NBA draft reaction: Surprises both good and bad

Missouri was thought to be sending two players into the NBA tonight.  DeMarre Carroll was selected higher than expected, while former teammate Leo Lyons wasn’t selected at all.

The NBA draft was no slam dunk for former Mizzou forward Leo Lyons.

As the dust continues to settle on the NBA draft and I continue to ponder why exactly my hometown Timberwolves selected four point guards in the same draft, I’ll pause for a moment to reflect on Leo Lyons’ and DeMarre Carroll’s draft outcomes.

As I wrote last night (see post below), I thought both former Tigers were talented enough to be worthy of a selection on draft night.  Looking back at the draft results, one theme stands out to me loud and clear: surprise.

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see Carroll taken with the 27^th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.  I thought the first round was a possibility for Carroll, but not likely.  Many draft experts had Carroll being selected by the Grizzlies…with the 36^th pick.  No one had him going 27^th overall.  If there is any player that it is easy to be a fan of, Carroll is it. His high-energy style of play will be a great addition in Memphis.  ESPN seemed to be in full support of the Carroll selection.  On their draft recap, Chad Ford wrote:

“I love this pick for the Grizzlies. He’s a great energy player who flies up and down the floor, can handle the ball and creates havoc on the defensive end. He’s a more skilled version of Renaldo Balkman.”

While being compared to Renaldo Balkman is never a good thing – What’s that? Oh wait, I think I can still hear Knicks fans booing New York’s Balkman selection– at least Ford called Carroll more talented.

DeMarre Carroll not only has the prestige of being a first round pick, but he also earns a guaranteed contract.

In Memphis, Carroll will be a good fit.  The Grizz are young and athletic and Carroll certainly fits that description.  Memphis recently traded Darko Milicic for Quentin Richardson, helping Carroll’s chances for playing time.  Former kU standout Darrell Arthur, Darius Miles, and Hakim Warrick are the players against whom Carroll will compete for playing time.  I think it’s safe to say that Carroll has more upside at this point than Miles, while Arthur and Warrick are longer and leaner forwards who don’t quite fill the role that Carroll does.

In 2009-2010 Memphis will have a talented young nucleus of recent draft picks.  At point guard they are led by Mike Conley, they have talented scoring guards in O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, and Hasheem Thabeet could be the defensive presence they need up front.  I see Carroll getting minutes off the bench for a Grizzlies team that at least on paper, doesn’t look too shabby anymore.

In addition, Carroll is guaranteed a two-year contract with a team option for the third and fourth years.  Had he been selected just four picks later, which would have been the second round, there would have been no such guarantee.

Seeing Carroll taken so highly was a pleasant surprise on draft night.

Leo Lyons’ draft night was also surprising.  Check that.  It was shocking actually.  Nearly anywhere you looked for the past six months Lyons was considered a lock for the second round.

Nbadraft.net had Leo going 52^nd overall to Indiana.  I thought that was a worse case scenario for Lyons.  I thought he’d go somewhere in the 40’s.  Nbadraft.net rated him as an 88 overall prospect.  For comparison, Jermaine Taylor out of UCF who was taken 32^nd by the Washington Wizards was also an 88.  Sergio Llull, who went 34^th to Denver was an 86.  Jon Brockman who went 38^th to Portland was also an 86.  Goran Suton, taken by the Jazz was never even deemed worthy of being rated at all.  Now I know nbadraft.net is not the ultimate guidebook to the NBA draft, but it just goes to show you that Lyons was considered a solid prospect.

I find it hard to imagine that every team in the draft passed on his offensive potential.  Lyons is a 6’9’’ athletic forward who is money with the jump shot and has no problems putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket.  Put a smaller defender on Lyons and he will shoot over him.  Put a bigger and slower defender on him and Lyons will beat him to the basket.  Off the bench Lyons would make solid contributions.

Lyons size and mid-range ability remind me of Joe Smith.  Only Lyons is more athletic.  There were questions about his ability to defend along with his off court issues (he was suspended three times at Mizzou), but a little bit of homework should have proven those issues irrelevant (One suspension was for curfew violation in the Athena debacle, another for a traffic violation).

Certainly the journey is not over for the talented Lyons.  He will probably end up in an NBA team’s camp and play for a summer league team.  However, in a league where second round picks are often cut from team’s rosters, Lyons is certainly behind the eight ball at this point.

Carroll and Lyons’ situations were both surprises.  Carroll was a pleasant surprise going at 27 overall.  It is shocking that Lyons was not drafted.  I would be surprised yet again if Lyons were to make an NBA roster come fall.  He is talented enough, but unfortunately, it looks like NBA GM’s just don’t agree.

-MG

Lyons and Tigers and the NBA oh my!

As we get closer to the beginning of the NBA draft, The Columns gives you the breakdown on the chances of former Tigers in the draft (hint: We don’t have Matt Lawrence being drafted).

Former Missouri stand-outs Leo Lyons (left) and DeMarre Carroll look to take their game to the NBA tonight (Photo courtesy of the Maneater).

            You can go to any sports website right about now and find first round NBA mock drafts.  After all, the draft takes place in just a matter of hours.  So while the trade talks swirl and the speculation on the first round begins, second round prospects tend to get overlooked.  This year, Mizzou has produced two such prospects in forwards Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll.  Here’s a quick prediction on each player’s chances tonight.

 

Consistency and some improved defense could turn Lyons into a solid NBA player (AP photo).

 

Leo Lyons

            Starting as early as last spring Lyons’ name began to appear on NBA mock drafts.  It wasn’t exactly Lyons’ jaw-dropping numbers that caught scouts’ attention.  In Lyons’ junior campaign he averaged only 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.  However, it was Lyons’ silky jump shot, athletic ability and the fact that at times he could seemingly take over games that gained him professional attention.

            Following a game late in the 2008 season when Lyons’ recorded career bests with a 27 point, 18 rebound performance against Oklahoma State, he was asked what happened that made him play so well.  For the sake of journalistic integrity I cannot quote his answer exactly, but it was something along the lines of ‘I just tried harder this game.’  While Lyons never did try so hard as to reach those types of stats in a single game ever again, he steadily continued to improve throughout his senior season.

            Fast-forward to summer of 2009 and Lyons still remains the enigmatic player he has always been.  Brilliant at times and frustrating at others, it is obvious the talent is there.  He has consistently improved, but still is streaky.  Throughout the 2008-2009 season Lyons remained on most mock drafts list as a second rounder. 

            He projects currently as going anywhere from late 40’s to undrafted, depending on where you look.  Many more sites have him going drafted than not.  In a recent interview following a workout with the Indiana Pacers, Lyons spoke confidently of his chances in the draft.

            “I’m expecting to [get drafted].  If people see the talent I have I expect to go high but it doesn’t really matter,” Lyons said.

            At Missouri he was often the biggest player on the court.  In his junior season, Lyons was the tallest player on the team.  That will not be the case in the NBA.  He projects as a power forward in the NBA with adequate size at 6’9’’.  If he can extend that silky mid-range jump shot he displayed at Missouri, he could create matchup problems for slower and bigger defenders.  As last season progressed, Lyons also displayed the ability to take the ball to the hoop.

            When asked who he compares to at the professional level, Lyons said Trevor Ariza.  I don’t know if that is exactly accurate as Ariza is more of a small forward, wing type player, but to Lyons’ credit, he isn’t a typical power forward either.  He seems to be a shooting guard trapped in a big man’s body.  He shies away from the physical low-post game and seems more comfortable finessing his way to baskets via a jump shot or dribble move.

            Overall, Lyons offensive game is NBA ready.  If he can bring his A-game on a nightly basis he will survive in the pros.  If he can show some heart and determination on the defensive end and on the boards he could develop into a solid NBA contributor.  For those reasons he is worth a chance in the second round.  Love him or hate him, but the off-and-on Lyons should hear his name on draft night. 

            I see Lyons going 49^th overall to the Atlanta Hawks.  Atlanta loves athleticism and lacks depth at forward.  Lyons could fill both those needs.  He would be a suitable guy to bring off the bench to spell Josh Smith for several minutes.

 

We all know Carroll has the heart and work ethic. If his jump shot improves as much as people are saying, look out, some NBA team may get a steal in the second round.

 

DeMarre Carroll

            DeMarre Carroll is nearly Leo Lyons complete opposite when it comes to basketball.  Lyons has natural talent but seemed to, at least initially in his college career, lack work ethic to develop into a star.  On the other hand, no one will outwork Carroll.  His game isn’t always the prettiest, but it is efficient.

            While Lyons shies away from contact, Carroll lives for it.  He loves to bang down low, scrap for loose balls and hustle all over the court.  He was perfect for Mizzou’s full-court pressure defense.

            His skill set projects perfectly to an NBA power forward.  He is tough, a good rebounder and has developed a jump shot that is becoming more and more threatening.

            Except Carroll has one small problem.  Literally, a small problem: His height.  Mizzou had him listed generously at 6’8’’.  At the NBA combine however, Carroll was measured as small as 6’6’’.  You might think this killed his chance in the NBA, however, that is far from true. 

            This off-season, Carroll has done nothing but raise his draft stock.  He went from appearing on virtually no mock drafts four months ago to being slated as high as a first round pick by espn.com’s Chad Ford a few weeks ago.  ESPN lists Carroll as the 23^rd best prospect in the draft, directly ahead of some guy named Tyler Hansborough.  On nearly every mock draft you will find, he is listed as being selected earlier than his former teammate Lyons.

            It turns out Carroll has improved his jumper, and that improved J combined with his hustle and defensive skills is gaining the attention of most NBA scouts.  Like Lyons, Carroll too sounds optimistic about his chances tonight.

            “I’m improving my stock daily, so hopefully I can get on a good team,” Carroll said in an interview earlier this summer.  “A lot of teams have told me I’m a second round lock, but I don’t want to stop there, I want to move into the first round.”

            He cites the fact he has proven to NBA teams that he can ball handle and shoot better than they expected as the reason for his rising stock.

            Carroll is the essential player for a contending team to pick up in the second round.  He is a high-energy guy that would be perfect to bring off the bench, get the crowd going and contribute while he’s at it.

            I could see Carroll going as high as 30^th to the Cavaliers like Ford predicted on ESPN, or also falling down the second round a bit too.  For Cleveland, Carroll would fit in nicely as that high-energy guy, especially since they just traded Ben Wallace and will be thin at forward.  However, Carroll is very similar to Anderson Varejao.  As a Mizzou fan I would love to see Carroll go in the first round, but realistically I see him going 37^th overall to the San Antonio Spurs.  They are an aging team who would really appreciate Carroll’s energy and tenacity.

 

The Columns will have full Mizzou/NBA draft breakdowns following the selections tonight.

-MG

A banner year for the Mizzou athletic department (part two)

What’s a successful athletic department without contributions from its football, men’s basketball and baseball teams?  Guest Contributor Tom Weyerich recaps the seasons of the teams we’re accustomed to seeing in the headlines.

 

Football isn't the only thing earning Missouri recognition anymore. (Photo by Kyle Spradley)

            Earlier this week I discussed the achievements of the Mizzou sports teams who may not always make the headlines.  Well today it’s time to focus on the teams and players you already know about.  Not only did the following teams have success on the field, these Tigers also showed academic prowess and a select few were able to take their game to the professional level.

            If we were to be talking about a great athletic year in March or early April, it would have read something like this: It was a successful athletic year except for the huge disappointment for the baseball team.  But, this is why these types of things are written at the end of the year.

Kyle Gibson led the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament and along the way deemed himself worthy of a first round draft pick. (Photo by Alex Lewis, Columbia Missourian)

Baseball: While the Tigers may not have been their best, or even lived up to preseason projections, in the end they still had a season that can be considered successful. After the first eight games of 2009 the Tigers sat 1-7.  As of April 11, the Tigers had just received a 19-0 Sunday beat down in Waco, Texas against the Baylor Bears. They had fallen to 6-9 in conference play. Mizzou then went on a tear, winning 10 of their final 12 conference matchups, including two sweeps, including one against heated rival Nebraska. The Tigers gathered two wins in the Big 12 Tournament and reached the finals, losing to the tournament’s number one overall seed, Texas. The Tigers were a two seed in Mississippi’s regional for the NCAA tournament and managed a victory there to end the season with a record 34-25. Missouri went from dead in the water twice, to battle back to playing for the Big 12 championship and an opportunity to go to the College World Series.

With on field success the University of Missouri continues to impress, but truly bringing out the meaning of student athlete, the baseball team did its part in the classroom as well.  Mizzou placed ten players on the Big 12 academic all-first team, leading the Big 12 in first teamers and second in overall selections. Seniors Kyle Mach and Scooter Hicks lead the way, followed by underclassmen Kyle Gibson, Trevor Coleman, Aaron Senne, Ryan Ampleman, Nick Tepesch, Andrew Thigpen, Kelly Fick, and Phil McCormick.

   Individually, Kyle Gibson was named as a Golden Spikes semi-finalist, the award is college baseball’s Heisman.  In addition, Gibson was a first round selection of the Minnesota Twins (The hometown team of our main writer Michael). Another Tiger hurler, Aaron Crow was drafted higher, 12^th to his hometown Royals (Crow was originally drafted in 2008 by Washington but never signed). The man to whom they both threw, catcher Trevor Coleman, was selected in the ninth round by Seattle.  Third baseman Kyle Mach went to the Giants in round 27, Aaron Senne was drafted in round 32 and if he signs will join Gibson in the Twins farm system.  Senne’s outfield partner Ryan Lollis will join Mach in San Fransico after going ten rounds after Mach.  Rounding out the entire outfield getting drafted is Greg Folgia who was plucked by the Cleveland Indians in the 40^th round. As for the All-conference team, Gibson and Folgia were first team, while Trevor Coleman, Kyle Mach and Aaron Senne made the honorable mention team.

Football:    Many will tell you the 2008 football team was not successful.  In fact, as you sit there gazing at your 2008 preseason SI with ‘Missouri’ boldly printed across the cover, you may still be thinking, ‘what could have been?’  You may even still be angry about stinging losses such as the home L to Oklahoma State, the kU loss and the embarrassment down in Austin.  However, the truth is, the season was still a good one for the football team.  Before you stop reading, here are some things to consider before you call me crazy for calling 2008 a success:

-                Missouri is one of six teams in the Big 12 North. They had more players drafted by the NFL than the other five combined.

-                 Five schools had two players go in the first round of the NFL draft including Mizzou.  Joining them were USC, Ohio State, Georgia, and Ole Miss, which is pretty solid company.

-                The Tigers were one of thirteen BCS schools to win 10+ games this past season, and over the last three years Missouri is number 3 in total wins trailing only Southern Cal and Oklahoma. Maybe you’ve heard of them.

-                 Missouri was also one of two teams playing in KC for the Big 12 championship, sure they didn’t win, but the ten other teams in the conference did not even play that weekend.

-                The Tigers won their bowl game against a BCS opponent and finished 19^th and 16^th respectively in the polls.

Mizzou managed to once again beat Illinois in the Arch Rivalry to begin the year. (AP photo)

    Not only was Gary Pinkel’s crew a success on the field, but also in the classroom as well.  The football team held up its end of making the players Student-Athletes, by finishing first in the Big 12 North in Academic Progress rate (bad or low rates can cause probation or loss of scholarships) as well having all 23 Tiger Seniors graduate, some this spring, some earlier and had gone on to start on their next level of education. The Tigers also had six men make the Academic All Big 12 first team, the Chases at QB, three Offensive Lineman, Colin Brown, Austin Wuebbels and Dain Wise joined them, along with Kicker Jeff Wolfert. Ziggy Hood and Kurtis Gregory were 2^nd teamers. Chase Daniel’s on and off field success was combined into being named a finalist for the Wuerrfel award, which combines academic and athletic success. Daniel was also a finalist for the Lowe’s senior CLASS award which wraps up leadership, spirit of competition, academic success and involvement in the community. Daniel was also named a finalist for the Unitas Award given to the nation’s top senior QB.  Daniel and Jeremy Maclin were two of 15 semifinalists for the Maxwell award, given to the collegiate player of the year. Maclin was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff for the wide out of the year. Chase Coffman was the recipient of the Mackey award, given annually to the best tight end in the country. William Moore was one of thirteen defensive backs in consideration for the Jim Thorpe award. Sean Weatherspoon was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award given to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player and the LOTT trophy to the defensive IMPACT player. Maclin and Coffman were both AP first team All Americans and Coffman was named to the American Football Coaches Association first team. Missouri had two first round draft picks in Maclin and Hood, Moore joined the fun in the second round, Coffman jumped on board in the third, Colin Brown joined the party in the fifth, and DE Stryker Sulak rounded out in the sixth round.

Anytime you're cutting down nets, you know it's a good season. Doesn't hurt that Mizzou could have two players taken in next week's draft too. (AP photo)

Men’s Basketball: The most exciting run in Tiger sports was that of the basketball team during the NCAA tournament.  Missouri beat Memphis in the Sweet Sixteen and eventually ran out of steam in the Elite Eight matchup versus UConn. Success started at the top for Mizzou this past season. Coach Mike Anderson won two Coach of the Year awards for his excellence guiding the Tiger squad. The team compiled 33 victories beating top foes such as USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Marquette, and exciting wins over Kansas and Memphis. The team went on a roll in the Big 12 tournament, won it all and earned themselves a three seed in the Big Dance.  Senior Demarre Carroll was named first team All Big 12.  Joining him were Leo Lyons on the third team and junior JT Tiller on the honorable mention team.  However, Tiller was named Co-Defensive player of the year and was the only unanimous selection to the Big 12 all-defensive team. Senior Matt Lawrence was named as a co-sixth man of the year in the conference. Mizzou’s Mr. Big Shot, junior Zaire Taylor rounded out the achievements by making the all newcomer team. Carroll and Lawrence were academic All Big 12 as well.  (For an interesting look back on our thoughts on the hoops season back in March click here: http://missouricolumns.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/so-close/ )

            The “big three” of Tiger sports combined to be the first program to ever play for Big 12 championships in basketball, baseball, and football all in the same year.  While everyone would like to see a national championship brought home to Columbia, it is certain that 2008-2009 was still the greatest athletic year in school history.

-TW

*Also a note on the All Academic teams, transfers and freshman are not eligible, and a student-athlete must compete in 60% of contests to also be eligible.

A banner year for the Mizzou athletic department (Part one)

The success of Missouri’s football and basketball teams is well documented.  However, 2008-2009 was considered the greatest athletic year in school history due to the success of all of Missouri’s teams.  Guest Contributor Tom Weyerich recaps the year in a two part series beginning today with those sports that sometimes get overlooked.

Missouri's first Big 12 title of the year was earned by the soccer team.

            2008-2009 was a great season to be a Missouri Tiger fan. Everyone knows about the men’s basketball team’s run to the Elite Eight, but even beyond the basketball court, this was the greatest athletic year in Tiger history.  The lesser-covered sports were tremendous for The University of Missouri in 2008-2009 and additionally, the Tiger athletes left fans proud off the field as well. I’ll save the big time stuff for last so for now let me fill you in on what the guys and gals not getting all the attention did.

 

Missouri's wrestling team finished the year ranked seventh in the nation thanks to strong individual performances by wrestlers like Nick Marable, pictured above.

         Let’s start with Wrestling where they were one of the three teams Missouri fielded this year to finish in the top 8 in the country. As a team, they finished the year placed 7^th in the nation. Five members of the team placed top 7 in their individual weight classes, as well as their overall finishes.  These five were also all named All-Americans. Junior Nicholas Marable finished seventh, although he entered the season ranked no. 1 in his weight class.  Senior Michael Chandler wrapped up the final match of his career with two accomplishments, a fifth place finish and the 100^th win of his career, making him the 16^th Tiger to hit triple digit wins. Junior Max Askren, younger brother of former Missouri wrestler Ben Askren, moved up the national ranks throughout the season.  He began the year ranked 7^th nationally and finished the season ranked 5^th in the country in his weight class. Raymond Jordan, a senior, also improved, going from fifth to third nationally and finishing fourth in Tiger record books with 123 career victories.  He also earned All-American honors in two weight classes. Mark Ellis brought back top honors for the Tigers with a heavyweight championship, the second in Mizzou history; Ellis will have the chance to defend his title in his senior campaign. Senior “utility” wrestler, Joey Garrity earned honors away from the mat as he was selected for one of the Big 12 Student-Athlete 2008-09 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship. JaNay Wooldridge from the track team was also selected.  The Tigers have received 17 such scholars since 1999.

 

            Women’s soccer was also very successful this past season. They won the Big 12 conference tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they fell to the rival Fighting Illini. The Tigers provided fans with a record-breaking season, as they won sixteen games and only had five losses and two ties.  Also, the ladies finished as a top 10 team in the final national rankings. Soccer Buzz Magazine recognized a pair of junior teammates to their All-Central region second team, defender Crystal Wagner and forward Kristin Andrighetto, while sophomore striker Alysha Bonnick was named fourth team All-American. Bonnick and Andrighetto were also first team All Big 12. Joining their teammates receiving awards were junior Meghan Pfeiffer who was named to the Big 12 second team and freshman Kendra Collins was named to the Big 12 All Newcomer team. Off the field, Bonnick and Wagner were Academic All Big 12 second team. Seniors Mo Redmond and Mallory Forest and junior Michelle Collins joined them, as they also earned Big 12 academic honors. Those five were not to be outdone by four of their teammates that were Academic All Big 12 first team, Seniors Janelle Cordia and Lindsay McCoy, junior Bree Thorton and sophomore Kelsey Stokes.  First team members must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher while second team ranges from 3.0 to 3.19.

 

The softball team brought home Mizzou's final Big 12 title of 2008-2009. (photo courtesy of mutigers.com)

Missouri’s softball success received more exposure amongst Tiger fans and nationally, as they won the Big 12 Championship, made it to the College World Series and were shown in a plethora of games on ESPN. The Tigers finished ranked in the elite 8 of softball, racking up an impressive 50-12 record. The Tigers expect to be very good again next year as they return 17 players. The Tigers had two All-Americans.  Senior third baseman and Lindsay Ubrun and sophomore Marla Schweisberger who were both named to the second team. Ubrun also received an Academic All-American award with a cumulative GPA of 3.82. Joining Ubrun were 11 of her teammates on the Academic All Big 12 team.  11 Mizzou softball players were first teamers and one a second teamer.   Missouri had the most ladies named to the team. Ubrun, Schweisberger were also named to the All-Midwest region team along with seniors Micaela Minor and Stacy Delaney and sophomore superstar Rhea Taylor who batted over .400 for the year.

 

            While everyone knows the success of Missouri’s more popular sports such as basketball and football (see previous article: http://missouricolumns.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/ranking-the-top-athletic-schools/), it is important to note that Missouri is succeeding in other sports as well.  The future is bright for the entire Mizzou athletic department.

-TW

*Editor’s note: Be sure to check back Tuesday for Part Two as Tom recaps the success of the rest of Missouri’s athletic department.

Tommy Saunders: Life one goal at a time

Tommy Saunders was one of the greatest receivers in Missouri football history and now finds himself on an NFL roster.  However, the road to success has been anything but easy for him.

 

Tommy Saunders was known as a "coach's dream," at MU. His hard work is now paying dividends as he aims to make an NFL roster. (Photo by Kyle Wayne Stewart, Columbia Missourian)

            For any college graduate, transitioning from college to a professional career can be difficult.  Throw in the fact that the chosen career is professional football and that transition becomes even more difficult.  But for former MU standout receiver Tommy Saunders, the NFL is just another goal on an already remarkable list of accomplishments.

            “I set [the NFL] as a goal,” Saunders said.  “I just took it one thing at a time.  By the time I got to this point in my life it was just the next thing in line.”

            That humble, one-at-a-time approach has worked magically for Saunders as the former walk-on now finds himself on the brink of an NFL career.

           Saunders, a man coaches refer to as “a dream,” leaves Missouri as one of the most prolific pass-catchers in Tiger history.  He ranks among the top10 all-time in Mizzou football history in career receptions, career receiving yards, receptions in a season, and receiving yards in a season. He was part of the winningest class ever at Mizzou. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest receivers to don a Missouri uniform.  With achievements like that, one might assume things have come easily for Saunders.  However, that assumption could not be further from the truth.

            Flashback to 2004, Saunders senior year at Kearney (Mo) High School:  After leading the Kearney football team to a 14-0 record and the Class 4A state championship, Saunders was named to First Team All-State on both offense and defense.  With 23 career interceptions, he still owns a Class 4A state record for most career INT’s.  His five interception returns for touchdowns are also a state record.  Not to mention, that same year Saunders also led Kearney to an appearance in the state championship in basketball as well.  It appeared as if a star was born.  One might guess colleges were lined up at the Saunders’ residence begging this kid to come play for them.  Wrong again.  Tommy Saunders had been overlooked. 

            Despite his on-field accomplishments and the fact he could bench-press over 300 lbs. as a high school senior, Saunders received no major scholarship offers.  Out of a possible five star ranking, Rivals.com recruiting website deemed Saunders worthy of one star.

            It would have been easy for Saunders to give up.  Thousands of kids each year give up their athletic dreams once they fall short of a scholarship.  But for Saunders, quitting was not an option.  Instead, he simply readjusted his goals.  The goal: to earn a football scholarship.

            The coach’s dream, already well noted for his work ethic, began to work even harder.  Even now, for teammates who have only known him a few months, Saunders’ work ethic still manages to make an impression.

            “He is one of those guys that you have to kick out of the weight room,” Missouri linebacker Josh Tatum said. 

            Tatum, who joined Mizzou in the spring of 2009 after transferring from junior college, said that Saunders’ work ethic has led to his opportunities as a player.

            “He is going to outwork, outplay, and out-think an opponent,” he said.  “That is why he deserves to be in the position he is.”

Saunders didn't have the easiest route to the MU record books.

           After spending the 2004 season as a red-shirt freshman on the practice squad, Saunders began to see his hard work pay off.  He was rewarded with a football scholarship prior to the start of the 2005 season.  Saunders had accomplished his goal, a feat with which he would quickly become familiar.

 

            Over the course of his career at MU, Saunders set and met numerous personal goals.  His goals were not easily achievable ones either.  Take for example his goal to do 100,000 pushups in a single year.  That’s roughly 275 per day.

             “The pushups thing is something I did just to push myself to be in shape,” Saunders said.  “I try to stay in as good as shape as possible.”

            Saunders not only reached 100,000 pushups, he did 100,084, stopping on 84 to match his jersey number.

            After catching 41 passes as a junior in Missouri’s 12-2 2007 campaign, one might guess Saunders was beginning to garner attention from professional scouts.  Wrong again.  But all Saunders did was continue to work hard.

            By senior year Saunders had met his goal of becoming a team captain.  He completed his senior season in 2008 by setting personal bests in receptions (72), receiving yards (833) and receiving touchdowns (7).  Yet critics still persisted.  He was too slow they said.  He wasn’t big enough for the NFL.  However, in typical Tommy Saunders fashion, he refused to let anyone count him out.

            “It’s not about what anyone else thinks,” Saunders said.  “I don’t really listen to any of that stuff.  I just worry about making myself a better player.”

            So Saunders worked at making himself better in hopes of earning an invitation to the NFL scouting combine.  Each year hundreds of the best collegiate football players are invited to Indianapolis to work out in front of scouts from every NFL team.  For Saunders, the combine represented a chance to finally show the NFL what he could do.  Instead, Saunders could only watch as many of his Missouri teammates packed their bags for Indianapolis.  Saunders was not invited.  Once again, he had been overlooked.

After being denied from the NFL combine, Saunders put up impressive numbers at Mizzou's pro day. (Columbia Tribune photo)

            “I was disappointed not to get invited,” Saunders said.   “I wanted to go.  Once I didn’t get invited to the combine I knew I wasn’t going to be drafted.”

            For some, rejection from the combine may have led to the end of the story.  It would have been easy for him to hang up his cleats and reflect on a successful college career.  But Saunders refused to settle.  Instead, he simply readjusted his goals.  The goal: make it to an NFL team’s rookie camp.

            As Saunders correctly predicted, he was not one of the 256 players selected in the NFL draft.  He was reduced to the role of a spectator as he proudly saw six of his Missouri teammates hear their names called on draft weekend.

            “I’m happy for all of those guys,” Saunders said of his Tiger teammates who were selected by NFL teams.  “Anytime you see your teammates succeed it’s a great feeling.”

            Shortly after the draft ended, Saunders received the call for which he had put in so much hard work.  It was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the phone; they were offering Saunders a contract to compete in the Buccaneers rookie mini-camp.  It appeared as though someone was finally going to give him his chance.

            At the camp, which lasted a total of three days, Saunders was impressive.  He was even featured in a story on the Buccaneers official website (link here: http://www.buccaneers.com/news/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=7077).  As usual, Saunders showed nothing but humility following practice with Tampa Bay. 

            “It doesn’t count until August and the final cuts, and however you get there is fine,” Saunders said in an interview with buccaneers.com.  “That’s my goal – little steps and try to get to August.”

            However, Saunders would not see another day with the Buccaneers, yet alone August.  He was released by Tampa Bay following the mini-camp.  Once again, Tommy Saunders had been overlooked.

Saunders couldn't stick with the Buccaneers. (Photo from buccaneers.com)

            Although he was cut by Tampa, the goal was still in place for Saunders.  In May, he got another chance at the NFL when the Detroit Lions signed him to a free agent contract.  This time, he has lasted more than just a few days.  He now finds himself catching passes from Matthew Stafford, the first player chosen in this year’s draft, on a daily basis.  Being the coach’s dream that he is, Saunders is working harder than ever in his attempt to reach his newest goal: survive training camp and make the final roster.

            Until then, Saunders will continue to put himself through his daily routine of waking up at 6:30a.m., practicing, going through team meetings, and studying his playbook.  When he gets back to his hotel at 5:30p.m., a normal person may go to sleep or watch television.  But not Tommy Saunders.  Instead, Saunders works out again -

            “I’m used to practicing and working out everyday,” Saunders said.  “It’s more mentally tiring than anything.” 

            – All to help ease his transition from college to the pros and to help him reach his ultimate goal.

            Despite the obstacles and setbacks he has encountered along the way, Saunders has now worked his way to the doorstep of an NFL career.  Not bad for a one-star recruit who did not receive a scholarship.  Some who have achieved everything Saunders has might boast about their accomplishments.  They might predict a long, successful NFL career accompanied by fame and fortune.  But not Saunders.  He continues to take life one goal at a time. 

            When asked where he sees himself in five years, Saunders replied, “I want to be involved in football somehow.  Whether that’s playing in the NFL or coaching or whatever.  I take things one step at a time so I can’t tell you that I will definitely be in the NFL or anything like that.  But mostly, I just want to have a family and be able to support them.  That’s the most important thing.”

            So while Saunders will continue to work harder than anyone to reach his goal of making an NFL team, he is careful to keep things in perspective. 

            Hundreds of players will be cut from NFL rosters before opening day this fall.  For many of them, they will not know what to do once being removed from football.  Not Saunders though.  If football doesn’t work out, he will simply, once again, readjust his goals.  With the work ethic and attitude he possesses, something tells me Saunders will be successful no matter where he ends up.

-MG

So I was wrong about twitter

The Columns would like to proudly introduce our newest guest contributor, Brandon Mitchener.  Mitchener signs on as an undrafted free agent who scouts believe has natural ability to contribute immediately.  ”He has a tremendous vocabulary and the ability to think of words on the fly,” said one scout.  Anyway, enjoy the post…

 

'Tweeting' is becoming more and more popular with athletes of all levels. Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva once updated his twitter account during halftime of a game against the Boston Celtics.

 

My first impressions of twitter were no better than my first impressions of Jose Canseco’s MMA fighting debut.

            It’s another facebook, but without the pictures, games, applications and, well, faces? Twitter is just a status update? Seriously, all I do is tell people what I’m up to, so they can vicariously live through my summer? Creepy…

            However, if journalism professor Hans K. Meyer never forced me to sign up for a twitter account, I would have never discovered its veiled beauty.

     You see twitter is like an ménage à trio between coaches, athletes and fans. It’s a daily filibuster from Shaq, play-by-play commentary from Kevin Durant and inside intelligence from Steven Jackson. If you even want to know what Trey Wingo ate for breakfast, check twitter.

     For if twitter didn’t exist, I would have never learned that Trevor Ariza’s nickname is “jelly bean,” or that Pau Gasol’s is “pau gasoline.” I mean seriously, where else can you learn that Kevin Durant takes jujitsu lessons every week and goes to school at Belmont in the summer?

     The former Longhorn jumped straight to the NBA after only one season at the University of Texas, he makes $4.5 million a year playing basketball, and he is still going to summer school? Mad respect, KD.

     For me, twitter is similar to those high-tech headphones that NASCAR zealots use to listen in on conversations between drivers and their crew chiefs: you can listen to the players, coaches and even better, owners.

 

Is Joe Horn making a call or updating his Twitter feed?

     Yes! Twitter does enable fans to infiltrate the minds of controversial owners like Mark Cuban. Actually, through twitter, I have gained massive respect for Cuban. Unlike many of the undereducated NBA tweets, Cuban updates his twitter with website links, often to fans’ personal blogs. Not only does Cuban peruse his fans’ thoughts, but also the man shows he cares about what Mavericks crazies are thinking. Whether Cuban or a secretary is updating the twitter page is, of course, unknown. But still, at least he isn’t some senile old man picking washed up strong safeties in the second round of NFL drafts.

Of course, twitter has its setbacks.

     Recently, some Cardinals fan posed as Manager Tony LaRussa on twitter, causing “serious emotional damage,” according to LaRussa. Obviously, the guy was hilarious. But seriously, posing as the lineup guru himself is NOT cool. The following examples were publicized on deadspin.com:

• “Lost 2 out of 3, but we made it out of Chicago without one drunk driving incident or dead pitcher… I’d call that an I-55 series.”

• “Fortunately, Ian Snell sucks now… when Molina and Duncan Jr. go deep off of you it’s time to look yourself in the mirror, have an ice-…”


• “drinking a cold Zima and wishing fucking Hancock was alive, I bet he could’ve gotten Jack Wilson out.”

     Twitter’s legal team claims that LaRussa lost the lawsuit against the disruptive tweets, preventing further censorship of mere comedy relief. Now, I don’t have to go watch a replay of Geoff Ogilvy three putting to a quadruple bogey this weekend to satisfy my humor.

     There are many reasons to hate twitter. Random strangers follow your updates, the technology is primitive (in comparison to other social networking sites) and knowing who is real and who is a poser can be an extremely difficult task.

     However, in dealing with the latter, I have discovered a four-step solution for searching for “real” athletes:

1. Look for a username that involves the athlete’s first and last name and official jersey number (i.e. KevinDurant35, CV31, sj39). However, some athletes deviate to their own renditions (e.g.  Aaron Brooks, thirty2zero; Derrick Rose, DRoseOfficial).

2. Try to find a photograph that’s not just an action shot of the athlete dunking, but an amateur picture from perhaps a built in computer camera or a disposable KODAK.

3. Look for posts that aren’t exactly grammatically correct (i.e. “ihop! pancakes be hittin da spot…pause” – KevinDurant35).

4. Trust the posts arriving via mobile phones. Why? Athletes don’t like computers—I guess home-row-keys isn’t taught at training camp.

     So what am I trying to say about twitter? After synthesizing all my thoughts about the initially “worthless” website, I have concluded twitter has become a necessity for sports fans. On the contrary, everything aside from that is basically meaningless. People can check newspapers for news; friends can check facebook for status updates; businessmen can write emails to communicate; journalists can share information in already multiple platforms, including print, web and television.

So crack open a bud light, Mr. Overly Obsessive Sportsfan, because twitter is a godsend for you and only you.

In the words of Steven Jackson four hours ago, “Tell someone u love them today… 4 me. Thx.”

-BM

*Editor’s note: On a twitter?  Follow us at “TheColumns.”

Upcoming stories we’re working on…

Tiger fans, be sure to check out The Columns throughout the week as we keep you updated on Missouri athletics.  Here is a preview of what we are working on for the near future.

- The Columns caught up with former Tiger Tommy Saunders recently.  Find out what his plans are for the future as he tries to make the Detroit Lions.

- Guest contributor Tom Weyerich will recap the most successful year in Missouri Tiger athletics as he breaks down the 2008-2009 year in a two-part series.

- Weyerich will also provide an update on Missouri football recruiting.

- Feel free to email us your questions or comments about anything sports related and we’ll respond in a ‘mailbag’ series we’d like to begin.  Our address: missouricolumns@gmail.com

- We’ll also be featuring a story on the Twitter craze that is sweeping college athletics.

- As always, we appreciate any feedback from our readers.  Feel free to comment or email us anytime.

MG

Red Sox Nation Beware: Papi’s Peril Could Hurt Fan Base

 

Some constituencies of Red Sox "fans" could fade away if Ortiz continues to slump.

This season, David Ortiz has gone from Papi the Powerful to simply, “Papi stinks.”  He has hit just one home run in 178 at-bats, a stifling number considering Ortiz had averaged 39 home runs in his first six seasons in Boston.  Early in the season, Ortiz, along with Red Sox manager Terry Francona, had insisted that he was simply going through a slump and that he would eventually return to form.  When his struggles continued in mid-May, Francona benched the slugger for three games so that he could take a breath and recollect his thoughts before returning to baseball.  Then, on May 20, in the second game following his benching, Ortiz finally hit his first home run, a deep shot over the Fenway center field wall.  Papi got a standing ovation from fans and everything seemed to be back to ordinary as New England fans cheered on their hero while sipping a steamy cup of chowder.  Oh, how Papi spoiled Sox fans with that one home run.  Since May 20, Papi has 4 hits in 40 at bats and now sits sixth in the Red Sox order behind Mike Lowell.  If you watch any ESPN, you probably know everything that I just told you.  I know that.  Instead, my mission is to show you the repercussions that Papi’s demise will have on the “Red Sox Nation.”

OK, let’s be real.  Each and every night when checking the day’s MLB box scores, I go straight to the Red Sox game.  I don’t do this because I’m a fan of the Sox.  I don’t do it because I dislike David Ortiz and enjoy seeing him go 0-4 with three strikeouts on a nightly basis.  No, I do it because I hope that if Papi fails, the absurd amount of individuals constituting the Red Sox Nation will begin to dwindle.

If David Ortiz's bat doesn't heat up, the Nation could be in for some trouble.

Since around 2002, this country has seen an insurgence of what I like to call “Assumed” Red Sox fans.  Every time I go to the grocery store (or anywhere, for that matter) I see an astounding number of people wearing Red Sox caps.  Upon witnessing this, I ask myself “Why did this wave of supposed Sox fans hit America?”  After asking myself that question countless times, I finally decided to formulate a theory.  The theory is called the ‘Assumed Red Sox Fan Theory.’  The theory claims, with undeniable evidence, that if a person comes from a place that does not have a professional baseball team, or from a family that has no ties to a professional baseball team, then there is greater than a 50% chance that that person will select the Red Sox as their team of choice. These confused fans walk around in a state of denial, wearing shirts that say “I Believe” along with dirty, unfitted, classic fit Red Sox caps on their blue-collar minded heads.  Oftentimes, these fans rub their hats in their backyard garden to simulate, through top-soil stained filth, that they have been fans since 1918.

There are two types of “Assumed Red Sox Fans”.  For purposes of keeping things simple, we will just call them Type 1 and Type 2 fans.  Type 1 fans assume the role of the underdog and act as if their beloved Red Sox will finally get over the hump and win their first World Series in ninety years.  What these fans don’t realize, however, is that Boston has won two championships since 2004.  They are not the David to the New York Yankees’ Goliath.  In fact, Boston has the fourth highest payroll in baseball and has been much more successful in the past five years than the Bronx Bombers.  So please, stop acting like your team is the world’s greatest underdog. 

Type 1 fans don't realize that Boston has won twice since 2004.

For the fans that are competent enough to realize that Boston has won two championships in the last five years, the burden they carry is equally inexcusable.  These fans, called Type 2, act as if they have been a part of Boston’s suffering since 1918.  They roamed around the streets of Vegas, Memphis, Salt Lake City and the like, screaming and shedding tears of joy after the Sox won in 2004.  They identified themselves with Bill Simmons, who wrote Now I Can Die in Peace, after Boston won their first title in 86 years.  For me, there is nothing more annoying then when fans hop on the bandwagon of a prestigious team, like the Red Sox, and act as if they laid their handprint on the team’s history.  Type 2 fans act as if they have been going to McGreevy’s bar for years, just relinquishing the idea that Boston would ever win a title because of all the pain the team had caused them spurred by moments such as Buckner’s error in 1986 or Aaron Boone’s infamous home run.  I do not mean to dismiss any of the pain and suffering that legitimate Red Sox fans went through for nine decades.  I am just agitated by the fact that so many of these “assumed” Red Sox fans act as if they have been through 90 years of Hell and feel like they have the right to celebrate like other members of the Nation, who actually had gone through the 86 year reign of terror.     

In order to finish this article in full circle, I need to mention David Ortiz’s role in all of this.  If you go up to any Type 1 fan wearing a Boston hat and ask them to name three members of the Red Sox, they will most likely only be able to name two players.  They will list Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.  Well, as we all know, Manny Ramirez is no longer a part of the Red Sox and has taken his dreadlocks and syringes to Los Angeles.  Strike 1!  If David Ortiz, who obviously seems linked to previous steroid use because of his relationship to Manny Ramirez and his inability to hit the ball out of the infield, continues to struggle, then it is possible that Theo Epstein will elect to trade Boston’s admired slugger.  That could leave “assumed” Red Sox fans with another misidentified player.  Strike 2!  Finally, many fans will not even have the knowledge to name a third player, leading to Strike 3!  Go ahead, try it out at home whenever you come across a Red Sox fan.  Odds are, you will be able to punch out a Red Sox fan like Phil Cuzzi on a called third strike.

Some "Sox fans" still think these two play on the same team.

David Ortiz is an extremely lovable guy.  Legitimate Red Sox fans love him for his charisma, humor and clutch hitting.  In no way am I hoping that Big Papi struggles because I have a personal vendetta against him.  If Ortiz was playing for any other team I would cheer heavily for him to succeed.  However, he does not play for the Orioles or the Angels or the Braves.  He plays for the newest evil empire, one so vast it has mock fans all over the country.  If Ortiz continues to hit like he did back in Minnesota before he became an icon, then the Red Sox Nation will begin to crumble in towns outside of New England.  That is my hope.  I dream of a day when all fans have a legitimate reason to root for a team and do not become fans just because of films like Fever Pitch.  Believe me, if Papi’s woes continue, this day will eventually come.  As Charles Barkeley says, “I may be wrong, but I doubt it.”

-PRF

And the greatest recruit in Mizzou football history… fails to qualify academically

Sheldon Richardson, regarded by rivals.com as the no. 4 overall player in the nation coming out of high school,  will not suit up for Missouri this fall

Sheldon Richardson showed flashes of brilliance during the U.S. Army All American game. It could be a while before Missouri fans see him in the black and gold again though.

   Some things in life are worth waiting for.  That is the hope for Gary Pinkel and the rest of the Missouri football program following the news that the most heralded recruit in program history will not make it to campus this fall.

   Sheldon Richardson, a freaky-good athlete out of Gateway Tech in St. Louis will be heading for a California Junior College to get his grades in order instead.  However, for those fans worrying he may re-open his recruiting, Richardson’s facebook.com status should alleviate some of those fears.

   “Sheldon Richardson is bout 2 leave 4 cali yea cali its cool i didnt make str8 2 mizzou,” Richardson wrote on the social networking site.  ”ima keep my head up like a nose bleed sorry mizzou fans gotta wait a lil while longer but i promise wen i get there we wil b on top n 4 u KU FANS DISSIN ME YALL GOIN SEE ME REAL SOON I PROMISE WHILE IM THERE WE WONT LOSE 2 YALL WACK AZZ R TEXAS R OKALAHOMA YEA I TALK BIG SHIT N I BACK DAT SHIT UP 2 M..I..Z.. GOTTA PROBLEM LET ME KNO HOEZ.”

   He talks a big game but after all the accolades he has received in the past few months it is easy to see why.  Richardson received scholarship offers from Missouri, Miami (FL), Florida, Oklahoma, Minnesota, USC and Tennessee among others.  He was named to the U.S. Army All American team.  He is listed as the best defensive line prospect in the nation and the fourth best prospect overall.  Richardson, a 6′4” 294 lb., athletic specimen has a 40-yard dash time listed at 4.7 seconds.  He even returned kicks in high school.

   However, Missouri will have to wait.  Most players who attend junior college typically do so for two years.  Richardson on the other hand, is planning to enroll for classes this summer, take a full year of school during the traditional school year and then finish up next summer in an effort to make it campus by next fall.  He talks a big game.  Only time will tell if he can back it up.  Mizzou fans, let’s hope so.

-MG