After a relatively disengaged (for me) weekend, it's time to get primed for Thursday night, baby.  And it starts with your typical Monday boatload of links.

Mizzou-Nebraska Links!

• KC Star: For now, Missouri's football program outshines Nebraska

  Over the previous five seasons, Missouri has won six more games than Nebraska, three in Big 12 play. The Tigers have played in four straight bowl games, one more than the Cornhuskers in that span.

  Missouri’s six NFL draft selections last April match the total of Nebraska players taken over the previous two years.

  Conquests of ranked opponents, all-conference and All-America selections, postseason appearances and bowl trophies all favor Tigers of recent vintage.

  But the most telling baton-passing moments have occurred on game days. Mizzou has toyed with the Huskers with a combined 93-23 score in two straight triumphs. Thursday, the Tigers go for their first three-game series winning streak since 1969.

  It was around the time man first walked on the moon that Mizzou held its own with Nebraska in reputation and perception.

• KC Star: MU-Nebraska matchup loaded with intrigue
• KC Star: Nebraska returns tickets (?????????) as MU nears sellout
• KC Star (Campus Corner): Exploring the Rankings for Mizzou and Nebraska; and updated depth chart
  
• MUtigers.com: OFFICIAL RELEASE!!

  Mizzou has won 4 of its last 6 games over Nebraska, with all 4 wins coming by no fewer than 17 points. Mizzou has won 3 straight in Columbia (41-24 in both 2003 and 2005, plus a 41-6 win in 2007), and that was capped last season with an historic 52-17 win in Lincoln, which marked Mizzou's first win in Nebraska since 1978. Missouri is looking to beat Nebraska for a third straight season - the last time that happened was during a stretch from 1967-69.

  Mizzou's 3 straight wins in Columbia over Nebraska is the longest such streak since the Tigers won 4 straight in Columbia over the Huskers from 1947-53. Tiger Coach Gary Pinkel stands 4-4 against Nebraska in his 8 years on the Mizzou sideline. The last Tiger coach to have more wins against Nebraska than Pinkel was the College Football Hall of Famer, Dan Devine, who went 8-5 against the Huskers from 1958-70.

• Post-Dispatch: Mizzou now looms as challenge for Huskers
• Omaha World-Herald: With a roar, Tigers look to restore order, too
• Omaha World-Herald: Getting to know Missouri: Gabbert, Tigers hard to tame
• Lincoln Journal Star: Sean Weatherspoon in the middle of things
• Nebraska State Paper: Beat Em and Join Em
• Nebraska State Paper: Pinkel "Very Impressed" with Huskers
• PowerMizzou: Where could the Huskers hurt Missouri?

Gabbert Links!

• Post-Dispatch: Gabberts are living in middle of rivalry
• Post-Dispatch: MU notebook: Blaine Gabbert's streak impresses Pinkel, even if it can't last
  
• The Missourian: Pinkel expresses pleasure with Gabbert's poise
• Omaha World-Herald: Tigers court a second Gabbert

And speaking of recruiting, here's a fun Twitter post from PowerMizzou's Gabe Dearmond:

Just got confirmation from Sheldon Richardson that he will visit for #Mizzou game against Nebraska on Thursday

Media Day Links!

• Dave Matter: Tigers meet the press

  On the depth chart, tight end Andrew Jones is back at No. 1, ahead of Beau Brinkley. ... An OR is listed between Jarrell Harrison and Kenji Jackson at strong safety and between Jasper SImmons and Hardy Ricks at free safety, though Harrison and Simmons were working with the No. 1 defense during practice walk-throughs. ... Brian Coulter is back listed as a starter at one defensive end spot, while there's an OR between Aldon Smith and Jacquies Smith at the other.

• MUtigers.com: Press Conference Quotes
• PowerMizzou: PMTV: Pinkel meets the media
• PowerMizzou: PMTV: Pinkel on the Huskers
• PowerMizzou: PMTV: Talking Nebraska

Other Mizzou Football Links!

• The Missourian: MU football center Tim Barnes grabbed attention at age fourteen
• The Missourian: 1976 RV takes maintenance but becomes site of great tailgate parties
• The Missourian: PHOTO GALLERY: 1976 RV Tailgaters

Big 12 Links!

• Big12sports.com: Week Five Rewind
• ESPN.com: Jacory Harris, Hurricanes shake slow start to score huge win over Sooners
  Dr. Saturday: So the Hurricanes are who we thought they were, only more so
• ESPN.com: Ryan Mallet, Arkansas hand Texas A&M first loss
  Houston Chronicle: A&M Staying the course despite step backward
• ESPN.com: Kansas State stuns ISU with blocked extra point
  Bring On the Cats: Postgame Reaction: Farmageddon
  Clone Chronicles: Iowa State Week 5 Wrap-Up Part 1
  Clone Chronicles: Iowa State Week 5 Wrap-Up Part 2
  KC Star (Campus Corner): K-State 24, Iowa State 23
• ESPN.com: Backup QB Sheffield leads Texas Tech after Potts injured
  Double-T Nation: Post Game Thoughts
  ESPN.com: Red Raiders QB Taylor Potts in hospital with concussion
  Houston Chronicle: Potts released from hospital after two hard sacks
• ESPN.com: Nick Florence picks up 2 TDs on ground as Baylor rolls without star QB Griffin
  Waco Tribune: Freshmen make Baylor game worth watching
• Ralphie Report: Apathy is Dangerous
• Tulsa World: Pokes strive for balanced offense

Other Mizzou Links!

• MU Basketball
  The Trib: Support the team

  J.T. Tiller is part of a surge of Missouri’s athletes who have embraced all things black and gold, supporting their fellow classmates at sporting events across campus. They cheer for football and basketball, sure, but also frequent everything from softball games to volleyball and soccer matches.

  At the Hearnes Center for the KU clash, sophomore football wide receiver Terry Dennis and three members of the track team joined Tiller in the chest-painted front row. Tiller’s teammates Kim English, Marcus Denmon and Keith Ramsey sat a few rows back among their gold-clad classmates. And on the opposite baseline, nearly the entire women’s basketball team gathered in one long row.

  "It’s athletes supporting athletes," Tiller said. "Everybody’s just taking an interest with everybody else’s sport. We need to spread the wealth and cheer them on like they cheer us on."

• MU Soccer
  MUtigers.com: Tigers secure dramatic 1-1 tie at Texas
  MUtigers.com: Tigers tie No. 15 Texas A&M 4-4 on ESPNU
• MU Baseball
  SimmonsField.com: Tentative 2010 Mizzou Baseball Schedule

  Finally no more combing through other teams' schedules looking for clues. Here's a tentative 2010 schedule passed on to me from an anonymous - but reliable - source. It's not complete, and some details are still tentative and subject to change, of course.

Seriously, how great is it that our athletes not only don't fight each other, but go out of their ways to support each other?  Knock on wood, but this has to be the healthiest the Missouri athletic program has ever been, right?

Other!

• The Wiz of Odds: These Guys Are on TV -- They Must Know Something
  

Last season we twice checked on the picking prowess of ESPN's Lou Holtz and Mark May during a bonus segment called "Take Your Pick." The dynamic duo combined to go a disastrous 3-17 picking winners straight up in a two-week stretch. Unfortunately those precious videos are now "unavailable."

Certainly the new season would bring clarity to their selections and restore some level of credibility, wouldn't it? Jiminy Christmas, were we wrong.

Holtz and May went a combined 2-6 this past week, including a perfect 0-4 by Lou-Do.

3-17!  2-6!  0-4!  STRAIGHT UP!  How in the HELL do you do that poorly simply picking winners??  You're supposed to go at least .500 AGAINST THE SPREAD.  Saturday night, I was flipping through channels and stopped on College Football Live just long enough to hear Rece Davis ask Lou what it meant for a team like Notre Dame to continue struggling and barely pull out wins, and his response started with "Well when you're competing for championships..." and I changed the channel.  Championships.  Notre Dame.  "Competing."  Then I found out via the interwebs that he also said that Jimmy Clausen is now the Heisman favorite.  Awesome.  Again, give me a show on ESPNU that gives me a non-stop, minimal analysis hour of highlights, and I'll stop complaining.  That's all I ask.  I'm part of the minority population what wants information, not entertainment.  I'm sure there are more like me out there.