Nashville area recruits

[hvillefootball]

Look it is this simple they don't go to Vandy because it is Vandy the stigma of the football team losing games was starting to lighten until last week... the loss at UT set them back two to three years in recruiting in Tennessee

 

 

Dead on.

[nrgrizzlies]

Incorrect. Whether VU wins in Knoxville (which has happened recently) or loses by one by grazing a fg off the upright with 30 seconds left, the number of d-1/SEC ability athletes in this or any other state with the ability to do the classwork to graduate at VU is the same number. If (player name here) from Memphis/Nashville/Chattanooga - wherever - doesn't want to attend VU, there are plenty more who will from other states with more players . Texas, Florida, etc.

 

So really, there is no need to fret over "john doe, a 220 pound LB from Bugtussle TN who runs a 4.6" picking Alabama when "jim doe, a 220 pound LB from Spring TX who runs a 4.6" will gladly sign with VU and have just as much shot on NFL draft day and will do just fine with a degree from VU.

 

Talent right now is not the issue.

(except the kicker and the new one is already committed)

Coaching is an issue for people who follow VU football.

The name "Ted Cain" is not too popular on the VU forums right now.

[KWoodroof]

Vanderbilt was one of the first SEC athletic programs to desegregate. They broke the color barrier in hoops LONG before Kentucky would have even considered it. Revisionist history ignores how ut "fans" told horrible racist jokes about their first African-American qb. Don't even ask about the racial history of "Ole Miss."

 

Working class kids in places such as Rutherford County would love a chance to attend and play ball at VU. They probably would value a shot at a VU diploma MUCH more than some rich kid from a prep school. Bobby Johnson has to try to recruit nationally to even have a fighting chance to compete with the state schools in the SEC. I am a bit mystified why an athlete such as this forum's valued contributor under the name of "hsfootball" isn't getting more of a look from Coach Johnson than he is...but the last few years VU has gotten from Rutherford County alone in the mid-state: Gaston Miller, Adam Smotherman, James Williams, and now Mike Bryant. There are still a DE and a tackle or two they are interested in from Rutherford class of 2008.

 

btw...VU has roads wins the last few years at ut, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina.

 

Your history is correct. However, integration has several stages. I would call them "mere integration", toleration, acceptance, and welcome. When I was at VU ('79-'83), there were a number of articles addressing the acceptance of African-American students. One student mentioned being in an elevator in Stevenson Center with a professor, who complained to the student about the fact that his office had not been cleaned properly: the obvious implication was that a black male on the campus had to be a member of the custodial staff if he wasn't clearly an athlete.

 

I'm sure the situation has improved some in the intervening 25 years, but I'm also sure that a large state school probably reflects society's demographics much more closely than Vanderbilt's. I'm not arguing for any particular solution; I'm not even sure that there is one. It just seems to be one of the many issues with which Vanderbilt has to contend.

[nrgrizzlies]

Not to mention the misinformation they have to contend with.

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DX..._17/ai_68760416

 

Would you call 6% minority enrollment at ut a large percentage?

Didn't think so.

 

If minority enrollment of the general student body = wins, the U of Memphis would be playing (Ohio State/West Virginia/Kansas/Mizzou/whoever) for the BCS chamionship this year. I would venture to guess 33% is higher than 6% any way you slice it.

 

Yes, VU has to contend with myths and misinformation that is gladly perpetuated mostly by fans of rival state school who dread and fear VU getting more competitive in football and other sports (ask uk fans how much they like VU's four game win streak over them in hoops - including the last few at Rupp)

[Bobcat]

Vanderbilt are making great strides to making their football program to be a success. Most of the top notch talent in the state will not even think about playing football at Vanderbilt. Great academic institution and some get the sense that they are snobbish. For that my very well be the case. But they are trying

[Bighurt]

Since the 1960's/70's when Roy Skinner was coach, I've probably been to a total of 200 or 250 (maybe more) games at Memorial and am yet to hear the first racial slur . . .

 

I can't let this go unchallenged. If you have never heard a racial slur at Memorial, then you must be deaf and blind.

 

Vanderbilt was one of the first SEC schools to integrate their athletic teams but to say that something like this is ridiculous. This is another example of arrogance from a small minority of Vanderbilt fans.

 

In my opinion, Nashville are football recruits don't go to Vandy because -

 

1. Vanderbilt is not viewed as a winning program.

2. Vanderbilt's facilities are not up to the standards of other SEC schools.

3. Vandy's fan support is not as strong as other SEC schools. They can't even fill 38,000 to 40,000 seats.

4. Vanderbilt is an institution does very little comparatively in the Nashville community as a whole. Belle Meade loves Vandy but someone from Hermitage or Antioch or Bordeaux probably does not have much exposure to the school, students or faculty.

5. Bad publicity from high profile recruits that were not admitted like Ron Mercer and R.A. Dickey.

 

Again, just my opinion.

[KWoodroof]

Not to mention the misinformation they have to contend with.

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DX..._17/ai_68760416

 

Would you call 6% minority enrollment at ut a large percentage?

Didn't think so.

 

If minority enrollment of the general student body = wins, the U of Memphis would be playing (Ohio State/West Virginia/Kansas/Mizzou/whoever) for the BCS chamionship this year. I would venture to guess 33% is higher than 6% any way you slice it.

 

Yes, VU has to contend with myths and misinformation that is gladly perpetuated mostly by fans of rival state school who dread and fear VU getting more competitive in football and other sports (ask uk fans how much they like VU's four game win streak over them in hoops - including the last few at Rupp)

 

Let's try to keep our facts straight...my point was that Vanderbilt's minority population would probably be less than a large state university's, which in turn would be more in line with the US figure of 12.3% (2000 census). The original question dealt with why Nashville recruits went to schools other than Vanderbilt; I posited that as one possible answer, or a part of the answer.

[Lost Old Dad]

Vanderbilt was one of the first SEC athletic programs to desegregate. They broke the color barrier in hoops LONG before Kentucky would have even considered it. Revisionist history ignores how ut "fans" told horrible racist jokes about their first African-American qb. Don't even ask about the racial history of "Ole Miss."

 

Working class kids in places such as Rutherford County would love a chance to attend and play ball at VU. They probably would value a shot at a VU diploma MUCH more than some rich kid from a prep school. Bobby Johnson has to try to recruit nationally to even have a fighting chance to compete with the state schools in the SEC. I am a bit mystified why an athlete such as this forum's valued contributor under the name of "hsfootball" isn't getting more of a look from Coach Johnson than he is...but the last few years VU has gotten from Rutherford County alone in the mid-state: Gaston Miller, Adam Smotherman, James Williams, and now Mike Bryant. There are still a DE and a tackle or two they are interested in from Rutherford class of 2008.

 

btw...VU has roads wins the last few years at ut, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina.

 

Yes they were recruited from Rutherford County but you never see them playing. If that continues I do NOT expect to see many more electing to go there. Take Gaston as an example. He knew he would NOT see much playing time if any but he valued the diploma from there more than the football exposure as he has no idea about playing pro ball. He IS a very smart young man as a diploma from Vandy WILL mean more to him finacially over the years to come.

[stranger2you]

I'm not trying to steer players toward Vandy, just wondering why, year after year, players who seemingly would be good fits sign elsewhere? Is there dislike of the school, or is it just wanting to get away? They always seem to lack just enough to lose the big games that would put them in bowls. This year the talent around Nashville includes RB-LB Chris Jordan (Brentwood Academy, Rivals #3 in state), lineman Preston Bailey (MBA, Rivals #4 in state). Others are also from private schools and/or have good GPAs, from Nashville and around the state. The only state player with a verbal so far is a two-star lineman with a listed bench of 270. A few have Vanderbilt on their list of choices, but there's just been that one commit.

 

 

/ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" /> Why do you make the one commit sound so bad ?

[Indian]

I'm sure he's not a bad player at all, just meant there are several players rated higher around Nashville.

[FootballDoc]

I agree with your list, being someone who lives in Antioch but grew up in North Nashville. Vandy has a rep in the Black Community as a school with very good academics and if you go there you must be very smart, which is a myth. Vandy does have great academics but everyone that goes to Vandy isn't in the Top 10% of there graduating class. The facilities could be updated, especially with all of the money people who graduated from the school and they could and should get out in the communities neighboring the school, this would give people a better understanding of Vandy. It has the rep as being a rich, white kid school and they are trying to reflect society better but it is going to take more effort. Lets face it Vandy doesn't belong in the SEC, they belong in the Sun Belt or Conference USA, they would be very competitive week in and week out in either of these conferences but the money they receive from the SEC (teams share bowl and NCAA Basketball Money) is hard to let go.

 

 

I can't let this go unchallenged. If you have never heard a racial slur at Memorial, then you must be deaf and blind.

 

Vanderbilt was one of the first SEC schools to integrate their athletic teams but to say that something like this is ridiculous. This is another example of arrogance from a small minority of Vanderbilt fans.

 

In my opinion, Nashville are football recruits don't go to Vandy because -

 

1. Vanderbilt is not viewed as a winning program.

2. Vanderbilt's facilities are not up to the standards of other SEC schools.

3. Vandy's fan support is not as strong as other SEC schools. They can't even fill 38,000 to 40,000 seats.

4. Vanderbilt is an institution does very little comparatively in the Nashville community as a whole. Belle Meade loves Vandy but someone from Hermitage or Antioch or Bordeaux probably does not have much exposure to the school, students or faculty.

5. Bad publicity from high profile recruits that were not admitted like Ron Mercer and R.A. Dickey.

 

Again, just my opinion.

[FootballDoc]

Incorrect. Whether VU wins in Knoxville (which has happened recently) or loses by one by grazing a fg off the upright with 30 seconds left, the number of d-1/SEC ability athletes in this or any other state with the ability to do the classwork to graduate at VU is the same number. If (player name here) from Memphis/Nashville/Chattanooga - wherever - doesn't want to attend VU, there are plenty more who will from other states with more players . Texas, Florida, etc.

 

So really, there is no need to fret over "john doe, a 220 pound LB from Bugtussle TN who runs a 4.6" picking Alabama when "jim doe, a 220 pound LB from Spring TX who runs a 4.6" will gladly sign with VU and have just as much shot on NFL draft day and will do just fine with a degree from VU.

 

Talent right now is not the issue.

(except the kicker and the new one is already committed)

Coaching is an issue for people who follow VU football.

The name "Ted Cain" is not too popular on the VU forums right now.

 

What is Coach Cain's Rep? Isn't he the main recruiter for this area? He is recruiting the Antioch Kid.