[|Zach|]

Dave Matter had some thoughts that I share.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/weblo.../four-and-out/

(after talking about different conferences and how Mizzou would fit into them)

Will it make for an easier path to the BCS? Absolutely. And that's the standard a lot of writers are giving for which conference makes the most sense for Missouri. I respectfully disagree. Since when has the only standard for Missouri football been winning championships? Why is the easiest path the best path? (Maybe it's because we have full-time careers, two high-maintenance dogs and very active 22-month-old twin boys, but my wife and I have a saying around our house: "Easy is boring." I think it applies to Missouri football's conference situation, too.)

Would the SEC be a meat grinder each and every week? Absolutely. But what's wrong with that? Would Missouri have to recalibrate its expectations in the SEC? Most likely, yes. Would recruiting get an SEC bump with kids who'd rather play against LSU, Alabama, Auburn and Florida? Possibly, yes.

Maybe I'm in the minority among my peers, but I find the journey more compelling than the conclusion. Wouldn't a pressure cooker regular season with games against traditional football powers be far more entertaining than a home lineup against the likes of Cincinnati, Rutgers or Air Force? I probably don't have the best perspective on this. Because I don’t care about the outcome each week or the team's final record. As long as Missouri plays in a relevant conference and plays important games, with a few appealing road trips along the way, I'm a happy guy. For my tastes, an 8-4 season in the SEC is far more interesting to cover as a journalist than 10-2 in some patched together Big 12 or Big East. Missouri should think big. Forget about finding the easiest path to college football's artificial, corporate-sponsored, postseason end game. College football should be about September, October and November — not some bloated bowl system.