Mizzou Links, 10-24-12

Two years ago last night...

From the diary:

6:36 - What a surge by the Mizzou offensive line. De'Vion Moore bursts up the middle and drags tacklers for an incredible 39-yard gain up the gut to the Oklahoma 37. Then, after Gabbert finds Moe for 19 yards (Gabbert in the fourth quarter: 8-for-9 passing, 95 yards), Josey cuts upfield for another 15 yards and a first down at the OU 3.

Then, it's time for the Wildcat formation (Wildzou? Wild Tiger?) at which Mizzou was hinting last week. Gabbert lines up wide, and James Franklin keeps the ball on a zone read. He is stopped around the 2, but he keeps churning, and the Mizzou line keeps blocking ... and he eventually tumbles into the end zone. What a drive. It is now 36-21 ...

..and suddenly I cannot stop thinking about my buddy Jeffrey. He used to drive me crazy sometimes with how upset he would get after losses (or even bad plays), but there was not a more fun person in the world to be with when something good was happening. And in this, the first truly great Mizzou football moment at Faurot Field since his passing, I feel a bit gypped that I wasn't able to experience this with him.

At this point, I am beginning to struggle to control my emotions. I'm thrilled by the game, I'm annoyed that Jeffrey isn't here, I'm annoyed that I'm annoyed, and I'm thrilled all over again. I know The Beef is likely going through exactly the same struggle at the moment (not to mention ZouDave, Andy--01, and virtually everybody else who got to know him online or in person), so that helps. [...]

2:17 - Amazingly, Bob Stoops has waved the white flag. The ire thrown at him about the two-point conversion should have been focused here. Jones is hurried by Terrell Resonno on first down and Jacquies Smith on second, forcing poor throws and incompletions. On third down, he can't find Broyles ... and with no timeouts remaining and under 2:30 left, Oklahoma punts. Mizzou will be able to kill over two minutes without getting a first down. It is an amazingly weak decision, but I'm obviously not going to complain too much.

Really, there were only two possibilities for why Stoops made this decision: 1) he forgot that OU had no way to stop the clock, or 2) he was already thinking ahead to future wins and poll votes and decided that losing by nine was much better than losing by 16 or worse. That's basically it -- if you can think of another possibility, I'd love to hear it, because the punt all but ended the game.

0:00 - Nirvana. Mizzou punts with 0:09 left, and on their final play, OU cannot advance the ball with a desperate series of laterals. Let the party begin.

Over the next 30+ minutes, we will sit back and watch as students and fans (and celebration dogs) fill almost every square inch of the field. While GameDay sets up in the southeast corner of the field, fans tear apart the north goal posts (they were lowered to the ground so they couldn't be torn down, so they were just torn apart instead). Chris Fowler interviews Blaine Gabbert, Fowler and Herbstreit interview Gary Pinkel, and Marching Mizzou's drum section starts an informal dance party at midfield. Nobody is in a hurry to go anywhere.

There are good times yet to come, Mizzou fans.

Mizzou Football Links

• Game Week
  The Trib: James Franklin doubtful for game vs. Kentucky
  PowerMizzou: Tuesday Tiger Notebook
  Post-Dispatch: A SEC-ond look at Mizzou media day
  A Sea Of Blue: Kentucky Football: Patrick Towles Will Try To Practice Tuesday
  John Clay: VIDEO: Rick Minter talks about preparing for Missouri
• Hate The Title, Enjoy The Article
  Post-Dispatch: SEC confounds Mizzou spread
• Recruiting Rewind
  PowerMizzou: Recruiting Rewind: RB
• 2014 Recruiting
  PowerMizzou: [KS defensive tackle Peyton] Newell looks for comfort
• Gabs
  SB Nation Tampa Bay: Blaine Gabbert injury: Jaguars quarterback has torn labrum, according to report
  Big Cat Country: Jaguars injuries: Where do they go from here?
  ESPN.com: Awaiting second opinion on Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert's injury
• Chase
  We Are Mizzou: Chase Daniel Returns to Talk Business

Mizzou Diamond Sports Links

• Max
  SimmonsField.com: Max Scherzer in the World Series: A Part of Something Special

Other Mizzou Links

• That's One Hell Of A Tip...
  The Missourian: MU athletics department cracks down on credit card use
  KC Star: MU athletics staffer put $7,600 strip-club tab on university credit card
  Friends of the Program: Mizzou Athletics Department Officials Will Charge Their University Credit Card in a Strip Club with SEC Speed
• Mizzou Soccer
  MUtigers.com: Tigers Conclude Regular Season at No. 13 Texas A&M
• Mizzou Swimming & Diving
  MUtigers.com: Bonuchi Earns SEC Weekly Honors
• Mizzou Women's Golf
  MUtigers.com: Tigers Finish Fourth at Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown
• Mizzou Women's Basketball
  The Trib: Missouri WBB picked No. 13
  KBIA Sports: Missouri women face growing pains, second-to-last SEC projection
• Mizzou Gymnastics
  MUtigers.com: Gymnastics Releases 2013 Schedule