Each week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond takes questions from Tiger fans. The mailbag allows for more in-depth answers than posts on the message board. If you didn't get your question in this week, wait for next week's installment or send your question to Gabe at powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries:

MizzouMule asks: Does ex-AD Alden ever attend the current basketball games at Mizzou Arena? He is responsible for this mess.

GD: I honestly don't know. I haven't seen him, but I haven't looked for him. I would imagine he goes to some games but probably also keeps a pretty low profile. Mike certainly has a vested interest in how Mizzou does, but has also been very respectful that this is Mack Rhoades' department now.

MagicMarkus asks: As asked in the other thread, did Alden tell CKA about the horrifically low APR before hiring CKA?

GD: None of us has specifically asked Kim about this. I would assume it's a question any candidate would want addressed if it wasn't brought up. I've got to believe Kim knew the situation when he came in, but again, he hasn't specifically been asked.

eatmyownboogs asks: You posted earlier this year about Harbaugh: Yes, I do think coaches are overrated. I don't want that to come off as saying they're meaningless. "I don't think that. But I think there are very few guys who can take their own team and beat yours and then take yours and beat his. At least not consistently. As far as Harbaugh, right now, Michigan is a game better than it was last year. The difference is this year they beat BYU and last year they lost to Notre Dame. Let's see where the Wolverines stand after a three-game stretch against Northwestern, Michigan State and Minnesota before we outfit the coach of the year trophy in khakis"

Couple that idea with the fact MU basketball is going through 12 years of coaches and futility are you slowly coming around to the idea that finding a good coach is the most important thing in college sports?

GD: I haven't changed my thoughts a whole lot. I think coaches are a piece of the puzzle, but I also think coaches that win a lot tend to have better players. I will say that I think game day strategy, playcalling, etc, are more important in football than basketball. I think being successful in college basketball is at least 75% (and probably more) about recruiting well. I believe people overestimate the impact of a coach specific to strategy and game day. It doesn't mean I think they're unimportant. It just means that I don't tend to think they're as important as a lot of people do.

BTWR asks: Norm had 3 eras where he was very good.

Willie Smith era, Stipo/Sundvold, 87-94' - Detroit Tigers, Cheivous, undefeated team. Bob Sundvold was a very good recruiter. Rich Daly was the "ace". Kim replaced Bob and the recruiting tanked besides Daly's guys. Mizzou went from blue-collar guys like Church, Sandbothe, Warren and were replaced by Schumacher, Rowan, Combs, and Murdoch. Do U think Kim was the major factor in Norm's decline ?

GD: Honestly, I didn't follow it as closely during those eras as I do now, obviously. So I'm really not qualified to say yes or no. It's not an unfair question probably. I'd also say there was another thing that had an impact from at least 1987-94: NCAA violations. Missouri got in some trouble during that time. As far as I know they didn't in the previous two "golden eras" and I don't profess to have any idea how closely they followed the rules during those time periods. But to answer your specific question, I really don't have any idea.

mugamer asks: Historically, who from those employed by the university at any point, would make your top 5 list for "Most Damaging to the Mizzou Athletic Department"?

GD: Again, I don't think I have the background to answer this question. From what I've heard, Babs Uehling should be an unquestioned number one, but I never knew anything about her or had ever really even heard of her until I started this job. I don't think Elson Floyd did Mizzou a lot of favors when he was here athletically. If you want the truth, I'll echo what my dad said a few weeks ago and contend that Missouri's biggest problem has pretty much always been an over-involved Board of Curators that too frequently hasn't understood it should stay out of the way and rubber-stamp athletic department decisions rather than being involved in making any of them.

ghoffman33 asks: If you reached out to Romar and he was interested, coupled with his opinion that he can land both Porter brothers do you make that hire?

Also, who will you be voting for on March 15th in the Presidential Primary?

GD: I'll go in reverse order. If you made a list of questions there's no way I'd answer, who I'm voting for is at the top of the list. As far as Romar, I need to KNOW if I hire him he's getting Porter. No doubt about it. And I'm still not positive I hire him. I don't think I'd hire a guy based just on getting Michael Porter. So I guess I'd think about it, but I can't say for sure I'd do it.

Ragarm asks: Been a few weeks since we heard anything about the new softball stadium. At that time it seems there was some issues with contractors. Any changes? Still on the calendar?

GD: No clue at this point. I've been trying to get an interview with Mack Rhoades for a few weeks, but it seems it's going to be April before that happens. And honestly, I haven't really asked around about the softball construction.

BradN11 asks: With one of the top recruits in the country (MP Jr.) in our own backyard and with his dad being a basketball coach at our Univeristy, does the fact that he is almost certainly going elsewhere put the nail in the coffin for us ever landing a big time talent out of Missouri, and how big of an impact does it have on KA's job security?...(at least in the foreseeable future on both questions). And just for my own curiosity, what will your personal reaction be?

GD: I've said before that if you can't get Porter, your chances of ever landing a top ten type kid aren't very good. Every advantage is there for Missouri except for the fact that it isn't Kentucky or Kansas or Duke as a basketball program. I don't think his job will be determined by whether he gets Porter or not. Because I think it's going to be more determined by next year on the court and Michael Porter will still be in high school then. My personal reaction will be exactly what it was when Blaine Gabbert committed to Nebraska or Maclin to Oklahoma or Ofodile to Oregon any other situation like this: Gonna be fun moderating the board today. Beyond that, I won't have a reaction. I don't get emotionally involved in where a kid goes to school. Every kid can go wherever he wants and I'll cover it if I need to.

rmotigers asks: Which will happen first? Royals win another World Series. Mizzou Football SEC Champs, or Mizzou Men's Basketball SEC Champs?

GD: Last 30 years: Mizzou basketball three conference titles, Royals two World Series, Mizzou football no conference titles. Current standing of the programs: Royals, Mizzou football, Mizzou basketball. So I guess I'll say the Royals. But if the Royals don't win one in the next three years, I'll go with Mizzou football.

mexicojoe asks: As a follow up to the earlier question regarding the softball stadium,

What is YOUR vision of how the MU athletic complex could/should look like in 2021?You can assume fundraising has been reasonable.

GD: This isn't the answer you're looking for and I'm really not trying to make anybody angry, but I have no opinion. I just really don't much care. The people whose job it is to make those decisions will build whatever they want to build. It doesn't impact me a single bit and if you want the truth, I don't think it impacts recruiting as much as coaches and administrators try to convince us it does. Honestly, I think they need a new baseball stadium, but other than that, whatever they do is fine by me.

MagicMarkus asks: Can we get an updated scouting report on our incoming basketball recruits? The follow the future was great but it would be nice to have more than just numbers in their recent games. Is there a reason Nikko had a poor showing recently? Is Jacksons jump shot looking like it's improved? Is Smith putting on any weight and is he likely to make an impact next year? A lot seems to be riding on this class, would be nice to know so we don't have to ask the school secretary for more updates.....

GD: I will get on that and ask someone who is more qualified than I am to provide those, yes. As far as specifics, I haven't seen any of them play this year so I'm not comfortable saying how their games have progressed, what they do well or what they do poorly.

amhorrell asks: Any chance they've told Nikko he's not welcomed anymore so they're trying to grab Dembele?

GD: No. Nikko has signed. Unless he fails to qualify or asks out of his LOI for some reason, he's coming next year.

brosept asks: I know you won't mention or speculate on names, which we all respect, but have you heard any recent whispers as to how many players they anticipate leaving the program after this season? Just curious since we appear to continue to be seriously attempting to over recruit by at least 2 more players (Corprew, Dembele) despite our APR issues and scholarship restrictions that should be insisted upon to be taken next year in order to turn the page and move on.

GD: Missouri is at the 13 scholarship limit right now if nobody leaves and they add nobody. Personally, I think they'll try to get to 12 to take the scholarship hit now and get it over with and have as many available as they can for 2017 (Porter's class). I expect anywhere between one and three players to leave.

muenger03 asks: What was Missouri's Kenpom rating at the beginning of the year and what is it now?

GD: It is 173 today. At the end of last season, it was 214. I don't subscribe, or know enough about his site, to tell you what it was at the start of the season.

muenger03 asks: When Kim comes back next year do you think Rhodes will make any public statement about his expectations for the year?

GD: If he comes back, I expect the only public statement will be that Rhoades wants to see continued improvement and believes Kim is the right guy to lead the program. Any AD that puts specific parameters like number of wins, or has to make a tournament on a coach before the season is creating unnecessary pressure in my opinion. And that doesn't seem like Mack's style.

fmb68 asks: what are your Sure Wins, Sure Losses and Toss-Up games for Coach Odom's first season? Also, most likely upset win and loss? What five things would excite you most in Spring Ball?

GD: Sure wins: Eastern Michigan, Delaware State, East Tennessee. Sure losses: at LSU. Everything else is a tossup. Most likely upset win I'll go at Florida and most likely upset loss at South Carolina (if the Tigers are favored). As far as spring ball, I don't get excited about it much other than the PowerMizzou tailgate. Five things I'll be watching are: Drew Lock's progress, the backup QB situation, Johnathon Johnson and the redshirt receivers, the offensive line and whether Harold Brantley is on the practice field.

candj asks: I realize football and basketball pays your bills. What other Mizzou sports do you personally follow?

GD: Truthfully, I keep an eye on all of them because it pays the bills and I need to know what's going on. But if you're asking what I'd watch outside of football and basketball if it wasn't my job, not much. I've taken my kids to a few baseball games because one's a ballplayer and one of his good friends is a freshman there now, so I'll pay attention. I follow swimming some because I swam growing up and my youngest does now, but neither of those is anything I'd rearrange my schedule for. Outside of college football and basketball, the sports I have always followed are Major League Baseball, the NFL and the PGA Tour. That hasn't changed.

mufootball1 asks: How many commitments does Mizzou get from Junior Day? Who are most likely to commit?

GD: I'll set the over/under at 2.5. So two or three. I think there's a chance Jaevon McQuitty could maybe. Other than that, Brian's really more qualified to answer because he's the one who has talked to these kids more.

aoo26d asks: I can see both sides of the arguments regarding the campus protests and the football team. The issue I have is with the Legislature in Jefferson City. As I understand the process the Governor appoints the BOC who are then confirmed by the Senate to serve their term. It is then the BOC responsibility to hire the administration to run the system (President) and the President hires the Chancellor for each campus (who is confirmed by the BOC, Chancellor is responsible for that campus and that campuses staff). As I see it the Legislature is over stepping their authority/bounds calling for action/firing/filing complaints against individual University Staff members, they had their chance, it's time for the people they hired to do the job they were hired to do. I compared it the other day to a random Board member of a Fortune 500 company going after some random accountant that did the day to day accounting, its not the job of the board to do that job its the job of their supervisors. Thoughts? Do you think the BOC or the Legislature over stepped?

GD: It's a legitimate question and I'll apologize for not answering it. I got into this because I wanted to follow sports. Not politics or bureaucratic stuff. Because of everything that's happened the last few months, we've had to cover some of the latter. But I don't like it and don't really want to share my personal opinions on it other than the sports side of it all.

Jay0864 asks: Would love to see your analysis/comparison of this current crop of freshmen against the 2008 group that included English, Denmon, Bowers, Moore. Compare them as freshmen v freshmen.....the incoming expectations as well as the numbers.....and at the end of their freshmen seasons what the future expectations held.

GD: It's a really hard comparison to make because the four freshmen this year have to play a lot more than those guys did. Those four came into a team with JT Tiller, Zaire Taylor, Leo Lyons, Matt Lawrence and DeMarre Carroll. These guys came into a nine-win team that needed immediate starters. For example, Kevin Puryear has started every game and leads this team in scoring. He wouldn't have started a single game in 2008-09.

From a sheer statistical standpoint, here's how they stack up:

Denmon-6.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.4 apg

English-6.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.1 apg

Bowers-3.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.5 apg

Moore-1.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.3 apg

Puryear-11.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.4 apg

Phillips-7.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg

VanLeer-4.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.8 apg

Walton-5.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.8 apg

Now if you just look at the numbers, you think Puryear and Phillips are the two best freshmen on the list. But if you ask me to project their careers, I don't think either is better than Denmon, English or Bowers. They might put up better raw numbers, but won't have better careers. I mean, Marcus Denmon is one of the top three players Missouri has had since Anthony Peeler (along with Booker and Carroll). Can't say I see that out of any guys on this year's team. Just my opinion.

sidt65 asks: Will the spring game format be changed to resemble a typical game?

GD: Boy, I hope so. Because the way it's been the last 15 years is boring and impossible to understand. But I have no idea. We don't even have a spring football schedule yet, much less any information on access or how things will be run. When we find out, you'll find out.

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