Missouri Athletics: A ‘Border War’ with Kansas thrives in the media
The decades-old “Border War” between Kansas and Missouri may not be played anytime soon, but it continues to thrive in the media.
At this point, I’m about as tired of writing about it, as you probably are reading about the ages-old “Border War,” a vitriolic series played for decades between Missouri and Kansas.
While there is no love lost between Mizzou and the Chickenhawks, there won’t be a series played between the two schools, unless they happen to meet in the NCAA Tournament, or Kansas somehow earns itself a bowl bid and is paired against the Tigers.
Recently, Kansas basketball coach Bill Self turned down Missouri’s offer to stage a resurrection of the series, just days after Mizzou AD Jim Sterk said he’d like to see the series resume.
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Kansas alleges that the reason they won’t schedule a series with the Tigers, is due to Missouri’s dumping the Big 12 for the SEC.
Meanwhile, programs Texas A&M, Colorado, and Nebraska departed the Big 12 and the Jayhawks have either played or scheduled games against them. I smell a double-standard.
Fans are split on whether the series should resume. Many agree that it makes no sense to schedule Kansas, as their football program is a perennial loser (not that Missouri has a great record to brag about), and the basketball program would likely wipe the floor with the Tigers (up until this year).
At the end of the day, some things should continue to thrive. Old rivalries never die, no matter how much we may will them to.
There are many rivalries across the country, and while those teams and fanbases might believe that they’d be better off without the rival, it still makes for great storylines and memories.
Among the rivalry royalty are the likes of Duke-Carolina, Michigan-Ohio State, Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Florida State, USC-Notre Dame…you get the idea. Missouri-Kansas deserves its place among the top rivaled programs.
The fact that Kansas uses a steadily weakening argument not to schedule the Tigers does the fanbase and their schools a disservice. I’m not advocating for the rivalry one way or the other, but some time-honored traditions shouldn’t have to die a weak death.