Mizzou Links, 7-2-10

Oddly, a ton of really good basketball links today ... so basketball leads things off!

Mizzou (and Big 12) Basketball Links

• PowerMizzou: Five-star prospect visits Mizzou
• PowerMizzou: Summer Sessions: Steve Moore

  PM: Did you know coming in that this would be kind of a process, that you would have to go through maybe a couple years of playing less than you were used to?
  
  SM: "You think about it, it's weird. It's just like high school. It's just repetition over and over again, something you've got to be patient with and work at. If you want to get better, you've got to put the time in."
  
  PM: Is this the year you target, I don't know if breakout's the right term or not, but the year you see it coming together?
  
  SM: "You could use breakout. You'll definitely see, you should see and you will see a better Steve Moore from an offensive standpoint. More post presence and making moves and finishing under the basket, stuff like that."

• ESPN.com: Quin Snyder's redemption song
  
• SI.com: Giant Sim Bhullar steals show at FIBA Americas U18 tournament

Mizzou (and Big 12) Football Links

• The Trib: Tigers' recruiting is safe at home
• The Trib (Dave Matter): Checking up on Missouri recruiting

  BTS: If he has a strong senior year, should Corbin Berkstresser be considered one of the top quarterbacks in the Midwest?

  [Rivals.com National Recruiting Editor Jeremy] Crabtree: I think he is. If you step back and look, there are not a lot of four-star quarterbacks in this year's national group. It's kind of a down year for quarterbacks. We have him as a 5.7 three-star, which means we still project him as a multi-year college starter that does have pro potential. So, it's not like he's not already one of the top quarterbacks in the region. I think some people for some reason have the perception that three stars means he sucks. Well, that’s not the case. Three stars means we think he's a tremendous college prospect and mult-year starter.

  He could climb up the rankings as we move forward with a good senior season. He struggled last year. They're going through a transition this year where he's going to be more of a featured point of the offense. The past couple years he's really been running for his life. So, it's tough for him to showcase his skills as a quarterback when you're being run down and sacked on almost every other play. That's been tough for him. But we'll look and see how he handles the adversity this year. He has all the physical tools. He has a great arm, good size. It'll be interesting to see how he handles the transition to a new system, and also, how does he deal when the pressure's on this year?

• Topeka Capital-Journal: Sans title game, Big 12 won't be the same
  

Other Mizzou Links

• Big 12 Sports: Nine Members in Top 50 Directors' Cup Final Standings
• MUtigers.com: Mizzou Spring Academic Review
• SimmonsField.com: Tim Hawkins: Former MU Tiger a Big Hit in Comedy
  

Other

• Carolina March: Dear Athletic Directors: Your Heisman Campaign Is a Waste of Money

  When I read today that Florida State was starting a Heisman campaign for quarterback Christian Ponder, my first thought was, "Well that's a waste of money." Not that Ponder isn't talented enough to win a Heisman – he tore up UNC's secondary last fall, after all. It's that spending money to make sportswriters "aware" of Christian Ponder is ridiculous. If he's going to win the Heisman, it'll require FSU to being in strong contention for the national championship come December. And if they're that good, everyone will know who their quarterback is.

  Amen.  This has bugged me for a long time.  Congrats, Washington, for spending a ton of money on a P.R. campaign for Jake Locker.  Now go and win ten games.  If you do, he'll have a shot (and he would have without any sort of P.R. campaign -- people know who Jake Locker is).  If you don't, he's not going to have a shot no matter what his numbers are.  Alabama did not undergo a P.R. campaign for Mark Ingram last season.