Q & A with Alan Metcalfe

Now that you graduated are you going to pursue professional basketball overseas or are you planning to do something else?

I have signed a contract to play pro in England in the BBL. Guildford Heat, based about 40 minutes outside of London won the playoffs last year. So I hope to go into a team and help them regain their title.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

Being part of a graduating class that changed the way college basketball critics look at VU basketball.

Who was the toughest player to guard?

DUKE CREWS...hahah not at all. Urm, maybe Al Horford just because of his athletisim. (If I had to pick one)

Where was the toughest place to play?

Arkansas

You experienced Memorial Magic your Junior year when Shan hit the putback off of Derrick Byars miss to beat UT as time expired what do you remember thinking as you watched that unfold?

We had run the final play a few times in practice that week - just thinking to do my job. Set a screen for DB, come back to the ball then rebound. I was right under the rim and was not really thinking anything other than Shan better not miss this haha - the ball went through the net and my celebration was probably the geekiest reaction you have ever seen caught on film.

How cool was it to beat Florida later that year when they were ranked #1 in the country?

We knew we could beat them, especially because of how well we played in the first half at their place. You don't get many chances to have the #1 team come in and even fewer with a team good enough to win. We were not letting this one go and the feeling afterwards was incredible.

What did you think of the incident with Joakim Noah and Coach Stallings when Noah tried to grab the ball from him?

Vintage Coach (Leading by example). Never backing down - lets face it Noah deserved it and it only made us even more determined.

What do you remember about the big win against Kentucky at home a few days later? Kentucky led the entire game except for the last 30 seconds.

I think that was the game DB missed a free throw, got it back and hit a floater to put us up. DB was amazing that season obvisously and that was a big shot for us. A great week in VU basketball to beat Florida and Kentuky in the same week.

What sticks out from the big win over Washington State in the NCAA tournament?

Senior leaders - DB's block when he chased back, Dan's offensive rebound assist to Shan for a 3, and Ted grabbed some huge rebounds plus saved a back court violation for a lay up to Shan. SENIORS LEADING


When I asked Dan Cage about the Georgetown game in the Sweet Sixteen he said "I'm not sure that I will ever be able to put it completely behind me." What are your thoughts on that heartbreaking game?

I agree. Refs make mistakes and to be honest during the game I didnt really notice it. I guess i was concerntrating on his feet, but after everyone was saying that he travelled you start to think back and wonder. Would have been UNC in the elite 8 game which was very winnable.

Do you think Jeff Green's shot should have counted?

It was a travel so obvisouly not but there were alot of feet and legs around and people make mistakes.

Onto your senior year, You were on fire during the DePaul game. How sweet was that to score 18 points and really help carry the team when AJ and Shan couldn't get much going?

Fantastic. I knew I have had it in me to play like that and we didnt have anything going for us really. I dont really know what happened - haha But looking back and seeing that it kept the winning streak alive and that broke another school record is kinda fulfilling - I feel that I contributed more than a 4 year cheerleader haha

The South Carolina game in Columbia was crazy. What did Coach Stallings call for the last play? Was Beal really supposed to drive like that and take the shot?

Beal had been finding guys and making great decisions. Coach wanted him to make a play and make the right decision. He did what he was asked and that entailed him taking the shot.

I'm sure you were confident going into the big home game agianst Kentucky but did you really expect to win by 41?

Not at all. We were a bit peaved that we lost at there place and knew were a better team than them. You always want games to go according to the game plan, just noone expects it to go that well.

How special was the big win over #1 UT at home? It seemed the entire city shut down for that game.

Rival Game. Home court. They are the new number 1. You cant script it any better. Top 5 basketball highlights of my career.

Why do you think we had so much trouble against Arkansas the past few years?

Haha I have no idea.

Senior Night. I don't know really what to say or what to ask. I almost left on 3 seperate occasions because I thought it was over. What are your thoughts on that magic that was in the gym that night?

No words can describe it. It was just written in the cards for Shan, on senior night to go the way he did. Finish off for the senior class what i think many people would agree we deserved to go out like.
Coach called a time out and told Shan it was time to take us on his shoulders. He asked him what he was waiting for...I guess he didnt wait much longer...he went 9 in a row haha

Thanks again Alan, I enjoyed watching you play over the years. Is there anything else you'd like to say to the Vandy fans?

I want to say thanks to all the fans for the awesome support, love and encouragement I recieved over the 4 years there. I will be back to watch a game or 2 thats for sure. Memorial Gym = Second home.
Thanks and God Bless
GO DORES!

Interview with Mario Moore

What have you been up to? I heard you were playing basketball overseas.

I am currently getting back in shape. I am preparing to go back overseas. I went to Slovenia for a year and then I took year off to teach 5th Grade at Apollo.

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

Vanderbilt, has always been one of my favorite colleges because of the education factor and competitive atmosphere. Those two combinations are rare in todays college sports world

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

My best moment at Vanderbilt would be graduation. So many people doubted that I would make it that far and I was able to prove the naysayers wrong.

Who was the toughest player to defend?

Florida's Anthony Roberson during my tenure was the Vandy Killer.

Where was the toughest place to play?

It's a toss up between Florida and Kentucky.

You played with Shan Foster and Matt Freije in your opinion who was better?

Both players were great. It's like comparing apples and oranges. I am just happy to have played with two exceptionally talented athletes.

Where you nervous when you performed at halftime of the Vandy-Richmond football game back in 2005?

Nah. I was not scared to perform it's all fun and games

I couldn't hear it that well. I had heard a rumor that the University was scared that some of the older fans may not like rap music and turned the sound off in parts of the stadium. Is there any truth to that?

I did a tribute to my friend who passed away Kwane Doster. So it did not mattet to me who liked what. I was doing for the memory of my friend. Nothing more, Nothing Less. R.I.P. Kwane Doster.

Are you still pursuing a music career as a rapper?

I was never pursuing a rap career. I like to write and do music. It's a hobby that I'm pretty good at. I do this to pass time and keep my mind occupied. It helps me stay positive among all the hatred and bashing I receive from time to time.

In the 2004 SEC tournament we beat Top 10 Miss. St in overtime. You hit a crucial three pointer to give us the lead with a minute to go and a few other big shots in in OT to get the win. You and JT had a huge game that night. What sticks out from that big win?

What sticks out to me in the Miss. St. game was our will to win. We did not give into the team many had picked to win and we wanted to show everyone that we deserved a spot in the NCAA Tourney.

Being down 12to NC State with three minutes to go what was the turning point in the game? Hundley's steal? Freije's free throws? The intentional foul on Corey? What are your thoughts?

The turning point was when Matt rattled off 11 straight or so. He took his game to another level. By doing that he gave everyone confidence to make key plays and bring home a win.

Your junior year you scored 31 in the Wichita State game. What do you remember about the crazy ending ?

The feeling of seeing Corey, Jason, and Dawid go out on top at Memorial Gym. I loved all of my teammates and it was great feeling to help them go out in style.

What do you remeber about beating Kentucky at Rupp for the first time?

We were the better team and we had to show that we go and win on the road. I remember Coach calling me the night before and telling me how important it was to get our team off to a great start.

You became a Memorial Gym legend with the buzzer beater to beat Oregon your Senior year. Was that the play that was called?

Nah. Coach told me I had 3 seconds so that means dribbles and a shot or 2 dribbles and get the ball to a shooter. Oregon allowed me to get to a good spot on the floor and the rest was history.

How exciting was that to see it go in? It has to be a highlight of your career.

It was a huge moment for me in my career. I think a lot of kids dream to be the top play on sportscenter and now I can say I made ESPN TOP 10 PLAYS AT # 1 .

Thanks again Mario, is there anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

Keep supporting Vanderbilt Sports and the future is looking bright for our Dores. Thanks for listening over and out.

Interview with 2007 SEC Player of the Year

Derrick Byars

 

What have you been up to? I heard you were playing basketball overseas.

Yes. When I was released by Philly in late October, I signed with the Koln 99ers in Cologne , Germany . After several problems there, I left the organization. Since then, I’ve been playing in France for the defending French League champion Chorale-Roanne since late January/early February. Currently, I am preparing for the playoffs here and honing my skills.

When you decided to transfer from Viriginia why did you choose Vanderbilt?

I chose Vandy because the program seemed to be heading in a positive direction coming off a Sweet 16 appearance. There was a lot of excitement building around the program including the 2004 recruiting class that included some of this past year’s seniors. I’d already met/known a few players like Mario and JT from younger days and I’d already established a good connection with Coach Stallings, Coach Jackson and the rest of the staff from earlier recruitment during high school. Plus being only 2.5 hours from home ( Memphis ) was a lot better than the 12-13 hour distance at Virginia.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

I’m proud of a lot of things. My teammates’ work ethic and development. Their will to listen to the coaching staff and improve. My coach earning Coach of the Year honors and his entire staff being a reflection of that honor. Working together with my teammates to achieve certain goals. Surpassing individual goals I set for myself. But I’m probably most proud of graduating though, since odds were against me. And that’s something I love doing---beating the odds. So I’m proudest of that.

You played in a lot gyms/arenas during your career such as the Dean Smith Center, Cameron Indoor, and Rupp Arena. How does Memorial Gym compare to other places around the country?

I believe Memorial has easily emerged as a top 5 venue in college basketball. And in the past year, it has to rank among the top 2 or 3, because if I’m not mistaking, since conference season started during the 2006-07 season, the Commodores only lost 1 game there, which was Senior Night for me, Dan, and Ted against Arkansas . Of course, they were undefeated there this year. That record may not be comparable with anyone else in the country.

Your junior year what do you remember about the Oregon game? The Memorial Magic really worked as Mario hit the buzzer beater. Is that what Coach Stallings drew up?

What I remember about the Oregon game was guarding Aaron Brooks their last possession and allowing him to hit the potential game-winning floater right over me. If we would’ve lost, I would’ve taken that the hardest. The ensuing play was drawn up for Mario to catch it and survey the floor for the best option. Shan was in the corner and Ted was setting a downscreen for me. We were probably covered pretty well and Mario said it felt good the moment it left his hand so it worked out perfectly.

Later that year we went up to Lexington and got our program's first victory at Rupp arena. How special was that win?

To me, the victory felt good because I believe they may have been ranked that year at the time. However, I can only imagine how significant it may have been for Vanderbilt alumni, followers, and former players because it was as if we’d defeated a curse. It was significant, but I couldn’t really grasp the full meaning behind it because the losing streak began before I was born but it was only my first time playing at Rupp. Very defining moment though and everyone was ecstatic afterward.

You experienced the Memorial Magic again when Shan Foster hit the put back off of your miss to beat UT. What do you remember thinking as you watched that unfold?

That’s the thing. I never saw the tip unfold because I fell to the ground. Ross gave me a great pass that not many players could’ve “threaded the needle” on and all I kept thinking was “Don’t Settle”. I wanted to get something at the rim and possibly draw contact. At the very least, I wanted to give the ball a chance by getting it above the cylinder. Whether it was magic or Shan’s natural court savvy, I’m glad he made such an instinctive play to clean up my miss.

How cool was it to upset #1 Florida at home?

It was a great win for our program. I think it really showed that we were an elite team in not only our conference, but America . What made it a bit more satisfying was that we felt we let one slip away a few weeks earlier in Gainesville by losing a double digit halftime lead. The second game we laid the hammer down from the start and never looked back. It was a great victory for everyone surrounding the program to enjoy.

What did you think about the incident between Joakim Noah and Coach Stallings?

I didn’t know what to think actually. The backdoor pass to Shan went out of bounds straight to Coach. He caught it and as he was trying to say something to one of our players, Noah tried to inbound the ball quickly. The exchange was funny even at the time because it’s not everyday you see something like that.  It was just one of those funny moments in college basketball that will be talked about and replayed for some time.

What are your thoughts on the Kentucky game late in the year where we trailed the entire game until the last 30 seconds to squeak out the win?

That game just kind of signified how far we had come as a team since losing to Furman at home during non-conference. Whenever you can trail an entire game to an NCAA tournament team and still find a way to gut it out at the end, it showed how confident of a group we had become in crunchtime situations as well as how together we had become.

In the Washington State NCAA tournament game there where so many great moments. To me the key to the game was your blocked shot off of that big steal with a few seconds left in overtime. They would've won the game. What are your thoughts on that big game?

There were so many big plays to that game. As I recount that game, there was a possession where Ted hustled and got us an extra chance to score and Dan sniffed it out and made the pass to Shan to hit a crucial three during regulation. Nobody talks about that play but Ted solely being in the vicinity created an extra chance we might not have gotten. He was huge late in the game. He gave us a body to guard Baynes and Cowgill as well as offensive production. Shan made huge shots. Dan made savvy plays. Ross was big. Red came up big guarding Rochestie and making shots. My overall thought about the game is that guys made winning plays against a tough opponent.

About the Georgetown game Dan Cage told me "To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I will ever be able to put it completely behind me. I have relived the last 15 seconds or so a million times in my head." What are your thoughts?

It’s funny because Dan and I ran into each other when I was in Germany and that exact line came up in our conversation…..from both of us. We talked about how hard we took that loss. It was evident because he and I were the 1st two and only players in the locker room seemingly for 5 whole minutes after the game. I remember everything about that game and Dan and I talked about “where should we have been when Green picked up the ball?” , “Should we have come double-teamed?” , “Was there any way I could’ve anticipated them running that play?” , “Was my defensive position correct on the weak side?”.

And the truth is, there was no better way Shan could’ve guarded Jeff Green that play. Our team defense was solid. For a while after that game, I thought about what could have been or what should have been and it took me 3 months to watch the actual taping. That last play was so cemented in my memory that I had nightmares about it. But as with everything in life, it passed, and you learn to move on.

 Do you think Jeff Green traveled?

In America , where that game was played, that was a definite traveling violation. Even Jeff admitted it himself when I ran into him last summer.

Where is your SEC player of the Year trophy?

In the confines of a secret location in Memphis.

Thanks again Derrick. Is there anything else you want to say to the Vandy fans?

May God Bless You and Thank you.

 

 

Interview with SEC Champion Kevin Anglin

How did you get into coaching?

It was something when I was a player that win the back of my mind. When I graduated there was a coaching change. Coach Fogler left as I was graduating and I had a opportunity to join the new staff Jan's first year. I got a taste of it at the collegiate level there. From there I ventured into the private sector and worked in the software business for a while. But I never gave up the idea of coaching. I coached a few middle school teams along the way and eventually decided I wanted to give the coaching thing a shot and was fortunate enough to land a high school job here at MBA. I'm finishing my fifth year here. It's something I've always wanted to do and I'm lucky to get to do it.

Who or what inspired you to coach?

It's always been a fascination I've had. The intricacies of the game and the subtleties of a group trying to work together. It's probably a more of a what that inspired me though I've had some great coaches along the way. It's more of an interest in the game and a challenge to see if I can not just be successful as a player but take a completely differnet view and help a group of players accomplish, achieve, and understand things that I felt I could do as a player.

 

Are you teaching too?

Yes, I teach a couple of classes of Math and some computer classes as well.

Does it make you fell old when they old when they call you Mr. Anglin?

Yeah, It does. The thing that makes me feel old is that the kids in middle school and even high school, they weren't even born. And the ones that were where too young to remember. That is what makes feel old.

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

I grew up in Franklin and I wanted to play basketball at the highest level, as any high school kid would. I was also a good student. I wanted to go somewhere academically and somewhere that would be challenging and afford the kind of opportunities after school you would want. Vanderbilt seemed like the best of both worlds. I grew up following them being a kid in the area. It was terrific to have an opportunity to go there.

Did anyone try to steal you away from Vandy?

I had some other opportunities. I wasn't very wise to the recruiting process and I probably limited myself more than I should have. I wanted to go to Vanderbilt and that's where I ended up going. If I hadn't gone to Vanderbilt I probably would've ended up at Evansville. Jim Crews was the coach at the time. It would have been a good fit for me also.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vandy?

I'm very proud of the things we accomplished over a four year period. We were able to win the NIT my freshman year on a team that was coming out of the era with Goheen, Booker, Kornet, and Purdue. They had alot of success and most people thought that was going to be a rebuilding year. And to be able to accomplish that was very special.

To win the SEC was probably the thing I'm most proud of in that last year. The last was a culmination of everything we worked for our entire time there. The SEC championship and the NIT championship are the things I'm most proud of.

Where was the toughest place to play?

Rupp was the toughest place to play in a sense that it was the hardest place to win. It had a little to do with the atmosphere and a lot more to do with the way Kentucky played there.

I think Arkansas was the most hostile atmosphere when we played them in Barnhill. We played them there in my sophmore year in the preseason NIT and then again my junior year when they joined the SEC. That was the last year Barnhill was open. It was a rowdy and interesting place to play.

Who was the best player you played against at Vandy?

I guess there's one that stands out. It was Chris Jackson. My freshman year he was a junior and he went pro after that. I remember trying to guard him and I'm a couple of steps off of him 30 feet away from the basket and he just pulled up shooting the ball. It was the game where we lost 121 to 108. He had about 45. I'm sure it was a very entertaining game to watch but he was doing things you were accustomed to other guys doing. That's the one guy I couldn't get a grip on. Although I only got two play him against a couple of times. Where as Allan Houston, James Robinson, Sprewell, all those other guys you had a bunch of wars with you figured out how to have some success against them.

Didn't Chris Jackson tie the NBA record for consecutive free throws?

Yeah, he didn't have a very long career. He kind of faded away but at the collegiate level he was talented.

What are your thoughts on Memorial Magic. In 91 Steve Grant hit the only 3 of his career in the last seconds to beat Georgia and in 1993 when Chris Lawson hit a putback at the buzzer to beat Top Ten Louisville.

I remember both of those. In fact I passed the ball to Steve out of a double team. He took a couple of dribbles and hit the three. That was really an amazing win because we were hanging by a thread all night. We had made some shots to keep us in it and that was a big win for us early in the year.

Same thing with Louisville, they were a talented team. Of course our team that year was good too. Anytime you can beat quality teams like that at home and when you do it in exciting fashion like that at the end it's even more memorable. I had a great view of Chris's rebound and putback. I was one of the first couple of guys to run and jump on his back.


How cool was it to beat Kentucky the first time you played against them?

It was cool. One of the coolest things about it was the fact that the group before me the last few years Coach Newton was there had made a habit out of beating them regularly at least at Memorial. They had beaten them several times at home. When I got there it was a big game and we were excited but there was an expectation to beat them. It was great but we expected to do it. I think we beat them three out of four years in Memorial. We never got them at Rupp. We only really had one chance to that there. But it was cool it was certainly one of the games you circled and where excited about.

Last year's team really raised the bar by beating then by 41. Hard to top that.

That's going to be hard to do. We had a night like that my freshman or sophmore year where we beat UT by 40 in Memorial. It as one of those nights where we did everything right and we did everything wrong. They just happen occasionally for whatever reason.

How special was it being the NIT champions your freshman year?

It was really great. That team started very well. I think we were 10-2, 3-1 in the SEC. We won at Alabama to open the league. I think Derrick Wilcox hit a buzzer beater. Nobody had expected much from that team and to get off to that start was really exciting. Then it all went downhill for a while. We lost a few, then we lost 7 in a row. Several of them where heartbreakers where we lost by one or two. Nothing went our way. We started to play better and got into the NIT and we were excited to have the chance to keep playing.

Basketball is a tournament game and it's such fun when you are playing well and playing deep into a tournament. When you have a chance to win a national tournament that's even more exciting and do something the school had never done before. We knew it wasn't the NCAA National Championship but it was something the school had never done so it was special.

What do you remember about playing Georgetown in the NCAA tournament your sophmore year?

There are a couple of games that whether purposely or subconsciously I don't remember much about. One of them was the Temple game my senior year. I can't tell you too many details probably because I don't want to remember them. The other was the Georgetown game. I remember we hung around all night and made a run in the 2nd half and had a chance to win but we just came up a little short. I do remember playing against the two 7 footers. The second memory is Steve Grant dunking over one of those two guys. He had a great dunk on one of them. That's something I'll never forget.

It's funny you say that you don't remember about the Temple game. When I talked to Bruce Elder he told me the same thing.

When you lose like that you tend to forget the losses and remember the big wins and great moments. For Bruce and I it was the end of our careers. We probably could have gone overseas and played but that was it. You are in a state of shock. It's a state of shock and disappointment. It's not something you dwell on and remember much about. I actually have a tape of that game. Of all the games I have on tape that's not one I put it in to watch. And Georgetown, same thing for the same reason.

I was really proud of our effort against Georgetown. Everyone had counted us out but we hung around and had a chance to win it late.

I was a sophmore and we had other days to live and fight. The morale around the team after the game wasn't negative. We had made the tournament. We were probably one of the last few teams in that year. In fact I remember watching the Selection Show that day. We didn't watch it as a team. We were all scattered around campus. Part of that was a sign of the teams. Teams back then didn't sit around and watch it was a team like they do today. We weren't sure we were going to in. I remember almost being suprised when I saw the bracket. I think we all felt that when we lost to Georgia in the SEC tournament that we had played our way out of the tournament. It was exciting to be there. We played pretty well and didn't win but the morale of the team was pretty good.

What did you think of the SEC bringing in Arkansas and South Carolina your junior year?

It was exciting. The league was great with ten teams but with the infusion of new blood and the infusion of the East and West schedules which kind of shook things up a little bit and made it different and exciting. It made the SEC tournament at the end of the year just that much more of an event. I don't think anybody will forget when Arkansas entered the arena in Birmingham. There was a new kid on the block. They have just as many fans and Kentucky and they are just as vocal. As players we enjoyed the variety of competition. It was very cool.

The 18 game league schedule was brutal. There were 10 teams and you played the other nine teams twice and that was brutal. I don't think it was a bad thing that the league games went to 16 instead of 18 with the new format.

What do you remember about beating Shaq and LSU your junior year?

We beat Shaq twice. My sophmore year was the game was when all the fireworks happened at the end of the game. Dale Brown was out at half court and Shaq got the technical. I remember that game very well. They had beaten us pretty handily the first three times since I had been there. We didn't have an answer for Shaq, Chris Jackson, Stanley Robertson, and all those guys. I remember we sort of held the ball and slowed the pace. It frustrated them we controlled the game and made enough stops to get the win. It was exciting.We always felt we could beat anybody at Memorial.

The bigger suprise was when we beat them the next year, I guess. We didn't have that strong of a team and were having a bad year. They were leading the league when they came in. We made a bunch of 3's. Chris Woods and Todd Millholand and some others defended Shaq just enough to get the win. The last two times we played Shaq we beat them.

What do you remember about the big home wins against Arkansas and Kentucky your senior year?

I remember that team got off to a great start. We were 11-1 with the only loss to Illinois out in Alaska. Then we had two really tough losses. One was to Memphis State and at Florida. The Memphis game we controlled for the first 30 minutes then they started pressing us and we started very uncharacteristically lost out composure and started turning it over. We missed some free throws and ended up losing to Penny Hardaway and those guys.

Then we went down to Florida right after that. We fought and battled but Stacy Poole beats us with a buzzer beater after walking. We lost two in a row after such a great start. I remember thinking that the rest of the season could go one or two ways. We would either fold and wilt or get right back up off the canvas and that's what we did. We came right back off the canvas and beat #1 Kentucky. We followed that up with the next game with a win over a talented Georgia team. We then went on to beat a Top Ten Arkansas team. That said alot about the backbone and character of that team. After that we followed it up with solid road wins over UT and Auburn. I think that told everybody that we were for real.

I was at the Arkansas game. It was very exciting and we scored a lot of points that night and to top it off Coach Richardson got thrown out.

When people think of Vandy they think 3 point shooting and ball control. That team with Kentucky and Arkansas was right there to lead the leauge in scoring with over 0 points a game. When you got two of those teams together it's not suprising we'd score 100 points. Our team was very good at passing, catching, and shooting. When you get two teams like that out there it's a lot of fun to watch.

How glad where you to avenge the loss to Illinois in the NCAA tournament?

It's ironic. I think if you would have asked the guys in the room before the brakcets where announced. I think there was a sense in the room where that was going to come back around somewhere along the way. We layed such a big egg in Alaska when we played them. That's another game I don't remember much about. We got outplayed, outmanned and outhustled. Nothing seemed to go well. We knew we were so much better than that. The chance to have redemption and do it right was very appealing. It was great to advance to the Sweet Sixteen but to avenge that loss it was satisfying.

How often do you come back to Memorial to see the games?

I used to come alot. Now that I'm coaching it's harder to get over there because we play so many games and practice. When we aren't playing I like to get home and see my family. I do keep up with them. I watch them on TV and get over there when I can. I went to Atlanta and watched them in the SEC tournament.

I'm very excited where the program is now. I feel it's back to where we had it when Bruce and I graduated. It got derailed for a while with coaching changes and things that happened back in the mid-90's. It'd back on track now where it can be a national program with not only a chance to make the tournament but a chance to make a deep run in it.

Where you in Atlanta for the tornado?

I was there with Bruce for the afternoon game. We went to eat and debated whether to go back or not. We went back to his house and all that stuff happened. We were right down there where all that stuff happened. Tornado's don't hit in metropolitan areas like that. It was crazy. Then what happened after that with moving the tournament to Georgia Tech and Georgia winning the whole thing. That will go down in history.

Anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

I still remember my playing days fondly. I am proud to have worn the Black and Gold. I look forward to having them have continued success.

 

Catching up with Howard Pride May 08

 

I understand you are an assistant coach at UAB. How did you wind up there?

I have been friends with Coach Mike Davis since he was the coach at Indiana. He had an opening on his staff last Spring and invited me to come down to Birmingham to talk about it and he offered me the same day.

What would you have done if UAB played Vandy in the NCAA tournament this year? Calling in sick isn't an option.

I would be excited because both teams wold be fortunate to have made the field of 65! I would have mixed emotions until the game starts and then I am coaching to win.

Is it your ultimate goal to be a head coach one day?

I would love to coach at an NCAA Institution. That is my ultimate goal. I have been a head coach at the High school level and I loved that experience.

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

I enjoyed the coaching staff, location, academics, conference, players, and fans. Coach Fogler was a great recruiter and very personable. I love his vision for the Vanderbilt Basketball program and the style of play. I think Nashville is one of the best cities in the Southeast. Vanderbilt University was/is second to none! The SEC was the Premier Basketball Conference at that time. The team was awesome and displayed such great team chemistry. Malik Evans and Ronnie McMahan are still two of my good friends.

What are you most proud of from your days at Vanderbilt?

I am proud of the Academic Challenges that I endured because they have helped me persevere through some difficult challenges in my professional Life. I had some great professors (Kathy Hoover Dempsey and Howard Sandler who also was my Advisor) and two wonderful Mentors: Late Coach Martin and Dr. Ann Neely.

Where was the hardest place to play?

The hardest place to play to was in Oxford, Mississippi at Ole Miss. The lack of atmosphere and they played so hard that it was like a street fight. You left all battered and bruised.

Who was the best player you played against?

The Best player I played against was Billy McCaffery in practice!

What did think of this years Commodore team?

I think Kevin Stallings is one of the Best coaches in the Country and has a good staff. They have a great inside/outside combo with Shane Foster and A.J Ogilivy. They are fun to watch and they can really score.

Your freshman year we beat Wake Forest, a team that included Tim Duncan and a few other future NBA players. What do you remember about that game?

I remember thinking that this freshman has a double- double at the half and coach was really upset but we were doing a great job on him because they had a great guard in Randolph Childress so we had to stay home on him. I knew he was Special and thus I was a fan of his from that night forward. The Spurs are my favorite team today.

What do you remember about losing to Villanova in the NIT finals that year?

It was tale of two halves. We had a great first half and then Billy got hurt and Frank was wonderful but we had no answer for the balance of Villanova and Kerry Kittles.

Your sophmore year what do you remember about the overtime victory over a great Alabama team at home?

It was a special night for me because I did not play in the game in Tuscaloosa my freshman year. I had alot of family and friends in town and I played well that night. That game was high scoring and alot of fun.

Your junior year we beat defending NCAA chamion UCLA in Maui. What sticks from that big win?

I had my hands full that day guarding Tobie Bailey and Charles O'Bannon. They were extremely talented but they were very cocky and a bit over confident that were going to just show up and win the game because they were UCLA. Our team grew from that Maui experince I believed that if, Malik and I would not have gotten hurt then we would have made the NCAA Tourney that year. That was a special hard nosed group of guys that I played with year and I thought VBK and staff did a great job in having us prepared.

Later that year we beat Arkansas on the road. I believe that was only the 2nd home loss they ever experienced in SEC play.

I wish I can say that I played well that game and I played a big part in that victory but I was still rehabing my broken fibula.

How did you break your fibula?

I broke my Fibula on December 9th in the Rice Game. It was a loose ball and had beaten the Rice player to the loose ball and he dove into my Leg. It happened early in the 2nd half.

What do you remember about playing at Duke your senior year? I hear those fans are crazy.

I remember that we got our butts whipped and their fans making very nasty remarks towards Pax.

Later that year we had a big home win against a good Ole Miss team in a real close game. What do you remember about that game?

I remember it was an early ESPN game and I played a really good floor game. Ole Miss was good that year and we needed a quality win if, we wanted to remain in the hunt for an NCAA Bid. I was extremely soar after that game because it was an all out war.

Senior night, how special was it to go out a winner against Florida?

It meant the world to me! I scored one point that game but having my family there and walking off the court to that rousing ovation from the best basketball fans in the country made me realize how much they appreciated me and my trials as a Student-Athlete at Vanderbilt.

We made it to the NCAA tournament that year. We came up a little short against Xavier but you still have to be proud of the fact that you made it in.

I had been waiting three years to have that experince. I was disappointed that we did not last longer than one game but I will not trade it for anything. We accomplished something together as a team.

Thanks again Howard is there anything else you'd like to say to all your Vandy fans out there?

I am extremely honored to have worn the Black and Gold! I love Vanderbilt and I want to say a special "Thank You," to all the wondeful fans that cheered and supported me while I played!  

 

Interview with Vanderbilt Legend

Barry Booker May 08

Barry, how did you get into broadcasting?

Well, I stumbled into it actually. I did a couple of things on local TV with Rudy Kalis in the 1993 season. Vandy was the SEC champs and they had a game against Memphis that channel 4 broadcasted and Rudy asked me to do that. I also did a little postseason thing with them too. Some folks in Nashville recommended me to Jefferson Pilot and now Raycom. Coach Fogler I know was one of those that made the recommendation. Those guys picked me tup and here I am 15 years later.

When calling the games is it hard to stay impartial being a Vandy alum? Do you ever get caught up in the game as a fan?

Not so much, when I'm watching a game these days in the SEC I've got friends and people I know at every place. I remember going to the Kentucky a game a few years ago in Nashville. I was there as a fan. I was yelling and cheering as a fan but I remeber feeling really bad for Kentucky when they lost. They made some plays in that game that really cost them and I felt bad for them but of course I was excited for Vanderbilt. But when I'm broadcasting I'm just there looking for good game. I do a lot of studying and preperation to so I don't get too excited one way or the other when I'm doing a Vanderbilt game. I had the Dores against Auburn this year. It was basically another game. I was just glad I didn't have to travel.

It's too bad you didn't get to call the game on Senior Night where Shan Foster blew up and had that big game. That would've been fun to call.

Yeah, I'm sorry I missed that one. I had Kentucky-South Carolina that night in Columbia. It really would've been fun. Shan is realy one of my All-Time favorites and I would've loved to seen him play on Senior Day. And to see the way he played that night would've been a blast. I was really excited for him. That pushed him over the top for SEC Player of the Year. I'm just sorry it ended the way it did.

Yeah that game against Mississippi State was so exciting. I almost left on 3 different occasions. My wife talked me into staying. If it wasn't fo her I would've left with a few miuntes left in the game.

You better hold on to her.

Actually the first game I ever took her to was the game against Oregon where Mario Moore hit the shot at the buzzer to win.

Yes, that I was a fun one. I was there too.

I told her I can never bring you back because it's never going to be this good.

You need to keep bringing her back. She might be good luck

She doen't work on football though. I tried.

Why did you decide to come to Vanderbilt?

I'm from Franklin and it's a great school. SEC basketball, my sister was at there. She was two years ahead of me and she had a really good experience. I grew up watching Vanderbilt play and basically I've been a lifelong fan. It was a pretty easy decision.

You came from a pretty big family didn't you?

I'm the 12th of 12 children. All were college graduates. We have 7 advanced degrees in that bunch. We had amazing parents and a Gracious God. I'm glad they didn't stop with 11 kids.

I bet they are very proud.

Oh yes, they lots to be proud of.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I guess the first thing that comes to mind is the Sweet Sixteen trip in 88. When I arrived Vanderbilt basketbal was kind of at a low point when I arrived in the fall of 85. The previous year they had lost something like 11 straight SEC games or something like that. It was a really tough year. The fan support was slipping a little bit. They were still drawing a 11,000 people to the games even during the losing streak. The team was having a tough time and the pressure was really rising on Coach Newton. He was in his fourth year or so my freshman year. Things started to turn around during that time and we made the NIT in 87. We made the Sweet Sixteen in 88 and then another NCAA tournament appearance in 89.

I guess really I'm most proud of getting things headed back in the right direction.

Who was the best player you played against at Vanderbilt?

Johnny Dawkins was really good at Duke. Robert Horry, the most accomplished NBA player was a freshman when I was a Senior. I matched up with him a couple of times. Vernon Maxwell was really good. Willie Anderson, a bunch of good players. I missed out playing against Michael Jordan.

Your sophmore year we beat Indiana who was #2 in the country. Yeah, that's right. We had them down here in Nashville. Coach Knight had a really good club. They were without Rick Calloway, a really good small forward. It was a real hard fought game, back and forth. We were able to pull it out. It was definitely a highlight. For them to go on and win the National Championship made that even that much better.

Didn't we also play Duke that year?

We played them there. It's a tough place to play. The students surround the lower section of Cameron Indoor stadium. They were rowdy. They were excited and had some choreographed things for us.

Was that the toughest place to play?

Yes, the fans were such a distraction. Rupp Arena, was by far the place in the SEC where the fan support was really good.

The win over Kentucky your junior year was really big. It broke a 6 year drought. What did that win mean to you?

It was huge especially having all the Kentucky guys on our team. Goheen, Wilcox, Scott Draud, there was a bunch of guys and that win meant so much to them. It was really exciting because I knew how much it meant to them. And also anytime you beat Kentucky it's always a big deal. On New Years Eve we lost to them in Lexington earlier that year. We had every chance to win the game but had some turnovers late. They came back and beat us. We were excited to get revenge and beat them pretty bad. I think we beat them by 16 or something like that.

What do you remember about the buzzer beater against Pitt?

It was the highlight of my basketball career. Winning that game to advance to the Sweet 16. Goheen again, the three he makes to cut it to one. They hit two free throws and he makes a tough floater with two guys on him three pointer to force overtime. It was just unbelievable.

Scott Draud said that you had a famous quote after that game.

If I knew it would have been this much fun we would've done it a long time ago. We were excited about beating Pitt and getting on the plane back to Nashville knowing we were advancing to play in the Sweet Sixteen. When we get back to the airport and there are 4,000 people there waiting for us and everybody in Nasvhille is really excited about our team. Everybody on campus was pumped. That whole week between the win against Pitt and going to Detroit to play Kansas everybody I ran into would say "Oh man, I thought we lost". Or "Let me tell you where I was when Goheen hit that shot."

The game against Kansas was heartbeaking. I just knew that after that win over Pitt we were destined to go onto win the National Championship.

At that time, all the 8 teams that were in that group were at the same site. We were all in Licoln, Nebraska. We were there with Kansas. We weren't really that impressed with them when we watched them play Murray State. Murray State had a good team that year had a shot to beat them in that round of 32. We thought, Kansas no big deal. Purdue was the #1 seed in our bracket. They had recruited Frank Kornet. He was more intimidated by them then he was Kansas. Had we gotten past Kansas we wouldn't even had to play Purdue. Kansas State was the team that went onto the Field of 8.

Your senior year we had that great game against Pitt. Another big Goheen buzzer beater saved us again.

It was a regulation game and pretty low scoring. It was the best game of my career. I had 20 points I think, It was a game where points were hard to come by. I probably had 10 points in that last five minutes. It kept us in the game. I hit a couple of foul shots to push us ahead by two. Then they came down and scored with a four or five seconds left. We couldn't get a rebound. They just kept banging it off the backboard and finally somebody tipped it in to tie it up. We got it in to Goheen, he got it just past halfcourt and made another game winner.

I remember for that game all the hype was all about Previs Ellison.

He had a good game. Our team my senior year we played a really tough schedule. Our record didn't reflect how good that team really was.

What about the tennis ball game.

Oh, my SEC chamionship ring?

It's just awful. We had it wrapped up. One second left, with the ball out of bounds. All we had to do was toss it in and we win. Then all of the sudden tennis balls on the court. The refs made the call as they had been directed by the league office. It probably was the right call. Not much choice for them. It's just so unfortunate that it turned the game around. Florida wins and beat us by a game for the SEC title. It's just heartbreaking...Still.

Do you have any idea who threw those tennis balls?

No I never found out. They're not going to give me my championship ring now. Florida later got stripped of that title for some recruiting issues. It's just no good all around.

If you were face to face with whoever threw the tennis balls what would you say to him?

It's been 20 years. I'd probably just kid him. No grudges. There's nothing he cold do to change what happened.

The Notre Dame NCAA tournament game that year was on St. Patricks Day. When they came out in green jerseys. You just knew it wasn't going to be a good day.

Probably the worst part of that for us was we were watching Princeton and Georgetown right before that. The winner of our game was going to play the winner of that one. Princeton had a great chance to win and we were rooting for them. We had played them and beaten them earlier in the year. We were much more comfortable playing Princeton than Georgetown. When Georgetwon won that game we were very much deflated. I think that had a big outcome of our game.

What does CM Newton mean to you?

He's a wonderful guy. A very good coach. I think he'e meant more to me since my days at Vanderbilt. He's helped me out in the broadcasting world and he's a fantastic guy

. Do you think Shan Foster will do well in the NBA?

. I do. I think he'll do very well. I think with his size and shooting ability. He can defend. He has a good chance to have a long career in the NBA.

He's such a great kid. He's writes gospel music and is so humble.

I remember seeing him on FSN singing "Jesus Loves Me". He's a top notch kid.I'm so proud of him and the career he had at Vanderbilt. He'll do very well in the NBA.

Barry Goheen he's just amazing what can you tell us about him?

He was amazing with the clock winding down. It seemed like he made every one. I can only remember one that didn't go in. I think it was his freshman year at Alabama. He just missed it. Other than that he made every single clutch shot when we needed it. He's a genius on the basketball court. He disputes this but I remember his discription of an alley oop he threw to Frank Kornet during a Kentucky game. After the game he was saying, "I saw Frank there and I thought I can get the pass through but then I thought no way I can get the pass there then I thought we were up 30 so the best they can do is knock it out of bounds so I went ahead and threw it and Frank slammed it." But just to have that many thoughts in a split second is just phenomenal.

I remember the Ole Miss game your senior year. My Dad took me to that game. I really wanted to see a Goheen buzzer beater. He didn't hit a buzzer beater but he did end up hitting a some free throws with a few seconds left to win the game.

Yeah, that was a tight game. I remember he had a breakaway that should've been a 3 point play but they called it on the floor. He had to step to the line and hit some free throws to pull that one out. Barry's such a great guy. We still keep in touch. He's in Atlanta. He's married and has two little girls. He's doing very well.

I was about 12 years old when you and Goheen played. When I was younger all the kids in the neighborhood wanted to be Larry Bird or Magic Johnson. My best friend and I would always want to be Barry Booker or Barry Goheen. I can't describe how much much I enjoyed watching you two play as a child.

That is cool. So many people tell me how much they enjoyed those teams.

Anything else you'd like to say to the fans?

Yes, June 3rd is the Bomb Squad Classic. It's going to be a golf scramble starting that morning. Then that evening at 7 at BGA it's going to be the Barry Booker Celebrity Roast. George Plaster is going to be the Master of Ceremonies. It's going to be a fun day raising money to benefit Look Mom No Arms. The mission of that organization is to aid the physically challenged to live more independently. The fans of the Bomb Squad teams should enjoy this. Coach Newton is coming out for this. I know Goheen is coming. I'll be there. Hopefully we'll get Mayes, Draud, and Wilcox to come out. I don't know if Will Perdue can make it out with his broadcasting career. I hope to get Frank Kornet out there and some other guys from those late 80's teams. For more information and reservations contact Roger Rice at 615-525-0470 or send an email to LMNA@CHARTER.NET

If you want to see Goheen hit a hole in one all you have to do is just count down 3,2,1 and sound a foghorn or something like that.

Yes, exactly, Haha. 

 

Interview with SEC Champion and former Commodore

Bruce Elder April 08

 

Bruce thanks for talking to us what have you been up to?

Well, I just took a new job back in the fall. I'm working for a small consulting firm that does assessments for investors. It's a new career for me. Before that I was working in operations and development for health care companies since I left the MBA program at Vanderbilt.

 

Speaking of Vanderbilt, what led you to transfer from Davison to Vanderbilt?

It was a basketball decision. I wanted to play at a higher level and have the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament and win a conference championship and play against the highest level of competition I could find. Davison was great I loved it. I made some great friends. There were a lot of problems with the program and they were in a real transition time between conferneces and it really hurt there scheduling and the prospects for the last three years of my career. It was a tough decision but I decided to go somewhere where I could get equal academics and get more upside with basketball. Sounds like you don't regret it one bit. No I don't. The great thing is that I just got married not too long ago and I had two seperate set of groomsmen, two were from Vanderbit and two were from Davidson. I feel like I had two complete sets of college friends and I still have them to this day. So it worked out really well.

Who were the groomsmen? Kevin Anglin and Willie Daunic

Willie Daunic is doing really well at 104.5 here in Nashville

. Willie has gotten quite a career in broadcasting now. I actually talked to him today. Kevin, Willie and I are still very close.

So it sounds like you still stay in touch with your former teammates.

I do, I don't get to talk to them as much as I'd like. We had a reunion of the 93 team 2 summers ago and that was great. I'd like to talk to them more often. I bump into them here and there when I'm in Nashville.

Who was the best player you played against at Vandy?

Wow, that's a very tough question. You know there were three or four that stand out. Allan Houston we matched up all three years with him and even the year I sat out he was a freshman so I got to see him in his entire career. Shaq, clearly made a big impression and was a lot to deal with. There's guys that a lot of people forgot about like Calbert Cheany at Indiana who was just unbelievable. We were fortunate to play against a lot of good players. We played against Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Motumbo at Georgetown, Latrell Sprewell and Robert Horry at Alabama, and Penny Hardaway from Memphis. There were tons of good players. Yeah that Alabama team was loaded. They had Horry, Sprewell, and James Robinson who was little younger. They had a good run of talent.

What do you think about the Commodore team this year?

They are certainly exciting. Shan Foster is having a huge year. They have Ogilvy down on the inside and he give us some good prospects for the future. They are fun to watch. They score a lot of points and have plenty of experience. They also have a good mix of inside-outside so they aren't too heavily dependent on shooting jump shots all night. Obivously they've done very well. They struggled on the road which many teams in the SEC do. They may need to do a little damage in the tournament to get a better seed.

Until we beat Tennessee we weren't getting a lot of respect.

Yeah, we had won the games we were supposed to win and generaly lost the ones that people thought we'd lose. We had that tough stretch of road games but they recovered. The Arkansas loss was tough. We looked to have took control of that game but Arkansas turned it on. It wasn't a bad loss but I think a lot of people are taking a "wait and see" with us.

Why is it so hard to play on Senior Night?

Your are expected to win and expected to play great and have a very memorable night. It's almost hard to live up to the anticipation and emotion and concentrate on the task at hand. It's tremendously emotional. You do have this expectation to win and to play well to go out in a blaze of glory. It's really difficult. I can remember playing on Senior Night in the first half I had two points and got in foul trouble early and thinking this was going to be a disaster. We were playing UT and forutnately I had a good second half and won in overtime. It looked a little dicey for a while.

You don't want to spend Senior Night on the bench do you?

No, the nightmare you want to avoid is playing poorly, getting into foul trouble and looking back on Senior Night with less than fond memories. That's what creates the additional pressure. There's pressure on your teammates because they want to send you out on a high note.

You experienced the Memorial Magic twice in Memorial Gym. In 91 Steve Grant hit the only 3 of his career in the last seconds to beat Georgia and in 1993 when Chris Lawson hit a putback at the buzzer to beat Top Ten Louisville.

I happen to be standing under the basket when both of those instances. I had the best view in the house of the ball coming through the rim. I was almost in the same spot when both of those shots went in.

What is it about Memorial Gym that causes all that crazy stuff to happen?

I don't know if anymore crazy stuff happens in our gym than anybody else's. especially since Barry Goheen left. We hit a shot to beat Oregon a few years ago was another instance of that. We are a confident team at home. When it gets tight late we think we can win. We've been in a lot of close games because we played a lot of good competition. You mix conifidence with opportunity and good things happen. Typically better coached teams tend to keep their wits about them better than other teams do. Coach Fogler had a lot to do with that as well.

It's funny you brought up the Oregon game. My wife and I had just started dating and that was the first game I took her to see. When it was over I told her I can never bring you back because it won't be the same.

You're right, it is amazing how those things happen. It's a matter of opportunity arising and people keeping their wits about them amidst all the chaos.

Your junior year Shaquille O'Neal and LSU came into town having a monster year. We held him to 10 points and beat LSU 76-69. What do you remember about playing against Shaq?

I just remember how much of a presence he was. You were always conscience of where was on the floor both offensively and defensivly. Anytime you drove into the lane you had to know where was. Especially defensivly you had to know where he was at all times. He was such a smooth guy and moved so well. At the same time they didn't do a ton of creative things to use him effectively. He was still a little bit raw offensively and that gave us a chance.

In 1993 We beat # 8 Arkansas at home 102-89. Nolan Richardson was ejected from the game. What do you remember about that night? There was a whole lot of points scored.

That was a fun game to play. That was when Corliss Williamson was a freshman I think, It was up and down. A lot of pressure. They had kind of gotten away from the 40 minutes of hell but still played a lot of gambling, trapping defense. They liked to play quick. It was a high possession game. It was fun to play because there are a lot of points scored and it's up and down. There's a lot of flow to the game. I just remember we handled the pressure well. We exectuted well offensively. Maybe defensively we didnt' have a great night. I can just remember we dictated control of the tempo enough to play at a pace that was comfortable for us and was pretty effective.

I remember the crowd was on fire that night. It was a lot of fun.

Yeah, that was a great crowd it was the beginning of the week where we had Arkansas, Georgia, then Kentucky all in a row at home.

Also that week Kentucky came in to town #1.It was another high scoring afair as we won 101-86. What did it mean to you to beat the #1 team in the country at home your senior year?

That was big. That was the highlight of my career to that point. Collectively it had showed us how far we came as a team. It also showed us we could play with and beat anybody on any given night. It was a great crowd. It was everything you came to do when you come play at to Vanderbilt. You play in a big time SEC game with Kentucky with a fantastic crowd and that's what Memorial is supposed to be all about.

Earlier that year Illinois beat us convincingly in the Great Alaskan Shootout. What was going through your mind before that game? Where you excited to get a chance to avenge that loss and move on in the tournament?

Yes, that was a little bit of karma and fate that we got a chance to redeem ourselves with Illinois. That was a thumping we took in Alaska in the second game. So much so that we called a team meeting after the game to talk about some things. I remember getting three fouls in the first ten minutes. That was a pretty good symbol of how the team progressed over the course of the year because we won convicingly in the tournament.And it just made it all that much sweeter to do it there in the NCAAs.

The Temple Sweet Sixteen game was disappointing. It broke my heart.

Yeah me too.

We led at halftime then they went on a run and had a big lead. We cut it down but still came up a little short in the end. What do you remember about that game?

I remember the game went very, very fast. There were very few fouls. Temple played that zone. Both teams were using a lot of time on each possession and there weren't a lot of dead balls. It seemed like it was over before it really got going. We were up 26-20 at the half and a six point lead in a game like that seemed like ten. We felt very good about where we were. They shot tough shots. They had Aaron McKie and Eddie Jones and both of them got going a little bit in the second half and were able to get a lead. And once they got that lead they turned up the zone. They make it very difficult to score quickly and come back. They really do a good job with that zone in the second half. We made a little run in the end but they had a freshman who was a 50% free throw shooter and he hit both ends on a 1 and 1s in a critcal stretch of the game. It was very disappointing. I don't recall a ton about it just because it went so fast. We were in a spot to win it and that is what made it disappointing. Temple is a tough team and very few people want to play in the tournament. They play a very interesting style that you don' see everyday. It was disappointing but as a whole the year turned out great. I try not to think about it that much.

What are you more proud of being 2nd team all SEC and the Sweet Sixteen in 1993 or being an Academic All-American?

I guess I focused more on the on court achievements. I assumed the classroom stuff would take care of itself. I think just looking back on it the memories and the teammates and all that we accomplished on the court were the most rewarding but I came to Vandy to be a student and get an education.

Being an Academic All-American I bet it made your parents proud.

Yeah, they were very excited.

Thanks Bruce, is there anything else you'd like to say to your Vanderbilt fans/friends out there?

You know I hear from old classmates from time to time. I heard from one today. It's always good to hear from people you don't get to see all the time. It's great to get back to Nashville and I still have very fond memories of my time at Vanderbilt.  

Interview with Jason Holwerda

Thanks for talking to us today Jason. Tell us what you've been up to lately.

Currently I work for a company called Crescent Resources LLC, a commercial real estate company in Franklin, TN. Most people know us by the buildings we have developed which I like to describe as the big glass office buildings knows as Corporate Centre located off of Cool Springs Blvd. I am the Leasing Representative for the company and essentially it is my job to keep all of the buildings full. Other than that I spend a lot of time between the golf course and the couch.

What made you decide to come to Vanderbilt? I'm sure you had other schools pursuing you. What was special about Vandy?

Ultimately my decision to come to VU was based on the people here. My only other official visit was to Florida and while the Gators were just coming of a finial four run in 2000 and there was a lot of excitement in Gainesville I just could never picture myself fitting in with the guys on that team. At Vandy the players were like family from the first time I met them and I couldn’t say enough about the coaching staff and the administration. Further Nashville only being a two hour drive from Chattanooga for my family meant that they could make a lot of the home games and my wife, then girlfriend was also at MTSU a short drive away.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I am most proud of the relationships and friendships I’ve made as a result of being at Vandy. I made friends that I know will be an intricate part of my like for as long as I live. In addition I am very proud of my degree. While I know that is the easy answer I am proud to say that I am a Vanderbilt graduate every time I am asked.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

I do keep in touch with my old teammates; with several guys still in the Nashville area added to the wonderful world of email and facebook it makes staying in touch relatively easy. In fact, I am writing this from Germany in the home of Dan Cage and his fiancé. Dan is actually sleeping on the couch right now while we watch Friends in German subtitles.

You were known as a great defender but you had a thing for spectacular slam dunks too didn't you?

You are correct. I was primarily a defender but every now I could dunk the ball and get the crowd on its feet. Quite frankly I believe that since most people just didn’t expect a big dunk from a 6’5” white kid I just caught people by surprise which made for some “spectacular” plays.

Where was the toughest place to play?

The toughest place to play in my opinion is Arkansas. Obviously Rupp Areas and the O’Connell Centre at Florida are the easy choices for tough places but the fact is you get so mentally prepared for those games that you are able to cope better with the environment. Arkansas, even though they were down for a few years was always sold out and the people down there go nuts. If you are ever there when they start calling the pigs, you’ll know.

Who was the best player you played against?

In college it would probably be Ben Gordon from UConn or Bracy Wright form Indiana. What I respect about both of them was that they were both genuinely good guys, they knew they were good and went about there business without much of a show, just basketball.

Do you think the Commodore team this year has a shot at making some noise in the NCAA tournament?

I think the team this year has a great chance of making a run in the tournament. Coach has the ability to match up well with several different types of teams. They can go with a big lineup or small and be pretty effective, they have a good inside presence and one of the best backcourts in the SEC. I believe our ability to shoot the ball will be the difference. Just like last year, if we hit shots like we are capable, of there is not a team in the country we can’t beat.

I'd like to ask you about some of the big games you played in. Your freshman year you hit a shot with 4 seconds left to beat Georgia who was ranked in the Top 25 at the time. What do you remember about that first taste of Memorial Magic?

The Georgia game my freshman year was pretty exciting; I don’t see it as any heroic act on my part as it was just a part of our offense and I happened to be in the right spot. I had made that shot a hundred times before in practice so it wasn’t until afterwards looking back that I realized the enormity of the moment. None-the-less it was a great win for our team and the first time I experienced “the magic.”

The 2004 SEC tournament game against Mississippi State was a classic. You guys fought all the way to overtime to beat the Top Ten Bulldogs. What sticks out from that game?

The MSU game looking back is the reason you go to a place like Vandy to play ball. It was just a classic hard fought game that was fun to be a part of. What I remember most about the game is actually the play that ended regulation. With about 5 seconds on the clock we trapped a ball screen and I was the rotating man. I was about a fingertip away from making a steal and laying the ball up to win the game instead of going to overtime. In retrospect I am glad it turned out like it did. Russ and Corey making shots, Frieje being Freije, Mario making some unbelievable plays and Julian playing the game of his career.

The game against NC State was just amazing. I remember feeling like the game was over then all of the sudden Hundley had that steal Corey was making free throws. Mario was popping threes and Matt Freije was, well Matt Freije. What do you remember being down by double digits with four minutes to go in the biggest game of your career?

Again the NC State game was just classic and so much fun to be a part of. What I appreciate now are the stories I hear form people who watched the game around the country. For VU fans it has become infamous and everyone I talk to knows exactly where they were the night we knocked off NC State.

What are your thoughts on the UConn game? I know they had a few NBA lottery picks on that team and it seemed like we got off to a slow start and Freijie was double teamed most of the night.

UConn top to bottom is no doubt the most talented team I have ever seen; they had a bench that could have made a run at the title in addition to their starting five which turned out to be an NBA roster. They certainly deserved to win that game and the NCAA championship. It was a great experience for our guys and fun to say we were a part of.

One more question, the Wichita State NIT game was another one with a magical ending. With 0.7 seconds left you threw a pass to Corey Smith the length of the court that he hit for a layup. C'mon is that really what Coach Stallings drew up?

The Wichita State game I have always said was something that I could not have scripted any better myself. What a way to go out. We had worked on that play all year and in fact ran it at South Carolina a few weeks earlier (it did not work out as well). Everyone on the floor did their job, Julian set a screen, Mario played the decoy, Corey sealed his man away form the basket and I threw out my arm doing my best Brett Favre imitation. We could probably have run that 50 times and never re created it quite like that. 

Interview with Former Commodore and Globetrotter

Corey Smith March 08

Corey, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today? What have you been up to lately?

No problem, I haven't been up to much lately just doing what I love best. Playing basketball. I am currently playing in Finland doing pretty good, hopefully my team can win the championship, which we have a great chance of doing.

How did you get hooked up with the Globetrotters? That had to be a lot of fun.

Well my agent at the time had told me that the Globetrotter coach's were down in Houston because Kenny Smith was hosting a celebrity basketball game because of the hurricane. He setup a workout with me and another guy from New Orleans to go workout, we went to UofH campus and worked out well so they invited us to training camp. The rest is history. The whole experience was amazing. I've gotten the chance to see alot of places (big and small) that I would've never gotten the opportunity to visit if I were not with the globetrotters. The most memorable experience was making an appearance in Mobile, Alabama and to see the damage that the hurricane caused was a tragedy. We showed up to the event to see kids wearing dirty clothes and shoes with holes in them. It took alot to hold back the tears, from seeing such a tragic event. The most pleasurable moment was when those kids saw us in our uniforms, its as if nothing that they were going through mattered. They smiled and laughed and enjoyed the moment while it lasted. I wish we could've done more but to see those kids smile was just an amazing feeling that I will never forget.

Let's talk about your time at Vanderbilt. Tell us about some of the other schools that recruited you and why you chose to Vanderbilt.

Well when I came out of high school I was not heavily recruited because of many injuries which kept me out of the summer scene for an extended period of time. I was heavily recruited by West Virginia, Vanderbilt and University of Texas in Arlington. I chose Vanderbilt because they were in one of THE toughest conferences in the country. As always, my parents were the ones siding with Vanderbilt because it was a well known and respected academic institution. Vanderbilt, was located in Nashville which is a lovable city for various reasons. Vanderbilt had the whole package which the other institutions lacked in one way or another. The decision was a no brainer.

What are you most proud of from your career at Vanderbilt?

If I were to list all the things that I'm proud of, then this list would go forever. I'm mostly thankful for the support system that I had at Vanderbilt which mad the experience so pleasurable. I was surrounded by positive people that kept my mind on the prize and didn't let me stray away (regardless if it was on the basketball court or in the classroom). The experience is totally different when you know people that care, not just for the athletic program, but rather they cared for my future.

Who was the best player you played against?

The best player I played against was Taysheaun Prince. I don't want to take away from any other players, because the SEC is packed full of great players. As far as performances against us, I would say Prince because he did so much for Kentucky and it seemed as if everyone else were going 100 percent and he was cruising at 60 percent. It'll be hard for me to forget because I actually had to guard him. (he was a nightmare)

Where was the hardest place to play?

Florida was a hard place to play because their student section shows up so early for the game and their yelling things at you the whole time. Shocked me because a couple of times they were yelling out personal stuff, which goes beyond the ordinary fan. Anyways, I would say the hardest place to play is Rupp Arena hands down. I remember when we played Kentucky on senior night and there was not and empty seat in the house. After Kentucky scored I could swear the floor was shaking. It was almost as if there was an earthquake going on. Its so funny cause I was just telling my teammates that story not to long ago.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

Yeah I do. I try to keep in touch with as many of them as I can. If I cant then ill ask about them through someone I talk to. JT is the one that I talk to most and he usually keeps in contact with everybody else one way or another. I spoke to Moe once or twice. Ive talked to Dan Cage as well.

Have you had a chance to watch Vandy play this year?

I have had the opportunity to see them play. They look amazing! I saw the butt whipping they put on Kentucky at home. I think the program has definitely progressed and made a statement in the country as being a reputable basketball team that can be counted on to be good year after year. Not to just have a one good year, then never be heard of in the following year. When I watch the games I see players out there that can be comfortable and utilize their abilities. They have so many offensive weapons its hard for a team to just concentrate on one player. Experience is another major asset on their side because its basically the same team that went to the sweet sixteen last year. So it becomes easier for the coach when you have a team that's had success before and knows what they need to do and how they need to do it in order to achieve the same kind of success.

What do you think of the Commodores chances of making another deep run in the NCAA tournament?

I think they have a great chance of going further this year than they did last year. They definitely have all the pieces to the puzzle to become a top contender in the NCAA tourney this year.

What did it mean to you beating Kentucky your freshman year? If I remember correctly before that game we hadn't beaten them in 8 or 9 years.

It felt wonderful because everybody played the game up to be a big deal. Its always a special event when your classified as the underdog and you prevail. It was a great feeling, I'm shamed to say but I might have been more excited to see Tubby Smith more than the win. As a freshman I don't think I realized the importance or the greatness of winning such a big game, but all I knew is that I get to see this coach in person, which is a well known and respected coach on all levels. I never been the one to be star struck, but I was that time.

In the 2005 NIT you scored 25 against Indiana to upset the Hoosiers in Bloomington. What do you remember about that night?

I just remember feeling like I was in a zone. Usually I'm naturally nervous before every game that I play, but for that game I didn't feel nervous. I knew it was going to be a good game.

The next game was against Wichita State. That was one of the most exciting finishes I have seen in Memorial Gym. You caught a pass from Jason Holwerda and layed up to win the game with 0.7 seconds left. Is that what Coach Stallings drew up during the timeout?

That is exactly what Coach Stallings drew up during the timeout even though the defenders didn't react the way they should've. At the end of the game, usually the strategy is to switch everything. Well at the end I was suppose to screen Mario's guy then they would switch and a smaller guard would be on me and my guy would go with Mario to half court. Well luckily by Mario hitting all those 3's, both defenders went with him and I was wide open under the hoop. I have to give much credit to Jason Holwerda for throwing that great pass. Maybe he should be the one playing for the Denver Broncos.

What about the Mississippi State game from the SEC tournament? I remember you were a rebounding machine that night and you hit two clutch free throws in overtime to seal the win.

That was an amazing game, which obviously meant alot. We were the underdogs then too, which most of my career at Vanderbilt we always went into a game as underdogs. I think I had such a good career cause I could do so many different things to help my team. That game rebounds it what I could provide and I did it well. If anybody say that their not nervous when the get ready to shoot clutch free throws is a lie. In the NC State game, in the Miss. State game and many other games I've always felt nervous walking to that line to shoot those free throws. When that happens I always tell myself to remember my form and stick to it. If I shoot it the way I always shoot it, and follow through it will always go in. No matter how much my body is trembling on that line.

Now the game in which is now a Vanderbilt legend. NC State, it seemed like everyone did their part late in that game. Hundley got that huge steal. Freije caught fire and you knocked down some big free throws late. What do you remember about that game? Being down double digits with four minutes to go did you ever think you were out of it?

I do remember saying to myself, if a miracle is going to happen then it needs to happen now. Sure enough Matt stepped up and made some HUGE plays that gave us hope. I believe that it was definitely in the cards for us to win that game because its as if they just hit a bad streak of luck and we hit a good streak. From Matt hitting all those threes, to Hundley's steal, the intentional foul, Julius Hodge fouling out, the back door cut (and 1). It was definitely as if it was meant for us to win that game. It was a wonderful feeling for us and our fan base because they had been wonderful.

Thanks again Corey. Is there anything else you'd like to say to your VU friends/fans?

I would just like to say thanks for all the love and support that the VU fans have shown. I had received lots of emails when I were with the Globetrotters, wonderful feeling to know that VU fans will always be behind fellow Commodores if they have on that black,white and gold jersey or not. Thank you all, and keep supporting Commodores because I think the best is yet to come.  

Interview with Former Commodore & Bomb Squad Member

Scott Draud Feb 08

Scott, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. Tell us what you've been up to.

I'm currently a high school principal in Northern Kentucky and I've been doing this for almost five years now. I was coaching but I'm no longer coaching now. I've got three kids and I coach every single one of their teams. So as you can imagine it's been a busy winter.

Who or what inspired you to get into teaching?

When I first got out of school I was a consultant for a mangement group for a couple of years. I spent six weeks in Little Rock Arkansas going up against the Teamsters in a union dispute. I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I couldn't vision doing that for the next forty years. So I started thinking about what really made me happy and what it is that I really wanted to do and that's when I went and pursued a career in education. I taught high school English for eight years. My dad was in education, in fact he was a former school superintendent. And currently he is actually the commissioner of education in the state of Kentucky. He was just appointed to that position in the last few months. It just gave me an opportunity to be around kids, to be around basketball and to have a different kind of career. It's certainly one that I'm glad I pursued. I love my job and I love what I do. It's a lot of fun.

So is your father your boss?

Technically he is now (laughs). The fact that he's the commissioner of education, he holds the top position throughout the state of Kentucky so it is coincidental. In fact when he first got the job he started sending out emails from Frankfurt, where the Education department is. I actually emailed him back one day and said "I never really thought of it but my Dad is my boss."

You were a highly recruited High School Senior. You led the state of Kentucky in scoring your junior and senior years. Who were some of the other schools that recruited you and why did you ultimately choose Vanderbilt?

Had Joe B. Hall stayed one more year at Kentucky, in all likely hood I would've gone to Kentucky. When he was there he was recruiting me and wanted me to sign early. When he left Eddie Sutton came in and recruited two guards, Rex Chapman and his son Sean. Once Eddie came in that's when I started looking elsewhere and C.M. Newton entered the picture. Other than Vanderbilt I looked closely at Georgia. I also looked at two schools closer to home one more of an academic school, Miami of Ohio and Dayton. It really came down to once Kentucky was out of the picture, Vandy and Georgia. I knew at that stage after Kentucky was gone that I still wanted to play in the SEC. It really was an easy decision for me at that stage playing at a school in the SEC and a academic school that was really strong. Looking back it was the wise thing to do. In fact I signed early not wanting to wait around for Kentucky through the following year or for anyone else for that matter. I realized that was the school for me. It turned out to be a great move from many different stand points.

What are you most proud of from your time at Vanderbilt?

I'm most proud of the fact that we won and some very good teams. We made it to a post season tournament every year I was there. And I was there for five years with one redshirt year. I played two years, redshirted one, then played two more. We made it to the NCAA tournament or NIT every year. We made it to the Sweet Sixteen in 1988 and went back to the NCAA tournament my senior year in 1991. 1990 we went to the NIT and actually won the NIT championship. In 1989 we were in the NCAA tournament then my freshman year we were in the NIT. Every year we had good teams and that's what it's all about. I know there have been more guys that came through there scored more points but there haven't been many other teams through a four or five year period have won more games or went to more tournaments. That's says alot about the guys who played. Barry Goheen was a great player. Will Perdue, Frank Kornet, Derick Willcox were great ballplayers. We were able to puch aside individual accomplishments to have success from a team standpoint.

You played two years, redshirted one, then played two more. Why did you decide to redshirt in the middle?

I was the third guard behind Barry Booker and Barry Goheen. In fact it was a very difficult decision. But I knew my role was going to be the same and CM was thinking along those lines as well. In fact I had my best preseason since I had been there prior to my redshirt year. We had four scrimmages and I had four 20 point games and led us in scoring. I ended up getting the notion to go ahead and redshirt to seperate myself from the two Barrys for two years. So that way I would get to start for two years, my junior and senior year and not just one which how it would've been. So that's why I decided to do that. It turned out being good for me on a personal level and also good for the team from a winning standpoint. But it was a hard year after you've already played two years. When I came in I had a good freshman year and was one of the five guys chosen for the All-SEC freshman team. I had a couple of twenty points game as a freshman and had some good games as a sophmore. It was tough to do but I knew it was going to be in my best interests. Plus I was having so much fun in college. I graduated in four years and my fifth year I was actually in grad school so I wanted to pursue my Masters while I was at it. We could've used you in that Notre Dame game on St. Patricks Day. Yeah, I remember that and that was my redshirt year. It's just one of those things.

Will Perdue called you the best shooter he ever played with. Isn't it true that you hadn't played with the three point line until your freshman year at Vandy?

That's right. My Senior year in high school was in 1986. The three point shot came in 1987 for college. It entered the high school ranks until 1988. So yes I had not played yet with the three point shot. Back then if you remember, coaches were very reluctant to shoot it. Some coaches didn't embrace it all. I remember Denny Crum at Louisville thought it was a bad shot and wasn't going to take it. That's when there was a 45 second shot clock. In fact CM Newton at the time would only allow us to take the shot after it touched Will's hands. It had to go from inside out. We had to feed the post to Will or to Frank Kornet but we weren't really allowed to shoot it out of the offense unless it touched a guys hands inside first. As you know now it's the really just the opposite of that. They are shooting it a lot more frequently on the break and out of normal offenses. It's really evolved into a lot more easily accessible shot. It has changed alot and I didn't have it at high school at all. It was kind of unusual getting used to it because no one had ever shot it before.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former teammates?

I do, in fact just recently when they had the last reunion game we went out and had dinner with CM Newton, Barry Booker, and Barry Goheen. We occasionally keep up through emails. I'm good friends with Steve Grant, a guy I played a lot of basketball with. I'm very good friends with a former Vanderbilt football player, Scott Ward. In fact to this day he's probably my best friend. I keep in touch with the guys and every few seasons if we don't have a reunion game we try to get together to catch up.

Who was the best player you played against at Vanderbilt?

That's a really difficult question. Because just about everybody we played against had someone play in the NBA. At the time UT had Allan Houston, Kentucky had Jamal Mashburn and Chapman. Alabama had a lot of great players, Latrell Sprewell, Rober Horry, and one after the other. But longterm it would've had to be Shaquille O'Neal out of LSU. He became a dominant factor. From a guard standpoint in league play Chris Jackson out of LSU really stuck out to me as being impossible to stop. He was quick with the ball. He had a few years where he almost averaged 30 points in college which in the SEC is out of this world.

He was a really good free throw shooter.

Yeah, he was tremendous. That's back when Dale Brown had it really going. Even back then as good as LSU was Alabama was winning the conference. There was a lot of talent in the league back in those days.

Your sophomore year you beat the #1 team in the country, North Carolina. What do you remember about that game?

I can remember how excited the fans where and how excited we were just to beat a #1 team. Indiana also rolled in 1987 my freshman year when they were #1 and we defeated them. We defeated North Carolina and Indiana both when they were #1. One of the things I remember most about playing at Vandy is that we beat Kentucky five times and fortunately I had some of my better games the times we played them. Being from Kentucky beating them was an accomplishment. But to beat them as many times as we did. It just wasn't once or twice. It was five times. It was a lot of satisfaction because of Kentucky's dominance in the conference.

Also in your freshman year you scored 22 points to beat Kentucky. That ended a drought of seven years without a win over the Wildcats. What did that game meant to you as a Kentucky native?

It sure means a lot. That's one of those games where when you go back home your all of friends are mad at you. It didn't take me long to become a Vanderbilt fan and break any ties I had with Kentucky. That really was a big game because it did break a seven year drought and I think a 13 game losing streak to them. That's when they were really tough with Bowie, Terrapin and so on and so forth. But the night we beat them they had Rex Chapman and Winston Bennett and those guys. It was a great win for us. I remember coming off the bench and having my first couple of shots and went on to hitting six threes and a couple of buckets here and there. It was a great night. There was a really good crowd like they usually are in Nashville. I also remember coincidentally, my senior year in 1991 I had 18 points. I didn't lead us in scoring but I did lead us in rebounding. It was the first and only game I ever led us in rebounding.

The Pittsburgh game in the 1988 NCAA tournament is now legendary in Nashville. What do you remember about being down and forcing overtime with Goheen's buzzer beater then coming back to win that game in overtime?

He actually hit two 3's. The first one was with 15 seconds left. I had the ball and I drove the length of the court and his defender came out. I passed him the ball and he hit an open three to get it within three points. Then we fouled and they missed the free throw. That's when he came down and hit the shot all by himself. The guy came out on him and he threw up a Hail Mary. He did that all by himself. I remember the excitement once we got back after the game realizing we had made it to the final 16. Barry Booker had a great line he said "If we would have known that going to the Sweet Sixteen would've this much fun and generated this much excitement we would've done this years ago."

Another big time buzzer beater game was when Top 5 Louisville led by Pervis Ellison came into Memorial Gym your sophomore year. What sticks out to you about that game?

That was one of those games there were two last second shots. The first one, Barry Goheen hit a 3 pointer going into the half. Then he hit one from half court to actually win the game. That was very unusual but it was a great game. That's back when Louisville really had it going. They were a top 5 program year in and year out and in many respects even better than Kentucky. CM Newton made sure our nonconference games were really strong because we needed it for our strength of schedule. We played North Carolina back in those days. We beat Indiana the year they won it in 1987. They went 28-3 and one of their losses was to us in Nashville. We played Indiana, Notre Dame and Louisville. We went out and played a lot of good competition.

Did you play in the "Tennis Ball" game?

No, that was in my redshirt year. I remember it very, very well. That's one of those traumatic experiences in terms of losing the conference championship on some bonehead play.

Your Junior year you were named the MVP of the NIT what did that mean to you?

Winning the NIT that year was a really great accomplishment for that team. I've thought about this many times over the years. In many respects you're better off winning the NIT than going to the NCAA tournament and losing in the first round. It was very rewarding it was great to end the season on a winning note. It was a lot of fun to win the NIT championship and the fact that I as able to be MVP of the tournament was also a special award. I did have alot of good games leading up to that and I had a really good semifinal game. To actually win a championship even though it's not the NCAA was an honor. To win it was a thrill for a bunch of kids.

You were also a third team All-American that year too.

I was first team for our conference as a Senior. That's something that meant a lot to me simply because the SEC is so good. There are so many good player and to be first team All-SEC was really an accomplishment.

Your senior year you made it back to the NCAA tournament and played a team led by future NBA stars Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. Georgetown got out to bag lead but you fought back and took the lead in the 2nd half before coming up a little short. I know you had to be disappointed but weren't you proud that you made it to the NCAA's We went undefeated at home that year in conference play.

We went 9-0 at home. Then we won two on the road. We had eleven conference wins and that as back when it was an 18 game conference schedule. It wasn't like it is now where it's 16 games. It was a true home and away conference schedule. We got into the NCAA tournament. We were a bubble team for sure so to get in was important to us because we didn't want to go back to the NIT. That would've been somewhat of a let down. It was a good accomplishment getting to the NCAA tournament that year. I do remember that game very well. They did have a bunch of NBA type players. We zoned in that game. It was also the only game that year they shot over 50% from the field. They had a guard who hadn't done much but got hot and hit a bunch of threes and open shots. But we did play them close. We were in it. I do remember I got the Chevrolet player of the game. I had a pretty good game overall but we came up a little short. Nonetheless, It was a good way to end my career playing in the NCAA tournament.

Do you think the team this year has a good shot at making a run in the NCAA tournament?

Absolutely, hopefully we aren't going to be an 8 or 9 seed where you have a dogfight the first round then play a #1. Hopefully the seeding will be better than that and we'll get a better draw. This team is definitely an NCAA tournament team.

I hope so we don't get a lot of respect from the mainstream media.

I don't understand it. We've been in the Top 25 all year. They can't leave us out. Hopefully the seed will be better than an 8 or 9.

Thanks again Scott for taking the time to do this is there anything else you'd like to say to all you Vanderbilt friends and fans out there?

I tell you what, with every passing year I enjoy my experience at Vanderbilt more and more. It's a great school. You get to play great competition and they do it right. I appreciate the fact that the students show up and graduate. The guys who are playing belong in school. They don't recruit anyone who can't do the work. I think it's a credit to the school that they are able to have the success they've had. I know in the last couple of years Vanderbilt University has had some of the most success in school's history in terms of athletic accomplishment within playing by the rules academically. It's a great school. It's a great fan base.I'm really proud to say that I went there.  

Interview with a member of 2 Commodore Sweet Sixteen Teams

Dan Cage Feb 08

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Dan, I understand you've been playing basketball overseas tell us a little about what you've been up to.

I am currently the starting small forward on TBB-Trier of the German Bundesliga. It has been a unique experience. Living in Europe has definitely been an adjustment and adapting to the professional game has been a process as well. The city of Trier is the oldest city of all of Germany and has a lot of history to it. It is a very pretty place in the heart of the Moselle river valley and borders Luxembourg. I am playing solid and shooting the ball well but as a team we have struggled. The basketball over here is very competitive and there are a lot of good players. Luckily, I have been given the great opportunity of starting and playing good minutes, which as a rookie has been very valuable.

Something that Coach Stallings and the Vandy staff taught me, and I have found to be very true, is that as a player you always need to be working to improve. I have definitely enjoyed my first year over here so far, and if I am able to keep improving, I hope to stay for a few more years.

You almost didn't come to Vanderbilt. I heard that you had originally signed with St. Bonaventures but changed your mind when they changed coaches.

The summer before my senior year of high school I broke my right hand. I was worried that the injury would effect my recruitment and the Bonaventure coaches persuaded me that it would be a great place for me to play. I liked the coaches and they had just come off a really good year in the A-10, so I