Just days after telling the Columbia Tribune that he planned to win a national championship with Mizzou and retire as a Tiger, Mike Anderson bolted for the University of Arkansas. Although he should have stuck with "no comment" rather than lead on Mizzou fans, I am not bitter about the coach's defection. Lots of other Tiger fans are, however. They feel betrayed. Lied to. Abandoned. We in Tiger Nation aren't used to this feeling. And here's why: No basketball or football coach has left Missouri of his own volition since the legendary Dan Devine quit to take the top job for the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 1970.
Think about that. Every single Missouri coach for the last 40+ years has been fired (or in Norm Stewart's case "encouraged to retire" by Mike Alden.) None of these men ever dared to leave the University of Missouri to pursue greener pastures. Not one. Some Mizzou fans are calling Anderson a traitor. That's ridiculous. He was an assistant at Arkansas for 17 years, so if anything, he is just going home. It's not like he left us for Kansas or anything.
Here's one more thing for bitter MU fans to consider. Anderson's style of play "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" is a gimmick. It is basically a frenetic full-court press that lasts the entire game as opposed to most teams' half-court style of play. It is entertaining to watch, but really good teams such as Kansas, Texas, UConn, etc can beat a press and punish you for stubbornly sticking with it. Anderson's teams have had a hard time adapting when their opponent beats their press. At times his players looked clueless during games this season. They got flustered and made silly turnovers and fouls. They yelled at each other on the court and during timeouts. They only won one conference road game all year. In short, the shine wore off Anderson's gimmicky game.
So do not be bitter, Tiger fans. Join me in wishing Coach Anderson the best of luck at Arkansas (except if Mizzou plays against him). He seems like a good person, a family man. He is back home with his family and that's alright with me. Our paths may cross again some day, which would be pretty neat. Not since 1972 when Al Onofio's football Tigers beat Dan Devine's Notre Dame Fighting Irish have MU fans had the chance to cheer our team to victory against a former Tiger coach. An Missouri-Arkansas meeting in the NCAA tournament sure would be fun to watch wouldn't it?
1 comment:
I have mixed emotions about Coach A. leaving.
Our paths had crossed when my daughter was playing basketball at Hickman with his daughter Yvonne. Let's just say, we didn't click.
That being said, College Basketball is a business, and people make job changes. Could have handled it better? You bet. Should he be hung in effigy like some people are acting? No way.
And why did you have to bring up the ND/Mizzou game? I see how you are.
Post a Comment