Poor ol’ Mizzou-Raw
That’s Raw – as in raw deal.
I really mean it. Missouri got the short end of the stick. But Tigers fans shouldn’t blame anybody other than the Orange Bowl Selection Committee for not making it to a BCS bowl.
Don’t blame Kansas. Don’t blame Illinois. Don’t blame the Rose Bowl. Don’t blame the BCS – well maybe you can blame the BCS. And while you’re at it, maybe blame yourselves a little for not taking care of business against Oklahoma.
The fact that Kansas got the nod to go to the BCS Orange Bowl instead of Mizzou reeks to high heaven. The Jayhawks were beaten by Mizzou two weeks ago, but they’re headed to Miami and Mizzou is Dallas-bound for the Cotton Bowl.
The Rose bowl folks opted for tradition when they chose Illinois to face Southern Cal. The Pac-10 vs. Big Ten roots in Pasadena’s Jan. 1 classic are deep ones.
But when the Orange Bowl folks opted for Kansas, they broke traditional ties with the Big 12. Mizzou finished higher than KU in the conference and beat the Jayhawks head to head. But it’s all about money and for some reason, they feel Kansas will draw more fans than Missouri.
Show ’em the money – that’s the name of this game.
The average January temperature in Miami is 75 degrees. In Dallas, the average is 43 degrees. Brrrrr. Now that’s really a cold shoulder.
But don’t fret, Mizzou fans. The Cotton Bowl is no Weed-Eater Bowl by any stretch. It’s long been one of my favorite bowls to watch on New Year’s Day. One of the first bowl games established, its history is long and storied. Texas Christian beat Marquette University 16-6 in the first Cotton Bowl game back in 1937. Since that game, the Cotton Bowl has been the site of some of the best New Year’s Day games and has played host to some of the sport’s best players, including Bo Jackson, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, Bart Starr, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Doug Flutie, Joe Theisman, Babe Parelli and Eli Manning.
That’s not bad company for Mizzou players Chase Daniel, Tony Temple – and even Marquette Catholic High’s Steven Blair, who’s the Tigers’ long snapper on punts and field goals.
A big crowd at the ol’ Cotton Bowl will be on hand to see Mizzou take on Arkansas in the 2008 Cotton Bowl. My guess is that they’ll see one of the best games of the day.

- Pete Hayes

The SIU Edwardsville men’s soccer team’s home match on Sept. 23 against Lewis University was halted wth 3:50 remaining when a brawl among players erupted on the field. Police were called in to restrain the teams. According to reports, the fight broke out after a player from SIUE and from Lewis each tried to go for a header on a ball that was kicked the length of the field. Lewis head coach Evan Fiffles had been ejected with a second yellow card for dissent about a minute earlier.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference has awarded the game to SIUE, which led 2-1 when the fight broke out.
Two SIUE players - Mike Jones and Zach Bauer - were ejected with red cards after the fight with lewis. Two Lewis players - Anthony Marsico and Craig McIntosh -were also kicked out. The end result for the 15th-ranked SIUE team is that it must play No. 2-ranked Northern Kentucky Friday without two of its starters.
Referees can - and should - do what they can to prevent such antics from occuring. But sometimes, the most well-intentioned ref can do more to fuel the fire than extinguish the flames.
There was just 3:50 left in the match, guys. Was it worth it? After all, the best way to get back at a team is to beat them on the scoreboard, not beat them upon the pitch.
- Pete Hayes