Jason's Untimely Thoughts

Happy Sports Weekend Tiger fans,

Tomorrow the basketball Tigers get their season started with a game against Iowa State at 8 pm. Former Big 12 rivals playing one another during the regular season, that’s so weird. (I just found out I have 3 extra tickets to the game, upper level, let me know if you want to buy them.) Prior to the game, Mizzou is unveiling a statue of Norm outside the arena, so check that out on your way in. And get there early, traffic will be brutal.

On Saturday, the main event features the beloved football Tigers hosting the Tennessee Volunteers. Win 4 of the scheduled 7-game winning streak will look remarkably similar to last week. The primary differences will be a night-time game and the UT fans dressed in honor of deer season. And their whining post-game on the internet about how they’re better than Mizzou despite losing (aka Voluntears, aka Rocky Bottom).

Kickoff is at 6:30 pm, so we’ll be tailgating long before that. The Messers are bringing pulled pork, I’m bringing some whiskey, you should bring things that accompany those. And a friend.

Tomorrow is the last home game for these 19 Tigers, so go in early and cheer for them. (Then go to Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and the bowl game to continue cheering them on. And bring me to those things.)

2017 Mizzou Seniors

• Alec Abeln (OL); Career: 25 games, 9 career starts at three positions (C, G, FB)
• Eric Beisel (LB) – 2017 Captain; Career: 46 games, 5 starts – 91 tackles, 6.5 TFLs
• Joey Burkett (LB); Career: 46 games, 6 starts – 64 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 3 PBU, 1 int. return TD
• Logan Cheadle (DB); Career: 42 games, 6 starts – 51 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 11 PBU, 2 INTs
• Dominic Collins (WR); Career: 11 games, 1 start – 7 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD
• Marcell Frazier (DL); Career: 33 games, 17 starts – 74 tackles, 21.0 TFLs, 13.0 sacks, 11 QBH, 3 FF
• Jordan Harold (DL) – 2017 Captain; Career: 21 games, 11 starts – 35 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 2 QBH
• Anthony Hines (DB); Career: 31 games – 9 tackles
• Tyler Howell (OL); Career: 21 games, 15 starts
• A.J. Logan (DL); Career: 30 games, 14 starts – 39 tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 2 QBH, 1 FF
• J’Mon Moore (WR); Career: 46 games, 28 starts – 137 receptions, 2,135 yards, 19 TDs, 1 rush TD; 2017: 9 games, 6 starts – 44 receptions, 740 yards, 8 TDs
• Adam Ploudre (OL); Career: 19 games, 8 starts
• Jason Reese (TE); Career: 46 games, 7 starts – 29 receptions, 369 yards, 5 TDs
• Cameren Rivers (WR); Career: 2 games
• Adam Roland (OL); Career: 1 game – Out in 2017 with leg injury
• Anthony Sherrils (DB); Career: 45 games, 26 starts – 169 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 0.5 sacks, 3 INTs, 10 PBU, 2 FR
• Thomas Wilson (DB); Career: 43 games, 12 starts – 122 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1 INT, 6 PBU, 2 FF
• Ish Witter (RB); Career: 45 games, 14 starts – 407 rushes, 1,873 yards, 11 TDs, 32 receptions, 271 yards, 1 TD; 2017: 9 games, 4 starts – 92 rushes, 504 yards, 3 TDs, 10 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD

Go Tigers, that other team can’t be proud running around in orange pants.  And on a side note, screw ku.

Happy Friday, Tiger fans!

Tomorrow the Tigers host the Gators from Florida for win number three of a scheduled seven-game winning streak. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 am, which I hate.

Similar to most other early start time games, minimal food is planned or expected. Jack has a basketball game in Jeff City tomorrow morning, so family will likely be split between events. I’ll be at the tailgate waiting for you, though, so don’t let me down.

Florida comes to town with a newly anointed interim head coach. Their last coach was let go after potentially exaggerating the number of death threats made against him for not winning enough games. He was also let go for not winning enough games. This will likely be the first of three games Mizzou plays down the stretch against interim-lead teams. #SEC #SEC #SEC.

Florida is also starting a new quarterback. I don’t think the old one fabricated death threats, but I can’t be sure. Anywho, tomorrow shall be a repeat of the past two weeks, where Mizzou scores like crazy and the defense steps up, resulting in the Tiger faithful doing the Gator #chomp.

Speaking of death threats, the mythical shoe-wearing birds are 7.5 point underdogs to Baylor this week. Baylor is 0-8 on the year. The shoebirds are wearing special uniforms specifically designed to honor “Jennison’s Jay-Hawkers” who operated as thieves, plunderers, and murderers during the Civil War days. This article is a good brief read on Jennison in particular and the tactics of the group. Some tidbits:

• His commander criticized Jennison for “cross[ing] the line, [to] rob, steal, plunder, and burn whatever they can lay their hands upon.”
• His unit was moved to New Mexico to prevent their continued onslaught against Missouri cities. So he resigned his army commission, accused the Lincoln government of supporting slavery and was arrested for encouraging his men to desert.
• After returning and being re-commisioned into the kansas militia, in 1865 he “was again arrested for renewed jayhawking there. He was court-martialed, found guilty” and was dishonorably discharged.

(and yes, I know Missourians and many others did bad things during this era also. If Mizzou’s mascot was Bushwhackers or Slaveholders or some such you’d have a point. But it’s not, so you don’t.)

Arrested for renewed jayhawking is a criminal charge I can support. on a side note, screw ku.