I LOVE GP, y’all. What a guy. What a work ethic. What a great coach, inspiring so many. And now, what a worthy addition to this year’s class of the College Football Hall of Fame.

In case you’ve forgotten, Pinkel won more games than any previous coach at Mizzou or Toledo. He led the Tigers to 10 bowls and four conference championship games in two different conferences, and twice was thisclose to leading MIzzou to a national championship game. But still, he told a group of reporters and friends/family at Shakespeare’s on Tuesday afternoon, he wasn’t sure it’d be enough to get him in.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Dave Matter, who has a close relationship with GP after working with him on the 100 Yard Journey.

“It wasn’t because I didn’t believe in me or myself,” Pinkel said Tuesday at Shakespeare’s Pizza on the south side of Columbia, where he visited with friends, family and media. “First of all, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. I don’t wake up every day going, ‘Oh gosh, I want to be in the Hall of Fame.’ I just didn’t really think I was going to get in. Then all of a sudden the box was there.”

“That whole day,” he added [talking about how he found out by a package he’d received on his doorstep], “every 20 minutes I had tears coming down.”

From Lila Bromberg over at the KC Star, after speaking with former AD Mike Alden at lunch:

“Certainly there’s no question the wins and losses speak for themselves,” said Mike Alden, who served as Missouri’s athletic director from from 1998-2015. “... But I think that if you take a look only at all the wins, you’re missing the picture of what built all that, and that’s why he deserves to be a Hall of Famer.”

Also from her article, which is long and frankly, delightful:

Pinkel’s approach in building the Missouri program revolved around systems, something he picked up from James and also instilled at Toledo. One system for player development: How do you make players stronger, faster, more mentally tough, etc. — to the point at which the seniors become extensions of assistant coaches. Another for organization: How do you practice and prepare. Another for academic responsibilities. And so on and so forth.

“It’s my job to make sure daily as I’m watching all these things happen that we correct things and we praise things,” Pinkel said. “We correct things and praise things every day. That’s what I did.”

A few former Pinkel players shared their love for their coach:

On to the links! BEAT ARKANSAS!

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Yesterday at Rock M

• A new Dive Cuts talked about the big Hoops win, what it means, and the road game ahead.
• Newer hoops analyst Matt W analyzed some film from the Alabama game. I don’t know about y’all, but I love film study for winning games.
• Lauren and I collaborated on what will be a weekly post on Mizzou’s quest to be in the Top 25. We also look at the RPI and NET, as well as how they’re stacking up against other SEC teams. YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY READ IT.

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More Links:

Football

• The Tigers have altered their 2022 schedule, and will now open the season against Louisiana Tech at home, instead of playing Middle Tennessee on the road like originally scheduled. Read the news from Dave Matter (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Lila Bromberg (Kansas City Star). Chris Kwiecinski (Columbia Tribune). Gabe DeArmond (PowerMizzou).
• BenFred wrote, Under Sankey, SEC continues to get bigger, badder and better.
• In light of the recent news that Simi Bakare and Case Cook opting not to use their super senior year and tight end Niko Hea medically retiring, PowerMizzou updated the unofficial scholarship chart.

• Haha. But also, Michael Wayne Bratton, this is just wrong.

• This is awesome. Way to use your abilities for good, Chad.

• Columbia native and former Rock Bridge star, Nathaniel Peat, has received an offer from Mizzou. The former Stanford Cardinal rushed for 665 yards and four touchdowns in his career, according to Eric Blum of the Columbia Tribune.

Also, Mizzou could use definitely this on the roster:

Hoops

• BenFred asked, What did one big win against 15th-ranked Alabama tell us about Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers?
• Jeff Gordon, in a subscribers only post for the Post-Dispatch, said even in the SEC, excellent basketball coaches can sink.
• The Missourian’s Anthony Kristensen said MU men’s basketball looking for momentum against Arkansas.
• The Tribune’s Eric Blum, in one of his last stories for the Tribune before he heads to NYC and a new career with Deadspin, wrote Mizzou Basketball heads back on the road to face faltering Arkansas Razorbacks.
• From Tigers historian Tom Orf on the twitter, looks like WBB has gone down a slot in the newest bracket projections.

• Way to go, AB!!

Other Mizzou Sports

• Way to go, TigerStyle!

• Rachel Blunt, a Missouri native who previously served as the Deputy Athletic Director/Administration and Senior Woman Administrator at Central Michigan, has been added to the Mizzou Athletic Department as a member of the senior leadership team and oversee Mizzou’s holistic student-athlete championship experience. According to MUTigers.com:

She will have administrative oversight of all student-athlete facing departments, including academics, career and leadership development (Mizzou Made), nutrition, sports medicine and strength and conditioning.

• Good point, Larissa.

• This is cool.

• Congrats to Mizzou commit, Riley Buckley.

• It’s Meet Week for Mizzou Gymnastics! In a battle of ranked teams, no. 7 Mizzou will face no. 6 LSU at 7pm on Friday. It’s a Pink Out! If you haven’t checked out the Tiger tumblers yet, this would be a great opportunity to see them in action!

Former Mizzou Players in the Wild

• Dru and the SkyForce beat the Salt Lake City Stars on Monday night, 103-93. Dru had a MUCH better night in his 32 minutes starting. Dru was 6-13 shooting (2-4 from three), with 8 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK, 2 TO, and 3 PF. He also had the second highest +/- on the team at a +13.
• Tilly and the Magic got blown out by the Capital City Go-Gos 132-95 on Tuesday evening. In Tilly’s 20 minutes starting, he had 10 points on 3-4 shooting, with 3 REB, 3 AST, and 6 PF. If I’m not mistaken, this if the first time Tilly has fouled out all season.
• Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz took on the Pistons on Monday and lost, 116-126, just their 13th loss of the season. Jordan Clarkson played 28 minutes and scored 16 points on 6-11 shooting (4-9 from 3) with 5 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO, and 1 PF.
• Exciting news for Tyler Badie!

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