I ended up not using this in my story, but I think you all will enjoy it. I asked Parker whether staying in-state was a factor for him in his decision to pick Missouri. In his response he alluded to the nine members of the "Tiger 10" who went elsewhere:
"Definitely. Considering I’m the only one who’s doing it, it kind of feels special to just get on campus and just make some noise and just have my name ring out so those other kids are like oh, we should have went there, we should have done this. I feel like they’re gonna have a little bit of regret for not staying in state because it’s just something about going to play for a national championship with your in-state team.”
I asked him a follow up about the Tiger 10 kids, and he said:
"I feel like some people, even though Mizzou is like a big time SEC school, some people want to go to a school where their name rings out big or like there's that glitz and glamor and all that stuff instead of looking at the bigger picture and trying to go to a college that you know will get you better, free education, free clothing, free shoes, free whatever you want and it’s right down the street and it’s your home SEC school.”
"Definitely. Considering I’m the only one who’s doing it, it kind of feels special to just get on campus and just make some noise and just have my name ring out so those other kids are like oh, we should have went there, we should have done this. I feel like they’re gonna have a little bit of regret for not staying in state because it’s just something about going to play for a national championship with your in-state team.”
I asked him a follow up about the Tiger 10 kids, and he said:
"I feel like some people, even though Mizzou is like a big time SEC school, some people want to go to a school where their name rings out big or like there's that glitz and glamor and all that stuff instead of looking at the bigger picture and trying to go to a college that you know will get you better, free education, free clothing, free shoes, free whatever you want and it’s right down the street and it’s your home SEC school.”
