[vinyl_guy]

Hey, VL, I'm calling you out on this one!   Notwithstanding Texas' attempt to turn the Big 12 into their own little cash cow, Mizzou sold their soul for TV money.  The success the Tigers, and to a lesser extent A&M have had in the SEC was the first hint that the SEC wasn't all it was cracked up to be.   The conference has long touted its own success, but some of those teams play patsies late in the year,  I wonder if Vanderbilt didn't sweeten the pot to get Mizzou on board? That way the Commodores wouldn't have to carry the entire SEC conference football GPA all by themselves.  BWHAHAHA!! 


I'm gonna miss the annual KU Rock Chock/Upchuck beatdown, as I've had some unpleasant experience with KU students and faculty who seem overcome by a sense of their own self-importance.   

Let the flame wars begin!   

TB, you could not be more wrong about Mizzou and how and why they are in the SEC. It is the best thing to ever happen to Mizzou athletics since the Big 8 sold its soul to Bevo and no one at Mizzou sold their soul. We are an equal with every other conference member, something that wasn't true in the Bevo 12. In the big 8 all were equal-not so in the big 12. Turning the big 8 into the big 12 was the worst thing that happened. Read the "100 Year Decision" by Chancellor Loftin. It's the story of how and why aTm is in the SEC and gives some insight into why Mizzou is in the SEC. Bevo tried twice to destroy the Big 12 by bolting for the PAC 12, once before NE and CO left and once after, with several other schools including OU and OSU, leaving MU, KSU, ISU and ku to fend for themselves, but the PAC 12 said no to the LHN. Nebraska couldn't wait to get away from Bevo and accepted a junior membership in the B1G which Mizzou rejected. Colorado couldn't wait to get away from Bevo and jumped to the PAC 12.  Mizzou took charge of its own destiny and Brady Deaton was absolutely brillant in how he steered Mizzou to the SEC. As a result, the Tigers have had to step up their game from facilities, financial support for athletics, recruiting and on the field play and it is happening.

The SEC has seven national championships out of the last 8 years (9 counting this year). Everyone plays patsies, the other conferences do it at the beginning of the season. Is it head and shoulders better than the other conferences? no, but from top to bottom it has been and is the best football conference. As an alum, I am so thankful for Brady Deaton and his leadership. Mizzou could not be in a better position athletically and overall donations to the university are up too.

At first I thought I would miss the rivalry with ku, but I don't.

MIZ-SEC

Happy New Year!

[thunderbrick]

Well, looks like I touched a nerve!   

You are 100% right about the Bevo 12, and having lived in Texas I think the shorthorns should get everything they deserve.

Of course Mizzou is doing well, and the credit goes to Gary Pinkel, not which conference they're in.  When I moved to Missouri over 20 years ago Mizzou always seemed to struggle.  Nevertheless I don't like conference switching.  I really like regional competitions regardless, but then again I'm a lot older than you, and it seemed Maryland could never beat Penn State.  Now both are in the B1G conference where they can't count.  Let's see how that works out for the Terps.     

[J Payton]

Got to give some love to my Buckeyes. I played in the last Sugar Bowl in which OSU and Alabama faced each other and was on the other end of the stick of a good old fashioned butt whipping from the Tide. Last night was great redemption and brought back a lot of old memories and good old Woody Hayes stories amogst friends.

GO BUCKS!!!!!

[thunderbrick]

Woody?  Wasn't he the guy who punched a Clemson player?   Nice move!    :bang head:

OTOH, I could get to like you guys if you keep kicking Big Blue's ass.

Now, what other college FB fans can I piss off tonight??   

[vinyl_guy]

Well, looks like I touched a nerve!   

You are 100% right about the Bevo 12, and having lived in Texas I think the shorthorns should get everything they deserve.

Of course Mizzou is doing well, and the credit goes to Gary Pinkel, not which conference they're in.  When I moved to Missouri over 20 years ago Mizzou always seemed to struggle.  Nevertheless I don't like conference switching.  I really like regional competitions regardless, but then again I'm a lot older than you, and it seemed Maryland could never beat Penn State.  Now both are in the B1G conference where they can't count.  Let's see how that works out for the Terps.     

All in good fun.

Pinkel has done a great job, especially considering the awful state of the program when he arrived. Dan Devine was coach when I was an undergrad and the 60s were a great decade for Mizzou football. Only major college program to not lose more than 3 games in any year, 2 Big 8 championships, 2 Orange Bowls, a Sugar Bowl and curb stomping Alabama in the Gator Bowl. Those were the days when there were about a third of the bowl games today and 7-3 teams rarely received a bowl invitation. I miss the old big 8 and those rivalries. I never did like the big 12. In the early 80s, Mizzou hired a chancellor who deemphasized football, wouldn't support facility upgrades, hired two bad coaches in a row and the result was a 20 year sentence in football wilderness. A new chancellor brought Devine back to help resurrect the program and raise money for facility upgrades. Devine hired Larry Smith and he started the recovery and Pinkel has done a terrific job since he took over in 2001. I really like his approach and his emphasis on character as much as talent.

I agree with you about conference realignment. But once it started, it became a snowball rolling down the mountainside. Just like it doesn't seem right that OU, NE, MU etc aren't playing each other, it doesn't seem right that MD is not in the ACC, especially come BBall season.

[vinyl_guy]

Got to give some love to my Buckeyes. I played in the last Sugar Bowl in which OSU and Alabama faced each other and was on the other end of the stick of a good old fashioned butt whipping from the Tide. Last night was great redemption and brought back a lot of old memories and good old Woody Hayes stories amogst friends.

GO BUCKS!!!!!

tOSU definitely proved they belong in the championship game. Should be an interesting QB battle next spring between Braxton Barrett and Jones. How do you keep all 3 happy?

[thunderbrick]

 

Yeah, and don't forget SMU's role in the demise of the SW Conference.  Ever see that ESPN documentary series 30 for 30?  They did a helluva job showing rampant Texas (not UT) stupidity involved with SMU's "death penalty" and the impact on the SW conference.

Yeah, the ACC is a hoops conference.  Oh, well.

[vinyl_guy]

Really good point about SMU. I have seen a lot of 30 for 30, but not that one. Will have to look that one up.

I'm not a pig fan, but I sure enjoyed the beat down of ut in the Texas bowl.

[Tomy2Tone]

Got to give some love to my Buckeyes. I played in the last Sugar Bowl in which OSU and Alabama faced each other and was on the other end of the stick of a good old fashioned butt whipping from the Tide. Last night was great redemption and brought back a lot of old memories and good old Woody Hayes stories amogst friends.

GO BUCKS!!!!!

Wow, that's awesome J Payton!

I imagine Bear Bryant was the coach of Alabama at that time? Wonder if in 20 to 30 years Meyer/ Saban will have the same mystique as Hayes/Bryant.

Nice to see OSU finally beat an SEC team in a big game! I think they got a good chance of beating Oregon, at least I'll be rooting for that to happen.

[J Payton]

I believe Saban and Meyer will cement their place in history but it will certainly be a little different. The Bear and Woody coached strictly for the love of the game and money was a non issue. When Woody was fired he was the lowest paid coach in the Big 10 refusing to take pay increases because he didn't need the money. I believe he was making about 30k a year at the time. Those outside Ohio rarely understand what a great educator and philanthropist Woody was. He truly wasn't the tyrant he was portrayed as. Most influential person in my life.

[thunderbrick]

For the record, I hope OSU beats Oregon.  I've always believes the good football teams should come from the central U.S. 

[Tomy2Tone]

I'm in AZ so you would think I would root for the PAC 12 but Oregon always rubs me the wrong way. I guess it's that Phil Knight factor.

Besides, Ohio's been hurtin for a winner for a while now. 

[Mudslide]

I'm in AZ so you would think I would root for the PAC 12 but Oregon always rubs me the wrong way. I guess it's that Phil Knight factor.

The desert heat must be getting to you, T2T.   Oregon is sweet...and genuine...and lovable.     Heck, I spent many summers in Hereford and I still like the Ducks.  But then I had a lot of beer to keep me sane.

And where did all this tOSU love come from?  We're the good guys.   

[Mudslide]

Got to give some love to my Buckeyes. I played in the last Sugar Bowl in which OSU and Alabama faced each other and was on the other end of the stick of a good old fashioned butt whipping from the Tide. Last night was great redemption and brought back a lot of old memories and good old Woody Hayes stories amogst friends.

GO BUCKS!!!!!

Did you block for Ron Springs?  ... a tough guy that left us too early.

[Tomy2Tone]

The desert heat must be getting to you, T2T.   Oregon is sweet...and genuine...and lovable.     Heck, I spent many summers in Hereford and I still like the Ducks.  But then I had a lot of beer to keep me sane.

And where did all this tOSU love come from?  We're the good guys.   

Well, I have some family in Ohio who are diehard fans and I have coworkers that suffer being Browns/Cavs/Indians fans and who love OSU.

I hope it's at least a good game. I thought both Florida St. and Alabama had a decent defense but both got scored on pretty good so I'm hoping we don't get a blow out. Unless it's a shoutout! Then that could be fun!

I actually like Mariotta, kind of hoping the Cardinals look at him in the draft but he may be gone before they pick.

[J Payton]

Did you block for Ron Springs?  ... a tough guy that left us too early.

Ron was a senior and captain and I was merely a freshman that year but I absolutely blocked for him. He is sorely missed by the Buckeye community. He used to give me grief that I got all his touchdowns. In short yardage situations back in the day the fullback actually got to carry the ball believe it or not. I scored 13 TD's my freshman year.

[Mudslide]

tOSU definitely proved they belong in the championship game. Should be an interesting QB battle next spring between Baxter, Barrett and Jones. How do you keep all 3 happy?

Big talk about Braxton transferring to Oregon!  I guess he sees the handwriting on the wall w/ regards to Barrett.  Mariota will be leaving early for the league.

Where there's smoke .....

[Mudslide]

Ron was a senior and captain and I was merely a freshman that year but I absolutely blocked for him. He is sorely missed by the Buckeye community. He used to give me grief that I got all his touchdowns. In short yardage situations back in the day the fullback actually got to carry the ball believe it or not. I scored 13 TD's my freshman year.

I went to Cal during those wonderful Marv Levy years (not).  We didn't block for anybody...at any time...for any reason.   

C'mon JP, 13 TD's was pretty darn good for a fb even back in the Dark Ages (especially for a frosh).  Nice!!

[Mudslide]

Well, fellas.  It's that time!!

ESPN has coverage ALL day Monday...up until game time.

I know you all are rootin' for my high flyin' Ducks...right?  Right?!     Well, maybe they're not flying...just limping along.  For the game, the Ducks are missing their top 4 receivers, All-American left tackle, and All-American corner.  Ugh.  But they still have Mr. Heisman!

Go (wounded) Ducks!   

[Emil]

Well, fellas.  It's that time!!

ESPN has coverage ALL day Monday...up until game time.

I know you all are rootin' for my high flyin' Ducks...right?  Right?!     Well, maybe they're not flying...just limping along.  For the game, the Ducks are missing their top 4 receivers, All-American left tackle, and All-American corner.  Ugh.  But they still have Mr. Heisman!

Go (wounded) Ducks!   

It's Duck season

Go Buckeyes