Monday, March 19, 2007

Vanderbilt Hotline: Commies + 15 other teams = Sweet 16


What a fantastic weekend for Commodore Nation. The men's team outlasted Washington State in a double overtime thriller that is, without question, the best game of the tournament to date; despite losing their first game of the season, the baseball team won their 3 game series against Ole Miss in their final at bats on both Friday and Sunday; the ladies advanced past Delaware State in the women's draw; and Bobby finally made it to the wedding in Mississippi (which was lovely). Vanderbilt Sports Line will be in East Rutherford for Vanderbilt's game against the Hoyas of Georgetown on Friday. Details about the road trip to be announced throughout the week.

As is to be expected, we start today's hotline with the men's basketball team. What a tremendous effort by the boys in black. The SEC Player of the Year is an absolute stud who refused to lose. He hit big shots, played great defense (including blocking the potentially game tying shot), and was everything the Commies needed him to be. As Vanderbilt class of 1999 and New York Times writer Lee Jenkins points out in today's edition, the Commies' recent success on the back of Derrick Byars almost never happened. Unsung hero for Vanderbilt is former guard Adam Payton, whose transfer to William & Mary freed up the scholarship that Derrick Byars (and all of Commie Nation) now enjoy. The paper of record's got it, and now so do you. USA Today also highlights the madness of Derrick's March.

While Derrick Byars has been getting most of the attention, as Brett Hait points out in today's Nashville City Paper, Ted Skuchas and Dan Cage are also enjoying the ride.

Vanderbilt is 0-4 in the Sweet 16 since the tournament went to 64 teams; we think that is all about to change. To help break the streak, Vanderbilt and DeFKA have put together a charter for Vanderbilt fans to support their Commies this weekend in New Jersey (which, by the way, is beautiful this time of year). Vanderbilt Sports Line will be there and have festivities planned upon our arrival. If you will be making the trip to the Meadowlands, let us know. To get information about VSL's events, keep checking back; to get information on the charter from Nashville, click here; to get ticketing information, or click here. Also, alumni should call 615-322-2799 to make all ticket requests for Sweet 16 tickets. You must call the Alumni office AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you want to request tickets. There is a maximum of two tickets per alumni for 132. That gets you in to the Sweet 16 and Vanderbilt's game against the winner of USC/UNC on Sunday.

Unfortunately, 4 members of the Vanderbilt cheerleading squad will not be making the trip. They are, however, cordially invited to VSL's pre- and post-game festivities.


The stakes are incredibly high for Friday's 9:40 scheduled tip. Friend of VSL and Georgetown loyalist Dr. MZ has made a bet with Bobby and Seamus on the game. While we will announce the stakes later in the week, I can promise that when Vanderbilt wins on Friday, we will have some great art. While we will begin previewing Friday's match-up with Georgetown later in the week, Seamus has already got some bulletin board material to get the boys fired up.

Vanderbilt baseball is now 21-1 after dropping its first game of the season on Saturday. Despite the loss, Vanderbilt won two absolutely incredible games on Friday and Sunday to take the series from the #14 Rebels of Ole Miss. Behind David Price's 10 complete innings and 14 K's on Friday, and the clutch hitting of junior David Macias on Sunday, Vanderbilt won 2 of 3 games in their final at-bat.


The ladies got past Delaware State in what was a very sloppy game. After beating the Lady Hornets 62-47, Coach Balcomb's team will play Bowling Green on Tuesday.

Coach Bobby liked what he saw at Sunday's scrimmage. If it's good enough for Bobby, it's good enough for Bobby.

There was a lot of movement in the Vanderbilt Sports Line Bracket Challenge. See where you are.

Finally, I wanted to share with you something that happened to me yesterday while waiting in the New Orleans airport with my lady friend and two of her wonderful friends. We were sitting in the airport bar (drinking), and watching the slew of NCAA games going on. There was an older couple at the table next to us who had basically set up an office. They had a computer, a phone charger, and a series of newspapers that they were reading. The older gentleman proceeded to get up, buy a magazine, and sit back down. Only problem was, this wasn't just any magazine, it was Hustler. I'll say that again, HUSTLER. IN PUBLIC. AT AN AIRPORT. While I've never actually read it, I do know that Hustler is not Playboy where there are actual articles. Hustler is a full-on porn mag. What's even better, the woman he was with (wife? girlfriend? colleague? take your pick), was sitting there next to him as he read it. Has anyone out there ever actually witnessed anything like this? It struck me and the ladies as craziness...then again, we were in New Orleans. I bet that's a guy who makes you work for those beads.




Go Commies.

Big week at the Vanderbilt Sports Line, be sure to keep hitting refresh.

2 comments:

J.B., M.D. said...

Did not Byars block the potentially game winning shot, not game tying?? That's what made it so incredible. Where did he come from to block that?

Seamus O'Toole said...

It was indeed the potentially game winning shot. In the words of Phil from Wayne's World, "Unreal."