Vanderbilt Hotline: The Next Generation is Now

Several Note to Readers:
As you read today's Hotline, make sure to pay attention to a new addition on the right hand side of your screen. Under our man Cornelius you will notice a media player of sorts. There, you will be able to listen to the first VSL Podcast where Seamus and I preview Vanderbilt's Sweet 16 match-up with Georgetown. A little later in the day, we will post a VSL Podcast Mailbag thread for you all to comment, and will also unveil a new feature, the Hotline Hot Topic of the Day where you delve into one of the articles or stories of note in the world of Vanderbilt sports. Also, a note to readers, this will most likely be the last Hotline of the week. Seeing as how I will be heading north to New Jersey early tomorrow afternoon, and I actually have a job that requires some work, I doubt I will get anything up.

Let's jump right in. Yahoo Sports talks about Vanderbilt's early struggles and how they are long forgotten. Steve Megargee is perhaps the first national writer I have read that truly appreciates how far Vanderbilt has come since their false start at the beginning of the season. While Vanderbilt lost by 16 to Georgetown in Nashville in their opening game, Shan Foster didn't have a field goal. You can't tell me that Vanderbilt is not a better team, and while Georgetown is also a better team than they were, I think Steve has hit the nail on the head, Vanderbilt has overcome long odds to get here, and really has nothing to lose. Mo Patton of the Tennessean delves into the development of both Vanderbilt point guards. With guards as highly publicized as Shan and Derrick, Vanderbilt's dynamic floor general duo, Alex Gordon and Jermaine Beal, often times get overlooked. Clearly, King Rice's presence on the bench has helped them come along. The play of these two will be key as Vanderbilt tries to get into their offense, dictate pace, and perhaps most importantly, disrupt Georgetown's offensive game plan.

As we discussed in the podcast, the match-up between SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars and Big East Player of the Year will really be something to watch. The Hustler thinks so to. VuCommodores.com has a "scouting report" on Georgetown that is also worth a gander.

Brett Hait, in today's Nashville City Paper, talks about the resurgence of Georgetown Basketball under JTIII. Bobby's updated hometown paper is back with some ink on the Hoyas, and they think the "Hoyas' Success Starts with Defense."

Where are you watching the game? The National Commodore Club will be hosting a gathering before the game that Seamus and I will (probably) be making an appearance at in New Jersey, click here for details. Viewing parties will also be held in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver at the Squeling Pig, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Palm Beach,
St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Yesterday was an off-day for baseball, but Woody will be back tomorrow with a preview of Vanderbilt series against #9 Arkansas in Fayetteville this weekend.

With their early exit in the NCAA Tournament, Melaine Balcomb is going to have to have to rebuild with Liz Sherwood as her key cog.

Junior tailback Jeff Jennings is glad to be back after going down with damage to his MCL and ACL in a game against Kentucky in 2005. After Vanderbilt hoists their National Championship plague in a little under 2 weeks time, we will delve more deeply into football. In the meantime, we'll keep you informed.

Vanderbilt apparently received 20 pre-litigation letters from the RIAA for file-sharing violations. Playboy is on campus looking for beautiful young college girls. My question is, who's not?

Bobby was 1 for 3 with my American Idol bottom 3 picks. Seeing as how there was only a bottom 2, I have no one of scoring myself. Stephanie was good, but not great. She was clearly better than both Phil and Sanjaya who are both awful. If Sanjaya keeps moving on, then you have to think votefortheworst.com is having a real impact.