And welcome to another episode of the woods waterer missou podcast I’m one of your regular co-host SK along me tonight as usual are case and Cole how y’all doing good how do y’all fellas I reached out through some DMs I kind of took over Cole’s role there while he was getting
His Jimmy Buffett on Welcome Back Cole but uh thank you thank you we have very special guests we have Mr Mory Bland Jr uh on the Pod with us uh Mr my welcome kind of introduce yourself tell everybody why you would be on a missou podcast yeah absolutely thanks keer and
Case and Cole for having me I really appreciate you guys I get a chance to see y’all from a distance so really appreciate uh the support y’all are giving us I think I remember y’all uh when y’all came over to Arkansas and I think y’all had a tent did y’all have a
Tent at the parking lot I didn’t get to that tent but I did see you guys y’all had some hot chocolate for our fans so very much appreciate it my name is Mari Bland and um I work in recruiting director recruiting uh communication and strategy and I I guess I’m on the
Podcast because we’ve been winning we’ve been doing some good things here uh what you I like that because we’ve been winning yeah exactly we’ve been win winning we’ve been doing some great things we’ve been killing it in recruiting uh finishing our 2024 class and so really excited to be on guys yeah
Hey we’re we’re very excited uh I got a little homework to do before we get too far into it I forget but we’re members of variety Sports uh appreciate them and everything that they do and we’re coming from your HomeField Studios go to HomeField shops in Great apparel
Entering code variety Sports and all caps for 15% off if you want to shop a little local go to our buddy Mr Mickey over at 573 T’s he’s created our Wilderness Brotherhood missou pod shirt going right now uh he’s got he’s got a bunch of missou gear uh I think he’s
Even running a chief special right now because once again they’re in the FC championship game I’m tired of it I’m sure you are too cold but hey whatever man it’s whatever he’s living High he’s living high but with that out of the way uh man it’s been
What like 11 12 days since we recorded So 10 days the last one went out yeah yeah I’ve been chopping at the bit to get on here and excited to have Mr Mor come on we’ll get into other missou sports after we cut him loose later in
The podcast but uh you know usually when football season’s over you kind of forget about it and you you start thinking about next year or your focus is on uh basketball or uh many other different winter sports going on but it’s just been hard to let go this year
Because this year was so special and Mr M was a big part of it um knowing the players he’s such a big role to the players off the field uh and getting helping getting them through everyday stuff and everyday problems and so I thought he’d be a great interview for us
And kind of see a different perspective to this past maou uh football season and also probably gets a little hype if he gets talking too much about recruiting for next year Well I tell you sker I appreciate that um first off I want to say uh I I I
Player develop I think AA Ellison our Player Development Department AA Ellison Chandler Campbell and Evan Bane they work hands on hands day in and day out uh with our players and they do a they take up a lot of time with our players uh more than me I tend to be more
Heavily on the recruiting side but I do try to make it my priority uh to be a part of our players lives every single day and you’re right uh off the fieldwise I mean you know obviously we judged by wins and losses but I believe the one thing that makes coach drink
With a very special head coach is that he tells everybody it is all our responsibilities uh to get to know our players and and and love on them and talk about things uh that are that are off the field you know I remember when I
First got here um in the spring and and and that’s something that that coach drink uh push and pushed and pushed get to know our players and so uh I’m I’m just doing obviously for me I think it’s to who I am growing up in the church in
Mississippi uh I think it’s who I am just just loving on people and I think that’s why I enjoy recruiting you know I enjoy recruiting Because I’m getting a chance to know people uh hear their stories know their backgrounds what they believe what they don’t believe get a
Chance to hear how they think how they see things and then give them a different perspective and a different way to look at things so uh my my role within our program obviously like you said some of it is dealing with our players uh off the Record and working
With them and and and managing their emotions and talking about family issues but a big chunk of my responsibility in the program is is to get to know those who are outside who we’re trying to bring into the Brotherhood I kind of have a question about that so lately drink quits has
Been uh using the same terminology you know just use loving on loving on the guys um when you go out there and you’re looking for maybe future players or maybe even right now when drink is looking for you know new defensive coordinator how important is it is it
Part of your guys I don’t know like checklist on recruiting someone where they have to be kind of open to um that kind of team philosophy like would they you know what I mean like you want to have good morale Good Vibes I guess only
Come in how big of that is that part of obviously you want someone who’s smart and or who’s very athletically gifted but how much is it is also like hey this is a good locker room guy he fits our culture he fits our love and style if
That makes sense absolutely case I think that’s a good question you know the biggest thing for us and that I was telling sker I think before you got on I think you put were you putting your baby to sleep too as well or good yeah put putting your baby to sleep
We were talking about that and the biggest thing that that coach drink talk about is the Brotherhood and I think that’s so important and I think the words and the words drink preached this year the Brotherhood the Brotherhood the Brotherhood culture C culture culture ultimately led us to Our Success this
Year and so when we’re looking at recruits and we evaluating them we we have fit that that’s an acronym fit T we have you have to be a fit for our locker room you have to be a fit for the culture you have to be a fit all across
The board and then you know the good thing that I think we do in the world of the transfer portal like coach makes us call everybody we calling everybody if you at one school we have connections there we’re calling School we’re asking them hey you know what do you think of
So and so so and so how is he for y’all and we get some some shaky reports we reevaluated and then move forward from there but it is so important because I think what coach drink did this year with our culture it’s very hard to get
The program to that point and and I don’t think it should be taken lightly for where we are as a culture and a Brotherhood standpoint I don’t want to speak too much but I love you said that because I I have mentioned on here and thought that multiple times the culture
It just seemed like besides the win like in the win and loss seemed like the locker room culture that this team gained this year was the big one of the biggest things of all because that that goes on multiple players you know you know graduating leaving or going to the
Draft it just seemed like it it visibly felt different from a fan side that this team was a little more together than you know Brotherhood was stronger than previous Seasons absolutely and and again I I think it’s hard to get it where coach has gotten it and so you
Know we we’ve got to continue uh to keep it that way and and and just make sure that we continue to judge guys who we bring in based on the the philosophy and and some of the preex that we have I think one of my favorite things that you
Know looking back on the season and like you said kind of from the outside of course looking in to not only the culture and the Brotherhood and all the things that you just mentioned but there’s to me there’s a couple things that go into that number one is maybe
The blessing or the curse of of social media right and with that comes the guys that are in the creative Department um you know Robert had Rob on at one point right listen he is Top Notch Rob is Top Notch he is that whole that whole team
Gordon and Patrick and Dean I mean those guys do a absolutely incredible job and it’s it’s awesome because it gives us from a fans perspective like the inside that mini movie might be the best thing to ever come to you know us as the fans for us to be able to yeah
Look forward to that every week I hope it’s something that continues um but it’s just such a such a huge part for us to be able to really see inside because that’s a lot of stuff that’s you know behind closed doors otherwise we wouldn’t be able to see that and it
Really helps you know especially now in the age of nil and you know active recruiting for you know that’s that’s y’all’s ballpark but from a fans perspective I go to think that we have maybe some sort of influence on that um and really the just as a whole the uh I
Guess outside perspective looking in this this past season was absolutely incredible yeah and I think a lot of that I think that was one of the coach drinkwitz you know goals and vision for this program was to bridge that Gap I mean the biggest thing in recruiting
From a recruiting lens everybody has to be all in involved and B and bought in what we’re trying to do as a program and so when you guys are getting a chance to see what we’re doing inside and you’re getting a chance to keep up with us recruiting wise like that tells our
Recruits football is a big deal here big deal and so and so those videos when you see those videos you see it and you connect it Columbia Missouri the state of Missouri this is your football team and and and this is a team that we
Want you to be proud of and so that’s what it’s about so it’s saying hey you see what we’re doing to get to this point y’all see the hard work the dedication The Blood The Sweat The Tears that Rob and Gordon and Dean and Patrick and all those guys put that together the
Storyline for you guys to see that so and then here’s another thing like not just like I said the recruits watch it I mean they were like hey Mar I saw the uh I saw when blah blah blah blah blah blah whatever whatever the case may be like
They wouldn’t have gotten a chance to see that got a chance to see coach drink with’s pregame speech about you know we’ve been down you know before yeah down in Georgia yeah yeah like we you know what I’m saying so from a recruiting standpoint I’m sitting here and I’m
Watching my head coach you know get me fired up and pumped up and I’m like [ __ ] I can I can see I as a recruit can see myself playing for a guy like coach drink you know what I’m saying and so that’s why it’s important to us that we
Continue uh to do the the move guys look I go on and on I don’t know how long y’all want my answers to Bey long you want you’re the guest so the the floor is yours sker I get very passionate about mou I get passionate about what
We’re doing I get passionate about our recruiting I get passionate about what coach drink vision is because it takes hard work to do it it takes hard work to do it we just come out of a huge weekend for you guys uh junior day at f I
Believe was Saturday and uh I want to know like did you just take him to the team meeting room turn the lights down low and start playing the many movies from start of the season to the end no we sker we we did show a few video clips to our recruit at Prospect
Our prospects uh but no we we didn’t have a lot of time to show them the full mini movie we gave them just a glimpse of it obviously you know it’s kind of like dating you don’t want to give them too much out r out of bullets but you want
To give them just enough you want to give them an appetizer so they can come back and and ask for more so that’s kind of what the the junior day but no seriously guys the junior day was awesome we had an incredible time we had some big time Talent on campus and I
Think the success that we’ve had this past season is allowed us to bring big- time Talent listen people want to play at missou I think coach drink said this um previous somewhere in I think in the middle of the Season where he said hey we’re calling we’re telling them no I
Mean like we’re we’re at that point you know and and and that’s a beautiful place to be and and so when you you got the top you got you know the top 10 offensive linemen in the country coming to see you I mean that speaks volumes
You know what I’m saying sir yeah uh and you know you talk about the success paying into that but I saw it on one of the uh backgrounds where recruits were taking pictures with drink and their family and it talks about uh five straight sellout to finish out the
Season oh yeah yeah so many games major broadcasted and it was so many millions of eyes on missou this year and you know it talked on the bulletin points of the season and when you when you see that and you look back at it as a whole like
It’s still hard to Fathom everything we just went through and we’re living on it through a podcast and as fans you’re living on it inside the program so I can only imagine the type of wild ride and probably how fast it flew by for you
And what what are you going to think uh 20 years from now when you think back on the 2023 Missouri Tigers team you know what I’ll think back I’ll think about you know I’ll think about what coach drink some of the things that coach drink preached you know staying
Together you know uh the Brotherhood I’ll think about the opportunity to come to Columbia Missouri you know I never thought I’d get a chance I think the guys I’m going tell you something I think the last time I watched missou football it was 2014 and I think I think Mississippi
State yes Miss I went to Mississippi State I’m G graduate Mississippi State I think missou was kind of new to the SEC and Mississippi State came into town I think it was pouring down raining do y’all remember y’all remember that y it was D yeah it was when D came to town
Right or was that 16 when that came yeah SK what’s on your mind sker you what’s on your mind sker oh I’m just listen to the story like he get he gets zoned in pretty easy so you got Hook Line a sinker yeah yeah and I and so I I I’ll
Think about you know for us to you know the last time I think we had that level of success was back back then I think 2013 we played for the SEC title 2014 we played for the title uh in the SEC you know from the East side and I think
That’s the last time I watched Missouri football and it wasn’t that I didn’t I did not like Missouri football I just I was so gung-ho Mississippi State Mississippi State uh that was my armor Mo and so you know but I’ll think about I’ll think about all the things that we
Did everything that people said we were not gonna do we did it we did it and then some and and and I and I’ll think about you know when I’m you know you know because I want I have aspirations of being in in football Administration I’ll
Think about you know what coach did for us as a staff in the spring that kind of that kind of planted the seeds for us to be where we were in the fall I’ll think about all those things and how special it was so do you think that’s
Something to do this current staff can replicate Every Spring to build these kind because you know say guys go out guys come in you gotta rebuild these things is uh I guess my fear is do we catch lightning in a bottle or is this something we can build build upon and
Those like you said those those seeds can be planted and grow stronger every year you know I think I think it’s like wine you know wine gets fine with time and I think coach drink what he did this year in the messaging that he had for us
As a staff even in recruiting what we’re preaching to our recruits what he what what coach drink is telling our coaches to preach to our players I think coach drink is only going to get better at that you know what I’m saying I mean coach drink has assumed the role a CEO
Head coach and so coach knows the messaging like I’m gonna be honest with you there were some times this during the season that coach drink has some me like I I church is a big thing to me I’m like coach coach come in there with some
With with a good messaging point or the motivation for this week and man I’ll be sitting in my seat and I’m like I about take off running I got the Holy Ghost Dance about to take off running because I’m like I’m like coach drink that is so
Great but coach as a CEO coach has time to be the the culture police he’s got the he’s got he’s got he’s got time to to to be the culture police to to to motivate us as staff to pour in into us uh I don’t remember your
Question Cole but I I got lost in that but but yeah I mean I like I think I think for us that it can it can continue to be done I really do I really do well it’s just something too that the the like that the fans have already bought
Into I mean you this is an old picture behind us but you know we had five straight Sals at for real um just absolutely incredible atmospheres I think the not just the football part of administration but the administration in general has done a great job that’s right Reed Fran
Sis has done an incredible job on you know improving game day atmosphere you know Tony Daniels done a great job as well abolutely it just it’s been it’s been really refreshing just because you know we didn’t see that with the previous coach you know I I live in
Columbia um been a season ticket holder actually since drink became head coach but been going to missou games as long as I can remember and this was the first time this season that you know you really saw and maybe it was the winning you know winning CES all um but it was
Really the first time that you saw everyone as a whole Buy in and like I said if it was if social media plays a huge part in that if it’s you know recruiting I think it really is truly a team effort um and I guess case I’ll answer part of your question just
Because I feel like I got answer to it I I do think it’s sustainable especially in this day and age of college football you know the transfer portal is to me kind of a blessing and a curse um you know you’re going to lose some you’re gonna gain some we’re gonna gain guys
Like you know Tyron Hopper and and Jaden Jernigan and you know really true key pieces um but you can also you know lose some that uh that maybe you weren’t prepared for but that’s kind of where I guess it comes back full circle and it
Comes back to the uh to the culture and the Brotherhood of this program that you know we didn’t have anybody we didn’t have anybody up and pop smoke before the uh before the bowl game and that’s that’s huge to me yeah and again guys I
I I don’t I I don’t want to keep over over talking about it but these guys I think coach drink instilled a culture within this football program that everybody leans on everybody and the foundation of this Brotherhood was built on L love love for the guy that is next to
You and I think the biggest thing that you know coach drink he’s got a few core values and one of the core values is enjoy the journey and I think us enjoying the Journey part of that success you know what I’m saying and guys it’s fun to win
It’s fun to go out and win it’s fun you got gold and black they coming out cheering screaming yelling people from every crack and cranny of the state coming down and see our football team the momentum that that brings I mean not only did I think we play for the Brotherhood within itself
But we play for people like you guys sker Cole and case and arrest our fans you know and we want to make you guys happy we want to make you guys proud you know and and and that’s what it’s about I mean without without you guys the fans
And the support we won’t get a good recruiting class again I’m GNA take it I’m G always take it back recruiting yeah AB we won’t get a good recruiting yeah we won’t get it recruiting class we won’t get a good recruiting class and so you I want you to know that that that
That it’s bigger than than than just you know hey I’m coming to a football game no you’re coming to see a Brotherhood a group group of guys that’s gonna play for each other gonna love each other other and then these guys this current Brotherhood again they gonna go out and
They’re going to go get potential guys that can come join his Brotherhood and so and and to keep that sustainable success that that we’re talking about I I was telling them uh that I don’t know if they could see it on the sidelines uh watching the Cotton bow game I I was
There for the game but you see the guys that had transferred or entered their name into the portal Jake Garcia was right there at the Brady cook the whole time um peanut Houston falling in with the receivers you know dabbing them up and all that DJ Westlock and the list
Goes on you know and guys that aren’t with the program but they were so bought in on the team this past season that hey they had one more ride with them and they were going to see it through and support them all the way through they
Weren’t just there for the free you know gift bags that they got leading up to the game they were there for for the Brotherhood and so I love to see that but can you kind of touch on on uh I’m sure we could all assume names you know
But uh with us losing some some big time guys of that Brotherhood from uh Hopper r k uh Javon Foster Xavier delado Cody shrer who who are some of the cornerstones to look forward to next year to continue that I mean I feel like Brady Cook’s GNA you know already be a
Captain again he’s already a two-time captain so I don’t see why I wouldn’t be a three-time captain and then um Theo whis you know we saw the the changes that he made in the receiver room through his leadership and uh I look for Luther to probably step up another year
But are there some other guys out there that you could probably uh that you’ve got an eye on to take that next step in leadership yeah you know guys I I I don’t want to get in trouble uh with drink so I don’t wanna I don’t want
To step I don’t want to step in that Lane but but I’ll just say this I’ll say this this is one thing that I will say the Brotherhood is going to continue to build on what we the foundation that we laid this past season and that and
That’s all I’m look and then I’m gonna drop M no I totally get it because it’s it truly is infectious like when you see when you see guys like that and you know I don’t know if we all High School football or not but if you think to
Maybe back when you were an underclassman and you had maybe that one or two key Upper classman players that you played with that you looked up to you’re kind of you’re pulling some traits and some characters you’re still like you said uniquely you but you’re also taking some of those those
Leadership values and some of those things that that person that came before you and still that you maybe saw success on um and kind of adding those putting those tools in your tool Bo so to speak um yeah and yeah I I don’t doubt at all
That we got some good dep at a lot of positions we’re we’re going to go do a roster breakdown nothing like that but I totally know what you mean you could definitely see a lot of guys um picking up that torch and and continuing to run
With it and and that’s the thing and I think guys that’s why we were able to do really well in recruiting this year is because guys see the opportunity that we have uh to be able to come and continue uh what what guys before them have done you know what I’m saying and
So the D robs of the world uh the J jernigans of the world you know the real is George the you know of the world you know the Javon Fosters of the world and so that’s that to me it’s it’s like a dominal effect and so um you know and
Then and then I just want to throw this out there too coach drink was probably one of the best uh recruiters I’ve been around most Relentless recruiters that I’ve been around uh from a head coaches perspective um did did this season in recruiting was really fun I’m telling
You now it was it was it was stressful at times uh we some of the guys that we recruited this for the 2024 class came down the wire uh but but we were able to push across and so I’m just telling you coach coach drink is probably one of the
Best head coaching recruiters I’ve ever been around period And I think that shows I think that shows without a doubt without a doubt yeah okay so before before I ask another question get you in trouble I I’ll transition to you personally I don’t want to get anybody
In trouble let alone you’re good no you’re good no no P he loves you guys you guys are good but you you said you have as you know goals and aspirations to get into football Administration so can you kind of talk about that and uh
If if you want to like what what exactly would that mean yeah so basically like a you know chap staff role and I you know you know Chief of Staff something like that working with our head coach directly and you know I work with our head coach directly now on a day-to-day
Basis uh from a recruiting perspective but more or less you know fundraising for our football program going out externally and and and carrying the vision and the messaging that the head coach have for the people who who have the checks you know the checks and to
Write them you know to write the checks and stuff like that so that’s kind of the goal for me uh longterm um I love recruiting Because it’s people and I think um that that part of it as well is people I think recruiting I can do recruiting now because it’s a young
Man’s game and I’m young and So within 10 years or so I’ll probably be like hey I gotta I gotta go with the old folks at and so um find me an office somewhere exactly exactly but uh no it’s people guys I love people I love people
I love working with people I love get to knowing I get love get to knowing people uh people’s background again it’s the foundation of who I am you know I I grew up watching my granddad bring in complete strangers into his house and feed them and ask them how they’re doing
Tell them about themselves and and all that kind of stuff being curi curious about other people and their past and how to what they do to get to where they are and so listen it’s a people’s business and I’m G be honest with you as long as I’m dealing with people and not
Having to sit in an off office all the time and just type in numbers and and stuff like that I think I’ll be happy regardless hey I like that answer I like that answer so uh you told us pre-show you’re from natches Mississippi we’re the woods we’re the woods waterer missou
Well for those that don’t know M natches Mississippi it’s sitting on a big Bluff right up against the Mississippi River so you know that water you know that fresh Mississippi catfish out of the H let’s talk a little bit about your Outdoors uh do do you have any passions
In Outdoors aside from Absol Saturday night absolutely I guarantee you if the coaching staff see this video they see this interview and they mention me and they hear me mention something about enjoying hunting they say man you don’t hunt you ain’t you you don’t hunt I said
But look and so I said no yes I do I’ve killed I’ve killed you know I’ve killed some deer in my time now obviously since I’ve climbed in this profession and been working in this profession uh I think uh I had been able to do it in a few years
But I love the hunt deer uh some of the players talked about they talked about taking me uh duck hunting with him and then and then hog hunting I I haven’t done that uh yet I want to try that I used to watch this show called the pig
Man uh Swamp People Swamp People the alligators I used to watch that and so I enjoyed I enjoyed that but uh those are some of the things I want to do and then I I like the golf I now I’m not very good at it but who’s keeping score right
I mean uh I just I just like to hit the ball and see how far I can hit it and tell people hey you see how you know but you know it might it might hook it might you know whatever but uh but I enjoy I enjoy I enjoy I enjoy being outside
Golfing and hunting for sure I got to disagree with you on one part you said you haven’t ever hog hun before but on Black Friday we saw y’all solder some Hogs hey oh yeah oh yeah hey that’s a good one no I’m tell you something that’s you’re exactly
Right we we took it took it to him for sure and uh yeah that that that hog was really good I’m trying to stay away from Court as much as possible but but I was able to to I was able to uh to to to
Excuse that one and so but that was fun guys oh my God that was fun that was just so fun uh what a what a special time it is to be a Missouri Tiger uh exciting unprecedent time being able to go and be Arkansas uh you know as long
As coach drink’s been the head coach here I mean that that was fun to go over there I mean that was that was pretty fun I actually drove over guys and and drove back so I couldn’t I couldn’t miss it I could not miss it I couldn’t miss
It man you say I me that’s awesome you know some deer hunting but you say yeah it’s hard to do now I bet is extremely difficult with your job and how much you are during deer season I could not work in football because no you can’t deer
Hunt man I mean I’ll honest I get I get some push back from my wife just because I’m going I got all the home games from zoo and then when we’re not at home games I’m trying to deer hunt you know out the the blind or out in the stand
And so man I I don’t know how you’d have time to do anything that time of year listen to me listen to me I’m gonna tell you something that’s something that I have sacrificed i’ I’ve had to sacrifice the time uh to do that now I know my dad
My dad sent me some you know deer that he killed you know and I’m like that I’m sitting here in the STA mean why you you sending me that but uh but no it’s it’s hard but you know what at the end of the
Day as long as I get a chance to eat the deer meat hey and I am taking hey guys if you I’ll shoot my address whatever so you guys me you give me c I’m not letting you off the hook uh case you you neither uh I like I want some deer meat
That’s got the cheese in it jalapenos you know all all thatp got so uh I’m I’m a Country Boy from Mississippi that love to eat deer meat hey hey go and tell them Mor they you know they’re they’re prob of the Missouri deer and there’s some good Missouri deer but that
Mississippi Delta it’s got too it’s got some deer too the biggest probably probably some of the biggest deer you see and and you know I hadn’t even seen to be honest with you well I guess I’ve seen a few deer I guess on the side of
The road but I hadn’t seen well yeah on my way to my house I’ve seen them in the yard but they’re not very big here and they were do but but but I’m used to like like you said like you said go ahead s say there’s big deer up here but
I think um you need you need to go like more more North and more rural you know okay yeah okay okay and the on here that I know you’re talking about they don’t they don’t get big by being stupid hanging out by the road they they get
Off the path you know what I mean exactly smart exactly well I tell you what Cole and case I know deer season is is it is it over almost over it should be almost over right it’s over for us here yeah well I tell you what guys I
Don’t care to go but I did like I said I’m definitely not going to let y’all off the hook and sending me some deer meat so I a well I’m taking my all we do all our own processing we do burgers and our own jerky and Select Cuts yeah um
But I’m taking what we don’t do ourselves to the processor next week so when I get that back I’ll for sure I’ll be knocking on that South End Zone door hey I got I got special delivery yeah come in yeah that be that’ll be huge that’ll
Be huge that’ll be huge I got you well Mr Mor we try to keep this under an hour and we’ve got other missou sports to talk and absolutely uh we greatly appreciate you coming on your energy is very contagious uh appreciate that we’re gonna have to get you back on uh
Absolutely many times again this isn’t just a onetime interview so I just want to get you on and get you introduced to those that aren’t aware Who You Are uh I hope I think everybody will enjoy it as much as I did so thank you very much thank you guys case I really
Appreciate y’all Co for the invitation and and I tell you it’s really exciting to be a Missouri Tiger it’s exciting to do what we’re doing and I want to tell you we’re doing everything we can to make people like you proud of us and that’s on the field off the field and
Recruiting and everything else in between so thanks guys for having me on you’re doing a great job hey go go unplug your social medias for anybody who wants to find you and absolutely so myh Twitter I’ll just give my Twitter my Twitter is Mari Bland m a
Y BL and D the number six okay the number six and that that that that’s an affiliation uh with my fraternity I play 5 Sigma fraternity at Mississippi State so uh it’s Mari Bland 6 all together and then you’ll find me on social media looking forward to connecting anybody
That wants to talk Mississippi football all right well you’re you’re a Mississippi guy but we’re going to sign you off this way m zou let’s go let’s go than you sir thank you Mar thanks man that was a hoot that’s awesome that’s awesome awesome uh you know you follow these
People on on Twitter and you get a sense of their energy a little bit but uh you can only put so much in 140 characters so yeah uh you know he’s he’s got a lot more to him than than what you see on Twitter and I look forward to getting
Him back on uh very soon but well since we last talked case uh Cole you avoided it uh I did I don’t I don’t blame you because it wasn’t wasn’t so good to talk about what we’re gonna talk about but basketball man it’s just uh it’s killing
Me man I want them to be successful bad it’s so bad it’s like a messed up uh it’s like what’s that what’s that bill Murr movie where everything’s the same groundhog man every game we we we’re competitive they’re not they’re not a bad team this isn’t this isn’t this team isn’t as bad
As a record shows but they just find a way to mess up and go cold and Miss shots at the most inopportune times that second half and they just fade the game away each time and it’s like clockwork you can take it seems like five minute
Spurts in each half and you can flip the channel because there ain’t going to be nothing done on of things it’s worth watching uh it’s very frustrating it’s not a lack of effort no uh you know it’s just I don’t know and I’m not sure that Dennis Gates knows what it’s what it’s
Going to take to get it right because it seems like he’s throwing everything at the wall right now with rotations lineups trying to get different players with other players on the floor and just hasn’t found something that clicks for 40 minutes I know something that is clicking that’s tomorrow
Well I was going to say that but how did no one else if what 36 36 vers Florida how did Shaun e barely show up how did you know Noah who has been scoring consistently like in the teens you know yeah he’s a couple 20o games as well
Yeah exact I’m saying he’s been consistently you can count on his scoring yeah it’s like why all a sudden this game is tomorrow the only one the ones that score the basket like I don’t know that’s the biggest thing forting because they are better than that they
They should have won that game pretty easily in my opinion yeah the biggest thing for me is looking at these games like you know you look at Kentucky that was I mean a anywhere from a six to eighto game for majority of the second half um Alabama was kind of the same
That kind of got broke open Florida South Carolina I mean all Georgia all these conference games that we’ve been playing since we’ve got into conference play have just been right there man and you’re way and you’re like okay here we we need a we need a 60 run we need a you
Know a 40 run just to get it within within one possession or force a couple turnovers but man it’s just it is not falling our way and it’s you know it’s frustrating for us I’m sure it’s incredibly frustrating for the players for Coach Gates you know it’s obviously
Not what they had in mind um for this season and you know the injury we got bit by the injury bug pretty bad um did you guys catch what uh Mike Kelly had said in an interview in regards to Caleb gr no he said he’s this is from coach
Gates said that he’s a better perimeter shooter than de Moy Hodge a better perimeter shooter than de Moy hodj that’s hard to believe now but Caleb Grill was definitely pre-last season when hodj came here I think that was a general consensus of college basketball that Grill was an absolute
Sharpshooter right what I’m getting at with that is you know go that kill that that’s that’s your difference in a lot of these games right there for sure for sure say he goes shooting 30% from the three-point line and 40% from the field I mean good Heavens that that
Could do wonders for this team right now but even even though we don’t know it’s true I just say all we do is we take the rest of the a sec mindset and hey congrats you beat us where our best player was hurt you got us on a down year congratulations
Rebuilding you know uh we’ll we’ll give you a golf clap but just no we’re coming back well gol I hope unlike Arkansas football that this down year doesn’t last a better part of my life yeah but you know it’s it’s frustrating because we we’ve all got ideas but we’re just seeing game
Action we’re not seeing practice we don’t know what these freshmen are doing in practice to earn their playing time on Saturdays um you know there’s there’s times when certain players get on and I mean there’s times I got to turn the channel otherwise I’m G be putting something on Twitter we probably won’t
Ever get another student athlete on as a guest if so I need I need to change the Twitter password to not let you in during the game so you then you can tweet heard that I know what you mean though ski I I got Channel sometimes too
Even it’s just like reruns of like American Pickers or something just because I’m like but I mean look looking at the schedule like it’s hard to just say like I’m writing them off I’m giving up because we’ve seen the fight we’ve seen the effort we’ve seen them be in ball
Games like I’m not saying they’re gonna make a tournament I’m not saying top four C like you know you all know I’m I’m Homer and I love stirring the Kool-Aid and drinking it if even if I’m the only one drinking it but I’m not saying any of that but this team still
Has a chance to kind of get it turned around but it’s not looking good they here’s the issue is they I think they’ve lost their sense of like how to win or what it’s like to win because man there these games they could have won and the
Longer you go without getting one of those knocked out and the W column the harder it is to find that this season so I’m not going to disagree with you I think if they if they come out and you know they beat South Carolina what is that game after next that’s that’s a
Pretty evenly matched team we’ve got A&M tomorrow uh andm is down from what they were predicted to be so that could be something that being they’re still more talented teams the secc but I look at South Carolina game it’s on the road I know we just lost to him at home I know
But man if they can just get one of these in the W column it might spark something like you said we prior make tournament but at least we can finish the season heads a little higher you know hey who who knows I mean we’ve you’ve seen it before to where a team
Starts out rough I think A&M last year started off terrible and they came on really strong at the end of the year if I’m remembering last season correctly so uh it it can happen you know just one win and maybe get a little Mojo going but uh Cole I asked the question while
You were gone and I think it still holds Merit like so you know we had the mini movies after every football win there’s 11 of them well the basketball program creative have started tww movies tigers with Attitude like little two three minute Clips yep they end the basketball
Season will they Eclipse 11 missou mini movies I hope not looking like it I really hope so and I do think it can happen for sure I mean I am the self-proclaimed CEO of the Positive Vibes only Club I do think it can happen um you’re I do believe that you’re right
As well that you know this team might feel a little lost um because it has been a minute since they’ve gotten one in the wind column but that’s the good thing about Coach Gates um is that he he’s put together great staff that I feel like if anyone can pull them from
The depths of you know the L column get them back in the wind column um it’s the staff for sure um it’s not going to be without any of the players not doing and executing the way that they need to you know playing the game that I know that
They’re capable of it’s It’s almost like every game we’ve had one player shine you know we have Shaunie shine one game we have Tomar bade shine one game uh one game maybe no one um you know everybody just kind of has a maybe 60 70%
Effort or so it appears um golly if we can just one get one complete team win to get us back on the right track then I don’t know maybe that’ll maybe that’ll change things up I’m just giving a plea to the fans don’t completely give up on them uh at
Least turn it on and let them ruin your evening instead of just give him a chance give him a chance as and some people are some people are gonna give up on it and that’s fine I mean you can’t you can’t force everybody to to want to watch it and if they want
To come back on next year when we got this top three or four or five recruiting class coming in then I guess we’ll let them back on but uh y’all y’all back me up on this I I do not feel it’s anywhere close time for people to be giving up on Dennis Gates
That no way absolutely not I know a lot of M Twitter is kneejerk reaction a lot of it is younger high school kids you know that just like flying off with their words which is fine social media is great because it gives everybody a platform but it’s terrible because it
Gives everybody a platform including me so but don’t don’t give up on him and the staff uh you know there’s there’s a lot of promise with the future of the program under the leadership of Dennis gase and Y young um I think that’s about all we can say on basketball as far as
That goes uh women’s basketball we called them out on the last show case and they kind of started playing a little bit better yeah uh but then they did drop their Sunday matchup against Kentucky so hopefully they found a little something and they can continue that through the rest SEC play it just
Wasn’t wasn’t looking good for them either when we came on and recorded last time uh wrestling they have not had another meet they did end up skunking uh Stanford we were given lab update on that the podcast yeah and uh I believe they they’ll have another meet coming up
This weekend I don’t have it pulled up in front of me I think they go to West Virginia and they’re going Coast to Coast yeah so yeah they’re going to to West Virginia to battle them which is another top 20 perog is that correct yep
I think so I’m pulling up right now but um the big no certain man Noah certain is having a good season he’s having a good year man’s fire he’s firecracker I heard someone in a uh someone in interview call him I think coach Smith calls him the spark plug for for the
Team because you know of course he’s most time he’s going first and most times he’s he’s getting a win so yeah he’s he’s kind of the spark plug for the team and gets them all revved up and hey man Noah keep doing your thing hey how about how about this so today’s coaches
Poll come out for college wrestling and we we have 10 weight classes that start for each meet or dual uh whatever there and all 10 of our guys are ranked inside the top 25 of their weight class that’s pretty awesome and several top 10 I’ll
Just go and write them off real quick no certain at 125 is number six wrestler Cade Moore 133 is the 24th wrestler Josh Edmond uh a guy I see a lot of promis in um who who’s I think there’s a lot of potential getting untapped as the season goes on
In 141 he’s ranked number 20 Logan geofrey I’m apologize if I get your name wrong GI I think it’s geofrey not like jofrey from Game of Thrones but I heard it pronounced G Offrey by someone from inside wrestling so well he’s he’s in 149 uh weight class and he’s number 11
Wrestler here on out we’re top 10 if not top five uh Brock merer 157 he’s number five wrestler in that weight class Keegan oul any guess at what he would be I mean numero whoo yeah pton m pton m even though he’s been banged up for a few matches this year he’s still
The number four wrestler in the 174 class Clayton whitting at the 184 number nine then you get to the elim brothers to finish off each meet and you got rocky at number three in the 197 and Zack finishing it off in the 285 at number four wrestler in the coaches SP
So that’s that’s a stacked roster right there yeah what do you guys think is the hardest weight class for a for a Collegiate athlete you think it’s that 184 I I don’t think there’s one there ain’t none I know I probably have 70 pounds on nowhere right now and I don’t
Want to go in on the M with him he would roll my ass up in heartbe so I’m not saying one’s easy one’s hard oh golly yeah I don’t know I don’t I I agree with ski I don’t think anything really stands out too much but well I’m just thinking
From like you know okay back when I was between 18 and 22 years old like okay I’m a sui way and obviously I’m no division one athlete by any means but you know you got to think most guys fall within that like maybe 170 to 190 category so I mean I’m not surprised
That our our 184 guys that number what nine I think he said right yeah um but man still for for everyone to be in that uh in that top 25 range that is super impressive I think it just goes to show what coach Brian Smith has has
Done as a program and you know we talk about the culture that has built on football you definitely see it on the tiger style side uh for for the University as well and then gymnastics I don’t think Lindsay’s quite ready to come on and do a gymnastics
Minute but uh I’m work I’m working on her still I’m still we’re still working on Lindsay since we uh last talked they were number three and I think they had to go uh against Florida correct and they lost that they lost the lost to uh
Bama Bama B and I I watched that with Lindsay and uh I I felt like some bias judging on on Bama’s side there that was last Friday or Friday before last right and this past one was uh Georgia Georgia Road win in Georgia yeah that’s huge and we’re we’re
Back in the top 10 again because after losing abama we fell I think to 12th and I think now we’re ninth on today’s rankings so uh still a lot going on there and then I wanted to get on we put out a poll today and it was something we
We kind of put out or we started texting over the weekend about uh we got a follow on our Twitter account of James Franklin and I said he you know he probably had the biggest win in missou history beaten uh or he was he was or
Gabber I see how I don’t remember how the text got talking about started talking about quarterbacks and then I something about bla Gabbert and you said he had the biggest win in program history yeah and then that’s how I was like I disagreed I thought it was 07 uh
Versus KU Arrowhead and so that’s how we get on that topic okay the poll agrees with you as I figured it would because the hatred of of KU uh and getting to the number one ranking was big what sucks about both of them is as as great as each win was each
One was followed by a loss the following week absolutely if that’s not been our missou fandom hang most of our Lives I mean I don’t know what else is but uh my My reasonings for OU I mean how many times had we been knocking on the door of beating number
One yeah and that was the you know I think to my knowledge the only time we’ve beat number one now they weren’t AP number one I don’t think we’ve ever beat the number one in the Associated Press poll I think they were coaches poll number one that
Week so but you know all the the kick six and fifth down like you have all these moments in missou history that stick out of being that close and that was the time we finally kicked the door down now I will say without the ‘ 07 win
Against KU 2010 win against OU probably doesn’t happen yeah um both were game day that’s kind of cool yeah col game was at both those games so I mean they obviously were big um I don’t know and I guess I’m not taking anything away from that win versus u i I’ve remember
Watching that game that was massive to me um but I mean we had a national championship appearance in our SES after that win versus KU and that that to me is pretty big now as you mentioned we uh fumbled that away but um man I after
That KU win I really did feel like we were going to The Natty like that that at the time that felt massive 07 kind of sit sour on me just for the fact we didn’t get the BCS bowl and KU did yeah I get it well BCS is
Dead so theyve on that you were at the KU game 07 correct yep it was I sure was that I was at the OU game so that probably pays plays A Part a little bit of bias I watch the thing about O7 to me was I mean let’s see I’m trying to think
How old I was skiers can make you feel old you’re probably able to buy beer at that point but not me uh let’s see I was 15 I think not till December of 07 I wasn’t legal to buy beer okay so you’re close you probably had a beer before um
Anyway yeah man 15 like going I’m not even you guys know I’m not even a Chiefs fan but going to an a soldout arrowhead you know for a whatever it was two versus four matchup or three versus four all I know is that we won that Todd
Reesing picture is hang in the Lou man l to say it it that’s that one gets me just because like you said I was there um had I been to 2010 OU I don’t know I might be a little bit different but as of right now to win to get the number
One to have a iconic Sports Illustrated which rest in peace Sports Illustrated uh cover out of it um that one’s that one’s got a special place man that was seven was crazy uh I live in Kansas City and so you get a lot of those two teams
You know here I I remember I remember sitting at the lunch table the Friday before the game and majority of my friends were Bou fans two of them were KU fans and we were just the crap talking going on at that lunch you know between some I don’t know seventh or
Eighth gr I can’t remember old I was a junior high for sure but man the crap talking going on between us was crazy and then you know that’s before social media that was before I I distinctly remember mou won that game and I had a I had a slide Nokia phone I remember
Sliding that bad up and texting both them and being like a sucks the suck Tiger’s that was like my first ever experience with like post game going to receipts you know what I mean that’s right it uh I still the ticket stub from 07 oh you have you yeah it’s a great
It’s a great keep see like kind I hate or I hate I hate KU like I hate KU I I see somebody with that blue and R combo and a jhawk on them I don’t like that person automatically like I’m walk if they got to say something to me I’m
Pissed off just having to hear their voice and seen them colors but being raised in Southwest Missouri and part of my town was in Oklahoma like I know way more OU fans than I ever knew KU fans so I think a big part of it’s just where I
Grew up regionally you know uh as far as that so but I think we could almost throw the cotton bow in there for biggest win program history and I think this season we might have a background for why the Cotton Bowl was such a big win there’ll be a better follow-up story to
It absolutely no doubt no doubt both kbo wins it’s funny you say that because I don’t think I don’t think many if anyone would say that this season is better than 13 or 07 but the bowl game and the bowl win might have been better than both those SE Seasons because we got
Kind of snubbed in bowl games in both those times you know um it’s funny because all three were the cotton ball but uh but you know the cotton bow has gained more Prestige uh in recent years so but it is funny like this is the best
Bowl game win out of those three seasons well I want to do a quick shout out real quick uh I went up in Northwest Arkansas this weekend as y’all saw on the social media on Twitter and went watched uh Friday night’s win against Arkansas and hockey and then Saturday’s defeat but
Coach Bob buer uh I think I’m saying that right but was a great guy gave me a lot of his time uh talking question or answering questions that I had for him and we’re gonna get him on the podcast I learned a lot of things about the Missouri hockey club
And you talk about some dedicated athletes and the cost and expense that falls on them because they are not a school like allotted sport school spor funding the name right yeah it is personal funding and fundraising yes uh that’s I it completely opened my eyes uh to another another whole realm of
College sports and how all that works he wasn’t complaining by any means but uh I I did think it was pretty cool to get to see them for for one I mean I’ve kept up with them over the last couple years through social media page but that to
Actually get to watch them it’s kind of chippy there uh both games there’s even right before the handshake line after the Horn uh went off Saturday there’s some squirms you know between some of the players and you know the marasol players ran their mouths a lot for a team that
Lost three times to one in that season season series this year so uh if they get to match up again in the playoffs watch out because there might be some more blood boiling over there what a better sport to have uh what a better or
Is there a better sport I guess to have a a chippy series like that than hockey because they can actually fight so you know they actually get after it but I do want to say 573 teas was undefeated Friday night Nike the Lost Saturday so if you ever needed a reason to shop
Local there you go go go support Mickey at 573 got some uh yeah well I mean while you’re on the top at 573 and this will be the last thing I got then we can cut everybody loose um I went in to to the brick and mortar saw Mickey got my 573
T’s shirt I’m just waiting on the gold hoodies to come in yes I am gonna get a gold um a gold hoodie so I don’t need another black misso hoodie because I have a ton of those already but um he’s got some pretty cool things for for student athletes uh N Stuff
Coming out the pipe that’s all I’ll say because I don’t want to ruin anything but um yeah keep an eye out for some pretty popular uh athlete and aisle stuff shop local Mickey we we can’t say enough about you brother we appreciate you making that shirt
Um and yeah look forward to getting you back on the podcast soon shout out to Zack Parnell or Parnell he was our our winner of the giveaway that hey Mickey funded that himself to help us celebrate 100 Subs on YouTube so if you’re watching this on YouTube please sub because it does help
Us like comment that helps us pop up on other people’s feeds uh but also 1500 followers on our uh Twitter Cole I don’t know how many we’re up to on Instagram we’re growing we’re growing for sure um when in my you know Jimmy Buffett era um
The content kind of slacked off a little bit sorry guys but uh I’ll get back on it now that now that vacation season’s over until April and yeah we’ll get we’ll get back to it all right fellas well appreciate youall coming on appreciate Mr Mari blang coming on as
Well that was a great interview and look forward to getting to talk with him again in the future uh we’ve got more guests I mean honestly when we say and talk about guests when we’re messaging each other it’s like we don’t have enough weeks to get like I know we’re
Like trying to get L as well like right now and that’s that’s the problem right now it’s finding time to fit everyone in yeah good thing about growth man it’s a good thing about growth y it is and uh Eli drinkwitz we know you’re gonna be watching because Mr Bland told us
So I’m be taking some de I’m GNA take uh I’m gonna take drink with some summer sausage and be knocking on his office door saying hey here you go drink will always find time for you well we will clear the schedule to put you on let’s go ahead real real quick I feel
Like we’d be failing our audience if we don’t talk on this unless y’all need to go I know we’re we’re at the hour mark But the DC hire it is he is keeping them cards tight in his hand yeah wi fully expected when case and I signed off uh
11 days ago to have news by now that’s why we we an emergency show there’s nothing more than rumors right now nothing more and even those are fizzling out pretty quick yeah they are I we might as well go ahead and talk about what the rumors have been it’s a
Gri or gri out of uh Miami that was a name that popped up which I was kind of excited about I was too that fizzled out today very quickly yep DJ Durkin I’m not excited about I and those are fizzling out which I’m very happy to hear um who
Else oh the Cal defensive coordinator I don’t know if you guys pulled up or not yep uh I’m not I’m not excited about that one not excited about that at all in case you and I are in the same boat and sker you might be too promote DJ
Smith and get it over with be done yeah he talked about the Brotherhood Mar just talk about he’s bought in he is a big part of this he’s been here since Drake Came Here uh man yeah promote him promote him I just saw a ton of pictures
With a ton of defensive recruits the DJ Smith is right there actively recruiting these guys so just remember when uh Steve wils left I feel like they promoted Blake Baker from safeties coach to defens Corner within six seconds of wils leaving yeah what the hell is going on this
Time I think I did read today in a rockim article that is two weeks before Baker and DJ Smith were announced as co-coordinators after wilps left it don’t seem like it but that’s what I read in an article I do maybe I do like that he’s not being
Rushed uh and making a bad choice hopefully you know I know I know time will tell in hindsight we might say hey got the wrong guy but I I do like the fact that he’s he’s keeping it to a very limited number of people that actually know anything for sure for sure it’s
Impressive to say the least it is like loose I mean loose lip SS ships so you know you don’t want a bunch of names flying around I may so weird this area not have with in the world we live in it seems like names get floated constantly
Like you can’t you do anything without stuff getting leaked so I just don’t understand how it’s so tight yeah I’m willing to bet people at rockim Nation St Louis Post Dispatch uh Columbia tribun Tribune uh Gabe di Arman like they’re probably frustrated to be on all end at this search and just like
Grasping at straws of any information that they can get and hope that their source is semi-reliable yeah on a name that they’re getting so they don’t look like you know a clown suggesting anybody but this is it’s impressive uh the way he’s doing this and it
Also you know Mr my kind of touched on it where drink bringing in Kirby Mr maray talked about how that you know he’s the CEO of the football team now yeah and so without him hiring an OC we don’t get that year and it’s not because of his play calling but we don’t
Get that environment we don’t we don’t get that that drink because he’s so focused on quarterback battle and play calling and scouting and watching film and all that and so I trust him and his decision making uh as far as going out and hiring the right guy that fits what
He’s looking for in the person the coach and his history yeah it’s been uh had it been two weeks today yeah no a little two weeks in a day that’s what it’s been because we did the emergency Blake Baker one on a Sunday night Monday night Friday night Friday
Night I don’t know what day is it a while ago it a while ago and since then he’s took Kevin peoples with him which we I think even case alluded to it on our last episode like H peoples is is staying because they just went and hired
The guy out of Texas yeah LSU is spending some money they you better get some wins next year because uh hopefully not that that fan base is not going to be happy spending that kind of money and not getting results yeah you think they’d be happy with the 33rd ranked defense after all
That that would be still be happy if uh Blake Baker was still here so I’d take it I’m just saying that like just I just think that’s a that’s a lot to spend resource wise I’m not saying bers AR worth the higher I’m just saying that doesn’t that seem like an insane amount
To spend on that well what were they before like 120 something sure right it’s it’s like 90 spots better I guess it’s it is wild though yeah it is it is all right fellas well greatly appreciate you all coming on uh Mr Mari uh Mr
Mickey at 573 t’s for all you do variety Sports go give them uh some subs on YouTube as well at variety Sports Network on their YouTube Channel and then we’ve got some other stuff that we’re working on that is looking like it’s going to be launched in April that
We’re uh we’ll have news to come out with we’re still G to be part of variety sports but it’s a a growing podcast for us here and we’re I’m thrilled and excited for it so appreciate our listeners everybody have a great week and as always m i z z o
U go Tigers I’ll take care
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