
TIME TO GO MCGAFFIE MODE ON THESE SOONERS
♫ You know I stay fresh to death ♫
All black. All in.#MIZ pic.twitter.com/nPkN8czZJM
— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) November 6, 2024
I guess this answers our “did Mizzou run out of uniform budget money” question.
I… think this is a good uniform combo? Kind of hard to tell given that we’re only seeing about 40 percent of the uniform. All-blacks are always good, but I also agree with Matt Watkins take that the highest grade you can get on a Mizzou uniform without the block M is a B-. Maybe I’d elevate that to a B… maybe.
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- Are you a fan of archeology? Norman, Oklahoma, might be the spot for you! The Sam Noble Museum houses the largest land-vertebrae skull ever found, as well as the largest Paleozoic collection “in history.” I assume “in history” does not count the Paleozoic era itself.
- Did you know Oklahoma’s football stadium is actually a dog burial ground? That’s singular dog, to be clear. “Mex the Dog” — wow, what a name, good work Sooners — is buried underneath the current stadium after being a fixture at games in the early 20th century.
- Did you know whaling is illegal specifically in Oklahoma? There go my weekend plans!
- This week in “Notable Alumni from…” I’d love to shout out one of America’s great supporting actors: the one and only Ed Harris. I love him in almost everything he’s in (especially in this year’s Love Lies Bleeding), but I hope he ends Saturday a very sad person… that is if he’s a football fan, if not then I hope he ends Saturday as a very happy person.
Rock M-ixology
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I’ll be honest about something… as much as I love making cocktails, I’m still a little green when it comes to creating my own recipes. While I know a fair amount about spirits, I haven’t done enough research and practice on how they blend and the finer points of crafting custom cocktail recipes. So what do we do when we find ourselves in a jam? Allow technology to save us!
I’m going back to Microsoft Copilot this week (no free ads, corporations will not save us!), with a specific prompt: “Make me a cocktail recipe inspired by the Missouri vs. Oklahoma football rivalry called, ‘The Peace Pipe’”
Here’s what it gave me.
2 oz bourbon of choice, 1 oz mezcal of choice, 0.5 fresh lime juice, 0.5 honey syrup (equal parts honey and water), 2 to 4 dashes angostura bitters, orange twist for garnish, mint sprig for garnish
Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker. Shake until chilled. Strain into chilled glass over ice. Garnish with orange twist and mint sprig.
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Look, I don’t think AI can replace genuine human ingenuity and creativity. I’ve sat at bars where bartenders are whipping up things right in front of me and then giving me a taste. Without fail, it’s always one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.
But… this is pretty damn good! It’s surprisingly drinkable for how boozy it is, especially when you consider I used a pretty cheap bourbon for this mix (Evan Williams 1783). It’s just smoky enough to keep you on your toes while still being incredibly smooth and a nice blend of tart and sweet. It would have been even better if I had garnished it like I was supposed to. But who am I, a fancy rich guy? No, I’m just a sports blogger. I don’t need garnishes.
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The first CFP rankings came out this week and, surprise, Mizzou was listed at No. 24! What do you think this says about the national perception about the Tigers and the program?
Josh Matejka, Deputy Site Manager: I think it says that people on the outside have a bit more perspective than we do. I was talking to a friend the other day and pointed out that at no point in my life have Mizzou fans ever been this disappointed to only be ranked No. 24. Rankings aren’t a given at Missouri! And even while I agree that we should be about raising standards, it’s a nice grounding moment.
Chad Moller, Opinion Guy: I’m not surprised to see Mizzou in the rankings, it is the right call. With their only two losses against playoff contenders, it makes sense.
Sammy Stava, Staff Writer: I think the College Football Playoff committee respects Mizzou Football for what they have done last year. And I think the ranking at No. 24 is just about right. Even though the Tigers haven’t lived up to the hype this season, being ranked still makes them relevant and competitive in the SEC.
And yes, Missouri still deserves to be ranked, they’re 6-2 and their only two losses are on the road to good teams, plus they have a nice win over a solid Vanderbilt squad.
It’s been 13 years since Mizzou and Oklahoma squared up. Do you think the “rivalry” still matters to Mizzou fans?
Josh Matejka: It’s hard to say, though I guess Saturday will tell us! There’s obviously enough history there to make things like Cayden Green’s transfer a bit more contested than they would be otherwise, at least on the Oklahoma side. I think a run of close contests between the two could kick things back to where they used to be in quick form.
Chad Moller: I think so. If you asked me this before the season, I’d have said it’s my biggest game of the year, and I think a majority of Tiger fans would have said the same. Even with the season backsliding, I still think the stadium will be packed Saturday evening and Tiger Nation in full throated excitement.
Sammy Stava: Saturday night should be fun as I think this rivalry still means something. The fanbase has circled this one in the offseason. Even with both teams not having the seasons that they wanted, there’s still a lot to play for in this game.
Oklahoma is having a strangely similar year to Mizzou in its first year as an SEC member… they could even end up with the same record. Do you think OU will struggle to adapt to the SEC, or will they bounce back quickly?
Josh Matejka: They’ll be fine. Brent Venables is a good coach and the program is too institutionally sound to be mired in mediocrity for too long. They might not be the national powerhouse they were back in the late aughts, but they’ll be a consistently good team with regular conference challenges.
Chad Moller: Seems like OU is having a ton of injury bad luck, which is exactly what helped sink Mizzou in our first year in the SEC in 2012. I’m a bit surprised that their depth hasn’t been better-suited to overcome the loss of personnel, so that’s a bit alarming to me and does make me wonder what kind of program Venables has amassed. I don’t know that he’s the long-term guy there.
Sammy Stava: Oklahoma is certainly a program that can bounce back quickly as the Sooners’ season has just been derailed by injuries. With the change from the Big 12 to the SEC, Brent Venables will just need to establish the right culture and recruit at a high-level. He’ll be under a lot of pressure after this struggling year, though.
PICK ‘EM! After opening as the favorite, Mizzou is now an underdog to the Sooners on home turf. What do you make of that? Can the Tigers upset the odds?
Josh Matejka: Hoooooooooo boy. Mizzou hasn’t shown enough to suggest they can win without Brady Cook, so I don’t feel particularly confident. If Pyne plays, I think the defense or special teams will need to pitch in more than their fair share, which is a difficult thing to ask.
I’m going to hedge here. If Cook plays, I think Mizzou does enough to pull out a 21-14 win. If Cook doesn’t play, I think Mizzou still wins, but maybe by a freak bounce or exceptional defensive contribution… maybe like 16-14 or something? I don’t know. Brady Cook, I’m praying for your hand.
Chad Moller: Kills me to make this pick, but I’m doing so on the assumption that Cook is not going to play. In that case, first TD wins – Oklahoma 10, Mizzou 6. If Brady was able to play, I’d go Mizzou 17, OU 9.
Sammy Stava: Brady Cook or not, I think Mizzou will find a way to win this at home as a sold-out Memorial Stadium will give the Tigers the advantage that they need. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be pretty, but Missouri pulls it off 17-13.
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