It has not been the best of seasons for Gary Pinkel and his Missouri Tigers with a sub-.500 season, an assortment of injuries and the clamor for change. I get the first two items as winning in the SEC is always a challenge, and injuries and uneven quarterback play can set back the best-laid plans.
Here is what I don’t get. The coach told me last week it has been the most challenging season in his 35 years of coaching. The so called Twitter whispers started with Pinkel’s demise in the offing. Some members of the media called for coaching changes on the staff. Mind you, some of these members would not know first down from first base when it comes to understanding football.
My main beef was that when these rumors started to surface, not one person wanted to put their name on it. What makes matters even worse, people were reporting it as if it were fact. Yes, it has come to this where you can tweet and push “send” and all of a sudden you have a story to “follow.” No facts, no quotes.
The irresponsible coverage of this non-story is embarrassing. There are more like it every day you turn on your computer. Why bother to report unsubstantiated rumors in the first place?
This, by the way, is the all-time winningest coach in the history of the school. He is loyal to his staff and works them hard in return. What is more important, he graduates kids from Missouri unlike any other coach in any other sport there.
No, Pinkel has not won the so called “big one” but who at Missouri in any sport has? How many times did any Mizzou team win in the Big Eight, let alone Big Twelve? There were good seasons to relish, but there was always Oklahoma or Nebraska that could change the Tigers’ Bowl plans when it came to playing for the bigger prize.
Gary Pinkel is not perfect. He will dig in when those who are somewhat clueless challenge his ability to coach. The move to the SEC was a challenge to him and his staff. Injuries, being out-skilled at the line of scrimmage and not adjusting quickly enough on offense were some of the issues why he will watch the bowl games on TV. Some players who may not have been given more of a chance than others early came back to bite the Tigers.
While it is in vogue to fire coaches earlier than normal because of the sometimes uneducated, cowardly groundswell that comes from the internet and talk radio, good coaches do not get dumb in one season. They miss on a recruiting class, and then you have problems.
That and not having good linemen on both sides of the ball. Pinkel does need to step back and take a look at what needs to be fixed and how to fix it. All of these things, mind you, can be fixed.
Missouri and Gary Pinkel will be fine as long as they do not subscribe to reacting to those who have yet to have a grasp on the situation unless it helps their ratings or readership. I wonder if any of the uninformed will be found if the Tigers make a huge footprint in the SEC next year.
Rams moment
Before anyone starts to make reservations for the Super Bowl after the Rams’ victory against the hapless Arizona Cardinals Sunday, the real test on how far they have come awaits them this Sunday.
The San Francisco 49ers are coming to to town. Reputed to be one of the best all-around teams in the league, they played the Rams to a tie in San Francisco two weeks ago. In that game, two Rams starters were suspended for a game for violating team rules. Those two players came up big for the Rams last week with three touchdowns between them.
So can the Rams deal with prosperity? Will the Rams make the statement that they are really improving as a team? High noon is when it starts. No excuses!
By the way …
Who cares if hockey comes back? I know, I know.
Why is the NBA better this year? More aging veterans can be trusted than the kids who come out of college who really cannot play and just get coaches fired.
The Heisman Trophy for this year? Neither do I … care, that is.
Notre Dame is back in the championship game. Isn’t that nice? Lionel Phillips can now exhale. The run will end right after the National Anthem if they play Alabama.
Kansas City finally has a sport they can hang with St. Louis in. Its called high school football. They have done more than hang.
Kirkwood waited over 100 years to have a championship in football. See, Chicago Cub fans, there is hope. On second thought, there really isn’t. You are the Cubs and always will be.
Who cares what a college basketball ranking is in November? Blood donors do not count.
There was a kid who made a sham of scoring 138 points against a school named Faith Baptist. Shame on the Baptist. Don’t they know anything about an eye for an eye or hard fouls?
