When you have accomplished as little as Mizzou football has, you celebrate anything...
________________________________ From: Shane Ford <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 9:10 AM Subject: Re: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] [SUN]: 7/16 - SEC: Pinkel, Missouri carrying momentum It looks like it! We won so many SEC Champs that our players we're probably ashamed to be runner up the few times it happened? ;-) Sent From Shane's iPhone Go Gators! & Skål Vikes! On Jul 17, 2014, at 8:07 AM, Woody Bass <[email protected]> wrote: Wait. They get rings for being SEC divisional champs? Woody (via iPhone) On Jul 17, 2014, at 8:53 AM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: > >SEC: Pinkel, Missouri carrying momentum > > >Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk shows off his SEC Eastern Division ring on >Wednesday at SEC Media Days. >Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun >By Robbie Andreu >GAINESVILLE SUN Staff writer >Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 1:42 p.m. >Last Modified: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 6:42 p.m. > > >HOOVER, Ala. — Only a year ago at SEC Media Days, Missouri's Gary Pinkel was >in the same place Florida's Will Muschamp found himself earlier this week, on >the sizzling hot seat. >But it was a little bit more severe for Pinkel. It wasn't just a coach on the >hot seat, it was an entire team, the entire Missouri football program. >Coming off a humbling and injury-riddled 5-7 first season in the SEC, the >Tigers were being questioned about whether they even belonged in this rugged >conference, where only the strong survive. Had they stepped out of their >league when they went from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2012? >Many were wondering. >Well, a year later, those troubling questions have evaporated. And as for that >hot seat, Pinkel and Missouri could not be further from it. >Pinkel has a new contract that will keep him at Missouri through the 2020 >season and pay him $3.1 million a year. And the Tigers are now considered >strong contenders (and feeling right at home) in the nation's strongest >football conference. >One magical, remarkable turnaround season in 2013 has changed everything, >including perceptions. >Pinkel and the Tigers returned to SEC Media Days on Wednesday as the defending >champions of the Eastern Division. >“It's been tremendously positive, especially coming off the year we had >before,” Pinkel said when asked what impact going 11-2 and winning the >division has had on the Missouri program. “It was not the injuries. It was not >all the other things. It was just we weren't very good, we shouldn't be in the >SEC. >“We stay healthy, it gives us a chance. I'll go back to that year. If I would >have coached better, we could have won one more game, could have gone on to a >bowl. >“(Coming back and winning the division last season) has been very positive in >terms of recruiting in every way. But this is a new year. Great challenge. We >want to continue to compete at a high level. That's our challenge as we go >into year number three (in the SEC).” >The Tigers no longer have to prove they belong in the SEC. They did that last >season. The question now is: Can they continue to be contenders in the league? >Missouri has momentum heading into the season, despite the fact it returns >only eight starters. >“First of all, you keep it going by winning. That's real simple,” Pinkel said. >“When I became the head coach at Missouri, I wanted to be respected in the Big >12, and now it's the SEC, and nationally. Not only do you have responsibility >to your school, but to this league. I just wanted to be respected. >“You do that not just (by) winning football games. Our graduation rate is one >of the best in the country and our APR rankings are in the top 10. Not only in >just that, but in other ways too.” >Winning, of course, is what everyone notices. And that's what the Tigers did >last season. >With a number of injured stars returning, including quarterback James >Franklin, the rejuvenated Tigers made an early and stunning statement, winning >at Georgia on Oct. 12, then thrashing Florida 36-17 a week later. >With those two victories, the Tigers earned the respect around the league that >they did not have in their first season. >They followed that up by going 7-1 in conference play to win the division and >advance to the SEC Championship Game against Auburn. >“In the first year, we had a bunch of injuries, but last year we were healthy, >so it's about being healthy and competing,” senior standout defensive end >Markus Golden said. “At Mizzou, we believe we can compete against anybody, and >that's what we were able to do last year. We're going to try and do the same >thing this year.” >Injuries hit the Tigers hard two years ago. This year, it's been graduation, >along with the dismissal of star wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who is >now at Oklahoma. >Missouri will have eight new starters on offense, including quarterback Maty >Mauk, and six on defense. >The good news, from an offensive standpoint, is that Mauk has already proven >himself. He started four games last season. In his first, he led the Tigers to >their big win over Florida. >“He's a winner. Players know it,” Pinkel said of Mauk. “He's a remarkable >competitor. They know it. They respect the way he leads. That's why he did so >well last year when we threw him in there as a freshman. We're very fortunate >to have him. >“Certainly, if you ask him, he's got a lot of things to prove too. He's the >guy now. I guarantee there's no one more excited about getting going and >playing than that guy.” >It's an excitement that seems to be running through the entire team. >“We're excited about the year,” Pinkel said. “We've worked very hard. We're >honored to be in the SEC. I tell people all the time, it's like being in the >NFL. >“We focus pretty much at Mizzou on ourselves and us playing our best football >game, which gives us an opportunity to win. We're going to continue to do >that.” >Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or >mailto:[email protected].%20Also%20check%20out%20Andreu's%20blog%20at%20Gatorsports.com. > -- >-- >GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions >2008 National Football Champions | >Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), >Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us >--- >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >"GatorNews" group. >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >email to [email protected]. >For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
