Morning Zou 7-13-2011: Remembering Aaron O’Neal, Marcus Denmon Talks Hoops, Jon Hamm Talks Football

Again, you guys have no idea how much I hate doing “morning posts” consecutively. It’s been a slow week to say the least. If you want to get some real analysis, be sure and check out Jack’s preview of the Baylor Bears. Onwards!

Image via Spencer Kane (@SpencerKane) on Twitter

Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of Aaron O’Neal’s death.

First and foremost, read this quick little column by Dave Matter on O’Neal.

We chatted for a few more minutes. A few hours later, Bunton sent me an email. The brief mention of O’Neal stirred up some strong emotions that will always linger and probably never settle. He said comparing Newsome to O’Neal is “the ultimate compliment.” He went along with Newsom on his unofficial visit to MU in early June, and to be on MU’s campus with another young linebacker was a surreal experience.

I didn’t actually hear word of O’Neal’s death six years back, but his legend has certainly grown with the tradition of always having a different Tiger football player wearing a number 25 jersey. Even though you may have never actually known him, it’s always nice to send a prayer that way, especially this time of year.

Marcus Denmon chats with PowerMizzou.

Denmon, the soft-spoken guard who is more or less one of Mizzou’s most important leaders for the coming season, if not the most important player, talked to Gabe DeArmond for the PowerMizzou feature Summer Sessions (it’s free. I would know because I don’t/can’t subscribe to PowerMizzou).

PM: That team you were on as a freshman gets to the Elite Eight. Did you think at that time it was going to be that easy every year? And since it hasn’t been, do you appreciate a little bit more what that team did?

MD: “Definitely. I feel that we really had a good team my freshman year. Probably the best team. You can say this. I mean, obviously we had the most wins in school history, so we had a lot of shoes to fill coming into my sophomore year as well as my junior year. So this year is gonna be a really big year. I feel as a team leader and one of the team captains, it would really be a special season for us because of all the seniors we have. I feel that we’re a lot like that team. We have the core guys coming back with a little bit of some new people, players coming in as well. I feel that we’re really going to try to take off and have a really good year.”

The Tigers haven’t exactly been short of characters in the last few years, and for every quirky and outspoken guy like Kim English or Mike Dixon, there’s always the humble and careful speaker like Denmon. Personally, I know I’m going to miss all of these seniors when they’re gone, no matter how good or bad the final season is. Whatever happens, I’m sure Denmon will either be at his level of production from last year or he will surpass it. I don’t need to question his work ethic towards basketball after seeing the improvements over the last three seasons. Combine that will more rebounding and better shooting percentages from a certain guard from Baltimore and we have ourselves a Sweet Sixteen contender (sticking by that prediction until we’re out of the tourney, not in the tourney at all, or in the Elite Eight).

Jon Hamm discusses missing College Gameday, watching sports, and his fancy new beard.

Arguably one of the biggest stars attending John Anderson’s recent charity golf tournament was ‘Mad Men’ star and Missouri alumnus Jon Hamm. As one would expect, Hamm was the one that got a lot of attention from the crowd. Dave Matter was one of the people who got to chat up Mr. Hamm, and most of the talk revolved around football, specifically Mizzou football, and more specifically that one game where we beat Oklahoma on national TV and set a record for attendance at ESPN College Gameday. Hamm was originally supposed to make an appearance, but ultimately did not show, and he definitely regretted not being able to make it.

“I was trying to come in for it and I had to bail out at the last second,” said Hamm, who begins shooting the fifth season of “Mad Men” in a couple weeks. “Somehow it wouldn’t work out. I had something to do — I don’t know what it was — but it was something I coldn’t miss. It bummed me out. I knew it was a real special moment. I ended up watching it on TV and it looked like everyone was having a pretty good time.”

As seen in another quick post by Matter, Hamm discussed a few other things like being able to fit Mizzou and NFL football around his busy schedule, an independent movie he is making with his girlfriend, getting a break from the drama of ‘Mad Men’ by working in comedy, and his shaggy new beard, which he may or may not have grown for the purpose of the show he stars in, which he begins filming the fifth season for in the near future.

● Hamm is sporting a thick, dark beard and I asked if it’s a personal grooming choice or for an upcoming role? Perhaps Don Draper has gone grizzly? Hamm cryptically dodged the question. “I thought it wasn’t going to be hot enough, so I wanted to wear a black shirt, long pants and a beard,” he said. “That might really put me over the top.”

Nice try, Mr. Hamm. It looks like Don Draper has gone off the deep end and is too depressed to even shave (I actually haven’t seen one episode of ‘Mad Men,’ but I would pick it up just for the sake of Hamm having ties to Missouri and being incredibly handsome). Or maybe Hamm just likes showing off his ability to grow facial hair. I know I’m jealous. *sadly goes off to shave peach fuzz*

Today’s bit of Breaking Bad excitement is a song used in Season 3 called He Venido. Put it on your iPod.