1 - So it looks, for now, as if Maty Mauk might be visiting Columbia tomorrow with a commitment in mind. Or not. Making assumptions based on the whims of 18-year olds is not a smart way to maintain much credibility. Or, if you believe Tigerboard, Mauk's committed already. Regardless, let's say, hypothetically, that Mauk is a better fit for the offense than, say, Gunner Kiel. Not saying he definitely is; we're just speaking hypothetically here. What do you think would have a bigger impact on the program as a whole: a) a commitment from Mauk (with potentially strong on-the-field play to follow) or b) a commitment from Kiel (and the "holy crap, Mizzou might land a Top 10-15 class" buzz that would be generated in response)?
2 - Yesterday, I professed my love for the 1989 Seton Hall Pirates. I was genuinely crushed when they (got screwed by an awful foul call) lost to Michigan in the finals that year. To which college basketball team have you held an irrational (i.e. it's not your school, and you've never been anywhere near their campus) attachment through the years?
3 - So the Pirates are currently four games over .500. What do you feel has better odds: the Pirates making the playoffs, or Mizzou being four games over .500 at the end of September?
4 - Summer months are upon us: what are you watching now that the network TV seasons are over?
Bill C.: Since Beefy is out, I'll fill his role of answering questions first...
1. I've been a bit torn on this one. If there truly is 'momentum' of sorts in recruiting, then the buzz from a Kiel commitment could be tremendously beneficial. Like when Gabbert committed and swayed Dan Hoch, Wes Kemp, etc. But on-the-field contributions still carry more weight, so if it were, you know, scientifically proven (or something) that Mauk was the better fit for this offense, then Mauk would be my choice, mega-recruiting-buzz or no mega-recruiting-buzz.
2. Um, the 1989 Seton Hall Pirates.
3. Not going to lie. I LOVED this question, if I do say so myself. Basically, what's more likely: Pittsburgh making the playoffs or Mizzou winning at Arizona State and OU? Giving the edge to the Pirates, simply because of the whole "nobody wins at Owen Field" thing. And since I'm putting the odds of the Pirates making the playoffs firmly around 5% or so ... yeah.
4. The wife and I are hooked on Next Food Network Star even though a) like most reality shows, you can pick out the 4-5 people who have a chance immediately, and you have to wait for countless episodes for the dregs to be eliminated, b) they've gotten self-indulgent and expanded each episode to 90 minutes when 60 is more than enough, and c) they have a contestant playing the game like it's Survivor or something, and since I don't actually like Survivor or Big Brother or whatever, it's not impressing me. Still watching it. Otherwise, I'm basically just watching ESPN Classic and BTN football replays and my laptop screen.
Doug: 1 - Yeah... this question requires far more thinking than I like to put in at 7:30 in the morning, so I'll just let it sail on pass.
2 - I don't know about irrational attachment, but I've always had a thing for watching small-school basketball, especially when we're talking about the conferences that get a lone automatic qualifier in the tournament, or even the really small schools in the NAIA tournament.
3 - With two road games in September, I'd say the chances are much more in the favor of the Pirates to make the play-offs, but it's a very small chance.
4 - I'm watching a few USA shows, and Netflix just put every Star Trek TV episode ever on streaming, so my time is kind of spoken for.
Michael Atchison: 1. Whoever plays better on the field is the better get. Recruiting buzz is ephemeral. Winning is not.
2. Really none. There have been other teams that I’ve enjoyed watching (Paul Westhead’s LMU teams, Butler), but I’ve never been attached to any of them. There’s my team and all the rest.
3. Mizzzou being four games over .500. I pay such precious little attention to the National League (apparently Pittsburgh has a guy named McCutcheon, and apparently he didn’t make the All-Star team, and apparently this was a very, very bad oversight), but as I look over the standings, it looks to me like the Pirates’ only real shot at the playoffs is to win the division, and it looks like a four-team race, and given that they already seem to have been playing above their level, I have to figure that they’ll fall back a bit. Then again, I just looked at the football schedule and see where the Tigers play on September’s final weekend. Why couldn’t "monkeys fly out of my butt" been one of the choices?
4. The network seasons are over? When did that happen? I have pre-teen kids. I’m watching Good Luck, Charlie.
ZouDave: 1 – Well there’s really no question that right now the bigger impact would be landing the #1 QB in the country from a neutral recruiting ground. When we landed Gabbert (#1 Pro-Style QB in his class) it had the "but he’s from Missouri" label attached to it. If Pinkel goes out and grabs the #1 QB (4-star though he may be) from a state that isn’t Missouri, and in the process beats out Oklahoma and Alabama for that player’s services, that’s a HUGE step for Mizzou and shows that they’ve truly become a team that deserves notice. Obviously it wouldn’t mean as much as doing it another 2-3 times, but still it would be huge.
That said, I’ve read numerous times that Mauk is probably a closer resemblance to Chase Daniel on the field, and I think that’s what everyone is really hoping for is another Chase Daniel. Spoiler Alert: there will never be another Chase Daniel, just like there will never be another Brad Smith.
2 – 1990-91 Duke. That was my first season filling out a NCAA bracket for a pick contest, and of roughly 50 people in the contest I was literally the only one that DIDN’T pick UNLV to win the whole thing. I picked Duke to upset UNLV in the Final Four, and sitting at my Grandma’s house in Springfield, MO, the day before Easter of 1991 I watched it happen and went absolutely nuts. Because of that game, because of those circumstances, I’ve never hated Duke for being Duke and have never held anything but respect for Krzyzewski.
3 – Mizzou has the better odds, but neither is altogether likely. 2 of Mizzou’s toughest games of the year are in September (at ASU and at OU). If we’ve won those (and then presumably our other 2 as well), holy crap. Still, GO PIRATES! Has it been mentioned that the Pirates has the longest streak in baseball right now of losing seasons, but in that same time frame the Royals have lost more games? Has it also been mentioned that in the 3 major pro sports (NFL, MLB, NBA) there’s 96 teams, 94 of which have made the playoffs in their league at least once since 1986? The two that haven’t are the Washington Nationals (formerly Montreal Expos) and Kansas City Royals. The Royals fans are THE ONLY FANS IN THE BIG THREE SPORTS that have had to endure a playoff drought for that entire time frame.
I’ve been saying it for a couple of years, but it needs to be said officially and nothing is official until it’s in a Roundtable. The movie "Major League" will be re-made someday, and probably soon. When the original was made, it was about the Cleveland Indians, a team that hadn’t been to the playoffs in over 30 years. Well, the remake is going to have to be about the Royals, isn’t it? You heard it here first.
4 – Friday Night Lights isn’t over for another 2 episodes.
SleepyFloyd7: 1 - I agree 100% with ZD's answer. If the #1 QB (from out of state) picks Mizzou over OU and Alabama, that's the kind of statement that reverberates. But if it's an either/or question, I don't think there is a wrong answer.
2 - The Gonzaga Bulldogs when they made their first couple of runs in the NCAAs. I was out on the West coast, and that was a fun team to watch.
3 - Mizzou - sorry, but the Pirates won't be winning the NLC, and .0001 is a larger number than 0 (math nerd).
4 - Actually, I've been reading a ton (when I'm not watching baseball). I've already knocked out a couple of Neil Gaiman books (Anansi Boys was fantastic - next up is Good Omens), and my wife had a copy of Hunger Games that I whipped through in about 10 hours. I still need to read The Secret Life of Henrietta Lacks - the One Read book in Columbia this year (I encourage you all to read it too - my wife works at the Library). For TV - I caught the first 2 episodes of Falling Skies and avoided getting hooked.
RPT: 1. I don't feel comfortable answering because I'm not sure I agree with the premise. Remember, Blaine Gabbert wasn't a great fit for the Missouri offense either. Maybe I can put it this way: My answer is whichever one Dorial Green-Beckham prefers.
2. I'm going to get ROASTED for this, but I really loved that Duke team that lost to the Hamilton/El-Amin UConn team.
3. Mizzou being four over. At least we know fortune has smiled on Mizzou at least once in the last 25 years.
4. Big ups for Next Food Network Star. Everyone can get on the Jeff and/or Vic Vegas bandwagons or get the hell out. And Dave is right on about Friday Night Lights.
ZouDave: Two emails inside of 120 seconds that fully endorsed my comments in some way. I win this roundtable.
(An hour later...)
ZouDave: And apparently as the winner of the roundtable, it was my right to kill it prematurely and force an end to all discussion.
D-Sing: Au contraire. That is my job, damnit. I'm not giving it up that easily.
1. Hypothetically speaking ( in this scenario) I'd rather have the top 10-15 commitment to at least generate the buzz. I would expect Kiel to then adapt to the offense and the coaches to adapt to Kiel to make him successful in the system. Realistically speaking, I want the guy that gives us the best chance to win. True fantasay scenario: Have them both come and battle it out for the starting spot with the (perceived) loser actually sticking around. Hey, I said it was a fantasy scenario.
(Again, the pins and needles coverage of the whims of indecisive 18 yr. old boys and their families always leaves me cold.)
2. Syracuse Orange(men). I was quite happy for Jim Boeheim when he won the national title in 2003. Although they were one of the finalists when I was applying for colleges.
3. I don't forsee either scenario happening, but if I had to place money on one of these happening, it would be on Mizzou being undefeated at the end of September. (Sorry, Bill.) The Pirates have too many games left against the teams they are running with, and I think the Braves will win the wild card, so the only way in is to win the division. Thus endeth the depth of my baseball knowledge. I used to love baseball. Now? It's an interesting diversion between the end of basketball and the start of football.
4. The Expedition: Morocco show on ABC isn't as bad as I envisioned. I've been roped into viewing Food Network Star. But my viewing habits haven't changed that much. I've been catching up on Pawn Stars on History and actually visit the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop last Friday.
RPT: "Now? It's an interesting diversion between the end of basketball and the start of football."
My father used to joke that the "National Pastime" just passes the time between hockey and football.
D-Sing: I mean, we still watch baseball around the house, but I don't have the same drive to watch the game that I used to. I just don't feel the same emotional resonance that I did when I was a little kid. Hell, I don't even feel the same resonance that I felt when I was at Mizzou and made it a point to go to one Cards game and one Royals game a year. The last major league game I watched in person was 2009 in Anaheim. Before that it was 2007 at Dodger Stadium. We could've gone to Petco when in San Diego last month and took a pass, even though I've never been to Petco and could've crossed it off my list. But we didn't.
ZouDave: It’s because, individually, baseball games are boring and somewhat pointless. There’s a reason they play 162 games, it’s because that’s how important 1 game is to a season. It’s not. So on a day-to-day basis, baseball sucks.
Where baseball excels is big picture, statistics and history. I wouldn’t say I hate baseball, but I don’t exert much effort at all to pay attention to it. But start talking stats, start talking about careers/seasons, etc., where baseball becomes abstract and you’re not talking specifically about the top of the 4th of a certain game on a certain date but instead talking about how Babe Ruth hit in July for his career then you’ve got my interest. That’s why I’ve always loved baseball video games so much, because it gives you so much control over the interesting parts of baseball.
(Two hours later...)
SleepyFloyd7: America Just Now Remembering How Much They Hate Dallas
RPT: Even SleepyTroll7 can't reignite this thing.
SleepyFloyd7: Man, the Metroplex is cranky.
(An hour later...)
ZouDave: I leave for California tomorrow, going to spend 5 days out at my sister’s new mansion north of L.A. The majority of my days will be spent at their pool, tossing a pair of 5-year old twins around in the pool with some other family events mixed in. So between tomorrow morning and Monday night I will have 7 hours on planes plus a couple of hours in airports plus a couple of hours on private cars taking me between airport and sister’s house (because yes, that’s how they roll). Figure that’s around 11 hours of transportation, give or take.
So knowing that, and knowing I’m not much of a reader at all and the books I have read are typically non-fiction books (my most recent 3 books I’ve read are "The Accidental Billionaires", "The Facebook Effect" and "Civil War on the Missouri-kansas Border"), give me book recommendations I can download for my Kindle app.
Go.
Doug: I just started reading a publisher's advance copy of the "Running the Books" and so far it's a fascinating read about a guy who takes a job as a librarian at a Boston prison. However, if you're like me, you could probably tear through it on the first leg of your trip.
ZouDave: I doubt that I’m like you in many ways, Doug. First of all, I have a soul. (it’s an anti-ku joke!)
But seriously, I’m probably not going to be mistaken for a fast reader given that I don’t do it very often (although I did read "The Accidental Billionaires" in one night). That is definitely in the vein of books I’d probably like. Is it non-fiction?
Doug: Yes, it is non-fiction. And, I figured you would like it since Missouri fans can all relate to what it's like being locked up.