Each Wednesday, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond will answer questions from subscribers in our Tiger Mailbag. This feature will allow for longer, more in-depth answers than you may get on the message board on a daily basis. To have your question in next week's mailbag, send an email to Gabe at powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries:

Mizzou1086 asks: If Mizzou knocks off Georgia in week 2, is it a bigger win than Oklahoma in 2010?

GD: In my opinion, yes. There are a lot of doubters out there about Missouri at this point in time. The easiest way to silence some of them is to come up with a big-time win against a tradition-rich program that not many expect you to get. UGA presents that opportunity. Now, I will also say that these things, while often judged in the immediate aftermath, are best answered a few years down the road. Sure, Oklahoma 2010 was a big win. But in the end, it wasn't THAT big because Mizzou followed it up with two straight losses and didn't even win their division. So, while it was a big win, it didn't really mean that much in the end. They would have had a better season had they beaten Nebraska and lost to the Sooners. Georgia is a division game. If the Tigers lose that, at home, they have very little chance to win the SEC East. If they can win it, they've got a shot. So, yeah, I think it's a bigger game.

tigersf19 asks: Besides the Tigers- What opening weekend game has your attention?


GD: The biggest adjustment for me will be following SEC games more closely than any others. In the past, I've watched a ton of Big 12 football, but very little outside of that. The three early games I've got circled are Auburn/Clemson, Michigan/Bama and Vandy/South Carolina. With the Gamecocks and Commodores playing in week one, Missouri/UGA in week two and Mizzou/SC in week four, you're going to have a pretty decent idea of who the East favorite is before September is over.

trobone asks: What would mizzou have to do to get respect from other sec fans? Beat Georgia? Winning record?

GD: You know, I asked this of someone who covers the SEC a couple of weeks ago and they said, "If you want the truth, they'll never respect you." He said if you win a division, they'll say it was only the East. If you win the league, they'll say it was a fluke. If you win the national title, they'll ask when you're going to win your second. And he didn't mean it specific to Missouri. He said that's how it is around the league. I think to turn people's heads, Missouri needs to be in the top two in the East and win nine games. I think EVERYONE would consider that a heck of a season and it would outperform what most think. Because, honestly, this team could win eight games and never really beat a good team (assume losses to Bama, SC, UGA and Florida).



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