Graham Watson: Welcome to this week's chat. Thanks for stopping by. Got a lot of things to cover today, so let's get started.

MIke Madden: WHATS ROLANDIS WOODLAND SITUATION. I HEARD THERE WAS AT PROBLEM WITH HARMANY COMMUNITY. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY HE WENT TO HARMONY AND WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOL IS IT?

Vahe Gregorian: I don't know all the details of Woodland's situation, at least not enough to write them in a public forum, but it did, in part, have to do with academics. Harmony School is a prep school that is under investigation for being an athletic warehouse. A place where kids go to play sports and school is an afterthought. I don't think it will affect Woodland or White's eligibility, but I can't say that for sure.

MizzouMarv: Graham, we had to endure the Rickey Clemons saga here in MO for two years. I remember that a KU booster was caught giving, then recruit, Darnell Jackson 5 GRAND. What ever became of that and why wasn't it a bigger story? (I know this is STL, but I read the KCStar too and nothing there either)
I'm glad Dick Vitale is well (HE'S BACK!), but does he ruin a basketball game for you like he does for me? He's a parody of himself.

Vahe Gregorian: I have no control over Kansas coverage. I cover Mizzou and Kansas is 2 1/2 hours away. And I can't speak to what the Kansas City Star does.

I know Dick Vitale. Always been a first-class guy every time I see him, so it's hard for me to say anything bad about him. I think he can be a bit over the top, but there are a lot of people who tune in just to hear him. I'm not one of those people, but I know there are a lot out there.

James Arnold: Ms. Graham:

The basketball program is in complete shambles. It appears that Coach Anderson is incapable of running a legit Division 1 program. The team is completely out of control and by all accounts have quit on anderson. is there any possibility that anderson will be replaced after this season? if not then he must be on a short leash next season. Our program during the norm years was a powerhouse in the big 12/8 now we are reduced to cellar dwellars. my thought is to cut bait on anderson and sign a premier big name coach that can bring in the recruits. otherwise we will be mediocre for years to come. Please do not be an anderson apolgists, he has had ample time to turn this thing at least in a forward manner.

Vahe Gregorian: I don;t believe the team has quit on Anderson. I really don't. I think there is a core group of guys that want to play and play hard. I think we saw those guys in the Nebraska and Kansas State games.

Anderson will get time to get his program going with his guys. Mike Alden, and seeing the success of the football team, is no longer going to be rotating coaches every three years if the results on there. I think Pinkel showed everyone what hes could do with a little time and Anderson will be afforded that same luxury.

I am in no way an Anderson apologist, but the guy has been here 22 months. he inherited a program in shambles. he had a month to recruit players to the program just to be competitive. He didn't even have a schedule to sell. I've said all along that if this program hasn't changed by 2010, then I'll be ready to vote him off the island. But until then, I'll give him a chance to turn this around.

Alan: Two Questions:
1. What was the deal with Vahe Gregorian's piece about Robinson before the KU vs MU game? I hate KU, I don't care about the heart warming story of Robinson. How about a story about the Tigers? P.S. I look forward to Gregorian's future story about how Adolf Hitler rose up against the odds.

2. Which Freshman next year do you see getting the most playing time? Kemp? Jones? Thanks and I love the blog.

Vahe Gregorian: I do and don't get why everyone had a problem with the article, but I think it's important that when a nationally-ranked opponent plays Mizzou that we write about them. KU is in the top 5 in the nation and is one of the favorites to win the national championship. I wonder had it been, say, Texas, if this would have caused such a stir?

I think Kemp and Jones could both see the field next season just for depth. I also think Dan Hoch has a chance to fill the right guard spot that could be open if Kurtis Gregory slides over to Luellen's spot. Or he could take Luellen's spot. Dave Christensen said he thought Hoch had the tools to come in and play right away.

J Smith: Now that the 2008 recruiting class is in place, who do you think will see playing time next year if anyone? Do you have any thoughts on who might be the 'sleeper' of the class? Is there a better MU recruiter than Andrew Jones?

Vahe Gregorian: Look at the post above for the first part of this question...

I think Robert Steeples could be a sleeper. I've heard from many people that's he's an underrated DB, and Mizzou could use some help at that position. McGaffie could also be a guy who comes in and makes waves. There's a lot of opportunity for receivers in this offense if they want to put in the work to do it.

Andrew Jones is a great kid. I think he'll be an asset to this team for a long time to come.

Brett G.: Hey Graham, love the chat! I love Mike Anderson and think he's gonna turn the program around once he gets Quin's boys out and his in. (Well, minus a couple of course.) My question is, will he stick around long enough? With how alot of coaches jump from program to program, will a school with a better, current "situation" entice Anderson away from Mizzou?

Vahe Gregorian: I don't think CMA goes anywhere. I think he's determined to turn this program around, even more so with all that's taken place. Anderson didn't come from a losing program and he's not going to leave from one either.

Dan: To me this class looks very overrated by rivals.com. your thoughts?

what's with the Mizzou students not goint to the b-ball and football games? at the football games, our student section is so weak compared to other schools. why do you think this is?

Vahe Gregorian: Overrated? I'm not sure I follow. I think it landed about where it should. A lot of Mizzou's three-star guys could have been four-star guys with a phone call.

And I've never seen a problem with the students at football games. I saw a lot of students at road games, too. I think it's the entire fanbase that was the issue. Same at basketball, though it was better after all the drama last week. Go figure. There is an apathy toward men;s basketball right now that probably won't go away for awhile. It's not surprising considering what's been going on, but I've always said you can't just be a fan when the things are going well.

Al In Virginia: Can you tell us what is the difference between ratings by Rival.com and Scout.com? Which rating is more important and how does the star system work?

Vahe Gregorian: There is no real difference between the ratings on the two sites except that they're done by different people.

I kinda lean with the coaching staff about rankings. They're important for people who want to quantify talent, but in the long run they mean nothing. Stars are handed out after camp, but the coaches can call to raise or lower stars on a kid when they want. One of Mizzou's coaches told me this. That's why it's a sham. There is no way one or even a group of people could watch every game of every kid in a given season and give an accurate measure of how good that kid really is. It's impossible. So these guys call around, ask people what they think, look at camps, and assign stars. It's more for fans than anything else. We write them in the paper because it allows fans to feel like they have a sense of how good or how bad the class is, but even the recruiting sites don't know. I mean, Chase Daniel was a three-star, Danario Alexander a two-star, Chase Patton was a four-star. I could keep going. There is no way to know how a player is going to do on the next level. All you can do is look at his stats, his size, his school and his accolades and make a guess.

Elliot: The fact that the football recruiting class is all high school seniors and no JUCO players seems to indicate that the coaching staff is confident that they are at least 2 deep at every position for next year. How do the other teams around the conference compare?

Vahe Gregorian: Missouri, to my knowledge, is one of a handful of schools in the Big 12 not to take a juco this year. I don;t think Texas did either. And yes, that does speak to the depth the team has established over the year. It also speaks to the quality of high school kids Mizzou is getting. However, don't expect this to be a trend. Schools need juco to fill immediate needs when guys get hurt, transfer, graduate, etc. Sometimes, circumstances just dictate that. Taking juco players is not a bad thing if it's done in moderation. I mean, look at Pig Brown and Castine Bridges? Both were jucos.

David Skiles: I know I'm not in here all the time so this has probably been broached many times but be a sport and explain our personnel connection to Texas that has allowed us such success in recent recruiting. Include Daniel's contribution of course if needed to help clarify the rest.

Vahe Gregorian: If you play in the Big 12, you have to have a connection to Texas simply because of the amount of talent that comes out of the state. For the day Pinkel got on campus, he sent four recruiters to that state (I think it's four) to make sure Mizzou got its fair share of kids out there. Of course, beyond Chase Daniel and maybe one or two other guys, Missouri made its name for finding gems like Danario Alexander. A lot of the smaller schools call the Tigers and alert them to players now. Once you have kids that do well from that state, it makes it a lot easier to continue to go back to the well.

arnezzi: Does Gabbert get a full chance to compete with Patton next summer, and, if so, does he realistically have a shot? Can Gissinger hold off Jones? Could Hoch start from Day 1?

Vahe Gregorian: Gabbert will have a chance to compete, but I don;t think GP is going to bump him over Patton. I just don't see that happening with everything chase Patton has put into this program. Besides, from everything I've heard, Blaine could use a year of getting used to the system and the maturity level it takes to be QB1 at the college level. Chase Daniel will be able to guide him through that.

I think Jones will play on special teams at least. You know, Giss played against Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, and didn't do a bad job for the series or two he was in. I honestly can't say until camp whether one will be able to best the other.

I think the opportunity for Hoch to play is there. It will be all about how he meshes with the other guys on the line.

Chad MU '03: Graham, thanks for all your coverage of the Tigers. I don't remember the Kalen Grimes situation so could you explain it in comparision to Horton's. Grimes was almost immediately kicked off the team if memory serves me correct. I heard that the players were tired and that was part of the reason Horton and Butterfield were back in the lineup. Did Grimes plead guilty and Horton is still "under investigation"?

Vahe Gregorian: Kalen Grimes hit someone with the butt end of a shotgun. That's a little different that Horton hitting a dude with his fist (probably hurts less, too).

Grimes was kicked off the team because charges were brought and he went to jail, court, etc. Anderson had to kick him off the team. He really had no choice. With Horton, it's possible that he was coming to the aide of Hannah after he was attacked. I don't know and no one is saying. Horton was released with the summons. I'm not a fan of when Horton was brought back, but I don't have a problem with him being on the team for the remaining two months or whatever.

Michael: Is it selective punishment at Mizzou? Grimes kicked out - pleaded not guilty. Butterfield kept pleaded guilty, Butterfield involved again durning zero tolerance period - suspended only... Horton and Hannah twice during zero tolerance violated rules and had legal issues... Anderson has lost all creditability - how could a parent send a son to Mizzou? How can alum be proud of such a program?

Vahe Gregorian: What was the other instance where Horton and Hannah had legal issues? To my knowledge, it was just the Athena thing. The others, they were just questioned from what I read.

I do admit that things look bad right now, but I think it's short-sided to label this program a bad place right away. Like I keep saying, I'm going to reserve judgment for a couple more years.

Art: What exactly is it that a player has to do to get kicked off the Missouri Basketball team? What is Anderson waiting for? Or is there more information is is waiting on?

Vahe Gregorian: I think all the info is out there. I do think Hannah is probably off the team, if that's any consolation. Horton fought, yes, but it could have been in self-defense or defense of Hannah. I don't know, and I'm guessing few people do. As for Butterfield, the police said he wasn't involved in the fight, so all he did was break curfew. Do you kick a guy off for that?

I know people want swift justice, but this was a bar fight. Actually, I'm not even sure it was that. It was Hannah making a mistake, getting his behind kicked for that mistake, and Jason coming to help. That's what I see. But again, and I cannot stress this enough, I don't know what actually happened because I was not there.

I will say this, however, it was suspect that Hannah just happened to be a two shootings (in July and December) on opposite sides of town. Just a crazy coincidence, I guess...

Ed: GW

What ever happend to that "huge" offensive lineman from Arkansas, who was going to Arkansas, then to Ole Miss with coach Nutt, and maybe to Mizzou?

Vahe Gregorian: You're thinking of Matt Hall and I believe he signed with Arkansas. He would have been a nice get for Mizzou, but I think there will be other chances to get strong o-linemen in the future. Dan Hoch is a nice start and the other four guys coming in aren't slouches either.

Dan -KC: Hi Graham,
I loved the signing class for Mizzou Football. Can you tell me if we should be concerned with Woodland/G. White being eligible to play next season due to the issues with their prep school?

Also can you tell me anything on the Mike Anderson's recruiting for 09'. Dixon? Demarcus Cousins?(is that shooting too high?)

Love your work!!
Dan-KC

Vahe Gregorian: I can't give you answer on the Harmony Prep guys yet. If there is an investigation, I'm not sure what it would entail or what it would mean to any recruits coming out of that school. I think we all are just waiting for this thing to play out.

Dixon and Cousins are the big names that we're hearing about now. I don't think Cousins is unattainable, I just think he'll be a hard sell to this program because he's such a big recruit. I think Dixon will come here. Fred Gulley, a PG out of Arkansas might be another name to watch. He's super quick and a nice shooter. And Michael Snaer, a guard out of Cali, also very talented, but being courted by the west coast schools. Both guys were up here for elite camp last summer.

Bill Rogers: Graham,
Thanks for all the great Mizzou coverage. Your insight into our teams and coaches keeps us informed. My question is do you see a light at the end of the tunnel for this basketball program, or has the staff been too lenient with these guys. No one can predict future behavior of student-athletes, but I hope the next round of guys can keep their noses clean.

Vahe Gregorian: I think things will get quiet when this senior class is gone. I really do. I know it's hard to see that right now, but I think we all got a glimpse of what this program could be against Nebraska and Kansas State with the right kids, the right attitude and the right leadership. I'd really like to see that team again.

Todd: Graham,
How do you think the women will do in the FIU tounrmanet?

I am tired of everyone discussing recruits for the next years men's b-ball team, you just don't know what any kid is going to do until he gets on the court! You are too nice to some of these wishers.
Have a great weekend.

Vahe Gregorian: Are we discussing softball? Nice. First softball question. I really like the softball team and think they;re going to be able to carry the success they had last year into this year. I know we don't cover them a lot, but I do keep up with all the sports at Mizzou. If they do well against Virginia Tech or Miami, I think it could really start the season off strong.

Recruiting is the same no matter what the sport. Sometimes you find gems, sometimes you find rocks, and sometimes you find rocks disguised as gems... Hannah.

Snake: Graham, thanks again for helping out. Cloudson has a hotel room on reserve and tickets for the Final Four in San Antonio in preparation of a miracle Tiger run this season. But, he was in the Alamodome for the Big XII Championship and doesn't know if he can take two backbreaking Tiger losses in the same arena in such a short span of time, much less the same ridicule he had to endure from opposing fans on the Riverwalk.

Your thoughts?

Vahe Gregorian: I think Cloudson should save his money for, say, next football season. Or if he really wants to see Mizzou in the Final Four, he might have to wait another decade... at least.

He can take solace in the fact that Mike Anderson will probably be there regardless of whether his team goes. Perhaps he could just walk around the Riverwalk with CMA and they can endure the ridicule together.

Eric: As a former soccer player, do you think Mizzou will be able to build on the success they had this year? Do you get to see any games, or are you too busy with football?

Also, what's your take on Mizzou's commitment to Olympic sports in general?

Vahe Gregorian: I don't get to see many Mizzou futbol games because I'm usually dealing with football. I do think they have the players to be as good as they were last year. The thing that worries me is the fade down the stretch. I thought this team could have made a nice run through the NCAA's, but it stumbled in some big games late. That needs to be fixed.

I think Mizzou has a strong commitment to Olympic sports because up until this season, those were the best teams at Mizzou over the last five years or so. Mizzou is consistently ranked in volleyball, wrestling, baseball, swimming, and now softball and track are starting to gain some traction, too.

Chris Brooks: Mizzou's incoming football class looks solid. Why did they decide not to offer the final two scholies to some instate kids or are they still looking.

Vahe Gregorian: They can still sign guys. signing day is just the first day guys can sign, but there's still time to find some gems. If not, Pinkel will give the schollies to some of the senior walk-ons. I like when he does that, and I know it means a lot to those guys.

David Conrado: Lets talk Mizzou baseball! I think Baseball America has us ranked 6th this year in the preseason. Would anything short of a Regional finals/World Series run rank as a disappointment for the Tigers this season?

Vahe Gregorian: I really want to see this team in the World Series. I think it's time. I think last week I said that Jamieson thought he had at least six first-round draft picks on this team. I expect great things. I'm going to hang out with them next week. In past year, I've tried to get more Mizzou baseball in the paper, but there hasn't been an interest. I think this year, we're going to try to be a little more committed to it. I love baseball season and I'd like this to be the year that the Tigers move forward.

mcangus52: comments mostly: The beef with the Robinson article was that it was a Robinson article, not a KU article. Write about the opponent and their team and success and what we are facing, do not write about one team member learning to drive. Of course it was more offensive since it was KU instead of anybody else.

I almost drove to the Nebraska game just to show support for the coach. MU fans want a team who are proud to be Tigers and play hard. We were not seeing that and that contributed to the apathy. Coach standing up to the malcontents made a strong statment and he was respected for that.

Now the question, did the information yesterday undermine his discipline? Has he been too soft?

One more question. Burwells article talked about losing a scholarship, but did not say for how long. One year?

Vahe Gregorian: You know, I'm not sure what bringing to light those incidents means about the discipline in this program. Gosh, I'd like to think something was done, but I don;t remember hearing about anything, even stuff behind closed doors. That raised a flag to me. Maybe not a red one, but perhaps a pinkish color. I think it does show that there is a deep-rooted problem of these guys "happening" to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It would be for a year. I talked to the woman who handles APR for Mizzou and she said men's basketball has a higher APR this year than it did last year, which makes me think the program is safe, but Hannah not returning doesn't exactly help things.

alrammer: I liked the hiring of Anderson and willing to give him more time. What frustrates is he kept playing guys like Horton(who is not a D1 player) and I just thought there was no talent at the position. But now you can see Lawrence and Tiller should have played a bigger role before the suspensions. Can Anderson judge talent?

Vahe Gregorian: I think he can. Anyone who saw Tiller play before last week had to have seen the same things I did: He's out of control, careless, immature. However, he grew up really quickly when given an opportunity. That's what Anderson saw when he recruited Tiller. We just hadn't seen it.

There's been some leadership gone awry and it's affected the younger players. That will be corrected next season. I have no doubt. And then you'll see the talent come through.

ghyyomd: Graham, Missouri seems to be making strides in many of the women's sports and mens' sports (beyond football and basketball). As you are around the athletic department are those other sports seeing more interest from recruits or more funding because of Mizzou's increased positive visibility? I was just curious how that ripples through athletics as a whole.

Vahe Gregorian: Honestly, football has helped everyone. Not just athletics, but academics, too. But several of these sports had been getting big recruits before. Volleyball, wrestling and baseball have been getting big talent for years. It's because they're not football and basketball that you don't hear about it. That will continue because of the success of those particular programs, but it doesn't hurt to have Mizzou winning on TV every weekend either.

mcangus52: Short and sweet this time?

Is Matt Lawrence getting way to much playing time, and if so, why?

Vahe Gregorian: I've gone back and forth about this. Matt is rushing his shot, he's thinking too much, he's costing Mizzou on the offensive end at times. But, he's also getting loose balls, going up for rebounds and playing better defense.

Mizzou doesn't have a guy who can shoot the 3 like Matt. However, if Matt's not making it, then they don't have a guy the can shoot the 3 period. It's like playing a slot machine for hours and hours and just winning small amounts. But the minute you get up, someone will put a quarter in and win the jackpot.

It's a tough play, I know. And he's frustrating to watch. But I think you have to keep going to him and hope that at some point you'll hit the jackpot.

Charlie: G-

I sense a slight distaste from you for Hannah. Is this because of the incident? Or is he truly a derelict (sp)?

Vahe Gregorian: Hmmm... I'll say this, yesterday's (today's) story about Hannah's propensity for being around shootings was not a surprise to me. There have been gripes about his off-court behavior. He was one of the reasons the original curfew went into place.

For the past season, Hannah has been kinda, what's the word I want to use here, standoffish to the media. It's come off as cocky, though media relations has done it's best to tell us otherwise. I've heard it's the same attitude he uses when talking to some of the younger players. That's why few came out of their shell until he was gone.

I don't know. When you're around these guys a lot like I am, you hear things and you see things. Hannah was a good player, but I think Missouri will be a better team now that he's gone.

I don't know that I can bite my tongue any more than that.

Matt: A quick comment. I love football and basketball, but it has been really nice to hear several questions about other sports. They get lost at times.

Vahe Gregorian: I agree. I love getting those questions, too.

Graham Watson: OK. That's it. Thanks for all the questions. We'll see you next week.

mcangus52: any more word on whether the KU game at Arrowhead next Nov will be on Friday or Sat? Is that ticket part of the season ticket package since it will be our "home" game in 2008?

Vahe Gregorian: Way to sneak one in at the buzzer...

We probably won;t know about that KU game for awhile. It's a TV deal and those contracts get ironed out during Big 12 spring meetings in May.

I doubt it will be part of the season ticket package. It wasn't part of KU's and I don't think (I could be wrong), Illinois will be part of it either. I'll find out though, and post something on the blog.