“(Nebraska fans) think the world revolves around them. They think that no one should possibly question their moral superiority. And anytime anybody beats Nebraska, it’s a good day!”
Mike DeArmond, Mizzou beat writer for the Kansas City Star, Metro Sports
GH: DeArmond is not your conventional beat writer. He does not pretend to be impartial. Rather he revels in his partiality toward his beloved Missouri Tigers. With that fandom comes some hate for the team he would most like Mizzou to emulate. Read on.
Mike DeArmond, Mizzou beat writer for the Kansas City Star, Metro Sports
GH: DeArmond is not your conventional beat writer. He does not pretend to be impartial. Rather he revels in his partiality toward his beloved Missouri Tigers. With that fandom comes some hate for the team he would most like Mizzou to emulate. Read on.
“There are Cardinals baseball fans. There are Kansas basketball fans. And there are Nebraska football fans. They were all born of the same parent. They’re all inbred – separated at birth because they’re all just impossible to handle.”
Mike DeArmond, Metro Sports
GH: Okay. Where to begin. The three teams that apparently keep Mike up late at night all share one common attribute – they win. A lot. And his Missouri Tigers might be the most champion-starved university with a respected name and pedigree. So what is more insufferable – perennial winners like Nebraska, the Cardinals and KU hoops or shoulda, woulda, coulda but almost never do Mizzou?
Mike DeArmond, Metro Sports
GH: Okay. Where to begin. The three teams that apparently keep Mike up late at night all share one common attribute – they win. A lot. And his Missouri Tigers might be the most champion-starved university with a respected name and pedigree. So what is more insufferable – perennial winners like Nebraska, the Cardinals and KU hoops or shoulda, woulda, coulda but almost never do Mizzou?
“I don’t know much about the newspaper industry but that seems bold. If it were a columnist, that would be different. For a beat writer to call a group of fans ‘inbred,’ to me seems bold. Very bold.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Bold isn’t the word I would use. Entertaining? Funny? Those words work better for me. DeArmond doesn’t really think all Husker, Cardinals and Jayhawk fans have the same parents. He just thinks that they’re all arrogant pricks who simply dress in different colors.
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Bold isn’t the word I would use. Entertaining? Funny? Those words work better for me. DeArmond doesn’t really think all Husker, Cardinals and Jayhawk fans have the same parents. He just thinks that they’re all arrogant pricks who simply dress in different colors.
“When Missouri beats (Nebraska), since I happen to cover Missouri, it’s easier to write a story when Missouri beats Nebraska because it’s impossible to write a story when Nebraska beats Missouri.”
Mike DeArmond, Metro Sports
GH: You gotta love Mike’s honesty. Most members of the media will give you the “we need to be impartial” BS that Kevin Kietzman is so fond of expelling. Not DeArmond. He’s cranky enough to tell you exactly how he feels about the Big Red and their boisterous fan base. At least the Huskers gave him plenty of lead time to work on his painful Saturday game story by jumping out to that 24-0 first-quarter lead.
Mike DeArmond, Metro Sports
GH: You gotta love Mike’s honesty. Most members of the media will give you the “we need to be impartial” BS that Kevin Kietzman is so fond of expelling. Not DeArmond. He’s cranky enough to tell you exactly how he feels about the Big Red and their boisterous fan base. At least the Huskers gave him plenty of lead time to work on his painful Saturday game story by jumping out to that 24-0 first-quarter lead.
“This isn’t to say, ‘Hey, this shoulda been called.’ … It’s very important for us to teach our players our defensive players and everybody, how they’re going to call it. How they’re going to interpret it.”
Gary Pinkel, on why he sent video of NU’s Courtney Osborne’s sack of Gabbert to the Big 12 office, TV 41
Gary Pinkel, on why he sent video of NU’s Courtney Osborne’s sack of Gabbert to the Big 12 office, TV 41
GH: Unlike DeArmond, Pinkel isn’t able to just tell the truth about how he feels about Nebraska. He wants us to believe he is alerting the Big 12 of this hit in hopes his players learn more about what the officials are looking for in helmet-to-helmet hits. I’d have more respect for Pinks if he just said he’s pissed that Carl Pelini and the Nebraska defense made him look like he should still be coaching at Toledo.
“Personally, I thought the Osborne sack (of Gabbert) invaded that murky gray area between highlight-reel slobber-knocker and a by-the-book illegal helmet-to-helmet hit. … What’s indisputable is the fumble. The ball clearly came loose, despite the nonsensical ‘forward progress’ explanation by referee Randy Christal. That decision seemed to be an obvious make-up call on the officials’ part.”
Dave Matter, columnist, Columbia Tribune
GH: Osborne is 5’10. Gabbert is 6’5. While the hit was a cold-cock slobber knocker, it was a clean football hit that Osborne initiated but never targeted the head. No penalty was called despite the hit occurring at the focal point of the play in open space. The real miracle is that while the ball immediately came out of Gabbert’s hand and was returned for a Nebraska touchdown, the play was called dead due to Gabbert’s “forward progress.” Yeah, Nebraska might be getting jobbed just a bit during their final dance through the Big 12.
Dave Matter, columnist, Columbia Tribune
GH: Osborne is 5’10. Gabbert is 6’5. While the hit was a cold-cock slobber knocker, it was a clean football hit that Osborne initiated but never targeted the head. No penalty was called despite the hit occurring at the focal point of the play in open space. The real miracle is that while the ball immediately came out of Gabbert’s hand and was returned for a Nebraska touchdown, the play was called dead due to Gabbert’s “forward progress.” Yeah, Nebraska might be getting jobbed just a bit during their final dance through the Big 12.
“I applaud the Missouri coach (for complaining about the Osborne hit on Gabbert). This has nothing to do about losing to the Huskers. This is all about trying to hurt someone. … It certainly seems to be intentional. It was blatant.”
Jack Harry, TV 41
GH: Harry showed the video of Osborne’s hit but as Pinkel failed to do, he failed to mention that it might have been a good idea for someone in a Missouri uniform to block Osborne. Instead of looking to the Big 12 office to protect their QB, Mizzou might want to ask their offense for some help.
Jack Harry, TV 41
GH: Harry showed the video of Osborne’s hit but as Pinkel failed to do, he failed to mention that it might have been a good idea for someone in a Missouri uniform to block Osborne. Instead of looking to the Big 12 office to protect their QB, Mizzou might want to ask their offense for some help.
“I posted a story on Twitter tonight…”
Jack Harry, TV 41
GH: Must have been a short story, Jack.
Jack Harry, TV 41
GH: Must have been a short story, Jack.
“Everybody told me this is a bad idea. … And yes I’m biased.”
Nick Wright, who used a portion of his Monday show to tell Kansas City voters to “please, please, please, vote no on Proposition A,” 610 AM
GH: Wright said he spent seven minutes on trying to convince voters to vote against Prop A. I heard about five minutes of it. What I didn’t hear Wright mention is that his father is Louie Wright, the president of the Kansas City fire fighters union. The earnings tax is tied to Prop A and funds the salaries, facilities and budget of the men in Local 42. Tony Botello wrote this about Louie Wright; “There is no force in Kansas City politics stronger than Local 42. Local 42 Grand Pooh-bah Louie Wright now runs Mayor Funky. Read on.
Nick Wright, who used a portion of his Monday show to tell Kansas City voters to “please, please, please, vote no on Proposition A,” 610 AM
GH: Wright said he spent seven minutes on trying to convince voters to vote against Prop A. I heard about five minutes of it. What I didn’t hear Wright mention is that his father is Louie Wright, the president of the Kansas City fire fighters union. The earnings tax is tied to Prop A and funds the salaries, facilities and budget of the men in Local 42. Tony Botello wrote this about Louie Wright; “There is no force in Kansas City politics stronger than Local 42. Local 42 Grand Pooh-bah Louie Wright now runs Mayor Funky. Read on.
“Back in 2008 Louie Wright was celebrated as ‘Labor Representative of the Year.’ However, in 2010, Mr. Wright may be in trouble. Currently he is president of Local 42 of the IAFF –the firefighter’s union. Mr. Wright supported candidates with Local 42 money and they all lost in (the August 2010) election. And his efforts to get members of the Jackson County prosecutor’s office into Local 42 have not borne any fruit. And the firefighters haven’t had a raise in a while.”
SouthKansasCityObservor.blogspot.com
GH: Wright should have listened to his producer and those who cautioned him to not use time on his show to lobby for his dad’s political agenda. It was a bad idea. The fact he didn’t end his political statement with a disclaimer about his father’s connection to this ballot issue was at best unseemly. At worst, deceitful and manipulative.
SouthKansasCityObservor.blogspot.com
GH: Wright should have listened to his producer and those who cautioned him to not use time on his show to lobby for his dad’s political agenda. It was a bad idea. The fact he didn’t end his political statement with a disclaimer about his father’s connection to this ballot issue was at best unseemly. At worst, deceitful and manipulative.
“Did you have to come up with that whole elaborate story to ask that question, Mitch? Don’t be ‘sceerd,’ Mitch. You can ask me any question you want.”
Todd Haley, who called out Mitch Holthus and his round-about way of asking Haley why he opted to not kick an early field goal against Buffalo, Chiefs Kingdom Show
GH: I heard Holthus talk about how a 10-year-old trick-or-treater asked him why Haley didn’t kick the field goal on three different shows Monday. On Metro Sports Holthus changed the age of the kid to eight. Haley was fantastic in exposing Holthus and his spineless attempt to pussyfoot around a semi-tough question. When are media yes men like Holthus going to learn that players and coaches do not want a tongue bath? They want direct, honest questions. Those who don’t, we can do without the interview.
Todd Haley, who called out Mitch Holthus and his round-about way of asking Haley why he opted to not kick an early field goal against Buffalo, Chiefs Kingdom Show
GH: I heard Holthus talk about how a 10-year-old trick-or-treater asked him why Haley didn’t kick the field goal on three different shows Monday. On Metro Sports Holthus changed the age of the kid to eight. Haley was fantastic in exposing Holthus and his spineless attempt to pussyfoot around a semi-tough question. When are media yes men like Holthus going to learn that players and coaches do not want a tongue bath? They want direct, honest questions. Those who don’t, we can do without the interview.
“They are a very well-coached team. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Kansas and what they do.”
Dan Hawkins, Colorado head football coach (at least for now), Hawk Talk
GH: Uh, well, that makes one of you.
Dan Hawkins, Colorado head football coach (at least for now), Hawk Talk
GH: Uh, well, that makes one of you.
“He may be the smartest player we’ve got.”
Marcus Morris, talking about his twin brother Markieff, Hawk Talk
GH: I am pretty sure this is not a good thing.
Marcus Morris, talking about his twin brother Markieff, Hawk Talk
GH: I am pretty sure this is not a good thing.
“McRib is back.”
McDonald’s TV ad
GH: Be still my beating palate. Once a year it returns, similar to athlete’s foot…or your ex. You get the itch. You scratch. And all over again you wonder why in the hell you thought it would be different this time.
McDonald’s TV ad
GH: Be still my beating palate. Once a year it returns, similar to athlete’s foot…or your ex. You get the itch. You scratch. And all over again you wonder why in the hell you thought it would be different this time.
Greghall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
Those two fellers that inbreeding picture
look like the sons ‘The Fugitive’ (David Janssen) never had…
DeArmond
I don’t necessarily mind that DeArmond is a fan. I mean, I do mind, but I get it. But it’s one thing to want the team he covers to win and another thing to throw out objectivity entirely. And DeArmond has never had ANY objectivity about Mizzou or KU or Nebraska. Not only is he a sore loser, he can’t even give credit to Nebraska for, as Greg points out, winning. A lot. Dude’s a hack.
Although I despise Mizzou with the white-hot passion of a thousand burning suns, I don’t necessarily subscribe to the popular (amongst KU fans, anyway) belief that Mizzou fans are a bunch of bitter, sore losers that have never won a championship of any consequence (although all the stuff about meth, slavery, mullets and jean shorts is absolutely true), but DeArmond is one of the biggest reasons that the sore-loser fan rep is the cliche it is. If the Star’s Mizzou beat reporter is visibly gagging on his own bile whenever anything bad happens to Mizzou, what is an average observer supposed to think of the fan base in general?
Nick Wright’s Begging
I listened to about 3 minutes of this crap before I finally changed the channel to Hannity. I can’t stand to listen to KK anymore, so there is only one sports talk show in the afternoon to listen to and Wright made that unbearable. If I knew he was spitting out this shit because of his father, I may have listened to 30 seconds before I changed channels.
McRib
The notion that you yearn for McRib sanwiches in a town that is to BBQ what the San Fernando Valley is to porn is just plain disturbing. Get yourself a burnt end sammich at RJ’s bobbeque Shack on Lamar.
Great read.
From my standpoint
I went to the game Saturday and sat smack in the middle of MU’s section in the soutwest corner. All the MU fans were very cool but I heard a ton of griping over no pass intereference calls (they just couldn’t understand how Nebraska had Missouri’s receivers so well covered, nevermind you couldn’t make a PI call from our vantage point if your life depended on it). As far as the hit on Gabbert, I didn’t hear anything at all calling for any kind of penalty on it in our section. Again, I’m sure vantage point had a lot to do with that. The way Gabbert ducked into that hit thought has me wondering if he wasn’t already woozy from some shots he took earlier in the game. I’m biased but I’ve certainly seen worse hits not called, but I’ve also seen lesser hits called. It’s really a gray area. I think it looked worse b/c Gabbert ducked right into the hit. Osborne never left his feet either. If he leaves his feet there’s an argument there for a call. I know it pains a lot of MU fans on this site to have to lose that last one against Nebraska….that’s going to sting for a while. With that said…Nebraska isn’t home free on the championship. MU will win out and all it takes is one Nebraska loss.
DeArmond and Wright
I agree with Greg that beat writers don’t need to be impartial. It should be a balance, however, of objective journalism and being a homer. DeArmond falls to the extreme end of that scale. Much more so than his peers that cover KSU or KU. Possibly excusable if he were a better writer or more entertaining. He needs to be replaced.
As for Nick Wright, doesn’t this seem like he knows the end is near? That airtime is precious and there are many who would kill to have that time slot. And he chooses to waste several minutes on a non-sports related issue? Seems like he recognizes that his time is just about up. You could give the benefit of the doubt to him if he was getting decent ratings (like KK and the Grilling segments), but Nick’s ratings are terrible. Get rid of him 610 and give us someone we can take seriously.
More on DeArmond and Wright
-DeArmond is hack. Freshman year journalism school you are taught the difference between being a beat writer and a columnist. I want unbiased news from my beat writers and opinion from my columnists. There has to be a distinction if you want credibility. I remember DeArmond blasting Jake Pullen on his blog for saying something as harmless as, ‘We remember that’ in response to a last-second dunk by MU in Columbia last year as K-State was walking off the floor because the game had been decided. It blew my mind the Star permitted a beat writer to personally attack a player on the opposing team of the school he’s about to cover. On the Star’s website no less.
-Nick Wright did say his Dad works for the Fire Department twice during that rant yesterday. I heard the whole thing. Tacky move, whether you say you are biased or not. Guy is a joke. Nobody buy JoJo and Glazer like him.
hey GH…
what say you about the way the defender damn near twisted Gabberts head off his neck at the goal line? I suppose that wasn’t illegal either? Casually pretend like that didn’t happen. Likely would not have changed the outcome of the game but he was heading into the endzone and coming away with 7 there instead of 3 might have made a difference in momentum.
I strongly beleive the pelini bros preach dirty play. BTW, you and the rest of the NU fanbase are inbred hicks. 😉
NU
Until we get the kinks out of the Comments section, I’ll have to respond the old-fashioned way.
GH: I agree that the Pelini Bros. probably lean toward coaching the dirtier side of physical play rather than the Turner Gill approach of turning the other cheek. A few penalties for rough play send exactly the message NU is looking to send. If you look at those two guys, they didn’t get their jobs because they’re well educated and passive.
That said, NU’s beating of the Tigers had nothing to do with illegal hits and everything to do with taking advantage of a Mizzou offense that arrogantly places its QB in harms way 80% of the time. If you’re going to spread the field and have no backs in the backfield, you’re going to get your QB lit up on occassion. Gabbert’s parents should be pissed at Pinks, not Pelini.
NU
Gabbert’s parents should be pissed at their son. Look what happened to Josh Freeman when he turned NU down, the Huskers ripped him up and spit him out. Too bad NU won’t play them in the next few years, so they can destroy Gabby Jr. also. Go Big Red!!!
Nick Wright
Let me get this straight–Nick Wright makes fun of 810 all the time for straying off the topic of hardcore sports talk and doing Stump the Chumps, Smoke N Fire, Racin Boys, etc.
And then he uses his air time to lobby for his dad’s political agenda?
Wow. There goes his credibility. What a clown.
Huh?
When did Nick Wright have any credibility? What he said yesterday just confirmed he is a chump.
RE: NU
Yeah, because NU’s successful QB’s have ecelled at the next level. I actually cannot think of a single one that has played. Great track record.
Nick/KK
Finally stopped listening to KK after his "Nebraska fans are the portent of evil, the Nebraska media is controlled by Warren Buffett, and Tom Osborne lied to Bill Snyder in a conversation I never heard but I am sure that happened" before the KSU-NU game.
Started listening to Nick. He is an acquired taste, at best. Not as strong a personality as he thinks he is…but he’s lost me now, too. Frankly, he’s in violation of election laws. Let Voters Decide (yes on Prop A) should have had 7 minutes of his show, as well.
ESPN radio works just fine from 2-6. I have no need for the ginned up controversy of the week from KK; or the relentless posturing and unnatural pauses from Nick.
Mike D.
has gone a little Jack Harryish on us I think. He’s a solid reporter but he’s a bit embarrassing doing interviews.
There were dirty hits, no doubt. But so what.
Kudos to the Nubs. They came out fired up and took Mizzou out of it quickly. I also hear the Nub fans were well-behaved to the visitors … but of course they always are when they win.
I’ll hold off commenting on this new format, but it ain’t off to a great start. ‘
Losing sucks
I know losing sucks, but calling Nebraska dirty is just a cop out. And if anyone on this board has ever played on a defensive line at any level I’m sure they’ll tell you it’s a streetfight in the middle there. Not for the weak willed. Appendages get twisted, eyes get poked, junk gets grabbed (see the Chiefs) and damn near anything goes in the pile to keep an opponent from scoring. And, yeah, generally when you’re a loser like Misery was this last weekend, you’ll come crying about that stuff.
Really?
If you can’t stop someone from getting 300 yards on the ground by themselves, then you don’t deserve to win the game. That being said, Greg, I suppose having your arm pulled down just as you are making a catch in the end zone isn’t pass interference either right? Sorry, the hit on Gabbert was illegal, even the announcers wondered why it wasn’t flagged. The face mask penalty would have given Mizzou first down and goal at the 1 inch line. The officials were as incompentent as the Mizzou running defense. What’s the deal with the hatred of the Cardinals fans? We expect to win. Sorry, but we do. I expected teh Roayls to win when I was there in the late 70s-80s. It wasn’t a pleasant summer here across the state either, but at least we have an ownership group that tries to put a winning team on the field every year. Is it jealousy or what? Are these the same Cardinals fans that gave the Red Sox a standing ovation for handing our ass to us in four games in 2004? I don’t get the hatred. I suggest y’all come on over next summer, we’ll go get some Gus’s pretzels, some Crown Candy milk shakes and afterwards, we’ll all go to the Hill and have some great Italian food. I’ve heard the Cardinals fans called a lot of things but inbred? That’s harsh.
Little Nicky
Yesterday was the final straw. I’m done listening to 610 from 2-6pm. If I wanted opinions about Prop A I’ll turn the dial to 980 or NPR. Wasting our time on it was bad enough. Add in the fact that Little Nicky didn’t disclose his pop’s vested interest in maintaining the status quo and he ought to be canned.
If that helps you sleep at night, Redfan…
then go for it. It’s not much of a secret in football circles that Pelini has no problem coaching his players to "do" a little bit more than is allowed by the rules, and it’s certainly obvious to anyone watching the Huskers play that they not only play outside the bounds of the rules but that they also relish in that fact.
The one nice thing about the Nubbers going to the Big 10 is that we won’t have to listen to the kool-aid drinking Nubber fans around here anymore. You’ll be as easily dismissed as the Iowa fans in KC. Good riddance.
Mike Dearmond
Interesting take from the Pitch Weekly.
Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star Mizzou beat writer, calls Nebraska, Kansas and St. Louis Cardinals fans ‘inbred’
We get it: Kansas City Star sports reporter Mike DeArmond loves the University of Missouri-Columbia. He’s Mizzou class of ’72. He bleeds black and gold, even though he covers MU basketball and football for the Star. He’s living every sports fan’s dream. He’s not impartial; he’s a homer.
DeArmond put that on display over the weekend, with these comments on Metro Sports’ Missouri-Nebraska pre-game show (watch the video below):
"There are Cardinal baseball fans, there are Kansas basketball fans and there are Nebraska football fans. They were all born of the same parents. They’re all inbred, separated at birth because they’re all just impossible to handle. They think the world revolves around them. They think that no one should possibly question their moral superiority and therefore anytime anybody beats Nebraska it’s a good day."
Inbred? Moral superiority? Cue the mushroom cloud; we have a media meltdown. (I tried to get DeArmond to respond, but he had "no comment." Editor Mike Fannin hasn’t responded to an e-mail.) But it’s not like anyone cares about objectivity these days. Everyone is Howard Beale, mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.
DeArmond is clearly not self aware: He sounds just like the folks he’s ripping. But he’s not entirely wrong. KU basketball fans aren’t exactly gracious winners — or losers. Cardinals fans are duly insufferable. But Nebraska? They’re generally good fans — albeit spoiled by their successes. Really, what else do they have? Being a little right doesn’t excuse DeArmond using the tired inbred stereotype; it’s the equivalent of calling someone Hitler in politics. And it’s not like Missouri has never been on the wrong-end of a bad inbred joke.
Could DeArmond still be bitter that the Big Ten picked Nebraska and not Missouri for conference expansion? My best guess is yes. No one in the media lobbied harder for the Tigers to bolt than "Mad Mike." But the Big Ten didn’t come calling in Columbia. Instead, the Big Ten got Big Red.
In the interview, DeArmond added: "When Missouri beats them, because I happen to cover Missouri, it’s easier to write a story when Missouri beats Nebraska because it’s impossible to write a story when Nebraska beats Missouri.
Yeah, you just happen to cover Missouri. DeArmond should be used to it by now: Nebraska has owned the series with 65 wins, 36 losses and three ties. DeArmond pulled off the "impossible" and wrote a straight-forward story about the Cornhuskers rolling the Tigers 31-17. He even dropped in a line about Missouri’s players being in "denial." He managed to do it all without calling anyone inbred.
Dearmond
Say what you want about objectivity and reporters being impartial, but Dearmond is the most honest reporter you’ll find out there. Just because he says what he is thinking (while other reporters pretend to be objective) doesn’t make him a bad journalist. He is 100-percent willing to rip anybody that deserves it, whether it be Nebraska, KU, Mizzou or even his own paper. There aren’t many left like him and there probably will never be another.