The SEC and Big 12 will pit their best two teams against one another starting in 2014 according to the AP.

The Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences have announced a deal that will pit their football regular-season champions against each other in a bowl game for five years beginning in 2014.

The agreement between two of the most successful BCS conferences was announced Friday.

If one or both of the league champions are selected to play in what is expected to be a four-team national championship playoff, another team would be selected for the Big 12-SEC matchup.

The only problem is that it’s very likely that the two conferences will produce one or more teams that will play in the new 4 team playoff that will also start the same year. If the game was held this year it’s unclear who the SEC would’ve sent. Alabama and LSU both likely would have been in the playoff. LSU definitely would’ve been in the chase for the title. Perhaps the SEC would send the loser of the championship game or the next best team record-wise.

Mike Slive loves the new bowl tradition which will be similar to the Big Ten-Pac 12 Rose Bowl deal.

“A new January bowl tradition is born. This new game will provide a great matchup between the two most successful conferences in the BCS era and will complement the exciting postseason atmosphere created by the new four-team model. Most importantly, it will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans with an outstanding bowl experience.”

It’s not known where the game will be held but you have to think Dallas or Atlanta would be two destinations on the drawing board.

Although we likely won’t ever see the two best teams play there are some exciting possibilities such as LSU vs. Texas, Alabama vs. Oklahoma, and Missouri and Texas A&M could get to mix it up with some old rivals that they won’t get to play any more.

Not that it’s some big secret but Vanderbilt head football coach James Franklin was ranked as the fifth best coach in the SEC by the Sporting News. Franklin led the Commodores to a bowl appearance in his first season at the helm and with his star studded recruiting class he looks to have Vandy primed to be players in the East for the next few years.

After beating out schools like Ohio State, Tennessee, and Alabama for recruits like James Jelks and Brian Kimbrow Franklin has attracted more high profile recruits than Bobby Johnson ever did during his tenure in Nashville.

Franklin signed an extension that assured he will remain at Vanderbilt following the 2011 season.

Ranking ahead of Franklin where Nick Saban, Les Miles, Mark Richt, and Steve Spurrier. And yes Derek Dooley was dead last.

Roy Enum at the Chattanoogan.com unearthed a rare find earlier this week; a letter from former University of Alabama football coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant. The letter was sent to an incoming freshman over 40 years ago. It tells of Bryant’s relationship with his players and his passion for winning. Nick Saban, the current coach shares a passion for winning but his likability is nowhere near that of Bryants.

Dear Chris:

You will be expected to report for football practice August 17. We will expect you to arrive in the afternoon and our first meal will be served that evening at the dorm.

On the 18th, you will take your physical, including the mile run, get your room and locker assignments and participate in Photographer’s Day in the afternoon. Our first practice will be on the morning of the 19th.

I am expecting you to report in top physical condition, clean-cut, smiling, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and raring to go. Also, I am expecting you to be prepared to run, hit, pitch, kick, catch, sweat, smell and enjoy it. There are no easy ways but there are ways to enjoy the journey and we must find them.

I am also expecting you to work hard, eat well, sleep well, play well, display a winning attitude at all times, be a leader and help me sell the squad on what it takes to win and enjoy the journey.

I hope you will share your problems with me whether it be at home, at the dorm, in your school work, with teammates, with coaches, with training regulations, self-discipline or even flying a kite. If you do that, I will try to help you and, if I can’t, I’ll recommend you get a job, join the Army, or join the Foreign Legion, but, in any event, to reside in another state.

Nothing’s too good for winners. I want to love you, pat you, pet you, brag on you and see you hoot, run and shout and laugh, pray, hug, kiss, and win with humility.

If we lose, I want all of us to be unhappy, no one to have any fun, and expect only what is reserved for losers but take it with dignity while planning to come back.

Please remember us to your family and make your personal plans on how you are going to reach your goal – the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Sincerely,Paul Bryant

Kevin Stallings got some much needed good news from the recruiting trail this week when 6′8 forward Sheldon Jeter announced was committing to the Commodores. Jeter averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds in his senior season for Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
Jeter told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette;

“I just really liked everything about them. I like their playing style, the coaches, the players. I just thought I would fit into that system.”

Jeter will join Kevin Bright and A.J. Astroth as the only other recruits coming in so far. But with losing 6 players this year who all contributed Stallings needs to steal a few more guys away before signing day. Stallings had gone 0-for the past few months losing out on some prized recruits but picking up Jeter may swing momentum to his side and hopefully land a few more.

Before picking Vandy Jeter had considered South Carolina, Penn State, and Wisconisn

As you probably heard Casey Hayward was drafted in the second round by the Packers on Friday. The Pack actually traded up to get the All-SEC corner who could be taking Rod Woodson’s spot. There has been chatter that the former Heisman winner could move to safety this year.

Tim Fugger went to the Colts in the 7th round and will have to fight to make the team but with his work ethic he could be a safe bet to make the practice squad at least.

Fugger told the Tennessean;

“I don’t think I could be any more excited. It is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am just very grateful to be in the position I’m in. The coaches I met are really, really awesome guys, and they have an attitude that resembles a lot of the new staff at Vanderbilt. They are really amped up about getting the Colts back on track, and I couldn’t be any more excited about that.”

Sean Richardson will join his buddy from the Commodore secondary, Casey Hayward in Green Bay as he signed a deal yesterday as an undfeated free agent to hopefully earn a spot on the Packers roster.

Brandon Barden signed as an undrafted free agent with the Titans and will get to stay in Nashville as he begins chasing his dream of playing in the NFL.

Former Dore offensive lineman Kyle Fischer has agreed to participate in a Cincinnati Bengals mini-camp this weekend

Larry Smith wasn’t signed or drafted but has been invited to attend the Dallas Cowboys mini-camp later this week.

It’s hard to imagine an NFL draft without the Chicago Bears taking a Commodore but they did invite T.J. Greenstone to their rookie mini-camp tryouts this weekend as well. Maybe Greenstone can earn a spot on the roster and continue the pipeline to ‘West End North’.

Casey Hayward, Sean Richardson, and Tim Fugger all performed well yesterday in the Vanderbilt Pro Day yesterday in Nashville. Hayward is thought to go in the second or third round in next month’s NFL draft while Richardson and Fugger are thought to be mid-round picks.

Lovie Smith, who has several Commodores on his Chicago Bears team was onhand. Chicago has turned into West End North with Jay Cutler, Earl Bennett, DJ Moore, and several other Dores on their roster.

John Jenkins poured in 23 points in a winning effort today against Ole Miss to lead the Commodores all the way to the SEC tournament Finals for the first time since 1951. After a close first half the Dores came alive in the second half to pull away. This senior class will look to do something very special tomorrow against the #1 Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky is thought to be a #1 seed and if Vandy can knock them off we could move up anywhere to a 3 to 5 seed it is thought.

After all the hype over John Jenkins, Festus Ezili, and Jeffrey Taylor Lance Goulbourne has been the glue that holds it all together and had 10 points and 12 rebounds today in the win.

UT got a big road win today in Gainesville over Florida 75 to 70. Trae Golden scored 17 points for the Vols in a winning effort. Jeronne Maymon added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Vols.

Florida has now lost two straight after getting destroyed by Kentucky earlier in the week. It won’t get any easier for the Gators as they will travel to Alabama on Tuesday night.

Les Miles slammed former commitment Gunner Kiel for not coming to LSU. Kiel committed to Indiana then backed out and flirted with Vandy before deciding on LSU. After he gave his verbal to Miles he backed out and enrolled at Notre Dame.

According to Mile Kiel “Didn’t have the chest or ability to lead a program”.

That’s some pretty harsh words for an 18 year old kid.

Vanderbilt made an impression on the national media yesterday when they hauled in some big name recruits like Brian Kimbrow. The Commodore War Room was the place to be yesterday and Vandy has done a good job of making their War Room and National Signing Day into a big deal. Now that the kids are locked in and set for next Fall it starts all over for next year’s recruits.