Here are five Mizzou things for July 25.
1. Kim Anderson has a new special assistant
I missed this on Thursday night.
Steve Shields to be hired as a special assistant to Kim Anderson at Missouri, per sources. Was at Loyola after 12 yrs as head coach at UALR.
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) July 24, 2015
Shields played at Baylor in the 1980s and spent a decade as a JUCO assistant before Porter Moser brought him to UALR. He took over for Moser after three 18-win seasons, won five Sun Belt division titles and won the 2011 Sun Belt conference tournament. His Trojans lost in overtime in the First Four to UNC Asheville. This year, according to Pomeroy stats, his final UALR team was fantastic at avoiding turnovers and blocked shots; they got semi-clean looks on every possession. Unfortunately, they didn't really make many of those shots.
Shields brings quite a bit of Division I experience and a JUCO background to the table, even if his D1 experience was at a mid-major.
(Paging Sam Snelling: you must now write 1,000 words on UALR's playing style, strengths, weaknesses, influences, and recruiting tactics. Aaaaaand GO.)
2. Mizzou Hoops is giving St. Louis plenty of attention
So say the head coach and president of the St. Louis Eagles.
On Mizzou's decision to hire Corey Tate: "I think it was an excellent hire for Missouri. He knows the St. Louis area very well, and he's going to be in our backyard. He's going to be bugging all of us, trying to get it done and we definitely wish him the best with all of that and I'm very happy for Corey Tate." [...]
On local schools competing with blue bloods on recruiting trail: "It is (daunting). I think it really depends on the kid and the kid's long-term objective. From my perspective, I think staying home always has its benefits, because you have to look beyond basketball. Just as Larry Hughes is beloved here in St. Louis, I think anyone who goes to a local school and has some success, ultimately this is your home. So, when you come back home and you've made those connections and those bonds with alumni and the coaches and the boosters, it bodes well for you later in life. If I was a coach, I certainly would be selling that. Be a hometown legend. Larry Hughes is called 'Larry Legend' for a reason. He's considered a legend in St. Louis because he stayed home."
Positive attention is great and all, but hopefully this bears fruit.
3. Good tweet, this
Mizzou in the month of November the past two years: https://t.co/cDQPajUXbV
— Rock M Nation (@rockmnation) July 25, 2015
4. Mizzou is dominating the first-pitch scene this week
Missouri center Evan Boehm throws first pitch on MU day at Kauffman Stadium before #Royals vs #Astros game. @KCStar pic.twitter.com/FUGgp85tJc
— John Sleezer (@jsleezer) July 25, 2015
Kansas City native @BIGboehmTHEORY put some heat behind his first pitch at the @Royals game tonight! #mizzou pic.twitter.com/a6bbF1rc4T
— Mizzou Network (@MizzouNetwork) July 25, 2015
#Mizzou Day at the K! Come say hey to @CallMe_KP24, @FloorGeneral03, @KjWalton10 & @JakeenanG23! #MIZ pic.twitter.com/7h3u3fkGqd
— Mizzou Basketball (@MizzouHoops) July 24, 2015
Fab Freshman pic at the K pic.twitter.com/TnXfpbVAds
— Kevin Puryear II (@CallMe_KP24) July 24, 2015
5. Bernie's leaving the Post-Dispatch
To say the least, Mizzou fans have a love-hate-HAAAATE relationship with the longtime columnist, but I guess it's still a pretty significant move for local sports. (Well, it's not really a 'move' ... he's just doing ESPN STL radio more now.) I was never a huge fan, but he impacted people I like, which means something.
Can't express how much Bernie's meant to me in my career. He's a reason - probably the biggest - I got into sportswriting.
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) July 25, 2015