MBB Season Tickets On Sale July 21

Vanderbilt men's basketball season tickets will be in short supply again for the upcoming 2009-10 season as Kevin Stallings returns all five starters and 14 letterwinners from a year ago. Memorial Gym will once again be in for a special season with a great non-conference schedule and the always-tough SEC slate. Just like in the last two years, this year's season ticket will be a hot item, with a sell-out of Memorial Gymnasium season tickets all but certain for the 2009-10 campaign.

The ticket office will be open to take your orders beginning at 8:30 am on Tuesday, July 21. For best results and no waiting, order your tickets online at vucommodores.com at midnight before the ticket office opens. As always, 615-322-GOLD (4653) will be an option starting at 8:30 a.m. on July 21.

Click Here for Pricing Information

The Right Price

By Barca Blog - Whit Watson (of Sun Sports TV) blogged about a recent trip to Nashville to meet the family and friends of Tampa Bay's David Price. Watson opens with the following text:

The purpose of the trip was to shoot interviews for an upcoming episode of "Inside The Rays" featuring Price; the outcome was a renewed faith in people. Specifically, the people who surrounded Price on his way to the majors.

If this kid doesn't make it, I don't know who will. And though it's been driven into my head for twenty years that "there's no cheering in the press box," I have become a very big fan of David Price.

Watson then goes into detail about every stop he made, including his visit with Vanderbilt baseball head coach Tim Corbin (look for the story about the marshmallow, jelly bean, and rock).

This is a must read. Click Here

Jack attack

by Barca Blog - It's been a good summer for Jack Armstrong.

Armstrong, who's pitching for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League, has been lights out against some of the best college hitters in the country with a 3-0 record and a 2.22 earned-run average. Just this week he was selected to the 47th Under Armour Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game (which will be played at Fenway Park July 23), and also named Pitcher of the Week with a complete game shutout over Hyannis.

In fact, one scout told the Cape Cod Times,“(Jack's) the best I’ve seen down here, the most dominant. He throws a hard curve. His velocity was a little down today (against Cotuit) but was still 93. He’s still impressive.”

It will be exciting to see how Armstrong progresses when he returns to Vanderbilt for his sophomore year this fall. He only appeared in six games in relief as a freshman.

Click Here to check out this great feature in today's edition of the Cape Cod Times, as well as this story in the South Coast Today.

(Side note -- Vanderbilt's Russell Brewer will also play in the Cape's All-Star game for the second year in a row.)

(Photo: Paul Blackmore/Cape Cod Times)

Making your mind up

by Barca Blog - Well, I decided to scrap the new way of doing "Around the Web" via the blog... and went back to the old traditional way of just having the links posted on the front page (middle column) of VUcommodores.com. Also, the archive will be posted here.

I know, I haven't done a good job of making my mind up lately... which leads us to the video of the day. I should have just listened to this group's advice from the start.

School is out and I ain't been on the court yet....

By Weinman - With apologies to Will Smith, it may be summer time but school is in session and the Commodore women's basketball team is finding plenty time to get out on the court. The ladies got a pickup game together earlier this week at the Student Recreation Center and I stopped by to grab the first photo of the 2009-10 squad.

In the photo, Merideth Marsh, Lauren Lueders and Jessica Mooney and kneeling in front of (also left to right) Hannah Tuomi, Jordan Coleman, Ashlee Bridge, Jence Rhoads, Stephanie Holzer, Tiffany Clarke, Gabby Smith, Rebecca Silinski, Angela Puleo and Elan Brown. Apologies if the quality of the photo isn't up to par, but I shot this on my camera phone so I could get it up on our Twitter page quickly.

SEC announces 2009 Freshmen Academic Honor Roll List

By A. Boggs - Thirty-five Vanderbilt freshman student-athletes were named to the 2009 SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll, Thursday by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.


Each student-athlete must 1) have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above at the nominating institution; 2) be on scholarship or a letter winner; 3) have completed 24 semester hours of non-remedial credit at the nominating institution; and 4) have been a member of the varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA Championship segment.

The 2009 SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll is based on grades from the 2008-09 academic calendar.

You can find the complete list of freshmen here.

Baseball Summer League Update, part 1

by Travis Young - As we near the backstretch of the dog days of summer, I thought I would give an update on how Vanderbilt’s baseball players are doing in the Cape Cod Baseball League and Valley League. This will be the first of a two-part update on the Commodores playing in summer leagues.

Visit vucommodores.com later this week for a run down on the rest of the leagues, including the New England Collegiate League, Prospect League, New York Collegiate League and Kitty League.

Click Here for a review of the Cape and Valley leagues.

Around the Web - Thursday, July 16

Men's basketball guard John Jenkins talked with Maurice Patton about being the only freshman on the squad this year.

"Everybody's been helping me out," Jenkins told The Tennessean. "I've been cool with the whole team.

"I just think of myself as an upperclassman. I don't think of myself as a freshman. Mostly, the key is staying focused all the time."

In NBA Las Vegas Summer League action last night.... Derrick Byars had one point, rebound and steal in Denver's 77-70 win over Washington, while Matt Freije contributed two rebounds in eight minutes in Portland's 87-82 loss to Houston. Shan Foster is the only Commodore in action tonight as Dallas takes on Cleveland at 9 p.m. CT. Keep track of these 'Dores during summer ball here.

Update from the Cape... Russell Brewer is now tied for the league lead in saves with seven after he recorded the final three outs of Chatham's 6-4 victory over Falmouth. Grayson Garvin also threw a scoreless inning in relief for Falmouth, allowing no hits while striking out two. Follow the 'Dores this summer here.

Sonny Gray was charged with his first loss as Japan defeated Team USA, 8-7, in 11 innings. Japan took advantage of back-to-back errors to score the winning run. In two innings of work, Gray allowed one unearned run and two hits while striking out three.

Through nine holes at Turnberry this morning, Brandt Snedeker is 1-over with a bogey at hole number 5. He's grouped with Thomas Haylock and Branden Grace. Follow the British Open here. And check out Joe Biddle's column on how Snedeker adjusted his game to earn back-to-back top-5 finishes.

Christina Wirth did not play in Indiana's 84-74 victory over Chicago. The Fever extended its franchise record winning streak to 10 in a row (seventh longest in WNBA history).

In his AJC blog, Mark Bradley lists Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson as one of top 15 coaches in college football.

Chris Low of ESPN.com points out that Vanderbilt's the only team in the SEC without a football bye this year.

Finally, Vanderbilt Athletics' second Hall of Fame class will be announced next Tuesday. The event will be available live online in Commodore Nation All Access.

Make sure you check out the latest stories on our official site, VUcommodores.com.

Johnson on 104.5 at 8:10 a.m. CT

by Leathers - Coach Johnson will appear as a guest on the Morning Zone Show at FM 104.5 Thursday morning.

Johnson, preparing for his eighth year at the helm of Vanderbilt football and coming off a 7-6 campaign in 2008, will appear on the show at 8:10 a.m. CT. He will join Voice of the Commodores Joe Fisher and sideline reporter Kevin Ingram.

Ingram is a co-host of the popular morning sports talk show while Fisher is subbing for regular hosts Mark Howard and Frank Wycheck. The Zone is Vanderbilt’s flagship radio station.

Listen live here

Around the Web - Wednesday, July 15

Update from the Cape League... Caleb Cotham made his first appearance of the summer for Brewster Tuesday, throwing three innings of one-hit relief while striking out seven to pick up the win against Wareham. Also, Russell Brewer earned his sixth save (tied for second in the Cape) in Chatham's 4-2 victory over Hyannis.

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette has an update on Jonathan White, who is currently playing for San Francisco in the Arizona Rookie League.

Vanderbilt golfer Hudson Johnson recapped his junior season -- which included winning the Hummingbird Intercollegiate -- with his hometown paper, The Longview News Journal. In the article, Johnson also mentions about his goals for his senior year.

"I would like to win at least two more tournaments next year," Johnson said. "In my freshman year, we qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team. That was a great experience and I would like to get back there."

Derrick Byars had four points, a rebound and an assist in his debut with Denver in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League last night. The Nuggets will take on Washington tonight at 9:30 p.m. CT. Also, Matt Freije and Portland will face Houston at 9 p.m. CT. Keep track of these 'Dores during summer ball here.

In WNBA action, Indiana will try to extend their franchise-record nine-game winning streak against Chicago at noon CT today. Wirth recorded season-highs in rebounds (3), assists (2) and minutes (11:48) in the Fever's last outing, a 83-54 victory over the Sky.

Brandt Snedeker will tee off in his second British Open Thursday at approximately 5 a.m. CT. He will be grouped with Thomas Haylock and Branden Grace in the first two rounds at Turnberry. Follow the action here.

Finally, in keeping with the spirit of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Chris Low from ESPN.com came up with his SEC All-Star teams.

Around the Web - Tuesday, July 14

Former Commodore Amani Floyd (Track & Field) is making an impact in the classroom. Floyd is mentoring students at an inner-city high school in Mississippi... and her teaching results have been extraordinary. Read More

Sonny Gray pitched five and a third innings of scoreless relief to lead Team USA to an 8-4 victory over Japan Monday in game three of the 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championships. Gray only allowed one hit while striking out five and walking none to move his record to 2-0. He lowered his ERA to an astounding 0.60 for the summer in 15 innings of work (only one earned run allowed).

Brandt Snedeker talked with ESPN.com about this week's British Open (Watch Video). Snedeker has been red-hot of late with back-to-back top-five finishes.

Tony Barnhart (Mr. College Football) weighs in with his thoughts on the predicted order of finish for the SEC East this season.

Jon Solomon (Birmingham News) thinks Vanderbilt's David Williams is missing from a list of the most powerful people in the SEC.

Shan Foster had a good shooting night in Dallas' 95-90 loss to Phoenix yesterday in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. Foster scored 13 points, going 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 behind the arc. The Mavs return to the court Thursday vs. Cleveland.

Matt Freije debuted with Portland, contributing five points, three rebounds and a steal in 12 minutes against Toronto. The Trail Blazers next game is Wednesday vs. Houston.

Derrick Byars will play for Denver in Vegas after spending last week with Indiana in the Orlando Summer League. Byars and the Nuggets open with San Antonio today at 9 p.m. CT.

Keep track of these 'Dores during summer ball here.

Around the Web - Monday, July 13

Brandt Snedeker finished tied for second (-17) after playing 36 holes Sunday at the John Deere Classic. It was Snedeker's second straight top-5 finish. The former Commodore recapped the final day of action with PGAtour.com.

Snedeker will now turn his attention to the British Open, which takes place this week at Turnberry in Scotland.

David Boclair of The City Paper caught up with Sonny Gray via email during Team USA's trip to Japan. In five appearances for USA this summer (four in relief), Gray is 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-2 with an RBI single for the United States in the MLB Futures Game Sunday in St. Louis. The World team won the game though, rallying with four runs in the final inning to defeat the U.S., 7-5. (shortened to seven innings due to rain). MLB.com posted a cool video of Alvarez mic'd up during the All-Star festivities -watch here.

Shan Foster and the Dallas Mavericks will return to the court today to face the Phoenix Suns at 5 p.m. CT in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. Also, Matt Freije and Portland will open up league play against Toronto at 7 p.m. CT. Follow the action here.

Around the Web - Sunday, July 12

Rising sophomore pitcher Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt) pitched one inning of scoreless relief to help Team USA beat Japan 3-0 in game one of the 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championships in Matsuyama, Japan.

Shan Foster didn't play in Dallas' 98-95 loss to Houston last night in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. The Mavs will return to the court Monday to face Phoenix. Also, Matt Freije and Portland will open up league play tomorrow as the Trail Blazers are scheduled to take on Toronto. Follow the action here.

Brandt Snedeker is in contention at the John Deere Classic, entering Sunday tied for fourth at eight-under, only five shots of the lead. Snedeker, who finished fifth at the AT&T National last week, fired 67's in the previous two rounds. The former Commodore spoke with PGA.com about the excitement of being in the mix for another win.

"It's great. Last week I felt like I played really well at AT&T," Snedeker said. "I never really had a chance to feel like I was really close to breaking through with a really good round. I finally played good on Sunday.

"This week I sort of have been right where I was -- took off last week. I feel really great about my game, especially this week going into next week at the British Open. It's just nice to be in the mix again and know where my game is."

With 36 holes scheduled for today, anything can happen. Follow the action here.

ESPNU to air 2008 Auburn-VU game

By Ryan Schulz - Need a Vanderbilt football fix to get you through a dreary day in Nashville? ESPNU will provide Commodore fans with just that on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT when the network airs a replay of Vanderbilt's dramatic 14-13 win over Auburn.

The win moved Vanderbilt's record to 5-0, giving the Commodores their best start to a season since 1943.

For a complete recap of the game, click here.

Around the Web - Saturday, July 11

Rising sophomore golfer Marina Alex missed the cut at the 2009 U.S. Open. Alex finished tied for 127th.

Derrick Byars had four points, three rebounds and an assist in Indiana's 68-54 win over Orlando Friday afternoon in the NBA Orlando Summer League. Byars logged 18 minutes off the bench, his longest stint of the week. The Pacers finished league play with a 5-0 record.

Shan Foster started in Dallas' opener last night against Milwaukee in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. The former Commodore ended up with two points, four rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes of action. The Bucks won the contest, 65-59. The Mavs will take on Houston Saturday night at 9 p.m. CT. Click Here to follow the action.

The Indiana Fever extended their franchise-record winning streak to nine games with a 83-54 victory over the Chicago Sky Friday night. Christina Wirth recorded season-highs in rebounds (3), assists (2) and minutes (11:48) for Indiana. The Fever will return to the court Wednesday to host the Sky.

Finally... don't forget to vote for Memorial Gym over Williams Arena in CBSsports.com's Arena Wars.

Vote for Memorial Gym

by Barca Blog - CBSsports.com has a summer series called Arena Wars. This week Vanderbilt's Memorial Gymansium goes up against Minnesota's Williams Arena (both venues feature a raised court). Make sure you vote for Memorial as the better game experience!

CBS columnist Gary Parrish chose Memorial saying, "I have been to Memorial Gymnasium and I can tell you with a degree of certainty that it is one of the neatest arenas in college basketball. ... The design is pleasantly strange. And the levels seem to be stacked on top of each other to the point where it looks intimidating from the floor and sounds really loud from anywhere. Bottom line, I dig that place."

Around the Web - Friday, July 10

The second day of the U.S. Open is underway at Saucon Valley Country Club. Follow rising sophomore Alex Marina's round hole-by-hole here.

USA Baseball suffered its first loss of the summer Friday, falling 7-1 in an exhibition with Budo University in Chiba, Japan. Rising sophomore pitcher Sonny Gray struck out the only batter he faced to get the final out in the top of the ninth.

Tampa Bay's David Price outdueled Toronto's Roy Halladay Thursday afternoon to lift the Rays to a 3-2 win. Price was coming off the shortest stint of his MLB career, but responded by holding the Blue Jays to only one run in six innings to move his record to 3-3 on the season.

"I just wanted to go out there and be myself," Price told the Tampa Tribune. "I don't want to know if a guy can hit an inside fastball or if it's 110 mph when I throw it, just make him prove to me that he can hit it. Every pitcher is different. I might throw 94 and so might somebody else, but it's not the same. Nobody's fastball is going to be the same.

Ever wonder where Vanderbilt's baseball players live during summer ball in the Cape? Find out in this article, which includes comments from rising sophomore pitcher Grayson Garvin.

Christina Wirth and the Indiana Fever will travel to Chicago tonight for a 7:30 p.m. CT tipoff. It's still early in the season, but Indiana has the second best record (8-2) in the WNBA and lead the Eastern Division by three games over Washington. Wirth is averaging five minutes per game in her rookie year.

Derrick Byars will conclude his week at the NBA Orlando Summer League today when Indiana faces Orlando at 2 p.m. CT (free webcast). Byars did not play in the Pacers 91-88 win over Boston Thursday night.

The NBA Las Vegas Summer League gets underway today. Shan Foster and the Dallas Mavericks open with Milwaukee at 9 p.m. CT tonight.

"One of the things coach (Rick) Carlisle talked about yesterday is coming out here and just playing your game, doing what got you here," Foster told WFAA-TV. "For me, that's what it is, making shots, playing great defense, being a great teammate, being a leader out there, and just playing hard."

Matt Freije will also play in this league for Portland, but the Trail Blazers first game isn't until Monday night against Toronto.

Finally, have the college football itch? Well, find out who will be calling the action this year. Here's a link to ESPN’s 2009 college football game and studio announcer assignments.

Marina Alex first-round results at U.S. Open

By A. Boggs - Vanderbilt rising sophomore fired an 82 at the U.S. Women’s Open at the Saucon Valley Golf Course in Bethlehem, Pa., which places her in a tie for 143^rd place after day one.

Alex posted one birdie, five pars, and 12 bogeys in her inaugural round at the Open. Alex, who teed off on the first hole in the afternoon, fired a 43 on the front nine and a 39 on the back.

Alex returns to the course on Friday for her second round, which begins at 9:01 a.m. ET.

Click here for complete results of the first round.

Alex at the U.S. Open

By A. Boggs - Marina Alex's first round at the U.S. Women's Open is now underway, and you can follow her score here.

Many of you have seen her blog on vucommodores.com (click here if you haven't), but Brendan Prunty of the New Jersey Star-Ledger came to Pennsylvania and wrote a great article about Marina's experiences so far at the Open.

You can check out Prunty's story here.

Good this weekend Marina!

Around the Web - Thursday, July 9

Jim Wyatt has a good piece on the friendship that evolved between Jay Cutler and Steve McNair. Cutler recalls how McNair went out of his way to prep him for the Senior Bowl in January, 2006.

"Mac met with me on two occasions, and he would have stayed there with me all day, as long as it took for me to learn the offense," Cutler told The Tennessean. "I'll never forget that, and that just shows you the type of guy he was."

Rising sophomore golfer Marina Alex will tee it up in her first U.S. Open today at 1:31 p.m. CT. Follow her hole-by-hole here, and keep up with her latest blog.

You can track Derrick Byars (Indiana Pacers) in the NBA Orlando Summer League all week long. Byars only played in four minutes of Indiana's 95-79 victory over Utah Wednesday. The Pacers will next face Boston Thursday at 6 p.m. CT. Watch a free webcast of the action here.

Chicago Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake talks about how he's been impressed with Earl Bennett during OTA practices. Drake points to Bennett's confidence level as the key.

Tampa Bay pitcher David Price rebounded from some recent struggles on the mound by limiting Toronto to just one run on six hits while striking out seven before exiting the game after six innings (still in progress, Rays lead 3-2 in 8th).

Cleveland Indians pitcher Jeremy Sowers was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Cape Update... rising sophomore Grayson Garvin pitched three scoreless innings in relief Wednesday, but Falmouth still fell to Bourne, 3-1. For updated stats on all the Commodores playing in the Cape, click here.

Baseball signees in summer school

by SID Five signees from the 2008-09 recruiting class are on campus and started summer school this week. Nathan Dorris, Anthony Gomez, Conor Harrell, Curt Powell and Sam Selman are getting an early start to their collegiate careers.

Dorris (45th round- Atlanta) and Selman (14th- Los Angeles Angels) were both drafted last month.

More info on the entire incoming class will be posted at the start of the fall semester. In addition, exciting announcements regarding Vanderbilt baseball are on their way and should be revealed soon.

I've got a message for you

by Barca Blog - Coach Johnson has a direct message for you. Click Here!

(note -- it may take a few seconds for the video to appear on the bottom right side of your screen)

Around the Web - Wednesday, July 8

Chris Low of ESPN.com takes a stab at the most pivotal road games for each SEC team this football season.

You can track Derrick Byars (Indiana Pacers) in the NBA Orlando Summer League all week long. Byars contributed three points, three assists, two rebounds in Indiana's 91-88 triumph over Oklahoma City Tuesday night. The Pacers will next face Utah Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT. Watch a free webcast of the action here.

Dores Excel in Birmingham

By Weinman - While you may think that summer is a time for college students to take it easy, the student-athlete is certainly an exception. In no sport is that more true than golf, where the best weather of the year beckons just as classes fall idle.

A number of Commodore men's golfers took part in the ninth annual Greystone Invitational in Birmingham last month, with impressive results. Most notably, rising senior Chris Rockwell (above, with Tournament Director Tom Ramsey) was the tournament's runner-up after posting a four-day total of 288 (even-par and only one stroke behind medalist Justin Yoder). Rising sophomore Trey DelGreco finished in a tie for 10th place in an event which saw 80 players make the cut.

For complete information about the tournament, including results and a photo gallery, visit http://www.greystoneinvitational.com/

NBA Summer League Tracker

Keep up with former Commodores Derrick Byars, Matt Freije and Shan Foster at the NBA Summer Leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas. Here's a list of upcoming games/results so you can track the action on your computer:

---

ORLANDO SUMMER LEAGUE JULY 6-10
For Live Webcasts, Stats, etc. --- Go Here

Derrick Byars (Indiana)
July 6 vs. New Jersey/Philadelphia - Did Not Play
July 7 vs. Oklahoma City - 3 pts, 3 ast, 2 reb in 15 min
July 8 vs. Utah - 0 pts, 1 reb, stl in 4 min
July 9 vs. Boston - Did Not Play
July 10 vs. Orlando - 4 pts, 3 reb, ast in 18 min

---

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE JULY 10-19
For Live Webcasts, Stats, etc. --- Go Here

Shan Foster (Dallas)
July 10 vs. Milwaukee - 2 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast in 18 min
July 11 vs. Houston - Did Not Play
July 13 vs. Phoenix - 13 pts, 3-4 3pt, reb in 25 min
July 16 vs. Cleveland - 4 pts, reb in 9 min
July 18 vs. Oklahoma City - 3 p.m. CT

Matt Freije (Portland)
July 13 vs. Toronto - 5 pts, 3 reb, stl in 12 min
July 15 vs. Houston - o pts, 2 reb in 8 min
July 17 vs. Denver - 4 pts, 4 reb in 16 min
July 18 vs. San Antonio - 9:30 p.m. CT
July 19 vs. D-League Select - 9 p.m. CT

Derrick Byars (Denver)
July 14 vs. San Antonio - 4 pts, reb, ast in 8 min
July 15 vs. Washington - 1 pt, reb, stl in 9 min
July 17 vs. Portland - 4 pts, reb, stl in 8 min
July 18 vs. D-League Select - 9:30 p.m. CT
July 19 vs. New Orleans - 7:30 p.m. CT

---

Just another day at the course

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt golfer Marina Alex (rising sophomore) had the opportunity to meet Lorena Ochoa, the top-ranked LPGA golfer in the world, during the U.S. Women's Open practice round Tuesday at Saucon Valley Country Club. The two players have a common connection- Vanderbilt's Greg Allen also coached Ochoa during his previous stint at Arizona.

Alex will blog throughout the week on vucommodores.com as she prepares to tee it up in her first Open Thursday. Here's a link to her entry from Monday evening.

Around the Web - Tuesday, July 7

You can track Derrick Byars (Indiana Pacers) in the NBA Orlando Summer League all week long. Indiana will face Oklahoma City Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT. Watch a free webcast of the action here. Byars didn't play in Monday's opener.

Joe Fisher gives a Cape League baseball update on Taylor Hill, Jack Armstrong, and Russell Brewer in his 104.5 morning update. Listen

Jeremy Sowers will take the hill for Cleveland tonight against the Chicago White Sox at 7:11 p.m. CT. Sowers is winless in three starts vs. Chicago this season and has never beaten them in six career tries.

Pedro Alvarez will get to play in the XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis this Sunday. The event will be held two days prior to the MLB All-Star game at the same venue. According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, the former Commodore is looking forward to competing on big stage.

"I got to go to the All-Star Game in New York last summer," Alvarez said. "That was pretty cool, and I can't imagine what it's going to be like to be on the field. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll get to meet Ozzie Smith, that will be unreal. I'm excited to see what the atmosphere is like."

Monday's NBA Summer League recap

by Barca Blog - Derrick Byars did not play in Indiana's NBA summer league opener in Orlando Monday afternoon due to coach's decision, according to the box score.

The Pacers used nine of the 13 players on their roster to defeat the split squad of New Jersey/Philadelphia, 75-67 in overtime, led by Tyler Hansbrough's team-high 17 points.

Indiana will next take on Oklahoma City Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT. Click Here to follow the Orlando Summer League all week.

Make that change

by Barca Blog - As Michael Jackson once sang, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror... I'm asking him to change his ways."

So, I finally decided to do some summer cleaning to my office... The same office that my daughter unexpectedly referred to as a "train wreck" a few weeks ago.

You see, during the athletic season, my workspace is as chaotic as an episode of VH1's Rock of Love. But I decided it was time to "make a change" during the down days of summer... so here it is (click image to make bigger.)

By the way, you can follow my random posts on twitter at http://twitter.com/barcablog

SEC's red-hot rivalries

by Barca Blog - Chris Low of ESPN.com thinks Vanderbilt/South Carolina should be on the list of hottest rivalries in the SEC entering the 2009 football season.
Read More

Byars in action today

by Barca Blog - Derrick Byars will resume his quest to make an NBA roster when the Orlando Summer League opens Monday at 2 p.m. CT.

Two season removed from his collegiate career at Vanderbilt, Byars will suit up for the Indiana Pacers over the next five days with a chance to showcase his talents to the entire league.

There could be a log jam for playing time considering the Pacers have three first-round picks from the last two drafts on their summer league roster in Tyler Hansbrough (UNC), Brandon Rush (Kansas) and Roy Hibbert (Georgetown), as well as second-round picks A.J. Price (UConn) and Josh McRoberts (Duke).

Byars spent last year playing for the Bakersfield Jam in the NBA Development League. He was a second team All-NBADL selection, averaging 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from long range.

Indiana will take on a split squad comprised of players from New Jersey and Philadelphia at 2 p.m. CT today. Watch live video of the action here.

Also of note... Shan Foster will once again play for Dallas in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 10-19, while Matt Freije will be on Portland's roster.

Snedeker British Open-bound

by Associated Press

WASHINGTON D.C. — Brandt Snedeker earned a spot in the 2009 British Open on Sunday in the AT&T National.

Snedeker got there because he was the leading player among the top five at Congressional who hadn't already qualified.

"Floored and excited," said Snedeker, whose closing round of 67 was just enough to earn him a tie for fifth at 7-under 273.

Snedeker wasn't even aware that he had qualified when he left the course at Congressional Country Club. He missed eight weeks earlier this year with a rib injury and had been planning to play the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee during the week of the British, which takes place at Turnberry in Scotland in two weeks.

"My golf game was in bad shape before I got hurt," Snedeker said. "The first time I felt healthy, I didn't know what to think about coming back out. People gave me the sympathy vote last week when I made the cut - first cut I'd made in a while, and it ticked me off. I don't want sympathy. This week, I felt like I proved to everyone and myself that I can get back to where I was."

For more information about the British Open, click here.

Around the Web - Thursday, July 2

Chris Low from ESPN.com takes a quick look at both hope and concern for the 2009 football squad.

Maurice Patton of The Tennessean gives an update on Sonny Gray's summer with Team USA. In the article, Gray receives some high praise from Elon Coach Mike Kennedy, the pitching coach for USA:

"(Sonny) has electric stuff. He pitched at 94, 95 (mph). He has a lot of life on the ball. The ball moves, cuts, runs. He's got a live arm.

"He's got great stuff, a great arm, and his makeup is such that you want that type guy around."

One of Kevin Stallings mentors, Vergil Fletcher, passed away Tuesday. Stallings played under the legendary coach at Collinsville High School in the late 1970's. Fletcher won a remarkable 747 games during his 30+ year career at Collinsville and was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004.

"(Vergil) was easily, by far and away, the most influential nonfamily member of my life -- not only then, but still today," Stallings told the Belleville News. "I wanted to coach because of him. I thought, 'What a cool existence it would be to go through life and impact people like he impacted me.'"

Stallings reflected on Fletcher in these two articles:
Vergil Fletcher remembered
A brilliant teacher of life

Finally, an update on former Commodore Ryan Mullins, who pitches for Double-A New Britain... and Vanderbilt's Russell Brewer picked up a win for Chatham in the Cape last night.

Lott Trophy feature on Benoist

by Barca Blog - Check out this article on Vanderbilt senior linebacker Patrick Benoist, who was recently named to the 2009 Lott Trophy watchlist. At the end of each season, the Lott Trophy is awarded to the nation's top defensive player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field.

Megan Grehan named as a National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar

By A. Boggs - Vanderbilt sophomore women’s golfer Megan Grehan was named as an All-American scholar by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) in an announcement made on Tuesday. Grehan, who is majoring in Human and Organizational Development, had a stroke average of 76.2 in 2008-09.

The National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-American Scholar Teams for Division I, II & III were announced Tuesday with a total of 410 women’s collegiate golfers recognized with the prestigious honor. The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics. The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.50 and student-athletes must have competed in at least 50% (Division I) or 66% (Division II & III) of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

WBB season tickets on sale!

by Barca Blog - It may be the first day of July.... but it's not too early to reserve your season tickets for the women's basketball 2009-10 home slate at Memorial Gym.

Season tickets start at only $32... that's right, $32 dollars. That equates to around two bucks per game. An amazing price for a program coming off its sixth SEC Tournament Championship overall and fourth NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last six years.

Click Here to order today!

Gate 2 Progress

by Barca Blog - Here's a sweet photo of the progress being made on the Gate 2 entrance Vanderbilt Football Stadium (courtesy of John Russell). As you can see, signage has been added to the top of the main structure in front of the plaza area. Click the above photo to make it bigger.

If you'd like to support Vanderbilt's facility upgrades, please contact the National Commodore Club at (615) 322-4114.

Around the Web - Tuesday, June 30

by Barca Blog - I'm on the road today for an SEC meeting in Birmingham, so here are some quick links to articles from around the web... most deal with early looks at the 2009-10 SEC basketball season.
Bakich quickly settles in
SEC basketball revives itself
SEC coaches see progress coming
SEC MBB Coaches Press Conference
Positive buzz returns to SEC preseason

Around the Web - Monday, June 29

As posted below, VU pitcher Sonny Gray threw one inning of relief in USA's 20-3 romp over Canada last night.

Vanderbilt baseball assistant coach Erik Bakich is expected to be announced as Maryland's head coach on Monday.

Professional golfers Brandt Snedeker and Luke List both made the cut at the Travelers Championship. Snedeker finished tied for 47th while List ended up tied for 63th.

Mike Organ of The Tennessean looks at Christina Wirth's transition to the Indiana Fever and the WNBA.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Casey Weathers is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, but took the time to give an update on his health in an article by the Tri-City Herald. Weathers is expected to be sidelined for all of the 2009 season after suffering the injury in October 2008.

Pitcher David Price allowed only one run in 6.1 innings to to lead Tampa past Florida 5-2 Sunday. Price was coming off the worst outing of his young career a week earlier when he surrendered 10 runs, five earned, in 4.1 innings in a loss to Philadelphia.

"I just pitched better today (against Florida)," Price said. "I got runners on and I was able to pitch out of it. That's what you have to do. You have to be able to continue to throw up zeroes and get our offense back out there."

The New York Times College Sports Blog previews the Commodores' upcoming football season.

Finally, Mike Dodd and Nate Davis of USA Today give a position-by-position breakdown of the Chicago Bears roster, which features five former 'Dores.

Gray, Team USA Blast Canada, 20-3

By Travis Young - Team USA jumped out to an early 8-2 lead and never looked back as it defeated Team Canada, 20-3 Sunday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Eleven different players recorded a hit Sunday as Team USA improved to 4-0 this summer.

Vanderbilt's Sonny Gray allowed one run, zero earned, and one hit while striking out two in one-inning of relief.

In two appearances with Team USA this summer, Gray is 0-0, 0.00 ERA with five strikeouts and no walks in 2.2 innings of work.

Team USA and Team Canada will finish its five game series Monday, June 29 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The game will start at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Around the Web - Saturday, June 27

Pitcher Jeremy Sowers had his best performance of the season Friday to lead Cleveland to a 9-2 win over Cincinnati. The former Commodore allowed only two runs and six hits while recording six strikeouts in seven-plus innings -his longest outing of the year. He was 0-5 with a 6.82 ERA in seven starts coming into the game.

"It's definitely a step in the right direction to work deep in the game and be efficient with my pitches," Sowers told MLB.com.

Indians reliever Jensen Lewis also pitched one scoreless inning, but was optioned to Class AAA Columbus after the game.

"Jensen has the heartbeat for this job, he has the guts for it, and he has the mind for it," Manager Eric Wedge told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "He needs to go down and get more consistent with his command."

Dancing with the Stars

In early June, women's basketball guard Jence Rhoads traveled to Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic as part of Athletes International, a non-profit organization that gives American athletes in over a dozen different sports a chance to play around the world.

Click here to read David Rutz's article about the trip. And the picture above is of Jence dancing on the streets of Brno, Czech Republic (courtesy of IPFW).

Around the Web - Friday, June 26

Sonny Gray had a good outing last night against Canada in his first appearance since making Team USA's final roster. Gray was able to get USA out of a bases loaded jam when he entered the game in the eighth, and then retired the final three Canadian batters in the ninth to seal the 12-4 win. An interesting note -- Gray also came up to the plate in the eighth -- something he didn't do as a freshman last year -- but struck out swinging.

Last night was just the third time in 28 years that the SEC didn't have any players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Here's a list of SEC players that eventually went in the second round:

Jodie Meeks, Kentucky -- by Milwaukee
Marcus Thornton, LSU -- by Miami, traded to New Orleans
Nick Calathes, Florida -- by Minnesota, traded to Dallas

Other notable draftees: DeMarre Carroll (Missouri, former Vanderbilt) and Toney Douglas (Florida State, former Auburn) were chosen at the end of the first round, while Patrick Beverley (former Arkansas) went in the second round.

Pedro Alvarez homered in his second straight game for Double-A Altoona Thursday... and also received news that he will be playing in the MLB Futures Game during All-Star festivities in July.

Maurice Patton of The Tennessean reported that Chris Nickson was released by the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Duke guard Elliot Williams is transferring for family reasons, and the Memphis native has Vanderbilt listed as one of four schools he's interested in according to the Commercial Appeal.

Finally, I'll close with two videos in tribute of Michael Jackson. If you're around my age, you probably remember exactly where you were when you first saw the video/making of Thriller... or when he executed the Moonwalk during Motown's 25th Anniversary Special. Most of us have a connection with the King of Pop from our childhood that will live forever.

The first clip is of the Jackson 5 performing "Never Can Say Goodbye"



The next video features one of my favorite MJ songs called "Working Day and Night" from the Off the Wall album. Some YouTube wiz put together some of his greatest music video clips over this audio track.. good memories.

Lewis, Vierling going to media days

by Barca Blog - Head coach Bobby Johnson and seniors Myron Lewis and Bradley Vierling have been selected to represent Vanderbilt at 2009 Southeastern Conference Football Media Days in Hoover, Ala., the league office announced earlier today.

The Commodore trio will appear on July 22, the opening day, with representatives from Arkansas, Mississippi State and Kentucky. The three-day event will be held at the Wynfrey Hotel. (If you've never been to the event, it is a media frenzy with hundreds of radio, TV, web and print outlets from across the country.)

View a complete list of tentative attendees for each school by clicking here (yes, Tebow will be there).

White debuts with a bang

by Barca Blog - Jonathan White got off to a quick start in his rookie league debut for the San Francisco Giants Tuesday in Arizona. The former Commodore started in left field and went 1-3 with a solo homer and a walk in the lead-off position.

"It was a surreal experience rounding the bases after the home run," White told the Shelbyville Times Gazette. "It was good to get my feet wet and show them what I can do."

Read Jimmy Jones' full feature here, and follow White's progress at this link.

Around the Web - Thursday, June 25

Two articles about Sonny Gray making the USA Baseball National team:
Gray joins Team USA
USAB announces 2009 NT roster

Langford photo

by Barca Blog - Here's a picture of Reshard Langford during Philadelphia's OTAs a couple of weeks ago. (Courtesy of PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

Gray makes USA Baseball National Team

by SID - Right-hander Sonny Gray was one of 22 players named to the 2009 National Team by USA Baseball Wednesday evening. Gray's selection to the squad marks the sixth straight year Vanderbilt will have a representative on the top collegiate summer team in the country. The Smyrna, Tenn., product pitched in two intrasquad games and gave up three runs, one earned, on four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and a walk.

Familiar names on the roster to Commodore fans include first baseman Andy Wilkins (Arkansas; Broken Arrow, Ark.), outfielder Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee State; Crossville, Tenn.), pitchers Tony Zych (Louisville; Hazelcrest, Ill.) and Drew Pomeranz (Mississippi; Memphis, Tenn.) and catcher Blake Forsythe (Tennessee; Memphis, Tenn.).

The National Team begins its summer season Thursday, opening a five-game series against the Canadian National Team in Cary, N.C. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM ET at the National Training Complex, and Pomeranz will take the mound for the U.S.

Click here for a complete release and the roster for the 2009 USA Baseball National Team.

Around the Web - Wednesday, June 24

Women's basketball signee Stephanie Holzer is ready for college basketball. The McDonald's All-American had a decorated career at Cardinal O'Hara, but finished on a sour note after she broke her ankle in the Lions' state title game loss to Mount Lebanon in March. Holzer told the Daily Times she was cleared by doctors last week to return to the hardwood.

“The bone in my ankle is healed and I can put pressure on it. I can start running and jumping. I’m so happy to be getting back. I know I’ve got a long way to go, but I plan to be ready this fall when practice starts.”

Men's golfer Jon Curran is playing well in his first tournament as a professional at the 100th Massachusetts Open. The former Commodore is in 11th place at 1-under par going into Wednesday's final round. He will try to earn his PGA Tour card in the fall.

Pedro Alvarez, who was just promoted to Double-A Altoona, revealed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that making the jump to a higher level of baseball is never easy.

"It's funny, when you're in high school, you think you have an idea, then you get to college and realize you have no idea. It's the same thing with college. You think you have things figured out, then you get to the pros and realize there's so much more to learn."

Alvarez was hitless in his debut with the Curve last night, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

David Price had a tough outing last night against Philadelphia. The former 'Dore was handed his second straight loss, surrendering 10 runs, five earned, in 4.1 innings of work.

"I put that one on me," Price said. "They're a good-hitting team, and that's what they do when you make an average pitch. They hit it to the wall or they hit it out.

"That's the best I've felt all year. ... I thought my stuff was the best, and I got hit around. I was around the zone. It's a tough way to go out, putting up six in the first. That's ridiculous."

Finally, Chris Low had some nice things to say about football head coach Bobby Johnson in his ESPN blog yesterday.

Gray finds out USA fate tonight

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt pitcher Sonny Gray will find out if he makes the USA Baseball National team when the final 22-man roster is released this evening.

In two appearances during trials play, Gray has allowed three runs (one earned) and four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings of work.

After the roster is announced, the squad will begin its month-long tour in the United States, Japan and Canada. For more info on USA Baseball, click here.

Is this legit? part 2

by Barca Blog - Follow up to the last post.. Harold sent me this video last week of minor leaguer Josh Womack and his amazing bat skills. What do you think... real or fake?

Is this legit? part 1

by Barca Blog - With high-tech video production accessible to pretty much anyone these days, I never know what to believe anymore on the world wide web. Watch this video... and let me know if you think it's legit.

Men's Basketball bios updated

Take a look at the 2009-10 roster... click here.

Around the Web - Tuesday, June 23

Congrats to Bobby Johnson and Des Kitchings. The duo will be inducted into the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame in July.

Pedro Alvarez commented on his promotion to Double-A: "It's an honor and a privilege to be anticipated in such a way," he told the Associated Press. "It's very flattering. It's just my first year and I still have a long way to go, a lot to learn. I'm excited that the people in Pittsburgh are excited. All I can promise is that I'm going to work as hard as I can and do the best I can for this organization."

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall recently announced he wanted to be traded from the Broncos. Quarterback Jay Cutler talked with the Daily Press about the possibility of reuniting with Marshall in Chicago. "I played with Brandon for three years and I think he's one of the best receivers in the NFL. I think he can be one of the greatest ever to play. He's big and fast, and can do everything you want him to do, on the field and in the meeting room. I don't know what we're going to do. That's up to the guys upstairs. If we make a run at him, we make a run at him."

Gray throws two-innings of relief Monday

By Travis Young -- Vanderbilt's Sonny Gray made his second appearance on the mound for USA Baseball Monday as the Blue team (5-1) defeated the Red team (1-5) for the fifth consecutive time, winning 8-5 Monday. Gray allowed two runs, one earned, while scattering three hits for the Red team in two innings of middle relief. He earned his first loss of the summer circuit despite striking out three and walking one.

The U.S. National Team Trials will continue Tuesday, June 23 at 8:00 PM (ET) with a Blue vs. Red intrasquad game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. Batting practice and pregame workouts will begin at 6:00 PM.

More football roster updates

by Barca Blog - I've been working on posting Vanderbilt's 2009 football roster on VUcommodores.com. The second batch of updates include tentative numbers, heights, weights and positions for the incoming freshmen class. I'll add bios for each player on the roster in the near future.

Tentative Freshmen Numbers:
Trey Wilson - 8
Charlie Goro - 17
Zac Stacy - 21
Wesley Tate - 24
Warren Norman - 27
Jay Fullam - 33
Blake Southerland - 35
Eric Samuels - 37
Javon Marshall - 41
Eddie Foster - 43
Mylon Brown - 50
Wesley Johnson - 67
Justin Cabbagestalk - 70
Mason Johnston - 85
Collin Ashley - 87
Brady Brown - 88
Charlie Bryge - 89
Walker May - 92
Thad McHaney - 99

In case you missed it in February, check out our 2009 National Signing Day central site.

Around the Web - Monday, June 22

Cape Update: Brian Harris pounded a grand slam with one out in the ninth to give Chatham a 10-7 comeback victory over Orleans. Taylor Hill (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Read More

Congrats to Pedro Alvarez... The former Commodore was called up to Altoona, Pittsburgh's Double-A affiliate, late Sunday night. Alvarez hit .247 at Single-A Lynchburg with 14 homers and 55 RBIs in 66 games. He'll make his debut with the Curve Friday night. Read More

Father's Day feature, part 2

by Ryan Schulz, Commodore Nation magazine

Around the Nashville metropolitan area, the surname Del Greco conjures up memories of made extra points and game-winning field goals, but on the west side of the city at Vanderbilt University, there is another Del Greco making a name for himself for an entirely different reason.

Trey Del Greco, son of former NFL kicker Al Del Greco, has returned to the city where his dad spent the final years of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans and is making an immediate impact as a freshman on Vanderbilt's golf team.

Click Here to Read More

Father's Day feature, part 1

by Ryan Schulz, Commodore Nation magazine

Alex McClure may have just finished his first year at Vanderbilt, but he is far from new to the Vanderbilt campus. A sophomore transfer from Walters State Community College, McClure spent many days of his youth making the trek between his hometown of Clarksville, Tenn., and Vanderbilt's campus to watch from the visiting dugout as his father, Gary McClure, coached Austin Peay State University's baseball team against the Commodores.

However, the frequency of McClure's trips to Nashville increased unexpectedly at the age of 15.

Click Here to Read More

Around the Web - Saturday, June 20

VU, MTSU stars share USA tryout