Daily Links

Not the worst way to spend an afternoon but I figure I owe it to society to perform a public service and to give back to the people that have helped make me what I am today. So with that in mind I bring you your Friday afternoon links:

• Disappointing showing by the Americans in the shot put finals, an event that some thought the US could sweep. But Mizzou Tiger Christian Cantwell did his part, earning a silver medal. He's the first athlete from MU to win a medal at the Olympics since '92 and the first individual medalist since 1960. Well done. 

• I couldn't help but smile after reading this blurb from Dave Matter's practice report this morning:

'It was going back and forth, and you could tell the defense was upset and the offense was upset,' he said later. ''So, I said, ‘Well, shoot, let’s bring the 1 offense back out and the 1 defense, go three plays from the 9, the 7 and the 4 and just let them determine it.'

From the 9, Chase Daniel fired a slant to Jeremy Maclin for six points.

From the 7, the defense held up Derrick Washington near the goal line.

But from the 4, Daniel lofted a beauty to Jared Perry in the corner of the end zone. Perry snagged it for the winning score. Every offensive player on the field celebrated with a a Georgia Bulldog-style scrum in the end zone.

"'About six years ago, hardly anyone would have cared who won those things,' Pinkel said. 'Now it’s like venom. They’re in attack mode.'"

Doesn't sound at all like a team content to have just one great season, does it?

• If you're the University of Houston's linebacker's coach then you have to absolutely despise Gary Pinkel and his recruiting staff. The Post-Dispatch tells the story of Tiger linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Will Ebner, both of whom originally committed to U of H. 

• Mike DeArmond has a story on another linebacker and one of the toughest hombres at Mizzou, Andrew Gachkar. After Van Alexander and Sean Weatherspoon suffered injuries this spring I thought the depth at linebacker was going to be one of the biggest areas of concern for this Tiger team. But the way those two have recovered and the waves Ebner and Gachkar have been creating coupled with the return of Brock Christopher and Luke Lambert is leading me to believe that it might end up being one of this team's biggest strengths. 

• USA Today sent Big Head this link this morning: An article listing the biggest non-QB Heisman favorites. Our very own Jeremy Maclin makes the list. Not a bad read and now we can tell people that we don't read the USA Today. They read us. 

• Unfortunately, I leave you on a very somber note. Rodney Wood, the father of Mizzou wrestler Andrew Wood, was allegedly murdered by two men after trying to help a girl who was being beaten up in Hannibal, Mo. Please keep the family in your thoughts in prayers.