| eazyb81 |
09-30-2011 07:36 AM |
LMAO, I doubt this article by Mellinger will be popular on here, but he's right.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/29...et-behind.html
Quote:
This is the time to get behind Missouri, Pinkel
SAM MELLINGER COMMENTARY
Maybe you don’t like Missouri. Maybe you root for the Jayhawks or went to Kansas State or some other school. Maybe you’re like a particularly intense friend of mine who considers the idea of cheering for the Tigers against anyone other than proven terrorists repulsive.
Maybe you should reconsider.
The Big 12’s best future — not its survival, but its best future — depends on how Mizzou’s showdown with Texas ends. Missouri’s beefs are all of our beefs. In other words, you should root for the Tigers.
No matter what the Southeastern Conference says officially or publicly, the league is very clearly holding a spot open for MU, and that leverage is the best hope for K-State since Bill Snyder’s return and for KU since Mario Chalmers’ jump shot.
We are a parochial city and a region divided by our rooting interests and backgrounds, but to paraphrase a line, right now we are all Mizzou fans.
And Gary Pinkel is our leader.
MU’s football coach calls the Big 12 infighting “sad” and “embarrassing,” points out that everyone knows the problems but nobody fixes them, and every word is true until he claims to be out of the loop.
Pinkel, whether intentionally or otherwise, has made himself the loop. With Texas A&M (and Nebraska) out, Missouri is third in the league’s power hierarchy. And after taking MU from the mess of Larry Smith to six consecutive bowl games, Pinkel is the school’s most important employee and recognized voice.
There is no whining in this, no stepping out of place. Pinkel is only telling people — publicly and otherwise — how he feels. You could say Pinkel is spending capital he’s built up from his success, except he’s actually building even more capital. Here’s a guy who answers questions honestly, using his influence to fight for his school.
Pinkel is uniquely positioned to speak on this, to put pressure on Texas to come closer to the middle on revenue sharing and the other contention points. Bill Self coaches the wrong sport, and Bill Snyder would sound too self-serving.
But Pinkel’s perspective is also KU’s and K-State’s, so in that way, he is the most public advocate for our region.
The league will survive with or without the Tigers, but the context of previous departures and premature statements of unity from others would position MU’s dropping out as the lowest moment yet.
Last summer’s departure of Nebraska and Colorado brought all the league’s problems to daylight. Texas A&M’s illustrated the scale. Missouri leaving would show that things will never change.
Mizzou is the Big 12’s last hope for positive change.
MU will and should do what’s best for the school. Pinkel appears convinced that means leaving for the SEC, and the Tigers are in a terrific position, but if everyone involved can remove emotion and ego they’ll see that the Big 12 can still be the best spot for all.
There would be no better path to the national championship than through a nine- or 10-school Big 12 without a league title game.
Missouri has won 40 games in four seasons in this conference, and it’s able to make a legitimate claim to being one of the nation’s top 20 programs without having to run the SEC gantlet.
Missouri could compete in the SEC, but it would have better access to the BCS and other major bowl games through the Big 12.
The conference’s year and a half of bickering in both backrooms and in public has to end. The buildup and the Pac-12’s thanks-but-no-thanks to Texas and Oklahoma puts everyone back at the table. We’ve seen this happen before, but never with the power brokers publicly rejected and without better options to hang over the heads of other schools.
This time it’s Missouri with the option, and it’s a good one.
People in Columbia are much less concerned about Texas making money from the Longhorn Network than taking a perceived recruiting advantage by showing high school games or highlights on it. Missouri cares less about Texas and Oklahoma making the rules than it does about knowing everyone will be around in 10 years.
Missouri can help ensure that, with real leverage that could convince Texas to agree to more equality throughout the league.
This is the best hope for Kansas City to maintain its best sports world. MU’s fight is Kansas City’s fight.
Besides, if you’re a KU or K-State fan and this saga doesn’t play out the way you hope, then those old feelings about Mizzou will come back quick enough.
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