The Super Bowl And Recent Mizzou Happenings....

[BATCAB27]

At least the super bowl was a good game. Seahawks are taking a lot of heat for that last play call, but I really don't have a problem with it. yeah they have Lynch, and a time out, but at least they put the ball in their best players hands to win or lose. Just a great play by the defense.

Alden is out at Mizzou. I guess he did a pretty good job. Actually, Pinkle is probably his saving grace, because he really screwed up the basketball side of things for the most part. No idea who will replace him, but it seems like a pretty good job to have.

And speaking of bball....well at least they covered the 17 point spread against Kentucky at home. Should have beaten Ark.

National signing day is Wed. Heard they put on quite the show for the Beckner kid the other night. Rumor has it they are the favorite to land him. If so he'll be the 2nd five star recruit Pinkle has ever landed. Lets hope he's nothing like the first one....

[Quillback]

What position does that Beckner kid play?

Watched most of the Kentucky/Mizzou game - Tiggers hung in there for the first half at least. Kentucky is just at another level than the rest of the SEC. Lots of talent and a deep bench.

Hogs are a bit of a disappointment this year, starting to look like a bubble team, I thought they should be good enough to be a lock to make The Dance.

[MattS]

Beckner is listed as a DT, but also can play DE. He is an absolute beast.

[Quillback]

Beckner is listed as a DT, but also can play DE. He is an absolute beast.

Sounds like a guy Mizzou (or any college) would be happy to have.

[BATCAB27]

Beckner to Mizzou......holla!

[Al Agnew]

Mizzou got their highest rated recruiting class of the Pinkel era, anchored by Beckner, but with a number of other very good prospects. I think it's been ranked around 15-20th in the nation. Not quite up to Alabama standards (or Tennessee standards for that matter) in recruiting, but those two East division championships in a row are starting to pay off, as are the upgrades in the facilities.

Alden made major mistakes in basketball. Snyder should have been a great choice, but he was still too young and dumb. Mike Anderson should have been a good choice, but he was always playing Alden for more money by looking at other jobs, and when the Arkie job, apparently his dream job, came up he booked, leaving a good group of players that had underachieved before, and absolutely nothing backing them up. Then Painter played Alden to get more money from Purdue, and left him with no other prospects and no time, so he hired Haith as almost a desperation move. Who knows whether Haith actually had everything to do with Anderson's bunch suddenly playing lights out (until the debacle in the opening round of the Big Dance), or whether the kids themselves finally figured it out, but the next two years Haith showed he could get transfers who could play, but couldn't make a team improve through the season.

In hindsight, lots of people are saying Kim Anderson should have replaced Norm, or at least been hired after Snyder crashed and burned. but rumor has always had it that Alden and Stewart didn't get along, and Alden wanted to get rid of every remnant of Norm's dynasty, so there was no way he was going to hire Norm's former player and assistant coach. Perhaps much of Alden's basketball woes stems from the feud with Norm.

Aside from basketball, though, Alden has been a terrific director, presiding over huge increases in income and upgrades in facilities all over the sports program. Except in basketball, Mizzou is far better off than they were before Alden.