Jason's Untimely Thoughts

The end of football season is rapidly approaching, with the final home contest here.  Our beloved Tigers take on the purple Wildcats from K-State, in our annual it’s surprisingly cold game.  Just in time for the purple camos and crazy radio toting k-state fan guy.

Game time is at 6:00 pm, broadcast on Fox Sports.  After telling us to wear gold all year, we finally are allowed to wear the slimming black for this week’s Blackout Game, which will look great under the bulk of our puffy coats.  Between the cold and the late start, we’ll probably have slim tailgating also.  A few people, a few drinks, just a few hours pre-game, I’d imagine.

I say it every year, but go in the game by 5:30 and give the seniors a clap.  Not in an old lady in Austin kind of way, but in a this is arguably the best Mizzou football graduating class in history kind of way.  They’ve won more games than any class in history and will go to as many bowl games (4) as any in history.  While those could be partially signs of the times, you’ve got Chase Daniel and all that everyone already knows about him, Chase Coffman – who has caught more passes than any college TE ever, Jeff Wolfert — likely the NCAA’s all time most accurate kicker, William Moore, clearly the best player ever from Hayti, two former walk-ons who are now long-time starters, and so on.  Three of them have already graduated, with all but one scheduled to graduate yet this year.  I’m sure he would have, but he spent time in Iraq as part of the Army Reserves.  And even beyond all that, it would have been Aaron O’Neal’s senior day as well and the team will honor him.  The full senior class is listed below.  To them, I say thank you.  I also say I wish Sarah was down there for senior day taking pictures of you & your family.  That was a part of the season that she always enjoyed.

This will also mark the final time we see K-State coached by Ron Prince, who was fired earlier this week.  The K-Staters are allegedly thinking of bringing Snyder out of retirement, which should bring great pleasure to the old jokers that sit around us.  Will also bring great pleasure to me, as I remember his last few teams being bad and don’t believe that would change much.  Prince is a freak, by all reasonable indications.  He made his players run at 3 in the morning after a loss, makes them hold arms and shuffle on and off the field together before, during, and after the game, stomps around the sidelines like he’s wearing cement blocks for shoes, and has somehow beat UT twice.  I’ll shed a tear whilst we destroy them.

Finally, go big red, for a day.  And screw ku.

Tiger Seniors (Jersey #)

• Van Alexander (5)    LB    Columbia, Mo.
  Has 93 career tackles in 37 career games
• Mack Breed (24)    S    San Antonio, Texas
  Has contributed on special teams and on defense
• Castine Bridges (21)    CB    Richmond, Calif.
  12 starts, 99 tackles, 6 PBUs in 2 years as a Tiger
• Colin Brown (61)    OL    Braymer, Mo.
  Originally a walk-on who has started 23 games on OL
• Adam Casey (28)    WR    Chesterfield, Mo.
  Respected walk-on who has been out w/injury in 2008
• Tommy Chavis (48)    DE    Orange, Texas
  Productive player over 3 yrs., 12 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, 4 FF
• Brock Christopher (34)    LB    Kearney, Mo.
  MU’s active career leading tackler with 294 stops
• Chase Coffman (45)    TE    Peculiar, Mo.
  NCAA FBS alltime leading pass-catching TE (230 rec.)
• Chase Daniel (10)     QB    Southlake, Texas
  Record-shatterer was MU’s 1st-ever Heisman finalist in ‘07
• Justin Garrett (8)     S    Baton Rouge, La.
  Hard-hitter has started 18 games over 2 yrs.; 114 tack.
• Earl Goldsmith (7)     WR    Denton, Texas
  Versatile offensive talent has played TB, WR and KR/PR
• Ziggy Hood (94)        DL    Amarillo, Texas
  Needs 1 more sack to reach #10 on MU career top-10
• Jimmy Jackson (1)    TB    Caruthersville, Mo.
  Mr. Touchdown has 14 career TDs, 807 rushing yds.
• Ryan Madison (76)    OL    Bethany, Mo.
  Has most active career starts among MU O-Line (31)
• Zach Milligan (59)    DL    Hardin, Mo.
  Staff Sergeant in Army Reserves is an inspiration to all
• William Moore (1)    S    Hayti, Mo.
  10 career INTs ranks 6th-best in MU history
• Aaron O’Neal (25)    LB    Creve Coeur, Mo.
  Was lost on July 12, 2005; His memory lives on at MU
• Chase Patton (14)    QB    Columbia, Mo.
  Has passer rating of 147.31 in 2008; 15 gms. played
• Steve Redmond (18)    LB    Kansas City, Mo.
  34 games played; 17 tackles, 1 PBU & 1 forced fumble
• Tommy Saunders (84)    WR    Kearney, Mo.
  Ranks 9th on MU career receptions chart (119)
• Stryker Sulak (38)    DE    Rockdale, Texas
  18.5 career sacks ranks #4 on MU career charts
• Tru Vaughns (11)    CB    Patterson, La.
  Sparkplug has 33 tackles, 2 PBU so far in 2008 season
• Jeff Wolfert (99)    PK    Overland Park, Kan.
  On pace to set NCAA accuracy mark for combined kicks