Mizzou Links, 1-11-12

Mizzou Basketball Links

• ISU
  Cyclones.com: Cyclone Classics: 1988 vs. Missouri
  The Trib (Steve Walentik): What to watch for: Iowa State
  KC Star: Mizzou has to toughen up at Iowa State
  Post-Dispatch: Mizzou will have its resilience tested

  Crucial to MU's hopes, Haith said, is staying together and trusting each other.

  "Because you're going to be hit with some adversity on the road, always. The flow of the game is not always going to go your way," he said, adding, "We didn't exhibit that (togetherness) totally the other night."

  Haith also thought Mizzou lacked moxie and sheer toughness against the Wildcats, but he meant it beyond the physical sense.

  MU, after all, is not a big team, with only three players in its seven-man rotation standing 6-foot-6 or taller and no one taller than 6-9.

  "Toughness is not defined by being physical; it's about mentally preparing yourself," he said, adding, "Toughness is being able to execute every single time. Toughness is being able to be where you're supposed to be. ...

  "We can do that. We can do that every night."

• Ah, Scheduling
  The Missourian: Missouri's first loss raises question about early strength of schedule
  

Other Basketball Links

• Baylor > KSU
  Our Daily Bears: Baylor 75, Kansas State 73
  KC Star: Baylor barely scrapes by K-State
  CBS Sports: Baylor's win over K-State puts it among elite
  ESPN.com: Tougher Jones, Baylor stay undefeated
  

Mizzou Football Links

• Odd Story
  The Trib: Error reveals athletic department spent millions less on football than reported

  Senior Associate Athletic Director Tim Hickman said a data input error caused MU to significantly overstate its football expenses. Asked last week about the leap in spending, Missouri immediately acknowledged a mistake and alerted the U.S. Department of Education. An updated report now lists the school’s football expenses from last year at $14.99 million, which ranks 48th nationally among programs from the six major conferences and Notre Dame.

  The oversight highlighted the flaws of a sweeping database that tracks spending and revenue of all colleges that participate in federal student financial aid programs.

  A 2005 investigation by USA Today revealed that 34 percent of the 119 then-Division I-A member schools had at least one error in the 2003 and 2004 revenue and expense figures submitted to the Department of Education — including a $34 million data-entry error by Texas — and it is unclear if improved controls are in place.

• Downtown?
  The Missourian: New downtown gathering place in the works for football season
• Hello, 'Bama
  The Trib (Dave Matter): Tigers will get rare visit from national champs
• Recruiting
  SB Nation Recruiting: Javonte Magee Ready To Decide?
  PowerMizzou: [Four-Star Texas ATH Edward] Pope eyes Missouri visit
• Gabs
  Jacksonville.com: First Gabbert, now another dice roll for Jaguars

Other Football Links

• Change Is A-Comin'
  SI.com (Andy Staples): Big BCS change likely coming in wake of all SEC championship game

  This time around, even Delany seems willing to play ball. He wants to protect his league's relationship with the Rose Bowl, but he understands the market well enough to know the consumers and stakeholders probably aren't going to be satisfied with the status quo. "As time has gone on, even though we've acted in good faith to improve it, there are frustrations," Delany said.

  So what does that mean for you, the consumer of college football? At the moment, nothing. The current contract runs through the 2013 season. Also, don't expect the commissioners and their presidents to institute anything close to the playoff systems used in the other NCAA football divisions. This may eventually happen, but it won't for a long time.

  In the next few months, the commissioners will come up with their own ideas. They will canvass their presidents to determine what is tolerable. Then they will build coalitions, wheedle and cajole and try to push the idea that most benefits their leagues. By summer, they'll have a plan. But Tuesday wasn't a day for specifics. "You can say, conceptually, I like a plus-one model -- which I happen to like," the ACC's Swofford said. "But there are a lot of different plus-one models." Said Scott: "Today wasn't about ruling things out or weighing ideas. It was just going around the table and getting everyone's perspective. ... It was more philosophical today than conceptual. I think that will, in people's minds, help frame the options."

  Chicago Tribune: BCS changes considered by college conferences
  

Other Mizzou Links

• Mizzou Gymnastics
  MUtigers.com: Updike Named to Primetime Performers Honor Roll
  MUtigers.com: Rachel Updike Named Newcomer of the Week
• Mizzou Women's Basketball
  MUtigers.com: Missouri Faces Kansas State Wednesday