Thursday Tidbits

Thursday Tidbits

Talking Big 12

-I really thought KU would lose to Baylor last night. On a neutral floor, I would've taken KU, but I figured Baylor would avenge its ass-kicking in Lawrence with a comfortable win in Waco.

Wrong wrong wrong.

Baylor had a 10-point lead early...and then got outscored by 24 the rest of the way.  It would've been better for Missouri had Baylor won...not because of the bloodlust many Tiger fans feel for Jayhawk blood. Instead, barring a miracle, the Tigers are going to have to win at Phog Allen---and not lose anywhere else---in order to win the Big 12. The miracle would be Kansas losing two other times, and the Tigers only losing once (at Kansas).

The latter portion of that formula is reasonable, although I wouldn't bet with certainty on the Tigers being able to get through Baylor in Columbia and Texas A & M on the road completely unscathed.

Could KU lose two games the remainder of the way...if they beat Missouri?

Doubtful.

Here's what Kansas has left (outside of hosting the Tigers on February 25th):

vs. Oklahoma State
at Kansas State
vs. Texas Tech
at Texas A & M
at Oklahoma State
vs. Texas

I could see them losing at K-State...just because the Wildcats treat the Jayhawks like the Royals treat the Cardinals. But, is there another loss in there? Highly doubtful in any of the home games...so it'd take a loss at College Station or Stillwater to get the unlikely two losses.

So, what if both Missouri and Kansas finish 15-3? It comes down to the two teams' records vs. the third place team. In the first place tie scenario of 15-3, that means Missouri would have to have beaten Baylor Saturday, meaning both teams would be 2-0 vs. them. So, what's next?

The two teams record vs. the 4th place team. I'm not making this up.

Currently, that's Iowa State...and if that were remain the case, that works for the Tigers...as the Cyclones already have beaten KU...and Missouri  has already gone to Ames and won.

In the whole scheme of things, is this thing all that important? Well, if the Tigers and Jayhawks split the regular season games and if they tie in the Big 12, the #1 seed in St. Louis will likely go to whoever wins the Big 12 Tournament (if Ohio State stumbles a couple of times)...and the road to the Big 12 Tournament Championship is a hell of a lot easier if you're the #1 seed. That's logical, but it's especially important this year as most would agree there's a big dropoff between Baylor (likely 3 seed) and Iowa State (likely 4 seed). So, if you're the #1 seed, you have to beat Iowa State or K-State to get to the Championship Game. If you're the #2, you have to beat Baylor one day...and then come back and beat Kansas the next.

Obviously...a lot of ifs. Lot of games. Lot of potential for upsets. And, while Baylor looked shitty last night, I don't chalk Saturday up as a win.

My guess is Ohio State will lose two to three games between now and the end of the season. My guess is Missouri can't lose more than one game (and, in particular, it would have to be the game at KU) if they want to get the #1 seed in St. Louis.

It'd be pretty unfair for the Tigers to get the #2 seed in St. Louis. While I'd enjoy it as a Missouri fan, I don't see it happening.

For the record, Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com has the Tigers as the #1 in the Midwest. Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com has them the #1 in the West.


Talking Billikens

-Speaking of projections, Palm had the Billikens as a #10 in the Midwest...playing right here in St. Louis. It turns out that that can't happen, because per NCAA rules, the host school can't play a game at its site. But, the point is, before winning at St. Joseph's last night, the Billikens were thought highly enough to be a #10. Looking at their schedule (at LaSalle, vs. Richmond, vs. Fordham, at Rhode Island, vs. Xavier, at Duquesne), the Billikens could most definitely run the table. That's more likely, in my opinion, than Missouri running the table. Point is...I wouldn't rule out the Billikens getting to an 8 or 9 seed...or, honestly, better.

What am I getting at?

First off, they're dangerous. Majerus is dangerous in the Tournament. This team will be dangerous in the Tournament, in my opinion.

Secondly, would the Selection Committee get cute and put a #8 seeded Saint Louis U team in the same region as a #1 seed Missouri? They do that kind of crap. And, personally, while I'd like to see the Tigers as the #1 in the Midwest, if they're shipped out West...which happens often (in the Elite Eight years of 2002 and 2009) and seems like a real good shot again this year...I'd love to see them in the same regional as the Billikens.

I call it how I see it on topics.

KU fans are being bitches about Missouri leaving for the SEC, and there's some revisionist history on how everything played out in the first week of September with the comments of the OU AD...which really led to Missouri leaving. KU would've jumped at the chance themselve.

Which is why I pointed out the hypocrisy of some Missouri fans for busting balls---enviously---on Nebraska when they got the call to go to the Big Ten and not the Tigers.

So, now that I've revisited what I wrote Monday to attempt to prove I won't just side with Missouri no matter what...

...I think it's ghey that the Tigers won't play the Billikens.

So, if Missouri won't return SLU's calls, maybe the Selection Committee will take care of Saint Louis U's problem for them.

Remember 11 years ago when the Committee had Quin Snyder set up to play his mentor in the second round? They do that stufff. I could see them doing it again. And, I'd love it. Not by any means because I think it's a sure win for Missouri. I'd be pulling for the Tigers should that happen. But, I'd like to see Saint Louis U and the Tigers play on an annual basis. Maybe this would be the impetus.


Caller "The Real Big Al" Submits Pictures To Prove Something

The Real Big Al...not to be confused with the insideSTL Message Board Big Al who really gets under the skin of The Real Big Al...called into the show Tuesday---out of nowhere---to let us know he ran into Albert Haynesworth at Shiver on Washington Avenue this weekend. He informed us that he arm wrestled him and beat him.

Perfect.

So, for proof...he sent along this picture of him with Haynesworth:
 

And, for your own interpretation, he sent along a picture with Rick Santorum.
 

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