So I guess the big news today is out-of-left-field hiring of Bobby Petrino by Arkansas. That's one way to make a splash, I guess. Pat Forde is a bit unimpressed.
In the coming days and weeks, the disingenuous drifter will say what Arkansas fans want to hear.
He'll look at them with blank shark eyes and tell them, in a monotone voice, how excited he is to be the coach of the Razorbacks. He will tell them how impressed he is by the tradition and the fan base. He will tell them that the Southeastern Conference is the place he always wanted to coach (and that might be the one true thing he'll say, given how many times he's tried to land a job in the league).
It will be a trumped-up stump speech, as sincere as a politician's pledge to cut taxes. It will simply be the latest pack of lies in a career full of them.
But it will be what Arkansas fans want to hear, and the poor saps will be desperate to believe him. During their arduous search to replace Houston Nutt, they've been used and abused by one-fourth of the coaches in the ACC -- first Butch Davis, then Tommy Bowden, then Jim Grobe. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville flirted for a minute as well.
So hiring a guy with a 41-9 college record will get the blood pumping. But those Arkansas fans ready to embrace their new hotshot coach and his pretty ball plays need to understand one thing:
The disingenuous drifter doesn't love you or any other fan base. He doesn't love any school or any NFL franchise. He loves himself, his playbook and his bank account.
That's it. Don't expect it to change.
Ouch. As it pertains to Mizzou, it appears that Houston Nutt's offensive coordinator will be coaching the Cotton Bowl, which is unfortunate...I was hoping Petrino would come in and have Casey Dick throw 50 times.
"This game has a lot of pizazz, hoss." The Post-Dispatch takes a look at the history of the Cotton Bowl and reminds Mizzou fans, still somewhat down about missing out on the Orange Bowl, that Dallas is a pretty nice place to be on January 1. Meanwhile, Dennis Dodd ranks the bowl games, and let's just say the Cotton Bowl is a couple notches above the Orange Bowl.
Dave Christensen interviewed for the Washington State job a few days ago, and Bryan Burwell says that this comes with success.
On to basketball...the MU athletic department is practically giving away McNeese State tickets at this point...
Inside Mizzou catches up with a 2009 basketball recruit, Lee's Summit's Michael Dixon.
The Trib looks at the Big 12's surprising basketball success early this season. With wins over teams from the Big Ten and ACC, Mizzou's played at least a little bit of a role in that overall success.
The Star's Mike Dearmond catches up with three struggling Tigers--Demarre Carroll, Marshall Brown, and Keon Lawrence.
It's Like Father, Unlike Son!
Finally, here's a nice Missourian article about Mizzou Wrestling coach Brian Smith and the fact that he's built a stout program from scratch.