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In a conversation between Jeff Long and Jim Sterk the two ADs of rival schools were able to cover a lot of topics, but this line stood out:
Asked about the return of the Border War, Long says “I hate to see a rivalry die.” Says he wants the rivalry to return “with all the passion, but maybe with more sportsmanship than has been there in the past."
— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) June 17, 2020
I’m not sure Long fully understands the rivalry if he’s talking about sportsmanship. We can all shake hands afterwards... but that’s the extent of the sportsmanship. I mean the rivalry started with murder and fire... we’re not stopping that train.
The good news is both ADs said there will be more games added in more sports, which I think fans on both sides (whether they admit or not) will be happy to hear it.
The other takeaway was this bit from Jim Sterk:
Sterk on attendance capacity: "We're at a couple scenarios. 1. There's not a restriction and 2. A 50% model that will pivot and change depending on health officials. ... We're optimistic and excited about that."
— Souichi Terada (@SouichiTerada) June 17, 2020
As COVID cases continue to go up, it’s nice to see these guys being so optimistic. I wish I were that optimistic. I think they’re going to need far more than just a couple scenarios because scenario one seems unattainable right now. The country is not closing down, businesses are going to remain open, and cases and hospitalizations continue to go up. You just hope we’re able to stave it off enough to have sports again in a few months.
Also, Axel Okongo is transferring:
Mizzou confirms: Backup center Axel Okongo is in the NCAA transfer portal. https://t.co/zbdqEyghTy
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) June 16, 2020
I’ll have more on the scholarship impact for Missouri. It’s a relatively small one, save for the possibility of a big follow up addition.
Yesterday at Rock M
More:
- Peter Baugh of the Athletic wrote about one of Mizzou Football’s top targets in Trinity Catholic Safety Tyler Hibbler:
- Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou is working with the Missouri School of Journalism to create a PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship. The link goes directly to the giving.missouri.edu site and as of Wednesday afternoon, they’ve raised about $12,500 of their $50k goal. This is AWESOME. Here’s more info:
PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship
As a way to provide opportunities in sports journalism to minority students, PowerMizzou has connected with J-school alumni spanning generations to establish the PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship. Contributors from coast to coast, from classes in the 1970s to the 2010s came together to establish this fund to benefit minority students pursuing a degree and a career specifically in sports journalism. The hope of the contributors is not only to continue Mizzou’s long-standing excellence in the profession, but also to encourage diversity in all areas of sports journalism.
- Since a lot of us at this site are Ja Morant stans, thought I’d share this one. Morant, who attended Murray State, recently penned a letter to the a judge in Murray, Kentucky about removing a statue of Confederate general, Robert E. Lee.
- 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.**)