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Football Team Honored At Halftime, Exclusive Visit With Chase Daniel

January 31, 2008 By

The loudest the Mizzou Arena crowd got was at halftime of the Mizzou-Nebraska basketball game, when football head coach Gary Pinkel and a great number of players stood at center court during a ceremony to celebrate and show off the Cotton Bowl trophy. 

Tony Temple Cotton Bowl MVP Tailback Tony Temple and Safety William Moore also received their Most Valuable Offensive and Defensive Player Awards respectively. (photo courtesy of Bill Greenblatt, UPI)

After the ceremony, I snuck downstairs and caught Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel as he was about to leave and talked to him for a couple of minutes about reliving the Cotton Bowl, what he’s doing right now, and if he’s thinking at all about his final year of college football. 

Download/listen to Chase Daniel (mp3 1:55)

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Anderson Addresses The Media

January 31, 2008 By

Head Coach Mike Anderson Missouri Tiger Basketball Head coach Mike Anderson spent the first five minutes of his post-game press conference re-iterating his vision of Missouri basketball and chiding the media for jumping to conclusions regarding the suspensions to Stefhon Hannah, Darryl Butterfield, Marshall Brown, Jason Horton, and Leo Lyons.

Anderson opened his post-game press conference with a statement concerning the suspensions, emphasizing what his intentions had always been as Mizzou basketball coach, saying one of his main goals is to turn his players "into productive citizens."  Anderson expressed empathy with his suspended players but also a sense of fatherhood.

"I’m like these kids’ father.  So, when kids make mistakes, you’ve got to discipline," and later saying, "What gets lost is they’re still kids.  They’re kids and they make mistakes.  We’re grown-ups and we make mistakes, but I think the most important thing is, can we learn from it? 

Anderson concluded his statement by praising his shorthanded squad’s performance in their loss to Nebraska.  He also thanked the Mizzou fans, saying that "they almost willed" a Mizzou victory. 

There were no guarantees about when the suspended players would return, but Anderson did say it was possible they would return for the Kansas State game on Saturday.  Anderson made it clear that the most important thing for him is to help his players learn a lesson.

"My job is more than just to coach.  I’m a teacher too, and I’m trying to teach them about life."

Dowload/listen to Mike Anderson (mp3 4:55)

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

"Not Me," says Shields

January 30, 2008 By

The floor leader of the state senate says the governorship and the lieutenant-governorship are not for him.

St. Joseph Senator Charlie Shields says he was contacted right after Governor Blunt pulled out of his re-election bid and was encouraged to run for Governor. After a week of thinking it over, the answer is "no."

He says three strong candidates are running for Governor now. Instead of becoming a fourth candidate, Shields says he hopes two of the other three drop out instead of causing a primary that he thinks would be "hurtful" for the Republican Party.

He says the trio’s candidacy means three Republican office-holders are leaving their elective positions to run for the Governorship. He says he’d rather see two of the candidates run for re-election, leaving only one Republican position vulnerable. Those running for Governor are Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, and Congressman Kenny Hulshof. All three are incumbents and all three are passing up chances for re-election to go for the bigger prize.

Shields says some people have suggested he run for Lieutenant Governor. But he says he can do more if he becomes the next President pro-Tem of the Senate, a position that will give him hands-on influence on legislation. He says he’s especially interested in pushing legislation on higher education, early childhood education, and healthcare.

 

download comment from Shields on refusing to run for Governor.

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Plugging a Math and Science Gap in Schools

January 30, 2008 By

A state senator comes up with a way to plug the shortage of math and science teachers in public schools, but faces questions about whether he’s on the right track.

Senator Matt Bartle of Lee’s Summit says school districts should be allowed to make extra payments to math and science teachers. He also says the state should give teachers’ licenses to people with math and science degrees who have not been trained as teachers.

He says schools need to pay more to attract math and science teachers away from private industry. He says math or science teachers should be paid more than English or history teachers to attract people with degrees in those fields away from private industry.

Some other Senators suggest school districts already can make those extra payments, and a teachers’ group lobbyist says the state has programs encouraging more students to become math and science teachers–although the legislature has never adequately funded it.

Bartle argues few districts make those extra payments and says the state should order all districts to do so.

 

(The bill is SB833)

download Bob Priddy’s story (:57 mp3)

Filed Under: Education

New Group Launches Renewed Attack on Missouri Plan

January 30, 2008 By

A new group has been formed to renew the attack on the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan.

Grumblings about the judiciary in general and the Missouri Plan in particular have been heard the past few years in the Missouri legislature. Though such criticism has lingered, no viable alternative has gotten far in the legislative process. That could change this year.

The new group is called Better Courts for Missouri . Executive Director Jonathan Bunch says the group hopes the legislature will put a reform measure on the ballot in November. If that prove unsuccessful, it might go the initiative petition route.

Change being suggested includes the expansion of the Appellate Judicial Selection Commission, which provides the governor with three nominations from which to choose. The group wants the commission to count fewer lawyers among its members and more citizens. It also says parts of the selection process need to be subject to the Sunshine Law.

Former Supreme Court Judge Chip Robertson, spokesman for the opposition group Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts , says the Missouri Plan doesn’t need to change.  Robertson says the Missouri Plan works and enjoys a broad base of support. He rejects the changes suggested by Better Courts of Missouri, insisting that the changes they advocate would hurt the plan.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:
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