MIZZOUEXPANSIONAPALOOZA™ 2011
So with A&M all but out the door, both Texas Tech Guy Bailey and Chip Brown himself have been floating the idea that the Big 12 is going to be all sorts of aggressive this time around to ensure survival. In the Chip Brown piece below (and remember ol' Chipper's pieces tend to be pretty useful since, if nothing else, we know where his sources are coming from), we learn that Texas higher-ups sources are floating four expansion names: Notre Dame, Arkansas, BYU and Pittsburgh. And just like that, we learn that "aggressive" expansion is going to be almost impossible. Notre Dame is not going to come (the fact that they could start their own network maybe gives this a 2% chance instead of 0%), Arkansas is really not going to come (unless Jerry Jones throws down some incredible "You can play tons of big games at Jerry World, and you'll make $5-10 million more per year than you do now" money), BYU will probably come, actually, and then ... the next strong, geographically sound choice is Pittsburgh?
Nothing against Pittsburgh -- actually, it's a strong school, and with its current head football coach, it has proclaimed interest in recruiting in Texas more -- but Mizzou is the easternmost school in this conference, and Pitt is 715 miles away. They could probably make more money in an expanded Big 12, but ... enough to make up for the fact that they would lose their current, closer rivals (especially in basketball, where they've had a serious "Big East" identity for a couple of decades now)? It makes no sense, and the fact that they're the No. 4 team on the "aggression" list shows us that an expanded Big 12 would end up with BYU, Air Force and a former SWC school.
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A&M All But Gone
The Daily: ALL-OUT AGG-ONY
New York Times: Texas A&M Close to Leaving Big 12
New York Times: 2011 Preview: Conference Shifting Is Now the Norm
College Football Talk: No action taken by Big 12, A&M during teleconference
Houston Chronicle: A&M move flies in face of reason
The Missourian: Reports say Texas A&M leaving within the week
Tulsa World (Dandy Dave Sittler): Texas A&M absurdity casts big shadow on Big 12 -
Replacements?
Orangebloods: A&M, Big 12 talk Saturday about what exit will look like
Lawrence Journal-World: Time for Big 12 to raid Big East
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Pitt declines to discuss Big 12 rumor
Pitt Blather: Big XII Fantasy Land
Mizzou Football Links
Congrats to @BlaineGabbert on his TD pass! #Mizzou is everywhere!
Love, love, love the Dave Steckel articles below. Unlike others, I certainly didn't think that Matt Eberflus was the worst defensive coordinator in the history of the world by any means, but there's no question that Steckel's promotion has led to the emergence of an enjoyable personality and, at least in the short term, better defense.
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STEC
The Trib: Dave Steckel's style resonates with MU defense
The Trib (Dave Matter): Sunday Morning Stecology -
Our New Color Commentator
Post-Dispatch: Richards' wild treck from CIA to MU radio booth -
Fall Camp Is Over
PowerMizzou: Fall Camp Awards
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Fall Camp Multimedia
KBIA Sports Extra: Views from Mizzou football scrimmages -
Quarterbacks
Post-Dispatch: Franklin's faith helps him lead as Mizzou's quarterback
PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: James Franklin
PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: QB breakdown -
Receiving Corps
PowerMizzou: Jimmie Hunt, Andrew Jones make a move -
2011
Barking Carnival: 2011 Missouri Football Preview: Tiger State of the Union -
Jeremy. Maclin.
ESPN.com: Jeremy Maclin, Steve Smith of Philadelphia Eagles practice for first time
Haithshapirogate Links
So Mizzou scores a commitment, and another recruit in town evidently scored a back-channel commitment from Mike Alden that Frank Haith is going to be in place for the foreseeable future. I don't know if an official statement is coming -- and I know other sites are using the lack of an official statement as yet another "FIRE ALDEN" rationale -- but I'm pretty sure we know our answer at this point. There is no immediate evidence tying Haith to Nevin Shapiro's charges, so it appears Mizzou is loosely committing to Haith in the interim. It certainly wouldn't hurt if Mizzou put out a statement, but as long as recruits are hearing what they need to hear (and by recruits, of course, I mean Rodney Purvis and Danuel House, ahem), then that's what matters.
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Post-Dispatch: Haith denies lying about booster ties
Mizzou Basketball Links
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Shawn Smith, Come On Down
KC Star: MU hoops coach Haith gains a recruit and seeks to 'fight back' for his name
PowerMizzou: Mizzou picks up Florida combo guard
The Trib: Tigers get commitment from 2012 SG Smith
Mizzou Volleyball Links
Take a gander at Mizzou's statistics from the weekend. Yes, they played four relative cupcakes, but from my football work I firmly believe that you can still prove something against nothing teams, and in throwing down a .415 hitting percentage while allowing .119 ... well, that proved something to me. This team is young -- Molly Kreklow is a sophomore and the two leaders in kills are a sophomore and freshman, respectively -- but wow, is there some upside here.
- The Trib: Kreklow puts MU in right spot
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Friday Matches
MUtigers.com: Volleyball Takes Two at Tiger Invite
KBIA Sports Extra: Youngsters shine as Mizzou wins season opener in Tiger Invitational -
Saturday Matches
MUtigers.com: Mizzou Takes Tiger Invitational Title
KBIA Sports Extra: Missouri's Brimmage, freshmen help sweep Tulane in third match of Tiger Invitational
The Missourian: Missouri volleyball doesn't drop a game on way to tournament title -
The Missourian: Senior libero focuses young Missouri volleyball team
Mizzou Soccer Links
Hey, speaking of upside ... Mizzou scored five goals this weekend in their B1G home sweep: four came from sophomores, one from a freshman.
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Mizzou 1, No. 7 Ohio State 0
MUtigers.com: Tigers Beat No. 7 Ohio State, 1-0
KBIA Sports Extra: Richardson leads Mizzou soccer in upset over Ohio State
KBIA Sports Extra: PHOTOS: Mizzou upsets No. 7 Ohio State
The Missourian: MU women upset No. 7 Ohio State -
Mizzou 4, Purdue 2
MUtigers.com: Tigers Take Down Boilermakers
KBIA Sports Extra: Mizzou soccer team passes "gut check" with 4-2 pasting of Purdue
The Missourian: Missouri wraps up perfect weekend
Other Mizzou Links
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Mizzou Baseball
SimmonsField.com: 2012 Tentative Schedule
Other
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And He Still Has A Job
Sports Grid: Craig James | ESPN policy violations | Outlaw