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Thanksgiving for many Missourians is being celebrated in Afghanistan, Iraq or even in Germany, where troops are being treated for injuries suffered in combat.
A Missouri soldier and Congressman in Germany on this Thanksgiving have talked with the Missourinet. [Read more...]
It’s the game that most Mizzou fans circle on their calendar before the season starts, and it’s finally here – Mizzou vs. Kansas, the nation’s 2nd-most played rivalry and one of the most hotly-contested rivalries in all of sport.
This year’s edition will take place Saturday afternoon in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. ABC Sports will be televising the game to a regional audience.
Mizzou enters the game winners of two straight, and three of its last four games, and is coming off a 34-24 home win over much-improved Iowa State. The Tigers were challenged all day long by the Cyclones, and trailed at halftime by a 17-10 margin. But Mizzou used an explosive second-half offense, and a stifling defensive effort in the fourth quarter to post the win. At 7-4 overall, the Tigers are looking to improve their bowl resume, and a win Saturday over the Jayhawks would give them an impressive eight wins in what most outsiders considered to be a rebuilding season. At 3-4 in Big 12 Conference play, Saturday’s game is important for the Tigers in the league standings, as well, as a win would move the two-time defending Big 12 North Division champions into 2nd place for the season.
Kansas comes into Saturday’s contest looking to break a six-game losing streak that has derailed what was a 5-0 start to the season. The Jayhawks are led by their talented trio of offensive talents in QB Todd Reesing (ranked 11th in the NCAA in total offense at 293.55 ypg), WR Dezmon Briscoe (5th in the NCAA in receiving yards at 109.50 ypg) and WR Kerry Meier (3rd in the NCAA in receptions at 8.36 rpg).
Mizzou and Kansas have played five common opponents, with the Tigers going 3-2 against the five foes, while Kansas has gone 1-4 against the same pool. Both teams had home wins over Iowa State (MU: 34-24; KU: 41-36), and both lost home games to Nebraska (MU: 27-12; KU: 31-17) and both lost to Texas (MU: 41-7 at home; KU: 51-20 on the road). The difference in the comparable opponent comparison comes down to different results the teams have posted against Colorado and Kansas State. Mizzou defeated both teams (winning 36-17 at CU and 38-12 at K-State) while KU dropped both games on the road (34-30 at CU and 17-10 at K-State).
There were 14 deaths and 634 injuries in 1,736 traffic crashes reported on Missouri’s highways during the 2008 Thanksgiving weekend travel period. And, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is out in force, this weekend, trying to cut down on those numbers this year.
Highway Patrol Captain Tim Hull says this year’s counting began Wednesday at 6 pm and runs through Sunday at 11:59 pm, with the length of this holiday weekend – four days – making it a weekend with a lot of carnage. [Read more...]
Thanksgiving day is a dangerous one for fire. State fire marshall Randy Cole says the kitchen becomes a dangerous place. “With the number of folks and the family gatherings there will probalby more cooking done this particular day than any other day of the year….Nationwide, firefighters respond to about three times as many cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day as they do any other day of the year,” he says. [Read more...]
State Agriculture Director Jon Hagler issued a proclamation from Gov. Nixon observing November 25th as “Thank A Farmer Day”.
Hagler presented the proclamation to Missouri Soybean Association President Kelly Forck who operates a row crop and livestock farm east of Jefferson City. Hagler noted that most Missourians will sit down to a large, traditional Thanksgiving Day meal tomorrow. He says today is the appropriate time for Missourians to be thankful to the men and women who produce the food on the Thanksgiving table. Forck accepted the proclamation on behalf of all Missouri farmers.
Agriculture remains Missouri’s number one industry. It generates more than $12 billion annually. The state has near 108,000 farms. (Audio: 3 min)
Download/listen State Agriculture Director Jon Hagler proclaims “Thank A Farmer” Day (3:15 MP3)
