by Barca Blog
Mascots. Field Turf. Shaved heads. And Mom's lasagna.
Andrew Giobbi and Curt Casali cover it all to get you ready for the Commodores' regional opener against Illinois State on Friday.
Showing posts with label video of the day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video of the day. Show all posts
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Patience is a virtue
by Barca BlogDavid Rutz of VUcommodores.com takes a closer look at Vanderbilt's offensive strategy under first-year assistant coach Josh Holliday. Patience under Holliday pays off
And since we're on the topic, why not take the "Holliday" road to Omaha?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Five points on Thursday afternoon
by Barca Blog (Photo by Jimmy Jones)Making their way
Cathaginian leader Hannibal Barca (248–183 BC), considered one of the greatest military tacticians ever, once proclaimed before battle: We will either find a way, or make one.
That quote came to mind when Vanderbilt manufactured their first run against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament last night after being held scoreless for the first five innings.
Aaron Westlake led off the the sixth with a walk, and then scored after a sacrifice bunt, ground out and wild pitch moved him across home plate.
The series of plays might not have been the most ideal way to get on the board -- especially without a hit -- but it resulted in the Dores' first lead of the game which proved to be the difference.
"The bunt by Curt (Casali) that moved me over to second base was huge," Westlake remarked. "We just played team baseball, especially in a park like this where it's hard to get a ball out of here. It’s more of a doubles, triples ballpark. We’re a team of pitching and defense, and manufacturing runs the way we did that first time is just what we’re about."
Westlake went the conventional route in his next at bat with a towering solo home run to the right of the 405' sign in center field. It was his fourth consecutive game going yard, each time against the Razorbacks.
Two different methods of offense, same result.
Confidence booster
As Sonny Gray told me last night, winning the first game of a double-elimination tournament is huge, no matter if you're playing summer ball as a kid, or suiting up in front of thousands of fans at the SEC Tournament.
While teams have come out of the losers' bracket before to take the title (see 2007 Vanderbilt team), it's not recommended.
With a win over LSU Thursday night, the Commodores can stay in the driver's seat to make another appearance in the championship game, a place they've been in four of the last six seasons.
Web gem
The award goes to senior shortstop Brian Harris, who stole a base hit away from Kyle Atkins in the bottom of the third. Harris dove to his left to snare the sharply-hit ground ball, and then threw a strike to Westlake at first to get the out. Watch the Play
Tweet of the day
Professional scouts and writers from across the country were in attendance Wednesday to get a first-hand look at some of the best prospects in college baseball.
Aaron Fitt from Baseball America tweeted this about Gray's performance:
"Seen some great arms today, but Sonny Gray is most electric of all. He's 93-95, touching 96, with 82-85 slider. Used SL for 2 Ks in 2nd."
Click Here to read more of Fitt's analysis of Gray.
Video of the day
Since Vanderbilt will face LSU tonight, let's look back at the greatest Tiger of all-time (with a guest appearance by acting legend Jerry O'Connell). I love how the commercial had the "time to beat" graphic at the bottom of the screen... Like we were holding our breath to see if "Vern" could break the record.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Necessary toughness
by Barca BlogWith the series split at one game apiece and a possible NCAA regional hosting bid on the line, Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn turned Tim Corbin's attention to the bigger picture prior to last Saturday's regular season finale.
"I was standing at home plate," Corbin recalled, "and he said, 'I don't care what happens today. All I care about is that we're in that tournament.'"
That tournament being the SEC championship, which gets underway today at Regions Park.
It's easy to take a conference tournament appearance for granted because the Commodores are making their seventh trip in eight years under Corbin. But we also must remember that nothing is ever guaranteed in the SEC. Prior to Corbin, the Dores had a seven-year postseason absence dating back to 1996.
"It's good to be in that tournament, because it's not easy to get there," Corbin added. "I think every coach of the eight that gets in feels that way. It's a tough, tough league. I know a lot of leagues feel that way, but this one's a grind."
How tough?
Six squads currently rank in the Top 15 of the RPI with as many as 10 teams eligible to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Look at Auburn... they're playing in the tournament this week for the first time since 2003. Yesterday, I overheard one Tiger fan sheepishly remark, "So this is what Hoover is like."
Or take a glance at Georgia and Mississippi State, two programs that have been to Omaha in the last decade -- UGA four times and MSU once. Both squads won't be playing in the postseason after finishing in the cellar with 11 combined conference wins.
To top it off, defending national champion LSU limped into the field as the eighth and final seed by taking two out of three from Mississippi State. The Tigers spent three weeks at No. 1 in the polls, and 11 of the 14 weeks in the Top 10 this year before their late-season slide.
"Them being eighth kind of says everything," Corbin stated. "When we get asked the question at the beginning of the year about how tough the league is, there you go: World Series team, national champion, finishing eighth with most of their team coming back. That says it all."
Just another reminder of how hard it is to make it to Hoover.
Video of the Day: If you're going to make the tournament, then you might as well win it all. Thanks to Chris for submitting this inspirational video.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Friday night notes
by Barca Blog
Women's Golf: On Day 2 (of 3) at the NCAA East Regional, Vanderbilt jumped into 6th place behind the stellar play of Brooke Goodwin and Megan Grehan. You can follow live scoring of Saturday's final round starting at 8 a.m. CT. The Dores must finish in the top eight to advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held May 18-21 in Wilmington, N.C.
Women's Lacrosse: Vanderbilt shutdown Florida 16-9 on Friday to advance to the American Lacrosse Conference Championship in Columbus, Ohio.
The Commodores (12-4) will face five-time defending national champion Northwestern (16-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. In their only meeting this season, the Wildcats dominated the Dores 27-9 to snap VU's school-record 10-game winning streak. The ALC title game will be streamed live online on the Big Ten Network.
One side note: With the win over the Gators, VU improved their chances of hosting a NCAA First Round matchup, which has only happened one time in school history (2007).
MLB: David Price was nearly untouchable once again in Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over Oakland Friday night. Price (4-1) lowered his ERA to 1.91 after surrendering only three hits and one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings of work. The red-hot Rays are 22-7 and lead the AL East by a game and a half over the Yankees.
NFL Camp: Defensive end Steven Stone was one of six players invited to tryout at Atlanta's three-day mini-camp this weekend. If you live in the area, the Falcons will hold two open practices on Saturday at the Flowery Branch Complex.
WNBA Preseason: Carla Thomas (Washington) and Christina Wirth (Indiana) are trying to earn a roster spot for the upcoming WNBA season, which starts on May 15. Dee Davis (San Antonio), Merideth Marsh (Indiana), and Jennifer Risper (Indiana) were waived earlier this week.
Video of the Day: Did you catch the season 4 premier of Friday Night Lights on NBC? If you have DirecTV like I do, then you already know what happens in Dillon since the episodes aired last fall. I won't give away any spoilers, but would encourage any of you that have never seen the show to jump on board. It's the best hour on the tube (with an honorable mention to the brilliant writing and acting on ABC's creepy botox thriller Courgar Town).
Women's Golf: On Day 2 (of 3) at the NCAA East Regional, Vanderbilt jumped into 6th place behind the stellar play of Brooke Goodwin and Megan Grehan. You can follow live scoring of Saturday's final round starting at 8 a.m. CT. The Dores must finish in the top eight to advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held May 18-21 in Wilmington, N.C.
Women's Lacrosse: Vanderbilt shutdown Florida 16-9 on Friday to advance to the American Lacrosse Conference Championship in Columbus, Ohio.
The Commodores (12-4) will face five-time defending national champion Northwestern (16-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. In their only meeting this season, the Wildcats dominated the Dores 27-9 to snap VU's school-record 10-game winning streak. The ALC title game will be streamed live online on the Big Ten Network.
One side note: With the win over the Gators, VU improved their chances of hosting a NCAA First Round matchup, which has only happened one time in school history (2007).
MLB: David Price was nearly untouchable once again in Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over Oakland Friday night. Price (4-1) lowered his ERA to 1.91 after surrendering only three hits and one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings of work. The red-hot Rays are 22-7 and lead the AL East by a game and a half over the Yankees.
NFL Camp: Defensive end Steven Stone was one of six players invited to tryout at Atlanta's three-day mini-camp this weekend. If you live in the area, the Falcons will hold two open practices on Saturday at the Flowery Branch Complex.
WNBA Preseason: Carla Thomas (Washington) and Christina Wirth (Indiana) are trying to earn a roster spot for the upcoming WNBA season, which starts on May 15. Dee Davis (San Antonio), Merideth Marsh (Indiana), and Jennifer Risper (Indiana) were waived earlier this week.
Video of the Day: Did you catch the season 4 premier of Friday Night Lights on NBC? If you have DirecTV like I do, then you already know what happens in Dillon since the episodes aired last fall. I won't give away any spoilers, but would encourage any of you that have never seen the show to jump on board. It's the best hour on the tube (with an honorable mention to the brilliant writing and acting on ABC's creepy botox thriller Courgar Town).
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Baseball intro songs
by Barca Blog
Here's my best attempt at compiling the list of baseball player intro songs at Hawkins Field this season. Please note that it might not be 100 percent accurate since the guys change their music from time to time. Also, not everyone picked a song.
My choice? Depends on the day. Today I'm feeling Frank Stallone's "Far from Over." It would take me four minutes to enter the batter's box because I'd have to listen to the entire track to fully embrace the greatness that is Frank Stallone.
Sonny Gray: Jay-Z "On to the next one"
Andrew Giobbi: T.I. "My Life, Your Entertainment"
Brian Harris: 30 Seconds to Mars "Kings and Queens"
Joe Loftus: Jason Derulo "Ridin' Solo"
Riley Reynolds: Fabolous "It's My Time"
Curt Casali: Red Hot Chili Peppers "Can't Stop"
Bryan Johns: Yung LA "Ain't I"
Regan Flaherty: Maino ft. T-Pain "All of the Above"
Anthony Gomez: Three 6 Mafia "Feel It"
Andrew Harris: Montgomery Gentry "My Town"
Mike Yastrzemski: Gang Starr "Work"
Connor Harrell: Houston Marchman "South Texas Rain"
Jason Esposito: Jay-Z "Moment of Clarity"
Corey Williams: Dierks Bentley "Free and Easy"
Jordan Wormsley: Kanye West "I Wonder"
Kennan Kolinsky: Blake Shelton "Hillbilly Bone"
Russell Brewer: Little Big Town "Boondocks"
Drew Hayes: Jack Owen "8 Second Ride"
Aaron Westlake: Skillet "Awake and Alive"
Nate Gonzalez: John Cena "My Time is Now"
Sam Selman: Pat Green "Way Back Texas"
Drew Fann: Kanye West "Amazing"
Will Clinard: Linkin Park "Faint"
Here's my best attempt at compiling the list of baseball player intro songs at Hawkins Field this season. Please note that it might not be 100 percent accurate since the guys change their music from time to time. Also, not everyone picked a song.
My choice? Depends on the day. Today I'm feeling Frank Stallone's "Far from Over." It would take me four minutes to enter the batter's box because I'd have to listen to the entire track to fully embrace the greatness that is Frank Stallone.
Sonny Gray: Jay-Z "On to the next one"
Andrew Giobbi: T.I. "My Life, Your Entertainment"
Brian Harris: 30 Seconds to Mars "Kings and Queens"
Joe Loftus: Jason Derulo "Ridin' Solo"
Riley Reynolds: Fabolous "It's My Time"
Curt Casali: Red Hot Chili Peppers "Can't Stop"
Bryan Johns: Yung LA "Ain't I"
Regan Flaherty: Maino ft. T-Pain "All of the Above"
Anthony Gomez: Three 6 Mafia "Feel It"
Andrew Harris: Montgomery Gentry "My Town"
Mike Yastrzemski: Gang Starr "Work"
Connor Harrell: Houston Marchman "South Texas Rain"
Jason Esposito: Jay-Z "Moment of Clarity"
Corey Williams: Dierks Bentley "Free and Easy"
Jordan Wormsley: Kanye West "I Wonder"
Kennan Kolinsky: Blake Shelton "Hillbilly Bone"
Russell Brewer: Little Big Town "Boondocks"
Drew Hayes: Jack Owen "8 Second Ride"
Aaron Westlake: Skillet "Awake and Alive"
Nate Gonzalez: John Cena "My Time is Now"
Sam Selman: Pat Green "Way Back Texas"
Drew Fann: Kanye West "Amazing"
Will Clinard: Linkin Park "Faint"
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Slive comments on conference expansion
Associated Press
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive says the league isn't considering adding teams but is working on a plan to keep up with other conferences if they expand just in case.
The commissioner said Monday that the 12-member SEC hasn't talked to any institutions about joining and has no plans to do so. The expansion exploration is just an internal look at the potential advantages and disadvantages in case there is a "significant shift in the conference paradigm," he said.
Click here to read more
My take: When it comes down to it, it's all about money. And like the R&B mega-duo Calloway, "I wanna be rich."
Enjoy their only smash hit below... and check out the killer double kick followed by a sweet roundhouse at the 3:40 mark. Stunning.
The commissioner said Monday that the 12-member SEC hasn't talked to any institutions about joining and has no plans to do so. The expansion exploration is just an internal look at the potential advantages and disadvantages in case there is a "significant shift in the conference paradigm," he said.
Click here to read more
My take: When it comes down to it, it's all about money. And like the R&B mega-duo Calloway, "I wanna be rich."
Enjoy their only smash hit below... and check out the killer double kick followed by a sweet roundhouse at the 3:40 mark. Stunning.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Vierling, Hamilton sign free agent deals
by Barca Blog
Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean is reporting that former Commodore center Bradley Vierling will sign a free agent contract with Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Vierling originally planned to try out with Cleveland, but had a change of heart when the Steelers came to the table with their offer.
“(Pittsburgh) said they went back in the film room after the draft and watched more film on me against first-round draft pick Dan Williams (of the Tennessee Vols)," Vierling told Lockridge. "They thought I did an exceptional job against him. They said they had underestimated me and wanted me to become a Steeler.”
Vierling becomes the second 'Dore to sign a free agent deal. Safety Ryan Hamilton inked with New Orleans at the conclusion of the draft on Saturday.
Stay with us for more updates.
And for the video of the day, YouTube Sports draft expert Kige Ramsey gives his take on the winners and losers from the weekend.
Vierling originally planned to try out with Cleveland, but had a change of heart when the Steelers came to the table with their offer.
“(Pittsburgh) said they went back in the film room after the draft and watched more film on me against first-round draft pick Dan Williams (of the Tennessee Vols)," Vierling told Lockridge. "They thought I did an exceptional job against him. They said they had underestimated me and wanted me to become a Steeler.”
Vierling becomes the second 'Dore to sign a free agent deal. Safety Ryan Hamilton inked with New Orleans at the conclusion of the draft on Saturday.
Stay with us for more updates.
And for the video of the day, YouTube Sports draft expert Kige Ramsey gives his take on the winners and losers from the weekend.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Baseball Series Prep: Tennessee
by Barca Blog
No. 15 Vanderbilt (31-9, 8-7 SEC) hits the road for a series with in-state rival Tennessee (19-19, 4-11) this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville.
If history is any indication, expect one team to walk away with the sweep. Four of the last five meetings have ended that way with the underdog Vols taking all three games at Hawkins Field last year.
Of course, Corbin's had UT's number during his tenure at Vandy with a 15-8 record. Also, the Vols continue to struggle under third-year coach Todd Raleigh and rank second to last in the conference standings. But those numbers don't mean much if you remember last year's disappointment.
Let's look at the probable weekend rotation:
Friday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Sonny Gray (5-4, 2.34) vs. LHP Bryan Morgado (2-4, 5.88)
Saturday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Jack Armstrong (5-1, 4.21) vs. RHP Stephen McCray (4-3, 2.59)
Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
RHP Taylor Hill (3-3, 3.30) vs. TBA
Friday's and Saturday's contest will be televised on CSS and ESPN3.com. UTsports.com will webcast Sunday's finale. You can also listen to Joe Fisher's radio call of each game on 560 AM and VUcommodores.com. For twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
Also, keep an eye on the blog for road updates from SID and his sidekick, intern Travis.
For more information on the series, check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and UTsports.com.
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Around the SEC this weekend - SECSports.com
Miss. State (20-17, 5-10) at Alabama (22-15, 5-10)
Arkansas (32-6, 12-3) at Florida (26-10, 10-5)
Kentucky (22-15, 5-10) at Auburn (25-13, 8-7)
South Carolina (29-8, 11-4) at Georgia (12-25, 3-12)
LSU (32-6, 11-4) at Ole Miss (25-13, 8-7)
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Video of the Day
No wrestling clip this week, folks. Instead, I thought I'd give you an inside look at our weekly staff meetings in McGugin. Thanks to Braeburn for secretly recording the following footage.
If history is any indication, expect one team to walk away with the sweep. Four of the last five meetings have ended that way with the underdog Vols taking all three games at Hawkins Field last year.
Of course, Corbin's had UT's number during his tenure at Vandy with a 15-8 record. Also, the Vols continue to struggle under third-year coach Todd Raleigh and rank second to last in the conference standings. But those numbers don't mean much if you remember last year's disappointment.
Let's look at the probable weekend rotation:
Friday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Sonny Gray (5-4, 2.34) vs. LHP Bryan Morgado (2-4, 5.88)
Saturday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Jack Armstrong (5-1, 4.21) vs. RHP Stephen McCray (4-3, 2.59)
Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
RHP Taylor Hill (3-3, 3.30) vs. TBA
Friday's and Saturday's contest will be televised on CSS and ESPN3.com. UTsports.com will webcast Sunday's finale. You can also listen to Joe Fisher's radio call of each game on 560 AM and VUcommodores.com. For twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
Also, keep an eye on the blog for road updates from SID and his sidekick, intern Travis.
For more information on the series, check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and UTsports.com.
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Around the SEC this weekend - SECSports.com
Miss. State (20-17, 5-10) at Alabama (22-15, 5-10)
Arkansas (32-6, 12-3) at Florida (26-10, 10-5)
Kentucky (22-15, 5-10) at Auburn (25-13, 8-7)
South Carolina (29-8, 11-4) at Georgia (12-25, 3-12)
LSU (32-6, 11-4) at Ole Miss (25-13, 8-7)
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Video of the Day
No wrestling clip this week, folks. Instead, I thought I'd give you an inside look at our weekly staff meetings in McGugin. Thanks to Braeburn for secretly recording the following footage.
NFL Draft first round recap
by Barca Blog
The first round of the NFL draft is in the books. The SEC was well represented with seven players selected, the second highest of the night. The Big 12 led all conferences with nine players drafted including five of the first six picks.
Rounds 2 and 3 will be televised live tonight at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the NFL Network.
Round 1 - SEC Players
5th: Kansas City - Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee
7th: Cleveland - Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida
8th: Oakland - Rolando McClain, Linebacker, Alabama
18th: Pittsburgh - Maurkice Pouncey, Center, Florida
20th: Houston - Kareem Jackson, Cornerback, Alabama
25th: Denver - Tim Tebow, Quarterback, Florida
26th: Arizona - Dan Williams, Defensive Tackle, Tennessee
I'll leave you with a video of the day in honor of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who was a hugging machine last night.
The first round of the NFL draft is in the books. The SEC was well represented with seven players selected, the second highest of the night. The Big 12 led all conferences with nine players drafted including five of the first six picks.
Rounds 2 and 3 will be televised live tonight at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the NFL Network.
Round 1 - SEC Players
5th: Kansas City - Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee
7th: Cleveland - Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida
8th: Oakland - Rolando McClain, Linebacker, Alabama
18th: Pittsburgh - Maurkice Pouncey, Center, Florida
20th: Houston - Kareem Jackson, Cornerback, Alabama
25th: Denver - Tim Tebow, Quarterback, Florida
26th: Arizona - Dan Williams, Defensive Tackle, Tennessee
I'll leave you with a video of the day in honor of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who was a hugging machine last night.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Baseball Series Prep: Auburn
by Barca Blog (Photo by Steve Green)After dropping their last two conference series, No. 18 Vanderbilt (27-8, 6-6 SEC) will look to rebound against No. 23 Auburn (23-11, 7-5) this weekend at Hawkins Field. The 'Dores and Tigers will open their set on Friday at 6 p.m. CT and will continue on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets are still available, so reserve your seats through the Vanderbilt ticket office at (615) 322-GOLD or online at vucommodores.com.
Joe Fisher will provide the radio call on 560 AM for each contest. VUcommodores.com will offer free live video for Friday's and Saturday's games, while Sunday's action will be televised on ESPNU. For Twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
Let's get ready for the matchup by looking at stories from around the web:
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Kendall Rogers of Rivals.com lists the matchup as one of 10 intriguing series to watch this weekend.
Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean blogs about the battle between Auburn's big sticks and Vanderbilt's powerful pitching.
David Rutz of VUcommodores.com catches up with freshman outfielder Regan Flaherty in his weekly podcast.
Erin Prah of InsideVandy.com checks in with pitcher Corey Williams and his road to recovery after suffering a knee injury at Florida.
Andrew Gribble of Opelika-Auburn News says the Tigers still rely on small ball even with a high-powered offense.
Check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and AuburnTigers.com.
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The probable weekend rotation is:
Friday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Sonny Gray (4-4, 2.44) vs. LHP Cory Nelson (4-2, 4.61)
Saturday at 2 p.m. CT
RHP Jack Armstrong (5-0, 3.43) vs. TBA
Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
RHP Taylor Hill (3-3, 3.51) vs. LHP Grant Dayton (4-1, 5.18)
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Quotable No. 1: ""We are having a hard time hitting right now but like free throw shooting or any other skill, it comes back to you. These kids are preparing and working at it hard, sometimes the cycle goes down before it comes back up." -- VU coach Tim Corbin on his team's offensive struggles
Quotable No. 2: "It is very unusual in college baseball this late in the season to have a team ERA that’s under 3.00. Obviously, when you start thinking about the strength of their club, they can really pitch and that’s why they’ve been successful, that’s what they’ve built their program around.” -- AU coach John Pawlowski on the Dores' pitching staff
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Around the SEC - SECSports.com
Alabama (22-12, 5-7) at LSU (27-6, 8-4)
Georgia (11-22, 3-9) at Arkansas (28-6, 9-3)
Florida (23-9, 8-4) at Kentucky (21-12, 4-8)
Ole Miss (23-11, 7-5) at South Carolina (26-7, 9-3)
Tennessee (17-17, 3-9) at Miss. State (17-16, 3-9)
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Video of the Day: Enough with Jumpin' Jeff Farmer and Motley Cruz... Richie Rouge wants to make a name for himself on the IPW circuit:
Friday, April 9, 2010
Baseball Series Prep: South Carolina
by Barca Blog (Photo by John Russell) No. 19 Vanderbilt (25-6, 5-4 SEC) will entertain No. 8 South Carolina (23-6, 7-2) for a three-game set starting tonight at 6 p.m. CT at Hawkins Field. The series will continue on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
If you're in town and need tickets, you're in luck. Reserve your seats through the Vanderbilt ticket office at (615) 322-GOLD or online at vucommodores.com.
All three games will also be broadcast live on VUcommodores.com with Joe Fisher's radio call on 560 AM. For Twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
Let's get ready for the showdown by looking at stories from around the web:
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Kendall Rogers of Rivals.com lists the matchup as one of 10 intriguing series to watch this weekend.
Easily the most underrated series of the weekend, the three-game set between the Gamecocks and Commodores should be fantastic. South Carolina and Vanderbilt each have done a nice job on the mound this season with both clubs possessing staff ERA's below four. The series, though, comes down to which team has more production at the plate. In that case, the edge at home definitely goes to Vanderbilt, which enters the series with a fantastic .340 batting average. This series will come down to the series finale, but Vandy will earn an important home series win.Neil White of The State looks at South Carolina's tough upcoming stretch in SEC play beginning with the Vandy series.
Check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and GamecocksOnline.com.
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The probable weekend rotation is:
Friday at 6 p.m. CT
RHP Sonny Gray (4-3, 2.33) vs. RHP Blake Cooper (5-0, 3.11)
Saturday at 2 p.m. CT
RHP Jack Armstrong (4-0, 3.93) vs. RHP Sam Dyson (2-1, 4.79)
Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
RHP Taylor Hill (3-2, 3.95) vs. TBA
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Quotable No. 1: "Once you get injured like this, there's no point in pouting. You just have to look at the positives. There's no point in asking yourself, 'Why me? Why now? Why'd it happen to me.' You just look at the positives and live it every day. I'm just going to go out there and get my leg stronger every day, and live my life." -- VU Pitcher Corey Williams on his knee injury
Quotable No. 2: "Vanderbilt's a great team. We're looking to go up there and take two-of-three from them. We're facing some good arms, but we have some good arms." -- SC Outfielder Whit Merrifield on weekend expectations
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Around the SEC - SECSports.com
Alabama (20-9, 4-5) at Kentucky (19-11, 2-7)
Arkansas (23-6, 6-3) at Mississippi State (16-13, 3-6)
LSU (25-4, 7-2) at Auburn (20-10, 5-4)
Florida (21-7, 6-3) at Tennessee (15-15, 2-7)
Ole Miss (21-9, 5-4) at Georgia (10-19, 2-7)
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Video of the Day: Motley Cruz responds to Jumpin' Jeff Farmer's threats from last week's series prep:
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Sail on, A.J.
by Barca Blog
Our favorite Aussie has decided to skip his senior year and move on to the professional ranks.
A.J.'s announcement will spark a wide range of emotions from Vanderbilt fans. Some will express their anger, while others will offer encouragement.
At the end of the day, though, I believe it comes down to being a personal decision between A.J., his family and the coaching staff (I sound like Tiger Woods, don't I?)... and I can respect that.
Instead, I will offer a video of the day from another group of Commodores.
Best of luck with whatever the future holds.
Our favorite Aussie has decided to skip his senior year and move on to the professional ranks.
A.J.'s announcement will spark a wide range of emotions from Vanderbilt fans. Some will express their anger, while others will offer encouragement.
At the end of the day, though, I believe it comes down to being a personal decision between A.J., his family and the coaching staff (I sound like Tiger Woods, don't I?)... and I can respect that.
Instead, I will offer a video of the day from another group of Commodores.
Best of luck with whatever the future holds.
Bowling for a championship
by Barca BlogThe qualifying rounds for the 2010 NCAA Bowling Championship start today at the Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in New Jersey.
Thursday's action just determines the seeding for the eight finalists for the double-elimination championship bracket, which starts Friday morning. The national champion will be crowned during ESPN2's telecast Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Rocket is with the Commodores in Jersey and grabbed some snapshots during Tuesday's travel day and Wednesday's awards banquet and practice round. View Photo Gallery
You can keep up with the tournament results on VUcommodores.com as well as senior Ashley Belden's diary from the road.
The NCAA will provide Twitter updates @2010NCAAbowling.
All I know is that there's gonna be a showdown.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Gameday Prep: Florida series
by Barca Blog
No. 17 Vanderbilt (23-4, 4-2 SEC) and No. 8 Florida (18-5, 4-2) will meet for a three-game series starting tonight at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville. VU enters the weekend riding an eight-game win streak and has the most wins in the SEC with 23.
Let's get ready for the showdown by looking at stories from around the web:
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David Rutz of VUcommodores.com analyzes the established roles of the Commodore pitching staff.
David Boclair of The City Paper talks with senior catcher Andrew Giobbi about his ability to call pitches during the game.
Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean writes about freshman Anthony Gomez's unexpected impact in the Commodores every day lineup.
Edward Aschoff of GatorSports.com looks at the recent struggles of Florida, losers of three of the last four games.
Kendall Rogers of Rivals.com lists the matchup as one of 10 intriguing series to watch this weekend.
Check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and GatorZone.com.
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The expected weekend rotation is:
Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT
Sonny Gray (R, 4-2, 2.25) vs. Alex Panteliodis (L, 5-1, 2.03)
Saturday at 3 p.m. CT (SUN Sports)
Taylor Hill (R, 3-1, 3.25) vs. Brian Johnson (L, 2-1, 3.42)
Sunday at 12 p.m. CT (SUN Sports)
Jack Armstrong (R, 3-0, 4.70) vs. Hudson Randall (R, 2-2, 5.00)
You can listen to Joe Fisher's radio call live on 560 AM and vucommodores.com for all three games. GatorZone.com will also provide a pay-per-view webcast. The Saturday and Sunday contests will be televised on SUN Sports. Live Events
For Twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
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Quotable No. 1: “It seems like he’s No. 1 on my speed dial lately. He and I communicate very well. … I’ll call him at midnight and wake his kids up if that’s how it has to be.” -- Giobbi on his relationship with pitching coach Derek Johnson (The City Paper)
Quotable No. 2: "I didn't know if he'd even be playing, actually. I just thought he was a guy who was serviceable. Frankly, I thought with his offensive role it would take some time before he jumped into a uniform and played on the weekend." -- head coach Tim Corbin on Gomez's emergence as a freshman (The Tennessean)
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Video of the Day: Hopefully the Commodores will perform better than Jumpin' Jeff Farmer this weekend. (Thanks to SID for the endless supply of rasslin' footage)
Let's get ready for the showdown by looking at stories from around the web:
------
David Rutz of VUcommodores.com analyzes the established roles of the Commodore pitching staff.
David Boclair of The City Paper talks with senior catcher Andrew Giobbi about his ability to call pitches during the game.
Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean writes about freshman Anthony Gomez's unexpected impact in the Commodores every day lineup.
Edward Aschoff of GatorSports.com looks at the recent struggles of Florida, losers of three of the last four games.
Kendall Rogers of Rivals.com lists the matchup as one of 10 intriguing series to watch this weekend.
Check out the official previews with game notes on VUcommodores.com and GatorZone.com.
------
The expected weekend rotation is:
Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT
Sonny Gray (R, 4-2, 2.25) vs. Alex Panteliodis (L, 5-1, 2.03)
Saturday at 3 p.m. CT (SUN Sports)
Taylor Hill (R, 3-1, 3.25) vs. Brian Johnson (L, 2-1, 3.42)
Sunday at 12 p.m. CT (SUN Sports)
Jack Armstrong (R, 3-0, 4.70) vs. Hudson Randall (R, 2-2, 5.00)
You can listen to Joe Fisher's radio call live on 560 AM and vucommodores.com for all three games. GatorZone.com will also provide a pay-per-view webcast. The Saturday and Sunday contests will be televised on SUN Sports. Live Events
For Twitter updates, follow @VandyBaseball.
------
Quotable No. 1: “It seems like he’s No. 1 on my speed dial lately. He and I communicate very well. … I’ll call him at midnight and wake his kids up if that’s how it has to be.” -- Giobbi on his relationship with pitching coach Derek Johnson (The City Paper)
Quotable No. 2: "I didn't know if he'd even be playing, actually. I just thought he was a guy who was serviceable. Frankly, I thought with his offensive role it would take some time before he jumped into a uniform and played on the weekend." -- head coach Tim Corbin on Gomez's emergence as a freshman (The Tennessean)
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Video of the Day: Hopefully the Commodores will perform better than Jumpin' Jeff Farmer this weekend. (Thanks to SID for the endless supply of rasslin' footage)
Taylor coming back for junior year
by Barca BlogIn today's edition of The Tennessean, Jeffery Taylor told Vanderbilt beat writer Jeff Lockridge that he intends to return for his junior season.
"The NBA is something everyone dreams about as a kid," Taylor explained. "It's obviously a goal I want to reach. I just don't feel like I'm ready for it right now. I feel like I need to get bigger. My skills aren't there yet."
Also, no official word yet from junior center A.J. Ogilvy on his plans for next year.
Click here to read Lockridge's story.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
One more video...
by Barca Blog
Following up on the previous blog... I'll give you one more video to celebrate the first of April.
If I could be granted one wish, it would be to outlaw auto-tune and bring back music like this.
Anyone know where I can find the Zoltar machine from Big?
Following up on the previous blog... I'll give you one more video to celebrate the first of April.
If I could be granted one wish, it would be to outlaw auto-tune and bring back music like this.
Anyone know where I can find the Zoltar machine from Big?
Video of the Day - Ludicrous speed
by Barca Blog
After winning an Emmy for the No. 1 all-access blog in college sports earlier this week, I've decided to hang it up. Really... What else do I have to prove?
The plan from day 1 has always been to leave at the top of my game like Gerardo (you remember, Rico Suave?).
During my seven years on West End, I've experienced plenty of success with sprinkles of failure.
Of course, my Emmy is at the top of the list (I'll post my acceptance speech later today). And also the time SID introduced me to the Little Superstar phenomenon on YouTube. I probably should have marked down five vacation days for that work week.
On the other side, I've come to the realization that my dream of being a Major League mascot will never happen. It hurts, but it's reality.
That being said, you always have to dream big. You never want to be a hamster on a wheel. So, I've decided that I'm going to pitch Hollywood execs to be a real-life Whammy on the popular game show Press Your Luck.
Intern Travis will be taking over the blog... unless he declares for the NBA Draft. We're still waiting for his final announcement.
I'll leave you with this video of the day.
Sorry, looks like you're stuck with me. But here's one more Spaceballs clip to ease your pain...
Finally... No Whammy, No Whammy, STOP.
The plan from day 1 has always been to leave at the top of my game like Gerardo (you remember, Rico Suave?).
During my seven years on West End, I've experienced plenty of success with sprinkles of failure.
Of course, my Emmy is at the top of the list (I'll post my acceptance speech later today). And also the time SID introduced me to the Little Superstar phenomenon on YouTube. I probably should have marked down five vacation days for that work week.
On the other side, I've come to the realization that my dream of being a Major League mascot will never happen. It hurts, but it's reality.
That being said, you always have to dream big. You never want to be a hamster on a wheel. So, I've decided that I'm going to pitch Hollywood execs to be a real-life Whammy on the popular game show Press Your Luck.
Intern Travis will be taking over the blog... unless he declares for the NBA Draft. We're still waiting for his final announcement.
I'll leave you with this video of the day.
Sorry, looks like you're stuck with me. But here's one more Spaceballs clip to ease your pain...
Finally... No Whammy, No Whammy, STOP.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Video of the Day - The Showstopper
by Barca Blog
Today's video is in honor of Shawn Michaels, who was forced to retire from the wrestling ring after losing to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania on Sunday night.
HBK had one of the best and worst entrance songs of all-time. It was so terrible that it was awesome.
If you want to get off to a good start every morning, put your Folgers coffee down and listen to this tune when you hop out of bed. Even Norman Vincent Peale would be impressed with your positive attitude.
Today's video is in honor of Shawn Michaels, who was forced to retire from the wrestling ring after losing to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania on Sunday night.
HBK had one of the best and worst entrance songs of all-time. It was so terrible that it was awesome.
If you want to get off to a good start every morning, put your Folgers coffee down and listen to this tune when you hop out of bed. Even Norman Vincent Peale would be impressed with your positive attitude.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Five fresh pics from practice
by Barca BlogClick here to view Leathers' photos from last night's football practice on campus in Nashville. His full report will be posted on VUcommodores' shortly (Update: press release).
Oh, and after the previous heartbreak blog, AT sent me this song to lift my spirits.
You know, dancing cures almost everything. If only Dr. Drew had prescribed it from the get-go.
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