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From Michael Casagrande, Alabama beat writer from AL.com...

Perhaps no collection of college football teams has an outlier as far removed from the crowd as the SEC and Vanderbilt. The Commodores will bring a 21-game league losing streak to Tuscaloosa for a 6:30 p.m. Saturday meeting with No. 2 Alabama. In 89 SEC seasons, Vanderbilt’s .247 winning percentage in league games is nearly eight points behind next-to-worst Kentucky...

And considering Vanderbilt has one winning record in the last 40 SEC seasons, it’s hard not to question why this continues.

Or more humanely, what’s the realistic objective of this SEC charter member hanging in there long after similar-sized private schools like Sewanee and Tulane ducked out?

Casagrande interviews Jordan Rodgers and Chris Young for their perspectives, and does acknowledge Vandy's recent commitment to facilities under Diermeier and Lee. Still... why not use these pull quotes as bulletin board material?

More:
AL.com: The reality facing VU football in climb from SEC basement
(by Michael Casagrande)

Isn't he the guy who was writing a few years ago and was pushing for UCF or USF or some other Florida school
to replace VU in the SEC?

He has a giant chip on his shoulder about VU.

He went to Western Kentucky and probably couldn't get admitted to VU so he has to sling the mud. Notice he didn't mention that we haven't cheated and been on NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations like most of the SEC or that we have split the last 8 games or so with Tennessee. Of course, our record in other sports and national champioships in 3 of them is ignored. Sour grapes from the old hilltopper.

Seadog73 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:43 pm Isn't he the guy who was writing a few years ago and was pushing for UCF or USF or some other Florida school
to replace VU in the SEC?

He has a giant chip on his shoulder about VU.

That was giant troll Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

In this world of diversity, the SEC needs Vanderbilt. There are currently 13 (soon to be 15) cookie-cutter schools in the SEC, all which seemingly place athletics above academics. That there is a Vanderbilt in the SEC, a place where academics and athletics are equally rigorous, probably has influenced the SEC positively in ways we'll never know about. Vanderbilt certainly provides a unique opportunity for developing young people to be the best they can be in all walks of life. For that, the SEC should be proud. I am.

bornadore57 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:15 am In this world of diversity, the SEC needs Vanderbilt. There are currently 13 (soon to be 15) cookie-cutter schools in the SEC, all which seemingly place athletics above academics. That there is a Vanderbilt in the SEC, a place where academics and athletics are equally rigorous, probably has influenced the SEC positively in ways we'll never know about. Vanderbilt certainly provides a unique opportunity for developing young people to be the best they can be in all walks of life. For that, the SEC should be proud. I am.

actually with the real UT coming into the SEC, Texas, they bring academic excellence with all their money, too.

That is just an attempt to get clicks, something to write about in the run up to the game.

Consider the guy's logic in this: "what’s the realistic objective of this SEC charter member hanging in there long after similar-sized private schools like Sewanee and Tulane ducked out?"

Vanderbilt hasn't had much in common with Sewanee in terms of enrollment, grad schools, research dollars, et al in decades. Vanderbilt and Tulane were probably about equal when Tulane left the SEC 60 years ago, but I'd say VU has far outdistanced Tulane since then.

Nothing to concern yourselves with.

Lazy journalism at its best.

AL.com is a complete waste of bandwidth and has been for years.

charlestonalum wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 7:13 am

bornadore57 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:15 am In this world of diversity, the SEC needs Vanderbilt. There are currently 13 (soon to be 15) cookie-cutter schools in the SEC, all which seemingly place athletics above academics. That there is a Vanderbilt in the SEC, a place where academics and athletics are equally rigorous, probably has influenced the SEC positively in ways we'll never know about. Vanderbilt certainly provides a unique opportunity for developing young people to be the best they can be in all walks of life. For that, the SEC should be proud. I am.

actually with the real UT coming into the SEC, Texas, they bring academic excellence with all their money, too.

UF is the #5 ranked State University per US News & World Report

Regarding sports, this argument hinges on football being the only sport of value...yes, it is hard for a private school esp w/academic rigor, to consistently field a competitive football team in a league like the SEC. Fortunately football is not the only game in town, and the other sports are relevant too even if they don't generate the revenue that football does.

EagleDore wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:37 pm Regarding sports, this argument hinges on football being the only sport of value...yes, it is hard for a private school esp w/academic rigor, to consistently field a competitive football team in a league like the SEC. Fortunately football is not the only game in town, and the other sports are relevant too even if they don't generate the revenue that football does.

Winner winner chicken dinner!

And Alabama has no business competing in SEC Baseball.

I've probably attended 150 games since the fall of 1983, when I was a freshman, and I"ve probably heard 5 HUNDRED fellow Vanderbilt alumni or fans express THE EXACT SAME OPINION as this guy.

I also know that Chancellors Branscomb, Heard and Wyatt felt that way at various times, and I remember Watson Brown expressing a similar opinion when he was fired.

One of my class reunions will be in 2 weeks. I won't be able to go to this one, but I suspect two thirds of the attendees will turn to each other during the Ole Miss game and ask each other why Vanderbilt is still in the SEC rather than the ACC or the "Magnolia League," or whatever.

Why does it bother you all so much that fans of OTHER schools say the same thing as so many Vanderbilt fans? Does it infuriate you when Vanderbilt fans express the same opinion?

Tomorrow Vanderbilt's student athletes will be lining up against Alabama players, some of whom are being paid more than $500,000 THIS YEAR ALONE to play college football. Bryce Young is reportedly being paid $3.1 MILLION -- so he will be paid more money to play 13 college football games this year that the vast majority of people in the state of Alabama will make THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

What does this have to do with "college" football?

And why does an opinion stated by generations of Vanderbilt fans offend Vanderbilt fans when it comes from someone other than Vanderbilt fans?

Versus75 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:00 pm And Alabama has no business competing in SEC Baseball.

It has been quite awhile since they did! 8-)

Actually the rest of SEC has no business in the SEC ----- to me sports players should be students with good standings first, then athletes (sort of like the Ivy League). So they are all tumors living on SEC.

Bill, my family and I are the only ones who get to call our baby ugly

historybill wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:34 pm I've probably attended 150 games since the fall of 1983, when I was a freshman, and I"ve probably heard 5 HUNDRED fellow Vanderbilt alumni or fans express THE EXACT SAME OPINION as this guy.

. . . . . . . . .

And why does an opinion stated by generations of Vanderbilt fans offend Vanderbilt fans when it comes from someone other than Vanderbilt fans?

I have no doubt that they exist elsewhere, but the only Vanderbilt fans whom I know or with whom I am at all familiar who have expressed a desire for, or an interest in, Vanderbilt's leaving the SEC are posters on this message board.

The way to shut them all up is to win some SEC games. Go, Vandy!