Conference Realignment

We all know about it, but for those that haven't yet heard- where have you been?  The NCAA has agreed to a major shift in the conferences, only the second in nearly 20 years.  TCU is going to the Big East, which is on the verge of losing its automatic qualifying berth in BCS games.  Boise State is going to the MWC.  Colorado is on their way to the PAC10 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are on their way out to the Big Ten.

Missouri was the original frontrunner for the Big Ten, until some shady backroom deals done by Nebraska's athletic director Tom Osborne, the university president and the commissioner of the Big Ten, Jim Delaney..as reported by the Omaha newspaper.  What if MU had been taken over the Huskers?

For starters, more airtime on TV with the Big Ten Network.  More TV exposure means better recruiting, and even more importantly, more money.  The Big Ten pays out the most of any other conference and every school in the conference gets a share of the BTN revenue.  Last year, the Big Ten paid out between $22 and $24 million to their schools, second was the PAC10 at $12-13 million.  The University would have needed a stadium renovation.  Anheuser-Busch was willing to front the money needed for such a renovation, which was estimated at $48 million.  The payout for MU's first three years in the Big Ten?  $16 mil/yr.  Stadium paid for after three years in conference.

But, the Tigers were not taken, and instead one of our fiercest rivals is on the way out, and with them, the "world's classiest fans".  No longer will the Big 12 be the poster boy for the criminally insane fans and players that play in Lincoln.  Instead, the team that wound up winning a national championship on a 5th down goes to the PAC10.

Instead of the Big 12 championship game that has been so detrimental to Mizzou, the conference will employ a round-robin style format, where whomever has the most conference wins, wins the championship.  How will Missouri fair in the new conference?  We will just have to sit back, watch and enjoy the ride.

Messing With Texas

TIGERS WON'T FORGET THE ALAMO
Austin, TX- The University of Missouri Tigers traveled to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns today, Saturday, in an effort to hand Texas their first conference loss of the season.  What happened, was the exact opposite.  The Longhorns opened up with a 10-0 run to start the game, and forward Laurence Bowers and guard Kim English scored 10 of the team's first 12 points, until Bowers left the game after taking an elbow to the face.  He never returned and is still questionable for the Oklahoma State game on Feb 2.  Phil Pressey scored 12 in the 71-58 loss, and the Tigers did show great improvement in one area: free throws.  Their rebounding left a lot to be desired, and a Texas team that has struggled from the line was the reason the Tigers were able to claw their way to within 10 points.  In the end, it just wasn't meant to be for MU, as they fall to 17-4 in a year that winning on the road in Big 12 Conference play is a near improbability.

The Tigers' next game is 2/2 against Oklahoma State in Stillwater.  Tip off is set for 8p/C on ESPN2. 

Tigers in the Super Bowl

How many Tiger alumni have played in a Super Bowl?

23.  So far, 19 have won, with one pending.  Pretty impressive winning percentage.

The list that was given to me:
Ed Blaine, Guard, Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl I (won)
Chase Daniel, QB, New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV (won)
Justin Gage, WR, Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XLI
Tony Galbreath, RB, New York Giants, Super Bowl XXI (won)
Michael Harden, DB, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl XL
Ziggy Hood, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XLV (result TBD)
Mike Jones, LB, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl XXXIV (won)
RIck Lyle, DE, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXVIII (won)
John Matuszak, DE, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XI (won)
John Matuszak, DE, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XV (won)
Gus Otto, LB, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl II
Phil Pettey, Guard, Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXII (won)
Andy Russell, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl IX (won)
Andy Russell, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl X (won)
Jerome Sally, NT, New York Giants, Super Bowl XXI (won)
Otis Smith, DB, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXI
Otis Smith, DB, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXVI (won)
Henry Stuckey, Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl VII (won)
Henry Stuckey, Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl VIII (won)
Eric Wright, DB, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XVI (won)
Eric Wright, DB, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XIX (won)
Eric Wright, DB, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIII (won)
Eric Wright, DB, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIV (won)


I'd like to give a major thanks to user name ZouDave that provided me with these names.

Tigers Win Big, Longhorns Comeback

The Missouri Tigers basketball team hit the hardwood today for a game against the Iowa State Cyclones.  The game was close for about 5:00, then the Tigers turned electric.  Mizzou built up a 48-26 halftime lead, and continued their dominance in the second half, opening a 87-54 win over the Cyclones, the fifth straight win in the series.   Iowa State's Jake Anderson led all scorers with 20 points, while Michael Dixon, Jr led the Tigers with 15.  Ricardo Ratliffe added 12 of his own.  Five Tigers finished in double digits- Dixon, Ratliffe, Kim English (12), Marcus Denmon (13) and Justin Safford (11).  Jason Sutton came on the floor late to knock in a lone 3-pointer to allow all Tiger players to score.  The lowest scorer was freshman Ricky Kreklow with 1 point.

The Tigers shot 44% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc and improved greatly on their free throws, going 9-12 (75%) from the stripe.  The Tigers travel to Austin, TX to take on the Longhorns who were in action today against the Kansas Jayhawks...

...and this game had a lot of MU fans' eyes.  The Jayhawks boasted a 69-game win streak coming into today's game, and Texas did a sufficient job of silencing the Beakers' boasts.  The Longhorns battled back from a 15-point halftime deficit to beat Kansas 74-63 to get their first win in Lawrence in school history.  The loss marks Kansas' first of the year, while Texas continues their undefeated conference run and improves their overall record to 16-3.

The Tigers and Longhorns meet on January 29 in Austin, TX at 8p/CT on ESPNU and the Tiger Radio Network.

NFL Draft/Recruiting Update

Jr QB Blaine Gabbert

According to the most recent NFL Draft forecast models, Blaine Gabbert is being projected to go 5th overall to the Arizona Cardinals.  If that holds true, he'll be only the second Tiger in school history to go in the top-5 of the draft (DE Justin Smith-4th overall, 2000).
In the rumor mill: Star junior defensive end Aldon Smith is being targeted by the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Todd McShay.

Jr DE Aldon Smith

MU shows claws in big win

Columbia, MO- The University of Missouri Tiger basketball team returned home after a heartbreaking overtime loss to Texas A&M in College Station for a game against conference foe Kansas State.  The Wildcats came into the season ranked 3rd and predicted to win the Big XII Championship.  K-State has gone 4-4 in their last eight games coming into today's match up, televised nationally on ESPN.

The Tigers enter the game at 15-3, 1-2 in conference play.  Losses to Georgetown (102-111 F/OT), Colorado (66-79) and TAMU (89-91 F/OT) are the only blemishes on an otherwise excellent season.  The 14th ranked Tigers took on the 24th ranked Wildcats in front of a sold out crowd.  Mizzou struggled at the beginning of the game offensively, but opened up a 15-pt halftime lead.  The Wildcats were able to bring it to within three, but that was the closest they would get, as in the last 8:00 minutes of the game, the Tigers went on a 17-4 run, including 3-point buckets from guards Kim English and Marcus Denmon, who led Mizzou with 14 points.  Phil Pressey, who was electric in the TAMU loss contributed 10 points and became the first Tiger since Anthony Peeler to have three consecutive 7+ assist games, including a highlight reel assist to Laurence Bowers on a 4-2 Tiger break late in the game.


The Tigers win in Columbia 75-59 over the Wildcats, who have now gone 4-5 in the last 9 games.  The Tigers improve to 16-3 and .500 in conference at 2-2.  The Tigers take on the Cyclones of Iowa State on January 22nd at Mizzou Arena.  The game is to be televised on ESPNU.

Michigan Finds New Coach

Brady Hoke to Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI- It was the firing heard 'round the NCAA.  A high profile coach from a high profile school suddenly fired after mediocre results.  A week is all it took.  The University of Michigan football program went without a coach for a week, after firing Rich Rodriguez.  Apparently three seasons was a couple too many, and the Wolverines were wanting to find someone a little more...productive.  Rodriguez had been a breath of fresh air coming after Lloyd Carr's 1-7 record against Jim Tressel of Ohio State, and after introducing the spread offense to the Big House, the fresh air was quickly turning stale.  Rich Rod's three years were disappointing at best, going just 3-9, 5-7, 8-5 in each season, respectfully, as well as being clouded in scandals.  Practice and recruiting violations smeared the once proud program.  Michigan's AD Dave Brandon was looking to do some house cleaning after having a defense that was ranked 117th out of 120 schools, and coming off of a gutwrenching 52-14 loss to Mississippi State, the timing seemed perfect.  Rich Rod didn't only lose his first bowl game as the Wolverine head coach, but he led the team to their first losing season since 1966, first ever back-back losing seasons and the worst of all:  an 0-3 start against Ohio State.  So Rich Rodriguez was fired toward the end of the first week of 2011, along with his entire staff.

Brady Hoke from his coordinator days

Dave Brandon had been meeting with multiple coaches throughout the week, including Michigan alumni Jim Harbaugh of Stanford and Les Miles of LSU.  Les Miles, who the university had targeted three years earlier, was a prime candidate, according to Brandon, as Harbaugh seemed to be NFL-bound.  A third and unlikely candidate for the job was a former coordinator for the Wolverines, Brady Hoke.  Hoke, who led the San Diego State Aztecs to a great season, gave traditional powerhouses and newcomer powerhouses the thrill of a lifetime.  SDSU came to Columbia and it took a 68-yard pass play known as the "Moe Miracle" to beat them.  The Aztecs also lost by 5 to the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs, 40-35.

Hoke at SDSU.

Earlier this week there had been a meeting of the minds between Brandon and Miles, and after the goodbyes were said, Miles announced he was remaining at LSU for a little bit longer.  Michigan goes 0-2 trying to get him out of Baton Rouge and up to Ann Arbor.  So, it falls on the shoulders of the unlikely candidate, Brady Hoke, and the question is not whether or not Hoke and the boosters get along, it's will Hoke and star quarterback Denard Robinson get along?  Rumors are speculating around the campus that the two may not see eye-to-eye on how to effectively run an offense, and with backup QB Tate Forcier no longer enrolled, Hoke has some recruiting to do on his own for a QB to fit into his style, which is reportedly going back to traditional Big Ten smashmouth: run between the tackles until you stop us, then we'll air it out to get past you.

Elsewhere: Florida coach Urban Meyer has resigned and former Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Will Muschamp.  Muschamp, coming off of a disappointing 5-7 season with the Longhorns (a year after being national runner-up and the school's first loss to Iowa State), is taking over a Gator team that has struggled in their first year without Tim Tebow, going 8-5 overall.

Mizzou Conference Win

TIGERS SHUCK THE CORN

Marcus Denmon led all scorers with 27 points and also had 6 rebounds

Mizzou's Kim English (24) drives to the rim.

The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team notched their first conference victory of 2011 with a 77-69 win over rival Nebraska on Wednesday, January 12.  Nebraska is coming off of a 1-pt win over conference foe Iowa State in Lincoln.  The Tigers, coming off of a loss in Boulder against Colorado, were looking for a rebound and controlled the game from the onset.  Marcus Denmon scored 8 of the Tigers' first 10 enroute to a 27 point night to lead all scorers.  Denmon also went 5/7 from behind the 3-pt line.
Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe each added 12 of their own, with Kim English tallying 9 points.  The Tiger bench that was so potent throughout the start of the season only contributed just 17 points, with 12 from Bowers alone.  Nebraska's Toney McCray led the Huskers with 17 points.  Mizzou improves their season to 15-2, 1-1; while Nebraska falls to 13-2, 1-1.  The Tigers are on the road to College Station, TX to take on the Texas A&M Aggies.  Tip off is slated for 12p/C.  Missouri will return home for Kansas State on the 17th.  The Huskers have another difficult task as they travel to Lawrence, KS to take on the 3rd-ranked Jayhawks, who escaped Iowa State with a five point victory.

Please Be Aware

Please be aware that this blog is NOT run by an official at the University of Missouri, and all the opinions and views expressed herein do not reflect the views or opinions of the University or any official at the University.  This blog is of my own accord and does not in any way, shape, or form have any legal or official ties to the University of Missouri.

Thank you,
Blog writer.

Around the NCAA

Every year, there is a shakeup of some kind.  This year, we have the conference realignment and the resignation and/or firings of high-profile coaches.

We all know the story behind the realignment, Colorado to the PAC-12, Nebraska to the Big Ten, TCU to the Big East, Boise to the Mountain West...but it's the realignment of coaches that is grabbing some attention.

As Mizzou fans, we won't forget the San Diego State game for quite some time.  It was a spectacular finish at Faurot by the Tigers, and coming on the heels of an 8-5 season, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI have fired their 3-year coach Rich Rodriguez.  "Rich Rod", formerly of West Virginia, went a dismal 16-21 in his three years at Michigan, after going to four straight bowl games with West Virginia of the Big East.  He coached great quarterbacks such as Pat White, the first to have a 200 pass, 200 rush game and Michigan's Denard Robinson, who became the first to have back to back 200/200 games, and the first quarterback in FBS history to have a 1500 pass, 1500 rush in the same season.  He also went over 2000 passing yards.  Back to the original thought:  San Diego State.  The reason I mention the Aztecs is Michigan's athletic director Dave Brandon is considering Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke as Rodriguez's replacement.

What has Hoke done at SDSU that is different than what Rich Rod has done in Ann Arbor?  One word: win.  He only lost by three to Mizzou, on a last-minute TD that has become known as the Moe Miracle.  He gave the Rose Bowl champs a run for their money, losing by five to the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs.  His pistol offense was adopted from conference foe Nevada, who Missouri beat last year, and the same Nevada that ended Boise State's run in the top-5.

I am a Mizzou fan first and foremost, but my #2 team is Michigan, so this means a great deal to me, and it could mean a lot to the rest of the NCAA.