Back in Action

In case you were wondering I just spent the last 5ish days in Panama City, FL with two of my good friends and fellow Vandy students. While I had a fantastic time laying around, eating as unhealthily as possible, and fishing, I'm glad to be home. That being said, I won't recount my Spring Break festivities in excruciating detail (as much as I'd like to). I will however, take significant events in Vanderbilt athletics that occurred while I was vacationing in The Redneck Riviera and attempt to recall what I was doing at that point in time:

Saturday
Vanderbilt at Arkansas
We got in to Panama City in the early afternoon and I was able to catch the tail end of the game. I really wasn't surprised to see Vandy lose this game. I didn't get to see a lot of the game, but I get the sense from what I read that there was an "emotional hangover" from Tuesday's game. Also, let's not forget that Arkansas is a team fully capable of knocking off anyone at home. (Bud Walton Arena- 20,000 Fans: 4 Last Names). This win means a lot more to an Arkansas team still trying to stamp their ticket to the Big Dance than it does to Vanderbilt who's more or less waiting for tournament play to start.

Summary: Vandy loses a game they probably should have won. I'm still at the beach and quickly find other activities to occupy my time. Ross Neltner pulls a Chris Webber and calls a phantom timeout. While I don't hold it against Ross, and I don't think it cost us the game, it's things like that can be the difference in March.

Wednesday
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt
Unfortunately, I was unable to watch this game as it was not broadcast locally in Panama City. This is understandable as the Florida panhandle has not historically been a bastion of support for either Miss. State or Vanderbilt. Adding insult to injury, the Raycom game we got was Florida hosting Tennessee. Not only do I miss Shan Foster's last game at Memorial, but I'm stuck watching two teams I wish would both go wander into oncoming traffic: fantastic. So I find myself watching Florida blow a 16 point lead at home (this is because Florida is horrible) and then watching UT trying to throw the game away once they seemingly wrapped it up (this is because UT doesn't know how to play with a lead).
As I'm watching Nick Calathes (the NEW new Matt Walsh, otherwise known as the NEW Joakim Noah) and Jordan Howell (one of UT's alleged point guards) compete for the coveted position of "Whitest Guy in the SEC" I have my brother texting me updates from the Vandy game. They went something like this:
Maff: Shan just got a sick dunk!
Maff: Not playin great, down three with a couple left in the first half
Maff: Shan got an oop from beal to tie it at the half!
Maff: Shan has hit five straight threes, still down two with four minutes left
Maff: Everyone else is ice cold
Maff: Seriously. Shan hit seven straight threes to send it into ot. He has 34.
Maff: They won!
Maff: Shan had 42 friggin points! Unbelieveable!
Maff: Dude seriuosly, hit a three at the buzzer to win it too. At least 8 threes in the second half.

Summary: I think it's safe to say that Shan is going to win the SEC POY and is playing his best basketball at the right time of year. Unfortunately, from my mother's recollection (she was at the game with my brother) everyone else was "terrible" and "I felt bad for Ross (Neltner) he had like 2 free throws and 4 fouls and a bunch of bad passes".

After a much needed break from school I'm back and better than ever. Big game in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. Vandy really needs to get whatever kinks worked out in this game before the SEC tourney. I'll take a look ahead to that game tomorrow.


SPRING BREAK!
Go 'Dores!