What's more fun than us giving you a chance to mock us every single week? In our new feature, Blowin' Smoke presented by Weston Tobacco, we will do that each and every Thursday. Gabe DeArmond and Mitchell Forde will make five predictions almost sure to go wrong every week in this space. These will range from big games to big picture predictions with a bit of the comedic and absurd mixed in most weeks as well. On to this week's predictions.
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1) Basketball: How far will Mizzou go in the SEC Tournament?
Mitchell: I feel like a bad gambler doubling down on the number 7 horse at Churchill Downs because it's due to win a race today. I've picked Mizzou to beat A&M twice this year, and they've lost both times. But I'm rolling with the Tigers on Thursday, albeit without a lot of confidence. I think they're a different team than in the first two meetings with the Aggies, and they simply have no business losing three times in one season to A&M. I don't think they keep it rolling against Auburn on Friday, and that's when the season ends.
Gabe: Logic says they lose tonight. I could see them winning tonight (though I wouldn't bet on it with your money) but they're done on Friday against Auburn. Missouri has never played well in this event and Auburn is just better...especially away from Mizzou Arena.
2) Basketball: When does Missouri return to the NCAA Tournament?
Mitchell: Cuonzo Martin and his staff need it to be next season to feel good about their long term future at Missouri, but I'm not ready to predict that yet. The line between making the Big Dance and being a .500 team is thin, but I still don't think this roster, swapping out Reed Nikko for Jordan Wilmore, is there yet. If they add an impact transfer or two, I might change that stance. After that, it's really difficult to project all the way out to 2021-22 and beyond. I guess I'll say they make the tournament that season, two years from now, but it's admittedly based on nothing.
Gabe: Barring striking in the transfer market, I don't see enough on next year's team to be a tournament team going into the season. And if that's the case, it's really 50-50 what the future looks like. Right now, I'll say they show enough progress that Martin is back the following year and the Tigers make the 2022 tournament. But it's not really based on much of anything other than hope and the idea that eventually they have to get back there.
3) Football: What date do we talk to a Mizzou quarterback?
Gabe: It will (I assume) be the first day of fall camp. I don't really understand it. Shawn Robinson and Taylor Powell are both entering their fourth year in college. I get why we can't talk to Brady Cook and Connor Bazelak who is injured, but why not those guys? If the idea is that everybody is equal, why are we setting that position apart? It's not that big a deal, I just don't really get it.
Mitchell: I was optimistic they might be available after the spring game, but given the fact that the spring game might not even happen (see below), I wouldn't bet on it. And if the staff doesn't want to let them talk to five reporters after spring practices, they certainly won't send any quarterbacks to the freak show that is SEC Media Days. So I'll say August 1, or whenever the first day of camp falls this year.
4) Football: Where does Tom Brady play next year?
Mitchell: I'm tempted to say Tennessee because I'm sitting about 300 yards from Nissan Stadium as I write this. But I just can't wrap my mind around him playing anywhere other than New England. He's back with the Patriots and back in the playoffs in 2020.
Gabe: As a lifelong die hard Chiefs fan, I know this is going to sound weird, but I hope it's New England. He's a Patriot. He shouldn't play anywhere else. But I think he does. I hope he goes to the Chargers because that will mean they don't draft Tua Tagovailoa and actually get better. But I'm going to say the 49ers cut ties with Jimmy Garropolo and bring in Brady, who grew up a Niners fan idolizing Joe Montana.
5) Football: Does the Mizzou spring game happen?
Gabe: I don't think it does. Well, I think it does. But I think it's a practice and nobody can attend, including probably us. Everything is getting cancelled. Mizzou is going to reassess classes after spring break. I'd be surprised if they're back having everything on campus by April 11th.
Mitchell: It's possible the coronavirus scare dies down between now and then, but right now I don't think so. And assuming that's the case, I honestly hope not. If this outbreak is anywhere near serious enough to warrant college campuses shutting down and businesses sending their employees home, we don't need to risk spreading it for a meaningless, glorified scrimmage.
