1. So, basketball happened this weekend. Here's what I wrote in my preview on Saturday morning:
Missouri has been in almost every game, but hasn't been able to get over the hump. The Gators are playing well of late and suddenly find themselves in position to actually be playing for something. Florida is probably on the edge of the bubble right now and can't afford a bad loss. This shouldn't be a high scoring game. Florida averages a little more than 68 points per game and Mizzou 67. We expect the Tigers to keep it close, but fall short. Stop us if you've heard this before.
Prediction: Florida 64, Missouri 59
I don't enjoy having been right. I'd love to NOT be able to tell you what's going to happen in a game before it happens. When we go to the game (or in this case turn it on) what we root for is something interesting. The best thing about sports is that every single time you watch a game, you have a chance to see something you've never seen before. Unfortunately, this season has been the exact opposite of that. It's like a twice a week loop of Groundhog Day. Saturday's game didn't surprise me because it's the same game I've seen so many times already in the last three months. Again, you come away thinking that they deserve a whole lot of credit for fighting their way to a double-digit second half lead against a better team. But that's all undone in about a ten-minute stretch where they simply do enough to lose. That's generally what bad teams do. And that's where Missouri is right now.
2. We hashed and rehashed the officiating and Jeremiah Tilmon. I thought his first foul was incredibly weak. The three second half fouls, he earned. I actually texted a couple of people when he got the fourth foul for swinging his arm that I'd have no problem with Cuonzo Martin leaving him on the bench the rest of the game. I knew it wasn't likely, but I wouldn't have had an issue with it. Martin's in a tough spot. Tilmon is his most important player. He makes the team so much better when he is on the floor. And yet he continues to do the exact same thing that prevents him from being on the floor. It's probably good that Cuonzo doesn't have any hair to rip out.
3. There was some talk on the board this week about what Mizzou would have been with Jontay Porter. The answer, I think, is something like Ole Miss or Florida is this year. A team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, but probably isn't a lock. They'd clearly be much better. I'm not sure they'd be five games better (probably about what they'd need to be to have a good tourney shot), but they might be. It's easy to say they'd have won this game or that game with him, but it's really an exercise in impossibility. There's no way to know. Maybe he was sick one day or maybe he was in foul trouble, or who knows? So I can't say "they definitely beat LSU with him" or "the Florida game is a win with him" but the fact is the one thing this team desperately needs is in Denver rehabbing a knee injury.
4. Speaking on Jontay, I've had two people I trust tell me he's definitely not coming back. I'm not going to officially report it for two reasons: First, people told me that last year too and then he came back. Second, I don't think you should report something like this as fact without hearing it in some sort of official capacity and I haven't. But there is nobody that expects him to be back next year. I think you all know this, but until it's official, I know there will still be questions/hope.
5. The women lost to Auburn yesterday, being outscored 20-9 in the fourth quarter. It continues the absolute roller coaster of a season for Robin Pingeton's team. If you can win in Starkville, MS, you are good enough on the right day to beat absolutely anyone in the country. But this team has also lost to Green Bay and South Dakota and LSU and Florida. So a first round exit in March wouldn't be a surprise either. It just depends on the day. To get to a Final Four, you've got to win four straight games and three of them are going to be against good to very good teams. Missouri has just two three-game winning streaks against high level competition this season. I'll continue to set the bar at the Sweet 16. If Mizzou is playing on the second weekend, it's had a good season. A double bye in the SEC tournament seems pretty much dead at this point.
6. The Mizzou men finished second to Florida at the SEC swimming and diving championships this weekend. The Gators have now won seven in a row. It's the best finish ever for the Tiger men. And considering they did it while dealing with a (still ongoing) investigation of their suspended coach (who was sitting in the stands cheering for the team which includes his son), it's a damn impressive accomplishment.
7. Spring football starts on Sunday. @mitchell4d is about halfway through his position previews. Among the things we'll be watching:
*How does Kelly Bryant look?
*Who's the quarterback behind him?
*What's the story at defensive end?
*Does Albert O practice?
*Can the Tigers replace Emanuel Hall?
*Who's going to punt?
Those are the top things that come to mind. We'll cover every open practice and be your best source for news throughout spring ball. I will set up the PM tailgate this week.
Missouri has been in almost every game, but hasn't been able to get over the hump. The Gators are playing well of late and suddenly find themselves in position to actually be playing for something. Florida is probably on the edge of the bubble right now and can't afford a bad loss. This shouldn't be a high scoring game. Florida averages a little more than 68 points per game and Mizzou 67. We expect the Tigers to keep it close, but fall short. Stop us if you've heard this before.
Prediction: Florida 64, Missouri 59
I don't enjoy having been right. I'd love to NOT be able to tell you what's going to happen in a game before it happens. When we go to the game (or in this case turn it on) what we root for is something interesting. The best thing about sports is that every single time you watch a game, you have a chance to see something you've never seen before. Unfortunately, this season has been the exact opposite of that. It's like a twice a week loop of Groundhog Day. Saturday's game didn't surprise me because it's the same game I've seen so many times already in the last three months. Again, you come away thinking that they deserve a whole lot of credit for fighting their way to a double-digit second half lead against a better team. But that's all undone in about a ten-minute stretch where they simply do enough to lose. That's generally what bad teams do. And that's where Missouri is right now.
2. We hashed and rehashed the officiating and Jeremiah Tilmon. I thought his first foul was incredibly weak. The three second half fouls, he earned. I actually texted a couple of people when he got the fourth foul for swinging his arm that I'd have no problem with Cuonzo Martin leaving him on the bench the rest of the game. I knew it wasn't likely, but I wouldn't have had an issue with it. Martin's in a tough spot. Tilmon is his most important player. He makes the team so much better when he is on the floor. And yet he continues to do the exact same thing that prevents him from being on the floor. It's probably good that Cuonzo doesn't have any hair to rip out.
3. There was some talk on the board this week about what Mizzou would have been with Jontay Porter. The answer, I think, is something like Ole Miss or Florida is this year. A team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, but probably isn't a lock. They'd clearly be much better. I'm not sure they'd be five games better (probably about what they'd need to be to have a good tourney shot), but they might be. It's easy to say they'd have won this game or that game with him, but it's really an exercise in impossibility. There's no way to know. Maybe he was sick one day or maybe he was in foul trouble, or who knows? So I can't say "they definitely beat LSU with him" or "the Florida game is a win with him" but the fact is the one thing this team desperately needs is in Denver rehabbing a knee injury.
4. Speaking on Jontay, I've had two people I trust tell me he's definitely not coming back. I'm not going to officially report it for two reasons: First, people told me that last year too and then he came back. Second, I don't think you should report something like this as fact without hearing it in some sort of official capacity and I haven't. But there is nobody that expects him to be back next year. I think you all know this, but until it's official, I know there will still be questions/hope.
5. The women lost to Auburn yesterday, being outscored 20-9 in the fourth quarter. It continues the absolute roller coaster of a season for Robin Pingeton's team. If you can win in Starkville, MS, you are good enough on the right day to beat absolutely anyone in the country. But this team has also lost to Green Bay and South Dakota and LSU and Florida. So a first round exit in March wouldn't be a surprise either. It just depends on the day. To get to a Final Four, you've got to win four straight games and three of them are going to be against good to very good teams. Missouri has just two three-game winning streaks against high level competition this season. I'll continue to set the bar at the Sweet 16. If Mizzou is playing on the second weekend, it's had a good season. A double bye in the SEC tournament seems pretty much dead at this point.
6. The Mizzou men finished second to Florida at the SEC swimming and diving championships this weekend. The Gators have now won seven in a row. It's the best finish ever for the Tiger men. And considering they did it while dealing with a (still ongoing) investigation of their suspended coach (who was sitting in the stands cheering for the team which includes his son), it's a damn impressive accomplishment.
7. Spring football starts on Sunday. @mitchell4d is about halfway through his position previews. Among the things we'll be watching:
*How does Kelly Bryant look?
*Who's the quarterback behind him?
*What's the story at defensive end?
*Does Albert O practice?
*Can the Tigers replace Emanuel Hall?
*Who's going to punt?
Those are the top things that come to mind. We'll cover every open practice and be your best source for news throughout spring ball. I will set up the PM tailgate this week.
