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| I don't know what makes me more upset. The fact that the rivalry is ending or the may it may have ended on the court tonight. |
Mizzou had no business winning the first game. Kansas had no business winning the second game.
That's the beauty of sports. For any of you who have read my wrap up of the first game, you understand what I mean. Sports can take a fan on a roller coaster ride. A ride to the greatest of highs and the lowest of lows. They can define one's career and one's memories. The people in Lawrence and Columbia will remember both of these contests because they were both instant classics.
A game like this will take a fan on the highest, fastest and most broken down broken down roller coaster you can find. They will take analysts down memory lane. Journalistic gold. The type of rivalry games that typically involve Blue Devils and Tar Heels.
I can attest to this because of the sickening feeling I have in my stomach right now. Missouri went into one of the most intimidating environments in college sports and led by 12 at the half. Slowly but surely, that lead evaporated. Kansas did not tie the game til the end of regulation or lead until the beginning of overtime. From there began an emotional frenzy full of baskets, free throws and what the majority of my twitter followers would consider bad calls. I'll even admit that the last Robinson call was non-existent. That being said, it should have never come down to a bad call.
Smart fans will acknowledge the fact that we had that game well in hand. We had a chance at the parting shot. The big "F-U" on the way out of The Phog. It just did not work out like that. As a Mizzou guy, it kills me to say it.
The sad part of all of this is that there had to be a goat. There always has to be a goat. In this case, people will look at Michael Dixon. Fans may remember him as the guy that strolled down the court with eight seconds left in overtime. That is true, but as most smart fans can tell you, this loss is not entirely his fault.
This loss is on Michael, Kim, Matt, Phil, Ricardo, Steve, Marcus and Frank. That being said, this has still been a hell of a season. No matter how much faith you may or may not have had in Haith, nobody expected Mizzou to be on this level. If you did, you may or may not be a big time. homer.
I'm confident that Mike, Kim, Matt, Phil, Ricard, Steve, Marcus and Frank will fix this problem. Senior night is Wednesday against Iowa State and it is going to be even more emotional after this game. I am truly going to miss this team and the players that are leaving. This may be the last time the Kansas Jayhawks play the Missouri Tigers.
I will tell you this. From my experiences watching Lovie Smith football, I knew that they would come back if we were not aggressive with a huge lead. I believe Haith should have called timeout in the second half when KU was making a run.
Growing up in Chicago, I have experienced this more than I would have liked. As a child, my White Sox would come up just short in our division most years. We were usually in it in September. The funny thing was that the North Side knew more heartbreaking.
My Bulls have had two stretches of solid play since Jordan has retired. In game 3 of the 2007 Conference Semifinals, the Bulls led the Detroit Pistons 55-38 before blowing that lead and ultimately losing the series in six games. They then took a the best record into the playoffs last season and got smoked by Miami in the Conference Finals.
As a Blackhawks fan, it was painful to see Detroit go to 2 consecutive Stanley Cups Finals, one at our expense. Those Bulls and Blackhawks teams were mediocre at best for most my childhood.
Then there's the Bears. I will know more pain with this team than any other. I will remember losing to Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Rainy day against a dome Quarterback. Devin Hester taking the opening kick off to the house. Nothing a Tampa 2 defense, Cedric Benson and Rex Grossman can't screw you out of.
I thought that would be the worst it could be as a Bears fan, but then the Packers came to Soldier Field in January of 2011. Jay Cutler gets hurt and Caleb Hanie comes close to beating the Packers but it didn't happen. I then witnessed my third least favorite team in sports win a Lombardi Trophy two weeks later. Of course, Cutler finally got the hang of running a toned down version of the Mike Martz offense and the Bears get on a roll the next season before Cutler and Matt Forte both suffer season ending injuries in consecutive games and the Bears finish 8-8.
On top of that, I grew up watching Notre Dame football.
So I know how this goes. So do Mizzou fans who saw their team win the Big 12 North in 2008 while the second place Jayhawks won an Orange Bowl. The same ones that cried with joy after the first basketball game with KU this season. The same ones with the sinking pit in their stomach right now. The same ones that will "ride or die" with their team.
Now the discussion turns to three things. The Big 12 tournament, The NCAA tournament, and the Border War. I have three things to say to Kansas: I hope to meet you in the first. I hope to do better than you in the second. I hope to meet you again in the third.
But first I must throw up for awhile.
That's the beauty of sports. For any of you who have read my wrap up of the first game, you understand what I mean. Sports can take a fan on a roller coaster ride. A ride to the greatest of highs and the lowest of lows. They can define one's career and one's memories. The people in Lawrence and Columbia will remember both of these contests because they were both instant classics.
A game like this will take a fan on the highest, fastest and most broken down broken down roller coaster you can find. They will take analysts down memory lane. Journalistic gold. The type of rivalry games that typically involve Blue Devils and Tar Heels.
I can attest to this because of the sickening feeling I have in my stomach right now. Missouri went into one of the most intimidating environments in college sports and led by 12 at the half. Slowly but surely, that lead evaporated. Kansas did not tie the game til the end of regulation or lead until the beginning of overtime. From there began an emotional frenzy full of baskets, free throws and what the majority of my twitter followers would consider bad calls. I'll even admit that the last Robinson call was non-existent. That being said, it should have never come down to a bad call.
Smart fans will acknowledge the fact that we had that game well in hand. We had a chance at the parting shot. The big "F-U" on the way out of The Phog. It just did not work out like that. As a Mizzou guy, it kills me to say it.
The sad part of all of this is that there had to be a goat. There always has to be a goat. In this case, people will look at Michael Dixon. Fans may remember him as the guy that strolled down the court with eight seconds left in overtime. That is true, but as most smart fans can tell you, this loss is not entirely his fault.
This loss is on Michael, Kim, Matt, Phil, Ricardo, Steve, Marcus and Frank. That being said, this has still been a hell of a season. No matter how much faith you may or may not have had in Haith, nobody expected Mizzou to be on this level. If you did, you may or may not be a big time. homer.
I'm confident that Mike, Kim, Matt, Phil, Ricard, Steve, Marcus and Frank will fix this problem. Senior night is Wednesday against Iowa State and it is going to be even more emotional after this game. I am truly going to miss this team and the players that are leaving. This may be the last time the Kansas Jayhawks play the Missouri Tigers.
I will tell you this. From my experiences watching Lovie Smith football, I knew that they would come back if we were not aggressive with a huge lead. I believe Haith should have called timeout in the second half when KU was making a run.
Growing up in Chicago, I have experienced this more than I would have liked. As a child, my White Sox would come up just short in our division most years. We were usually in it in September. The funny thing was that the North Side knew more heartbreaking.
My Bulls have had two stretches of solid play since Jordan has retired. In game 3 of the 2007 Conference Semifinals, the Bulls led the Detroit Pistons 55-38 before blowing that lead and ultimately losing the series in six games. They then took a the best record into the playoffs last season and got smoked by Miami in the Conference Finals.
As a Blackhawks fan, it was painful to see Detroit go to 2 consecutive Stanley Cups Finals, one at our expense. Those Bulls and Blackhawks teams were mediocre at best for most my childhood.
Then there's the Bears. I will know more pain with this team than any other. I will remember losing to Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Rainy day against a dome Quarterback. Devin Hester taking the opening kick off to the house. Nothing a Tampa 2 defense, Cedric Benson and Rex Grossman can't screw you out of.
I thought that would be the worst it could be as a Bears fan, but then the Packers came to Soldier Field in January of 2011. Jay Cutler gets hurt and Caleb Hanie comes close to beating the Packers but it didn't happen. I then witnessed my third least favorite team in sports win a Lombardi Trophy two weeks later. Of course, Cutler finally got the hang of running a toned down version of the Mike Martz offense and the Bears get on a roll the next season before Cutler and Matt Forte both suffer season ending injuries in consecutive games and the Bears finish 8-8.
On top of that, I grew up watching Notre Dame football.
So I know how this goes. So do Mizzou fans who saw their team win the Big 12 North in 2008 while the second place Jayhawks won an Orange Bowl. The same ones that cried with joy after the first basketball game with KU this season. The same ones with the sinking pit in their stomach right now. The same ones that will "ride or die" with their team.
Now the discussion turns to three things. The Big 12 tournament, The NCAA tournament, and the Border War. I have three things to say to Kansas: I hope to meet you in the first. I hope to do better than you in the second. I hope to meet you again in the third.
But first I must throw up for awhile.
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