LevelheadedMizzouFan

Can I take Brad Smith? :-) In all honesty, Frazier was, and still is, the best quarterback I have ever seen. He did it all. He was one of those guys who was even better because of the people around him, but he would have been just as good without them. Vince Young is great. Tommy Frazier was transcendent. If Vince Young has a talent level of 10 of 10, Frazier had a talent level of 12 of 10.

Yeah, it is kind of sad. The undisputed voice of college football for the past two decades (at least) might be past his prime. One of those things you hate to admit.

Wow. I don't even root for Nebraska and this guy seems like the biggest whiner in the world. Complain all you want, but the poor officiating went both ways. Nebraska responded better with what they were given. Michigan had opportunities, and threw them away. Nebraska won. Period. There's only one thing more annoying than a sore loser: A sore loser who won't admit to reality.

Hey, the Big XII North is definitely showing off this December! If it weren't for the coachless wonders in Boulder, we'd be undefeated! I came home and ran through the Indy Bowl on my TiVo (greatest invention of all time...better than the polio vaccine) and I heard Craig James make a good point about Smith in the NFL: He's going to succeed in wherever he plays at whatever position he plays because he is a good person first and a tremendous athlete second. I really couldn't agree more. I've interviewed him on a number of occasions and, for a guy who has every right to refer to himself in the third person and be completely concieted, he is arguably the most humble athlete I've ever interviewed. If asked about a win, it was a team effort. If asked about a loss, we all didn't make enough plays. It's always "us" not "me" with him, and I love that.

I just got back from Shreveport myself. It was unreal. First of all, Mizzou fans were easily outnumbered 3-to-1 by South Carolina and LSU fans. Secondly, after falling behind 21-0, I was about to just sit down and hang my head. Then the Brad came. There is no other explanation for it: he just went off. 435 total yards. 4 touchdowns. He was a one man team. Brad Smith truly shined in his finale as a Missouri Tiger, and I can truly say that he will be sorely missed. However, the future looks bright. Chase Daniel is going to be a solid quarterback for us, we have a couple of the best young tight ends in football in Coffman and Rucker, and the defense shouldn't take too big of a hit. As for how Mizzou could beat Nebraska, that's easy: Brad Smith. When Brad Smith is Brad Smith, Missouri could beat anybody. When he wasn't, we struggled, and we put the burden on others' shoulders who couldn't necessarily carry it as well. As for the Big XII North, I don't think it is necessarily really bad. I think that this and last year, it has been a collection of very evenly matched mediocre teams. Someone is going to step up and take command of the conference, no doubt, in the next couple years. Who will it be? Only time will tell.

Sure, both teams were on the field. I'm not saying I would have called it. I'm just saying that based on the obvious skill of the officiating crew, I'm quite surprised they didn't throw a flag. It is obviously a big leap from North Texas v. Arkansas State to Nebraska v. Michigan. But again, you can't blame the officials, as UM will certainly do. Ultimately, you have to roll with what you are given. And the team that deserves to win does 99% of the time. This is not an exception. Cory Ross FINALLY broke out and had the big game that everybody in the Big XII knew he could and should have. Sure, 129 yards against Colorado is big. But 160 against Michigan? Wow. As Bill Parcells would say, Zac Taylor "drove the bus". He put them in position to win, and didn't lose the game. The Blackshirt D was certainly back in true form, at least for the second half. Big hits. Big plays. Ultimately, that is where it has to start. Game ball goes to every member of the Nebraska defensive line. What surprised me most was the fact that Herbstreit (sp?) wasn't fondling Michigan like he usually is. He LOOOOOOVES him some Big Blue. Maybe ESPN told him to tone it down. Again, I see Nebraska at 7-4 or 8-3 next year, considering there are a lot of questions to be answered. A real shot to win the middle school JV B-Team conference...err...I mean....the Big XII North. Good luck next year and good season. Make sure you tune into the Independence Bowl from *gulp* lovely Shreveport, Louisiana. Talk about the armpit of America. I'm going to the game, and I imagine the only three ways I will enjoy it will be A) a miraculous, out of character win for Mizzou, or B) heavy drinking, or C) A and B. Take care, Husker fans. It's been real. PS- I'm not here to attack Nebraska. I'm not necessarily a Nebraska fan, but I do follow the Huskers because they are in my conference, and I have an immense respect for NU fans and the NU football legacy. So please...be nice to the Mizzou guy.

You know, Mike Tirico made an excellent point: maybe there should have been a penalty on Big Red for being on the field on that last play. Ladies and gentlemen, this is why Sun Belt referees are officiating Sun Belt games. That was easily the worst officiated game I've ever seen. It didn't cost anybody the game, as Michigan fans will be crying about for the next umpteen years. But still...an argument can be made that Big Red stole one tonight. But through it all, congratulations. I don't agree with Herbstriet in him saying that this is a huge stepping stone for Nebraska...unfortunately, Bill Callahan is still the coach, and I see a similar 7-4ish season for you guys next year. But it is a big win for Nebraska, and you guys should relish it. I was looking forward to watching this game for a number of reasons...both teams travel well, both teams are underachievers hungry for one last chance to put an exclamation point on their season, both teams have coaches who like yelling at/making throat-slash movements at referees. And it did not disappoint. Good game, Big Red, and good season. See you guys next year. I plan on trying to make it to Lincoln for the ol' MU-NU scrum...maybe I will see you guys there.

You can have Gary Pinkel. God knows I don't want him.

Honestly, as a Mizzou fan, I fully support firing Callahan. That is purely out of fear of how good that West Coast Offense will be when he gets all of HIS boys in there to run it. Patience, guys. The only real knock I have on Husker fans is that they are a bit spoiled. You guys had such a good stretch of success that when you guys are facing these kind of mediocre season, you kind of panic. I say wait out the storm, because when Callahan gets HIS recruits running HIS offense, you guys will return to glory. Maybe not national championship glory, but without a doubt Big XII Championships.

Mizzou fan here. It is so typical of Mizzou to do this: look absolutely unstoppable against a good team, and then lay an egg on the road against a bad team. I blame this solely on Pinkel, who is slowly being exposed as the worst coach in the Big XII. Smith never had a chance to make a play because Mangino outcoached Pinkel. Oh well. I'd really appreciate it if you guys knocked off Colorado! Good luck the rest of the way to you guys...you guys will recover from today. You have too much talent not to. Mizzou-RAH! Greg

I know I'm just a Mizzou fan, but I watched the entire NU-OU game on ABC. Here are what I noticed: -Zac Taylor is a good quarterback when he has time. Today, he had no time all day, and he struggled. -Adrian Peterson is back, and for NU fans, it was at the exact wrong time. -The Blackshirt defense is not looking as good as advertised in the past two games, and you can't blame that on the referees. -Cory Ross is a GREAT weapon. I really don't understand why Callahan doesn't use him more. -Every time they flashed to Callahan on the sideline, he looked nervous. Anxious. I don't know if that's his default face, but he looked BAD. -Ruud has got to step up. He missed a couple of tackles that someone of his caliber should not miss. -I love Swift. Love him. An excellent receiver with great speed, but he's not too great in the clutch. He dropped a couple crucial passes against Mizzou, and I remember one or two drops today too. -GET LUCKY OUT OF THERE. There is no reason for Lucky to be in the game. He can't run the ball well, he can't pass protect, and he can't catch out of the backfield. Anyways, that's what I noticed. Good luck to you guys the rest of the way. We found a way to lay an egg against kU today in the form of a 13-3 loss, so if you guys could knock off Colorado, I'd really appreciate it! Mizzou-RAH! Greg

Nebraska Fans- My name is Greg, and I am a sophomore journalism student at the University of Missouri. I've read your posts regarding the treatment of visiting NU fans when they came to Columbia for this weekend's game. On behalf of the Missouri fan base, I would like to apologize to those who have come away from a MU-NU game with a bad taste in their mouths. True, I am not a Husker fan, but I also realize that there is a difference between passion for your team and, well, being a douchebag. I am sorry to say that Saturday, it appears that Mizzou did not help their reputation. I heard some of the trash talking going on, and frankly, I got red-faced. That is not what the University of Missouri is about. One of the pillars of Mizzou is Respect, and that is not what was being exhibited. I understand that trash talking can be fun when it is done in the right way, but obviously this was not. And so, I apologize. I went to the Mizzou-Nebraska game in Lincoln last year, and honestly, I received mixed reactions. I was jeered by probably 25% of the NU fans I encountered, and welcomed with open arms by the other 75%. But I also understand that NU has a reputation as being some of the best fans in America. In fact, if you grab an issue of one of last week's Daily Nebraskan, my brother, a student at Texas Tech who went to the TTU-NU game, wrote a letter to the editor that was published in the paper praising the NU fans for their helpfulness and kindness. It is probably the rivalry that stirs up the emotions. The NU fans I encountered in Columbia this weekend had the same split: 25% leaning more towards obnoxious and rude, the other 75% being some of the best fans I've ever met. I like to think that Mizzou fans have the same percentage. Its the rivalry, I think, that stirs up the emotions. But again, that does not excuse the Mizzou fans' behavior that led to your poor opinions of us, and for that, I am sincerely apologetic. As for tearing down the goalposts and bringing them to Harpo's..well...you have to let us have our fun. I know you guys aren't ranked, but you have basically dominated us for the past quarter-century (24-2 in the past 26 meetings). Especially with the horrible past we've had in our athletic department (scandals, embarassment, general terrible play), we need to celebrate whenever we beat a traditionally dominant program like NU. It is a rivalry, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be respect. On behalf of all Mizzou fans everywhere, I apologize if you have ever felt disrespected by a MU fan. Mizzou and Nebraska share one of the best rivalries in the nation, fighting for one of the most prestigious travelling trophies in the land. Hopefully, we can get it back to what rivalries are all about: hard-nosed play that is ultimately founded on respect. Thank You, and Mizzou-Rah! Greg