Mizzou Links, 2-2-09

As we move on from what was a pretty rough personal weekend, let's get linky.  Let's also congratulate the Pittsburgh Steelers for becoming the winningest NFL franchise of the Super Bowl era.  I realize people are going to continue complaining about the officiating and all that, but I'd say it evened out over the course of the game (and I think that last Warner fumble was a fumble), and the team that made one more big play won the game.  Of course, I may just be saying that because I was rooting for Pittsburgh...

Mizzou-Baylor wrap-up links!

• Mutigers.com: Lyons lifts Missouri over Baylor
• BaylorBears.com: Bears suffer road loss to Mizzou
• The Missourian: Anderson plays role of psychologist as Tigers rebound
• The Trib: He is Leo, for worse or better
• The Trib: Lyons, Tigers roar
• The Trib: Opposite day for Tiller

Oh yeah, and submitted without comment: Welcome to Leo's Planet.

Okay, one comment...my buddy Jeffrey would have LOVED that site.  LOVED it.

To football recruiting, where...well...we still don't know anything about Sheldon Richardson.

To summarize, Mizzou got two commits over the weekend (mentioned here) and, by my count, awaits the decisions of three more kids (four if you count Ronnie Wingo, about whom the rumors are STILL flying somehow): Lance Ray, Chris Freeman, and...sadly, Sheldon Richardson.  Richardson visited Tha U this weekend (Miami) and unsurprisingly came away impressed.  He's been told, well, pretty much everything by the 'Canes.  He could all but start at TE immediately, he could play both ways, etc.  His mom still wants him close to home, and I still say...hello, Mizzou is freaking Tight End U at this point, and there's an opportunity for immediate playing time here as well, unless you're really that scared of Michael Egnew (no offense, Mike, I think you have a lot of potential).  In all, SR's head is spinning and he pretty clearly wants to attend both schools, but we'll see what happens on Wednesday.  I don't have a good feeling about this one anymore, but I'm rarely right, so we'll see.

Also this weekend: Mizzou's Junior Day, where a bunch of MO kids got to see a standing ovation for Jeremy Maclin at the basketball game, and a couple more got Mizzou offers.

• Post-Dispatch: For Missouri football, Richardson could be foundation for future

  When Pete Carroll took over as coach after the 2000 season, the Trojans were mediocre. They were 31-29 with one bowl game in the previous five years, and a 5-7 season had cost Paul Hackett his job as head coach.
  
  As Carroll dove into recruiting, he identified two make-or-break talents: Matt Leinart, because the Trojans needed to start a quarterback assembly line; and defensive tackle Shaun Cody, because he had all the attributes of a foundation player.
  
  Steeped in defense, Carroll believed the turnaround had to start with that group. To be successful, Southern Cal's defense needed strong linemen. Get that, Carroll said, and the other pieces fall into place.
  
  ...
  
  Sounds like Missouri and Richardson, the prodigy from Gateway Tech. Richardson could become the most significant recruit for Missouri since coach Gary Pinkel took over in 2001.

• CaneSport.com: Richardson: I had a blast at Miami
• Post-Dispatch: Marquise Hill talks Tigers, recruiting and Ronnie
• The Trib: Targets required
• PowerMizzou: Local linebacker (Trey Millard) likes Tigers junior day
• PowerMizzou: Keeston Terry mulls offer on Junior Day

Finally, because of the basketball game and everything else that went on this weekend, this one got overshadowed a bit, but Mizzou Wrestling fought in another epic dual this weekend...and came out on the wrong side of the ledger this time, losing 16-15 to Nebraska at the Hearnes Center.  Mizzou actually got wins at both 125 and 141 pounds, and given this team's struggles at those weights this year, I'd have just assumed victory after being told that part.  However, NU got the only bonus point of the night in a major decision at 133 pounds, and that ended up making the difference in a dual where the teams split the ten matches, 5-5.  The dual ended with the 197-pound match, and MU's #4 Max Askren lost a 5-4 decision to NU's #2 Craig Brester after leading early, giving NU the 1-point win.

The Trib has more.