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It’s a mad, mad world. Or in this case, it’s COVID’s world and we are all just trying to figure out what to do about sports (like Football)...
I’ve been thinking of the song ‘Mad World’ a lot lately, not only because it’s just a really, really good song, but also because I feel like it’s a scarily accurate portrayal of things these days.
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
Most of us have been working from home for quite some time now (I, myself, am going on two months Monday), and I don’t know about you, but I’m just... tired. We’re all tired. I attend Zoom meetings, much like the rest of you, and you see the people you work with across the screen and everyone is just kind of... hanging on at this point. We’re getting up to go to work at our kitchen tables or home offices every morning, but we’re quite literally going nowhere. And I know for me and some of my coworkers, at least, it can just be a bit too overwhelming at times, so you turn off your video for a minute or you hide your head and no one sees what’s really going through your mind as someone says something stupid or upsetting, etc. (side note: I did both of these things last week)
I didn’t mean that to be alarming, y’all. I promise I’m getting by alright. I still have all my jobs (until they tell me I don’t), and I’m functioning as normally as I can.
So... the point of this whole thing! We’ve gotten there! Jim Sterk ZOOM’ed with some Mizzou media members, and chatted about when/if football will be played and what it might look like.
As for when student-athletes might be able to return to campus, he said:
“June 1 is the first time where we can, right now, the way it stands, would be the first time that we could repopulate and have workouts in the gyms and fields and things like that, weight rooms,” Sterk explained. “And the 22nd (May), I think the presidents and chancellors have a call, a meeting, and they’ll decide whether to stay with that date or to adjust that date. So that’s where we are right now.”
Sterk did say that if students are taking classes online, that will NOT prevent football from being able to start. Simply put, the campus isn’t closed, so athletics can still take place. IDK, y’all... seems to me like this makes the athletes more employees than students, though he did specify that students not comfortable with this arrangement could back out with no penalty.
What that looks like when student-athletes start arriving back on campus, they aren’t sure. They will surely take additional precautions, but how, who knows. Testing every athlete upon their return? Keeping those with a fever from participating? Quarantining just the impacted individuals or the team as whole? Nobody’s got real solutions for that yet.
Football and basketball are the only sports that hold mandatory practices during the summer, and while they are eyeing the June 1 mark, will other athletes be able to return then, too?
A whole lot else was covered, and you can Choose your own Sterk Teleconference here to read more: Dave Matter (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Souichi Terada (KC Star). Mitchell Forde (PowerMizzou). Another Mitchell Forde (PM) piece. And here’s a video (courtesy of PM). Eric Blum (Columbia Tribune). Andy Kimball & Adam Cole (Columbia Missourian).
Onto the links we go. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
And in case you want to listen to the song referenced above, here you go:
Yesterday at Rock M
- In Bill C’s latest what-if... What if Jeremy Maclin hadn’t injured his knee in 2006?
- Our resident drink specialists/hoops savants, Sam T Snelling & Matthew J Harris, put out a new episode of their Dive Cuts podcast. In it, they talk roster construction, what Brookshire brings to the table, recruiting, and scheduling. You can read the recap here if the whole podcastin’ thing isn’t for you...
- COMING UP!!! A “What if” piece about our favorite Denver Nugget, Michael Porter Jr!
More Links:
Football
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Matter wrote before he got to Mizzou, coach Casey Woods made his mark building UAB’s roster from scratch. Dave & BenFred also made a triumphant return of their Eye on the Tigers Podcast (also in VIDEO FORM), discussing when and how college football will return. Have a listen!
- PowerMizzou (free): Gabe asked, if football can be played, what will it look like?
- PowerMizzou/Rivals ($$): Sean Williams did a commitment analysis on Davion Sistrunk.
- On the two-month anniversary of Sports Shutdown, Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger & Pat Forde talked with some important people to discuss/predict football’s fate. It’s TREMENDOUS.
- Seal those borders! Monster of the Midwest? Love it.
"Missouri's flagship university needs to establish itself as the dominant ." - @CoachDrinkwitz #MIZ x #NewZou pic.twitter.com/Pv88bVTmtm
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 14, 2020
- Look at you, Nick Bolton!
Big season ahead for @_nickbolton2 ⚡⚡⚡ #MIZ x #NewZou pic.twitter.com/mGNBKpaQMP
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 14, 2020
- Khalil Oliver has completed his Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology! Congrats, sir!
Finshed my last final of grad school. I officially have a Epidemiology MPH . @CDCgov y’all hiring
— Khalil Oliver (@Deramus26) May 14, 2020
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch Pro Football News Corner: BenFred wrote that Drew Lock has real chance to become greatest NFL quarterback Mizzou has produced, while Dave put out his annual post of where to find Mizzou’s players on NFL rosters!
Hoops
- PowerMizzou ($$): Mitchell touched base with hoops target, Jaden Akens, who continues to hear from Mizzou, while Gabe updated his 2021 recruiting board.
- We’ve got numbers assigned for the new guys!
Numbers for the Newcomers
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) May 14, 2020
No. 2️⃣ @stonecolddrew
No. 1️⃣1️⃣ @edchangggg
No. 3️⃣2️⃣ @big_jordan20 #ToTheFinishLine pic.twitter.com/jpFizjDOAH
Assorted Mizzou Sports News
- Mitchell and Gabe of PowerMizzou were back with new hot taeks on their Blowin’ Smoke, Presented by Weston Tobacco series (free). They predict their confidence level on a lot of football-related topics, so check it out! Spoiler Alert: It’s a bit.. depressing.
- Dave Matter was back with a new chat on STL Today! Read the Q&A!
- The SEC has formed a task force of medical experts from each school to guide their decisions on when to bring athletics back. More info on MUTigers.com.
The Southeastern Conference has formed a task force of 14 medical experts from each school to guide decisions on return to activity.
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) May 14, 2020
From Mizzou: Dr. Stevan Whitt, MU Associate Professor of Medicine, Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases
- Check out the #MizzouMade twitter to see who the grad sash recipients were for each sport! It will be nice to see some of those athletes back in black & gold next season using their extra year of eligibility. Here’s Mizzou Football’s recipients:
This week we honor our #MizzouMade grad sash recipients! Thank you for your hard work and commitment to academics, professional development, and community service @MizzouFootball pic.twitter.com/9bgUWpxPVw
— MizzouMade (@MizzouMade) May 14, 2020
Interesting/Non-Mizzou News
These are a few of the best sports stories & tidbits I found regarding some goings-on in sports and the world— Enjoy!
- I like Kansas City native/sports guy Nick Wright, but this is the ... wrong take on the Broncos that he shared on FS1’s First Things First. But yeah... Go Chiefs.
- I must confess, I did not know until I saw this on Uninterrupted’s twitter feed that Packers player, Christian Kersey graduated from Hazelwood East! How cool! (I went to Central, for those wondering)
Dear Hazelwood East Class of 2020,
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) May 14, 2020
I challenge you all to be great. And when times get hard, reflect on the same perseverance and determination that got you through your four years of high school. #SincerelyYours, @kirko58 #GraduateTogether pic.twitter.com/XTLztNoora
- On May 14, 1998, Seinfeld’s final episode aired. By the way, to honor Jerry Stiller’s memory, TBS will be playing some “Best of Frank Costanza” episodes on Saturday, May 16 from 3-8pm CST.
On this day in 1998, the final episode of Seinfeld aired. pic.twitter.com/QjpcUJ4XVu
— •UPNORTHTRIPS• (@evboogie) May 14, 2020
- Yikes. From Graham Dunbar & the Associated Press: The International Olympic Committee says postponing the Tokyo Olympics will cost at least $800 million.
- Stephens College is considering moving forward with a flag football team, according to Olivia Sheehy of the Missourian. The NAIA (the conference in which Stephens is a part of), along with the NFL and Reigning Champs Experiences announced a partnership to make it a varsity sport by 2021.
- Pat Forde shared on twitter that Akron is cutting men’s golf & cross country, as well as women’s tennis. Not great.
- According to Colleen Flaherty of Inside Higher Ed, Missouri Western State University is laying off 30% of their faculty and cutting a bunch of majors. BIG YIKES.
- Columbia College has laid off 49 employees back in February, and are additionally furloughing another group, according to Roger McKinney of the Columbia Tribune. They mention Mizzou in here too, and I have not been told yet that I am getting furloughed so fingers crossed, y’all...
- I have not watched Normal People (on BBC 3 or Hulu, as I think it is on), but one of its stars, Paul Mescal, sang Sia’s Chandelier while playing it on the piano and it was... lovely.
Here’s Connell (Paul Mescal) from Normal People singing “Chandelier.” You’re welcome/I’m sorry. pic.twitter.com/33KdA8bvZ6
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) May 15, 2020
- And I leave you with... HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. The Rams (hahaha) are seeking to borrow up to $500 million more (hahahhaa) from the NFL for their SoFi Stadium, according to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic. No need to read this, y’all. Just join me in laughing hysterically. Stan “Scrooge McDuck” Kroenke wants some money? Get outta here with that.
- If you’re looking to sign up for ESPN+, Rock M Nation now has an affiliate link: click Here for ESPN+ Now! (** RockMNation has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though RockMNation may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.**)