1) Fall camp opens at 11:15 this morning. The first day of fall camp always brings the need for a reminder (that will be completely ignored): Do not put too much stock in what you read or see over the next month. I am not saying camp is meaningless. I am saying that we get to see approximately 1/4 of the practices and they are the least important 1/4. And we get to see none of the film study, interaction off the field, etc. So we are operating with maybe 5% of the total information. Which player gets his number first isn't that big a deal. If a player happens to have a good day or a bad day while we are watching that doesn't mean every day he has is similarly good or bad. In other words, we'll do the best we can to inform you over the next month, but we're really not going to get answers to many of the questions we have during that time.
2) This is my 22nd consecutive season covering Mizzou (24 total if you want to include the two I did at KOMU in college). It is unlike any other in terms of the buildup. There is always excitement. I truly don't think there has ever been excitement like this. In 2008, Missouri fans believed they had the pieces to make a run at the whole thing. But they knew that meant being one of the top two teams and they knew one loss almost certainly ended those chances. That loss came in week 7 to Oklahoma State and the air went out of the balloon after that. It simply felt like there was nothing left to play for.
That won't be the case this year. After Missouri's first loss (assuming it occurs) everything will still be on the table. Losing to A&M or Alabama or even Auburn won't end the playoff chances. It will reduce the margin for error. The second less (if it happens) would make for a nervous few days at the least. But the season isn't over after one bad day. That's the biggest impact of the 12 team playoff.
I expect this season to be an interesting psychological study for the fanbase. All are very excited now. But the games haven't started. Nothing bad can actually happen for at least six weeks. Once the games do start, I expect there to be two ways people will consume this season. The first group will live every day counting down until the next game with an enthusiasm they've never had for Mizzou football before. The second group will live every day in constant fear wondering if the next day is the day this dream season gets derailed. I don't mean that to sound insulting or as a joke. It isn't. That's the two camps of fans there are. I think one group of fans enjoys the highs of its team more than it hates the lows. That's the group that will look at this season optimistically. I believe the second type of fan is the one to whom losing hurts more than winning feels good. Wins are a relief, losses are a dagger. For those fans, this fall is going to be stressful like few they've ever experienced.
To borrow a line from Sam Mellinger, I can't tell you how to fan. Everyone has his own approach. If I was in your shoes, I'd try to enjoy the hell out of it. There's no guarantee your'e back in this same spot next year or the year after that. If you don't throw caution to the wind and enjoy the ride, why even get in line?
3) The weird thing about all this buildup is we're more than two months away from actually answering any of our questions.
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