March Madness and Vanderbilt Basketball: Synonymous in a Bad Way

Conference Tournament time, in my opinion, is just as much a part of March Madness as the NCAA Tournament. The bubble is very nearly defined, at least a couple of mid-majors shock and awe their way in, and some major teams that looked dead a month, or even a week ago catch fire. The Conference Tournament can help some teams in the middle of the pack of the NCAA field gain some much needed leverage with seeding. There is no better example of this than UConn, who was 9-9 in Big East play last year before taking the Conference Tournament by storm and riding it on a Magical March wave to an NCAA Championship. The Conference Tournament can also punch a cinderella's ticket. Western Kentucky is the best example of that this year, as a team that fired its head coach mid-season with a losing record, only to win its conference championship earlier this week.

The point is that crazy happens in Championship Week, just as much as NCAA Tournament time. A team either catches the wave, plays its best basketball, and accomplishes its preseason goals, or it flutters in the spotlight and drops in the face of adversity. The right team, with the right level of talent, can ride that wave a long, long way, much like UConn did last year. But even in spite of that talent, you can just as easily crash and burn if you miss the wave. For the past 2 Marches, this has been Vanderbilt's M.O.

Quite frankly, this team is still maddeningly inconsistent. They were maddeningly inconsistent the previous two years, but the hope and expectation was that 4 guys in their senior year, and one in his junior year, would somehow kick some of the bad habits that make them inconsistent. They have, to an extent (we're better defensively), but some things have gotten worse (defensive rebounding for one). They drill Marquette on the road, win ten games straight, then blow a dominant first half lead to Mississippi State at home. They get a huge home win over Florida on Senior Night, only to not show up against Tennessee the next game. Both Mississippi State and Tennessee are good teams when they want to be, but every Vandy fan rightfully expected those games to be wins. This is not to dwell, but to illustrate how frustrating it is for these guys, their coaches, and their fans. We all deal with it together.

But March for the past two seasons has been a microcosm of that incredible inconsistency. In both years, we have gotten to the SEC semifinals only to get bounced. One time, it was by a better team (Florida last year was very good), the other, it was by a worse team (Mississippi State). In both years, we've lost our first-round game. We were posh upset picks in both years, and we are again this year. The ESPN blog Giant Killers absolutely loves us because we literally prove them right time and again. This year, we're the second most-likely major team to get bumped. The reason is because, over the course of the entire season, we have turned the ball over a lot, haven't forced turnovers ourselves, and haven't prevented offensive rebounds. The funny thing is, at points throughout the year, we have done 2 of the 3 really well. We are either great or really average. We don't share Mississippi State's lows, but we also don't look better than Tennessee at times. Then we go out and play Kentucky closer than any other team, smoke Marquette, and drop 100 on Ole Miss. It's literally madness.

Which is why, for this group of seniors, for their coaches and fans, this March HAS to be different. This isn't just about throwing a monkey off their backs, this is about their legacy. There are no more chances after this. It's either play like you did against Marquette, against Ole Miss, heck against Kentucky, or play like you did against Tennessee. One changes the perception of this senior class, the class that took the program to heights it had never been before, the other leaves it exactly as it presently is, good, but not great.

This SEC Tournament could not have been laid out better for the Commodores. After blowing their opportunity to capture the 2-seed with a no-show in Knoxville, they do not have to face Kentucky, Florida, or Alabama to get to the championship game. They have to face two dangerous opponents in Mississippi State (assuming they beat UGA, not guaranteed) and Tennessee (assuming they beat Ole Miss or Auburn, not guaranteed), but both are flawed and both simply aren't as good. Simply put, this team either rises up and gets to the Championship Game, or lets Tennessee hang around in their minds and falls flat again. I'd almost say that more of our own fans have the expectation that they'll fall flat. Our performance in this tournament will tell me a lot about how things are going to go in the Big Dance. But there is no more next year, the time is now, and the job simply has to get done.

Commodores Will Be 3 Seed in SEC Tournament

After Kentucky's thorough dismantling of the Florida Gators in Gainesville, Vanderbilt will finish 3rd in the SEC Tournament. Vanderbilt will face the winner of the #6 Mississippi State vs. #11 Georgia game in the Friday finale. Here's the schedule and the yet-to-be-completed bracket. With Kentucky's win, Vanderbilt stays out of Kentucky's side of the bracket and put themselves on a collision course with the Tennessee Volunteers who snaked the 2-seed after beating the Commodores yesterday in Knoxville. Tennessee will face the winner of Ole Miss and Auburn.

Vanderbilt Falls to Volunteers 68-61

Tennessee is playing as well as anyone in America right now, but Vanderbilt did not put their best foot forward today. The Volunteers do what Cuonzo Martin teams do: play good defense. At the end of the day, however, this game was won at the free throw line where Tennessee was 21-27 as compared to Vanderbilt who was just 8-16 and who missed their first 7 attempts.

The Commodores will be no worse than a 4 seed in next week's SEC tournament, but for a few hours Vanderbilt fans will have to do something that is anathema to being a Commodore: root for Kentucky. If Florida beats the Wildcats tomorrow at the O-Dome, Vanderbilt will be the #4 seed and find themselves on the same side of the bracket as Kentucky. If they Wildcats get their 16th conference win, Vanderbilt will earn the #3 seed in the SEC Tournament.

Sound off, VSLNation

VSL Live-Blog: Vanderbilt @ Tennessee

We'll Do It Live

Be there

Who Ya Got: Vanderbilt Travels to Rocky Top

Early-Bird Special Ends Today . . . So Buy Tickets

Commodore fans, today is the last day to buy tickets for the 2012 football season paying 2011 prices.

All the information you need to purchase tickets can be found here, and tickets can be ordered online or by calling the ticket office at 322-GOLD (4663). And, to get even better seats (and parking), consider becoming a member of the National Commodore Club (which can also help you get tickets for Vanderbilt's upcoming NCAA Tournament games).

The Morning After: Thoughts on the Vandy-UF Game and Its Importance

At the beginning of the year, I wrote that this was the team that would take us off the plateau, albeit a high plateau, that the program has been on and would get us deep in the tournament.

Then Ezeli got hurt/suspended, Vandy lost to Cleveland State at home, couldn't muster a win against either Xavier or Louisville despite second half leads, and to top it all off, fell to Indiana State. That pretty much soured the punditry, who had established very high expectations for the Commodores.

It's pretty fair to say that this team is not the same team as that group early in the year, continuing the trend of Stallings' teams to be disappointing in the first half of the year, and dangerous in the second. Say what you want, but the Dores have played very well in SEC play. Yes, they seem to ghost out for anywhere between 5-10 minutes of the game offensively, but they are #2 in the SEC in offensive efficiency and #4 in the SEC in defensive efficiency. Their only losses in SEC play have been to Kentucky, Florida, Mississippi State and Arkansas (on the road). The most shameful of those may have been the Mississippi State game, but it's still not a bad loss. The biggest knock on the 'Dores is that their only big win came in a complete beat down against Marquette, which most pundits wanted to chalk up as an aberration more than a statement about Vandy.

Until last night. Make no mistake, Vandy had to have this one on so many levels. This group, which has been incredibly polarizing given the level of expectation and the baffling performance swings from spectacular to awful, needed to prove that they could beat a really good team. They needed to take charge of the 2-seed in the SEC tournament. They needed to rally after a tough road loss to UK. They accomplished those goals last night, but this was really more than about one game, at least from the fan's perspective. It was about proving that this team really was different from the previous 2 editions.

Vanderbilt has struggled with senior night in recent history. The last time Vanderbilt won on senior night was 2008-2009, when these guys were freshmen. The last big senior night win was 2007-2008, the night of Shan Foster's 42 point explosion against Mississippi State. This game was not really an "upset", as Vandy was favored by 2.5, but any Vandy fan will tell you that this game was something to fear. Watching this senior class, who came with much fan fare and who have been dogged incessantly for their March shortcomings, walk out of Memorial with a win made me a little misty-eyed. All the more so watching Jeff Taylor's emotional outpouring. These guys have put their heart and soul into this program, and they have been through more disappointment and adversity than just about any sports team I've ever followed. This squad took a large step to proving they are different last night with this win by doing something that the past four Vandy tournament teams couldn't: win the last home game.

This team's regular season work is not done. Going to Tennessee and winning will not be an easy task, as the Vols have hit their stride over the last ten games or so. The team will need to shake off the emotional swing and get prepared for Saturday, as a win over the hated Vols will solidify their #2 position in the SEC tournament. But for one night, this team and its fans got an opportunity to savor something they've really been dying for: something different and awesome.

Vandy Beats Florida 77-67

I don't know about y'all Commodore fans, but considering the troubles we've had with Florida this win is incredibly sweet to me. A huge victory on so many levels. Vandy travels to Tennessee on Saturday, Florida hosts Kentucky. A Vandy win and a Florida loss locks Vandy as the #2 seed in the SEC tournament. Pending the results of Wednesday night, the pressure may all be on Florida. The Dores have already clinched a first-round bye.

SOUND OFF ON THE ELATION COMMODORE NATION!

VSL Live-Blog: Vanderbilt vs. Florida

Senior Night: A Ton on the Line

Even though this game is the ESPN Tuesday Night headliner, it is being relatively overlooked. This one might be even more important than either match-up against Kentucky, and that's because of what's on the line for both teams.

Vanderbilt has an opportunity to overtake Florida in the race for the SEC 2-seed. A win here puts us into a tie with the Gators, which given SEC tiebreaker rules would provide us the inside track to the 2-seed (in short, it would come down to the match-up against Tennessee, one which the Gators have lost twice). Win here, and either win Saturday or have Florida lose on Saturday, and we are the 2-seed.

Additionally, Vanderbilt is floating right around a 6-seed in the tournament at this point in the season. A win here gives us a good shot to keep climbing, as it would be our first "marquee" win in quite a while. Vanderbilt's best win is on the road against Marquette. This would be another big resume booster for the 'Dores going into the post-season.

Finally, Vanderbilt's seniors are playing their final game in Memorial tonight. This is, without question, the most anticipated and most polarizing group that has ever graced the halls of Memorial. Despite their lack of tournament success, they have turned Vanderbilt into a perennial tournament team and one of the 4 best programs in the SEC for the past three years. We are all yearning for them to break through in March, but there's no denying the consistent success they've achieved during the regular season. They've made Vanderbilt a topic of conversation for several years running, and they deserve respect for that.

On the flip side, Florida is sitting at a 4-seed right now. After a puzzling loss to Georgia, the Gators suddenly look vulnerable, particular with the loss of underrated reserve Will Yeguete, who was arguably the teams best defensive rebounder and was a tremendous defender. Florida is anxious to maintain momentum heading into the post-season and to avoid any kind of slide. For much of the year, they have been impressive offensively and average defensively. The pundits smell blood in the water when talking about Florida, and they have a great opportunity to try and prove that the loss to Georgia was just an aberration.

VSL will be live blogging the action starting a 9/8 CST. Bobby O'Shea will be in attendance, and I'll be watching the final homestand of this group with a glass of bourbon and anyone else who would like to chat about it. Go 'Dores, let's get it done.

Signing Day 2012: The Video

Get ready to run through a wall...

VICTORY: O'Brien, Rowson, and Garcia Free to Transfer to Vanderbilt

That's the story in this morning's Baltimore Sun by Jeff Barker. The decision comes in the wake of a Sports Illustrated piece by Michael Rosenberg highlighting how Maryland and Edsall were accepting transfers from New Mexico after UNM's Head Coach was fired and subsequently hired to be the Terrapins Offensive Coordinator.

According to the story, "Maryland is pursuing the matter of possible tampering through the schools’ respective conferences." I certainly run the risk of being loud and wrong (not the first time), but I don't buy it. There is a huge difference between saying you are going to pursue tampering changes, and actually doing so. Tampering was the only thread Edsall was holding on to and Franklin, with the backing of Vice Chancellor David Williams, has very publically said he did nothing wrong. Saying they would pursue the claim with the respective conferences is the only way for Maryland to save face.

It should be clear that none of these players have committed or publically stated an intention to transfer to Vanderbilt. However, given all the media attention and the fact this story centered around these players being reunited with Coach James Franklin, you have to like the chances that at least one or two of these guys end up in Nashville.

UPDATE (8:35 am): The Washington Post's Eric Prisbell (who could probably cover Vanderbilt at this point) is reporting that "Maryland has filed a formal complaint with the ACC, an individual familiar with the complaint said. The ACC has turned the complaint over to the SEC, which is expected to review the matter." (Emphasis mine). Prisbell is also saying that the decision to release O'Brien and the others was made by Edsall, not Maryland Athletic Director, Kevin Anderson.

SI Weighs on Edsall and Maryland's Hostage Taking

Another day, another great story slamming Maryland Coach Randy Edsall's decision to prevent Danny O'Brien, Max Garcia, and Mario Rowson from transferring to Vanderbilt. It's Sports Illustrated's Michael Rosenberg is day in the box who covers much of the same ground others have trended. What I particularly like about Rosenberg's piece is he expands the universe of culpabilty for those holding these student-athletes hostage. That's right, Kevin Anderson and Maryland University President Wallace Loh , you're up.

The chronology Rosenberg sets up is compelling because it is yet more evidence of the hypocracy Maryland, Edsall, Anderson, and Loh are showing with their actions (and inactions).

But here's the best part, Maryland is preventing Danny O'Brien and others from transfering to Vanderbilt (to play for the coach who recruited them) while at the same time accepting transfers from New Mexico who are coming because Mike Locksley, the Terrapins new Offensive Cooridnator, was their head coach at New Mexico before being fired. Rosenberg's analysis:

Evidently, Maryland thinks it's perfectly fine for players to transfer into its program to play for a former coach, but terribly wrong for players to transfer out of its program to play for a former coach. There is no principle here. Just "educators" covering their butts.

And the NCAA says: Hey, that's Maryland's call. How ridiculous is that? The NCAA makes such a big deal about students accepting scholarships from a university, not a coach. Well, O'Brien wants to choose another university. Maryland won't let him, because of the coach.

As Rosenberg points out, O'Brien's only recourse, short of hiring a lawyer or going to the NCAA, is to try and publically shame Edsall, Anderson, and Loh into releasing him. As the coverage indicates, we are very supportive of public shaming here at the VSL. Still, Rosenberg gets it right when he says: "A college student should not have to do that. A major university should do what is right, instead of what's convenient. The University of Maryland should be better than the people who have been hired to run it."

If only it were so...

(Former) Terrapins Held Hostage: Week 2

If it hadn't already, the story of Randy Edsall preventing Danny O'Brien, Max Garcia, and Mario Rowson from transferring to Vanderbilt because . . . well, we don't know why other than the fact that he's a spiteful megalomanic, is on the precipice of going national. CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel gives Randy Edsall the Sally Jenkins treatment.

Doyel doesn't mince words: "The way I see it, Randy Edsall has just provided the tipping point against bullying, hypocritical coaches. Because this one is so bad, so unfair, it won't simply fade away. What Edsall is doing to Danny O'Brien could, and should, leave a lasting mark. . . " Ouch. But it gets worse:

Edsall is a hypocrite of the highest order. When he decided to leave UConn for Maryland in early January 2011, UConn still had a game to play. Nothing much, just the first BCS bowl game in program history. But Edsall already had one foot out the door, so much so that he didn't even fly home from the 2011 Fiesta Bowl with his team. Nope, he took a separate flight to Maryland -- as did his family.

As if that's not bad enough:

On his way out of Arizona, though, Edsall learned that UConn's best underclassman, running back Jordan Todman, would enter the 2011 NFL Draft. So right there in the losing locker room, minutes away from his own departure for a secret flight to Maryland, Edsall made Todman tell the team he was leaving them.

The Todman story shows, as Doyel says, the remarkable "obtuseness" of Edsall's character, especially when compared to his own actions. Doyel tees up the situation better than any who's written on the subject that I've seen (and as our coverage would indicate, I've pretty much seen it all):

Edsall picked the wrong player to bully. Want a poster boy for college football? You could do worse than Danny O'Brien. Never been in trouble off the field. Graduated in three years. Wants to play at a great academic school for his first coach. Not a whiff of tampering allegations, either.

And that, at the end of the day, is the point. Edsall has decided to be a bully because he can, but he's picked the wrong player (and the wrong blog) to act out his messianic tendencies on.

This isn't going to end well, Randy, all that's left to do is end it.