In other words if 40% to 60% of the starting line ups are good, we’ll have a good team. Such profundity!
Merry Christmas!
Gates is adding four VERY SKILLED players.
BTW, would the opposite of profundity be "it hasn't happened yet, so it won't happen"?
I'm not making a judgment on Gates or the players, I'm making a judgment on posters. Of course if we add 40% to 60% of skilled players to the line up Mizzou will have a good team. I'm quoting someone so the debate isn't about the number of players.
Another example: Pretty simple: Gates can recruit TALENT. But he is horrible at developing that talent.
Talent doesn't have to be developed, a good coach will develop potential into talent.
Now, one can debate if a mediocre player has or does not have potential - that is does he have potential that isn't being developed (either by the player, the coaching staff or both) or does he simply have no potential.
Now shifting gears, Mizzou gives a lot of playing time to quite a few players. He doesn't heavily rely on only six or seven players. Against Florida, 11 players had six or more minutes of playing time.
Since I made the comment about Gates being good at recruiting talent, but isn’t good at developing talent, I’ll respond. Words are important. We might be saying something similar. But when I refer to talent, I’m referring to more natural ability, or potential. Gates does a nice job of getting talented players here. Plus Gates has been able to land a few transfers who were talented AND developed when they got here (like Mitchell).
But what we don’t see much of, are talented (high potential) players who come here, develop their skills significantly and improve a lot over a year or two. Ant improved a bit from year 1 to 2. Mostly he just played a lot more year 2. But didn’t develop from year 2 to 3. We’re seeing Pierce potentially taking a step forward this year. But those examples are few. Typically if a player comes here, they leave here the same player.
It’s not as important today as it was in Norm’s day. But we do still have players here for 2-3 years. If Gates could really develop those players he’d have even more success.
Mizzou has won 2 SEC games in a row (at home and on the road) with a team less talented than their opponents. Their rebounding in those 2 games have improved a lot since the first however many games. Not going to argue whether Gates is developing certain types of players or if he's a good X's and O's coach but Mizzou is not going to be a pushover like most thought they were going to be.
ChuckMaynard wrote: ↑08 Jan 2026 08:00 am
Mizzou has won 2 SEC games in a row (at home and on the road) with a team less talented than their opponents. Their rebounding in those 2 games have improved a lot since the first however many games. Not going to argue whether Gates is developing certain types of players or if he's a good X's and O's coach but Mizzou is not going to be a pushover like most thought they were going to be.
The rebounding and the defense have both improved in the last two games. They are doing a much better job of staying in front of the ball for one. And a much better job of blocking out on the boards. And being physical.
ChuckMaynard wrote: ↑08 Jan 2026 08:00 am
Mizzou has won 2 SEC games in a row (at home and on the road) with a team less talented than their opponents. Their rebounding in those 2 games have improved a lot since the first however many games. Not going to argue whether Gates is developing certain types of players or if he's a good X's and O's coach but Mizzou is not going to be a pushover like most thought they were going to be.
The rebounding and the defense have both improved in the last two games. They are doing a much better job of staying in front of the ball for one. And a much better job of blocking out on the boards. And being physical.
Good post. Reading this thread, I was convinced this wasn't a 12-3 team with two huge wins.
One note on the rebounds: the big men are not getting them against better competition. Mitchell and Phillips each had one - yes 1 - rebound in the KY game. Frickin' Stone had 7.
Against FL - Mitchell and Phillips had 4 combined rebounds. Stone had 6.
How does Stone out-rebound those two big men 13 to 6? Pierce had 10 in those two games in far fewer minutes. A-Rob had 12 boards combined.
Crazy that these guards have so many more rebounds than the top C and FW.
ChuckMaynard wrote: ↑08 Jan 2026 08:00 am
Mizzou has won 2 SEC games in a row (at home and on the road) with a team less talented than their opponents. Their rebounding in those 2 games have improved a lot since the first however many games. Not going to argue whether Gates is developing certain types of players or if he's a good X's and O's coach but Mizzou is not going to be a pushover like most thought they were going to be.
The rebounding and the defense have both improved in the last two games. They are doing a much better job of staying in front of the ball for one. And a much better job of blocking out on the boards. And being physical.
Good post. Reading this thread, I was convinced this wasn't a 12-3 team with two huge wins.
One note on the rebounds: the big men are not getting them against better competition. Mitchell and Phillips each had one - yes 1 - rebound in the KY game. Frickin' Stone had 7.
Against FL - Mitchell and Phillips had 4 combined rebounds. Stone had 6.
How does Stone out-rebound those two big men 13 to 6? Pierce had 10 in those two games in far fewer minutes. A-Rob had 12 boards combined.
Crazy that these guards have so many more rebounds than the top C and FW.
Yeah, I noted that as well about Phillips especially. He needs to get more boards. But a big part of rebounding is having a nose for the ball, and I noticed last night Stone had that in spades. And he was athletically and aggressively pulling down boards. He and Pierce are giving this team a big lift. Pierce had 5 boards and 4 steals in 27 minutes.
ChuckMaynard wrote: ↑08 Jan 2026 08:00 am
Mizzou has won 2 SEC games in a row (at home and on the road) with a team less talented than their opponents. Their rebounding in those 2 games have improved a lot since the first however many games. Not going to argue whether Gates is developing certain types of players or if he's a good X's and O's coach but Mizzou is not going to be a pushover like most thought they were going to be.
The rebounding and the defense have both improved in the last two games. They are doing a much better job of staying in front of the ball for one. And a much better job of blocking out on the boards. And being physical.
Good post. Reading this thread, I was convinced this wasn't a 12-3 team with two huge wins.
One note on the rebounds: the big men are not getting them against better competition. Mitchell and Phillips each had one - yes 1 - rebound in the KY game. Frickin' Stone had 7.
Against FL - Mitchell and Phillips had 4 combined rebounds. Stone had 6.
How does Stone out-rebound those two big men 13 to 6? Pierce had 10 in those two games in far fewer minutes. A-Rob had 12 boards combined.
Crazy that these guards have so many more rebounds than the top C and FW.
Yeah, I noted that as well about Phillips especially. He needs to get more boards. But a big part of rebounding is having a nose for the ball, and I noticed last night Stone had that in spades. And he was athletically and aggressively pulling down boards. He and Pierce are giving this team a big lift. Pierce had 5 boards and 4 steals in 27 minutes.
