50% chance No. 1 seed wins NCAA Tournament

The four No. 1 seeds in the 2011 NCAA Tournament (Ohio State, Duke, Kansas, Pittsburgh) have almost exactly a 50% chance to win. Continue reading…

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March 14, 2011, 6:08 am

Duke, Ohio State lead NCAA Men’s Hoops odds

Odds to Win the 2010-11 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Duke                             11/4
Ohio State                     11/2
Kansas                         7/1
Michigan State              12/1
Pittsburgh                     18/1
Kansas State                20/1
Kentucky                      20/1
Syracuse                      20/1
Continue reading →

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December 16, 2010, 8:47 pm

Maryland asst a finalist for Vandy job

James Franklin, Maryland’s offensive coordinator and head coach in waiting, has emerged as one of two finalists for the head coaching job at Vanderbilt, a source familiar with the details of the search said Wednesday. Stanford offensive coordinator Greg Roman is believed to be the other finalist. If he remains at Maryland, Franklin is owed $1 million if he is not named head coach by January 2012. — Washington Post

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December 9, 2010, 8:56 am

Only one BCS college football player is a triple major

Only six of the 1,104 BCS conference-college football players whose majors we found were interested in art, music or film, but sociology-related topics (134 majors) and business (155) piqued their interest. An additional 108 students are majoring in a communications-related field, while only two apiece are studying architecture and mathematics. English, one of the more common majors among all college students, drew only four football players—two more than the number of players majoring in zoology. And only one player, Oregon’s Mark Asper, is studying Spanish, the lone foreign language major we found. Some results were expected—79 players are majoring in athletics and health-related fields—but there were some rarities like fisheries and wildlife (Curtis Hughes, Minnesota) and recreation and leisure studies (Luke Stocker, Tennessee). Some majors seemed extra popular at specific schools, like the 16 starters at Georgia Tech who are majoring in management. (A team spokesman says it’s not easier than other majors, it’s just “really popular.”) Extra credit goes to Vanderbilt’s Chris Marve, the only player in this analysis who’s listed as a triple major, studying human and organizational development, sociology and special education. “I wouldn’t call it torture,” he says. “But it is tough.”

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September 16, 2010, 5:25 am

SEC coach receives apology from Big Ten for bad call

The apology Vanderbilt Coach Robbie Caldwell received Wednesday was a little late to do any good. Caldwell confirmed that he received some admission of error from Big Ten officials regarding a late personal-foul penalty in a 23-21 loss to Northwestern. The apology was issued through the SEC office. “What good does it do?” Caldwell said. “It’s amazing to me. … The same people will be working the games. They’ll be rolling on, bottom line.” The penalty against safety Jay Fullam for a high hit in the final two minutes awarded Northwestern a first down when it would have had a fourth down.  — The Tennessean

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September 9, 2010, 8:04 am

Georgia has won 16% of home games vs. top-level teams

SEC Fun Gambling Facts

  • Over the L2 seasons, FLORIDA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as road favorites. The Average Score was FLORIDA 33.6, OPPONENT 14.4
  • GEORGIA is on a 3-15 ATS (-13.5 Units) skid at home vs. top-level teams (Win Pct. > 75%) . The Average Score was GEORGIA 24.4, OPPONENT 27
  • KENTUCKY is 2-10 ATS (-9 Units) at home in conference games since ’07. The Average Score was KENTUCKY 26.6, OPPONENT 35.2
  • S CAROLINA is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) on the road in the second half of the season since ’07. The Average Score was S CAROLINA 15.8, OPPONENT 34.6
  • TENNESSEE is on a 2-15 ATS (-14.5 Units) skid at home vs. excellent defensive teams – allowing <=285 YPG . The Average Score was TENNESSEE 19.6, OPPONENT 20.4
  • VANDERBILT is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) at home in the second half of the season since ’07. The Average Score was VANDERBILT 17, OPPONENT 27.9
  • Over the L2 seasons, ALABAMA is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) on the road when playing on Saturdays. The Average Score was ALABAMA 32.5, OPPONENT 16.2
  • ARKANSAS is 7-0 ATS (+7 Units) at home in November games since ’07. The Average Score was ARKANSAS 40.7, OPPONENT 25.3
  • AUBURN is 6-0 ATS (+6 Units) at home vs. teams with a winning record since ’07. The Average Score was AUBURN 29, OPPONENT 16.7
  • LSU is on a 7-28 ATS (-23.8 Units) skid at home in November games . The Average Score was LSU 26.4, OPPONENT 20.8
  • MISSISSIPPI ST is on a 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) skid at home in non-conference games . The Average Score was MISSISSIPPI ST 31.9, OPPONENT 19.2
  • Over the L2 seasons, OLE MISS is 7-0 ATS (+7 Units) in non-conference games. The Average Score was OLE MISS 41.3, OPPONENT 15.2
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September 2, 2010, 1:39 am

LSU’s Les Miles slips in SEC coaches ranking

Here is the 2010 ranking of the SEC’s coaches.

1. NICK SABAN, ALABAMA — Back in the top spot for the first time since his last season at LSU in 2004. He is also No. 1 in the nation. He is the first coach in modern times to win national championships at two schools — LSU in the 2003 season and Alabama last season. He also recruited most of the players who won the 2007 national title at LSU. He has not lost a regular season game since Nov. 24, 2007.

The scary thing is, he’s not leaving, and he has Alabama where he had LSU when he left — with gobs of talent entering, exiting and throughout the program.

2. URBAN MEYER, FLORIDA — Down from the No. 1 position a year ago, but probably the No. 2 college coach in America as well. It’s amazing how much Meyer won the last two years — 26-2 with a 15-1 SEC mark — while unhealthy.

3. HOUSTON NUTT, OLE MISS — Laugh all you want, but Nutt has averaged nine wins a year the past four seasons at second-tier programs Arkansas and Ole Miss. If he was at a program with the resources of an Alabama, LSU or Florida, he would be winning 11 or 12 a year. Nutt has not always fared well when he is highly ranked entering a season like last year.

4. MARK RICHT, GEORGIA — Last season the Bulldogs dropped to 8-5, but he would have to have another subpar season to get on a hot seat. Richt was 22-5 in 2007 and 2008 and has been close to getting into a national championship game or two.

5. BOBBY PETRINO, ARKANSAS — He has not been able to get Arkansas to the top as quickly as he got Louisville there, but he’s coming. Look for a breakout year.

6. LES MILES, LSU — Down one spot. His record is still gaudy — 51-15 (.773) and 27-13 (.675) in the SEC. But the fact is he gradually has turned an elite program — 22-4 (.846) and 13-3 (.812) in the SEC the two years before his arrival — to an average one with a 17-9 (.653) and 8-8 (.500) record the past two seasons. In 2008 and 2009, LSU lost four games by six points or less.

7. STEVE SPURRIER, SOUTH CAROLINA — When Spurrier’s entire career is judged, he will go down as one of the best ever. But lately, he just doesn’t have it.

8. DAN MULLEN, MISSISSIPPI STATE — State came close to going 7-5 in Mullen’s first season after inheriting a 4-8 program. Mullen probably got more out of what he had than most other league coaches last season.

9. GENE CHIZIK, AUBURN — He started fast with a 5-0 record but fizzled to 8-5. His last season at Iowa State was eerily similar. He started out 2-0 and finished 2-10.

10. DEREK DOOLEY, TENNESSEE — Dooley and Chizik must have the same agent. Dooley got a high-profile job, too, after going 4-8 at Louisiana Tech!

11. ROBBIE CALDWELL, VANDERBILT — Caldwell edged Kentucky’s Joker Phillips with the best SEC Media Days performance in history. No one has ever channeled his inner Hee Haw better.

12. JOKER PHILLIPS, KENTUCKY — The best first name for a head coach since Bum Phillips. — Monroe News Star

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August 16, 2010, 7:32 am

Time to kick Vanderbilt out of the SEC?

If the administrators at Vanderbilt want to make a charade of college football, that’s fine. They’ve already eliminated the athletic department several years ago. But I suggest they do it in some other league than the SEC. Considering this is the best football conference in America, and considering Vanderbilt administrators were able to get their grubby paws on a $20 million payout recently in the league revenue sharing plan, the time has come for everyone else to say enough. Even Kentucky, a basketball school, makes an honest effort in football. Why can’t Vandy? — Mobile Press-Register

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July 27, 2010, 9:08 am

Robbie Caldwell goes from lining field to head coach at Vanderbilt

It was 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Robbie Caldwell was in shorts and a T-shirt, sweating. Vanderbilt’s assistant head coach was about to line a football field at the Commodores’ practice facility. That’s when he got a text message. It was from Coach Bobby Johnson, who asked his staff to gather at 10:45 a.m. “I thought we were just having a staff meeting,” Caldwell said. The next two hours would change Caldwell’s life. Johnson announced he was retiring. Caldwell was now the team’s interim head coach. After the shock wore off — and after he changed out of his dirty clothes — Caldwell got into head-coach mode. “We’ll hit the ground running,” said Caldwell, 56. To those outside the program, Caldwell has been Vanderbilt’s offensive line coach since Johnson began his first season in 2002, adding the title assistant head coach in 2008. –  TENNESSEAN

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July 15, 2010, 8:46 am

Alabama-Duke highlights dog SEC games.

Lets take a look at the worst SEC non-conference games this season:

1. Alabama at Duke — This game might actually be competitive for a while, but what in the world is Alabama doing traveling to Duke to play in that high school atmosphere? I just don’t get it.

2. Miami (Ohio) at Florida — Typical opening-day fodder for the Gators, and a big stat game for John Brantley.

3. McNeese State at LSU — This game will be McUgly, for sure.

4. Eastern Michigan at Vanderbilt — This should draw a huge, energetic crowd to Dudley Field. Not.

5. Idaho State at Georgia — Idaho State makes the Louisiana Lafayette game look like a big one on the ‘Dogs’ schedule. – Gainesville Sun

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July 12, 2010, 6:27 am