Chuck Barrett on Missouri Football and Facilities
Barrett’s response to the caller’s query started innocently enough.
He praised Nashville (Vanderbilt), Knoxville (Tennessee) when the Vols are rolling and added Tuscaloosa (Alabama) and Athens (Georgia) “do it in a way that nobody else does,” and even gave some love to Baton Rouge (LSU).
But, Barrett continued, “I guess if I had to pick one place I didn’t like going, it would be Columbia (Missouri).”
Barrett mentioned that the frequent cold weather during the sports he calls for the northernmost SEC campus is one reason, but was only heating up at that point.
“Guys, I got to tell you, maybe I’m the only one but I’ve developed a sincere dislike of Missouri,” he told co-hosts Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft.
Why?
“I don’t think they take their sports seriously. I don’t think “it [just] means more.” They act like they’re a little bit better than those of us in the southern corridor, let’s just put it that way. And I’ve just never cared for them.”
Barrett added that he’s disappointed in the level of sports facilities development he has seen from Missouri in the decade the Tigers have been in the SEC.
“I don’t think they’ve progressed very much. When I see their facilities, and I’m sure they’ve done some things here and there, but there’s not anything magnificent. There’s no Baum Stadium [Arkansas’ baseball stadium], there’s no Fred Smith Football Center. They don’t have things like that, and I’ve wondered why because they got plenty of cash rolling in now.”
Barrett made sure his listeners knew he wasn’t ragging on any specific Mizzou alumni here (Lord knows Arkansas football fans appreciate Bob Holt and Barry Odom), but that “I’m just saying I don’t care for their program.”