After examining the Nouveau Riche of Illinois and Kansas, it seemed inevitable that SMQ would work its way around to Mizzou's newfound fortune.

I can only assume this is in the works for tomorrow's Mizzou Links, but I haven't seen it linked anywhere else and thought it was an interesting enough read to open up a diary for comment before the morning calls.

Although probably not the recruiting news you expected...

Missouri soccer commit Kelsey Blincow of Lewisville, Texas (Hebron) was recently named All-Area Girls Soccer Player of the Year by The Dallas Morning News. Blincow's success out of one of the nation's best youth soccer hotspots (North Texas) should give her a leg up heading into Big 12 play at the next level, which could be as early as next season, given coach Bryan Blitz's reliance on a stable of young forwards. Blincow, who has 98 career goals, should be a perfect fit in Blitz's aggressive, pressure system that has the forwards challenging the ball and looking to force defenders' mistakes at all times. For Blitz, the Blincow commitment is yet another statement about Mizzou soccer's growing buzz on the national scene.

Now that she's done terrorizing my alma mater, it's time to swallow my ol' high school pride and welcome her to the Mizzou family (it's worked OK with Chase Daniel).

For the full story, click here. The News has a video interview with Blincow here, where towards the end she talks about her commitment to Missouri (score another point for the J-School).

OK, my apologies for the incredibly bad pun in the title given the recent Rabble! related fury, but I had to do it.

We interrupt this public outcry to bring you this breaking news:

MIZZOU WINS THE BORDER SHOWDOWN!!!

Sound the horn and chant along with the cheesy techno! (Ignoring the image, of course).

Full scoreboard can be found for your perusal here while I continue to hope that no extra points are added for "national championships," whatever those are.

To quote South Park:

Rabble! Rabble! Rabble! Rabble! Rabble! Rabble! Rabble! Rabble!

Expect the "rabbles" on this thread to grow in the next 24 hours. I'll wait to give my opinion until someone asks for it.

Now as far as football teams in Ohio go, doesn't this photo scream more "Cincinnati" than "Cleveland?"

Please note that this diary has been tagged in the never-before-used category "General Badassery."

To complete the full American experience of this post, include this soundtrack. (Warning: Soundtrack definitely contains language NSFW)

ESPN's Jeremy Mills checks in with his projections for the College World Series, with Missouri traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich. in a regional with Arizona, Michigan and Kent State. Mizzou is one of six Big 12 teams Mills has making the tournament.

The entire post can be found here.

ESPN's Todd McShay has Willy Mo and the ex-Florida star teaming up in the Jacksonville secondary circa September 2009, according to this 2009 mock draft (Overkill? You be the judge.)

It's beginning to feel a lot like football season again - maybe because I'm waking up with it 38 degrees in Columbia in LATE-FREAKIN'-APRIL (the Texas boy in me talking, again) or because it's time for another Big 12 Football Roundtable, courtesy of our colleagues at Crimson and Cream Machine. Make sure to voice any objections, agreements, death threats, etc. in the comments below. And since I've pushed it down the page, make sure to help us seed our Mizzou 25: Coaches Edition tournament.

1. Who are some of the new faces that emerged in the spring who could be serious playmakers for your team this fall?

RMN: Several names came up big this spring, with Jared Perry the first springing to my mind. I was driving the Jared Perry bandwagon heading into last season after watching him torch a future NFL first round pick against Kansas in 2006, only to have him fall off the face of the planet in 2007. He looks like he might become a serious weapon, especially if Jeremy Maclin gets the attention we all expect. At tailback, DeVion Moore had himself a hell of a spring and adds yet another reason why I continue to cautiously think that the trio of tailbacks will be more effective than an erratic Tony Temple. Defensively, the improvement of Jaron Baston and the development of depth at the corners make me extremely confident that the Mizzou D should be one of the conference's best.

 
2. What is your biggest concern following the spring?

RMN: My biggest concerns remain at punter and on the offensive line. Outside of a few decent punts, the majority of Spring Game punts (with no rush, no less) were rather average and the rest were painfully awful. The offensive line might have been one of the most overlooked facets of Mizzou's success last season, and only time will tell how much the loss of Spieker and Luellen hurts that unit. Throw in the questionable young depth behind  the starters at O-Line, and that will be concern No. 1 for me heading into the fall.

3. Any major changes (philosophy, coaching or personnel) that you are concerned or worried about?

RMN: No major changes that I have any concern about, just how this team responds to being the hunted rather than the hunter. Mizzou fed off of the "No Respect" card in 2007, and had their most costly loss of the season last year once their opponent could do the same. Last year's team was driven, focused and hungry, thanks primarily to the senior leadership of guys like Martin Rucker, Lorenzo Williams, and Pig Brown. Can guys like Daniel and Weatherspoon keep the intensity, drive and focus in the program? Whether or not they can will go a long way in determining if Mizzou stays nationally relevant into the future.

4. Looking over the 2008 which home and away game will be the most difficult?
 

RMN: It's hard to decide which home game will be the toughest, because I think Mizzou's toughest two "home" games are actually being played at neutral sites. The Tigers "host" Illinois in St. Louis and "host" Kansas in Kansas City. Given the home slate of SEMO, Nevada, Buffalo, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and K-State, I'll take Colorado as the toughest. As for the road game, I've have Oct. 18 circled for the last year for Mizzou's trip to Austin. A severely outmanned Mizzou team put one hell of a scare into the Vince Young-led Longhorns the last time they were in Austin. Mizzou will also need to overcome some demons in Lincoln against the Huskers in the conference opener.

 
5. Time for your way too early predictions (Yes, you can change them in August). Rank how you see your division finishing up next season.

RMN: Projected North Division standings:

1. Mizzou

2. Kansas

3. Colorado

4. Nebraska

5. Kansas State

6. Iowa State

I'm having some graphical issues, so this will be as basic as it gets. If you're at home watching on ESPNU at 1:00, feel free to use this thread for your observations and statements.