Hitting Rock Bottom

As a Mizzou fan, when it comes to the MU vs. KU rivalry, we have essentially no bragging rights. With exception to Kansas coach Bill Self's sexual preference and former Kansas guard Kurt Heinrich's haircut, the Tigers are mightily out classed by the Jayhawks. However going into this season with Kansas losing its two stars and its coach, accompanied with Mizzou bringing everyone back and adding by subtraction with Rickey Clemons being expelled, this was supposed to finally be OUR year. Finally we could talk shit to Kansas and not look like an idiot. And even after Missouri stumbled through most of the year, their late season run combined with uncharacteristic mediocrity by the Jayhawks gave Tiger zealots reason for hope. Sure we had lost at Kansas, but that was early in the conference season before the team had gelled and before you could count on Arthur Johnson for 20 points a game.

So when we could have assured ourselves an NCAA tournament bid by beating those Jayhawks on senior day in the Hearnes Center’s last game, God Damn it I wanted to win. It was our turn to celebrate at Kansas’ expense and it was our seniors chance to go out on top.

Arthur Johnson certainly wanted to go out on top, putting on perhaps the best performance in Hearnes Center history. Sounds like an exaggeration, but Johnson scored 37 points while missing only 4 shots and dominating every Kansas player on both sides of the ball. Down the stretch he also willed 6 strait crucial free throws into the hoop, none of which touched the rim. It was as dominant of a performance by a player you’ll ever see in a loss. Then, in what was as great a moment as I've felt as a sports fan, trailing by one late in the game Jason Connely stole and dunked the ball to take the lead with 30 seconds left. It seemed Johnson had carried us to an amazing win. It just felt perfect. Of course a three ball from Aaron “the Mizzou killer” Miles and an ugly last second shot by David Padgett spoiled everything. We had failed. Going into the game it was obvious a loss would be devastating, almost unthinkable. But losing the way we did, with Johnson's awe inspiring performance, is the most crushing loss I’ve ever experienced.

The most talented Missouri team assembled in years had lost in the biggest game of the season to a rival squad, which was in a down year. And there was Aaron Miles standing tall and proud at center court. Makes me want to vomit.