Written by Michael Urban
If Mizzou fans are honest, they will tell you that joining the SEC is a little like Andre Iguodala joining the Olympic basketball team. It’s not that Mizzou isn’t worthy of being in the nation’s most elite conference, but the Tigers’ pedigree isn’t exactly of the same lineage as the SEC’s blue bloods. Behind the bravado displayed by Head Coach Gary Pinkel and Senior WR T.J. Moe at last month’s SEC Media Days is an insecure fan base that makes Mitt Romney seem steady. Mizzou sports’ oh-so-close-but-yet-so-far exploits are well documented. There’s the Fifth Down game, Tyus Edney’s improbable buzzer beater, the Flea Kicker, and the 2007 Orange Bowl Snub to name only a few.
I’m a die-hard Mizzou fan and it pained me to write the preceding paragraph. All I want out of my significant investment (mostly time) in Mizzou sports is to experience the glory and joy of winning a national championship. When the Mizzou to the SEC chatter reached a fever pitch last fall it injected more confidence into our fan base than we’ve ever had before and if felt really good. For Mizzou fans, the press conference with Mike Slive and Bernie Machen announcing Mizzou’s entrance into the SEC engendered feelings that had to be like those experienced when your team wins a title - except we don’t get to hang a “Mizzou Joins the SEC – 2012” banner in Mizzou Arena.
