Editorial: Tigers remembered for skills, not criminal record
The team obliterated the painful memories of last season's arrests.
Published May 7, 2009
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The Tigers celebrate their first Big 12 Championship after defeating Baylor on Saturday, March 14 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Not only did the Tigers succeed on the court this year, but they also improved their grades and reduced the crime associated with the team.
It was a season nobody saw coming and ended up being a year Missouri fans will never forget. Coach Mike Anderson oversaw one of the most dramatic and rapid turnarounds in Missouri basketball history as his team went from the pages of the police blotter to the Elite Eight.
Playing a relentless style known as the Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball, the Tigers wore opponents down on their way to compiling a 31-7 record, winning the Big 12 Tournament championship and having a long run in the NCAA tournament.
What made the success of this season so improbable was how far Missouri had to go to get there. One year ago the program was in shambles. Missouri sputtered to a 16-16 record and faced an ugly incident in January 2008 that ended with five players suspended.
Erasing the memories of last season, this year's Tigers amazed fans with what they did on the court, not what they did off it.