Woot!

We're blasting through Oklahoma as I type this. We have the Tiger tail flying. Hope we don't get murdered.

I'm planning on updating this blog throughout the game. I'll be in San Antonio and will send over updates by phone. WOOT!

They both cry a lot. I think they're related.

Mizzou hasn't beaten OU since 1998. Before that, it was 1983. Everything in between has been sand in Mizzou's face, including the 77-0 Norman Conquest.

So it's no surprise that Bob Stoops is looking for something to get his team fired up about. He's apparently bent out of shape over Mizzou players saying they "let one slip away" in Norman earlier this year. "Hopefully we can get in their way this time. Hopefully we can luck out again."

Bob, that's not trash talk. In fact, it's comical that he's acting indignant over such benign comments as a team saying they could have played better. In fact, he said the reason they're not playing for a national championship is because "...we played without our quarterback two games ago." Forget about Texas Tech being on the other side of the field.

But as long as we're faking indignation, let's roll with it...

From OU Insider:

On Missouri running back Tony Temple: "Tony Temple is an excellent player for them. I think that's a big part of their game (their running game)."

What?! Are you saying the other players aren't "excellent", too? If they're not excellent, then you're saying they suck? Chase Daniel sucks? Martin Rucker sucks? Macliin sucks? Wow!

On if this game is any more enticing to have the chance to knock off a No. 1-ranked team: "We have great respect for Missouri whether they're 1, 2, 5, whatever. "

What's all this "whatever" garbage? Whatever. Have some respect. And sit up straight. Fix your visor.

On them having a chance to win their fifth Big 12 title in in eight years, and if he thinks that is under-appreciated: "I don't think it is. I guess you'd have to throw a poll out there."

What do you have against the Polish? I'm checking the roster right now...

"Listen, to me I think Chase Daniel has just been fabulous."

Just been, huh? I wish I could "just be" fabulous. Most people have to work their way up to fabulous from fantastic. It's a long journey just from fine to fantastic, then another trek to fabulous. But he's "just been" fabulous. Hopefully he'll luck his way to splendid, but whatever.

Thanks for the bulletin board material, coach.

Brandon Pettigrew, if you haven't heard, is 1st team all Big XII. Not a knock on the young man, but who was on the cover of USA Today recently? Who is a consensus All American? Who will be a 1st round draft NFL draft pick? Who is the best tight end at Mizzou since Kellen Winslow and arguably more talented? That's right, Martin Rucker. Apparently his 75 receptions for 739 yards 8 touchdowns paled in comparison to Pettigrew's 32 receptions, 501 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Seriously, I'm not knocking him, but to pass over Ruck is just unconscionable.

I have just one thing to say to every U.S. American who has a problem with little ol' Mizzou being #1: suck it. I'm sick of all of the handwringing going on about Mizzou being #1. This team is here to win a national championship, nothing less, and will make no apologies in the process. There's always next year, ladies.

Now that Mizzou is sitting atop the college football world at #1, it's time for the Big XII to protect its own and create an opt out rule for the Big XII championship game. The league championship game has already claimed two victims, Nebraska and K-State, who would otherwise have played for the national championship. In instances where playing the game would only hurt a team, that team should have the option to opt out of the game and let the next place team play. In this case, KU at #5 would benefit from the extra game, as would OU. Mizzou can only be hurt by playing in the championship game.

For those that believe more teams would opt out, the Big XII is a BCS conference and as such, there is a tremendous benefit to becoming the conference champion. In today's scenario, Mizzou would forego the conference championship and take the #1 ranking into the BCS championship game. The winner of the OU-KU game would then represent the Big XII as the conference champ.

Is this having your cake and eating it, too? It sure is. Until the NCAA steps in and invokes a uniform policy regarding conference championships, the Big XII should take steps to fulfill its purpose of promoting and protecting its own.

#2 FLUSHED

See all of cheksucat's pics here.

September 9th, 1978. I was 12 years old sitting in my room listening to the Missouri-Notre Dame game on a little transistor radio. The Tigers took the Irish that day in South Bend by a score of 3-0. It was far from my first Missouri game. I had been going to Columbia with my family for some time. But that day, I became emotionally invested in Missouri football. Every play down to the last second was an eternity. At the final whistle, I just sat there kneeling next to the bed clutching my little Greg Brady radio white knuckled. We won.

That magnificent day was followed by 18 or so years of various levels of hell. There's no point in providing the lowlites. We are all familiar with them. What I remember, though, was a conversation with a former Mizzou linebacker who played for Woody. I ran into him at a wedding and we started chatting about those days. "We didn't care," he said. "Nobody did. It was a complete joke. Nobody gave a crap."

Nobody cared? I did. So did a lot of other fans.

That's the difference between today's Tigers and the past. People want to say "same ol' Mizzou' when things go bad. No, these kids weren't around. They weren't even born during the darkest days of the 80s when I was a student at Mizzou. Bad start? See Colorado. Team hanging around? See Kansas State.

We finally have the dream team we've been waiting for. Me for 30 years. Some for many more.

So in a rare serious moment, I just want to tip my hat to the staff and this squad. May the Force be with you.

From Kampy in CA of tigerboard.com fame...

Thought this was pretty funny...

I say "yes"...