yesterday and he and I, of course, are in communication, just like I am with coach. But I don't know if they've scheduled one or not."

Last year Bill Self said football is driving all of this and the rest of us are just along for the ride. Gary says he has no control over it. You said the decisions are made above you. Is there a problem with the people that are most impacted and have the most impact on the issue not having enough input on the decisions and the process?

MA: "I think it would be, I would have been misspeaking, I don't think I would have been answering accurately if I'm saying that you have no control over that. Ultimately the decision is going to be made by the CEO, but I think at our place, just like it would be at Texas or at Kansas or Kansas State, or whatever, we're all in communication, we're all talking, but ultimately the person that votes on what goes on with the conference is gonna be done by Brady, in our case. When I think people like Bill Self was talking about how football drives it, it's not necessarily the football coach or the athletics director or even the president. It's the sport. It's just the sport and because of the command that the sport has on television contracts and attendance and visibility and all of that, that sport dominates the considerations when you're doing this. I'm just going back here, I want to make sure, like in our system, Brady ultimately has that vote, and so it's not like we're sitting on the sidelines. We're all in there together, it's just he's the head coach so at the end of the day he's got to cast the final vote what goes on."

Last year, you guys said very little and were accused by other schools of stirring everything up. This year, you say very little and have fans thinking that means you're not doing enough. Are you in a no win situation?

MA: "Oh, I don't know, I wouldn't judge it one way or the other. I just think on these types of issues, by not saying anything, you would hope that people aren't misconstruing that as you're not working. It's like yesterday, I mean you're burning up the phone all day long, you're talking to people, you've got conference calls, you've got all these things that are going on, but certainly I think that you're always better served to be able to do that, in my opinion, by just trying to limit the conversation because there's just so many questions, so many rumors, whether it's you guys trying to find out, or we may be, I may be. There's so many things. That's again, a long-winded, I know that, answer. But you would hope that folks would recognize that the focus has to be on moving forward and not necessarily talking about it all the time."

Note: After this discussion, Doug Gottleib tweeted and ESPN subsequently began reporting that Missouri, Clemson and Florida State were likely to join Texas A&M in going to the SEC. I asked Alden about that report and he responded: "Where are we going?...We haven't been in discussions with anyone."

Expanding the Shrinkage

TAMU to SEC, Clemson, FSU could follow
by Mizzou Matt 8/13/11
Columbia, MO- We've seen it all over Facebook, Twitter and ESPN SportsCenter- Texas A&M is considering a move to the Southeastern Conference. Sources say that the SEC could also be in the future for two ACC teams- the Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles. Some are also speculating that Missouri could be SEC-bound. The one problem about that report is that nobody from Mizzou has spoken to the SEC about a move.

Mike Alden tells Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou.com that the remaining Big 12 athletic directors have a conference call with conference commissioner Dan Beebe today (Saturday) at 3p. There, they are expected to discuss the future of the Big 12, and any possible moves that a school wants to make. After last year's realignment of Colorado and Nebraska, the Big 12 banded together and said as one voice that they aren't going anywhere. "The round-robin play benefits everybody," said Mizzou's Gary Pinkel. The one downfall of last year's deal has to be the Longhorn Network for the University of Texas. It was announced two weeks ago that Texas could not air high school content on the network for at least a year. Shortly after, the talks and speculation started about Texas A&M.

Social media has played a huge role in the breaking of the news. On Twitter, that oh-so-powerful tool, Doug Gottlieb of ESPN reported that Mizzou is SEC-bound. One minute later, DeArmond says we're not. We cannot forget that it was reported via Twitter by Bernie Miklasz that Matt Painter was headed to Missouri from Purdue. Not even a day later, Painter withdrew his apparent commitment and signed a deal with the Boilermakers.

Alden had this to say in response to Gottlieb's report: "Where are we going? We haven't talked to anybody."

12 August 2011

MizzouNation1839's photostream

Kelsey BrincowMizzou attackSecond Half ActionIllini GoalMizzou Throw InNew Unis
DSC_0134Mizzou GoalCaroline StanleyGreerStipetichSubs
Mizzou SaveFirst Half ActionMcKenzie SauerweinPregame HuddleWarmupsMizzou Soccer
Inside the MATCD-Line at practice2011 Black & Gold GameT.J. MoeOverturned CatchMoe Miracle

Other photo galleries available on Mizzou Nation's Facebook page. The Flickr page is the gallery for this blog specifically.

Wet N Wild Soccer Style

Soccer exhibition game
by Mizzou Matt 8/12/11
Columbia, MO- Not many people showed up for the first look at the Mizzou soccer team today. Could it have been because it was only an exhibition game? Possibly. Could it have been because the game was moved from 6:30 to 1p to avoid inclement weather? Maybe, but the weather showed itself at the game anyway. The game start was delayed fifteen minutes due to lightning in the area, but at 1:15, all systems were go.

The first half was back and forth, as most soccer games are. Both the Tigers and the Illinois Fighting Illini had some good scoring chances, but could not capitalize. The game went into the locker room tied at 0.

The second half was much more of the same. Good touches, nice plays and great balls were to be had by both sides, but one touch in particular was the tie breaker. At 34:53 in the second half, Mizzou broke it open with their first goal of the season. Ten minutes later, Illinois would tie it. The game would end with the same score.

The rain was off and on, but the referee was off. Despite his wearing Black & Gold as his uniform for the game, he was in no way biased in favor of Mizzou. Not that I'm harping on the officiating, I'm just saying that as a former soccer referee myself, I am embarrassed at the calls the center referee made, or lack thereof.

The season opener for Mizzou soccer comes Sunday, August 21 when they host Eastern Illinois at the Audrey J. Walton Track Stadium. Game time is set for 6:30p.

11 August 2011

Dot the 'I's, Cross the 'T's

Sheldon Richardson cleared Wed. afternoon
by MizzMatt 8/11/2011
Columbia, MO- Sheldon Richardson. The name rings a bell, but nobody knows for sure who he is, or if he's even a real person. Nobody has ever been so highly touted, but yet so widely unknown. Someone jokingly asked if he was a mythical creature from the land of Oz. Others speculated he was a spell from the Harry Potter series. Neither of these are correct. Sheldon is the no-1 rated defensive tackle from the 2011 signing class, and what's worse for the opponents of Missouri: he has been cleared by the NCAA to suit up.

"Gotta make sure the 'I's are dotted and the 'T's are crossed. I'm here to stay," Sheldon told reporters after his first practice on Thursday.

His being declared eligible by the NCAA has also gained national notoriety. Former quarterback, current ESPN college football analyst and a co-host of the network's College Football GameDay Kirk Herbstreit had this to say: "Missouri's defense just got a whole lot better than it was. This team will be very dangerous."

The story has certainly been the buzz of Mizzou fan pages and among Tiger fans on Twitter, as after the announcement by Chad Moller, Mizzou football spokesman, late yesterday, the message boards were lit up with Sheldon Richardson.

Some jokes have already been circulating about the story:
"There's a line at the Big 12 office in Dallas nine teams long. All reportedly there to forfeit."
"Nebraska left for the Big Ten because they knew Sheldon would be cleared to play."
"Texas A&M says they're headed for the SEC almost immediately after Sheldon is cleared. Coincidence? I think not."
No matter the joke, it's no laughing matter. Now that he's been cleared, he must attend classes and keep his eligibility, otherwise all these stories carry no weight.

PERSONALLY, I wish Sheldon the best of luck in his new role at Mizzou, and now we actually have a face to go with the name. Sheldon Richardson- the man, the myth, the soon-to-be legend.

College GameDay

Mizzou to host basketball edition Feb. 4th
by MizzMatt 8/11/2011
Columbia, MO- On October 16th, 2010, the nation awoke to the same routine it usually does. But with it being in the middle of college football season, the anticipation of the announcement for the next broadcast of ESPN's College Football GameDay was at it's peak. Fresh off of a big win at Texas A&M, many Missouri fans were pleading their case to host the broadcast the following week as the Tigers would play host to the new no-1 team: the Oklahoma Sooners. Their wish was Chris Fowler's, Desmond Howard's, Kirk Herbstreit's, Lee Corso's and Erin Andrew's command. On that Monday, Fowler made the announcement via Twitter:
"I see you, Columbia, MO"

The party was set.

October 23rd, 2010. 2:00am. The line starts behind Jesse Hall on Conley Avenue. By 3:00, there's already over 500 in line. By the time the Quad opens at 3:45am, more than 2,000 have braved the early time, cool temperatures and periods of on and off drizzle and rain. By the time the broadcast concluded at 11:00am, Mizzou event staff, as well as ESPN staff members estimate the crowd to be over 18,000- the largest crowd in GameDay history (previous record was 15,500 set by Nebraska). On Friday, October 22, Mizzou also set a record attendance for the largest crowd for a Friday broadcast.

Fowler added this at the end of the broadcast: "This is the largest crowd we've ever seen. You guys are awesome! Great job, Mizzou!"

The eyes were certainly on Columbia that day, as Brent Musberger came to town to pair with Kirk and Erin for the Homecoming showdown against the Sooners. That broadcast put Mizzou on the map. Now, the eyes of the nation will again turn to Columbia as the basketball edition of College GameDay will make its way to Mizzou Arena for the first time ever in advance of the Mizzou vs Kansas Border War on February 4th, 2012. The announcement came this morning on mutigers.com. Helping mark the 266th meeting between these bitter rivals, the show, presented by State Farm, will be in the new home of Mizzou basketball, which was built in 2003.

"What an honor to have GameDay come to Columbia," said new head basketball coach Frank Haith. "We are obviously proud of what we have to showcase here."

Haith takes the reigns after an eventful off season for the Tigers, who return all but 2 to the court. Justin Safford is the only graduate from the 2010-2011 team, and sophomore Ricky Kreklow has transferred to UC-Berkley. Led by star guard Marcus Denmon, who is currently on the National Collegiate Team, guard Kim English and forward Lawrence Bowers, the Tigers are looking to be better than they were last year under coach Mike Anderson, who led the Tigers to an even 8-8 in conference play, but a dismal 1-7 on the road. The lone road victory was at Iowa State, while the lone home loss was to the Jayhawks.

The GameDay broadcast brought the football team some luck as they were the third consecutive team to knock off a no-1 ranked opponent, and the second consecutive team to score on the opening kickoff (upsets, in order: South Carolina beat Alabama, Wisconsin scored on the opening kick and went on to beat Ohio State, Missouri defeated Oklahoma). Could the broadcast bring luck to the basketball team against their most hated rival? The Tigers have only won one game against the Jayhawks since 2007, a thrilling 62-60 victory in 2009. The last time before that was in 2006, with an 89-86 win in Columbia.

Looks like Kim English's sign at the football GameDay broadcast paid off..

08 August 2011

All-Time Coaching Leaders (Football)

All-Time Coaching Leaders (min 10 wins)
Don Faurot - 100-80-10 (190 games)
Dan Devine - 92-38-7 (137)
Gary Pinkel - 77-49-0 (126)*
Warren Powers - 46-33-3 (82)
Gwinn Henry - 40-28-9 (77)
Al Onofrio - 38-41-0 (79)
Larry Smith - 33-46-1 (80)
W.J. Monilaw - 18-6-1 (25)
Henry F. Schulte - 16-14-2 (32)
Chester Brewer - 14-8-2 (24)
Woody Widenhofer - 12-31-1 (44)
David Fultz - 10-6-1 (17)

*current coach

04 August 2011

Practice Day 1

Richardson reports, Murphy out indefinitely
by MizzMatt 8/4/11
Columbia, MO- The Tigers started their summer camp today, and it starts on a negative note. Sophomore running back Marcus Murphy has gone on the injury list indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Murphy rushed 22 times for 181 yards and two scores and averaged just under 20 yards on his 24 kick returns as a freshman in 2010.

On a more positive note- DT Sheldon Richardson reported to camp, and the Columbia Daily Tribune's Dave Matter reports that he'll be wearing the number 34 instead of 95.

Big 12 Schedule Released

Tigers open vs OU, close @TTU
by MizzMatt via www.big12sports.com 8/4/11
Columbia, MO- The Big 12 released it's conference schedule today, giving us an insight of how our season may go. The Tigers will open conference play at home against Oklahoma on January 4th and close out on March 3rd at Texas Tech. The Kansas Jayhawks travel to Columbia on February 4th and the Tigers battle back in the Phog on February 25th. Other big games include Texas (Jan 14 in Mizzou Arena, Jan 30 in Austin) and Kansas State (Jan 7 in Manhattan, Feb 21 in Columbia).

Full conference schedule available here: http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=205238030

03 August 2011

Jeremy Maclin

In the previous post I mentioned that Jeremy Maclin has been suffering from a serious illness and the rumors were mono or lymphoma. Eagles' coach Andy Reid couldn't comment on the status of his wide receiver, but he did have this to say:
“This is a personal thing and I can’t go any further than that…I’ve had a chance to talk to him every day and we all love the kid."

Rumors Galore

Details are sketchy at best right now, and nobody seems to know anything concrete as of yet. No official reports have been released, but there are rumors floating around that former Mizzou wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has been suffering from a serious illness. Some rumors in the mill are he suffered/is suffering from mono while others have surfaced it may be lymphoma.

01 August 2011

Depth Perception

Taking a look at Mizzou's 2011 depth chart
by MizzMatt 8/1/11
Columbia, MO- Reporting Day is still over a day away, and two-a-days start on Thursday, but the depth chart for 2011 has already been released on http://www.mutigers.com. Here's a look at it:

OFFENSE
Quarterback
SO A. Glaser
  1. SO James Franklin- 6'2", 225lbs. Similar to Brad Smith, last year's backup who scored a TD on the ground against Oklahoma.
  2. SO Ashton Glaser- 6', 205lbs. Similar build to Chase Daniel, small and mobile. Inherited the backup slot after Tyler Gabbert departed for Louisville.
  3. SR Jimmy Costello- 6'3", 225lbs
 Running Back
  1. JR Kendial Lawrence- 5'9", 190lbs. Second leading rusher in last year's rushing by committee.
  2. SR De'Vion Moore- 5'9", 195. Last year's leader with 418 yards on 93 carries.
  3. SO Henry Josey- 5'10", 190. Third on depth chart at RB last year.
  4. SO Marcus Murphy- 5'9", 185.
  5. RSFr Greg White- 6'1", 210.
  6. JR Jared Culver- 5'11", 250. Built more like a small linebacker rather than a tailback.
  7. SO Daniel Carpenter- 6', 220.
Wide Receivers
  • X-out
  1. SR Jerrell Jackson- 6'1", 185lbs. Caught big TD grabs against Colorado and Oklahoma.
  2. SO L'Damian Washington- 6'4", 185.
  3. JR Rolandis Woodland- 6'3", 200. Caught a ball for a big gain against Kansas State.
  4. FR Wesley Leftwich- 6'2", 195. Hickman High School graduate.
  • H-out
JR T.J. Moe
  1. JR T.J. Moe- 6', 195lbs. Last year's receiving leader with 1,045 yards and 6 TD.
  2. JR Gahn McGaffie- 5'10", 190. Returned opening kickoff for TD against OU last year.
  3. RSFr Bud Sasser- 6'3", 205.
  4. RSFr Jimmie Hunt- 6'1", 200.
  5. SO Kerwin Stricker- 6'2", 205.
  • Z-Out
  1. SR Wes Kemp- 6'4", 220lbs. Had a big block on Terrance Sweeney of Kansas State on a Blaine Gabbert TD run.
  2. SR Brandon Gerau- 6', 185.
  3. SO Marcus Lucas- 6'5", 205.
  4. SO Jaleel Clark- 6'5", 210.
Tight End
  1. SR Michael Egnew- 6'6", 245lbs. Not the traditional TE, second on team receiving last year.
  2. SO Eric Waters- 6'4", 230.
  3. SR Andrew Jones- 6'5", 255.
  4. JR Stephen Drain- 6'4", 245.
Left Tackle
  1. SR Elvis Fisher- 6'5" 295lbs. Member of a veteran O-line that returns four starters from 2010.
  2. RSFr Anthony Gatti- 6'6", 295.
Left Guard
  1. SR Jayson Palmgren- 6'2" 305lbs.
  2. SO Justin Britt- 6'5", 295.
  3. SO Max Copeland- 6'3", 270.
  4. RSFr Nick Demien- 6'6", 295.
Center
  1. JR Travis Ruth- 6'3", 295lbs. Travis looks to step into the slot vacated by the departing Tim Barnes.
  2. RSFr Mitch Morse- 6'6", 290.
  3. RSFr Robert Luce- 6'2", 290.
Right Guard
  1. SR Austin Wuebbles- 6'4" 295lbs.
  2. JR Jack Meiners- 6'6", 305.
  3. SO Mark Hill- 6'6", 290.
Right Tackle
  1. SR Dan Hoch- 6'7", 320lbs. Biggest starter on the line.
  2. RSFr Chris Freeman- 6'8", 325. Biggest guy on the team, and only a freshman.
  3. FR Michael Boddie- 6'6", 285.
  4. RSFr Stephen Carberry- 6'4", 295.
Kicker
  1. SR Grant Ressel- 6'2", 190lbs. Looks to improve on last year's 4-miss performance.
  2. JR Trey Barrow- 6'1", 195. Trey split kickoff and punting duties last year.
DEFENSE
Left End
SO M. Sam
  1. SR Jacquise Smith- 6'4", 255lbs. Returned a fumble for TD against K-State in 2010.
  2. SO Michael Sam- 6'3", 255. Filled in for the injured Dominique Hamilton in 2010.
  3. RSFr Matt Hoch- 6'5, 260.
  4. RSFr Derrion Thomas- 6'4", 225.
Defensive Tackle
  1. SR Terrell Resonno- 6'5", 295lbs. Had a blocked kick in last year's shutout against Colorado.
  2. JR Jimmy Burge- 6'2", 290.
  3. JR George White- 6'4", 285.
  4. SR Brendan Donaldson- 6'2", 285.
  5. SR Corey Sudhoff- 6', 265.
Nose Guard
  1. SR Dominique Hamilton- 6-5, 305lbs. Injured against Oklahoma and missed out on the rest of the season with a broken ankle.
  2. SO Marvin Foster- 6'2", 290.
  3. RSFr Lucas Vincent- 6'3", 295.
  4. FR Gerrand Johnson- 6'2", 245.
Right End
  1. JR Brad Madison- 6'4", 265lbs. Split time with Michael Sam after the Hamilton injury. Steps into start role after Aldon Smith left for the NFL.
  2. RSFr Kony Ealy- 6'5", 250.
  3. SO Braydon Burnett- 6'3", 245.
Linebackers
  • W
JR Z. Gooden (25)
  1. JR Zaviar Gooden- 6'2", 230lbs. Had an INT against OU in 2010.
  2. RSFr Darvin Ruise- 6'2", 225.
  3. SO Tony Randolph- 5'11", 230.
  • M
  1. SR Will Ebner- 6'1", 230lbs.
  2. SR Luke Lambert- 6'3", 230.
  3. RSFr Jared Parham- 6'2", 230.
  • S
  1. SO Andrew Wilson- 6'3", 230lbs.
  2. SO Donovan Bonner- 6'2", 235.
  3. RSFr Michael Brennan- 6'2", 220.
Left Corner
  1. JR Kip Edwards- 6'1", 195lbs. Steps into role vacated by Carl Gettis.
  2. JR Robert Steeples- 6'1", 190.
  3. RSFr Tristen Holt- 6', 190.
Right Corner
  1. SO E.J. Gaines- 5'10", 185lbs. Steps into role vacated by Kevin Rutland.
  2. SR Trey Hobson- 5'11", 185.
  3. SO Randy Ponder- 5'10", 195.
  4. RSFr Xavier Smith- 5'11", 185.
Strong Safety
SR K. Jackson
  1. SR Kenji Jackson- 5'10", 200lbs.
  2. JR Kenronte Walker- 6', 205.
  3. RSFr Daniel Easterly, 6'4", 190.
  4. SO Tyler Davis- 6-1", 195.
Free Safety
  1. SO Matt White- 6', 190lbs. Steps into role vacated by Jarrell Harrison.
  2. RSFr Braylon Webb- 6', 200.
  3. SO Tavon Bolden- 6'2", 205.
Punter
  1. JR Trey Barrow- 6'1", 195lbs. Also backup placekicker.
  2. RSFr Christian Brisner- 6', 180.





Jeff Wolfert to Cleveland

Former Tiger signs NFL deal
by MizzMatt 8/1/11
Jeff "Money" Wolfert, the most accurate kicker in not only Mizzou history, but in the NCAA, signed a deal last week that will take him from Omaha semi-pro league to the Cleveland Browns. Wolfert will join fellow Missouri alumni Carl Gettis on the Cuyahoga River. The Browns finished the 2010 season at 5-11.

All Hands On Deck

Wednesday marks return of players
by MizzMatt 8/1/11
Columbia, MO- This Wednesday, August 3rd, marks one month until the opening day of NCAA football. It also marks the reporting date for Mizzou football players and the return of students to MU campus. Thursday, August 4th marks the start of two-a-day practices for the 2011 squad.

First year starter QB James Franklin leads an experienced offense that had its ups and downs in 2010. The Moe Miracle against SDSU, two blowouts of McNeese State and Miami (OH), an upset of Oklahoma were all on the highlight reel. The veteran defense, led by DE Jacquise Smith and middle linebacker Will Ebner, contributed to the upset of OU with key interceptions and the shut down of Demarco Murray. They also tallied two shutouts on the year, 26-0 over Colorado and 14-0 over Iowa State. They were susceptible to big plays, though and they will be looking to fill in the gap created by Aldon Smith's departure. Coach Gary Pinkel says Sheldon Richardson is eligible and he expects the defensive lineman to be dressed out and practicing with the team on August 4th.

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