It's unlikely that there will be any sappy speeches or rocking chair gifts as Quin makes his final appearance as Missouri's head basketball coach in the annual Mizzou-Illinois border war (that's right, I said border war, call the ACLU).

Nobody will reminisce about the last 7 years of hell, about probation, ATVs, crackuhs, hundreds of three point attempts per game, dozens of busted recruits, unrealized potential, the Stand and Dribble offense, etc. Instead, we'll all feel a mix of sadness and anticipation as Snyder flames out in front of a sellout crowd at Savvis. A Missouri loss is a forgone conclusion, but at least it will help move Snyder out of Columbia. How times have changed.

In 1993 I took my then fiance and a couple of nephews to the Arena and witnessed one of the most classic battles in Norm Stewart's career. I watched as Fraizier, Grimm and Sutherland led a gritty, impossible charge at the end and through overtime that left 20,000 fans breathless and exhausted. That night is a distant memory. A once proud Christmas tradition has become a sad display.

Tonight I'll be Christmas shopping with my kids. I won't bother adding wear and tear on my Tivo, it won't matter. I'll check Tigerboard later on and watch the carnage. I resent what Quin has done to this program. He has robbed us of many things. He has done something remarkable...made rabid Missouri fans apathetic and ambivilent about Missouri basketball. My only soloace is his likely departure and the return of our program.