Then Pinkel Said to SmithThe wait was over. Finally, long-suffering Mizzou fans nationwide had the coach and the team they’d been dreaming of as they stayed true to their school through disappointment, near-misses, and downright disasters. When the 2007 Tigers became Cotton Bowl Champions they fulfilled the promise of a program that has often been long on desire but short on luck.
Now fans can go behind the scenes at Faurot Field and discover the stories behind the tradition in Steve Richardson’s “THEN PINKEL SAID TO SMITH…”: The Best Missouri Tigers Stories Ever Told (Triumph Books, September 2008). They will find that the 2007 Tigers are just the latest chapter in Missouri’s storied history.
Richardson takes us back to the beginning of Missouri football and shows how two men—coach and athletic director Don Faurot and coach Dan Devine—built the program from the ground up, producing Bowl contenders throughout the sixties. He also chronicles:
· Faurot’s aggressive scheduling, credited with drawing the talent and filling the coffers that enabled Missouri to become contenders
· Dan Devine’s notable color-blindness in an era of shameful discrimination in college sports
· The development of Tiger greats Roger Wehrli, Kellen Winslow, Phil Bradley, Brad Smith and others
· The view from the sidelines during the greatest wins, and losses, as told by the men who were there
· The infamous “Fifth Down Game,” where an officiating gaffe of epic proportions cost the Tigers the game and became well known as one of the biggest blunders of all-time
· The memorable “Flea Kicker” play, also known as the “Immaculate Deflection” in Missouri’s 1997 match-up against Nebraska
· Many, many more heart-pounding moments of Missouri Tigers drama….
Included with “THEN PINKEL SAID TO SMITH…” is a collectable Memories of Mizzou CD that will help fans relive the glory of the greatest upset victory in Missouri Tigers history, the 1972 win over Notre Dame. So, as the first game of the season approaches, Tigers’ fans everywhere will want to take a Saturday or two to brush up on Missouri’s colorful past.
About the Author
Steve Richardson, a Dallas-based freelance writer, has covered college sports since the late 1970s. This is his seventh book. A 1975 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, Richardson collected writing awards while working in three states, including stints with the Kansas City Star and Dallas Morning News. In recent years he has been a correspondent for Sports Illustrated and written freelance articles for numerous publications, including USA Today. He has been executive director of the Football Writers Association of America since 1996.
