MVC - Mountain West Challenge

If you haven't heard about it yet, click here. I think this is a brilliant move. It gives the Bears another quality non-conference game with potentially national exposure. A win over a nationally recognized program like Utah, BYU or UNLV could push the Bears off the bubble and into the Tournament. Fred Eck "Eck the Cat" and I have been advocating a conference v. conference match up for the MVC for years. We generally thought that the MAC would be more likely, but the Mountain West is a better conference.

I do have two concerns though, both media related: (1) no television contract yet; and (2) with the Mountain West, by definition, on the West Coast, will anyone east of Evansville care about the "Challenge."

Let me the first to ask: WHO WANTS TO WATCH THE BEARS IN VEGAS?

For Hardcore Chiefs Fans Only...

The season has been tough so far, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, this will make Chiefs' fans smile (in case the video doesn't work, click here):

Ready for MVC Basketball

Earlier today, I purchased tickets to see the Bears go up against SIU in Carbondale on Wednesday, January 28. I will be traveling to the game with some guys who I work with who are SIU fans. It is going to be so sweet watching the Bears light up SIU on their dump of a home floor. My excitement level for this season has just gone up a couple of notches.

As an aside, word from SIU fans that I know is that the SIU arena is going to be renovated within the next couple of years. Something tells me that they are going to be ripping off a lot of the primo extras of JQH arena.

Congratulations Football Bears!

Missouri State won its first Valley Football road game in four years yesterday over Illinois State. What is more impressive is that they came back in the fourth quarter. It seems like this team is getting better each week and is playing to their full potential. I would love to have the Washburn Ichabod game back, but a win next week over the 16th ranked (who surely will be ranked higher this week in the polls), severely hated Salukis would make that loss go away in my eyes. The Bears would be near the top of the conference and in a position to get into the playoffs. Go Bears!

Matt and I are Sadly Vindicated

The Chiefs tried to trade Larry Johnson prior to today's trading deadline. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, they had no takers. Amazingly, no teams wanted to take on an overpaid, spoiled malcontent. Matt and I said they should have traded him two years ago, while his stock was high. Instead, King Carl gave $49 million guaranteed to a player who plays the most expendable position in the game. The Chiefs are going to be strapped with this for the next five years, even after King Carl finally gets the axe, and now they are realizing it.

Ode to Lionel Hutz

All attorneys aspire to be him. All attorneys desire to work at "I Can't Believe It's a Law Firm" with him. All attorneys wish to run over the judge's son repeatedly like him. Women want to be with him. We miss Lionel Hutz, and all he did for the legal field...and society.

Martin...

Brandon Backe is now my favorite Astro. Any guy who makes millions of dollars but is involved in a wedding brawl deserves my respect.

Playing for Matt Stafford

With the bye week approaching, I have changed my goal for the KC Chiefs to shoot for the # 1 draft pick this year. While I won't cheer for the Chiefs to lose, I will cheer for the Lions and Rams to win. KC needs a QB bad. Matt Stafford appears to be the best QB is a pro-style offense. So, here is to the Chiefs getting the best college QB.

Also, Chiefs should trade Tony G to a contender for a first round draft pick. They are rebuilding, and he needs to win a championship before he retires. Chiefs may be able to get top OL in the draft, which the desperately need too.

New AD

Please don't let it be Cheryl Burnett or any other former coach who has no experience as an A.D. Missouri State is on a level now where an experienced assistant or associate A.D. at a high level D-I school would entertain this as a great, first time A.D. job. Nietzel does seem like a guy who will go outside the Missouri State family/favorite to get the best qualified applicant (i.e. Terry Allen, Coach 'Zo; but not Nyla Mileson, local favorite). I hear Barry Hinson is available.

P.S. Bill Rowe's unwillingness to fire Barry is the reason why I think it is a positive that he is retiring. Nietzel had to pull the trigger himself, which isn't his job.