Mizzou Links, 11-4-11

Mizzou Football Links

• Tickets
  MUtigers.com: Tickets for Texas, Texas Tech On Sale
• Baylor
  KC Star: The season may be at stake for Baylor and Mizzou
  Post-Dispatch: MU, Baylor quarterbacks will be in the spotlight
  PowerMizzou: Man-to-Man: Mizzou vs Baylor
  The Missourian: TIGER KICKOFF: Tigers backup tight end recalls time at Baylor
  The Missourian: TIGER KICKOFF: Much planning involved for Missouri football road trips
• QB No. 1
  PowerMizzou: Discretionary Sprinting
  KBIA Sports Extra: James Franklin, Henry Josey lead strong sophomore class at Mizzou
  We Are Mizzou: Offensive Play of the Week
• Our Terrible Offensive Coordinator
  ESPN.com (David Ubben): VIDEO: Experts -- Missouri's bubble screen
• Gabs
  Pro Football Talk: Jaguars failing to meet lowered expectations
  Big Cat Country: Blaine Gabbert is not going to make excuses for his play, but I will
  News4Jax.com: Jaguars hope to use bye week to improve

Other Football Links

I highly, highly encourage you to read Senator Blutarsky's post below regarding the new pay-for-play rules the NCAA appears to be instituting. I feel I have completely neglected to talk about this issue, and it could lead to some incredible changes. The Senator has a nice summary of some of the huge issues on the table.

• Self-Share
  Football Study Hall: Week Ten F/+ Picks
• Pay For Play
  Senator Blutarsky: A few more thoughts on the NCAA's pay for play proposal

Mizzou Basketball Links

Why yes, there will be more about this soon. The quick summary of KenPom' preseason projections: they're friendly to Mizzou.

• KENPOMKENPOMKENPOMKENPOMKENPOMKENPOM
  KenPom.com: 2012 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings

MIZZOUEXPANSIONAPALOOZA™ 2011

Okay. I occasionally really enjoy Blair Kerkhoff, so I'm going to be as nice as possible about this, but the amount of generalizations in his "Mizzou must become more NFL-like" column below is just staggering. First of all, that the SEC has won five straight titles proves that the Big 12's approach to football doesn't work. Awesome. Never mind that a) the SEC's 2007 champion got amazingly lucky to even find a place in the title game after seemingly 13 other teams collapsed (and then happened to find the national title game in their backyard) and b) their 2009 champion got amazingly lucky when Colt McCoy got hurt on the game's opening series. Eliminate that game, and your argument basically comes down to "Because Florida beat Oklahoma in 2008, that's proof that the SEC's style will always prevail over the Big 12."

To compete long-term in the SEC, Mizzou will need to recruit incredibly well, either by landing some great prospects or unearthing even better diamond-in-the-rough types (or, probably, both). This isn't a shocking statement to make. But you need to work a little harder in setting up that point.

• Culture
  Grantland: Does Missouri fit in the SEC?
• This Headline Makes No Sense Once You Read The Article
  Post-Dispatch: Mizzou still awaits word from the SEC

  Mizzou's move remains a foregone conclusion, but a highly-placed college athletics source spoke for many when he said, simply, "What's the hold-up?"

  Few know with precision, and they're not telling.

  But the crux is Mizzou wanting to leave for 2012 with no legal complications and minimal exit fees, and that cause may be helped by the conference indicating it plans to be without Missouri and interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas' spoken stance that it would be "viable" without Mizzou.

  Yet, the withdrawal perhaps is complicated by the Big East intending to jam West Virginia for 27 months after notice, per Big East bylaws.

  If West Virginia can't go in 2012, and it's now suing the Big East as part of the effort, the Big 12 would be left with nine schools if MU were gone.

  The Big 12 has said it needs 10 to supply inventory for its television contracts, thus leading to possible legal entanglements with MU that MU and the SEC likely would want unsnarled before proceeding.

  The hold-up might end as promptly as early next week. Or, of course, the devil in the details might muck it up longer.

• OMG THE SEC IS SO HARD
  KC Star: If Missouri lands in SEC, it must become more NFL-like

  From a style standpoint, Missouri’s expected new world couldn’t be more different philosophically.

  Six of the nation’s top 11 offenses in average yards reside in the Big 12. The first SEC team, Alabama, is 23rd.

  Three of the top seven defenses belong in the SEC. The first Big 12 team, Texas, is 13th. The next is Oklahoma at 34th.

  Because the SEC has won five straight national championships, including two over Big 12 opponents, we know which approach ultimately prevails.

• Fun...
  Rush the Court: Chuck Neinas, Big 12 Officials Offer Contradicting Statements
  

Other Mizzou Links

• Mizzou Soccer
  MUtigers.com: Missouri Takes on Aggies in Big 12 Semi-Final
• Mizzou Volleyball
  MUtigers.com: Tigers Look for 20th Win vs. Baylor
  
• Mizzou Wrestling
  MUtigers.com: Tigers Open Season Ranked Ninth
  

Other

• I Just Can't Read Enough About Mario Balotelli
  Grantland: Brian Phillips on Manchester City's Mario Balotelli