Mike Anderson Signs 7-Year Deal with the Missouri Tigers

On Tuesday night, Missouri Tiger fans got a treat. Missouri athletic director Mike Alden announced that the Tiger's had signed Mike Anderson to a seven year deal. Anderson signed the contract after rejecting one from Georgia earlier in the day. This is great for the Tiger team and fan base. Even though the Tigers lost in the elite eight to Connecticut last Saturday, the team has been much better since Anderson has arrived. And with the signing of this long-term contract, Anderson has followed the lead of the Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel in signing a seven-year deal, and like Pinkel, has made a commitment to bring Missouri Tiger sports to greatness.

Even though the records in Anderson's first two seasons do not really reflect anything great on paper, Anderson has cleaned up the ship since he arrived. The helm, which had been deserted by Quinn Snider, had run amok. When Anderson got the job after Snider stepped down, he went into no nonsense mode. In 2008, even though he only finished 16-16, Anderson purged the Tigers team of impurities by installing strict standards. He set curfews on his players to keep them out of trouble. This was done after one of the players was shot in the ankle in a late night outing. This really was a great disciplinary movement that would pay major dividends in the ensuing season.

When the season started this year, the Tigers were a new team. With his hard work ethic and off court discipline, Anderson started to work wonders. After a dismal season in 08 the Tigers won ten more games in the regular season, giving them a 26-6 record. They then proceeded to wreak havoc in the Big 12 tournament by beating Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Baylor in three days. This gave them a number 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Once in the Tournament, Mike Anderson led the Tigers to the elite eight, with their most impressive win coming in the sweet sixteen over Memphis. Even though the Tigers lost to Connecticut in the elite eight, Anderson brought the Tigers from nowhere to somewhere in the flash of an eye, and by signing the seven year deal, he shows no sign of letting his team down.

Mike Anderson by signing the contract has shown he has a commitment to the Tigers. In this way he has followed the example of Gary Pinkel, Missouri's football coach. Missouri has been blessed by two great coaches. And for his part, Mike Anderson should have many good years ahead of him. And all the Missouri fans can hope that the elite eight appearance this year is only a sign of thing to come.

Cited sources:

Mike Anderson signs 7 year deal

Anderson enforces curfews

Pinkel's 7 year contract