Some Stats

1. VU has scored on 13 of 14 red-zone trips, including 10 Touchdowns.

2. VU has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 45-10 in the second half of the season's first three games.

3. VU scored 24 unanswered points against Rice and went on a 21-0 run in the win over SC.

4. The Commodores lead the SEC with 10 quarterback sacks and the fewest penalties with nine.

Monday's Links

The SEC's leading tackler, Patrick Benoist breaks a bone in his hand. CoBoJo says he'll play in a cast.

The Hustler says that Vandy has found the killer instinct.

Former Vandy Ace and top draft pick David Price retires the side in his first inning of major league pitching.

Dores Lock Down Rice

I have to admit that I was a little worried about the Owls and their high-powered offense. It proved true in the first half when it seemed like Clement couldn't throw an incompletion. The Dores, however, held stride. I had to watch the CBS Sportsline Gametracker online (I'm in Argentina) and felt a thrill I never thought I would watching little simulated Commodores run around the field. The D stepped it up big time in the second half, forcing punts, sacks, and turning the Owls over. The highlight for me was watching the fake little DJ Moore almost take it to the house after the D forced a 3-and-out. That's twice he's taken it all the way to the 1 yard this year.

Obviously, a 3-0 start couldn't feel better. These Dores are consistently closing games (if three counts) and playing great defense when it matters most. Jared Hawkins deserves a lot of credit - it seemed like a guaranteed 5 yards every time he touched the ball tonight. I wish I could see them play live, but watching a Gametracker W is good enough. As long as we win. Go Dores.

Jared Hawkins: "We're not a blow-off team. We'll hit you in the mouth."

2-0, 1-0 in SEC

Dores in Business. So far, not too bad for a rebuilding year.

Good Article by David Climer in the Tennessean: The Dores might not go to a bowl this year. But this team is not the "same ole Vandy." Against South Carolina, with a chance to fold in the 4th Quarter as in the past, the Dores defense came up with two sacks forcing a punt on USC's final drive. Then, with the ball and needing a first down to put the game away, the Dores ran off tackle and picked it up. 

Point is, we have a tough schedule. We're young. But these guys compete. 

Price Featured in SI

Great article in the latest Sports Illustrated on David Price and his future as a elite major leaguer with the Devil Rays.

In other news, get ready for the Dore Duds launch within the next 2 weeks...

Big D needs the 3

I'd like to open this entry by just stating a sincere thanks to the DoreDuds clothing line for their continuing support. Now on to the material...

Shan while falling certainly further in the draft than he deserved ended up in a very good situation. First, he's working for owner Mark Cuban. Cuban is notorious for spoiling his players with locker room extras such as built in flat screen televisions, DVD set ups, and entertainment system in each locker. Once Shan steps out of the locker room and on to the court, he'll have the premier past-first point guard of the last 10 years in J-Kidd setting him up for jumpers. Thirdly, when first year coach Rick Carlisle needs a three and looks down his bench, the current options are limited with Jason Terry, a career 39% three point shooter as perhaps the best option. I look forward to rooting for the Mavs in the future, even if it means pulling for former rivals Brandon Bass (LSU) and Erik Dampier (MSU).

Shan interview from the Mavs' website

MLB Draft Tomorrow

The 'dores may get hit hard by tomorrow's Draft. Here's Mo Patton's take.

Dores Kick off Football Season on National TV

Now that baseball's over, it's a waiting game for August. Fortunately for Vandy fans, the 'Dores will kick off the season with back to back nationally televised games. Both are on Thursdays: Miami (OH) to start, then the Gamecocks come to Nashvegas.

Basehall over; Snedeker article

A strange baseball season is over. The 2nd ranked Diamond Dores started off the season with a shellacking of the defending national champions only to fall 18-6 a day later to Arizona State. All-American Pedro Alvarez broke his hand and missed 20+ games and the 'Dores struggled at the beginning of SEC play.

The squad banded together midway through conference play and traveled to Georgia with a chance to put themselves in position to win the regular season. Unfortunately, a convincing Game 1 victory was not a harbinger of things to come. The next night, the 'Dores gave up a 2-0 lead in the 9th inning. The Saturday night loss in Athens was the final turning point of the season, as the series slipped away the next day and the Gators pulled out brooms the following weekend.

Despite another early postseason flameout, the 'Diamond Dores are primed for success next year. The cupboard is full and another top ranked recruiting class comes to Nashville in the Fall. Corbin and his staff are the best recruiters in America. Maybe next year is the year Vandy turns the corner and heads to Omaha.

In other news, turns your eyes to this fantastic article in the Memphis Appeal. Brandt Snedeker is a model ambassador for the Vandy athletic program.

Dores in Tempe

The Dores (2) play Oklahoma (3) in the Tempe Regional today at 4pm CT. The game will be available free via webcast (need IE to view). All baseball info here, including Joe Fisher's interviews.

Dores Down Gators

The Dores avenged a series sweep this past weekend, beating Florida 7-3 in the first round of the SECT. They face LSU Thursday at 6pm EST.

Another Dore Inks

Stamper makes 7 looking to make a name in the bigs

http://vucommodores.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052108aaa.html

ESPN Ranks Vandy's Class at 13

It's the highest ESPN has ever ranked us. Half of the SEC is in the top 20.

Vanderbilt Athletics Announces Huge Renovations

Great news for the athletic program. Hope they add some room in the rafters at Memorial Gymnasium, as the incoming can't-miss quartet will be filling the arena with banners.

Buy Shan, his Stock's Undervalued

SEC Player of the Year, 2nd Team All-American, Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for good citizenship = 40th best prospect in this year's draft? 

With just 6 weeks until the June 26th NBA Draft, it looks like Shan Foster will fall to the Second Round. According to ESPN's draft expert chad forde, the negatives on Shan read like the following. "Foster is pretty one-dimensional. He's not very athletic. Needs to add strength. Poor ball handler. He rarely gets to the line." As this highlight reel indicates, I take issue with those statements. I will perhaps tackle each of these in the coming days. For now,

Not very athletic? Ask Rick Stansbury, whose Mississippi State team suffered a 9/9 three point barrage from Shan Foster late in the season. As the founding member of the Daily Dore Fatt Popp will tell you, that clip will give your goosebumps goosebumps. That video also revealed that it sure looked like Stansbury told his team to guard 32. Any basketball purist will tell you that to take a non-athletic shooter out of the game, simply put a hand in his face. That video also revealed that that February night it didn't matter. See, athletic players make plays regardless of who's guarding them. Shan proved that night why he is an athlete.

Good Read on Hoops Class from Rivals

STALLINGS TALKS 2008 CLASS
"Stallings is bringing in what Rivals.com recruiting analysts say will be a possible top-15 class, which easily would be his best in the rankings during his tenure at Vanderbilt. It consists of four four-star prospects, each in the Rivals150: point guard Brad Tinsley (No. 93 overall, No. 16 at his position), power forward Steve Tchiengang (87th, 27th), and small forwards Jeff Taylor (52nd, 10th) and Lance Goulbourne (72nd, 12th).
Kevin Stallings has put together a talented 2008 recruiting class for Vanderbilt.How did he do it?
"It certainly has to do with the successes we've experienced as a program the last four to five years (including three NCAA Tournament appearances and two Sweet 16s)," Stallings said. "It also helps when guys can look and say, 'Well, they've had the last two players of the year in the league (Derrick Byars and Shan Foster), and you go there and guys get better and you have a chance to play and show what you can do and have success.' "
Stallings diplomatically said it was too soon to say which player would have the greatest immediate impact, but Taylor is the highest-ranked player, and with the departure of Foster, Taylor certainly looks as if he'll have every chance to start from Day One.
"We've really helped ourselves," Stallings said. "We have four quality guys who are going to come in and impact our program hopefully sooner rather than later. I think so much of who emerges depends on need.
"The person who impacts the quickest is not always the one who impacts the most over time. Sometimes it is, but I think all four of them are capable of coming in and having an impact next year. I'm not saying all four will, but I think all four are capable."
Not to be forgotten in the class is redshirt freshman Festus Ezeli, a 6-11 center with a 7-5 wingspan. Ezeli has been clashing in practice for the past year with A.J. Ogilvy, and Stallings says Ezeli, a Nigerian, has made great strides and should provide a major presence defensively."

Gators Claim Series and Standing

Disappointing run for the Diamond Dores as they follow up the UGA series with another series loss to the bums from Gainesville. On the upside, SEC invite thrown Vandy's way Thursday

http://vucommodores.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/051608aac.html

Vandy Athletics Builds Excitement

As the success of the overall athletic program continues, ticket sales for the Dores upcoming gridiron season yields impressive numbers.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080513/SPORTS0602/805130340/1036/RSS020602

Dores Fight Dawgs Tough but UGA Takes Series

http://vucommodores.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/051108aaa.html

State of Basketball in the State of Tennessee

Last year, the state of Tennessee for the first time certainly in recent memory and probably ever had 3 teams slated for top 4 seeds by the NCAA Basketball Committee. This fact combined with little known Nashville's Belmont University nearly knocking off Duke in the first round of the NCAA West Region made 2007 certainly a strong year for the state's basketball programs.

The future is showing no signs of slowing for the state's basketball programs if a little known recruiting service known as Rivals is any indication. After taking a look at Rivals.com recent top 100 rankings of prep basketball recruits, the state of Tennessee is in the lead with 11 committed prospects with Vanderbilt and Memphis leading the way with 4 prospects inked and Tennessee lagging behind with three. Just as bonus information, Florida is second with 9, and North Carolina, home to historic programs such as NC State, Duke and UNC is third with 7.

From this data above, one can only reasonably conclude that the best basketball located in I-40 is not Tabacco Road which connects these three aforementioned ACC powerhouses, but rather it's the portion of I-40 that stretches across Tennessee connecting Memphis to Vanderbilt to Tennessee.