The Morning Tailgate

Today’s Tailgate bratwurst is being awarded to the entire Missouri Tigers basketball team. Now, typically, we wouldn’t overload our grill with treats for an entire roster of players, but we do so today in honor of Missouri accomplishing a unique feat in just a few short weeks.

Two weeks ago, the Tigers remained just outside the AP Top 25, peeking in from around the 27-30 range. After leaping into the 19th spot last week, followed by victories over Kansas and Nebraska, Mike Anderson’s team has now rocketed up to No. 11 in the AP Poll at 22-4. Their ranking places them above two of the teams that have issued Mizzou losses this year and maintain similar records—Xavier (No. 16 at 21-4) and Illinois (No. 18 at 21-5).

So what is this unique feat worthy of JSF Tailgating meat?

The Missouri Tigers have needed just 14 days to go from officially being underrated to officially being overrated. The transition from under-the-radar to overhyped typically takes months of analysts singing a team’s praises while the nation’s college basketball poll voters ignore them.

To go from unranked to on the cusp of the Top 10 (they actually are No. 10 in the Coaches Poll) by way of two home wins over unusually mediocre Kansas and pretty much always mediocre Nebraska may be hitting the gas pedal a touch too hard.

For Missouri fans, though, it is an occasion to celebrate, given that since the Quin Snyder debacle, there hasn’t been much to get excited about over the past six years.  So, to reward the team for setting a record time in going from underrated to overrated and for giving us Mizzou fans something to do in March, we say eat up. This round of brats is on JSF.

February 18

1955 - Raymond Rougeau is born, giving the wrestling world the first half of the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers. The French-Canadian WWF tag team were defeated at Wrestlemania III by American heroes Brutus Beefcake and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine.

1967 - Softball pitcher Eddie Feigner strikes out six straight Major Leaguers. This guy isn’t surprised in the least.

1967 - The world’s premier ponytailed footballer, Italy’s Roberto Baggio is born. Nurses at the hospital in Caldogno, Italy claim it was the most magnificent braided ponytail they’ve ever delivered.###MORE###

There are few fan dancing videos we’ve seen better than the one featured below.

A worthy effort, but it’s going to take something special to top this one.

The Media Circus gets to the bottom of exactly what it is about the A-Rod story that is annoying all these media members.