commodore nation - december 2009
DESCRIPTION
The December 2009 issue of Vanderbilt's official athletic magazine, Commodore NationTRANSCRIPT
December 2009
MEMORIAL GYM
THE MYSTIQUE AND AURA OF
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N 1vucommodores.com
table of contents6
10
23
2 Compliance Corner
4 National Commodore Club
6 In My Words Jeffery Taylor
7 Commodores Cubed Soccer concludes strong season
10 Graham Connects with Youth Jamie Graham serves Nashville community
13 It’s My Turn—Rod Williamson R.E.S.P.E.C.T
14 The Mystique of Memorial Gym Memorial Gym speaks
16 Rewind to 1973 VU-TSU game Times have changed since first meeting
18 Holland’s Travel Great Lengths Haven’t missed a football game since ’89
20 Quick Hits A look at Vanderbilt’s sports teams
23 Cutler to Bennett in Chicago Earl Bennett still catching Cutler’s passes
24 What to Watch for Matt Freije still playing professionally
14
VUCOMMODORES.COMConnect with
Forgettable Year Inspires WalkerReading about the tumultuous year Andre Walker experienced last year gives me even more respect for him as a person. Him com-ing back to Vanderbilt shows how strong-willed he is mentally and how driven he is to play for his mother. I’ll be pulling for all of the Commodores this season, but there will be a special place in my heart for Walker as he tries to overcome road blocks that would deter people not as strong as he. Gene, Smyrna, Tenn.
Basketball is Upon UsWinter is not a time of year that I crave. I’d take warm summer days over cold ones any day, but the cool temperatures are a welcome sign that basketball season is here. Reading the basketball previews (November issue of Commodore Nation) got me excited about what could be this season for both teams. After a tough football season, strong play on the basketball court will be exactly what Vanderbilt fans need. Eric, Brentwood, Tenn.
Marve Making his MarkIt was a joy to read the article about Memphis native Chris Marve. He is a great represen-tative of his hometown, and we are proud he has continued his strong play on the field and his good work off it. I watched him play in high school and had never seen a player attack the ball like Chris does. He has con-tinued that same level of play in college. Steve, Memphis, Tenn.
To submit a letter, e-mail CN at: [email protected]. Letters should include the writer’s name and address and may be edited for clarity and space.
Letters
Podcasting Commodore Nation Online
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Editorial
Publisher: Vanderbilt University
Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Schulz
Director of External Relations: Rod Williamson
Designers: Jeremy Teaford
Ryan Schulz
Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner
Photographers: Chicago Bears
Neil Brake
Daniel Dubois
Steve Green
John Russell
Vanderbilt Special Collections
Contributors: Maya Benayoun
Andy Boggs
John Erck
Larry Leathers
Thomas Samuel
Chris Weinman
Travis Young
Administrative
Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos
Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II
Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune
Vanderbilt University’s Mission, Goals and ValuesVanderbilt University is a center for scholarly research, informed and creative teaching, and service to the community and society at large. Vanderbilt will uphold the highest standards and be a leader in the quest for new knowledge through scholarship, dissemination of knowledge through teaching and outreach, and creative experimentation of ideas and concepts. In pursuit of these goals, Vanderbilt values most highly intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry; and equality, compassion and excellence in all endeavors.
Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university.
ON THE COVER: Memorial GymnasiumPHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Jeremy Teaford PHOTO: John Russell
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212.
SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe to Commodore Nation, please contact the National Commodore Club at 615/322-4114.
ADVERTISEMENT: To advertise with Commodore Nation, please contact Vanderbilt ISP Sports.Jeff Miller, General Manager 615/[email protected]
Commodore Nation is printed using recycled paper.
Compliance questions? Please contact:Candice Lee George Midgett John PeachDirector of Compliance Compliance Coordinator Compliance Coordinator615/322-7992 615/322-2083 615/[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
CORNERC O M P L I A N C E
Q:
A:
Trey Ball is a walk-on basketball student-athlete at Vanderbilt. Trey’s parents paid for his educational expenses through a private pre-paid college tuition plan at their local bank. Does this assistance have to be considered outside aid?
No. NCAA Bylaw 15.2.6.1.1 states that a state sponsored or private pre-paid college tuition plan, purchased by a family member and paid to an institution on behalf of a student-athlete, is not considered aid from an outside source. Such aid is con-sidered financial aid from someone upon whom the student-athlete is naturally or legally dependent. (Revised: 6/10/04)
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N 3vucommodores.com
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CORNERCOMMODORE CLUB
PHONE: 615/322-4114 • ONLINE: vanderbilt.edu/ncc
COMMON PARKING AND TICKETING QUESTIONS
Commodore Nation: How is priority determined?Robin Langlois: The NCC priority system is designed to reward loyalty to those who give to the National Commodore Club and Van-derbilt athletics. Priority is based on two criteria, first, the society level at which you currently give, and second, your lifetime giving to athletics. Our Black and Gold society is the top giving level, so those members are generally first on the priority list, and their ap-propriate rankings are determined by their total lifetime giving to NCC and athletics. Once those rankings are determined, the next society level is evaluated (McGugin, Dudley, Admiral, Vice Admiral, etc.), and the same process is followed. CN: As an NCC member, I am interested in moving my seats to a better location at Vanderbilt Stadium or Memorial Gym for next season, what do I need to do to do this?RL: First, contact me at 615/343-7145 or at [email protected]. I will work with the ticket office to determine open seats in the member’s current giving level as well as other available seat-ing. We’ll meet or talk by phone to discuss moving options. If the member prefers, we can walk over together to view available seats so the member can be assured he or she will be satisfied with their decision when the next season comes around. CN: I’m an NCC member. What do I have to do to keep my same football and basketball seats for the following season?RL: To ensure your seats will be available, NCC membership must be renewed by May 31 each year. Football and basketball tickets must be renewed by their annual deadline. Renewal deadline for football season tickets will be March 31, 2010 and for basketball the renewal deadline will be May 31, 2010. Tickets in priority seating ar-eas will not be mailed until payment of NCC membership has been verified. Similarly, football and basketball parking passes cannot be sent until NCC membership has been renewed. CN: I am a football season ticket holder and NCC member, what do I need to do to park in lot 2?RL: Lot 2 access is provided to those donors giving at the $500 level (Ensign) and above. CN: I am a men’s basketball season ticket holder and NCC member, what are my options for parking? RL: If you give in the $500-$2,999 range, your parking option will be the 25th Avenue Garage. NCC members giving $3,000 up to $5,999 will be able to park in the Kensington Garage located next to Memo-rial Gym — beginning on the 4th floor parking level. Those members giving $6,000 up to $7,999 will be able to park in the Kensington Garage on parking levels 1-3. Those giving at the $8,000 and up level are provided personally named parking space for basketball season. NCC members giving below the $500 level can pay to park on a game-by-game basis in the 25th Avenue Garage.
CN: I am an NCC member and my husband broke his leg and has a handicap hang tag, do I need to get a special handicap parking pass for football and basketball? RL: NCC members giving $100 or more who have a valid Tennes-see handicap parking permit have the option of parking in Lot 71 (the parking lot beyond the outfield wall at Hawkins Field) on a first come, first serve basis. The overflow for handicap parking is the 25th Avenue Garage. CN: I’m interested in going to a road football and basketball game to watch the Commodores. How do I go about purchas-ing tickets in Vanderbilt’s allotment?RL: NCC members can purchase up to six away game tickets for football, but we do not have the same access for away game bas-ketball tickets. The best option for basketball away game tickets is to contact the ticket office of the opposing school. If you are an NCC member in good standing and want to purchase away game football tickets, please call the ticket office (615/322-GOLD) or the NCC office (615/322-4114), and we will be happy to assist you with your request based on your priority and depending on the remaining ticket allotment. Away game football tickets should be purchased 4-6 weeks in advance of the away game, because we are required to send back any unsold tickets in our allotment at a certain date for each away game. CN: I want to attend the men’s basketball SEC Tournament in Nashville. Can I get tickets through the National Commodore Club?RL: The Sommet Center is a much smaller venue than the Georgia Dome or other tournament sites in the past several years. Unfortu-nately, there will be fewer tickets available for our membership to purchase for the 2010 tournament. There are currently more than 3,000 active NCC members, and our allotment for this tournament will be approximately 550. NCC members will be given the opportu-nity, based on their priority, to order tournament tickets. All tickets will be processed by priority until the allotment is depleted. Ordering tickets will not guarantee delivery, but we are committed to stretch-ing our allotment as much as we can by limiting the number of tick-ets that can be ordered. Ticket books are $375 for the 2010 SEC tournament in Nashville.
CN: What do I need to do to get tickets to watch Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament if we are invited?RL: The process is similar to the one described for the SEC Tourna-ment. NCC members will be given the opportunity, based on their priority, to order tournament tickets. All tickets will be processed by priority until the allotment is depleted. The “wild card” in the NCAA Tournament is, with exception of the Final Four, we are not sure where we play until selection week. Where we play, who we’re play-ing and other factors can impact our access to tickets. My advice is to stay “plugged in” to www.vucommodores.com for the latest and most up-to-date ticket news as tournament time draws near. n
The National Commodore Club fields many questions from its members regarding parking and tickets. To help answer some of the most common questions NCC members may have, member services coordinator Robin Langlois addressed many topics with Commodore Nation in a Q&A below.
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N 5vucommodores.com
Vice Chancellor David Williams II awards NCC members Melvin and Linda Holland with a game ball at the Georgia game. The Hollands have attended every Vanderbilt football game for the past 20 years.
Former Commodores Jimmy Williams (left) and Jamie Winborn attended the Georgia game.
NCC Member Byron Smith and his sons, Colin and Andrew. A balloon artist created objects out of balloons for children at the Georgia Tech game.
GEORGIA GAME • OCT. 17
GEORGIA TECH GAME • OCT. 31
Vanderbilt alumni and friends can become a permanent part of Vanderbilt Stadium with the “Pave the Way” program, which allows fans the opportunity to purchase commemo-rative bricks that will be the centerpiece of VU’s new walkways outside the stadium. Bricks are available to purchase at a cost of $250. Bricks can be ordered through vucommodores.com or by calling the NCC at 615/322-4114.
PAVE THE WAY
To retain parking and ticket benefits, please renew your NCC membership each year by May 31. If you don’t receive parking or ticket benefits, renew by June 30 to continue your support of Vanderbilt’s student-athletes. Call 615/322-4114, click vucommodores.com or come by the office in the McGugin Center to make your gift. Every gift is allocated toward the goal of funding student-athlete scholarships. Thank you for your continued support of Vanderbilt athletics. Your membership matters!
KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP CURRENT
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In My Words
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On how much his experience as a freshman will help him as a sophomore
I learned a lot. I wouldn’t say that I learned anything specific more than anything else. It is just that you have that experience of playing in a big game and playing against good players. Play-ing against good players night in and night out will make you a better player.
On how much the trip to Australia brought the team together
It was a real good bonding experience. We had a lot of fun there as a team. It is just a great place, and Sydney is prob-ably one of my favorite cities in the world. I think the experi-ence made us a closer team.
On where he got his vertical leap from
It was just in my genes. My dad (Jeff, who played in the NBA), my uncle, they all could jump, so it is just in the family. I first
dunked when I was 13½.
On if he’s tried to hit his head on the rim again since doing so last year in a bet with teammates
No. The guys on the team didn’t think I could do it, and I just did it. It kind of hurt pretty bad, so I haven’t done it since. I’m not going to try it again anytime soon. I’d done it three or four times before, but I’d never hit it as hard as I did that day. I hit it really hard that day, and now I’m done with it.
On how much having depth on the wing pushes him
It is really good to play against players like Lance (Goulbourne), Charles (Hinkle) and Andre (Walker). They guard you hard, and you guard them hard, so I think it makes the whole team better in the end.
On if he was able to return to Sweden in the offseason
I was there the whole month of May. It was really nice being home and seeing all my family and friends again. All my family on my mom’s side and my immediate family live there. I just miss the cul-ture, my family and my friends I grew up with. It is a great country and a great place to live. n
Vanderbilt’s 2008-09 basketball team may have
lacked enough wins to get to the postseason,
but one area it wasn’t lacking was in athletic
ability. Most Commodore fans would agree that Vander-
bilt’s sophomore class is as athletic as any class Vander-
bilt has had, and at the head of that class is wing Jeffery
Taylor. Blessed with size (6’7”) to guard bigger players
and the athleticism to cover smaller guards, Taylor made
an immediate impact as a freshman, and was selected to
the All-SEC Freshman team after averaging 12.2 points
and 6.2 rebounds. Taylor filled the box score, but he also
filled the highlight reel with multiple dunks and blocked
shots where he showcased the vertical leap that had him
soaring over the majority of defenders. With an offsea-
son to refine his skills, the Norrkoping, Sweden, native is
ready to have an even stronger season this year.
TaylorJeffery
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N 7vucommodores.com
Soccer Caps Strong Season at SEC Tourney
O n Oct. 16, Vanderbilt’s 2009 soc-cer season appeared to be on life support. Losers of five con-
secutive matches, the Com-modores looked as if their 3-0 loss at Auburn would be as close as the team would get to Orange Beach, Ala., site of the SEC Tournament.
Instead, the Commodores reeled off four straight shutouts to claim a spot in the SEC Tour-nament for the first time since 2006. Vanderbilt earned the No. 7 seed and was defeated 4-2 by second-seeded LSU in the first round, but the experience of getting there should give the team positive momentum heading into next year.
“I am real proud of the girls’ effort for the entire match,” Head Coach Ronnie Woo-dard said after the match. “We were still fighting until the final whistle blew at the 90th minute, and that is something this
team has shown all season long. This team never quits, and I couldn’t be prouder of their efforts throughout the season.”
Vanderbilt finished the season 11-8-1 overall and had multiple players earn postseason honors from the SEC.
Senior defender Megan For-ester earned first team All-SEC honors for the first time in her career and finished the year with two goals and seven assists.
Junior forward Molly Kinsella earned All-SEC honors for the third straight year after being
selected second team All-SEC in 2009. Kin-sella led the Commodores with 23 points.
Chelsea Stewart earned SEC All-Fresh-man plaudits as she finished the season with three goals and one assist.
“I am excited that these three were rec-ognized as being among the top players in the SEC, and as coaches we couldn’t be more proud,” Woodard said. n
1 Freshman Warren Norman’s rank in Vanderbilt history for the most all-purpose yards in a single season by a freshman.
2 The number of players in SEC history who have returned an SEC-record three kickoffs for touchdowns in a season: Warren Norman, and Willie Gault in 1980.
5th The place VU’s women’s cross country team finished at the NCAA South Regional Championships—matching the best finish in the program’s 27 years.
35,015 The average attendance at Vanderbilt’s six home football games in 2009.
17th Vanderbilt’s 2009 rank on Kiplinger’s list of the top 100 values among private institutions.
1 The national rank of the doubles team Vanderbilt’s duo of Adam Baker and Charlie Jones defeated at the Crimson Tide Fall Invitational on Nov. 1.
55.8% The number of households nationally that had ESPNU in November, an increase of 11% from October.
NUMBERSBy The
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jamesWILLIAMS
Football
alexDiVALERIO
Tennis
meaganMARTIN
Track
candaceWESTSoccer
Country I’d most like
to visitBrazil Italy Spain Egypt
The most thrilling
experience I’ve ever
had was ...
Starting at Death Valley (LSU) in front of 92,000 fans
Swimming with sharks
Bungee jumping in Bulgaria
Riding a dirt bike on trails
My biggest fear is ...
Not being able to help a loved one when they really need it
Dropping a full tray of food
in the Hendrix Room
SpidersDrastic
changes
Favorite car Range Rover Sport
The BatmobileRed
LamborghiniAny BMW sports car
Commodores Cubed
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Vanderbilt fans know him as the football player making tackles and catching passes on Saturdays, but to many area youth in Nashville,
Jamie Graham is known more for what he does off the field than his heroics on it.
It is a day after Vanderbilt’s game against Tennessee, and Graham is on the move. It has been a long week of school and practice, and a long season with no bye week. A lot of his teammates have missed playing time due to injury, and Graham is no exception; he to suffered a concussion early in the year. His body aches all over. He could spend his Sunday afternoon resting his body on the couch after the day’s practice, but that isn’t who he is.
Instead, Graham is heading to a speaking engagement with a youth football program. He isn’t going to talk about his play on the field or what it’s like to play college football, he’s there to fill them with confidence that they to can make it through the difficult times they may be encountering or will encounter in the future.
Graham can relate to the kids he speaks to. He was raised in Nashville and has already dealt with more traumatic experiences than most people will in their lifetime. His mother was stabbed to death when he was 8 years old, and he’s since lost friends to violence. From it all, he has maintained a straight path that led him to Vanderbilt, where he is work-ing toward his degree in special education.
When Graham speaks to children, he pro-vides them with a beacon of hope that if he can stay on a straight path after what he’s gone through, so to can they.
“I’m basically just trying to give back and trying to tell a story to the kids that it is pos-sible,” Graham said. “That way they actually know somebody that came from where they came from.”
Graham’s work with area youth has nothing to do with recognition. It has everything to do with his desire to help others. He’s not going to talk to children because he has to, he is going to talk to them because he wants to.
“The whole fact of me getting out into the community without anyone telling me I have to is something I enjoy,” Graham said. “I don’t think that I would be out in the community as much if I was part of a program that had to do it because I just want to do it on my own.”
Speaking to groups is nothing new to Gra-ham. Since his freshman year at Vanderbilt, he has spoken to anyone from youth football programs to high schools. People will ask him to speak, and unless something conflicts with school or football, he will oblige.
“I enjoy the fact that I can get out and see kids and just take a little bit of time from what is going on at home because you never know,” Graham said. “I learned it growing up that you never know what kids are going through at home. Just to be able to take their minds off of that and let them know that noth-ing is impossible and whatever they put their mind to can definitely happen.”
As he has spoken more, he has grown more comfortable and confident in himself in front of an audience.
“The first time I spoke was at Ewing Park Middle School,” Graham said. “I actually wrote a speech out for that one, and I don’t know why. I guess I was a little bit nervous for
that one. Ever since then, it has been off the top of my head, and I basically just go from my heart. I try not to fill them with a bunch of cliché sayings that they always hear. I try to speak the truth and not sugarcoat anything.”
Now, speaking to groups has become old hat for Graham, who graduated from Whites Creek High School. Last fall, he spoke in front of his largest group when he talked to students at Hillwood High School as a part of the “Cool Schools” program produced on Friday mornings by WSMV-TV.
“It is easy to talk in front of groups now,” Graham said. “I find someone in the crowd that I can connect with. I get somebody’s eye that I can look at and feel that I’m actually speaking to them. When you are speaking, you never know how many people you are actually touching. Even if it is just one, it is always someone that you are going to touch and will take your words into consideration.”
Speaking to another audienceEvery Monday and Wednesday morning this fall, Graham has found himself in the classroom. He hasn’t been there to take notes while listening to a lecture, instead he’s been there to help teach students with special needs.
It wasn’t too long ago that Graham had his career path mapped out. He would play foot-ball as long as he could, then he would go on and teach at a high school and coach football as a secondary education major.
Graham still wants to play football, he still wants to coach and he still wants to teach, but it is who he wants to teach that has changed. This semester, he has spent two days a week
Graham Commits Himself to the Community
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Jamie Graham has spent two days a week this fall as a teaching assistant at Pearl-Cohn High School.
“I’m basically just trying to give back and trying to tell a story to the kids
that it is possible...”
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N 11vucommodores.com
assisting a special education class at Pearl-Cohn High School. He has taken to the expe-rience so much that he would like to teach special education when he graduates.
“It has been one of the best things that I could have experienced because you are actually dealing with kids with way more prob-lems than just the regular children,” Graham said. “To see them come to school every day and live with some of the conditions and keep fighting to be something in life, I think it is one of the greatest things to see as a person, and I think every person should experience that.”
Lindsey Bray, who teaches the class that Graham assists at twice a week at 7:30 a.m., has appreciated what Graham has brought to the classroom and school.
“Jamie has been an absolute pleasure to work with,” Bray said. “He always comes in with a smile and never leaves without giv-ing all the teachers a hug. ‘We are Family’ is the classroom slogan, and laughter and love are what build the positive climate. Students must feel safe and cared for before any learn-ing can take place, and Jamie always brings those essential elements to the classroom.”
By helping, Graham has been able to lead the class through different activities and has become a popular figure among the students.
“The kids in the class love me,” Graham said. “They didn’t believe that I was good at football, and they were asking me what my number was and they never saw me play. I brought in some of the pocket schedules with me on them and the classroom went crazy. They looked at the inside and just saw the
schedule, and then they turned it over and saw me on the front.”
The positive bond the students have developed with Graham is something Bray noticed immediately.
“The students love having Jamie in the classroom,” Bray said. “They bonded with him the minute he arrived in the classroom and still get excited every time he visits. They respect him as an authority figure and as someone they can relate to, which is the key to being a successful teacher and prevent-ing students from dropping out. He promotes success through hard work and never giving up, no matter what life throws at you.”
Through his time at the school, Graham has formed a fond appreciation for the stu-dents. He has connected with the students in ways he had never done before, and the experience has changed his life.
“The enjoyment to be in the classroom and be able to work with those kids is amazing,” Graham said.
The connection he has felt this fall has ensured him that he has found exactly what he wants to do.
“I picked special education because I want a job that in the long run, I don’t care about how much money I make, I don’t care about all the other nonsense others have to deal with … I just want to do what fits me.”
Given what she has seen Graham do in her classroom this fall, Bray knows he has the capability to be an outstanding teacher.
“He has a big heart and knows how to get kids excited about learning,” Bray said.
“Students will always know whether some-one has their heart in it or not, and I know the class can see his devotion. I know he will make a positive change in this world, and he has all the qualities to become a successful, exceptional educator.” n
Jamie Graham played defensive back and wide receiver in 2009.
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It’s My Turn
By Rod Williamson
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
It was well into the second half of our Florida football game. Our Commodores were hangin’ tough against the top-rated
Gators when punter Brett Upson went down to one knee to field a low snap from center. The official immediately noticed and Florida took possession near the red zone, leading to an easy touchdown.
“I feel for Vanderbilt,” ESPN color commentator Bob Davie blurted out.
Normally I don’t hear an announcer’s commentary, but I caught this. It seemed unusual for the former Notre Dame head coach, who had also covered our Music City Bowl game, to make such a comment.
Just what did he mean?Some probably figured he was feeling sorry for Vanderbilt and
maybe to a degree he was. After all, a big underdog was within striking distance against considerable odds. Perhaps he was sug-gesting that other teams with little to gain would fold like a cheap suit and he was impressed by the ‘Dores tenacity. But I don’t think that was all he meant.
On December 9, 1986 Bobby Knight brought his Indiana team to Nashville. A friend of C.M. Newton, he spoke at our Commodore Club luncheon and after his obligatory attempts to prove he was really a curmudgeon, he got serious.
I recall Knight saying that everyone in college athletics admires Vanderbilt because they know this is a school that values education, stands on principles and develops young people that go into the world and contribute. He meant it.
Respect in athletics sends mixed signals. A team—be it little league or Major League—attains a certain respect just by winning. People are attracted to “winners” and to many, the ends justify the means if they produce a trophy.
Is the victory celebration dimmed because half the team won’t graduate, some coach fudged the rule book to score a key recruiting victory or the starting tackle has an arrest record? In most “major” conferences that answer seems obvious.
I believe on game day very few fans care about anything except the game. We’ve recently conducted electronic season ticket holder surveys on three of our four revenue sports (football will be sur-veyed right after the season) and while peripheral items such as parking, concessions and sound systems are factors, they pale to “the game itself.” Nobody comes to the game in hopes of seeing a spelling bee break out. That appreciation comes, if it ever does, long after the roar has subsided.
Old school pundits and fans tend to think academic schools face Mission Impossible. Ever notice that a Kirk Herbstreit is generally more positive about Vanderbilt’s or Stanford’s chances than his sidekick Lee Corso, who as a former Navy assistant respects the underdogs but downgrades them at the same time.
The Corsos of the world properly see those glistening facilities, titanic budgets, huge alumni bases and flashy rings as trump cards. True, those points are no small potatoes.
State school giants have some competitive advantages but not all of them. There is only one school in the Southeastern Confer-ence that ever has a chance to say it has the best team and the best academics and that is Vanderbilt. The most another school in this league can say is it has good academics and the best team.
What non-Commodores will never fully comprehend is that we are not looking for sympathy or believable excuses. There is no need for that, our heads are high. We have plenty of reasons for pride and hold prime assets starting with our top 20 academics and our great home city.
We tell our student-athletes they are in the best of both worlds. And they respect that. n
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T he temperature outside is falling, but inside the temperature is just beginning to heat up as the aroma of buttered popcorn begins to fill my corridors and the people who fill my seats and
rock my balconies are back for another year of basketball.It’s that time of year again Commodore fans. Time to open my
doors to you and show you all I have to offer. I’m 57 years old, or should I say young now. My foundation settled long ago, but I’m far from retirement.
I’ve seen a lot in my time. I have been added on to on three occa-sions. My seating capacity has changed four times and is more than twice what it was at first. Through the changes, I’ve never lost my character, which is why some call me the Fenway Park of college basketball. My court is still elevated as if on a stage, the benches are on the baselines and instead of being in the shape of a bowl like most arenas, my arrangement resembles more of a box with four distinct sections.
When I was born in 1952, I was dedicated as a memorial to the 144 Vanderbilt men and women who lost their lives while serving in World War II — hence my full name, Memorial Gymnasium.
I still am a memorial for those who served in World War II, and as I grow older, the number of Vanderbilt World War II veterans I memo-rialize sadly grows larger with each passing year.
When architect Edwin Keeble designed me, he did so with his eye on me being a combination of a gymnasium and a concert hall. Well, he got what he was looking for and much more. Sure, I’m best known for the basketball games I host, but I’ve welcomed many guests inside for other events. I’ve hosted cheerleading competitions, band competitions, a professional wrestling event, a major boxing match, countless commencement ceremonies and numerous concerts. Did I mention that I used to have a swimming pool? You could say I’ve had a lot going on, so much so that I don’t even remember them all. You know, my memory isn’t as good as it once was.
Yeah, some of my colleagues marvel at my jack-of-all-trades abil-ity. They may be younger and have more modern amenities like air
conditioning or a high-definition video board, but they don’t have the aura or mystique I have.
I’m not being pompous. Listen to what people say about me.“I thought (Memorial Gym) was great to coach,” Vanderbilt hall of
fame coach Roy Skinner said. “I thought it was unbelievable, and the crowds were super. That was an ideal place to coach as far as I was concerned.”
“What sets (Memorial Gym) apart from other places is the uniqueness and the character,” Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stall-ings said. “I just think the combination of it sort of being a one-of-a-kind place with a terrific atmosphere makes it a great venue for college basketball.”
“I have been to Memorial Gymnasium (many times, in fact), and I can tell you with a degree of certainty that it is one of the neatest are-nas in college basketball,” said CBSSports.com college basketball writer Gary Parrish. “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.”
I’ve hosted many events, but nothing compares to the atmosphere of a good basketball game on a cool winter night when I’m filled to capacity and the electricity of the crowd makes my infrastructure shake when it roars. I learned at a young age that even when I turned the lights down in the seats during play, it was virtually impossible for me to take a nap during a basketball game.
I’ve actually had a loss in hearing, and I’m not sure if it can be attributed to the roar of the crowd, my age, or a combination of both. There have been games when it sounded like a locomotive was steaming through the middle of the gym, and there have been times when the court shakes above the concrete slab it sits upon.
“I think that it is awesome for an athlete when they are able to feel the energy from the crowd,” Stallings said. “For most of them, the more fun it is to play, the easier it is for them to play.”
I’m not going to lie. I’m a little vain and have had some improve-
The Mystique and Aura of Memorial Gym
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ments made to myself. I had a new court installed before last season. I had my locker rooms upgraded to some of the best in the country. I’ve got a new team room, training room, coaches’ offices, a practice gym and a few cosmetic changes to name a few. I’ve also grown in size, thanks in part to “The Balco-nies Clyde Lee Built,” but I’m pretty much the same as I was in 1952 when I had a capacity of 6,583.
One thing that hasn’t changed is my hunger for being unique. I’ve always wanted to be different from my colleagues. Why not put the benches on the baseline? Why not make the first few rows below the playing court like a stage at an amphitheater? Why not make the sidelines so wide I could park a tractor-trailer on it or baseline so short someone in the first row could reach out and tap a player on the shoulder?
Sure, I’ve had my fair share of complaints about my setup, but I’m not going to change. After all, what do you want me to do? The benches can’t be put on the sideline or they would block the view of my guests. I could cut the width of the sidelines and I could put the benches below the court like they once were and cur-rently are at my relatives—Williams Arena in Minnesota—but I like the way I am.
Fans of opposing teams will complain, saying my design is unfair to their team. Coaches and players will even harp on my design and blame me for being the reason for their loss. Former Georgia coach Dennis Felton never did like me.
“It is illegal,” he said after Vanderbilt’s win in 2008. “For some reason, they are the only program in the country that is allowed to have an illegal setup. That is certainly a part of (why Vanderbilt is successful at home) because they play 16-18 times a year in that setup, and everyone else only plays at most once, and you are away from everything for half the game.”
Having the benches on the baseline sure can be entertaining. I’ve seen teams come to shoot around and work on substituting into the game. Where else does that happen? I’ve seen players forget where the scorer’s table is.
I’ve mainly hosted Vanderbilt basketball games, but I’ve hosted others as well. The Battle of the Boulevard was played here, as was the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. The last women’s NCAA Tournament played here was in 2006, while the last men’s tournament game was in 1993.
After former Florida State coach Pat Kennedy lost a first-round NCAA Tour-nament game, he complained that my floor arrangement was unfair and it dis-tracted his players.
The complaints will keep coming, but I’m not changing. Maybe I’ve gotten more stubborn with my age, but I like the way I am.
“I know others think it is a little bit awkward the first time they play in it with the benches not being on the sides,” sophomore Jeffrey Taylor said. “To me, it is a really cool setting how the gym is. The crowd gets really loud and it is just a great place to play.”
I do consider myself a pretty gracious host. Over the first 57 years of my existence, Vanderbilt’s men’s basketball team won 78.5 percent of its games here and the women’s basketball team won 81.4 percent of its games.
Talk about bang for your buck, it cost $1.5 million to construct me. How much did the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium cost … almost $2 billion? You could say I’ve been a pretty good investment.
The men’s team has never had a losing season here, and the women’s team has had just one. I’ll admit it doesn’t hurt that there have been some pretty good teams here at Vanderbilt, but I feel like I’ve played a little part in the team’s success.
People like to call it “Memorial Magic,” but I’ve never thought of myself as being much of a magician. I’m not even sure if I could do the simplest of card tricks, let alone be the reason for so many big wins. There is something special that takes place here, though.
The last four men’s basketball teams that have come in here with a No. 1 ranking have left with a loss. In 1987, it was North Carolina, which had a guard named King Rice, who is now an assistant at Vanderbilt. In 1993, it was Kentucky, who ended up advancing to the Final Four. In 2007, it was eventual national champion Florida and in 2008, it was intrastate rival Tennessee.
The so-called “Memorial Magic” is nothing new. In fact, Vanderbilt has hit so many game-winning shots here that I could write a book about them.
I’ve seen a lot in my time. I saw Perry Wallace break the color barrier in the SEC, Roy Skinner win two SEC titles, Clyde Lee dominate the boards, Shan Foster make three-pointers from another time zone and Barry Goheen make a habit out of last-second heroics. I’ve also seen at least one three-pointer made in every game by the Commodores since the inception of the three-point shot. I’ve seen some things happen that I can’t even explain.
Maybe there is a little magic in me. n
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Interior of Memorial Gym in 1954
Memorial Gym Pool in 1953
Exterior of Memorial Gym on Dedication Day in 1952
Interior of Memorial Gym in 1956
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When Vanderbilt takes the court to play Tennessee State on Dec. 19, the circumstances surrounding the game will be
much different than they were when the two faced each other for the first time on Dec. 8, 1973
Vanderbilt’s Perry Wallace had already become the first African-American scholar-ship basketball player in the SEC when he took the court for the 1967-68 season, but when Vanderbilt Coach Roy Skinner sched-uled Tennessee State to play Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym, race relations were still touchy, especially in the South. At the time, it was an anomaly for an SEC school to play a historically African-American college.
“You can imagine that at that point in our country’s history with race relations the way they were, I think it was a courageous thing for Roy Skinner to schedule them because Vanderbilt had everything to lose in that game,” said retired Tennessean sports writer Jimmy Davy, who covered the historic game. “You particularly have to give Skinner credit since he scheduled the game. This is the same guy who recruited Perry Wallace, the first African-American player in the SEC.”
When the two met, Tennessee State was coming off a season where it finished runner-up at the NCAA Division II Championships and Vanderbilt was en route to winning the
SEC title. Although, Tennessee State played in a lower division, many believed Tennessee State, led by legendary Coach Ed Mar-tin, was a better team.
“The main reason I sched-uled the game is because I kept hearing that we wouldn’t play them because we were scared of them,” Skinner said. “It finally got to me and I said, ‘the heck with this stuff,’ so I went for it.”
The game lived up to the hype. It was a see-saw affair that came down to the final seconds with the Commodores holding onto a 67-66 win. The Commodores were led by Jan Van Breda Kolff, while the Tigers were paced by Leonard “Truck” Robinson, who was drafted in the third round of the NBA Draft that year by Washington.
“It had been said many times that TSU could beat Vanderbilt, and as the game pro-gressed, you felt they were right because it was very close,” Davy said. “While it was highly competitive, I think people went away knowing they’d seen a really great basketball game under very unusual circumstances for that time.”
Skinner, who was inducted into the Van-derbilt Hall of Fame in September, won 278
games as Vanderbilt’s coach—the most in school history—but the Tennessee State game was one he’ll never forget. It would be the only time he faced Tennessee State, which didn’t face the Commodores again until the 1995-96 season.
“There was a lot of pressure on that game,” Skinner said. “Not a lot schools would play Tennessee State at the time. I just remember how close it was, and I felt like if it had been on their court, they would have won. They had an awfully good team.” n
Times have Changed Since TSU Visited in 1973
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From West Point, N.Y., in the east to Fort Worth, Texas, in the west, National Commodore Club members Melvin and Linda Holland have seen just
about every stretch of interstate in between.The Hollands have been Vanderbilt season
ticket holders in football for 31 seasons, and since 1989, they haven’t missed a game — home or away. In total, the couple has seen Vanderbilt play 238 straight games under six head coaches.
“The first 11 years we had tickets, we didn’t make every away game, we’d try to go to one or two road games a year,” Mel-vin Holland said. “In 1989, we had gone to so many different away games that I told my wife we should just buy the complete season this year. We started in 1989, and we haven’t missed a game since.”
Melvin’s passion for Vanderbilt football began when he attended East High School in East Nashville. He and his high school friends would fill section N of the bleachers at Dudley Field for every Vanderbilt home game. The group he was with was even dubbed the “Section N Gang.” Despite the 2008 season being the Commodores’ only winning season in the Holland’s 20 years of traveling, it hasn’t kept them from turning out every Saturday in the fall.
“I wouldn’t say it is a complete pleasure being a Vanderbilt fan all the time,” Melvin said. “I want them to win every time out, but I realize that it is a football game and there is going to have to be a winner and a loser. I feel like if the boys go out there and give 100 percent effort, which I think that they do 99 percent of the time … whether they win or lose, they are winners in my eyes.”
Unfortunately for the Hollands, losing is what they’ve mostly seen over the past 20 years. Heading into the 2009 season, Van-derbilt had a record of 67-159 since 1989.
“I’ll have people ask me why I always pull for Vanderbilt because they are always los-ing,” Melvin said. “In my eyes, winning isn’t everything. The education that the school provides is well-known across the world, and the education those kids are getting and the life experiences they receive on and off the field are invaluable.”
While the Hollands have made 238 con-secutive games, maintaining the streak hasn’t always been easy. Before retiring July 31, 2003, from Yellow Freight, Melvin had spent more than 30 years working in the trucking industry, including the last 16 at Yellow Freight. In order to maintain the streak, Melvin would use his vacation and sick days in conjunction with Vanderbilt’s football schedule.
His passion for Vanderbilt football was no secret among co-workers, and there was a time he felt his dedication to Vanderbilt might have him looking for another job.
“I forgot which game it was, but I told my supervisor at the truck line to mark me down for a sick day on Friday because I wasn’t going to be here,” Melvin said. “He asked, ‘How do you know you are going to be sick?’ Then he said, ‘It is the Vanderbilt football game isn’t it?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it is, but I have a couple of sick days I can use.’ He said, ‘You’re going to get fired someday for using those sick days. You’ll have to decide if you want to work for Yellow Freight Truck Line or go to a Vanderbilt football game.’”
Melvin never did get fired, and he still hasn’t missed a game.
The Hollands never tracked the exact mileage they have traveled between their home in Old Hickory to Vanderbilt’s away games. However, when using Mapquest.com to add up the mileage from Nashville to the cities in which the Commodores played, it is estimated that they have traveled 85,516 miles, but it is sure to be more. Of the miles traveled to watch the Commodores, the Hol-lands have never traveled a greater distance than they have in 2009 with Vanderbilt’s trips to West Point, N.Y., and Houston, bringing the teams travel log to 7,146 miles.
As a commemorative for each game they attended, the Hollands purchased a game program at every game from 1989 to 2007. With costs continuing to rise, the Hollands
stopped purchasing programs in 2008—the season the Commodores won the Music City Bowl.
“I stopped doing it last year because they started off costing $2 or $3 and then they went up to $4 and then $5, and I actually bought some that were $6,” Melvin said. “A lot of times, I will buy the thing and I’ll put it down and never open it, so I just quit buying them last year.”
He did, however, purchase the Music City Bowl program, which he has displayed in his living room that is painted black and gold and has a Vanderbilt border along walls.
During their trips to watch the Commo-dores, the Hollands have collected more than 150 Christmas houses to go in their sprawling Christmas village. The village is part of the their annual Christmas deco-rations, which have won multiple awards over the years and includes an estimated 50,000 lights.
There are few certainties in the world, but if the Hollands have it their way, they have every intention of continuing to follow Van-derbilt’s football team wherever it goes.
“We didn’t do this for attention, we just enjoy going to the games,” Melvin said. “I’m planning on going to all the Vanderbilt football games every year unless health stops me.” n
Hollands Travel Great Lengths to See Vanderbilt
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Melvin and Linda Holland have been to every Vanderbilt football game since 1989.
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Quick Hits
• Tim Corbin released Vanderbilt’s 2010 schedule on Oct. 21. The schedule includes 35 home games and series against defending national champion LSU and College World Series partici-pant Arkansas.
• Vanderbilt will face 13 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year and 14 teams that finished with 30 or more wins.
• Vanderbilt’s season begins Feb. 19-21 when Niagara visits Hawkins Field. The series will mark the first time Vanderbilt opens the season at home since 2005.
• Vanderbilt junior center A.J. Ogilvy was named to the preseason All-SEC first team by the league’s coaches. He was one of eight players named to the team.
• Vanderbilt will play five home games during December.
• Head Coach Kevin Stallings announced the signing of three high school seniors to National Letters of Intent.
• Signing with the Commodores were guard Kyle Fuller (Moreno Valley, Ca-lif.), center Josh Henderson (Roa-noke, Va.) and forward Rod Odom (Bellport, N.Y.).
• Vanderbilt closed its 2009 season by finishing 22nd of 26 teams at the NCAA South Regional Champion-ships. Jenner Kizer led VU with a time of 32:54.78 in the 10K.
• Vanderbilt placed 10th at the SEC Championships on Oct. 31.
• Pacing the Commodores was sopho-more Jenner Kizer, who finished 45th. Freshman Chris Baker placed 59th.
• Running back Warren Norman set a school record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown this season when he ran a kick back on Oct. 31 against Georgia Tech. He also joined Willie Gault from the 1980 Tennessee team as the only SEC players with three kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single season.
• In Vanderbilt’s game at Florida, Norman broke the SEC record for kickoff return yardage in a season.
• Patrick Benoist and John Stokes were selected as District IV Academic All-Americans by CoSIDa.
• The Commodores closed the fall sea-son by finishing fourth at the 2009 Hum-mingbird Intercollegiate on Nov. 3.
• Ryan Haselden earned his second top-10 finish of the fall season with a two-day total of 1-under par.
• Vanderbilt’s duo of Charlie Jones and Adam Baker knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team of J.P. Smith and Davey Sandgren of Tennessee to win the doubles title at the Crimson Tide Fall Invitational.
• Alex Zotov also earned a title at the Crimson Invitational by claiming the Namath draw.
• Ryan Lipman finished runner-up at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional.
• Head Coach Ian Duvenhage announced the signing of Blake Bazarnik (Kildeer, Ill.) and Roger Briggs (Nashville) to Na-tional Letters of Intent.
• Vanderbilt senior Jessica Mooney has been selected as one of 30 candidates nationally for the 2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.
• The league’s media voted the Commo-dores fourth, while the coaches picked VU fifth in the preseason SEC poll.
• The media also selected senior Meri-deth Marsh as a second team All-SEC selection.
• Merideth Marsh and Hannah Tuomi were tabbed preseason second team All-SEC by the league’s coaches.
• Head Coach Melanie Balcomb an-nounced the signing of four high school seniors to National Letters of Intent.
• Signing with Vanderbilt were Kayci Ferris (Gordonsville, Tenn.), Christina Foggie (Mount Laurel, N.J.), Tori Jarosz (Cor-tlandt Manor, N.Y.) and Jasmine Lister (Corona, Calif.).
• Vanderbilt won two championships at the Greater Ozark Invitational Oct. 25.
• Vanderbilt finished third at the Big Red Invite on Nov. 7. The Commodores lost by just 125 pins.
• Brittni Hamilton made the all-tourna-ment team with a fourth-place finish at the Big Red Invite.
• Vanderbilt capped a strong 2009 season by running into the school record books with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA South Regional Cham-pionships. The top-five finish tied for
the program’s best finish in its 27-year existence.
• Rita Jorgensen paced VU by finishing 25th overall to earn All-Region acco-lades for the second consecutive year.
• The women’s team finished sixth at the SEC Championships on Oct. 31.
• Freshman Jordan White paced VU by placing 22nd. Her finish earned her SEC All-Freshman honors.
• Also earning SEC All-Freshman hon-ors was Allie Scalf, who placed 30th.
• Head Coach Cathy Swezey announced the signing of seven high school seniors to National Letters of Intent on Nov. 13.
• Signing were Brandi Byner (Franklin, Tenn.), Alyssa Dunlap (Villanova, Pa.), El-lie Kraus (St. Davids, Pa.), Chelsea Lan-zoni (Annapolis, Md.), Katie Mastropieri (Richmond), Sarah Tustin (Ambler, Pa.) and Abby Wheeler (Charlottesville, Va.).
• Vanderbilt was defeated, 4-2, in the first round of the SEC Tournament by sec-ond-seeded LSU. It was VU’s first trip to the SEC Tournament since 2006.
• Senior defender Megan Forester earned first team All-SEC honors.
• Junior Molly Kinsella was selected sec-ond team All-SEC and Chelsea Stewart was named SEC All-Freshman.
• Junior goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 26.
• Vanderbilt swam to 18 season-high marks in a Nov. 6 loss at Arkansas.
• Chelsea Morey finished first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 59.00. The time was the fastest by a Commodore in the event in more than two years.
• Sarah Lynch won the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal-best time of 1:07.64.
• In an all Vanderbilt final at the ITA Ohio Val-ley Regional, Erica Robertson and Heather Steinbauer defeated Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu, 8-5.
• Heather Steinbauer and Erica Robertson lost in the round of 16 at the prestigious ITA National Indoor Championships on Nov. 5.
• Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu won the No. 1 doubles draw at the St. Mary’s Tourna-ment Classic on Nov. 8.
• Signing with VU were Lauren Mira (Baton Rouge, La.), Emily Gelber (Scarsdale, N.Y.) and Alex Leatu (Littleton, Colo.).Men’s Sports
Women’s Sports
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Commodore fans remember him well, a high school star from Birmingham, Ala., recruited by schools such as Notre Dame and SEC rival Kentucky. Though he played receiver in high school, many of his top college choices told him he
would play defensive back. He initially committed to Kentucky, but later changed his mind. He knew that his true calling was to catch the football, and he liked what he saw in Coach Bobby Johnson and Nashville, Tennessee. He signed with Vanderbilt, who had recruited him for wide receiver, and the rest, as they say, was history.
He entered the season not high on the depth chart, but the injury bug struck the Commodore receiving corps in 2005 with Erik Davis out with a leg injury and Marlon White also hampered by injuries. In his first start against Richmond, he caught 11 passes for 124 yards. He didn’t stop there, finishing the year with 79 catches. He caught 16 passes against South Carolina, scored five touchdowns against Kentucky and set numerous SEC records in the process. In the final game of his freshman year, he and senior quarterback Jay Cutler hooked up for every play of the 'Dores’ historic, game-winning drive against Tennessee, leading the Commodores to the first victory over their rivals since 1982.
His name is Earl Bennett and his freshman year saw him mak-ing magic on the field with senior quarterback Jay Cutler. Unfor-tunately, the Cutler-to-Bennett combination lasted only one year, as Cutler departed for the National Football League. Though SEC defenses focused on him and he no longer had Cutler throwing him the ball, Bennett had two more productive seasons before leaving Vanderbilt after his junior season as the SEC’s all-time leader in pass receptions.
“I got a little spoiled after that first year in college,” Bennett recalls. “I played with some very good guys after Cutler left, but they were not up to Cutler’s ability level. I missed Jay and wished he was there, but the coaches did a great job of moving me around.” The feel-ing was apparently mutual, as Cutler told the media after Bennett’s 14-catch performance against Tennessee that he wished he could take Earl with him to the NFL. But, Cutler went to the Broncos and Bennett returned to Vanderbilt. Cutler played on Sundays and Ben-nett on Saturdays.
After the 2007 season, the Chicago Bears drafted Bennett, and he sat on the sidelines learning the ropes of the professional game during the 2008-09 season. He didn’t catch a single pass. “The first year was a great learning process for me,” Bennett said.
During the offseason he then heard some shocking news — that he would be reunited with Cutler, who was coming over to the Bears from the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade.
“I initially thought it was a joke,” Bennett said when someone tex-ted him about Cutler coming to Bears. “When I found out it was true, I thought God must be smiling on me. He’s such a great quarterback with awesome arm strength.”
Bennett relished the chance to work with Cutler again, and the early results are positive. In the Bears’ first game against the Green Bay Packers, Bennett caught seven passes for 91 yards. “This year has been totally different,” he says. “I feel good about the playing time, and I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunities and do whatever I can to help Jay and help the team win.”
He fondly recalls Cutler showing great confidence in him when he was a college freshman. “I remember Jay coming over to me one game after injuries to other receivers like Erik Davis and saying, ‘I guess it’s just you and me out here.’ We got in sync and had good timing together,” Bennett says modestly.
He loves playing on the Bears with four other Vanderbilt players—Cutler, starting offensive tackle Chris Williams, linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer and defensive back D.J. Moore. Some have dubbed the team “Vanderbilt North.”
“It’s great to have so many Vandy guys on the team,” Bennett says. “It is unusual, but great,” noting that D.J. Moore was just heading
over to his place to hang out. “When we get to SEC talk, we rule over everybody on the team because there are five of us. We all love Vandy so much and cheer for the program. Coach Johnson, the staff and the players are doing a fantastic job.”
Bennett and his teammates took great pride in the Commodores’ 2008 season, which resulted in a Music City Bowl victory over Bos-ton College. “The program is doing great, and we follow it closely. I wore my Vandy shirt for a week after that win.”
But, Bennett now plays on Sundays—not Saturdays—and he hopes to accomplish great things in the NFL. “I want to be remem-bered as a person who loved the game, a guy who really went after it, and I’d like to become an All-Pro receiver.”
Bennett remains focused on doing whatever he can to help his quarterback and the Bears win games. But, he says he will always have a special place in his heart for Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt’s fans: “Thank you for all your support and thanks for following me through-out college. Go Bears and Go 'Dores!” n
— David L. Hudson Jr. teaches as an adjunct at Vanderbilt Law School and is the author or co-author of five sports books.
Bennett Catching Cutler’s Passes on Sundays By David L. Hudson Jr.
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Former Commodore wide receiver Earl Bennett is now catching passes in the NFL from former teammate Jay Cutler.
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The Month Ahead
Men’s SportsBasketball12/02 Missouri 8:30 p.m.12/05 DePaul 3 p.m.12/08 at Illinois 7:30 p.m.12/11 Western Kentucky 8:30 p.m.12/19 Tennessee State 3 p.m.12/21 Mercer 7 p.m.12/30 Manhattan 7 p.m.
Women’s SportsBasketball12/02 at Wright State 6 p.m.12/04 Bowling Green 7 p.m.12/06 Western Kentucky 2 p.m.12/10 at Quinnipiac 6 p.m.12/20 Tennessee State 2 p.m.12/28 East Tennessee State 7 p.m.12/31 at Notre Dame 1 p.m.
December 11 • Baseball Ticket Renewal
The deadline for Vanderbilt baseball season ticket holders to renew their tickets for the 2010 season is Dec. 11.
December 11 • MBB vs. Western Ky.
On Dec. 11, Vanderbilt’s men’s basketball team will play 2008 NCAA Tournament participant Western Kentucky at the Sommet Center.
December 11-19 • Final Exams
Vanderbilt will conclude its fall semester Dec. 11 through 19 with final exams. Vanderbilt’s students will be on winter break Dec. 20 through Jan. 10.
Dec. 19-Jan. 4 • Indiv. Game Tickets
While Vanderbilt’s students are on winter break, fans will have the opportunity to purchase indi-vidual game tickets for men’s basketball games that fall between Dec. 19 and Jan. 4. The games include Tennessee State, Mercer, Manhattan, Southern Miss and MTSU.
December 28 • Chicago Bears on MNF
The Chicago Bears and the quintet of former Vanderbilt players on the Bears face the Min-nesota Vikings in what could be a crucial late-season game on Monday Night Football. It is the only Monday night appearance of the season for the Bears.
What to Watch For
It’s been six seasons since former Com-modore Matt Freije put Vanderbilt’s team on his back and helped lead the Commo-
dores to the Sweet 16 in 2004. Since Freije finished his Vanderbilt career as the pro-gram’s all-time leading scorer, basketball has taken him many places across the globe.
In January, Freije will embark on his sixth professional season when he begins play with a team in Lebanon. Since being drafted 53rd overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the
Miami Heat, Freije has spent time in Europe, Asia, Puerto Rico and even played 42 games in the NBA with New Orleans and Atlanta.
“It is good to be able to see the world and see how different people live,” said Freije who spends his offseasons in Nashville. “I’m not going to play until I can’t play, I’m just going to play until I feel like I’ve played long enough.”
Freije’s last stint in the NBA came during the 2006-07 season, but he narrowly missed earning a roster spot out of training camp with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008. Freije’s narrow miss from mak-ing the team’s roster on opening day was similar to that of former Commodore Derrick Byars this year. Byars was cut by the Chicago Bulls a little more than 24 hours before the team’s opening game.
“Honestly, it is really, really tough,” Freije said. “It is hard to be told that they don’t need you. It’s hard, and I feel bad for Derrick. It’s especially tough in his situation because every night you go out, you’ve got to do well because you are being watched a whole lot more than the other guys. For guys that are going to be there and know they are going to be there, it’s not the end of the world. If you don’t know, it is always in the back of your head that if you don’t play well, maybe you will get cut tomorrow or the next day.”
Having coached Freije and Byars, it is always tough for Vander-bilt Coach Kevin Stallings to see his players get cut, but he knows it is a business and the two have the work ethic it takes to succeed in professional basketball.
“It is their profession at this point, so the first time someone tells you ‘no’ on a sale, you can’t stop working,” Stallings said. “Hope-fully another team will pick him up and Derrick will have a nice long NBA career. He is certainly talented enough.”
Now in his late 20s, Freije knows his window for making the NBA is getting smaller, and he’s come to grips with the fact that the NBA may not be in his future again.
“The NBA currently is not a goal,” Freije said. “I’m 28 now, so it has kind of passed me by. I’m just playing while I can.” n
Freije Continues Basketball Career
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A member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee experienced his first college football game against Georgia as part of the Max Nance Kids Zone, which Vanderbilt athletics donates tickets to.
Mabry Allen, the youngest child of Vanderbilt women’s golf coach Greg Allen, at the 2009 Mason Rudolph Championships.
Commodore Snapshots
