Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Vanderbilt Hotline: I Blame Seamus, Edition

The title speaks for itself...but I do.

With the NBA Draft 3 days away, Derrick Byars is in the news. Mo Patton's got a great piece in today's Tennessean about how Derrick's talents translate well into the the NBA game. Chris Ekstrand has DB as the #6 swingman in a piece on SI.com, while he has Jeff Green and Correy Brewer "in a class by themselves."

Jonathan Goff and Earl Bennett have been added to more pre-season "watch-lists" according to Brett Hait's piece in today's Nashville City Paper. Byars and Stallings getting honored also gets some ink.

In sad news, former Vanderbilt assistant coach J.D. Hall died yesterday of an apparent heart-attack. He was 35, and Brett Hait has the story.

Finally, it appears that Vanderbilt coaches aren't the only hot commodity. Apparently Chancellor Gee was offered his old job at Ohio State, thankfully, he decided to stay. The Tennessean has the story. I wonder if the DC Dores putting a world of hurt on THE Ohio State University factored into his decision at all.

Lock it Up looks to make it 4 in a row tonight.

Let's get active people, if you don't, it's going to be a long summer.

Update: Mealmart's got a new post. Check it out.

9 comments:

Seamus O'Toole said...

I hate both Bobby and life right now. Nobody better talk to me.

Regards,

Patrick Bateman

Bobby O'Shea said...

Dear Seamus,

Stop ripping off Rome's clones, what is Boyer in the District gonna do now?

Regards,

That guy who fooled Oprah into putting him on her book-club list thing.

Douglas James said...

What are you two so Angry about? Can we talk about where DB might end up (hopefully Phoenix or NJ) or what we think EB's #'s will be this year? Or finally and this is way early but what the chances of EB leaving school early if he puts up a year comparable or slightly better than his last 2?

Bobby O'Shea said...

Douglas James,

Stanimal had a whole post on EB's draft prospects after this season.

I think DB ends up with the Wizards at #16 and that Early will get 90 catches and over 1300 yards.

Anonymous said...

let's talk about George Mason making the Elite Eight this March.

Douglas James said...

I was more saying what are the chances he leaves? The general consensus from us wise sports fans is unless he has a redonkulous year (90 catches, 1400 yards, 12+ TD's) he prob wont be a lock for the first round. And since he doesn't measure off the charts in anything he is a very likely candidate to have his stock drop when combine freaks who don't have his production jump ahead of him. I think if he has a modest improvement from last year he will only be a 50% to leave early

Bobby O'Shea said...

I would be surprised if he leaved for the reasons you mentioned. Right now, is a borderline first-day pick because he is not the proto-typical receiver. He will have big numbers this year, but I think he is playing all 4 years. The good news is, with him and Nickson having another year, they can defend their Outback Bowl title.

Stanimal said...

If Bennett has a sick year and he is high up in the Maxwell Award voting (c'mon Bobby, it might do some good to mention that this is the second most prestigious college football award behind the HEISMAN), I think there's a very solid chance he would leave Vandy early. He's gotta go when his stock is highest. Of course, he has the opportunity to feel that out before he declares, but with a much drier pool of receiver talent out of this year's senior class, I think Bennett would likely get a boost.

Also Bobby, I highly doubt he is a "border-line first day pick", meaning he won't get drafted any lower than the 5th round. Garrett Wolfe was drafted in the 3rd round with the 93rd pick in the draft. Wolfe played for a near no-name team, but was the nation's leading rusher and was in the top 5 in touchdowns. I think Bennett would have to digress in order to be considered a second-day pick. Because even though his vitals don't match up with most FIRST round talent, it certainly beats anything that can be picked up in the fifth round.

Seamus O'Toole said...

Wouldn't it just be so darn appropriate if Earl Bennett made an "early" exit to the NFL? My boy at NFL Draft Dog has him at #8 in the 2008 draft prospects at wide receiver. I guess that's more or less in the ballpark when you combine his numbers and his physical attributes plus limited visibility. Interesting to note, though, that there's not a whole ton of size across the board among the WR prospects.

You gotta believe that guys like Urrutia at Louisville and Bowman at Oklahoma State will be more attractive as prototype WRs, while a Manningham or Jackson or Doucet have the higher profile. Plus there are X-factors like Eddie Royal at Va. Tech whose stock could go way up this year. Let's put it this way: depending on the year he and others have, it may make sense for him to go. If he stays though, based on the trend that WR stock tends to hold its ground better than QB stock, he could easily go top-20 in 2009.