SB Nation - DeMarre Carroll

Recap of "Five Questions For..."

Evan Pfaff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:15:21 -0000

For the past 12 days we have asked “Five Questions For…” each Big 12 school. In case you missed one, after the jump you can read the questions we have for all the hoops programs in the conference.

Have more questions, or comments on the questions? Leave a comment.

Missouri

1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?

2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?

3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?

4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?

5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?

Kansas

1) Can the Jayhawks meet preseason expectations of being ranked #1 nationally in a lot of publications?

2) Can Kansas put their offseason troubles behind them?

3) Exactly how good is freshman Xavier Henry?

4) Will Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins both perform at All Big 12 levels?

5) Can anyone tell the Morris twins apart?

Colorado

1) Now that Jeff Bzdelik is in his third year, can he bring a winning season to Boulder?

2) If not, how much longer will the CU AD go on with the Bzdelik experiment?

3) Can Cory Higgins perform up to his 08-09 level, when he placed fifth in the conference in scoring?

4) Who else steps up for the Buffaloes?

5) Will the Buffaloes improve upon last season's 1-15 conference record?

Iowa State

1) Can Craig Brackins get any help, or will it again be a one man show?

2) Can the Cyclones crack the top half of the Big 12 North division?

3) Is there still "Hilton Magic" in Ames?

4) One publication listed Greg McDermott as being on the "hot seat." What does he need to do to get off it?

5) After 4 straight conference seasons with a losing record, can the Cyclones better the .500 mark this year?

Kansas State

1) Frank Martin brings the 20^th ranked recruiting class to Manhattan. How can the 5 freshmen gel with the veterans?

2) Is Denis Clemente the most fun player to watch in the conference?

3) Can 6-10 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly shore up the frontline for the Wildcats?

4) Is K-State a legitimate program again after nearly a decade of meritocracy (sans the Bill Walker, Michael Beasley year)?

5) What can we expect from freshman Wally Judge?

Nebraska

1) Last year NU was the smallest team in college basketball. This year they brought in some size, will that help?

2) Will Doc Sadler's JUCO coaching experience help the three incoming JUCO transfers adjust to division 1 basketball?

3) Nebraska hasn't had a winning record this decade. Will they go 10 for 10 in losing seasons?

4) How will the team cope with two transfers leaving Lincoln?

5) Who wins more conference games, NU football or NU basketball?

Oklahoma

1) How does Oklahoma replace Blake Griffin?

2) Can Willie Warren be "the man"?

3) Can 6-8, 300 lb freshman Tiny Gallon play big in his first year in the Big 12?

4) Does Oklahoma mind being second fiddle in the Big 12 South?

5) Will inexperience in the frontcourt hurt Oklahoma's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament?

Texas

1) Who will play the majority of the year, the Dexter Pittman who dominated the end of last season or the Dexter Pittman who was essentially non-existent for the first half?

2) Is freshman Avery Bradley as good as advertised?

3) Can the team get back to its first Final Four since 2003?

4) Did Damion James make the right move in returning for his senior season?

5) Between Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas and J'Covan Brown, who will win the battle for starting PG spot?

Oklahoma State

1) Will Travis Ford's first full recruiting class bring a Big 12 championship to Stillwater?

2) With the loss of Byron Eaton, yet 4 of the top 6 scorers returning, can the Cowboys continue to put lots of points on the board?

3) How much better can James Anderson get?

4) Obi Muonelo played out of position last year. Will the right placement on the floor help the senior better his 12.7 ppg average from last year?

5) OK State will be bigger this year... but also slower. Will that hinder their ability to run with some of the Big 12 teams?

Texas Tech

1) Junior guard Mike Singletary lit up Texas A&M for a near conference tournament record 43 points last season. Will he continue to put the ball in the basket this season?

2) Will Pat Knight's second full season be an improvement over his first?

3) Is Pat Knight on the hot seat?

4) Do the Red Raiders have the personnel to match Knight's emphasis on defense this year?

5) Will all the new JUCO players pan out for the Red Raiders?

Texas A&M

1) How can the Aggies replace Josh Carter?

2) Some publications think the Aggies will finish in the top 4 in the conference. Can this team meet those expectations?

3) Mark Turgeon is in his third year in College Station. Now that he has a roster made up of mostly his guys, can the Aggies crack the upper 1/3 of the conference?

4) Will the four freshman have the impact Turgeon is hoping for?

5) The Aggies have made a school record 4 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Will the streak continue this year?

Baylor

1) Can the Bears rebound from the loss of 50% of their scoring and 2/3 of their assists due to graduation?

2) Coach Scott Drew can recruit, but can he coach those guys to a third straight post season tournament?

3) Can Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh be the defensive force Bears fans are expecting from the 6-10 center?

4) Did highly ranked recruit Nolan Dennis make the right decision in rescinding his verbal from Memphis and commit to Baylor?

5) Who will be the go-to guy this year, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter or one of the freshman?

The College Brand vs the NBA's

Evan Pfaff — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:48:42 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Is it more fun to see DeMarre Carroll take it to the rack as a student-athlete or a pro? (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Browse more photos »

I split Denver Nuggets season tickets with a few friends and two weeks ago we held our lottery to see which games we were going to this year. High on my list were the two Memphis Grizzlies games, and for those knowledgeable with my Mizzou infatuation, you will understand the reason: former Mizzou standout, and current NBA rookie, DeMarre Carroll.

So this past Sunday I went to the Nuggets-Grizzlies game, which turned out to be a defensive-minded 133-123 slugfest.

Having these Nuggets season tickets, and being a season ticket holder before, I have seen a good amount of NBA games despite not growing up liking or caring about the pro style.

I grew up in a college town (Columbus, OH) and went to school in a state without pro basketball, so naturally the NBA was not a high priority on my watch list. Even while my Chicago-raised college friends were watching Jordan win 6 NBA titles, I didn't pay much attention.

That changed when I moved to Denver and started following the then-lowly Nuggets. I started watching them because nobody else was. They would win less that 20 games per season when I moved to town and I could get front row seats from scalpers for $10 or $15 a ticket. At that time I wouldn't miss it when the Clippers visited to catch Keyon Dooling.

Fast forward nearly 10 years, and you can catch me watching the Nuggets through most of their 82 games.

During the fall and winter months, if I am watching sports, the only thing that supersedes the Nuggets would be when Mizzou is on (thanks to the Full Court package I haven't missed a Mizzou game in years).

So with that as a background, I can say with good accuracy that I now know both the NBA and college games. How they operate and the difference between the two.

For my money, I would take a game between student-athletes over a one played by millionaires.

I feel the innocence of the college game makes it the better spectator sport. Sure you will have corruption with some of the kids, agents and money grabbers lurking in the background, but that happens only to a limited number of college kids. For the most part, the superstar on a college program may have someone with malice intension giving them direction, but, for the most part, the other 4 on the floor and all those coming off the bench are playing for the pure love of the sport, and a free education.

In the pros you have businessmen. These people are individual corporations. The league MINIMUM for a rookie this year is over $450,000. Which means if you have never played an NBA game and make a roster, you are guaranteed nearly a half a million dollars to suit up and ride the pine.

So let's take a look at the typical last man off the bench who might fit this bill in both pros and college.

The last man off the bench in college is generally a walk-on, or former walk-on now on scholarship. When they get in the crowd is behind them, chanting their name (think Rudy) and their teammates do whatever they can to get the kid an open shot.

Conversely in the pros, the last man off the bench is fighting to stay in the league. If they are a rookie, making nearly half a million dollars, they know they need stats to keep them on the payroll. Consequently when they do get into the game, generally during blowouts, they are more likely to do things to get in the scorebook. Jacking shots and being selfish. Their teammates are generally in the same boat as them, and are also looking to jack shots, get in the books and keep their jobs.

NBA apologists like ESPN's Colin Cowherd will say that the athleticism, speed and size of the NBA makes it a better sell than the college version. And he, and others who make this argument, are right. The NBA is bigger, faster and more athletic. But that doesn't make it better... does it?

To quote my buddy Gus in the midst of the Nuggets-Grizzlies game, "In college DeMarre would regularly be the tallest guy on the court." Now the 6-8, 225 pounder is playing small forward and matching up against the first week NBA MVP in Carmelo Anthony.

So what? Does the JYD's reduced size make him less of a player? Or make that brand of hoops any better? I don't see how you can argue that.

If proportionally everyone is taller in the NBA than college, what is the difference? In college you might have a 6-8 center and 6-0 guard. In pros it will be a 6-4 guard and 7-0 center. Proportions remain the same. No advantage.

On Sunday you could also look across the bench at fellow rookie, and former North Carolina Tar Heel, Denver Nugget Ty Lawson and compare speed.

Last year Lawson was sprinting up and down the floor, leading Carolina to the national championship. This year he is one of the fastest guys on the court, but not necessarily the fastest guy out there. Defensive players are getting back and can now front him.

Does this make it better? For my money, I would like to see a guy sprint down the floor and go in for a two handed jam, than to see him pull up at the free throw line and attempt a shot. And for those claiming this makes the NBA better, besides the excitement of a dunk, if it is your team, which would you rather have your guy shoot? A high percentage lay-up/dunk with a possibility of an And One or a pull up 15 footer?

And as for excitement. What is better? March Madness or the NBA playoffs?

Another way to ask this question, three weeks of knock-out basketball or a playoff series that takes three weeks to complete.

What do you think?

And while this argument is based solely that college is better, that doesn't discredit the NBA. It is still FANtastic, but in comparing the 2, it sink to the bottom.

As an aside, if you are interested in following the Denver Nuggets, check out our SB Nation friends over at Denver Stiffs. They put on a good show.

Poll

Which is your cup of tea?

Big 12ers on NBA Opening Night Rosters

Evan Pfaff — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:50:33 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

NBA commissioner David Stern has 35 Big 12 alumni in his Association. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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Since our posting about Big 12ers on NBA Training Camp Rosters, a few have made some moves... so with the NBA tipping off tonight, after the Jump is a recap of all Big 12 alumni currently on NBA rosters.

Since the last post the number of Big 12 alumni on NBA rosters has slipped from 40 to 35.

Kansas has put the most people in the Association with 9. Iowa State the least with no current players.

The school by school count: Baylor (1), Colorado (1), Kansas (9), Kansas State (2), Missouri (3), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (3), Oklahoma State (4), Texas (7), Texas A&M (3), Texas Tech (1).

There are two sets of Big 12 brothers in the league, Blake and Taylor Griffin and Kareem and Brandon Rush.

And the team to watch if you follow Big 12 Hoops? The LA Clippers, who have 4 on their roster.

Feel free to comment if any moves happen.

Atlanta Hawks

Maurice Evans - Texas

Boston Celtics

Tony Allen - Oklahoma State

Paul Pierce - Kansas

Bill Walker - Kansas State

Charlotte Bobcats

DJ Augustin - Texas

Stephen Graham - Oklahoma State

Chicago Bulls

Kirk Hinrich - Kansas

Cleveland Cavs

Daniel Gibson - Texas

Darnell Jackson - Kansas

Dallas Mavericks

Drew Gooden - Kansas

Denver Nuggets

Chauncey Billups - Colorado

Joey Graham - Oklahoma State

Detroit Pistons

NONE

Golden State Warriors

Acie Law - Texas A&M

Mikki Moore - Nebraska

Houston Rockets

NONE

Indiana Pacers

TJ Ford - Texas

Brandon Rush - Kansas

LA Clippers

Blake Griffin - Oklahoma

Kareem Rush - Missouri

DeAndrea Jordan - Texas A&M

Brian Skinner - Baylor

LA Lakers

NONE

Miami Heat

Michael Beasley - Kansas State

Mario Chalmers - Kansas

Memphis Grizzlies

Darrell Arthur - Kansas

DeMarre Carroll - Missouri

Milwaukee Bucks

NONE

Minnesota Timberwolves

NONE

New Jersey Nets

Tony Battie - Texas Tech

Keyon Dooling - Missouri

Eduardo Najera - Oklahoma

New Orleans Hornets

Julian Wright - Kansas

New York Knicks

NONE

Oklahoma City Thunder

Nick Collison - Kansas

Kevin Durant - Texas

Orlando Magic

NONE

Philadelphia 76ers

Royal Ivey - Texas

Phoenix Suns

Taylor Griffin - Oklahoma

Portland Trailblazers

LaMarcus Aldridge - Texas

Sacramento Kings

Desmond Mason - Oklahoma State

San Antonio Spurs

NONE

Toronto Raptors

Antoine Wright - Texas A&M

Utah jazz

NONE

Washington Wizards

NONE

Poll

Which Big 12 rookie are you most excited to see this year?

Mizzou Links, 10-27-09

Bill C. — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:27:51 -0000

Colorado/Media Day Links!

MUtigers.com: OFFICIAL RELEASE
Obviously, Mizzou has had a rough go of it the past three weeks, but the fact remains that the future is bright in Columbia, as the Tigers are a very young team. Picked to finish third this season in the Big 12 North Division, the Tigers began the season hoping to successfully defend its 2007 and 2008 North Division titles. ...

While Head Coach Gary Pinkel would never offer up youth as an excuse for anything, the fact remains that this team is very young, with only 15 seniors on the roster. Of those, only six are projected to start on offense/defense Saturday against Colorado, with only eight total who are on the two-deep entering the game. That’s a stark contrast to 2008, when the Tigers began the season with 12 senior starters (5 on offense and 7 on defense).
MUtigers.com: Missouri Football Team Hosts Media Day
The Trib: Tigers Meet the Press
KC Star: MU's Gabbert sports new cast, still plans to play
Post-Dispatch: Pinkel seeks way to reach his team
Post-Dispatch: Blaine Gabbert remains focused on Buffs
While X-rays taken over the weekend continue to show no structural damage, MU offensive coordinator Dave Yost said Monday, Gabbert's status still hinges on practice today and Wednesday. "Our deal is if you don't practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, you don't play," Yost said.

Based on information from MU's training staff, Yost and coach Gary Pinkel expect Gabbert will practice. Still, Yost said they'd have to see "how it is when they take it out of the cast, and go from there."
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Tigers meet the media
PowerMizzou: Audio: Pinkel and Hawkins Talk
Denver Post: Dan Hawkins: Tyler Hansen 'still the guy'

Five Questions For... Missouri basketball

Evan Pfaff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Can Missouri coach Mike Anderson match last year's success?. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Browse more photos »

In a new series, leading up to the start of the basketball season we will be posting a segment called "Five Questions For."

In the series we will ask the most five pressing questions for each Big 12 school going into the season.

1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?

2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?

3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?

4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?

5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?

Check back tomorrow when we will ask Five Question For... Kansas basketball.

Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops

Poll

What is the most pressing question for Mizzou this year?

Mizzou Links, 7-10-09

Bill C. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:00:14 -0000

An interesting set of links today...extremely high in quality, extremely low in quantity...

You know how the senior leadership from DeMarre Carroll, Grey Goose, and Leo Lyons was so strong for last year's Mizzou basketball team? I'm thinking it's not going to suffer much in 2009-10...not with JT Tiller (and his reconfigured jumper) on the case.

“J.T.’s now captain, and he’ll be the leader of the team next year,” Lyons said that day in Glendale, Ariz. “With somebody that works hard like he does, the rest of the team’s going to follow, so everybody better watch out for Mizzou basketball next year.”

But Tiller, who has started 50 games over the past two seasons, has spent most of the offseason on the mend after undergoing surgery in April to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. Only in the past two weeks has the rising senior guard from Marietta, Ga., been cleared to join his teammates in daily pick-up games — an important opportunity to assert himself as the team’s on-court commander.

“It still feels like my first day back, but it’s getting better, though,” said Tiller, who was elated to start playing again after more than two months on the sidelines. “From the outside looking in, it’s so much fun, but once you get back in there, it’s definitely hard work.”

Want to catch up with how Leo Lyons has done this week on the Pacers' summer league team? Here you go (PDF). Thus far, Leo has played about 28 minutes in three games (with the opening DNP) and hit 5-of-9 FGs and 11-of-12 FTs (!) for a 7.0 PPG average. His 21-points-in-9-FGAs line results in a ridiculously good 2.33 points per shot (anything above about 1.7 is pretty strong). That's the good news. The bad news: he's grabbed three rebounds (two offensive) in the aforementioned 28 minutes. Might want to improve on that.

Be sure to read all of Dave Matter's "Catching up with the Tigers" post to which solidpit linked last night. The "DISRESPECT" card has been played in a major, major way. Senior leadership is also discussed in a fashion probably more provocative than intended.

“A lot of guys were for themselves last year,” [Derrick] Washington said. “A lot of guys were for themselves and thinking about the NFL. This year’s team is about the team and we’re going to do what we can.”

Added [Jaron] Baston: “I think this team is a better group of people. I think this team, chemistry-wise, reminds me of that” 2007 “Cotton Bowl year. We have no choice but to be close because we’ve got everybody betting against us.”

You might wince when you read that quote from Washington — and he might, too — but I think he had good intentions when he said it. For one, I’d be surprised if there are many current players who really believed last year’s players were preoccupied with NFL thoughts. But maybe I'm wrong. More than anything, I think he was paying tribute to the developing leadership on this year’s team. Either way, it's not the first summer an MU player made that comment and it probably won't be the last.

Wondering how football recruiting is going (and how it should be going)? PowerMizzou's Pete Scantlebury sums things up with the 2010 Recruiting Outlook.

On defense, Missouri seems to be most focused on the line and the secondary. The Tigers will only lose three projected starters after this season, so they are just looking to build depth.They already have a pledge from Olathe (KS) DE Lucas Vincent, who will slide into the middle for Missouri. The Tigers have a young and talented crop of defensive ends, so it wouldn't be the end of the world if they don't had a true end in this class. Expect them to go for one more tackle, however.

Being that it's Oklahoma State Week, I feel compelled to pass along this link.

And finally...we just didn't vote enough. But Ian Kinsler's All-Star hopes aren't done just yet--Dustin Pedroia could be sitting this one out.

And as always...

Mizzou Links, 7-3-09

Bill C. — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:00:22 -0000

More photos » by Lance Murphey - AP

Who will average more points next season?

Browse more photos »

A reader sent this one in (and by all means, if you find something, feel free to e-mail it along): the Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a look at our own Mr. JYD.

Carroll was the lone first-round selection from the Portsmouth Invitational, where he was named the MVP after averaging 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in three games. Acra, his coach, said Carroll helped build chemistry among his teammates in a matter of hours.

"NBA scouts aren't necessarily looking for scorers to come out of here," Acra said. "They want guys who can fill roles and be professional. DeMarre had that ability to get all the guys together, to make them mesh."

He had arrived with a reputation as a "high-energy" player, code for guys who are athletic and raw -- and can't shoot. It was a misconception that bothered Carroll and could be traced, at least in his mind, to his nickname at Missouri: "Junkyard Dog."

"You think of somebody who just plays defense," he said. "The beauty of it is that I can put the ball in the basket and do other things."

Sticking with basketball, ESPN's (and Mizzou's own) Pat Forde takes a look at red-hot basketball rivalries for 2009-10. I hate the UNC-Duke hype, and even I'm a bit appalled that it's listed below State-Purdue. But hey, as long as MU-KU is back in the top ten, I'm cool.

Check this out: the perfect segway from basketball to football. The Trib's Dave Matter recently checked in with Columbia's amateur football team, the Trojans. The stars? Former Mizzou safety Jason Simpson...and former Mizzou guard Jason Sutherland. Makes sense--he played basketball like he was playing football.

Following up on their previous defensive line preview, Hail to the Orange now takes a look at the Illinois offensive line.

Now that we're to football...well, there's not a lot to report, but PowerMizzou does have an interesting piece re-ranking Rivals' State of Missouri rankings from the class of 2003. It's nice to see MotherRucker getting his due, but #1 was pretty obvious. Oh, if only Damien Nash (RIP) hadn't (allegedly) scared off Maroney by telling him there was only room for one star RB in these parts.

Because I'm pressed for content today, I'll shamelessly whore myself for the second time in two days. My latest column at Football Outsiders is a takeoff of a series of posts I wrote last December--it's called The Perfect Playoff. And now's a fun time to remember how Mizzou would have been the #1 seed in 2007. Good times.

Finally, nothing says Fourth of July Eve to me like...cute, begging kittens. (Via)

Mizzou Links, 6-30-09

Bill C. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:48:28 -0000

Dave Matter's back from Vegas and back to blogging! Here's his recent Case of the Mondays.

For whatever reason — inexperience probably leading the list — [Derrion] Thomas went unsigned during the spring, but from what I’ve gathered, the chances are good that Thomas will soon enroll at MU as a walk-on. Thomas played just one full season of varsity football at Blue Springs South after spending his first few seasons there in the pool, where he became an all-state swimmer. With much fanfare, he developed into a pass-rushing menace for the BSS defense last fall, including a five-sack game in a Class 6 quarterfinals victory over Rockhurst.

Meanwhile, Dave brings back another strange tidbit from his Vegas trip.

[T]he Tigers’ recent success is proving to be the gift that keeps on giving. In a less prestigious poll, the streak endures. According to odds set last week by BetUS.com, an online gambling site, MU is No. 21 among schools most likely to be the next caught having committed an NCAA violation. The opening line is 18-1.

Let's face facts: Mizzou is striking out with little brothers. First, Little Gabbert spurned his brother's school for Nebraska. Now, Little Hoch is choosing Iowa. Dan Hoch's brother, Matt, a defensive end, decided to stay in-state. Hoch wasn't #1 on Mizzou's recruiting board by any means, but this one's at least a little disappointing. But then, for whatever reason Gary PInkel has not recruited tremendously well against Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz isn't quite in the Houston Nutt category (we never beat that guy for a recruit), but with guys like Adrian Clayborn and Marvin McNutt on the roster, this isn't the first time we've lost out to the Iowa coach. Luckily, Pinkel owns (more or less) Mark Mangino and Bill Snyder.

Sticking with recruiting, Mizzou has offered another big offensive lineman, this one from Louisiana. Meanwhile, the KC Star takes a look at what looks to be a pretty strong position in the 2011 recruiting class: quarterback.

To basketball. Steve Walentik "empties the notebook" from his trip to Harris-Stowe over the weekend for the DJ All-Star Game.

Defense is where Underwood takes the most pride, particularly when he's swatting away shots.

"That's my specialty. That's what I do," he said. "I'm still No. 1 in Arizona for blocked shots."

He moves fluidly, particularly for a player his size, but he's the first to admit his offensive skills need a lot of polish, and he also needs to bulk up a thin frame to be able to mix it up under the basket in the Big 12 Conference. Underwood was briefly winded in Saturday night's game after catching an elbow to the chest from Rockwood Summit's 610 center Will Clark, who coincidentally is signed to play for former Missouri assistant Tony Harvey at Texas Southern.

"I've got to get bigger," Underwood said. "You see how that dude elbowed me. Get bigger. But I'm going to do that. I could always do better on defense but my defense is tacked down right now. I just need to work on weaknesses -- dribbling, passing, just all-around play. Anything to help Missouri out, I'll do."

Meanwhile, speaking of little brothers, PowerMizzou checks in with Travis Releford's sibling, Trevor. Not completely sure how much interest Mizzou is showing here (the article doesn't mention much), but they've been linked to him in the past.

DeMarre Carroll meets his new city...

SimmonsField.com checks in on a couple of MU recruits...

In order to maybe prevent some stars from jumping to MMA, USA Wrestling is now offering a lot more money for winning Olympic medals...

Finally...this is just awesome. Not at all Mizzou-related, but awesome.

Mizzou Links, 6-26-09

Bill C. — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:42:39 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

Congrats to you, JYD.

Browse more photos »

Hooray, JYD! NBA Draft Links!

Mutigers.com: Marre to Memphis - Carroll Taken in First Round
The Trib: Memphis selects Carroll with 27th pick
The Missourian: Missouri's Carroll selected by Grizzlies in NBA Draft
KC Star: MU's DeMarre Carroll overcame much on his way to first-round NBA pick
Ultimately, Carroll said, overcoming obstacles fed his competitive fire. Especially the NBA evaluation that he was not ready for the prime time of pro ball last year.

"I like when people doubt you," Carroll said.

"I’m kind of how our Missouri team was.

"We came out of nowhere. A lot of people talk about what I can’t do, what position will I play in the NBA. "I like that. I like to fly under the radar, to come out of nowhere."
Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies select Hasheem Thabeet with No. 2 pick in NBA draft (DeMarre blurb too)

No word on Leo Lyons yet, who went undrafted. We'll see where he ends up; good luck to him.

And because I feel like it, now seemed like a pretty good time to post this Senior Night video again...such a great night and moment...

And if that's not enough closure for you with this senior class, here's a nice Q&A between Steve Walentik and the Grey Goose.

CV: You've had teammates over your time at Missouri who've played overseas. Have you talked to any of them about those experiences? What sorts of things have you heard?

ML: It's been kind of 50-50. I think the guys who want to be in the NBA so bad and that's their lifelong dream, kind of go overseas just thinking about the NBA the whole time and not really having the greatest experience because they want to be somewhere else, but myself, I know that the NBA's probably not going to happen for me. I've come to terms with that, but I would just love to keep playing. Wherever I go, I'm sure I'm going to have fun doing it, as long as I'm playing basketball. I've heard good things from guys like Rickey Paulding and Jimmy McKinney, Kevin Young. There's some places people don't like to play, and there's some places they do like to play. As long as I'm playing, I'm sure I'll be fine.

Wonder why Kim English's Twitter account disappeared? Dave Matter's got the answer...and on Twitter, of course:

@sparksjay Kim told @mutigersdotcom: im on a mission to let my game do all my talking. the more im on twitter .. the less time im in the gym

Awesome.

Your one non-basketball link: the Big 12 has set their football Media Days lineup. Mizzou's up first on Day #2, July 28.

Finally, pretty sure Awful Announcing lives for things like the NBA Draft. Be sure to read last night's live-blog (after you read Simmons's, of course). Pretty much says everything I was thinking, only much, much funnier.

Oh yeah, and...

Mizzou Links, 6-25-09

Bill C. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:42:26 -0000

Draft Day is finally here...go time for Mizzou's two star seniors. It's far from a coincidence that most of today's links involve them...

The Trib: Lyons, Carroll hope to hear from the NBA
It’s been 20 years since the names of two Missouri basketball players have been called in the same NBA draft, but that could change tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Like Byron Irvin and Gary Leonard before them, forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons are both hoping to be among the 60 players selected during the annual event, which begins at 6 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
KC Star: Wait is almost over for Missouri's Carroll and Lyons
Post-Dispatch: Two Tigers are hoping to be picked in NBA draft

In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Chad Ford now has DeMarre going not in the early second round, but late in the first. That's exactly what I was hoping for: him going to an already good team where he could be a nice role player! Oh wait...Memphis has the #27 pick? And that's where Ford has him going? Oh. Nevermind.

Ford's really about the only one who has DeMarre still going in the first round, however. So we'll see. (NBAdraft.net has him going #36 to...Memphis. D'oh!) Of course, nobody's going to be able to reliably predict anything that happens outside of the Top 20 or so...which makes this a bit more interesting: the KC Star's Upon Further Review blog notices that there's a strangely close consensus among most mock drafts.

Alright, to football. First of all, PowerMizzou's waiting to report this until Gary PInkel returns from watching Bette Midler shows and 'accepts' the commitment, but it appears that Indepdendence DB E.J. Gaines is about to become a Tiger. That makes the Illinois commitment of Rockhurst DB Dexter McDonald a bit easier to swallow, I guess.

On Nevada Week, no less, Phil Steele takes a look at last year's top individual-game performances (his numbers end up looking a lot like S&P+ game scores...just saying) and determined that Mizzou's demolition of Nevada was #7 for the year...and OU's demolition of Mizzou was #5.

Finally, who knows what Brad Smith is truly capable of at wide receiver, or how his future shapes up with the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS, but impressing the crap out of your new coach is always a good place to start.

Coach Rex Ryan tried to pump up his wide receivers, amidst speculation the Jets are interested in Plaxico Burress.

"We don't have the pads on, but there's been times that guys have been impressive," Ryan said. "You guys saw Brad Smith. I don't know if I've ever seen that kind of catch before. This is an amazing athlete. ... He made an unbelievable one-handed catch. He made a great catch yesterday in the red zone running a route and he got both feet inbounds. I mean it was like, wow, all right, the kid's coming. I mean, he really is. He sees (Chansi) Stuckey. We all know he's hard to stop in the slot. Wayne Chrebet was the toughest guy I ever saw in the slot. The (Wes) Welker kid's that way in New England. But this kid, you better have two on him because he's got that special trait. He can make you miss. He's got that wiggle. He can shake you outside, inside, break your ankles. That's encouraging to me."