My 10-year old son asked to skip school for the NCAA tournament tomorrow and I’m just a little more proud of the request than a responsible parent probably should be.
Kumar Rocker threw 131 pitches and struck out 19 in a complete game no hitter in an elimination game. Single best performance I have ever covered live.
Vanderbilt has just granted me a credential for today. My family has made some plans around me being home much of the day and I am trying to rearrange them, but I wanted to put that out there for the record.
Lots of details still to learn, but, Vanderbilt is apparently abolishing its athletics communications office and absorbing it within the university. Existing employees can re-apply for jobs. Another move for the school to keep athletics under its thumb.
The ACC Network and ESPN's coverage of Vanderbilt and Wake Forest is unacceptable. They've restarted the game, it's not on the ACC Network and they've not told anyone where to find it.
Why did Vanderbilt do what it did with athletics media relations? Why has it made the changes/hires with athletic directors that it has? Why can't sports get facilities? If you want to know how it all works, read this free piece:
A source with direct knowledge of the situation tells me this morning that former AD Malcolm Turner told Vanderbilt that it would take $800 million to get all its athletic facilities up to SEC standards.
I've been a part of hundreds of Tim Corbin press conferences. The one he did tonight, under tough circumstances, may have been his best ever. Gracious, humble, honest the whole way through. And very complementary of Mississippi State.
Alabama--yes,
@AlabamaBSB
--had the largest run differential in SEC baseball play this year at plus-48, one ahead of Arkansas. The Crimson Tide didn't play Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina, which went a combined 43-46 in the SEC.
The word "unbelievable" is overused, but winning eight of nine to finish the regular season right after losing by 57 (like Vanderbilt did) is just that. Nobody would have believed this on the morning of February 1.
Give Jerry Stackhouse a lot of credit today. Beating Ole Miss without Pippen and Disu, in the midst of a dismal season, was a minor miracle. Or maybe a major miracle.
Saben Lee put on one of the best single-game performances from any Vandy player I’ve ever seen tonight. Hats off to him. That’s incredibly tough to do under the current circumstances.
On a personal note: I was one of Derek Mason’s biggest critics, but, I genuinely like the guy. People will tell you what they think of people off the record and it often contradicts what they say publicly. With Mason, just about everyone genuinely liked him.
Kumar Rocker may have thrown his last pitch as a Commodore, and if he has, I'd argue he's got a great case as the best athlete in Vanderbilt history in any sport.
The NCAA giving a show-cause penalty to a guy out of coaching and who doesn’t want to coach again while guys caught on wiretap buying players are still coaching is the most NCAA thing ever.
The Vanderbilt football team has been put in charge of getting the Hawkins Field crowd fired up and if pregame is any indication there will be no shortage of noise from them.
Holy smokes, I did not have Vandy getting two minutes from Liam Robbins and winning at Rupp anywhere on the bingo card. Huge win for Jerry Stackhouse and Vandy and hats off to both.
Prayers for everyone in downtown Nashville and to the good people now having to work in the midst of awful circumstances, God keep you safe and bless you today.
There's been some hand-wringing from Vandy fans, but bottom line, VU just took four of six, with a plus-11 margin, from a pair of top-five teams right around the time exams hit. That makes a statement.
People asking about Vandy and the NCAA Tournament now. My opinion: gotta win three of the next four and probably one in the SECT and then *maybe.* But the quality wins--TN, AR, Auburn, Pitt--are starting to accumulate a bit and that's what makes it interesting.
I would sort of summarize Vandy football's talent issue this way: Imagine you had a draft of high school players and everyone in the SEC had 25 rounds... and Vandy doesn't pick until Round 12, and then picks twice per round.
Shout-out to
@MaxHerzTalks
for doing great work on these Vanderbilt baseball broadcasts. The pregame prep he does and attention to detail during the game really shows.
If this is Vanderbilt's way of admitting a mistake with its logo (and I hope it is) then I would applaud that show of humility. The Star V should always be a part of Vanderbilt's athletics identity; it's one of the things about Vanderbilt athletics that's truly iconic.
This is why people who are around Vanderbilt respect its baseball program. I've covered them 16 years. It's consistent with my experience with Tim Corbin and his players, from the very beginning.
An hour after winning a national title in his last collegiate game....
@Stephen_Scott7
stayed & picked up every piece of trash in our dugout.
No one asked him to, & he didn’t see me sneak this picture.
He just did what was right.
Leaders Eat Last until the end.
@VandyBoys
Vanderbilt has played mostly without passion for a few years now, but you saw it just now on that and-goal stop on downs, and you saw it last week after the CSU taunting penalty. They've gotta bottle that up and keep it going.
Lost in the "What the heck is Vandy doing?" aspect of today was that lots of good people who were good at their jobs lost them today. That's heart-breaking any time, but especially in the midst of an economic recession. Prayers for those folks.
FREE STORY: Malcolm Turner had big plans for facilities at Vanderbilt. But between what the school has the will to do, and an increasingly-distrusting donor base, the future of that plan is in doubt:
Prayers to the folks of Hendersonville, which got hit hard with a tornado tonight. It’s where I grew up and my parents still live. Thank God they are okay.
Heartbroken to hear that Mark Howard has died. Nobody in Nashville sports media was better at his job than Mark. More importantly, Mark was always a friend who was kind to me. I'm stunned and I'll miss him.
I have had the honor of being the Voice of the Commodores for 23 years. Recently I went on the air representing Vanderbilt at a time when I should not have. I was unacceptable to me and to the university. I write this to tell you two things.
Mark and Kevin are friends of mine, but this has nothing do with what I'm about to say: I cannot freaking believe the Zone did this. Those guys were beyond outstanding at their jobs. I'm floored.
Here's an attempt to look at the complicated situation VU is in with Derek Mason from all angles. Year 7, under these circumstances, is rare--anywhere. This took three days to research. I've made it free. Feedback welcome, just be polite, please:
Just did a one-hour, 10-minute podcast with Tim Corbin talking mostly about the season ahead and if you like Vanderbilt baseball, I promise you'll want to hear this:
Some things about the Vanderbilt/Malcolm Turner success haven't made sense. But sometimes there are true statements that don't reflect the whole truth. That's where this story starts. And it's free:
I just spoke to a source at Vanderbilt with knowledge of the hosting situation. I was told in no uncertain terms that Vanderbilt will be submitting a bid for a regional (and presumably a super also). So consider that a settled issue.
Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse, when asked if the AD had any input on having students in the stands, was clearly irritated and stated "That's above my pay grade, ask somebody else."
Yesterday was a really, really sad day for Vanderbilt basketball. The 3-point streak was part of the fabric of the program, and losing it symbolizes a lot. It took some time to cobble thoughts together, but here they are:
It's surreal watching Tim Corbin and Erik Bakich at the trophy presentation in Omaha. Two of the classiest guys I've ever covered. I'd never have imagined this back in 2007, let alone 2004. Congrats to both of them on tremendous seasons.
I say this as someone who didn’t see eye to eye with James Franklin on many things. But when it came to motivation and preparation, I’m not sure anyone is better. That man got it. This seems like decades ago now.
Two loud things from Vanderbilt baseball last night: Greysen Carter topping 100 with eight-straight pitches and walking nobody in 3 IP and that missile that Braden Holcomb hit to walk the game off. Both could be huge pieces this year.
Few players I've covered have my respect more than Saben Lee. Love way he played and the humility with which he carries himself. Has always shown up and answered our questions in difficult times. He will do very well for himself, wherever life leads.
With each passing year I realize how blessed we are for the gift of Jesus, and how blessed beyond measure I am, not the least of which are the friendships I have with many of you. Peace and grace to you all, and Merry Christmas!
@blakefromang
Since I said that on a podcast, I had a former Vanderbilt head coach reach out to me and tell me the school had done that before... and then (this person's words) "they ignored about 90% of the advice." I don't know how you fix that part.
And yet university administrators judged these guys unworthy of jobs. If you'd said 15 years ago VU would have four times the audience of LSU, you'd have been sent to the insane asylum.
@chilley13
@sennsm
@cdanoff_2
@AndyPate05
Watched a whole lot of Spencer Jones at Vandy. He's just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. Yankee Stadium is a tremendous fit for his lefty power, though he's got easy power to left-center, too. His best baseball is ahead of him.
We have a major, historic announcement: We've signed an NIL deal for
@KenSealsQB
to be a part of our podcast for the next 12 months! You can hear our first episode here:
Touching article from my good friend Trey Wallace. And please, everyone, be praying constantly for the Sullivan family. I cannot think of a harder situation.
Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin proves there’s more to life than a baseball game with one small act of kindness.
As his younger brother Asher was fighting for his life blocks away, Declan Sullivan was invited to sit with Vandy against Tennessee on Sunday
Read:
One final Vandy baseball tweet tonight: School work is over or ends soon for these guys and that’s always a big deal. You have a lot of players going through this grind the first time; even the sophomores have never done it before.
If Vanderbilt is going to upset South Carolina tomorrow, it needs to attempt about 194 passes. It may not get them there but they've established that run-run-pass-on-third-and-8 won't, either.
I’m officially a free agent. If you’re looking for someone to elevate and optimize your brand’s story, I have over 20 years of experience as a digital strategist and content specialist.
Thanks to everyone that’s reached out with support. Much love and happy holidays!
College Football coaches are now in NIL bidding wars inside the transfer portal, with $100K shakedowns from their own players.
“Look at the market right now. There are schools offering anywhere between $500,000 and $5 million for a player”
Read:
Tommy Smith, who was second in charge to Malcolm Turner during their careers at Vanderbilt, will be on my podcast Monday. I don’t think you’ll want to miss this one.
I think folks are making slightly too much of Candice Lee's "offensive-minded coach" comment; she said if a coach isn't that, they consider who his assistants will be. She gave solid answers in regards to the search and facilities.