You're looking liiiiiiive from stormy Como...my laptop's unplugged just in case the power gets zapped, but by god you're still going to get your links...
Another day, another 4-star WR who has us on his list. East St. Louis' Terry Hawthorne announced that his top 3 consists of Mizzou, Illinois, and Arkansas. Be sure to check out Hawthorne's film if you have a Rivals subscription. This kid's impressive. His teammate, fellow 4-star WR Kraig Appleton, doesn't seem to be paying much attention to us, but given a choice between the two, I'll take Hawthorne. Just based off of Rivals highlights (the smallest of sample sizes), Appleton's the Randy Moss-style deep threat who may or may not be a great WR depending on whether he can burn by college CBs the same way as high school CBs, but Hawthorne's more like...well...Jeremy Maclin. Yeah, I said it. He seems to have a wider array of skills beyond just speed. But then again, these are highlight videos, so I'll refrain from making any further judgments.
While we're talking about stud WR's considering Mizzou, though, check out this clip of Memphis WR Marlon Brown.
It's basically the same highlights you'll see on his Rivals film, but it's amazing what music and slo-mo can do to a highlight video, huh? This kid's every bit of five stars.
Dave Matter does my job for me, throwing together a few links in regard to the "The BCS ain't broke, and we're not gonna fix it!" meetings. Gotta love this blurb from Stewart Mandel about the role the Big 12 played in the process.
The end result of the commissioners' discussion -- that the current BCS format will remain in place through at least the 2014 bowl games (an additional four years beyond the two remaining on the current contract) -- was hardly a bombshell. We'd known for some time now that at least two leagues, the Big Ten and Pac-10, adamantly opposed the plus-one concept.
What came as a surprise, however, was finding out Wednesday just how little support there was for the model among the other conferences as well.
Unbeknownst to even those in the room, the Big 12's presidents had already decided last month they would oppose such a change. "Our league is just not favorable to a playoff system at all and viewed this as a first step in that direction," said Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe.
Hooray. Glad our athletic institutions have their fingers on the pulse of the fanbases.
So Demarre Carroll hears the snickers and knows what you're thinking about his decision to test the draft waters, and he really doesn't care. Good for him.
"Many people look at me and Leo like we’re kind of retarded for doing it, but they really don’t look at the positive outcomes," Carroll said yesterday afternoon before a pickup game with some of his Tiger teammates at the practice gym at Mizzou Arena. "You can go out there, and if you get NBA teams to glimpse at you and they be like, ‘This guy might help our team,’ then when we come back next year and do the things we need to do and win and make it to the tournament, it can’t do anything but help your stock."
The KC Star takes a look at Mizzou's odds of hosting an NCAA Regional. What was the old Larry Holmes line? Slim and none and slim just left town?
Finally, via Trripleplay I find this article about another former Tiger doing well--Ranger second baseman Ian Kinsler. As a whole, I don't imagine it's too smart to build your franchise around your middle infielders, but hey...building around a former Tiger is never a bad idea!