Wednesday, August 10, 2011

VSL Hotline: Have You Missed Me, Edition

Bobby's back. After spending the last several weeks completely underwater at work, I'm coming back up for air (however briefly). What better way to celebrate than with a Hotline? Is it possible that David Climer's turned a corner on Vanderbilt Football? Doubtful (at least not yet), but at least he's giving some love to first-year Head Coach James Franklin in today's Tennessean column. In perhaps the best graph of the piece, Climer writes: "Franklin approaches one of the toughest jobs in all of college football like a kid on Christmas eve. He lives in the moment, which is probably the best characteristic a Vanderbilt football coach can have given past failures." Sounds about right.

Along the same "cultural" lines, Jeff Lockridge has a story about planned facility upgrades, specifically the jumbo-screens at Vanderbilt Stadium and Memorial Gym. VCDW said the priority would be Memorial, since it's the older of the two, and according to Lockridge is "is hopeful that Memorial Gym’s four-sided video screen and scoreboard hanging over center court can be replaced during the upcoming season." More from the Guru:
"It will take 90 days to build the fixture from the time it is ordered and five days to install. If the money is in place, Williams said, the change could be made before the start of SEC play this season — or it might be before the 2012-13 season. The price begins at $1 million and goes up from there based on size and features, Williams said."
With respect to the football board, the upgrade is not "... a matter of mechanical needs. We just want that bigger and better."

The Nashville City Paper's Jerome Boettecher writes about the leadership of Chris Marve on the defensive side of the ball, and for the team generally. The real question Boettecher poses is whether Chris Marve, by himself, makes the Commodores' linebackers a strength of the team. As Boettecher writes, "Outside linebackers Archibald Barnes, Chase Garnham and Tristan Strong hope to turn that concern into an advantage for the Commodores." We hope so too. Speaking of depth, Boettecher penned a story for Monday's print-edition on the depth of the Commodore Running Backs. According to the story, however, the "Big Three" might become the Fantastic Four:
Juniors Warren Norman and Zac Stacy and redshirt-sophomore Wesley Tate return after each dealt with injury in 2010. The trio entered Friday’s opening day of preseason camp healthy and ready to contribute to an area that has been the offense’s biggest strength the last two years.

They might have company if Jerron Seymour continues to perform like he has over the Commodores’ first two practices. A few times already, the 5-foot-7, 190-pound freshman has emerged from behind the offensive line and displayed his speed.

On the baseball front, Sonny Gray is headed to the A's Double-A affiliate Midland Rockhounds, and is expected to make his debut later this week according to Lockridge. Lockridge also reports that Commodore Closer Navery Moore has signed with the Atlanta Braves thereby crushing the dream of his return to Hawkins Field for his senior campaign. Lockridge delves into the underclassmen who have yet to sign with the teams that drafted them:
With five days remaining until Monday’s signing deadline for draft picks, Vanderbilt underclassmen Grayson Garvin, Jason Esposito, Jack Armstrong, Will Clinard and Joe Loftus have yet to sign contracts.

Garvin and Esposito are expected to sign, while Clinard and Loftus are expected to return to Vanderbilt. Armstrong, a third-round pick of the Houston Astros, is undecided.
If either Espo or Grayson return, Commodore fans will be nothing short of ecstatic.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

No Love for the four game series we scheduled with UMASS?