Eric Beisel: Mizzou belongs in the SEC and Kansas is afraid to play us
SEC Media Day was good to Missouri fans. While Barry Odom offered his thoughts on the defense and recruiting, linebacker Eric Beisel gave priceless quotes.
I’m not sure where the Missouri Tigers found him (Arkansas, I know), but on Wednesday, linebacker Eric Beisel kept the media buzzing with more of his priceless quotes.
Earlier in the day, head coach Barry Odom got right to the point with his talking points on the future of the Missouri football program, recruiting, Drew Lock, defense, and Damarea Crockett.
Later in the afternoon, the comic relief and ‘flame fanning’ was provided by Beisel. He also doused the doubts of naysayers who have loudly boasted that Missouri doesn’t belong in the SEC.
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"I was just asked if Missouri belongs in the SEC — dang right we belong in the SEC. We’ve earned that respect. I’ve played for four teams here, and two of those teams went to the SEC Championship. We’ve had two down years, but we fully expect to get back to the top. I want to avenge the legacy. We want to attack the line every single rep, one play at a time. We’re focused on summer ball right now, but we do have high expectations for this team and for this season. Perfection is the goal, and greatness is the expectation."
The last time that Beisel made such a profound statement, was just before Mizzou took the field against “Ar-KANSAS,” as the Tigers’ middle linebacker proclaimed, and Mizzou rallied from a major deficit to defeat the Razorbacks.
Bad news for the doubters: Mizzou is here to stay. While the Tigers haven’t fully taken on the prototypical SEC image, they have shown what they are capable of, having won back-to-back division titles in their first five years.
His interview with the media took on a humorous tone, as reporters continued to “poke the bear.” When asked about the Tigers’ rivalry with Arkansas, Beisel did a little bear poking of his own, but was not as quick to respond as he was a year ago, stating (with a smile) that geographically, that team down south will always be below us.
"Like I said, I can’t say much on that. I will say that that team down south will always be below us — at least geographically, they will always be below us. It just seems like we get all the top Arkansas recruits here. So, I don’t know how productive that would be, so if (they) want to play powerhouses like Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Parkway Central, guys out of those — you know, Ezekiel Elliott, guys like that. Let’s make it happen."
Beisel was then asked his thoughts on Kansas refusing to play a game against Missouri. Beisel responded with what many Mizzou fans have thought, as well: “It’s a shame that they’re afraid of us, both basketball and football.”
"I don’t think it’s just Missouri. I don’t think anyone likes Kansas. It’s a shame that they’re afraid to play us, both basketball and football. We’d like to play them, but it’s just personal."
While Missouri’s basketball program has been downright beatable the last couple of seasons, the Tigers gave Kentucky a run for its money last year, and after this year’s windfall in recruiting, Mizzou looks to dominate any team that crosses its path.
While the football program has experienced a couple of down seasons, it probably still would have mustered wins over Kansas.
As if his commentary channeled Kansas, basketball coach Bill Self offered his own thoughts on the possibility of Kansas playing Missouri again – just probably not on his watch.
"I’m sure there will be a time where Kansas and Missouri play again. I don’t know when that time will be. I do think that I caught the majority of the attention initially when I said, ‘They left us. We don’t have to play them. I was probably the only one quoted with what everybody else thought."
Not surprisingly, Self continued to slough off the blame elsewhere, stating that the decision isn’t up to him, and he’s correct – there is an athletic director and involvement from the chancellor, but he also gets a say in the decision.
Next: Highlights from Missouri's SEC Media Day
When asked if he regretted not having a chance to play the Jayhawks, Beisel stated, “Not really. I don’t want to waste my time.”