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Former Missouri Chancellor blames lack of Border War renewal on Bill Self’s ‘big ego’

Texas Tech v Kansas

LAWRENCE, KS - JANUARY 07: Head coach Bill Self of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts from the bench during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse on January 7, 2017 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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There have been rumblings in recent weeks of an effort, at least on the part of Missouri, to reignite the Border War between Kansas and Missouri, an intense rivalry game that has not been played since the Tigers left the Big 12 for the SEC.

If former Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin is to be believed, that rivalry is not going to restart anytime soon.

Why?

Bill Self.

“The problem was a man named Bill Self who made it very clear this wasn’t going to happen,” Loftin told AL.com in a story about rivalries obliterated by SEC expansion. One of those rivalries involves Texas and Texas A&M. Loftin is a former president at A&M.. “I think it’s more likely Texas will bend than Kansas as long as Self is involved. He has a big ego.”

Well, now.

Two weeks ago, after Missouri AD Jim Sterk pushed for the Border War to return, Self told the Kansas City Star that “I would think that would probably be something that would be a given when asked a question, ‘Would you like to continue or renew the series?’ I think the obvious answer from his standpoint would probably be, ‘Yes.’ From mine (standpoint) that’s a decision that will be made at a university level, not just at a basketball level.”