Every week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond answers questions from Tiger fans in the mailbag. This format allows for a more expansive answer than a message board post. Keep your eye out each week to submit your question for the mailbag or send them to powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries.
FiremanDanKC asks:Â Is there some corporate barrier preventing the SEC Network from promoting the Rally for Rhyan cause? The game has such a buildup locally but the telecast seems to be unaware of it. I don't expect ESPN/SEC to go Jimmy V on it but I don't even think there was a mention of the names on warm up jerseys, halftime speech, fundraiser, anything. What are the barriers and how can the be overcome?
GD: I don't think there's anything that prevents them from doing it. They promote Coaches vs Cancer and the week long tribute women's teams do for Pat Summit and such. Obviously I didn't see the broadcast, but it's certainly possible they just didn't know. And if they didn't know, that's on Missouri. If they knew and just decided not to promote it, it seems a little odd to me. It's at least a good little vignette and a nice feature at halftime. But I really don't know to be honest with you.
rfeucht asks: Why wouldn’t Missouri start or help organize a committee with other power 5 schools to leave the ncaa. I think this almost happened a couple of years ago when paying the players a stipend was allowed, why not do it again to promote change and consistency to the ncaa penalties or leave and create your own organization?
GD: I mean, it's not quite that simple. Missouri can't just say "Let's do this" and know everybody is going to jump on board with them. Jon Sundvold said he had talked to three athletic directors after he made his statements last week and they were all supportive of him. But being supportive of him privately and actually doing something publicly are different things. What you say could happen. It's not out of the question. But I'm not at all sure it will, either. That's a major step and college athletics is very slow to change. Could Missouri's case be the tipping point where everybody says "I've had enough?" Sure. But I have no idea if it will be and if I had to guess, I'd say it won't be.
