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So it appears we had a "social media is the worst" night on campus last night. Anonymous threats on Yik Yak (which appears to have all of the internet's worst qualities and none of its best), threats to both black students and white veterans, and a hateful speaker at Speakers Circle, caused a super tense environment ... one that was then stoked by random reported "sightings" of threatening individuals ... large trucks with no plates ... the KKK in Greektown. Things spread like a game of Telephone (and MSA president Payton Head even got into the act of passing things along without double confirmation), and the false reports got out of control.
Lots of classes have been canceled for today out of caution, it appears, and ... yuck. As long as there are nervous people out there, and as long as there are assholes willing/able to make anonymous threats (which will justifiably be taken very seriously right now), this can just continue in perpetuity without anything violent actually happening.
Unless you can absolutely confirm something, please don't spread misinformation. These unconfirmed things are just spreading fear #Mizzou
— Justin Stewart (@JustinLStewart) November 11, 2015
There is no immediate threat to campus. Please do not spread rumors and follow @MUAlert at https://t.co/6BXzIBsDxU for updates.
— MU Alert (@MUalert) November 11, 2015
Hang in there, everybody. Here are some distraction links:
Okay, well, not completely a distraction.
Here's the latest on the protests and the football team's involvement.
Gary Pinkel gave one interview yesterday, then thought better of giving any more
The Trib (David Morrison): Pinkel: Concerned Student 1950 hashtag shouldn't have been on tweet supporting players
Post-Dispatch: Pinkel distances himself from strike
PowerMizzou: Pinkel: Tweet was a mistake
So basically, one of the people who posts Pinkel's tweets for him (the ones he does himself are initialed with "GP") included the #ConcernedStudent1950 hashtag in Pinkel's now-famous Sunday team picture tweet. He has apparently gotten a pretty swift lesson in hashtagging since and realized that shouldn't have been in there.
As I said yesterday, this is an almost impossible balance for Pinkel, supporting his players while not wanting to become a face of the movement. When a coach cancels a bunch of interviews, it's always going to feel frustrating, but I can't blame him here. It's now Wednesday of a slightly abbreviated game week, and some of these questions aren't going to go away.
And as is often the case, media for the coach has gotten kind of dicey ... but media for the players has been mostly positive:
AP (Ralph Russo): Mizzou football players didn't realize how much power they had
With their coach behind them, the players put the university on notice for more than $1 million in costs if the game against BYU had to be called off. They also had the strategic advantage of being the faces of the main revenue engine for a school in one of college football's wealthiest conferences.
"These black football players understood that they have the power," said Shaun Harper, executive director for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania. "That is so rare. I don't know another class of black people on a university campus that has as much power as these guys. ... Not in our modern history have we seen black students collectively flex their muscle in this way." [...]
"We just wanted to use our platform to take a stance as fellow concerned students on an issue that has special meaning as a fellow black man's life was on the line," [Ian] Simon said. "We love the game, but at the end of the day, it is just that -- a game."
The Trib: MU players say boycott was not about them, about making a difference
The Trib (David Morrison): MU players speak on the end to their boycott
The Trib: Winning the revolution is half the battle
Post-Dispatch: Activists make peace with media covering Mizzou upheaval
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou hunger striker says Ferguson protests were ‘monumental’ for him
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou basketball players had coach's support during campus unrest
"The main thing is," said Rosburg, one of five white players on the roster, "we wanted to be a team. If we had guys with issues with what was going on (on campus) — some guys were, some guys weren’t, whatever it was — we wanted to be a team."
On Sunday, the basketball players met with Anderson, athletics director Mack Rhoades and deputy AD Wren Baker.
"I wanted to support the guys," Anderson said Tuesday. "The main thing I wanted them to do if they wanted to do something — I would have supported it — just make sure that they’re fully informed of what they’re doing and that they are together as a group."
Tyler Hunt for Burlsworth
Mizzou's second nominee in three years.
MUtigers.com: @MizzouFootball’s Tyler Hunt Honored as Burlsworth Trophy Nominee
Mizzou Football senior RB Tyler Hunt (Huntsville, Mo.) has been named a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, as announced by the Burlsworth Trophy and the Springdale (Ark.) Rotary Club on Tuesday (Nov. 10). The Burlsworth Trophy is given to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on. Hunt is one of 55 players on the list and one of eight SEC players.
The Westran High School product has 139 yards on 20 rushing attempts and has also hauled in five catches for 201 yards, the latter of which is the third-best on the team. He is also responsible for Mizzou's four longest plays from scrimmage this season, including a 72-yard run vs. Mississippi State and a 78-yard TD catch in the opener vs. SEMO.
The Trophy is named in honor of former University of Arkansas Walk-On and All-American offensive lineman, Brandon Burlsworth. Without one D1 scholarship offer, Brandon Burlsworth walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft, but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities.
Basketball
Freshman
MUtigers.com: Anderson Impressed with @MizzouHoops' Walton
Next year's freshmen
The Trib: Tigers' three-man class has potential, will need time
And in case you're interested...
Godfrey and I talked a bit about Mizzou yesterday on PAPN ... before delving into like 28 other topics.