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Mizzou was picked last in the preseason media poll and I told you so

By Sam Snelling
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

In late July CBSsports Jon Rothstein released his all too early SEC poll and we talked about it. I said back then that Mizzou fans shouldn't expect much more from media members when it comes to preseason rankings. The reality of the roster is tough from the outside. Inside, coaches like where things are going and are expecting much more than what the media thinks at this point, so there's that.

Steve Walentik has a quick hitter up at the Columbia Tribune:

Kentucky once again topped the poll, ahead of second-place Vanderbilt and third-place Texas A&M, despite losing its top seven scorers early to the NBA draft. The Wildcats bring back sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis and forwards Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee and added the nation's top recruiting class. Center Skal Labissierre headlines that group and joined Ulis on the preseason All-SEC first team.

That team was led by LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons, who was voted the preseason conference player of the year. Vanderbilt junior center Damian Jones, Texas A&M senior guard Danuel House and Mississippi senior guard Stefan Moody also made the first team.

Preseason Media Poll Pts

1. Kentucky 406

2. Vanderbilt 357

3. Texas A&M 344

4. LSU 333

5. Georgia 266

6. Florida 258

7. South Carolina 204

8. Mississippi State 203

9. Ole Miss 184

10. Auburn 168

11. Arkansas 118

12. Tennessee 86

13. Alabama 85

14. Missouri 33

The points is what is most surprising. Quite honestly, I think the media got the bottom 6 (and possibly more) right. I don't think many should have very high expectations for Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama. I think first year coaches have a little trouble unless they're walking into a really good situation. Most coaches don't get that type of situation. Frank Haith's 2012 team is the anomaly, not the norm. The norm is what Rick Barnes and Avery Johnson have to deal with. But I don't know of anyone that has a tougher job this year than Mike Anderson, where he lost basically everyone from last year, and had the leagues worst ranked recruiting class. Even one of the top returners is still in doubt due to some legal issues. How so many at this point are giving him the benefit of the doubt with a roster devoid of talent is surprising to me.

Walentik is probably my favorite beat guy to read when it comes to Mizzou hoops, and he provided his own poll in a follow up column:

Here is my complete ballot with the position of each team in the actual poll listed in parentheses.

1. Kentucky (1)

2. Texas A&M (3)

3. Vanderbilt (2)

4. Georgia (5)

5. LSU (4)

6. Mississippi State (8)

7. Mississippi (9)

8. Florida (6)

9. South Carolina (7)

10. Auburn (10)

11. Arkansas (11)

12. Missouri (14)

13. Alabama (13)

14. Tennessee (12)

My personal poll will look the same through the top four, but I've got South Carolina slotted in at 5. Then LSU & Florida, the Mississippi schools, Mizzou, UT, Bama, Auburn and Arkansas. What's fun is that none of this matters because they have to play games. There are all completely unscientific based upon guys trying to project how talent on any given roster will grow and play under a coach. The SEC has had so many coaching turnovers in the last few years that much of this is still a mystery. We all seem to agree that Kentucky will be good, Vandy and A&M should be, and the rest? Well, we'll see.

We'll have more coverage coming up starting next week with our Team Previews. We also went through and based our polls here at RockMNation by picking each game, rather than ranking the teams. So it should be interesting.

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