Pretty informative article from Dave Matter on a) Willy Mo, b) the ailing Alexanders (both are recovering ahead of schedule, to the surprise of no one...we have the best medical staff in the history of the world), c) Blaine Gabbert's progress, and d) ...Carl Edwards.
Meanwhile, Matter's blog has a ton of info and quotes from Day 2 of the Big 12's Media Day festivities--it was Big 8 Day in Kansas City...Kansas, OSU, Colorado and KSU took their turns in the spotlight.
Colorado Coach Dan Hawkins doesn’t spend too much time down in the dumps. Asked about CU’s typically arduous schedule, his glass is half full, maybe even 2/3 full.“Given the teams we play in this league, it gets them ready,” he said of the Buffs’ nonconference slate, which this year includes Florida State and West Virginia. “Like anything, you can spin it however you want. But for us, I think a large reason of why we beat Oklahoma last year was because we had the opportunity play Arizona State and Florida State.”
No word on if anybody asked him whether one of the main reasons they ran out of gas and lost to KSU (badly) and ISU was that they were worn down from all the tough early games. Just a thought there.
More on Day 2 can be once again found at our SBN counterparts--Rock Chalk Talk and Bring On the Cats, along with The Ralphie Report and...well...the blogosphere has not yet been discovered in Stillwater, so that's it.
Even the loss to MU ended up helping KU (they'd have lost to OU and likely missed out on the Orange Bowl had they beaten us), those ungrateful Beakers are still a bit eaten up by the loss. Which is awesome. And proof that Mizzou's not going to be able to sleepwalk through this year's battle...not that anybody thought they could.
And before Mizzou can start looking at KU, they have to get past their other interstate rival, the Ilini, who also remain eaten up by their loss to Mizzou.
And seriously...it's a logistical nightmare in the end, as it makes scrounging up 6 home games a massive pain every other year, but...how freaking cool is it starting the season against UI in StL and ending it against KU in KC? If it doesn't continue, I understand why--we can't really schedule many other interesting non-conference games if 5 of our 6 remaining non-conference games over a 2-year span have to be home games--but this is pretty great. And it happens to coincide with Mizzou (and Illinois and Kansas, for that matter...moreso Kansas) having two of their best teams in memory, which makes it that much more of a spectacle. Great stuff.
As we wait for defenses to adjust to the spread (just like they did to the wishbone and everything else), Joe Walljasper talks about how ignorance/ineffectiveness toward the spread is the fastest way to find yourself out of a job.
The KC Star also publishes its version (okay, the AP's version) of the same story.
Quick recruiting link: PA WR Jaleel Clark continued his months-long flirtation with Mizzou by visiting Columbia this week...and leaving with Mizzou as his clear leader. I don't think anybody will be surprised if he commits soon.
Finally...get well, Norm.