The morning of Dec. 8 was like most Sunday mornings. I slept in a few hours later than usual and had a quiet cup of coffee while checking emails and statistics related to my book with the Investigation Discovery channel on in the background.
That day was going to be a little different because I was meeting a high school classmate at 1 p.m. to sell him 50 books. You read that right, FIFTY books (Thank you). I normally would have suggested another time because Missouri had a game against rival kansas that started at noon.
But, to be honest, I wasn’t as interested in the game as usual. One reason for that is the teams didn’t play from 2012 to 2021 after Mizzou left the Big 12 for the SEC. I did not miss the Tigers losing to the jayhawks every year, often twice. Another reason is Missouri has been mostly bad since leaving the Big 12.
So, I went about my business Sunday, listening to the game on my phone as I double-checked the book order and loaded it into my Terrain. Imagine my surprise when the Tigers dominated the first half, building a double-digit lead. I even occasionally stopped to watch the ESPN broadcast before I left to meet my friend.
For about 30 minutes, I did not pay attention to the game. I was far more interested in catching up with the friend and filling a generous order of books than basketball. That statement alone says plenty about the apathy of watching a program mostly flounder for a solid decade.
However, the first thing I did after handing off copies of “Goodbye, Butterfly” was jump into my vehicle and turn on the radio. I was stunned to hear Mike Kelly, the voice of the Tigers, say, “The Tigers lead by 20!”
If you’re a Mizzou fan, you know that counting victories early is a massive mistake. There have been thousands of meltdowns, heartbreaking losses and numerous cases of terrible luck. Even as the Tigers built a 24-point lead, I wasn’t comfortable.
“Man, they are kicking their ass right now,” My wife exclaimed as I walked in.
“There’s plenty of time left. You’ve been with me long enough to know that,” I replied.
As I often do during Mizzou games, I went to the solitude of our bedroom, turning on the TV and listening on my phone. That line from “Godfather III” kept running through my mind as kansas cut a 24-point lead to two in the closing minutes: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
I was prepared for the standard kick to the groin … until Mark Mitchell rattled in a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2 minutes left. Then Josh Gray grabbed a rebound and made one of the uglier free throws in the history of college basketball. Then he made another, and Anthony “Ant” Robinson II essentially clinched the game with a beautiful pass to Tamar Bates for a layup and nine-point lead.
I was like a kid again during those final moments of the game, screaming and clapping. I stayed upstairs long enough to watch Tiger fans storm the court and listen to the postgame radio show.
As I walked into the kitchen, my wife smiled as I said, “Well, they did it. I can’t believe it, but they did it.”
“I heard,” she said. “You’re like the happiest boy in the world right now.”
“Well, yeah, I get to talk trash for a year now,” I replied.
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART IX: Ranking the animated Christmas shows
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART XIII: Dad and Uncle Wayne
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART VII: Christmas away from home
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART VI: Remembering “Woody” and Lebanon
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRSTMAS 2024, PART V: Video games then and now
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART IV: Dad and Uncle John Henry
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART III: How the old man finally found his way
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART II: How I came up with “Goodbye, Butterfly” for the book title
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2024, PART I: The first Christmas I can remember
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2023 SERIES