Freakin Brrrrr!!

Right now in Columbia, Missouri...5 degrees...feels like -11 degrees! It is the coldest day of the year and only the winter coat salesman are enjoying it. Even the thermometer is freezing his ass off! What can you possibly do on a day like this? Thats right...nothing!

Mizzou Debacle

Is it possible that the Missouri baskeball program could have lost even more respect for firing Quin Snyder? It seems impossible that getting rid of the cancer that has been Quin Snyder could be a bad thing for MU hoops...impossible is nothing! The Tigers have managed to make this possibility nothing short of reality.

It has been speculated for the past week or so that Mike Alden used Gary Link to do his "dirty work". The rumors surfaced not long after Snyder released his statement resigning his position. There has been nothing to base these rumors on besides the word of Alden versus the word of Snyder. Through some personal investigation it seems that Quin Snyder has indeed spoke the truth, for the first time in 7 years, and Alden did in fact send Link to relay the message to Snyder. Harpos owner Dennis Harper, close friend of Gary Link, has decided not to allow "Tiger Talk" and "The Mike Alden Show" to air live from his establishment. In the exact words of my source, "Alden threw Link under the bus and now Harpos is throwing Alden and his show under the bus!".

Personally, I have always been a fan of Mike Alden...besides the basketball program the MU Athletic program as a whole is the best is has ever been. This is frustrating news since my opinion of the AD has always been high. In the process it seems that Alden may have had his eye on Quin losing his job and may have not considered his own position in jeopardy... better update your resume Mike!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I LOVE YOU TORY!

Quins New Job/Altman Early Favorite

Last Friday was an excellent day for me as an MU Basketball season ticket holder. My tickets more than doubled in value in a matter of minutes Friday afternoon. The resignation of Quin Snyder was a huge surprise but certainly a good surprise. At the tail end of his sixth straight double digit loss Snyder realized his time at Mizzou would soon be over. Snyders announcement came days after he vowed that he would not leave the team early regardless of his status for next season.

So...where do the tigers go from here? The best thing for Alden and company is that any direction they go from here is better than where we were headed! The positive thing for Tiger fans to remember is Aldens record for signing coaches. When Norm stepped down 7 years ago Quin was the #1 guy on the market...when Larry Smith was fired Gary Pinkel was the #1 guy on the market.

The next question is...who is the #1 guy on the market right now? It looks like to me that the Tigers have a few options...

1. Mike Anderson (University of Alabama-Birmingham) Two consecutive trips to the NCAA tourney has landed Anderson at the top of MUs short list for replacements. Spent 14 seasons under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas prior to his four year stint with UAB.

2. Greg McDermott (University of Northern Iowa) McDermott has taken a weak UNI program and put them on the map as feared Mid-Major...three consecutive 20 win season at the helm and two consecutive NCAA appearences make McDermott a strong candidate.

3. John Beilein (University of West Virginia) The mountaineers have a had several successful seasons under Beilein including an Elite Eight appearance and a top 15 ranking most of this season.

4. Rick Majerus (Utah-ESPN Analyst) It is no secret that Majerus wants to get back into coaching...he has compiled an impressive resume with 734 victories, 27 postseason appearances, an NIT Final Four, three NCAA Final Fours, and one national championship.

5. Dana Altman (Creighton) Altman has racked up 301 victories in under 16 seasons at the Division I level. The Blue Jays have earned an NCAA appearance six of the last eight years (two NITs) and 7 consecutive 20 win seasons...coached K-State for four season prior to Creighton.

There are several other names being thrown around right now...Bobby Knight, Steve Lavin, Lon Kruger, Jon Sunvold, Kim Anderson...all of these seem to be long shots for the job. Bobby Knight is in his last season with the Red Raiders and knowing his close relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals/Tony Larussa a move to the Mid-Missouri area is a possibility. Lavin and Kruger are good candidates but just not feasible for the Tigers. Jon Sunvold and Kim Anderson are fun names to throw in the mix but just not the direction Mizzou needs to head following the Quin Snyder era.

Greg McDermott and Dana Altman have to be frontrunners for the position. McDermott has turned a sub-par Northern Iowa team around in a short time frame and has post season experience. Indiana head coach, Mike Davis, will likely be out in Hoosierville after this season which would open the position for likely successor, Steve Alford. That would leave the Iowa job open for a guy like McDermott...a more likely scenario than MeDermott landing in Columbia. Dana Altman has 20+ years of head coaching experience, numerous NCAA tournament appearances, and prior Big XII experience. Altman, by my estimation, would have to be the early pick.

Political Propaganda...is there a wrong time?

Regardless of any human beings personal feelings toward another race, another political group, or another gender, they should be able to admit that what occurred at the Coretta Scott King funeral was ridiculous. Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton showed absolutely no class and should be an embarrassment to anyone who has ever supported them. Using the eulogy of a dead person (regardless of their sex, color, or race) to speak about your political platform and bad mouth the President of the United States of America is simply wrong. The American people have come to expect this kind of behavior from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton but Jimmy Carter not only disgraced George Bush but every President who has ever held the office. He took unnecessary cheap shots just to gain some type of political ground.

Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated over 35 years ago but I strongly believe that even he would feel like his wife was disgraced by the actions of Carter, Jackson, and Sharpton. These three men, who most would consider to be prominent figures in civil rights movements and the Democratic party, showed what they and their party truly stand for. What if George Bush had used Coretta Scott Kings funeral to support some of his ideologies? Since Jackson and Sharpton are African American and Carter is a civil rights supporter their actions are deemed acceptable. This display was yet another example of a political party that has lost their sense of decency and dignity.

Other observations...Bill and Hillary have continued to play the game to perfection. Both of the Clintons used the classless display of Carter, Jackson, and Sharpton to boost their political capital. It seems that both Bill and Hillary made moving statements to captivate the crowd and gain momentum in Hillarys push for the '08 Presidential nomination. As politicians, the Clintons know how to not only work the voters but they also know how to work their party.

Later Quin!

Last night spelled the end of the road for the Quin Snyder era at Mizzou. The Tigers were handled by Big XII Conference bottom feaders, the Baylor Bears.

“Every team has a limited life, and days like today, you can feel like that life just ended,” MU Coach Quin Snyder

That was the sixth straight double digit loss for the Tigers...Quin Snyders life at MU is now officially finished. They have become the worst sports team on campus. Lets all hope that Quin doesn't put some kind of run together in the Big XII and resurrect his team and his career.

The positive thing to remember is that when Mike Alden set out to hire somebody to replace Norm he got the best candidate on the market...Quin Snyder. Nobody knew how awful Quin would be but hindsight is always 20/20. Everyone should be really confident with Alden running the show...look at what he has done accross the board with Mizzou Athletics. The Baseball, Wrestling, and Volleyball teams are the best they have ever been and the Football team has the right Head Coach...Gary Pinkel is the real deal!

JJ Redick-Best College Player Ever?

Last night #1 ranked Duke beat #24 ranked North Carolina 87-83. I have no ties to either school but I was on the edge of my seat for about two hours. It was an incredible game...JJ Redick, the best player in college basketball, had 35 points and hit several huge threes with under two minutes to go to seal the deal for the Blue Devils. It was an outstanding performance by, far and away, the best player in the game right now. North Carolina also played well but just didn't have the playmakers in the end to close the deal. Props to Tyler Hansbrough on an excellent game and holding Sheldon Williams somewhat in check throughout the night. Hansbrough is going to be a star if he stays around for three or four years.

It always amazes me to watch players like Redick and Gonzagas Adam Morrison because they always hit the big shots. Very rarely do you see them have a human moment like not hitting the big shot or making a huge mistake...Redick did throw a pass away with under a minute to go, which showed a chink in the armor, but then he proceeded to hit two clutch free throws to once again put the game away.

I have watched thousands and thousands of college basketball games in my life and I would say without a doubt JJ Redick is the best player I have ever seen. The only knock on Redick has always been his ability to defend and his ability to get to the rim off the dribble. He has silenced those critics this year. His field goal percentage and three point percentage have both improved. Mainly because his has become more than just a three point threat...defenders now have to defend against his penetration. He has also become the Blue Devils defensive stopper...Redick seems to always draw the oppositions best offensive threat on the perimeter. The most impressive thing is that he has done all of this in arguably the best conference in the country, the ACC, over the past 8-10 years.