1 - On a scale of 1-10, how worried (or in Doug's case, optimistic) were you when Bradley McDougald returned a pick for a touchdown to give Kansas a 10-0 lead on Saturday?
2 - Back in August, most Mizzou fans would have viewed a 7-5 season as a bit of a disappointment. With all the circumstances that unfolded, however, do you still feel that way now? Ooh ooh, let's do another scale! What's your 1-10 (one being epic disappointment, 10 being wonderful happy happy) rating for the 2011 season?
3 - Kim English is currently 25-for-40 from 3-point range in the 2011-12 season. Clearly there will be some regression, but what percentage do you see him ending up with at the end of the season? 45? Better? Worse?
4 - Do you have a favorite Christmas song? (And if so, do you have a favorite performance of said song?)
The Beef: 1 - I was at about a 7 because I was actually there in person, and had not had anything to drink to calm my nerves :-) I still knew full well that Franklin seems to have the preference to make things tough and that kU had not played nearly as well in the 2nd halves as they had in some of the 1st halves.
2 - I feel like 7-5 is a HAIR disappointing because I think the ceiling of the team was still a little higher. However, I am at a 7 right now. And while I do not typically put much on bowl games, I would really prefer to win this one.
3 - I figure he will regress back to probably just under 45 percent, but not too far under it.
4 - Nat King Cole's Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire is my all-time favorite. I always appreciate Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town, as well as a non-Celine Dion version of Oh Holy Night.
ZouDave: 1: I was at about a 2 (as long as the low end of the scale is not worried at all). I was upset with our play, but there was just simply no doubt in my mind which team was better. And from my perspective it didn't look (necessarily) like kansas was making big plays to get the interceptions, it was James Franklin picking the worst possible time to play his worst ever first half. The only thing I said to my dad was "Well, that wasn't good." But at the half when I went upstairs and was asked by the women of the family how we were doing I said "Oh we're going to win this game, we just are doing it the hard way." We left no doubt in the 2nd half, and I'll take winning ugly over losing pretty any day.
2: I guess I'll go with a 7. I had expected 8-4, and we were about 3 feet away from that happening. We played a very tough schedule, and even in our 5 losses we were in each game enough to know that we belonged on the field and had a few things gone differently for us it could have changed the outcome of each game. Considering a new QB, losing the captain and start LT for the year, dealing with RB injuries all season (even though we didn't lose a game w/o Josey, it was still devastating), breaking in a brand new secondary, having our All-American kicker completely disappear, having to deal with the distraction of MIZZOUEXPANSIONPALOOZA, and then having your stalwart head coach hit his lowest personal moment ever...it could have been a lot worse. This was a pretty good team that lost to some really good teams. Who knew the Arizona State loss would be our worst loss?
3: I think if he's anywhere north of 40% for the year from three I'm going to be happy. If he continues taking good shots, there's really no reason he can't finish the year around 50%. I'm still trying to pinch myself on this basketball team...I don't want to get too close yet and have this be a mirage. But man...they look good.
4: O Holy Night, and the best rendition I ever heard was in a local church about 11 years ago when they were doing a play that was a modern re-imagining of the Christmas Carol story. This young woman, probably early 20s at the time, had the most angelic voice I've ever seen in person and could not have sung the song any better. And she was hot, which always helps.
But thanks to my years in retail work, I pretty much hate hearing Christmas music because that's all I would hear for 8-10 hours/day, 6 days/week, from Black Friday until Christmas Eve. Every time I hear "It's the most wonderful time of the year", I want to punch someone. Of course, I want to punch someone most moments of the day anyway so maybe that doesn't differentiate it well enough.
SleepyFloyd7: 1 - Hell yes, I was worried - probably a 7. The thing that I was dreading most was that Kansas would come out playing like they cared and Mizzou would play terribly - um, that's what happened. Thanks to the Defense for keeping the game from getting really ugly, and credit to James Franklin for getting his shirt together.
2 - I'll go with around a 6. I had them at 9 wins. But, like Dave said, you lose Elvis Fisher and you have to re-evaluate. I think my disappointment is mitigated by the fact that we saw some flashes from a bunch of sophomores to keep this train rolling.
3 - Kimmie is not forcing anything yet this year. As he says, he is "letting the game come to him." Keep that up, and he will shoot over 40% on the season.
4 - Favorite non-secular Christmas song is O Come, O Come Emmanuel - perfect at a Christmas Eve Candle-light service.
Favorite secular Christmas Song:
Doug: 1 - Right after the interception, I was probably about a 6 or 7, as soon as KU had the ball next, my optimism cratered. There was no game plan to move the ball, and as much as the defense looked as though it had come to play, that's how much the offense looked like it should have stayed in Lawrence.
2 - Oooh! Oooh! Another scale? Pass.
3 - I'll go under. You can always start hot, but as the season progresses, it's a lot harder to keep a big percentage than it is for it to fall. Plus, once conference season starts, he'll be going up against more talented defenders on the perimeter.
4 - A few: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (rock version by Mannheim Steamroller), Sleigh Ride (the pops concert version) and Noel (by just about anyone, instrumental or vocal).
Also, I totally feel Dave's pain. I worked in a grocery store through out most of high school and Hy-Vee was really bad about Christmas music. Generally it started the day after Halloween. By the second week, the very opening notes of Santa Baby or Mele Kalikimaka was enough to send me into a murderous rage. Also, why is that radio stations that play Christmas music have a playlist of only about 100 songs? Every music artist ever has made at least one Christmas album. If a station is still playing Christmas music off vinyl, it's not trying hard enough.
The Beef: I did forget in answer #4 that anything by the Vince Guaraldi trio qualifies.
SleepyFloyd7: I am also excited that this exists.
ghtd36: It's kinda cold in Dallas, which means it's been nice knowing you guys.
1- I don't know...a 2? The pick-six was annoying, but there was never really a doubt in my mind as to who the better team was. I know wacky things happen in rivalry games, but I started to play the game out to its natural end in my head, and I realized that a Kansas win from that point would require some combination of A) the worst defense in the conference holding a pretty good Mizzou offense down all game, and B) the worst offense in the conference somehow sustaining a couple of scoring drives against a pretty good Mizzou defense. It just didn't seem rational to me. Beyond that, let me rant for a moment: NO, JAMES FRANKLIN SHOULD NOT BE BENCHED FOR THROWING AN INTERCEPTION. He's a sophomore quarterback playing in crappy conditions. Did he float a couple of passes? Absolutely. But the sooner we move beyond this kneejerk-y tendency, the more we'll actually be able to enjoy the game as opposed to stress over every single play.
(That's not to say you're not allowed to stress over every single play. Just take it in context.)
2 - I actually had an online conversation with a member of the Mizzou football staff after the Arizona State game, and we got to talking about how big the loss of Elvis Fisher was. The staffer told me that while that's a big loss, it'll be a great opportunity for people to realize the quality of program that Gary Pinkel is producing when we see the kind of fight this team has. And look: I don't think any of us are going to argue that, even with Elvis Fisher and some of the other key injuries, this is a top 10 team. But this team may have more fight in them than any other Mizzou team I've watched, which is refreshing. And yes, more fight than that hallowed 2007 team, which was (in my estimation) far more talented but didn't face tribulation after tribulation along the way like this team has. In that sense, it's hard to be disappointed in this bunch.
Oh, and a rating? Uh, I don't know, a 7? Too many numbers.
3 - I'm going to take the under, and have him somewhere around 40% for the season in the end, which would still be a three-point uptick from last season. I just don't think the track record for career ~37% three-point shooters to all of a sudden increase their shooting percentage by eight points is great. Three points? Doable. Eight points? Probably asking a little too much of Kim.
4 - I've been actively trying to avoid Christmas music as long as I can, because I know I'll be inundated with it soon (The Fiancee LOVES CHRISTMAS). I've always liked "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," and -- this is going to come off as kind of blasphemous, considering folks like Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland have popular renditions of it, but -- my favorite version is from the greatness of James Taylor.
I'd listen to James Taylor sing anything. I'd listen to James Taylor cover Rammstein.
D-Sing: 1. After the interception return, I was less than optimistic about our chances. Not so much because I thought the Kansas offense would do something, but because the offense looked kind of putrid to that point. So if 1 is worried and 10 is not at all, I'll go with a 3 for being very worried.
2. I give the season a 7. I'll take it. I would rather have 8 wins (which we still have a chance for pending the bowl) but given the injuries early, the inexperience, the controversies off the field and some bad breaks on the field, 7-5 is tenable.
3. He'll settle in around 42% from three. 25/40 isn't sustainable for him because I think he'll have a few bad shooting nights (even if he remembers to go straight up), but I could see him hitting around 40% from three for the season. I would hope he has made that much progress, and it appears that he's happier this year. Being in a good place mentally makes a huge difference.
4. The Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, for starters. For comedy songs, I like "I Won't Be Home for Christmas" by blink-182 (it has nothing to do with the other song of the same name). I also like the Stephen Colbert Christmas special soundtrack. I also have a soft spot for Carol of the Bells (Mormon Tabernacle Choir version) and the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah (even though it is not really about Christmas) and For Unto Us a Child is Born from Messiah.
The Beef: I suppose I should also mention the Hannukah Song by Adam Sandler…I believe I am contractually obligated to like that song
D-Sing: Maybe. But I think the original was watered down by all of the sequels.
ghtd36: Actually -- and not to get off into a political rant, which is not allowed on RMN -- but can we knock it off with this "War on Christmas" crap? Nobody wants to end Christmas. "Happy Holidays" is just a more inclusive phrase.
Show me someone who really gets bent of shape about "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", and I'll show you someone who needs a hobby.
SleepyFloyd7: Hobby you say?
ZouDave: Just want to put this out there, since we’re all such huge fans of Doug Gottlieb.
Make sure you click on the "Doug Gottlieb" segment over on the right, and the magic starts at about 10:45 into the podcast.
First he says he’s "appalled by what Texas A&M has done, what Missouri has done." He says there’s a reason they got into these conferences in the first place, because "they live next to everybody." He then says we’re dismissing the MU/ku rivalry on the idea that we’re going to make some more money. He says the way an athletic department makes money is from having donors come back to campus for these big rivalry games, fall back in love with the campus and then write a check.
So uh…nevermind the fact that Mizzou/kansas football (the sport that makes all the money at almost every D1 school outside of kansas, Duke and Kentucky) hasn’t been played on a campus since 2006, right? So then he asks who Missouri’s rival is going to be now (and I think he’s talking specifically about basketball now). He asks if we think Kentucky is going to be our rival, because Kentucky’s rivals are Louisville and Indiana. Hey Gottlieb…those two schools aren’t in the same conference as Kentucky. You’re not setting yourself up to say something stupid are you? Of course you are.
"Just because our states are next to each other doesn’t make us rivals."
Mr. Gottlieb…with all due respect…you are a complete idiot. In the span of just over 1 minute, you’ve made completely contradictory arguments.
He then goes on to sound like a jerkoff talking about how plugged in he is, how Oklahoma State is 100% right in doing whatever they want but when anyone else does it they’re "turning their back on history", etc. The host, Soren Petro, doesn’t agree with him. Gottlieb passes up no chances at all to bash Missouri. Petro takes him to task, and Gottlieb gets quite defensive and claims that Missouri’s coaches don’t want to go to the SEC. I’m quite certain that Gary Pinkel MOST DEFINITELY wants to go to the SEC, and Frank Haith probably has no opinion whatsoever. He was just in the ACC and still hasn’t coached a Big XII conference game. He doesn’t care. They touch on the Matt Painter issue, as well.
ghtd36: Sleepy, I'm sorry, but I didn't follow your instructions, because you asked me to "Make sure you click on the 'Doug Gottlieb' segment over on the right" because...well...I mean...no.
D-Sing: To keep it family friendly, I'll just say that Gottlieb is a bad word that starts with the letter "D." I'll let others fill in the blanks.
ghtd36: I totally agree. He is a real dummy!
The Beef: I thought Dave was Grumpy and Sleepy was Sleepy…
ghtd36: I misread the e-mail. All you white people look the same.
Bill C.: Not to distract from an always-welcome Gottleib rant, but...
1 - I'm going to say 5. I was completely and totally confident in Missouri's defense, and I figured KU wouldn't end up with more than about 13 points. But I also knew that at some point Mizzou would probably need to complete a pass, and with Franklin's confidence totally destroyed, that was not a certainty. As soon as he completed that tough, over-the-middle pass to Jerrell Jackson in the third quarter, I went from a 5 to a 0.
2 - Honestly, with all the injuries (and how good Baylor and Kansas State turned out to be), I'll go with a solid 7. I almost want to give it an 8, but then I remember that they lost three games by seven points or less. They were still, oh-so-close to about 9-3, and that's disappointing. Still, Elvis Fisher was hurt ... leaders like Jacquies Smith and Jerrell Jackson missed time ... every running back missed at least a couple of games ... etc. I thought they would do better than 7-5, but I cannot be that disappointed.
3 - Alright, so ...
* Mizzou has, minimum, 26 games remaining (assuming at least one postseason game).
* Let's say he averages seven 3-point attempts per game (he's averaged eight thus far).
* Let's say he shoots his career-average 37% the rest of the way. That means he goes about 67-for-182, and that means he still shoots 41% for the season. If we think his fundamentals have improved so that he is at least, say, a 42% shooter the rest of the way, then he pretty easily hits 45%. That seems like a fair, if difficult, goal.
4 - Honestly, I cannot get enough of the BNL/Sarah McLachlin version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."
I am not much of a fan of Christmas songs (especially after working at Barnes & Noble for a few holiday seasons and getting crushed by them for four to eight hours at a time), but that song still hooks me every time.
D-Sing: Um...Sleepy...that picture...it...what? I am terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.
ZouDave: If there was a dwarf named Fatty, which of us would it be? Bill would be Nerdy…
ghtd36: Dibs on Tipsy!
D-Sing: Given my latest peek at the mirror, I think I'll run away with the title of "Fatty." Granted, I won't be able to run that fast....
ghtd36: And RPT is Absenty.
ZouDave: Not to continue pimping 810whb, because I’m not a regular listener or fan, but Kevin Kietzman has a one-on-one interview with Coach Pinkel today where Pinkel agreed to answer all questions relating to the SEC move. The interview has already been recorded and a couple of quick clips have been teased already and it sounds like it will be a good interview. It will air at 2:20ish, you can listen live here: www.810whb.com
And I think there needs to be a Dwarf named Gropey.
The Beef: I’ll call Dibs on that one