Today is my favorite day of the year

Game on. At 4:55pm Eastern Standard Time, your Vanderbilt Commodores tip off against the Colonials of the most expensive university in America.

George Washington and Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger have about as little in common as any two politicians in American history. This does not bode well for the Colonials, who are looking to win in the Governator's back yard. Besides, today is the Ides of March. Coincidence? I think not.

The registration period is over and there are 44 people signed up for the Vanderbilt Sports Line Bracket Challenge. That's more than we've got in my office pool. Speaking of my office, there are several GW alumni here who want to kill me for wearing my Vandy gameday shirt to work. I've been threatened more than once today, and given my propensity for volume at Washington-area game-viewing establishments, it probably won't be the last time.

The Tennessean's Maurice Patton seems to be predicting trouble for Vandy today, as we face the kind of team that's given us big problems this year. Brett Hait of the Nashville City Paper is calling it a "battle of styles" and a "battle of wills." We here at VSL are calling it a basketball game. Tickets are sold out. Loser goes home.

The Sacramento Bee wants Derrick Byars to be one of the 8 players you keep an eye on today. I suggest also being on the lookout for Alex Gordon, whose orchestration of the offense and ability to protect the basketball will determine whether we can handle their pressure defense; Shan Foster, whose energy and three-ball can change the shape of a game in minutes; Dan Cage, a (according to the Sacramento newspaper) photogenic senior with everything to play for; and Ross Neltner, whose ability to box out will be a defining part of the game.

Brandon Barca is on the ground, blogging away in Sac-town. He's an inspiration to all of us who blog without compensation.

If you wanted substance, you should have read Bobby O'Shea's preview instead of this post. Sorry

If you're unfortunate enough to have read this far, we don't have to worry about you cheering on the Commies today. Now get out there and make it happen. Go Commies.