Western Illinois 5, Mizzou Baseball 3. UGH. Now, these mid-week games are always tricky because you're playing the dregs of your pitching staff and sitting some regulars and all that, and teams like Dallas Baptist seem to beat all the Texas schools every year for this very reason, but...UGH. WIU is 5-14. UGH. The Missourian has more. All I can say is, they better freaking beat Lincoln U. tonight.
Meanwhile, Connell Davis is no longer with the football team--I guess he just decided not to return to school after spring break. DOUBLE UGH. Granted, Davis would have made my 'offseason transfer threats' list if I were brave enough to actually post one. He had all the warning signs--he was about to be a junior, he had almost no chance of ever starting, he had already changed positions due to lack of playing time, he was from out of state. So while it's not extremely surprising, it still stinks...and it probably means that one or more true frosh are going to have to play in the fall just to fill out the 2-deep. Will Ebner...George White...maybe Zaviar Gooden...better be ready to roll this summer.
PowerMizzou has a practice report up. Here are Gabe's comments on the LB corps:
The departure leaves Missouri with only four healthy players who have ever seen game action at linebacker. Steve Redmond is still banged up and Jeff Gettys played only on special teams last season. In addition, Andrew Gachkar has not practiced this spring after suffering from a blood clot. Asked about the depth getting thin at linebacker, Pinkel said: "For two obvious reasons."
Any thought that Michael Keck might move back to linebacker can be squashed. The coach was asked and said Keck was doing really well at defensive end and is up near 235 pounds.
Pinkel did indicate that some incoming freshmen could move to linebacker "depending on their size." Reading between the lines, the chances that Zaviar Gooden plays linebacker just got a whole lot better.
The Missourian has a nice feature on DT Jason Townson, while the Post-Dispatch gives the same treatment to WR Jared Perry.
PowerMizzou also has a recruiting update on Lee's Summit LB Adam Burton, who either now has a Mizzou offer or will soon.
Small consolation for a mediocre week for the team, but Jen Bruck was named Big 12 Softball Player of the Week. I guess that's something.
Finally, total dick move by OSU forcing Sean Sutton to resign. First of all, almost any coach should get more than two years to prove himself. Second, Sean is an OSU legacy...and you just burned a major bridge with your past. I realize you think T. Boone Pickens has enough money to lure somebody good--perhaps even a certain OSU alum who says he's not remotely interested now but may sing a different tune in a few days when his team's done playing and he's offered a bajillion dollars per season--but you're taking a major risk here. The Sutton family brought you back from the brink of major mediocrity, both on the sidelines and on the court, and you just decided you knew all you needed to know about Sean after only two seasons. Dick move.