Mizzou news

A fan's Border War open letter to Bill Self

First off, let me assure you I didn't write this open letter to Kansas basketball coach Bill Self. I personally am on record as supporting the stance of the woman who sent it to me and other media outlets, that Kansas and Missouri should continue their Border War rivalry as a non-conference matchup in any and all sports.

But let's face it, primarily in football and men's basketball.

I'll add only one editorial comment to what you are about to read: Self was arrogantly and impudently wrong in telling us on Saturday night that fans don't drive the bus.

Bill, as someone reminded me after reading your comment, fans bought the bus, keep it fueled, hire the driver and pay people to ride on it.

At any rate, here is a reasoned and yet passionate explanation from one college basketball fan about why Kansas should agree to continue playing Missouri:

Dear Bill Self, Kansas Athletic Department, Sports Writers, and Sports Radio Talk Show Hosts;

Before I begin, I want to state that this will be a very respectful, researched, as well as a very strong plead primarily to Bill Self and to the Athletic Director of the University of Kansas. I'm including everyone I could find emails for whom I think are also being affected, and should have a voice in this matter. I sincerely hope you will take the time to read and respond to this email, (even if it's not to me directly) because this is not just for me, it is for all KU fans, MU fans, and all fans of College Basketball.

I am a fan of College Basketball.
I won't be sharing whether or not I am a KU fan, MU fan, Duke fan, or anything else, because honestly it doesn't matter. This is about SO much more than which team I am a fan of.
As a huge fan of College Basketball, I have followed it even from across the globe. Do you know there are groups of people as far away as Afganistan, and the Philippines who are apart of this rivalry? Anyone I have ever met who is a fan of NCAA Basktball, watches and talks about the Border War between KU and MU every year, even if the only way to see it is by the online play by play. No matter the record of either team, it is the biggest rivalry in all of College Basketball and anyone who is a fan of that wants to be a part of it. It is special. It is rare. It deserves to be preserved and honored.

In your hands lies the power to change College Basketball. No matter which team you root for, the MU/KU Border War is always one of the most watched, most talked about, and arguably the biggest rivalry in all of College Basketball. As fans, we don't want to see this tradition end. Bill, I know you are a good coach. One of the best. But, if you don't see the HUGE importance of this rivalry, then you don't fully understand Kansas Basketball.
The creator of Basketball himself, James Naismith, was the first KU coach and the start of the intense basketball we see today. Do you think he would want something as incredible as this to end? I don't think so. Since 1906, before it mattered which conference they were in, KU and MU were playing. This incredible rivalry runs deep, and is about so much more than the Missouri Valley, Big 8, Big 12, the SEC or any other conference. It started before the conferences mattered and should still be played in the future no matter which conference either team is in. Can't you see this is about the very beginning, the very essence of all that is Basketball?

I understand that leaving the Big 12 has been a painful ordeal for both sides. I say this from the fan's perspective. When the talks were happening of so many teams looking to leave the Big 12, it looked as if the whole conference was going to fold. You can't blame Missouri for taking a life raft that seemed to come out of a sinking ship. Yes, I know the conference didn't fold and is still there, but I believe if the tables were turned that KU would have done the same thing. I know a lot of what happened in the conference split was football related, which is just another reason why this shouldn't be taken out on the Basketball fans.

If you read the articles that have been posted since October, you will see one overwhelming sentiment: Please don't let this be the end of the KU/MU rivalry! Did you see the commentators from ESPN at College Game Day? They could feel the excitement, the energy, the importance of that game and were so pumped up because of it! Here are some quotes from others across the nation.

“Where we come from,” Dixon says, “Kansas fans everywhere, Missouri fans everywhere, you can’t just sit here and say it’s an ordinary game because it’s not.”

"It lived up to a hyperbolic wave of buildup that included some fans swearing off lifelong friendships (at least for a night), others wondering how much more of this they can take, and tickets to a regular-season college basketball game that people wouldn’t sell for $400." - http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/04/3410793/border-war-actually-lived-u...

"* This series must continue. We get it. Self and KU athletics director Sheahon Zenger are angry about Missouri leaving the Big 12 and bitter about being left behind in what has become a less-stable conference. Still, this 104-year-old rivalry must continue. It's time for KU officials to swallow their pride and do what's best for their fans and players. And that's to continue displaying their hatred for all things Missouri annually in a nationally televised basketball game. Be it on campus or splitting the tickets in Kansas City's Sprint Center, this game must go on." - http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-02-04/denmons-slu...

"Knowing that, it's understandable why Self and KU aren't exactly jumping at the chance to do Missouri a favor by keeping the Tigers on the schedule. But it's also wrong.
Rivalries are one of the best things about college sports, and there might not be a feud as intense as the one between Kansas and Missouri. Sure, there are some that have just as much history and tradition. North Carolina-Duke comes to mind. And no one can deny the passion and emotion involved in every Kentucky-Louisville battle. But when it comes to pure hatred between two schools -- and even more so, two fan bases -- nothing in college basketball tops Missouri versus Kansas."
""It'd be a shame," Haith said. "Not just for our fans, but for everybody. It's a great game to have us play. Hopefully we can work something out."
"It's more than me involved," Self said. "You've got chancellors, you've got trustees, you've got ADs. It's more than just a basketball coach, although I've probably got the main call."
It should be about carrying on a tradition, it should about pride and it should be about continuing to provide environments such as the one a sellout crowd of 15,061 witnessed Saturday night. - Jason King ESPN http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7542552/did-columb...

Maybe I consciously pushed the thought out of my head on purpose until now. But, the finality surrounding the Kansas and Missouri rivalry is settling in for me. Starting with Saturday's game in Columbia, this is one half of what's left for awhile, perhaps a long while.
That thought stinks.
Hopefully, it wakes you up enough to put foolishness aside and put each other back on the schedule sooner rather than later. - http://www.610sports.com/pages/10758862.php?pid=206105

"This was truly a great game to watch. The battle of two schools that have played each other for over 100 years, the battle of the bigs versus the smalls, the battle of the two states that still hate each other, the battle for the conference lead." - http://uponfurtherreview.kansascity.com/?q=node/3850

Missouri and Kansas have played 265 basketball games, dating back to the 1906-1907 season, when James Naismith — the, uh, founder of the game of basketball — was Kansas’ head coach. The majority of Kansas fans certainly “give a flip” about playing their most significant rival. There is a precedent for non-conference rivalries, and Missouri/Kansas is undoubtedly worth preserving. - http://zoulogy.com/2011/11/19/bill-self-kansas-fans-dont-give-a-flip-abo...

I hope and pray that you will reconsider ending the nations best rivalry. I assure you, College Basketball fans every where would thank you for it. I know you say you'll do what's best for your team, for your school as long as you are coaching there. You also said you have the main call on whether or not this continues. Bill, this is the time to do what's best, what's right. And that is keeping the Border War, Border Showdown, whatever you choose to call it, the KU/MU Rivalry alive!

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely from a life long devoted lover of College Basketball.

Bill Self on Border War future

Bill Self offered his most vigorous defense of guard Tyshawn Taylor, and addressed the future of the Border War after the Jayhawks’ 74-71 loss at Missouri on Saturday.

On Taylor:
“He’s damn good. He is damn good. He played so well the first half, and kept us in the game. In the second half, he didn’t make good decisions down the stretch. (But) I’ll put the ball in his hands every day.”

On the Border War and its future:

“I loved the atmosphere. So much has been made about the hatred. I thought tonight _ and this is hard for me to say to Mizzou people (smiling) _ that was about as good and classy atmosphere as there is. I hope it will be the same when they come to our place. I’m sure it will be.

“I haven’t made a decision about five years down the road, or three years. But it’s not going to happen in the immediate future.

“They chose to be somewhere else. That’s their prerogative. If it’s better for them, so be it. But when you chose to be somewhere else, you leave situation behind that’s not the same as it was when you were in it.

“It’s more than me involve you have chancellors, trustees, you’ve got ADs, it’s more than just a basketball, although I probably have the main call. Right now, it’s not going to happen in the immediatel future. It’s not because I don’t like Mizzou. It’s the way it is right now.

“I don’t feel bad. Missouri wanted this. Why should I feel bad? I don’t feel bad for anybody. If anybody should feel bad for anybody it’s the players who don’t’ get a chance to play in it. Not the fans. The fans to me don’t drive the bus, at all. Missouri wanted this. That’s how I see it.”

Mizzou Hall of Fame tickets still available

Those interested in attending Missouri's Hall of Fame weekend still have a chance to do so.

The school will be inducting six former athletes into the Hall on Friday, Feb. 10 in Columbia. A reception will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

Fans can meet the latest class of honorees. They are:

Ben Askren – Wrestling (2004-07): Possibly the most dominant MU athlete in any sport ever, who won two NCAA titles, three Big 12 titles and finished with a record of 153-8.

Don Chadwick – Football (1956-58): One of the top two-way linemen of his era who was an honorable-mention All-American guard as a senior in 1958.

Tom Heckman – Baseball (1978-81): A dominant starter who won 10 games three-straight years, and who led MU to a Big Eight title as a junior and who was an honorable-mention All-American as a senior.

Max Scherzer – Baseball (2004-06): One of the most dominant pitchers in MU history who was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2005 and twice led the league in ERA before becoming MU’s first-ever 1st-round MLB draft pick.

Russ Sloan – Football (1958-59): Top-notch two-way player for legendary Coach Dan Devine who was an honorable-mention All-American selection as a senior end before going on to a career in college athletics.

George Williams – Men’s Basketball, Track & Field, Tennis (1920-21): Was one of the most dominant players in the nation of his time, led MU to a 34-2 combined record over two years, two MVC titles and national rankings of #1 and #2.

It will be the 22nd induction class the school has had since the inception of the Hall in 1990.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting Carly Northup in the Tiger Scholarship Fund office at tsfevents@missouri.edu.

Andy Hill stakes Missouri claim to Kansas City

For 16 years Andy Hill has been the recruiting face of Missouri in Greater Kansas City and the Border War counties of western Missouri and eastern Kansas.

And to those who contend Mizzou's move the SEC from the Big 12 will mark an MU secession from that region? Well, here's what Hill had to say on that subject:

"Yeah, there are some guys who say it is Big 12 country and all that stuff. But Missouri is still Missouri. And we're still going to be recruiting guys in Kansas City. We're going to recruit guys in the state of Kansas."

Hill also lumped the state of Iowa into that equation.

"Somebody in Iowa might want to play in the SEC and guess what, we're the closest (SEC) school to them."

Mizzou head coach Gary Pinkel on Wednesday - while discussing Missouri's latest football recruiting class - fired a volley across the bow of Kansas City, where this topic has been hotly discussed on a continuing basis since MU declared it was joinging the SEC last November.

Hill acknowledged: "There are a lot of unknowns going to the SEC. But we do know we're going. We still have a lot of advantages."

One of the biggest is Hill, who is not only a familiar but a welcome face in high schools all over the area and who is now selling the notion that Missouri will likely still play seven or eight of its games in Columbia.

Hill, in fact, contends that the trips to SEC campuses in Florida or South Carolina or Georgia should not be any more of a road-trip roadblock for Missouri fans than the Tigers have faced playing games at Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech in the Big 12.

"You can't say I'm going to get in the car and drive to Lubbock, Texas, to see the Missouri Tigers play," Hill noted. "You still had to plan to do that.

"So (in the SEC) there are going to be three or four games that are going to be a plane trip or watching it on TV.

"But the other eight games, we're playing right here."

"

Dorial Green-Beckham to Mizzou

Dorial Green-Beckham - the No. 1 recruit in the nation - will be a Missouri Tiger.

DGB - as he is known - made that announcement shortly after 9 a.m. live via ESPNU, thus becoming likely the most heralded signee in Coach Gary Pinkel's tenure at Mizzou.

"This morning it is an honor to announce that I will be continuing my education this fall at the University of Missouri."

Terez Paylor has more on DGB from Springfield. Click here for the latest.

Missouri signings: DGB, Boehm and Steward top list

Dorial Green-Beckham, the No. 1 recruit in the nation, made Missouri Nation's day shortly after 9 a.m. when he pulled on a Mizzou hat and announced his signing ith the Tigers.

"This morning it is an honor to announce that I will be continuing my education this fall at," Green-Beckam said, pausing to put on the MU hat, "the University of Missouri."

Read more here:

But even before DGB's landmark announcement Missouri's football 18-member signing Class of 2012 was impressive.

ESPN this morning ranked it as the No. 21 class in the nation.

Offensive lineman Evan Boehm and running back Morgan Steward - two of the top high school football players in the Kansas City area - lead the earlier signees at Missouri.

Here is the complete list of confirmed signees, with only defensive lineman Ed Ray of St. Louis Ritenour switching his allegiance from Missouri's anticipated signing class for Texas A&M.

Below is Missouri's complete recruiting class. Click here for bios from Mizzou:

Here is Missouri's complete recruiting class:

1. Dorial Green-Beckham, 6-6, 220-pound wide receiver out of Springfield Hillcrest.

2. Evan Boehm, 6-3, 290-pound offensive lineman from Lee's Summit West.

3. Morgan Steward, 5-11, 182-pound running back from Staley High School in Kansas City.

4. Sean Culkin, 6-5, 226-pound tight end out of Largo, Fla.

5. Maty Mauk, 6-2, 185-pound quarterback out of Kenton, Ohio.

6. Donavin Newsom, 6-2, 220-pound linebacker out of St. Louis.

7. Evan Winston, 6-4, 240-pound defensive lineman out of Muskegon Heights, Mich.

8. Torey Boozer, 6-3, 210-pound defensive back out of Everman, Texas.

9. Harold Brantley, 6-2, 260-pound defensive lineman out of Hershey, Pa.

10. Levi Copelin, 6-4, 178-pound defensive back/wide receiver out of Broken Arrow, Okla.

11. Ka'Ra Stewart, 6-0, 190-pound defensive back out of O'Fallon, Ill.

12. Rickey Hatley, 6-4 defensive end out of Atlanta, Texas.

13. Michael Scherer, 6-4, 229-pound linebacker from St. Louis.

14. Jordan Williams, 6-4, 190-pound offensive lineman out of Denton, Texas.

15. Chaston Cuffee, 6-1, 185-pound defensive back out of Cleburne, Texas.

16. John Gibson, 5-10, 172-pound defensive back out of Missouri City, Texas.

17. Russell Hansbrough, 5-8, 173-pound running back out of Arlington, Texas.

18. Markus Golden, 6-3, 230-pound linebacker out of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and St. Louis.

Missouri also announced Darius White, a 6-3, 200-pound wide receiver who transferred to Missouri in the off-season from Texas, as a member of the class. But White will sit out the 2012 season under NCAA transfer rules and his inclusion in the recruiting class is a technicality.

SEC commissioner to speak at KC Tiger Club

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive will be the guest speaker at the March 27 Kansas City Tiger Club meeting.

"He doesn't generally speak at booster clubs, but I guess he saw this as an opportunity to establish a beachhead," said Paul Blackman, who arranged for the visit by Slive and other SEC staffers.

Missouri, of course, will officially leave the Big 12 Conference for the SEC in July.

Blackman said that in anticipation of a large gathering, attendance at the event at the Westport Flea Market will be by reservation only.

Those reservations are being taken online at www.kctigerclub.com with the cost being $15 for members and $25 for non-members.
person.

Lunch will be served at 11 a.m. with Slive scheduled to speak starting at noon.

Meet the three MU students who created "We Are Mizzou"

The latest sports-themed video to go viral was conceived in an instant, during a particularly stressful time in the life of every college student: finals week.

In mid-December, Andrew Carter — a junior journalism major at Missouri — recalls feeling “maxed out” due to his studies. He needed a break, so he decided to hop on the Internet.

“So basically I’m on YouTube, and I see there’s a lot of spirit videos for other schools,” said Carter, a 21-year old Naperville, Ill., native. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, our basketball team is good this year, someone should do a video in honor of them.’

“Then I thought wait — why can’t we do it?”

He met his fraternity brothers, sophomores Tanner Brandell and Matt Roberts. The three friends had never made a music video before, but really, how hard could it be?

Just find a catchy beat, write some clever lyrics, shoot at various spots around campus and … voila, you get “We Are Mizzou,” a musical love letter to their school that also packs as many swipes at Missouri’s rivals they can pack into 3 minutes and 34 seconds.

Within the first 20 seconds of the video — which was posted to YouTube on Friday — the trio takes a shot at former basketball coach Mike Anderson, throws their full support behind new coach Frank Haith and takes a swipe at Arkansas, all to the rousing hook of “No we’re not knocking on the door/we’re busting in/and we ain’t waiting anymore/to be champions.”

“I’m pretty proud of it,” said Roberts, a 19-year old sophomore finance major from St. Charles, Mo., who wrote the chorus. “Everybody says it’s really catchy. We got it in everybody’s head.”

Since the video was uploaded to YouTube, it has generated almost 57,000 hits.

“That’s a little beyond what we could have imagined,” Carter said.

Some of the reaction has not been positive, of course. They say they have been contacted by some through social media who have criticized their goofy lyrics and gestures throughout the video, openly questioning whether they were serious or not.

The answer, of course, is no.

“We’re not rappers,” Carter said. “That’s the point.”

Fans of The Lonely Island, a music group featuring “Saturday Night Live” star Andy Samberg, probably get it. The group is known for its strategic blend of bass-thumping beats and comedic lyrics, and the man who edited the video — Blake Brandell, a 23-year old who recently graduated from Missouri State — is a huge fan of the group. Brandell also served as the videographer along with Casey Berner, who is also a student at Missouri.

“He’s inspired by them a lot,” said Blake’s brother Tanner, a 20-year old business marketing major from Nixa, Mo. “It’s supposed to be funny.”

And it is — to some.

But again, the video has received a mixed reaction - as of Monday afternoon, it had 619 likes and 1,258 dislikes on YouTube, and comments for the video had been disabled.

However, Carter contends the numbers are skewed due to the number of schools they swipe in the video.

“Anytime you call people out in sports, there’s gonna be a reaction,” Carter said. “Everyone is gonna back their team.”

Besides, Carter continued, it’s Kansas week — Missouri plays host to the Jayhawks on Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.

“So you know their fans weren’t going to like it,” he said. “And not everyone is fond of us in the Big 12, so you know some of those fans at other schools aren’t going to like it. And even the SEC, not everyone is thrilled about us going there, either.”

So really, the only support they expected to receive is from Missouri fans, and they say that’s been positive, for the most part. They estimate roughly 75 percent of Missouri fans who have reached out to them through Twitter, Facebook and email support the video.

“They think it’s awesome,” Carter said. “Some people at Mizzou don’t like it, but they are probably feeling that way because they think we are representing them poorly. They don’t like that other people are trashing Mizzou because of it.”

But Carter doesn’t let that get him down, either. After all, the video appears to be a hit with the players. Junior guard Mike Dixon gave them a shoutout on Twitter, which senior guards Kim English and Jarett Sutton retweeted.

Carter said Dixon even texted him and told him he liked the video. When Carter told him that some people didn’t like it, Dixon’s response only served to fortify his actions.

“He said haters gonna hate,” Carter said.

Besides, if the players have their backs, they maintain, that’s all that matters. Carter says he’d do it all over again in a heartbeat, and you know what? They just might.

“We have a lot of people telling us to make a football video now,” Carter said with a laugh.

Details on ESPN "GameDay" before KU-MU in Columbia

Doors to Mizzou Arena will open at 7 a.m. Saturday for ESPN's "College GameDay," which will air live on ESPNU from 9-10 a.m. and ESPN from 10 a.m. CT.

"GameDay" coverage will also return at 7 p.m. on ESPN for one hour before Missouri plays Kansas in the latest edition of the Border War.

Admission for "GameDay" is free and open to the public. MU is encouraging fans to bring signs and wear gold. One student will participate in the State Farm Half-Court shot promotion for a chance to win $18,000.

Parking is free and available in Lots M and R and the Maryland Avenue Garage (Level 3 and above). ADA friendly parking is available in Lot I, just North of Mizzou Arena. Parking shuttles will not be available.

Concessions will be open inside Mizzou Arena during the event. Additionally, free coffee, hot chocolate and donuts will be available prior to 7 a.m. outside Mizzou Arena to fans waiting in line. Students who attend will receive entry priority for the basketball game.

"GameDay" is hosted by Rece Davis, who is joined by former Notre Dame head coach Digger Phelps, former Duke player and assistant coach Jay Bilas, former North Carolina standout Hubert Davis and former Indiana and Texas Tech head coach Bob Knight.

Regarding reports about Dorial Green-Beckham's decision

Tulsa World reporter John Hoover, who covers Oklahoma football, said in a Twitter message Monday morning that Dorial Green-Beckham will choose Missouri.

Hoover cited an "extremely good source" but also said "Things can change but I trust him."

Later Monday, CBSSports.com spoke with John Beckham, Green-Beckham's high school coach and adoptive father, who denied the report.

MU officials cannot comment about recruits, beyond acknowledging they are recruiting one, until they are signed. Green-Beckham, a 6-foot-6 wide receiver from Springfield who is the No. 1-rated recruit by Rivals, made an official visit last weekend to Columbia and was behind MU's bench during the Tigers' basketball win over Texas Tech.

At one point, Oklahoma seemed to be involved but local recruiting sites have maintained Green-Beckham's choice is coming down to Arkansas and Missouri.

A representative from Orangebloods.com, a Rivals website that covers Texas, was on Austin radio Monday morning and said he expected Green-Beckham to go to Missouri.

Green-Beckham is expected to announce his decision on National Signing Day. ESPNU will televise the announcement at 9 a.m. Wednesday from Hillcrest High School.

Some notes about DGB's visit to MU

The recruitment of Springfield wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, the nation's top-ranked player by Rivals, reached a fever pitch Saturday at Missouri's basketball game against Texas Tech.

Some highlights:

*Some members of Missouri's student section opened the game wearing gold T-shirts with "MIZ-DGB" emblazoned on them in black.

*When Green-Beckham - who was wearing a black sweatshirt - was escorted to his seat behind the Tigers' bench by assistant coach Andy Hill, he walked out of the tunnel near the student section and received a standing ovation.

*The first M-I-Z, D-G-B chant broke out during a timeout at the 15:57 mark.

*There were at least a half-dozen signs referring to Green-Beckham in the student section. One was a cutout of his face. Another said "high school matters."

*When he rose from his seat at the 4:22 mark to leave the arena, he stood at the tunnel near the student section for a minute and smiled and waved to the fans while he received one last standing ovation. He even took a picture with Truman the Tiger.

National Signing Day is Wednesday.

Mizzou better without Bowers?

Rich Zvosec, who was in some of the most entertaining TV spots while he coached UMKC basketball and before he turned to hoops commentary, came up with an interesting opinion on 610-AM with Bob Fescoe on Tuesday morning.

Zvosec said of Missouri's loss for the season of Laurence Bowers to a knee injury: "It's a weird dichotomy. It's addition by subtraction.

"Losing Laurence Bowers I think may have been the best thing for Frank Haith and this team.

"They certainly wouldn't be as good an offensive team with Bowers in there as opposed to the extra guard."

Ah, now, there's where I think Rich went an opinion too far.

At the start of the season, Laurence Bowers was considered key - along with Ricardo Ratliffe - to Missouri being able to get points in the paint, and rebounds.

In my opinion: "They certainly would be a better offensive team with Bowers in there as opposed to the extra guard."

In between those extremes rests the reliance of Haith and Missouri on a four-guard lineup that has worked well enough to boost Missouri to 18-1 and the No. 2 ranking in the country.

I think Rich was correct when he said that with Bowers available Missouri would not have used a four-guard lineup nearly as much as the Tigers have without him.

I think Rich was wrong in assuming that the four-guard lineup is the reason Missouri is 18-1 and ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Missouri's success is not based on a formation. If it was there would be a lot more four-guard lineups out there.

It is kind of like saying Syracuse is good because of its zone defense without considering that it isn't the zone but the way Syracuse plays it that is the key.

The key for Missouri so far has been the way MU's guards - Marcus Denmon, Kim English, Phil and Matt Pressey and Michael Dixon - have bought into the way Haith uses a four-guard offense.

If every one of those players - plus bigs Ricardo Ratliffe and Steve Moore - doesn't buy what Haith has been selling, then Missouri might be the same kind of team that collapsed down the stretch last season under "In my mind, I'm going to Arkansas" Mike Anderson.

Now, consider this: Laurence Bowers would have bought into what Haith was selling as well. Because Bowers has always been more about the MU team than he has himself.

It is why he allowed Anderson to put him in the lineup earlier than he should have been following a concussion last season.

To this day Bowers will not criticize Anderson for that move, or for saying he wanted to retire at MU and then used the back door of Mizzou Arena to leave for Arkansas.

Bowers would have done what Haith told him to do and done so willingly.

Would Missouri have been better with Bowers than with the four-guard lineup that Bowers' injury made a necessity?

Perhaps. Bowers scored 26 points with 12 rebounds and hit 10 of 11 free throws as Missouri split two games with Kansas State last season.

In Bowers' absence in Missouri's only loss of this season - 75-59 at Kansas State - the four-guard Missouri lineup did not seem so magical.

Bowers' return for a delayed senior season will certainly help Haith's Tigers next season when MU loses Denmon, English, Matt Pressey, Ricardo Ratliffe and Steve Moore.

But I'm not buying that Missouri somehow fashioned this team BECAUSE of Bowers' injury so much as I believe it has come together inspite of the loss of one of the team's best players.

Border War crossover: Cross joins KU staff

DeMontie Cross is now on the other side of the Border War.

Cross, a former Missouri safety, will join Kansas' football staff as a linebackers coach, the school announced on Thursday.

Cross spent last season as special teams coordinator and safties coach at Wisconsin.

He had served as a defensive and special teams assistant for the Buffalo Bills from 2006-2010, outside linebackers and special teams coach at Iowa State from 2001-2005 and defensive backs coach at Sam Houston State in 2000.

Cross, a St. Louis native, started his coaching career at Missouri as outside linebackers coach in 1998 and 1999.

He played at Missouri from 1994-97, earning second team all-Big Eight in 1995 and second team all-Big 12 in 1996, leading the team in tackles both seasons.

SEC includes KC in possible hoops tourney rotation

COLUMBIA – When Missouri athletic director Mike Alden meets with top Kansas City officials on Wednesday he will be able to assure them Kansas City has been and will be discussed as a possible future site of the Southeastern Conference men’s basketball tournament.

“We took that up in a rotation,” Larry Templeton, head of the transition team to welcome Mizzou and Texas A&M into the SEC, said at Mizzou Arena on Monday.

“We do move it around,” Templeton said, noting the tourney will be in New Orleans at the end of the 2012 season, will be in Nashville in 2013 and in Atlanta in 2014. “We’ve played our tournament in Tampa. We’ve played our tournament in Memphis.

“We have a history of moving the basketball tournament.”

That said, Templeton said he did not see the SEC ever moving its football championship game from Atlanta. Nor is the SEC baseball tournament likely to move out of Birmingham, Ala.

Of course, football was the prime mover and shaker in the SEC taking Missouri and Texas A&M – hoops opponents Monday afternoon at Mizzou Arena – away from the Big 12 Conference.

But Templeton, former long-time athletic director at Mississippi State, said the league transition team – which will meet in Birmingham with members of the Missouri executive staff next Monday – indicated basketball scheduling is high on the docket of things that have to be done in the coming months.

For next year, Templeton said, each one of the 14 SEC teams would play a 16-game league schedule with the plan being to move to an 18-game schedule the following season.

Certain traditional matchups – Kentucky versus Florida – would be guaranteed to be staged twice each year.

“The big issue we have is (Commissioner Mike Slive) assigned all future scheduling for all sports to the transition team,” Templeton said.

“We just got the football for 2012 done and we’ll start the process next month for the next 13 years.”

Missouri, for the time being, would remain in the SEC East, with Texas A&M competing in the SEC West.

That might well change to a four-team, four-pod system should the SEC expand to 16 teams. However, Templeton did not engage in any speculation in that regard.

“There are some big decisions the athletic directors have to make,” Templeton said. “And we have not had that meeting.

“They will put anything on the table, but having been an AD in that league for 21 years, it’s going to be hard to give up the old, traditional, way we play.

“Until the NCAA changes the championship game rules, it would be hard to do anything but divisional play.

“Now, we would like the NCAA to look at that because we feel pretty strongly - we have some cross-over games division to division – (and) we would like to play more of them.

“Then the other decision we have to make, are we going to stay with one permanent opponent in the other division. That is a huge question that has not been answered.”

As for whether the SEC would stay with an eight-game conference game format or change that to nine, Templeton was adamant.

“We’re not going to nine,” he assured. “It would be an easier scheduling format, but I don’t think it would be fair to our players or our coaches.

Templeton said that although Missouri and Arkansas are not scheduled to play in football in 2012, that the possibility of the Tigers and Razorbacks was another item that was “on the table.”

He added the SEC was talking about adding more conference bowl affiliations as well as trying to help Missouri finalize its 2012 non-conference football schedule.

Alden – set to meet in Kansas City with the mayor, the head of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and other city officials on Wednesday – will likely have more specifics to discuss on Wednesday in what is scheduled to be a closed-door meeting.

Alden previously told The Star that Missouri likely could not play a football game in Kansas City in 2012.

But Alden can at least pass along to Kansas City interests Templeton’s assurance that the SEC wants to help Missouri maintain a basketball presence in the city, including the possibility of Kansas City being in the rotation for the SEC Tournament.

Big 12 Senior Bowl list includes Egnew

Big 12 players who will participate in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala.

Baylor: Philip Blake, OL; Terrance Ganaway, RB; Kendall Wright, WR

Iowa State: Leonard Johnson, DB; Kelechi Osemele, OL

Missouri: Michael Egnew, TE

Oklahoma: Jamell Fleming, DB;

Oklahoma State: Levy Adcock, OL; Markelle Martin, DB; Brandon Weeden, QB

Texas: Emmanuel Acho, LB; Kheeston Randall, DL; Keenan Robinson, LB

Texas A&M: Randy Bullock, PK; Jeff Fuller, WR; Cyrus Gray, RB; Coryell Judie*, DB; Ryan Tannehill*, QB

*Injured, will not participate

Texas A&M has had whammy on Mizzou

Texas A&M is coming off just its first Big 12 Conference victory of the year, against Texas Tech, but the Aggies haven't lost to Missouri since March 11, 2004.

"I know its been a thorn in Missouri's side," said MU coach Frank Haith in advance of Mizzou's 4:30 p.m. home tip off against A&M this afternoon. "They've beaten us eight games in a row."

Of big concern for Haith is A&M's ability - like Kansas State - to interrupt the continuity and flow of Missouri's offense with a physical defense.

"We're going to have to be on our P's and Q's in our execution because they take things away," Haith. "They help each other. Very rarely will you be isolated to get to the rim, the basket, against them. They rotate. We're going to have to be on our game."

Denmon makes Texas pay for leaving him open

COLUMBIA – Rick Barnes and the Texas coaching staff must not have noticed – or put much stock in – what Iowa State did to Marcus Denmon on Wednesday night.

Whereas Iowa State stuck Chris Babb on Denmon like a second skin, Texas chose to let Denmon run relatively unhindered around the perimeter.

And Texas paid dearly for it.

Denmon – who scored only six points and made just one basket against Iowa State – scored 14 points as Missouri rolled to a 43-30 first half lead on the Longhorns at Mizzou Arena.

Denmon got started early, hitting a three on his first shot only 38 seconds into the game. He finished the half 4 of 6 shooting and all of those from three-point range.

Other first-half observations:

1. Denmon wasn’t the only Tiger finding three-point shots and making them. Missouri made 8 of 11 threes in the first half.

2. The Tigers made 15 of 25 first-half shots, 60 percent, despite the heavy emphasis on threes.

3. Ricardo Ratliffe continues to sink just about any shot he takes. Ratliffe went 5 for 5 in the first half (on the way to 11 points) and for the season is hitting 77.7 percent (101 of 130).

4. Texas has held its previous two opponents to an average of 50 points a game. Missouri had 43 in the first half.

5. Not to rub it in, but during the showing of highlights at the half the KOMU announcer warned Barnes not to play zone against Denmon.

Texas RB switches to Mizzou

Arizona State's loss of Texas (Bowie) running back Russell Hansbrough is Missouri's gain.

The 5-foot-8, 173-pound all-purpose back announced on Twitter on Sunday that he's dropped ASU for MU:

"Decommiting from a college is by far one of the hardest things to do. I am officially a man and I am officially a Mizzou TIGER."

Hansbrough ran for 1,238 yards and 19 total touchdowns during his senior year.

Mizzou lands a transfer WR

Missouri might be looking to spread its recruiting reach to the south because of its impending move to the Southeastern Conference, but it appears the Tigers' tried-and-true recruiting pipeline in Texas has paid off once again.

On Friday, former four-star wide receiver Darius White - who decided to transfer from Texas in December - told PowerMizzou.com that he intends to transfer to Missouri.

"Yes sir, I'm transferring to Missouri," White told
the site.

White, who told the site that he already has a relationship with several current Tigers from the state of Texas (including Kip Edwards and James Franklin), will sit out the 2012 season and have two years of eligibility remaining starting in 2013.

White, who stands 6-feet-3 and weighs 200 pounds, was a highly recruited prospect out of Dunbar, Tex., a few years ago. According to Rivals.com, he had offers from several top programs, including Auburn, Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon, Notre Dame and USC.

During his two seasons at Texas, he caught six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Alden to meet KC officials on MU presence

COLUMBIA – Missouri athletic director Mike Alden will meet with Kansas City Chamber of Commerce officials on January 18th in talks aimed at Mizzou playing football or basketball, or both, in Kansas City during the 2013-2014 school year.

“We want to talk about future opportunities at Arrowhead and future opportunities at Sprint Center,” Alden said.

The contracted Border War football game with Kansas set for next season, Alden inferred, is all but an official victim of KU’s refusal to play what was scheduled as a Big 12 Conference game now that Missouri will be playing in the Southeastern Conference.

“I just don’t see being able to put it together at this late a date,” Alden said of the game with KU.

Alden said there were “a multitude of teams” that would be desirous of playing Missouri in football at Arrowhead, but would not provide any specifics.

As for basketball, Missouri played Georgetown at the Sprint Center two years ago and both Notre Dame and California this season. And Mizzou wants to continue with a non-conference game at the Sprint Center in 2012.

DOWN TO SEVEN: The transfer of redshirt freshman Kadeem Green leaves Missouri with only seven scholarship players on the roster.

MU coach Frank Haith confirmed Green’s departure, saying: "We obviously wish Kadeem nothing but the best as he moves forward with his decision. Kadeem made great strides during his time at Mizzou and we are sad to see him leave the program."

The school statement said Green – who was averaging 3 points and 3.1 rebounds in an average of 10.5 minutes in 11 games - wanted to transfer closer to his Toronto home to be near his family.