Mizzou Links, 12-3-09

Vanderbilt 89, Missouri 83

• MUtigers.com: Recap
  MUtigers.com: Box Score
• The Trib: Tigers fall short against Commodores
  The Missourian: Missouri men's basketball team loses second straight
  KC Star: Vanderbilt knocks off Missouri
  KC Star: PHOTO GALLERY
• Statsheet.com: Recap: Vanderbilt vs Missouri

Big 12 Basketball Links

• Rock Chalk Talk: Big 12 - Pac 10 Challenge Primer
  

Mizzou Football Links

• KC Star: MU concerned football team might land in Texas Bowl
• The Trib (Dave Matter): Dave's Big 12 ballot from top to bottom
  The Trib: A league of their own
• PowerMizzou: James Franklin ready for next step
• Palestra.net: Missouri Enjoys Pro Combat Uniforms
• SI.com (Stewart Mandel): MAILBAG

  Missouri's Danario Alexander is ranked first in the country in total receiving yards and yards per game. He is second in receptions and had at least 200 yards in three of his past four games. How is he not a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award?
  -- Jordan, St. Louis

  There's a very simple, albeit stupid explanation for why Alexander got snubbed: He wasn't a semifinalist, which made it almost impossible for him to become a finalist. I don't vote on that particular award, but I do on a couple others like it. I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but the voting procedures are pretty archaic.

  In an effort both to get their names out as much as possible, and to "honor" as many different players as possible, most of these awards first put out a preseason "Watch" list. The Biletnikoff (run by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club) puts its out in August. There were 37 names on it. Alexander's was not one of them. Strike one. The first cut came back on Oct. 26, when Alexander had not yet gone on his hot streak. Voters were asked to select 10 semifinalists; he was not one of them. Finally, voters picked three finalists on Nov. 22. Theoretically, voters were free to list Alexander as a write-in candidate, and I know that several did, but apparently not enough.

  Snubs like this happen every year in the Butkus/Lombardi/O'Brien, etc. awards and could easily be avoided if, like the Heisman, their handlers simply waited until the end of the season to start eliminating contenders.

I do appreciate Mandel taking this question, and he's obviously right that Alexander got snubbed for stupid reasons.  My only quibble is that, while he clearly hadn't gone on his ridiculous "streak" on October 26, he still had 50 catches for 701 yards and 5 TDs and was on pace for 86 catches, 1200 yards, and 9 TDs.  He was still clearly one of the best receivers in the country, he just hadn't turned into the best yet.  But like I said, that's just quibbling--Stu's overall point is dead on (though I think this snub is bigger than the typical snub...and I could be feeling that way because it's my guy getting snubbed).

Big 12 Football Links

• Austin American-Statesman: Upsets rare, but happen in Big 12 title games
• Lawrence Journal-World: Ex-player accuses Mangino of mistreatment
• KC Star: Football struggles may hurt KU's plans for luxury Gridiron Club
• Tulsa World: Stoops Bowl? Not in El Paso
• Omaha.com: Suh is worthy of Heisman