Where Are the Mizzou Fans?

[Truman]

Why, haven' you heard, Sammy? We're a football school now.



I've been tempted to post this rant several times this season, so your thread is as good as any to vent.

I heard it suggested earlier this week that Mizzou now looks like a typical SEC basketball school, save Kentucky and Florida: That the individuals on the floor are better than the sum of its parts. The play of the likes of Jabari Brown and Earnest Ross would seem to bear that out. Both are scoring machines, but carry a team? It looks like a friggin' AAU-ballclub out there. No passing; no assists; and certainly no defense. That is not Mizzou basketball.

And I blame Frank Haith.

It is no wonder the locals are apathetic. We do not identify with this team. Where are the Missouri kids? Every Mizzou coach since Norm Stewart has had a tradition of at least attempting to sign the best ball players the state has to offer. The improbable 30-3 team of three years ago started two Missourians, with another two seeing significant playing time. All totaled, there were seven Missourians on the roster. This year? There are only two players total, and neither has sniffed the floor. Instead, we're treated to a bunch of itinerants from all points on the map. Haith has assembled a roster of malcontent transfers and mercenaries from all across the country and inspired them to play an indifferent, unmotivated, and unimpressive style of basketball. Character to win on the road? The front of their jerseys could read Monmouth or Morehead for all these kids seem to care. If you're gonna lose poorly, at least do it with Missouri kids. Make us care again.

The move to the SEC has ruined Missouri basketball. And Frank Haith has made it even worse. It is time for him to go.

[Mace]

I'm not very familiar with your coach or team, Truman, but your blame is likely directed at the right person. Fred Hoiberg has taken a similar recruiting strategy at Iowa State by welcoming a host of transfers but has demonstrated the ability to get them to play as a team, so it can be done. There are only 3 Iowans on the roster, none of whom have contributed to the success of the team this season, and the fans pack Hilton for every home game.

Fran McCaffery, on the other hand, has 8 Iowans on the Hawkeye roster, with 4 of them playing significant minutes and another, a true freshman, who will be a starter next season. And they're selling out the arena too. Winning might be the common denominator.

[Truman]

The difference, Mace, is that Hoiberg is, and always will be, The Mayor. He is one of you. No different than when Norm Stewart stormed the Missouri sidelines. It didn't matter if Norm's kids came Baltimore or Brookfield, they played hard for the name on the front of the shirt. Same as Fred's kids now do for him.

Frank Haith came to Missouri with no name and no pedigree. If you recall, he was only hired by Mizzou after they lost the Matt Painter sweepstakes. The fastest way to endear yourself to a school is to win; Haith accomplished that with Mike Anderson's kids his first year. The next way to endear yourself to your fanbase is to recruit the state. Here, Haith has failed miserably. Compound that with the disinterested play of his transfers the past season-and-a-half, and the man is fast on his way to earning an assistant's job back East.

Mizzou may yet make the Tournament, but they haven't the look of a Tournament team. Should they continue their uninspired play in front of apathetic fans in their half-empty building and miss out on the post-season, I'd look for the alums - and the school - to turn up the gas on Frank Haith's hot seat.

*Good to see ya, old buddy!

[Mace]

I agree that Hoiberg has a leg up coaching in Ames but he brought in a bunch of transfers and outcasts in his first year and they were playing much as you describe the Mizzou team. Fred molded them into a team playing team basketball and it has continued every season so far. Granted, Hoiberg probably could have had 5 years of bad teams before being concerned about losing his job, but he has removed all doubt about his coaching ability in the eyes of ISU fans.....and even Hawkeye fans like me. Haith doesn't have the advantage of being a hometown boy but it also appears that he doesn't possess the ability to mold a bunch of talented one-on-one players into a team.

I would think that the state of Missouri would have more than enough Division I caliber players to recruit, so I don't know why Haith wouldn't be filling roster spots with local talent, even if they're just occupying space on the bench.

[War Wagon]

late checking in to this, but I disagree with much of your rant, Tru. They've been in every game this year, their worst loss at Florida by 10 where they went toe to with the gators until the last few minutes. I've watched every game, and there's been no lack of effort. Their biggest weakness is that they don't have a true post player. That, and rebounding. They allow way too many 2nd and 3rd chances.

The SEC is a lot tougher than the perception. As I type this, LSU just lost by 1 at Kentucky in OT. LSU was supposedly a bad loss earlier in the year.

I've been surprised how competitive they've actually been with the cobbled together team Haith has assembled. For sure though, he needs to do a better job of recruiting in state.

19-7 at this point does not suck. They need to finish strong to get off the bubble, but they've had some good wins and a few bad losses. They could squeak out an 8-9 seed and I don't think Haith is going anywhere, not yet.

[Goober McTuber]

The SEC is a lot tougher than the perception Sun Belt.

FTFY

[War Wagon]

The shitty Crimson TIde takes down Mizzou.

We'll be lucky to be in the NIT after that abortion

Unbelievable.

Not really. Mizzou has a habit of letting some guy with dreadlocks who averages 8 points a game go off for 28.

[Truman]

late checking in to this, but I disagree with much of your rant, Tru.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, Wags, I didn't post my take hoping that you might agree with me either.

If "being in every game this year" is your standard, then you suck just as bad as Frank Haith's team. Sorry, I'm a Mizzou fan, and I expect better than this. Save Arkansas - coached by an even bigger poltroon than Haith - his team has gotten its ass kicked every time they've pulled on their black, er, anthracite jerseys (what the fuck is that, anyway?) and taken their "game" on the road in conference.

BTW, Mizzou lost by 15 last night to 16-11 Georgia. Is that "being in every game"? Go take a shit lap, Smokey.

Their biggest weakness is that they don't have a true post player... I've been surprised how competitive they've actually been with the cobbled together team Haith has assembled. For sure though, he needs to do a better job of recruiting in state.

Now who-the-fuck's fault is that, for fuck-sake?! We're three years deep in the Frank Haith Excrement Experiment. WHY is this team "cobbled" together? And don't give me the "Mike-Anderson-left-the-cupboard-bare" excuse that everyone seems to want to roll out. Was Bill Self's team "cobbled together" Year 3 at Kansas? For that matter, is Fred Hoiberg's at Iowa State? Last I checked, they're something like 15th in the country.

But since you believe Haith to still be worthy of his job, let's dig a little bit deeper: In the past three years, did the state of Missouri not produce one single kid worthy of a scholarship to play the post position? No? Okay, then, let's look nationwide. Whatta we got? Niente. Such a find would be a junior this season. Fuck Frank Haith.

The SEC is a lot tougher than the perception. As I type this, LSU just lost by 1 at Kentucky in OT. LSU was supposedly a bad loss earlier in the year.

Jesus, M-tool, give it a rest. Transitive properties, much? Goober had it right the first time. This league sucks balls. Damnit, Wags, we come from the XII. Lemme know the first time you find Auburn-Ol' Miss compelling.

19-7 at this point does not suck. They need to finish strong to get off the bubble, but they've had some good wins and a few bad losses. They could squeak out an 8-9 seed and I don't think Haith is going anywhere, not yet.

No, but 19-9 and 7-8 in the Sucks Elephant Cock league isn't about to win the hearts and minds of the Selection Committee either. Good wins? I'd yell "link", but padding the win-tote with home-court wins over the likes of Southwest Left Testicle State will be enough to Alabama us right out of any consideration anyway. Not that this team is even remotely worthy.

Gimme back my Mizzou basketball. Haith's gotta go, Dawg.

[War Wagon]

It was so fugly last night, I turned the game off with 10 minutes left.

Uncle.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

You came from the great XII, yet you can't win in the SEC. Sad.

You know, it's quite possible for the SEC to suck and for Mizzou to be in a down year at the same time. Two quick coaching changes will do that to a program. If they were still in the Big 12, their record would be even worse.

Florida is the only legit team in the SEC, imo.

[Truman]

You came from the great XII, yet you can't win in the SEC. Sad.

Of course, Mizzou went out in Round 1 of the NCAA tourney a couple years ago. Norfolk State beat your Tiggers, I believe.

...And in other news, water is still wet, and bears actually HAVE been found to shit in the woods. AL.com's got nuthin' on you, Sam-wise. Got any other learn-ed observations you'd like to share with us, or are you done here?

What Mgo said. The league sucks AND Mizzou sucks. Had we played a XII schedule this year, we'd be struggling to beat TC-fucking-U on the road, much less finishing ahead of them in the standings. Jesus, Sam, is that pan-gravy you've got supporting that grits-fer-brains you got floatin' around in that over-sized gourd of yours?

Not sure where the idea of Mizzou being the savior of the SEC came from, but you sure as hell didn't read it here on this Board. What you people DID get is a fan base that doesn't simply view basketball as the game our school plays to fill time between bowl season and spring ball. MizzouFan understands the game and has passion for its team... Which is why I'm ready to take a dump all over Frank Haith.

It ain't how many you win, Sammy, but who you beat. You southern dumbasses are still living the days where a 20-win season actually meant something. Gorging yourself on the likes of Hostess State and Twinkie Tech ain't gonna cut it... Nor is losing poorly on the road to the likes of a shit-house Georgia or a scab-dick Alabama either.

[Goober McTuber]

MizzouFan = Bandwagon

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

In fairness, I wouldn't pay top dollar to watch SEC basketball either. UGA, Bama, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St, Auburn, etc., game in, game out? No thanks. There should be at least a 25% reduction in ticket prices...

[War Wagon]

MizzouFan = Bandwagon

Hardly, not this one anyway and not any of the people I know. We still proudly sport our team gear, thru thick and thin. In hoops though, it's hard to gin up any rivalry within the SEC, at least for now.

Hell, I'm still pissed the way they ran off Norm Stewart. I fondly remember back in the XII and even the Big 8 opposing fans chanting "sit down Norm, sit down Norm!" At first, especially at KU, it was in derision and hatred. But after 20-30 years, it became more a mixture of amusement and grudging respect.