Lee,  Sports

A house divided: what Lee & I argue about the most

The story of our house: divided on Mizzou vs. kU … Cardinals vs. Astros … Big 12 or SEC vs. MVC …

Lee and I go to all the home Wichita State University men’s basketball games. Lee’s been going for 20+ years, I’ve been going since I started dating him (about 16 years).

EVERY year we have this same argument about the Big 12 vs. Missouri Valley conferences. I’ve adopted the WSU Shockers as my local team, so I’m a fan. But c’mon, there’s a big difference between the type of athlete and the level of play in the MVC compared with the players and the style of play in a league like the Big 12. Or the SEC, where my Mizzou Tigers now live.

Bracket prediction from Patrick Stevens, USAToday Sports

This annual debate has been hot & heavy lately. First, the Shockers got to 19 wins and as high as a No. 14 ranking in the polls before three bad losses sent them tumbling. And then yesterday, one of the bracketologists came out with a tournament bracket prediction that would have Missouri playing Wichita State in both teams’ first game of the NCAA tournament.

I say: Bring it! We could finally settle this ongoing debate.

Back in January, we were at the Bradley @ WSU game and the Shockers were having a great second half. The Roundhouse was getting loud and Lee was feeling pretty excited knowing that the Shockers would move up in the polls since so many Top 10 teams had lost that week. So he just HAD to start up the annual debate, especially since Missouri’s season hasn’t been as good as advertised.

 

Lee: So if Missouri and Wichita State are playing and it’s ON my birthday, who would you root for?

Me, without any hesitation: Even if it was your last day on Earth, I would root for Missouri.

Lee: {sad look, like I’d just eaten the last piece of pizza}

Me: You’d be disappointed if I didn’t root for Mizzou, wouldn’t you?

Lee: But it’s on my birthday. {said in his best Eeyore impression}

 

Suck it up, buttercup. You knew what you were getting into when we started dating. And, I know if the tables were turned, he would not be rooting for the Tigers on my birthday.

See, this sign in our TV room proves I am a WSU fan! Unless the Shox are playing Mizzou.

I tease Lee about how great it will be one day when the Shockers become a Division I-A team. I’m kidding, of course. I know they are a legitimate program and a bonafide mid-major. Some great teams (Sweet Sixteen in 2006) and great players (Maurice Evans…oh, he transferred to Texas, my bad) have come through Charles Koch Arena. I just like to get Lee really riled up.

But I’m serious about this conference thing. I have no doubt that Mizzou would beat WSU if they were to play this season. {Phil Pressey, don’t let me down!}

I contend that the best MVC team would not have an easy game against the middle-of-the-pack teams in the big-boy conferences and would certainly lose to the top teams in those conferences. I love going to WSU games but as I said earlier, overall the level of play in the Valley is just weaker.

Lee disagrees.

Notice I am not able to provide reasons behind Lee’s argument. That’s because HE cannot provide reasoning. Oh, here’s one he used back in January — because the Shockers were ranked higher than Missouri at the time. Well, they are playing different levels of competition, my friend, my husband, my nemesis. Just look at the fields in each team’s holiday tournament:

  • Missouri went 2-1 — beating Stanford & VCU while losing to then-No. 2-ranked Louisville — in the Battle4Atlantis tourney that featured three other ranked teams.
  • WSU won the Cancun Challenge tourney by beating Western Carolina, Howard, DePaul and Iowa.

Lee and I don’t agree on much when it comes to our favorite sports teams. Cardinals-Astros. Missouri-Kansas. Missouri-Whoever’s playing Missouri.

That’s life in the Schnyder household … until I can talk some sense into him.

Yes, Lee gets to boast on the wall of our TV room about a kU national championship and kU wrongly going to the Orange Bowl, but I have some Mizzou memorabilia too.

Writer. Photographer. Lover of travel. Believer that all who wander are not lost. #Mizzou grad living in Wichita, Kansas.

6 Comments

  • Lee

    Mizzou fans continue to love to think they are better than they truly are. Remember that love affair Mizzou was having with the Big Ten and then realized it was a one way street.

    Both of these teams played VCU. Missouri on a neutral court and WSU on the road. WSU won by two on the road while Mizzou won by three on a neutral court. EDGE WSU.

    Missouri is known for stepping up in basketball when it truly matters. For instance their ability to play Norfolk State for 40 minutes and barely lose in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Not many Division II teams could do that.

    Mizzou has been to the NCAA Tourament 22 times since 1980, which is better than WSU. Mizzou has lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament 11 of those times.

    4.8 seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time but Missouri was able to use this minimal amount of time to make sure they appear every year in the NCAA tournament highlights. Great marketing campaign by Norm Stewart.

    I’ll be the first to admit that the Missouri Valley Conference isn’t up to par with the SEC but a well coached team with players that aren’t pampered (Michael Dixon Jr. good to see you in the Bahamas) can play at the same level.

    I guess the only true way to answer the question of who is better will be for the two teams to play each other. Though I don’t think WSU will be in the NIT so maybe next year Mizzou.

    • Melinda

      Thanks for the reply, Lee. I noticed that most of your post focuses on digs against Missouri instead of facts for why WSU would win.

      As you stated, the only way you’ll admit I’m right is if the teams play on the court. I’ll start writing my letters to the NCAA selection committee.

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