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A letter to Missouri and its fans: Have a fun, safe Fourth of July

Happy 4th of July! Consider this your live thread.

By Josh Matejka
Robert Laberge/Getty Images

To all Missouri fans and athletes,

Happy Independence Day!

Hopefully most of you are enjoying a day free of responsibilities, be they school or work related.

Like many Americans, I like to take the Fourth to ponder all the things I’m grateful for in this country. And one of my favorite things about America is that we the people get to spend a [borderline] inappropriate amount of time fixated on sports: arguing in person, arguing on Twitter, arguing with our TVs. Don’t get me wrong: sports matter. But our country’s fixation on sports is, at times, unhealthy. But, you know, our country is generally unhealthy so…

I’m specifically grateful for college sports. I spent three months in London last summer, and one of my English friends always spoke to me about his admiration for college athletics. He was especially taken with college football, and lamented the fact that universities in the UK didn’t have a thriving sports community. He spoke of staying up late at his flat in London, watching the vibrantly dressed crowds with their face paints, noisemakers and school colors, all cheering on teams full of young, burgeoning talent. College sports in the US-of- A are truly a special thing, one I hope I – and the rest of university fandom – never take for granted.

So as you spend today celebrating your independence, let me give you a few suggestions on how you could properly spend the day:

  1. Get together with some friends and play classic American lawn games. I myself am partial to croquet, but cornhole (bags?), horseshoes, KanJam, wiffle ball would all suffice. Maybe a friendly game of touch/flag/tackle football.

  2. 2. Watch a patriotic movie. The Patriot, Top Gun and Team America: World Police all come to mind. I don’t know if the bosses will let me, but I’m giving the latter the (un)official Rock M Nation endorsement (Editor's note: 100% approve)



  3. Grab a refreshing, American themed cocktail. IF you’re of age: drink responsibly.

  4. Listen to all of America’s greatest hits

  5. Wear an inordinate amount of red, white and blue clothing.

  6. Finally and most importantly: if you’re going to shoot off fireworks

DON’T JASON-PIERRE PAUL YOURSELF!

It’s your American right to blow stuff up, just make sure ‘stuff’ ≠ ‘your hands.’

Have fun. I’ll be at work writing a newscast about all the people that do end up blowing off their hands.

Let Freedom Ring,

- Josh

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