The person said that Missouri’s decision to apply for membership to the SEC was “inevitable and imminent,” although a specific timeframe has yet to be set. — New York Times, Monday
The University of Missouri has played Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma (and Nebraska) for more than half of the time the state of Missouri has existed. Since college football began being played west of the Mississippi, almost.
Those decades of history ended today, as the Missouri Board of Curators did everything but actually say “Missouri is going to the SEC.” (Hence, the title’s asterisk.) The board gave the chancellor complete power to make a decision and also want to explore throwing Kansas City a bone or two with a special basketball tournament and a football game in Arrowhead — but didn’t specify what teams would be involved. Such an exploration wouldn’t be needed if Missouri planned on remaining in the Big 12.
These are the most-played Division I-A rivalries as listed by the NCAA through the end of 2010:
120 Minnesota-Wisconsin 1890
119 Kansas-Missouri 1891
117 Nebraska-Kansas 1892
117 Texas-Texas A&M 1894
115 Miami (OH)-Cincinnati 1888
Thursday, a Kansas City radio host eviscerated sports anchor Jack Harry, who said that it was senseless for the Big 12 NOT to hold the basketball tournament in KC without Missouri. Go here, then click on the “Jack Harry” podcast lasting 22:16. (Via Bring on the Cats.)
Harry had said: “KU, K-State and Iowa State should wield enough clout to get Sprint Center into a rotation, at least every other year, to host the tournament in Kansas City.” But this whole saga is an exercise in reinforcing that they don’t have any clout. It doesn’t matter that ISU, KU, and KSU are passionate basketball fans.
Missouri is following A&M’s playbook. It’s only a matter of time.