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Mizzou Links, 12-19-12

On accountability and hall of famers.

By Bill Connelly
Justin Smith: Mizzou hall of famer.
Justin Smith: Mizzou hall of famer.
USA TODAY Sports

Mizzou Football Links

So ... yet another freshman got arrested. We're setting some kind of record here.

  • No More Ka'Ra Stewart
    The Trib: MU freshman safety kicked off team

    Missouri freshman safety Ka'ra Stewart has been dismissed from the football team, MU spokesman Chad Moller said Tuesday. Stewart was arrested Monday on suspicion of possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana, University of Missouri police captain Brian Weimer said.

    The arrest came just 12 days after Stewart pleaded guilty to the same offense stemming from a Nov. 9 arrest in Columbia. [...]

    Stewart is the fifth member of Missouri's freshman class to be arrested for pot possession in Columbia. In October, receivers Dorial Green-Beckham and Levi Copelin and linebacker Torey Boozer were arrested in a parking lot outside Memorial Stadium. Green-Beckham and Copelin both pleaded guilty to amended city violations of trespassing. Boozer faces a disposition hearing in municipal court on Feb. 12.

    Stewart is also the second player from the freshman class kicked off the team. Tight end Brandon Holifield was dismissed last month for violating undisclosed team policies, a few days before he was arrested by Missouri Highway Patrol on suspicion of marijuana possession. Holifield pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor possession charge, along with misdemeanor charges for speeding and driving without a license. He paid $450 in fines.

    The Missourian: Redshirt freshman dropped from team after marijuana arrest
    KC Star: Safety dismissed after second pot arrest
    Post-Dispatch: Mizzou freshman dismissed after arrest

For whatever reason -- bad luck, law of averages, OMG GARY PINKEL'S PERSONAL LIFE (/internet), whatever -- the recruiting class of 2012 has done some pretty stupid things so far. And as a result, Mizzou has lost a raw tight end with potential and, now, a pretty interesting safety. I've never been able to get too worked up about athletes smoking pot (that certainly falls into the "it happens everywhere" category), but my goodness, Mizzou players have been stupid about it this fall. That speaks to either a lack of brains or a lack of fear of the repercussions. And I'm not talking about the repercussions from coaches -- Gary Pinkel seems to have a pretty clear, and pretty harsh "Two strikes and you're out" policy. I'm talking about repercussions among the players on the team. For years, Mizzou didn't have too many of these issues because the level of accountability from teammates, from the team leaders, seemed quite high; it was perhaps one of the primary reasons for this team's success. This team needs that back ... in a hurry.

Now on to happier links.

  • Henson
    PowerMizzou: From chaos to closure

    Because [Mizzou OL commit Clay] Rhodes knew that Henson was exploring his options, he began to think he should do the same. Rhodes committed to Missouri last spring, but recent offers from LSU and Oklahoma gave him pause. Despite that, he stayed true to his pledge, but with the news about Henson surfacing, Rhodes thought he may re-open his recruitment.

    "That crossed my mind because we're so tight," Rhodes said. "He's really -- and I'm not only talking about football -- but he inspires me to work my hardest, to do a lot of work in the weight room. I know his family and he knows mine. I'm not saying I'm not close with Coach (Bruce) Walker, but I love Coach Henson to death."

    However, by the next night, word got back to the three commitments that Henson would be staying at Missouri. At that time, the specifics weren't known, but the players heard right from the source.

    "He sent us messages that said, 'Hey, I'm staying at Missouri, just don't tweet that or anything,'" [fellow OL commit Alec] Abeln said.

    The Trib: Henson's trek began with advice from Miles
    The Trib (Joe Walljasper): Inside job, but not a bad pick
    Mizzou Network (YouTube) (in case you missed it): New Mizzou OC Josh Henson 1 on 1
  • Marcus Murphy's Pretty Awesome
    Mizzou Network (YouTube): Tiger Top 5: Marcus Murphy

Hall Of Famers

I admittedly don't know as much as I feel I should about Helen Wilson and James Taylor, but with Ian Kinsler, Justin Smith and the underrated Christi Myers leading the way, this is one hell of a Mizzou Hall of Fame class.

Mizzou Basketball Links

Other Mizzou Links

Other

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