Mr. Rhoades,
I am emailing you as a life long fan of Missouri athletics. My love affair started with the men's basketball program under Norm Stewart. I grew up cheering with the same passion that Coach Stewart showed while leading his team's to wins and some heartbreaking losses. Players like Anthony Peeler, Doug Smith, Melvin Booker, The Bandaid Man, and even our current coach Kim Anderson always seemed to leave everything they had out on the court. It was my love of basketball that guided me through the tough times on the football field. Even those football teams, who lost more than they won were viewed as Sleeping Giants. There was always hope that one day Mizzou would field a winning football team again. I'm very excited about the future of the football team. I believe Coach Odom, and his young staff will get us back where we were the previous two years, before things came undone this past season. Unfortunately, I don't share this same optimism for basketball, and that is where my heart bleeds black, and gold the most. I see a team that has some talent, a team that I'm sure wants to win but they don't have the right leader to put them in a position to do so. Kim Anderson is by all accounts a great man, and I believe that to be true. I as a fan suffered through last year knowing that there would be growing pains. Kim wasn't a flashy hire but he was a proven winner at a lower level, and as an assistant for Mizzou. I understand he was dealt a hand that wouldn't win very often if the game was poker, but you can't bluff your way to wins in basketball. This year is shaping up to be the second worse team ever by all accounts, and if you look at all the analytics they might actually be the worst team Mizzou has ever put on the court. This has to be unacceptable as a fan, coach, player, or alumni. The University of Missouri doesn't belong in the bottom of any ranking, in any sport, yet that is where you will find the basketball team going on two years now.
When you were hired on at Mizzou you inherited this mess that was created by sloppy recruiting from previous coaches, and mismanagement from the previous Athletic Director when it came to the basketball team. This isn't your fault but it is your job to fix it. Kim Anderson shouldn't be the coach of the Missouri Men's basketball team. He was given the opportunity, and his dream job but the job is just too big for him. It is time that you step in and start resolving this before the basketball team becomes ku football. I believe there is hope if changes are made (for Mizzou basketball not ku football), but the longer we wait the more you alienate the fans, and the players.
I will always root for, and love my Tigers but I'd rather do so knowing we have a chance to win some basketball games.
I look forward to your reply,
George Hoffman
Springfield, Mo.
