By Bob Priddy, Missourinet Contributing Editor
(SUPERMO)—Several football players from Missouri were in the Super Bowl Sunday and some will be wearing the big rings. The starting center for Seattle was Jalen Sundell, a Maryville native who played collegiately at North Dakota State.
Running back Jacardia Wright played three of his five years of collegiate football at Missouri State, where he rushed for more than 3500 yards and scored 33 touchdowns. He joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. He carried the ball five times for 20 yards in the ‘Hawks win over New Orleans in week three but was injured and finished the season in injured reserve.
Drew Lock is the clipboard quarterback behind Sam Darnold for the second year. He got into five games this year and threw three passes.
Mason Richman was a Blue Valley High School grad who went to Iowa for college. He’s a lineman who got into two games this year for Seattle.
Yasir Durant, an offensive tackle from Mizzou, was with the Chiefs and the Patriots before becoming a Seahawk. He was on injured reserve all season.
The Patriots had Mizzou’s Marcus Bryant as their number two right tackle/ Bryant, a seventh round draft pick, was in a dozen games for New England this season.
(MIZZBB)—Every game is a “must” for Missouri from here on out as they come off of two important victories, one on the road. They remain on the NCAA tournament bubble as we head into the final weeks of the season. Missouri’s win against South Carolina ups their conference record to 6-4 and their overall record to 16-7 with eleven regular season games to go.
Next up is Texas A&M, the top team in the conference at 7-1. The Aggies’ overall record is only slightly better than Missouri’s at 17-5. A&M was 25th in the coaches poll last week but is off the list this week.
(MIZZMIN)—Minnesota has helped Missouri in its run to the tournament. The Tigers beat Minnesota 73-60 early in the season. Minnesota gained stature by beating 10th ranked Michigan last week, and the elevation of Minnesota brings Missouri along with it. We could try to explain it, but to be honest, we don’t quite grasp the Quad thing.
(MIZZBAMA)—-If the Alabama Crimson Tide meets Missouri in the SEC tournament, the Tide will be without Charles Bediako, the 7-foot center who was allowed to play after spending time with an NBA G League. An Alabama circuit judge denied Bediako’s motion for a preliminary injunction that would let him keep playing. Bediako scored 14 points in ‘Bama’s 90-74 win last month.
(Bills)—The St. Louis Billikens have cracked the top 20 in the AP sportswriters poll. The Bills, 23-1, are 18th among sportswriters and 19th among coaches. Mizzou got zero votes in both polls. They’re in the top 20 for the first time since they reached as high as tenth in 2013-14. Their sixteen straight wins are the longest streak since the 2013-14 team reeled off 19 straight. The scoring margin of plus 23.3 is the best in the country. They’re fifth in scoring average—91.3. Their seven games ato100 or more is tied for the national league. They have an NCAA-best 31.2 defensive rebounds per game. Six players have double-figure scoring averages, one of three teams in the NCAA Division 1.
(BASEBALL)—Spring training is starting with Royals pitchers and catchers reporting tomorrow and the Cardinals pitchers and catchers due incamp on Thursday. Position players are due in camp Monday.
Fast Stuff—-
(NASCAR)—NASCAR’s biggest race will kick off the season Sunday afternoon at Daytona, weather permitting. Forty-five drivers/teams are entered but four will not be in the starting field. Qualifying to set the first two starting positions will be tomorrow with two short races Thursday that will set positions for the rest of the starting field. The green flag drops on the season at 1:30 our time Sunday.
Brad Keselowski’s broken leg, injured in a December 18 skiing incident, has healed enough that he’ll be able to start the race. His only win at Daytona was in the July race in 2016. He was NASCAR’s champion in 2012.
Five days out, the weather is iffy—41% chance of rain during the race’s scheduled time.
(INDYCAR)—–Mick Shumacher has finished his first test on an oval and says “one of the weird parts” was keeping his foot down when approaching a corner. The test was done at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a former racing site in the series.
Schumacher is the son of 7-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who won five F1 races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He drives for the team owned by Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and television personality David Letterman.
Pre-season testing for most of the other teams started yesterday on the Sebring road course with 23 IndyCar drivers turning laps. Marcus Armstrong had the fastest lap by a whisker over Scott McLaughlin. Alex Palou had the fastest lap of the day, running the course in a morning session.
The season starts March 1 with a race through the streets of St. Petersburg. Florida.
(photo credit—Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing).