Tuesday, February 19, 2008

VSL Hotline: It's Been a While, Edition

First off, big props to the Big Guy for predicting the rankings dead-on. Vanderbilt is ranked #16 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and #20 in the AP. Vanderbilt is off the bubble and into the "lock" column according to Andy Glockner's "Bubble Watch," and Joe Lunardi has us as a 7 seed with an "up" arrow on Bracketology.

If you read nothing else today (besides the VSL) read the Man we Love to Hait's article in today's Nashville City Paper Why Wouldn't Indiana Want Stallings? Brett lays out a very compelling case for Kevin Stallings heading to Bloomington. If nothing else, the fact that the current IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan hired Stallings at Illinois State in 1993, would indicate Stallings will likely be on an initial “short list.” Based on IU's tradition (i.e. the Knight Era) of playing by the rules and stressing academic success (or at least graduation), while at the same time expecting to win, Kevin Stallings’s success at Vanderbilt is sure to get Indiana's attention. The fact he played at Purdue is certainly a strike against him, but after Kelvin Sampson's apparent willful and wanton (what up law school) disregard for NCAA rules regarding phone calls and text messages, I think the Hoosiers might be willing to accept a Boilermaker into their hearts if he can get the job done and get them off probation. Just as an aside, I wonder who Sampson's wireless provider is. If that guy didn't get unlimited texting, his phone bill might be the smoking gun (just ask Houston Nutt, right Boyer in the District?).

Vanderbilt doesn't have a mid-week game, but will have a full week of practice leading into their match-up this Saturday against Georgia at Memorial. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but one week from today Vanderbilt will look to avenge their bad loss in Knoxville. That game will be on ESPN and will be a huge test for the Commodores. Vomit Orange will either be coming off a win or a loss at Memphis, regardless of what happens on Saturday, if Vanderbilt is going to silence their remaining critics, beating UT at home will go a long way in accomplishing that.

A few more items:

- CKS's SEC Media Availability via VUCommodores.com

- Brett Hait looks ahead to March Madness on Nashville Ballerz

- Coach Tim Corbin's interview on 104.5 the Zone via VUCommodores.com

- Speaking of Vomit Orange, UT's Punter Brent Colquitt was suspended for the first 5 games of next season and stripped of his scholarship for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. Thanks to Scott the Demon for sending the article into the newsroom.

Finally, a day-late happy 25th to the founder and overall Mack-daddy of VSL Seamus O'Toole.

Bobby, OUT

6 comments:

Aaron said...

Scott Skiles is going to be the next coach there.

Boyer in the District said...

It's only a matter of time before some psycho IU fan files an FOIA request.

You heard it here, but probably not first.

B in the D

Seamus O'Toole said...

O'Shea didn't get into this in his post, but he brought it up recently and I still find it ridiculous that Joe Lunardi has us as low as a 7 seed at this point. Granted, we've got a pretty tough road to tread down the stretch, but right now Vanderbilt is #16/20 with a top-10 RPI profile (as of yesterday -- today it's 11). Is it possible he's basing this on the fact that we haven't proven ourselves away from Memorial? Anti-Vanderbilt bias? Crack smoking?

Aaron said...

yeah, today on the herd he ripped vandy as being overrated and said we didnt really have a chance come tourney time....he loves the men

Unknown said...

i think that vandy always performs better when were underrated.. i.e. both of our sweet 16 appearances in the past few years. so keep it coming "analysts"

Anonymous said...

Lunardi molests collies.

That said, I think VU being dismissed by the mainstream media pre-tournament as overrated is a good thing.