Pinkel probably wouldn't still be there if he hadn't learned to listen.

In 2004, a dreadful 5-6 campaign that started off 5-1, Pinkel nearly lost his team. A group of seniors-to-be went to him and said things needed to change. They said players needed a voice and that football wasn't fun.

The Missouri Tigers are members of the Big 12 Conference and their colors are black and old gold. Athletic divisions include men's and women's basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, swimming and diving, softball, swimming, track, tennis, volleyball, women's soccer, and wrestling. Former football coach Dan Devine holds the record for most wins on the gridiron. Additionally, former basketball coach and alum Norm Stewart maintains the record for most wins on the hard court. The current head coach of the men's basketball team is Mike Anderson. Gary Pinkel is the current head football coach. Coaches of other sports included women's golf coach Stephanie Priesmeyer, men's golf coach Mark Leroux, baseball coach Tim Jamieson, softball coach Ehren Earleywine, cross country coach Jared Wilmes, men's swimming and diving coach Brian Hoffer, track and field coach Rick McGuire, wrestling coach Brian Smith, gymnastics coach Rob Drass, soccer coach Bryan Blitz, tennis coach Blake Starkey,
nd volleyball coach Wayne Kreklow.

MU football games are played on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Built in 1926, the stadium has an official capacity of 68,349, and features a nearly 100 ft. wide "M" behind the north end zone. Men's and women's basketball games are played at the Mizzou Arena, located just south of the football stadium. The Hearnes Center hosted men's and women's basketball from 1972 to 2004 and is still used for other athletic and school events.

The official mascot for Missouri Tigers athletics is Truman the Tiger, who was born on Sept. 16, 1986. Truman was named following a campus-wide naming contest in honor of Missouri's only U.S. President, Harry S. Truman. Previously MU had two mascots, a male and a female, but neither had an identity. Truman was acclaimed the "Best Mascot in the Nation" for the second time, in national competition in 2004.

Today, Truman can be seen cheering on the Tigers and mingling with supporters at Mizzou athletic events as well as pep-rallies, alumni association functions, and frequent visits to Columbia area schools.

The University of Missouri–Columbia has over 20 schools and colleges and is one of only six public universities in the country with medicine, veterinary medicine, law, engineering, and agriculture schools all on one campus. It is most widely known for its programs in journalism, agriculture, law, life sciences, and veterinary medicine. Current enrollment exceeds 28,000 with students from every county in Missouri, every state in the nation and more than 100 foreign countries.

MU was founded in 1839 as part of the Geyer Act to establish a state land-grant university, the first west of the Mississippi River. The year of its founding, the citizens of Columbia and Boone County pledged $117,921 in cash and land to beat out five other central Missouri counties for the location of the state university. The land on which the University was eventually constructed was just south of Columbia's downtown and owned by James S. Rollins, who is known as the "Father of the University." It was the first public university in Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase and was designed in part upon Jefferson's original plans for the University of Virginia. Jefferson's original tombstone was given to Mizzou by his heirs in July 1883.

Francis Quadrangle, featuring the Columns and Jesse Hall, prior to the movement of construction equipment into this area for the Reynolds Journalism Institute.In 1862, while in the midst of the Civil War, the board of curators suspended operations of the University. It was during this time that the residents of Columbia formed a "home guard" unit that became notoriously known as the "Fighting Tigers of Columbia". This name was given because of the group's steadfast readiness to fight against any form of invading force that was hoping to plunder the city and university. Later, in 1890 an alumnus suggested the University's newly-formed football team be called the "Tigers" out of respect for those who fought to defend Columbia. The College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources was opened. In 1888 the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station opened. This grew to encompass ten centers and research farms around central Missouri. MU soon added schools of law and medicine.