Everyone has their own theory as to how we got here. An athletic department in shambles. A soap opera played out in public. An embattled coach ousted. A fan base left to interpret the proceedings. In plenty of ways this has been even more depressing than watching Mizzous basketball team fumble its way through a six-game losing streak, a blowout loss to Baylor or even an NIT loss. The sordid affair which MU hoops has become smells rotten. Unfortunately, no one might be left to take out the trash.
The fact of the matter is, this should have never been controversial. Quinners reign as head coach had come to an unceremonious end. After a third straight season of floundering in NIT waters, the cloud of NCAA sanctions hovering overhead and a team that had clearly tuned him out, the clock struck midnight. After the atrocious 26-point loss to Baylor, had AD Mike Alden stepped into Quins office and dismissed him on the spot, Alden would have been applauded for sending a strong message. What message? That Tiger Nation had been through enough pathetic losses and it deserved a fresh start.
Of course, with the ineptitude of Alden this was easier said than done. Alden had every right to axe Quin right then and there. The Tigers had made a habit out of losing to inferior teams (Belmont, Sam Houston State, Davidson just to name a few of the Davids, Goliath had been slain by). The fan base had become apathetic, highlighted by a mere 5800 fans showing up on a Sunday to sparkling new Mizzou Arena on a Sunday against Texas A&M- Corpus Christie (which the Tiggers beat by one, by the way). Most of all, the aroma of the Ricky Clemons-fiasco still tainted the program, limiting recruiting and embarrassing everyone involved). Even if you believe the articulate, whip-smart Duke grad with a degree in law AND business had conveniently violated NCAA policies "unknowingly," he needed the pink slip.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Quinners office that day. Alden realized he couldnt pull the trigger, either because the big-money and influential players surrounding the school were pro-Quin or he didnt have the guts to make the decision himself. Probably a combination platter of both. Since 2003, Alden had given Quinner enough rope to hang himself eight times over (which Quinner obliged in doing). So at this point, Alden dispatched his associate, Gary Link, to "see how Quin was doing." Thats what Alden said publicly, anyway.
Right. Lets face it. Alden knew Link would tell Quin he was gone and was hoping Quin would resign so that Alden would have the decision made for him. The simple fact Alden needed an intermediary to ask is his head coach was emotionally worn down is ridiculous in itself. Why wouldnt Alden simply pick up the phone and ask his employee, the guy he hired, himself?
Why? Because Alden, whether perception or reality, has come off as a complete weasel and coward. Its certainly possible his hands were tied by millionaire boosters who wanted Quin to stay. Its possible influential members of the school appreciated Quins ability to graduate his kids and applied pressure on Alden to keep him. At the very least Alden had someone else ask how Quin was doing and then jetted to California for NCAA meetings for three days while the house burned in Columbia. At worst, he dispatched a colleague to do his dirty work and then hid halfway across the country.
The most amazing result of the mess in mid-Missouri is that Quin has somehow come off as a victim, a decent-guy, working his tail off, getting submarined by a crook of an AD. In reality, Quins firing was an afterthought. The program was in disarray under him. But thats what happens with Aldens touch. Even the Golden Boy turned back to gold.
BEST OF: The Panthers Dancers stop by and don't stop talking for twenty minutes. Wait, you're home schooled? BEST OF: Heat legend Glen Rice in studio on dropping 56 on the Magic, Final Fours and MMA. BEST OF: "The Obama Guy" now has D.A.'s old job! He asked the Prez a question, then he joined the show. BEST OF: Phil and Chris Simms drop by the broadcast to rap about dad's career and son's future. BEST OF: Why so few minority college coaches? DA answers with one word: Boosters. BEST OF: When a Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Famer talks, you listen. The immortal Lynn Swann. BEST OF: TNA Wrestling's Traci Brooks on being blessed with, ahem, great dimensions. DA LOVES THE KIDS: After Marlins summer-camp day, the next gen of Fish Fans might be in trouble. DA LOVES THE KIDS: Part 1 Heat charity camp shows us D-Wright's defense needs a little work.
DA LOVES THE KIDS: Part 2 Not everyone is thrilled with the hiring of Eric Spoelstra. INSTANT CLASSIC: Free-agent Joe Horn blasts his old coaches and asks for Dolphins forgiveness, all live on the show! INSTANT CLASSIC: The man who took down Kimbo Slice: overnight celebrity Seth Petruzelli talks about the fight that stunned the fight world. BEST OF: Author Jeff Pearlman on the controversial Cowboys dynasty. Uh, ew. BEST OF: Heat rookie Mario Chalmers needs help hot-boxing. Cough, cough.. BEST OF: DA is named a Godfather. Can he handle the responsibility or will he sleep with the fishes? BEST OF: DA witnesses the greatest kids game ever. Rock, paper, scissors, space! STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 1 DA goes where no sportstalk host has gone before: Star Wars premier night.
STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 2 Will DA make it out alive or turn into an extra from the Cantina Bar? INSTANT CLASSIC: Legend of the MMA Dan "Hendo" Henderson on the circus attraction to Kimbo and the rise of UFC. BEST OF: New UFC Champ Forrest Griffin on the belt and bouncing out of fighting while the gettin's good. INSTANT CLASSIC: Zo's youth clinic brings us immediate joy: Heat Kids Say the Darndest Things BEST OF: Miami boxer Joey "Twinkle Fingers" Hernandez found himself on the streets. How he got his mojo back. BEST OF: CBS4 Weather Wizard and Miss Florida Lissette Gonzalez on the jet-stream and the wave. BEST OF: Marino delivers a commencement speech and DA's own graduation horrors. INSTANT CLASSIC: Cats winger Nathan Horton is married to a Playmate? Oops. INSTANT CLASSIC: What does JoePa really mean at pressers? Ask Penn State 101. INSTANT CLASSIC: St. Patty's Day means celebrating Irish sports legends: DA Show style. INSTANT CLASSIC: Canes Big Man Dwayne Collins has his Aladdin DVD stolen. The Horror! INSTANT CLASSIC: Dontrelle says peace to South Florida with DA. Here's his Top-3 movies of all-time. SUPER BOWL XLII: NYG's Lawrence Tynes stops by after the ticker tape parade. INSTANT CLASSIC: Is Shaq becoming M.C. Hammer Jr? Say it ain't so. INSTANT CLASSIC: DA melts down as his alma mater brings brings back the dimwitted Greg Robinson for more SU pain. INSTANT CLASSIC: This placed DA squarely on the Chiefs blacklist forever. DA and King Carl in THE Battle Royale. BEST OF: Where it all started: Herm
and Carl agree... Damon is a nice name. SUPER BOWL XL: D.A. does his best investigative work ever. It's the field turf press conference from Detroit. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Mark Mangino Montage tastes better than ever! INSTANT CLASSIC: The 2007 Herm-Gasm. 'Nuff said. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Chiefs Dept. of Misinformation is at it once again. Are the Chiefs wearing white or not? Don't ask them. INSTANT CLASSIC: Chicago's legendary Mike North joins DA to preview Chiefs- Bears. Da Bears! INSTANT CLASSIC : The annual DA Show NBA Mock Draft is here... with a return from Stormbot. FEATURED AUDIO: Royals legend Denny Matthews has bought his first cell phone. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as 6-4-3. FEATURED AUDIO: A fond DA Show farewell to Buddy Bell. He really was "Our Buddy." FEATURED AUDIO
: Lauren Nichole has made quite an impression with her traffic reports. Great or gross? You decide. The
one, the only, Zach Greinke from Royals Spring Training. The
2007 One NIT NIT Moment.
The 2006 Caller Hall of Fame Track One: Christopher Walken's legendary roast
of the new class
First the staff. Then listeners. Now LJ has the Herm-gasm? Crazy
Ray sings the Growing Pains theme song. The
Royals 70's jingle that puts a smile on your face during another horrid season
in KC. The
local TV anchors slip up on the broadcast and luckily the D.A. Show was rolling
tape. 6-6-06:
The Crypt Keeper's Holiday Crazy
Ray displays his talent for singing. Could he make a run at the next American
Idol? Oklahoma
takes it on the chin with this famous call from R.B. Missed
any of the NIT NIT action? Check out the recaps of the games and a special
edition of The One NIT NIT Moment. We
couldn't leave Alex the Intern out of the mix, check out the drunk dial message
Alex left for D.A. The
D.A. Show tribute to Alan Thicke.
Is
Crazy Ray really crazy? Take a listen to find out.
A
D.A. Show Investigation reveals color commentators handing out the pink slip
to local college coaches.
Quinner's
feeling a bit down. We ask, what's wrong with Quinn Snyder? Herm Edwards gave us quotable material right from jump street. He gets a montage based on his introduction presser. A
staple of any good office party. It's the Dick Vermeil montage XP: final edition.
Duh, ok.
DA's Hometown Hottie contest created controversy throughout KC. Radio superstar Johnny Dare stuck his nose in the middle of it. The
callers finally had their own chance to put their stamp on the Vermeil montage Why
do the sista's hate the show? It all started here: Yvette's call of the day The original D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off (circa '04). The '05 D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off, complete with a certain national columnist. The '06 smack-smack, which brought all the D.A. Show legends together for one fab event. You asked for it. We delivered. DA Show icon Alan Thicke's first appearance.
Everyone has their own theory as to how we got here. An athletic department in shambles. A soap opera played out in public. An embattled coach ousted. A fan base left to interpret the proceedings. In plenty of ways this has been even more depressing than watching Mizzous basketball team fumble its way through a six-game losing streak, a blowout loss to Baylor or even an NIT loss. The sordid affair which MU hoops has become smells rotten. Unfortunately, no one might be left to take out the trash.
