Tinsley commits to Vandy

The Vanderbilt men's basketball team received great news tonight when 6'3'' guard Brad Tinsley verbally committed to Commodores, according to the great Brett Hait of The Nashville City Paper.

Tinsley, ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's 16th-best senior point guard, chose Vanderbilt over Wake Forest. He is the fourth member of the Dores' 2008 recruiting class, joining swingman Jeff Taylor, Steve Tchiengang and Lance Goulbourne, each of whom is ranked among the nation's top 150 senior prospects by ESPN.

Vanderbilt will most certainly have a top-25 recruiting class after this signing. Tinsley has the ability to play both guard positions and could possibly start alongside Jermaine Beal in the backcourt.

Check back here this weekend, as well as The City Paper, for more coverage. Thanks to Brett for breaking this story.

Goin to the Derby...

We're headed to Louisville for a slice of Americana, so should be a quiet weekend as far as posts. This is definitely the place to be this weekend though, as it seems like just about everyone had the same idea we did. After standing in line with Randy Moss to check into my hotel this afternoon, I'm already excited for what the weekend will bring, and how much money we will likely lose tomorrow with these picks:

Jarred - Z Fortune (currently 15:1)
Greg - Colonel John (currently 4:1)

Expectations of Freshmen Unreasonable

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Augustus Gilchrist. No? How about Demetri McCamey, still nobody? Alexis Wangmene? For those of you not related to the three aforementioned players, they are the ones that occupied the spots in last years recruiting rankings that are currently held by future Commodores Jeff Taylor, Lance Goulbourne, and Steve Tchiengang.

If you think that’s just cherry-picking the rankings and that randomly those spots were occupied by underachievers consider this: of the players ranked from 50-150 on Rivals.com, 10 contributed to tournament teams and one of those enrolled a year early (Daniel Hackett). Of the ten, only two were featured players, DeJuan Blair and Robbie Hummel.

The point is expectations must be lowered. Many of the posts and comments on this site have made it seem like these guys are going to step in right away and replace a good amount of the points lost by the graduations of Shan Foster, Alex Gordon, and Ross Neltner. That’s just not going to happen. Freshmen who aren’t top recruits very rarely come in and immediately put up big numbers on good teams. Given time they may develop into front line players, just a quick glance at the 2005 Rivals 150 shows future 1^st round picks such as Chris Douglas-Roberts and Darren Collison ranked 75^th or lower, but even guys like that did not produce as freshman, combined they averaged less than 14 points.

So, yes, Taylor might go off for 31 in one game like McCamey somehow did against Indiana, but expecting these three to be consistent producers is unreasonable and unfair. If this year’s team is going to go dancing it is more likely to be because of the improvements made by Andre Walker and Darshawn McClellan than by big contributions from the trio of heralded freshmen.

There’s still reason to be excited about Stallings’ best recruiting class since arriving in Nashville, they will most likely lead the Commodores to another Sweet 16, but chances are it won’t be in 2009.

Taylor makes it official

Forward Jeff Taylor made it official Wednesday, signing his National Letter of Intent to play basketball for Vanderbilt beginning this fall.

"We are extremely excited to add Jeffery Taylor to our program," said coach Kevin Stallings in a statement on the school's website. "He is an outstanding young man who comes from a great family. He had an excellent senior season and led his team to a state championship. Jeffery is a versatile player with great athleticism and I am anxious for him to join Lance Goulbourne and Steve Tchiengang in our incoming freshmen class."

Taylor is ranked No. 52 in the Class of 2008, according to Rivals.com. The 6'7 forward from Norrkoping, Sweden, averaged 30 points per game while leading Hobbs (N.M.) High School to the 5A state championship.

Taylor joins Steve Tchiengang and Lance Goulbourne in the 2008 Commodore signing class. Both Tchiengang (87) and Goulbourne (72) are also ranked in the top 100 in the Rivals.com Recruiting Class of 2008. He chose Vanderbilt over Texas, and had also considered Gonzaga, UNLV and Nebraska.

"Let's face it, if you toe the line with Texas for a player, you're swinging in the right neighborhood," Dave Telep, national basketball recruiting analyst for Scout.com, told the Nashville City Paper. "I've said it before: Coach [Kevin] Stallings and his staff are amongst the tops in the nation at targeting, locking in and adding players that fit their profile and style. This is a strong addition."

Vanderbilt hopes to add one more player to its already strong recruting class. Guard Brad Tinsley (No. 94) will decide between Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, which he visited last weekend.

"It was a lot of the same kind of thing (as Vanderbilt)," he told Rivals.com. "I ate a lot, played with the guys and got a chance to see what the coaches had to offer. It was hard to get that all in just two days and it was a lot of information, but we pulled it all in.

"With Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, both have beautiful campuses and the academics at both schools are up there, too. Both head coaches are great guys and down to earth guys, too. Both teams have great guys and I really connected with the players and I seem to fit in with both schools too. Both styles of play both fit me."

Three members of the Vanderbilt coaching staff went to visit Tinsley this week, but the guard said he still needs more time to make a decision, according to a source close to the program.

Without Tinsley, here's a breakdown of Vanderbilt's 2008-09 roster:

PG
Jermaine Beal (JR)
Jamie Graham (SO)
Analysis: With Alex Gordon graduating, Keegan Bell off to UT-Chattanooga and Graham expected to make significant contributions on the gridiron, the Commodores could potentially start the season with just one true point guard in Beal, making Brad Tinsley's decision that much more important. While Beal should be one of the premier point guards in the SEC, Vandy will be in trouble without a true back-up.

SG
George Drake (Redshirt JR)
Charles Hinkle (Redshirt FR)
Jordan Smart (FR walk-on)
Elliott Cole (SO walk-on)
Analysis: Wing production is going to be the hardest for the Commodores to replace. Without Gordon and SEC Player of the Year Shan Foster, Vandy will need contributions from Drake and Hinkle. In addition, coach Kevin Stallings will have the option of "going big" by playing either Walker or Goulbourne at the 2. If Tinsley signs, he and Beal could play alongside one another in the backcourt, as well.

SF
Andre Walker (SO)
Lance Goulbourne (FR)
Analysis: I expcect Walker to make "the leap" in year two. He showed flashes as a freshman and with a year of experience under his belt, Walker should be more confident and assertive. The swingman has all the tools to be a solid SEC player and he'll definitely be given the opportunity to prove it next season. Goulbourne, meanwhile, projects as a prototypical small forward, and should thrive in transition.

PF
Darshawn McClellan (SO)
Steve Tchiengang (FR)
Joe Duffy (SO walk-on)
Analysis: McClellan may never be a star, but he's the type of player that every team needs. Without Ross Neltner, McClellan should have an expanded role next season. It's hard to predict how much Tchiengang will be able to contribute right away, but I'd imagine 15-20 minutes per game isn't out of the question.

C
A.J. Ogilvy (SO)
Festus Ezeli (Redshirt FR)
Analysis: The Commodores will need Ogilvy to dominate in year two as the offense will unquestionably go through him. If Ogilvy can pass well out of the double teams that he is sure to draw, it will make Vandy that much more difficult to defend. Ezeli, meanwhile, could be the X-factor. Players said that he was an absolute monster of the defensive end in practice and while he is still limited offensively, there's no question that Ezeli will be able to contribute next season. How much is yet to be determined.

Potential line-ups

Experienced
PG Beal
SG Drake
SF Walker
PF McClellan
C Ogilvy

Big
PG Beal
SG Walker
SF Taylor
PF Ogilvy
C Ezeli

Young
PG Beal
SG Goulbourne
SF Taylor
PF Tchiengang
C Ogilvy

Traditional
PG Beal
SG Drake/Walker/Hinkle
SF Taylor/Walker/Goulbourne
PF McClellan/Tchiengang
C Ogilvy/Ezeli

A few thoughts:

• The Commodores could be very crowded on the wing with Drake, Hinkle, Taylor, Walker and Goulbourne essentially fighting for time at two positions. With that said, Walker and Taylor could be versatile enough to play the 4 if Vandy decides to go small.
• There shouldn't be much of a difference between the 2 and the 3 as both will be wing players.
• Beal and Ogilvy should be prepared to play 30-35 minutes per game.
• I'd imagine that this squad will play a lot of zone with so many long and athletic (and young) players.
• I don't know how well they'd play together, but that "big" lineup could be fun to watch.
• Young teams tend to struggle in the halfcourt, which means Vandy will need to excel in transition to have success.
• The Commodores desperately need a back-up point guard, especially since Jamie Graham will not be able to join until after the football season. (That means you, Mr. Tinsley).

Let's just say Buzz Bissinger is a little upset about sports blogs

So the obscene amount of work required for my final in 20th century American novel tomorrow morning seems a little more pressing now, but I would be remiss if I did not at least bring up what happened last night Costas Now.



In what was supposed to be a town hall discussion between sports blogger Will Leitch (of Deadspin.com), author and journalist Buzz Bissinger (of Friday Night Lights and Three Nights in August), and Braylon Edwards (who likely still can't figure out why he was there...), things quickly got out of hand. I don't know if any of you have read this surprisingly poignant description of why we like sports, but let's just say Bissinger was "into it".

I won't try and do too much here, because I think Awful Announcing, Deadspin, or my personal favorite, Fire Joe Morgan, can do a much better job of putting this whole thing into perspective than I can. However, as a 21 year old who simply loves reading about sports, why this all has to be such a big deal. More than anything, what I took away from watching that video clip was that Buzz Bissinger looks like a man that is scared he's becoming irrelevant, and reacting against it in a pretty immature way. I don't completely blame him for the way he feels, but I think it's pretty sad that a guy who has shown such an uncanny ability for "getting it" when it comes to power of sports is so painfully unable to do the same when it comes to sports blogs.

2008-09 SEC Basketball Preview

Less than a month has passed since Kansas beat Memphis in the national title game, but I couldn't help but take a look at the 2008-09 season. The deadline has passed for underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft (although they have until June 16 to withdraw), which means we have a pretty good idea of who's staying and going.

In previewing the Southeastern Conference, it seems as though the East is once again more talented than the West with Tennessee and Florida as the clear favorites. Vanderbilt and Kentucky lose a lot, but both welcome talented freshman classes that make it that much harder to project how they'll finish.

With that said, here's an early look at the SEC. Disagree with my picks? As always, feel free to leave comments below.

Eastern Division

1. TENNESSEE
2007-08 Record: (31-5, 14-2 SEC)

Key losses
Chris Lofton (15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds)
JaJuan Smith (14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds)
Jordan Howell (4.3 points, 2.2 assists)
Returning
Tyler Smith (13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists)
J.P. Prince (8.0 points, 3.2 rebounds)
Wayne Chism (9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds)
Duke Crews (5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds)
Ramar Smith (7.4 points, 3.2 assists)
Coming in
Cameron Tatum (Redshirt freshman)
Scotty Hopson, SF (5-Star)
Renaldo Woolridge, SF (4-Star)
Philip Jurick, C (4-Star)

Season Outlook: The Vols got great news when Tyler Smith decided to return for his junior season. All-American Scotty Hopson is going to make people forget about Chris Lofton. UT also welcomes back Cameron Tatum, the big signee from '07, who was injured last season. In addition, the entire roster is finally full of Bruce Pearl's recruits, which means they should be bigger and more athletic. A Final Four is not out of reach for this squad, although the point guard position is once again in question.

2. FLORIDA
2007-08 Record: (24-12, 8-8 SEC)

Key losses
Jonathan Mitchell (Transfer)
Returning
Nick Calathes, Fr. G/F (15.3 points, 6.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds)
Walter Hodge, Jr. G (10.4 points, 2.9 assists)
Jai Lucas, Fr. G (8.5 points, 2.3 assists)
Dan Werner, So. F (9.1 points, 6.4 rebounds)
Chandler Parsons, Fr. F (8.1 points, 4 rebounds)
Alex Tyus, Fr. F (4.3 points, 2.6 rebounds)
Undecided
Marresse Speights, So. F (14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds)
Coming in
Kenny Kadji, C (5-Star)
Ray Shipman, SF (4-Star)
Allan Chaney, PF (4-Star)
Eloy Vargas, PF (4-Star)
Erving Walker, PG (3-Star)

Season Outlook: The Gators were extremely young in 2007 and still won 24 games (advancing to the NIT Final Four). Speights has declared for the NBA Draft, but has not hired an agent. If he returns, the Gators will challenge the Vols for the SEC East crown. Without him, Billy Donovan's squad still very well could as they bring virtually everyone else back. Calathes is a SEC Player of the Year candidate and UF welcomes three talented big men in Kadji, Vargas and Chaney. While Noah, Brewer and Horford aren't walking through that door, a Sweet 16 run is likely for the Gators.

3. VANDERBILT
2007-08 Record: (26-8, 10-6 SEC)
Key losses
Shan Foster (20.3 points, 4.9 rebounds)
Alex Gordon (10.8 points, 3.1 assists)
Ross Neltner (8.3 points, 5.6 rebounds)
Alan Metcalfe (5.3 points, 2.3 rebounds)
Returning
Jermaine Beal (7.6 points, 4.6 assists)
A.J. Ogilvy (17 points, 6.7 rebounds)
Andre Walker (2.4 points, 2.0 rebounds)
Darshawn McClellan (2.7 points, 3.0 rebounds)
Jamie Graham (Football player/defensive specialist)
Undecided
Brad Tinsley
Coming in
Festus Ezeli, C (Redshirt)
Charles Hinkle, SG (Redshirt)
Lance Goulbourne, F (4-Star)
Steve Tchiengang, F (4-Star)
Jeff Taylor, SF (4-Star)
Jordan Smart, SG (Preferred walk-on)

Season Outlook: The Commodores are one of the toughest teams to project. They're losing a lot, most notably SEC Player of the Year Shan Foster, but return Jermaine Beal and A.J. Ogilvy and welcome what is perhaps the best recruiting class in Kevin Stallings' tenure. Adding Jeff Taylor last week was huge and they could still sign Brad Tinsley, who is deciding between VU and Wake Forest. You also can't forget about the raw, but extremely athletic center Festus Ezeli, who redshirted this season. Ultimately, there are too many unknowns to place any expectations on the Commodores. I would imagine that they struggle somewhat early, but get much better as the year goes on and have a chance to qualify for the Big Dance. With no seniors on the roster, however, watch out for Vandy in 09-10.

4. KENTUCKY
2007-08 Record: (18-13, 12-4 SEC)

Key losses
Ramel Bradley, G (15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists)
Joe Crawford, G (17.9 points, 3.6 rebounds)
Returning
Jodie Meeks, So. F (8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds)
Patrick Patterson, Fr. F (16.4 points, 7.7 rebounds)
Perry Stevenson (5.9 points, 5.1 rebounds)
Ramon Harris, (4.2 points, 3.5 rebounds)
Undecided
Derrick Jasper, So. G
Coming in
DeAndre Liggins, SF (5-Star)
Darius Miller, SF (4-Star)
Kevin Galloway, SF (4-Star, JUCO)

Season Outlook: Billy Gillespie said he expects to be "a much more fast-paced team" next season. Whether that means better is yet to be determined. While their relationship was rocky at first, Gillespie grew to love Bradley and Crawford, who averaged 34 points between them. It's not going to be easy to replace their production, which is why the Wildcats will need oft-injured Jodie Meeks to return to his freshman-year form. Kentucky also has a lot of unknowns. Jasper is homesick and considering transferring to a school on the West Coast, while Patterson (stress fracture in his left ankle) will be out four to six months. Like Vandy, the Wildcats will be asking a lot of their talented freshman class, which includes Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" and the next Scottie Pippen. If Patterson is healthy, expect the Wildcats to be in the Big Dance once again.

5. GEORGIA
2007-08 Record: (24-12, 8-8 SEC)

Key losses
Sundiata Gaines, G (14.8 points, 6 rebounds, 4.2 assists)
Dave Bliss, C (7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds)
Returning
Billy Humphrey, Jr. G (12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds)
Terrance Woodbury, Jr. G/F (11 points, 4.1 rebounds)
Jeremy Price, Fr. F (8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds)
Albert Jackson, So. F/C (3.7 points, 4.3 rebounds)
Coming in
Trey Thompkins, PF (4-Star)
Travis Leslie, SF (4-Star)
Drazen Zlovaroc, SF (3-Star)
Dustin Ware, PG (3-Star)
Ebuka Anyaorah, SG

Season Outlook: The Bulldogs may have won the SEC Tournament, thus earning a trip to the Big Dance, but don't let that Cinderella finish fool you. They are a decent team that's losing its best player in Sundiata Gaines. While the recruiting class is strong, it's going to be a long time before the Bulldogs "can literally dominate the nation and win championships with just Georgia players," no matter what disillusioned coach Dennis Felton likes to believe.

6. SOUTH CAROLINA
2007-08 Record: (14-18, 5-11 SEC)

Key losses
Dwayne Day (5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds)
Returning
Devan Downey, So. G (18.4 points, 5.4 assists)
Zam Fredrick, Jr. G (14.8 points, 3.2 assists)
Dominique Archie, So. F (10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds)
Evaldas Baniulus, So. F (5.4 points, 2.2 rebounds)
Mike Holmes, Fr. F/C (8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds)
Coming in
Darius Morrow, C (3-Star)

Season Outlook: No much to say here, other than I think that new coach Darrin Horn should hire Ty Rodgers as an assistant, or at least give him a portion of the five-year contract worth $800,000 annually that he just signed. Had Rodgers not hit the shot of the lifetime to lift Western Kentucky past Drake, Horn wouldn't have gone anywhere, which shows how much stock (foolishly?) teams place on NCAA Tournament results. As for the team Horn takes over? They don't lose or gain much, which means they should be just as bad (OK, maybe a couple of wins better).

SEC Western Division

1. OLE MISS
2007-08 Record: (24-11, 7-9 SEC)

Key losses
Dwayne Curtis (14.9 points, 9.6 rebounds)
Kenny Williams (8.5 points, 6.6 rebounds)
Returning
Chris Warren, Fr. G (15.8 points, 4.5 assists)
Eniel Polynice, So. G (10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds)
David Huertas, So. G (10.7 points, 3.7 rebounds)
Trevor Gaskins, Jr. G (5.9 points, 1.5 rebounds)
Zach Graham, Fr. G (5.9 points, 2.7 rebounds)
Coming in
DeAundre Cranston, F (JUCO)
Murphy Holloway, SF (4-Star)
Terrance Henry, PF (4-Star)
Three 3-star recruits

Season Outlook: Andy Kennedy, the SEC's most underrated coach, has to like his squad's chances. Point guard Chris Warren is only going to get better, and the same could be said for the Rebels' supporting cast, which includes Polynice and Huertas. Ole Miss will be thin in the frontcourt without Curtis, Williams and Jermey Parnell, although Cranston, Henry, a top-100 recruit, and the super-talented Holloway should help. Kennedy's teams always seem to be better than the sum of their parts and I expect next year to be no different.

2. ALABAMA
2007-08 Record: (17-16, 5-11 SEC)

Key losses
Mykal Riley, F (14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds)
Rico Pickett, Fr. G (Transfer)
Returning
Alonzo Gee, Jr. G (14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds)
Brandon Hollinger, Jr. G (6.3 points, 3.2 assists)
Demetrius Jemison, So. F (5.6 points, 5.3 rebounds)
Undecided
Richard Hendrix, F (17.8 points, 10.1 rebounds)
Ronald Steele, PG (Injured)
Coming in
Anthony Brock, PG (JC All-American)
JaMychal Green, F (5-Star)
Andrew Steele, PG (4-Star)
Tony Mitchell, SF (4-Star)

Season Outlook: I'm high on the Crimson Tide as long as it Hendrix and Steele realize they're not first-round picks and return for their senior seasons. JUCO point guard Anthony Brock is a nice addition and McDonald's All-American JaMychal Green should be an absolute stud. I know that Alabama has underachieved in the past, but in the wide-open West where every team has question marks, the talented Tide have as good a shot as any.

3. LSU
2007-08 Record: (13-18, 6-10 SEC)

Key losses
Anthony Randolph (15.6 points, 8.5 rebounds)
Returning
Marcus Thornton, Jr. G (19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds)
Tasmin Mitchell, Jr. F (Injured)
Garrett Temple, Jr. G (6.4 points, 4.2 rebounds)
Chris Johnson, Jr. C (11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds)
Terry Martin, Jr. G (8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds)
Coming in
J'Mison Morgan, C (4-Star)
Delwan Graham, PF (4-Star)
Storm Warren, PF (3-Star)

Season Outlook: Randolph is off to the NBA and for good reason (he's a projected lottery pick), but had he stayed, the Tigers would have been a team to watch out for. New coach Trent Johnson (a great hire for LSU) will rely heavily on leading scorer Marcus Thornton and center Chris Johnson. The Tigers also expect Tasmin Mitchell, a 2007 preseason second-team All-SEC selection, to return to form after missing all but three games with an ankle injury.

4. MISSISSIPPI STATE
2007-08 Record: (23-11, 12-4 SEC)

Key losses
Charles Rhodes (17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds)
Ben Hansbrough (10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds)
Returning
Jarvis Varnado, So. C (7.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.6 blocks)
Barry Stewart, So. G (11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds)
Undecided
Jamont Gordon, Jr. G/F (17.2 points, 6.6 rebounds)
Coming in
Romero Osby, PF (4-Star)
Dee Bost, SG (4-Star)
Twany Beckham, SG (3-Star)

Season Outlook: I've got the Bulldogs here under the assumption that Jamont Gordon does not return for his senior season. Judging from this story, I think that's a fair assumption. Mississippi State was not a very deep team to begin with, and without Gordon, Rhodes and Hansbrough (who transferred to Notre Dame), it returns just two starters in Stewart and Vernado, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. While Bost and Osby are both 4-star recruits, it will be tough for the Bulldogs to get back to the NCAA Tournament without Gordon.

5. ARKANSAS
2007-08 Record: (23-12, 9-7 SEC)

Key losses
Gary Ervin, G (9.5 points, 3.8 assists)
Sonny Weems, G/F (15 points, 4.5 rebounds)
Darian Townes, F (12.1 points, 5.5 rebounds)
Charles Thomas, F (9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds)
Steven Hill, C (4.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks)
Returning
Patrick Beverley, So. G (12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds)
Stefan Welsh, So. G (5.3 points, 1.9 assists)
Michael Washington, So. F (4.3 points, 3.9 rebounds)
Coming in
Rotnei Clarke, PG (4-Star)
Jason Henry, SF (4-Star)
Four 3-star recruits

Season Outlook: For the past two seasons, the Razorbacks failed to live up to their potential. Now, they're losing five talented seniors, most notably the high-flying Sonny Weems. Beverley is fun to watch, but there's going to be too much riding on his shoulders. While John Pelphrey's first recruiting class includes two 4-star recruits, expect the Razorbacks to take a step backward this season.

6. AUBURN
2007-08 Record: (14-16, 4-12 SEC)

Key losses
Frank Tolbert, G (13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds)
Quan Prowell, F (15 points, 6.3 rebounds)
Returning
Rasheem Barrett, Jr. G (13.6 points, 4 rebounds)
Quantez Robertson, Jr. G (7.8 points, 5 rebounds, 4.1 assists)
Korvotney Barber, Jr. F (13.8 points, 6.9 rebounds)
DeWayne Reed, So. G (8.9 points, 3.7 assists)
Lucas Hargrove, So. F (7.8 points, 4.4 rebounds)
Coming in
Four 3-star recruits

Season Outlook: The Tigers lose two key contributors from a squad that wasn't very good to begin with. Couple that with the fact that they've signed a mediocre recruiting class and you've got a team that doesn't have much to look forward to.

Video of the Day: Scott Van Pelt does a field sobriety test

Thanks to Awful Announcing for this one, featuring Scott Van Pelt of Sportscenter while reporting the No. 1 play of the day from a minor league baseball game between Long Island and Quinnipiac. The catch the Quinnipiac outfielder made is impressive enough, but Scott Van Pelt has a hilarious comment about his friends who came over to congratulate him.

Commodore Banter (4/29)

Check out this must-read story about the Chicago Bears' first-round draft pick, Chris Williams. We've said it before, but you don't get much better than Williams, on or off the field.

Williams and wide receiver Earl Bennett are excited to be teammates once again.

The men's and women's tennis teams will learn their postseason plans today. Check back for an update.

Harold Huggins of the City Paper wrote a nice piece on Ryan Preston whose phenomenal tennis career is coming to a close.

UTC seems pretty happy to get Keegan Bell, a "great young man," who is a "high-major talent..."

Joe Loftus, a Vandy baseball committ, is drawing plenty of interest from pro scouts.

In case you missed our...
Q&A's with Keegan Bell, Jamont Gordon, Caleb Cotham, Curt Casali, Merideth Marsh,Jonathan White, Christina Wirth, Shea Robin, Vijay Paul, Ryan Preston,Keegan Bell, Nick Cromydas, Derek Johnson, Nick Christiani, Tim Corbin,David Macias, Lance Goulbourne

NFL Draft Coverage
NBA Draft Coverage

Three Dores sign as free agents

While every player dreams of getting drafted, it actually benefits them to go undrafted as opposed to getting picked in the sixth or seventh round. Now, they'll get to sign as free agents with teams that they may actually have a chance to stick around with.

So far three Dores have found new homes and others, including Gabe Hall, Brian Stamper and Josh Eames, are currently in discussions with teams.

• Defensive tackle Theo Horrocks signed with the Jacksonvile Jaguars.
• Curtis Gatewood signed with the Washington Redskins, where he will play outside linebacker.
• Outside linebacker Marcus Buggs was picked up by the Buffalo Bills.

Check out Brett Hait's story in The Nashville City Paper about Buggs and Gatewood. Both players deserve a shot in the NFL and we wouldn't be surprised to see either of them stick around with their respective teams.

SEC continues NFL Draft dominance

In total, 35 Southeastern Conference players were taken in the 2008 NFL Draft, including four of the first 10 picks. Vanderbilt saw three players drafted, which was more than Alabama, Florida, Miss. State, Ole Miss and South Carolina, and as many as Tennessee.

While this shows that the Commodores are clearly more talented than they have been in the past and that they have a coaching staff that knows how to develop players, it also leads us to ask the question: how have they not gone to a bowl game in any of the past three seasons?

But, that's a question for another day...As far as the SEC goes, it once again led all conferences in drafted players with 35. The Pac-10 was second with 34, the ACC had 33, Big 10 28 and Big 12 27.

Here's the SEC breakdown:

Alabama: 0

Arkansas: 6
Darren McFadden, RB (Round 1, Oakland)
Felix Jones, RB (Round 1, Dallas)
Marcus Harrison, DT (Round 3, Chicago)
Marcus Monk, WR (Round 7, Chicago)
Peyton Hills, FB (Round 7, Denver)
Nate Garner, OT (Round 7, NY Jets)

Auburn: 5
Quentin Groves, DE (Round 2, Jacksonville)
Patrick Lee, CB (Round 2, Green Bay)
Pat Sims, DT (Round 3, Cincinnati)
Jonathan Wilhite, CB (Round 4, New England)
King Dunlap, OT (Round 7, Philadelphia)

Florida: 2
Derrick Harvery, DE (Round 1, Jacksonville)
Andre Caldwell, WR (Round 3, Cincinnati)

Georgia: 4
Marcus Howard, OLB (Round 5, Indianapolis)
Thomas Brown, RB (Round 6, Atlanta)
Chester Adams, OG (Round 7, Chicago)
Brandon Coutu, K (Round 7, Seattle)

Kentucky: 4
Jacob Tamme, TE (Round 4, Indianapolis)
Keenan Burton, WR (Round 4, St. Louis)
Andre' Woodson, QB (Round 6, NY Giants)
Steve Johnson, WR (Round 7, Buffalo)

LSU: 7
Glenn Dorsey, DT (Round 1, Kansas City)
Chevis Jackson, CB (Round 3, Atlanta)
Jacob Hester, FB (Round 3, San Diego)
Early Doucet, WR (Round 3, Arizona)
Craig Steltz, S (Round 4, Chicago)
Matt Flynn, QB (Round 7, Green Bay)
Keith Zinger, TE (Round 7, Atlanta)

Mississippi State: 0

Ole Miss: 0

South Carolina:1
Cory Boyd, RB (Round 7, Tampa Bay)

Tennessee: 3
Jerod Mayo, LB (Round 1, New England)
Brad Cottam, TE (Round 3, Kansas City)
Erik Ainge, QB (Round 5, NY Jets)

Vanderbilt: 3
Chris Williams, OT (Round 1, Chicago)
Earl Bennett, WR (Round 3, Chicago)
Jonathan Goff, LB (Round 5, NY Giants)