It Takes Stones - An Introduction To Being A Vandy Fan

by KingJamesIV on Nov 24, 2009 12:46 PM EST in General Comment 20 comments

Mark Humphrey - AP

I'm here to make waves [pun] ...

Blogging for the Tar Heels, the Longhorns, the Gators, or even the hated Volunteers is child's play. Hell, even being a fan of one of those teams is ridiculously easy. It takes a real man to be a fan of a team that consistently gets thumped by "major" program after program. To be a Vandy fan is to be a patriot in the true American sense -- you are the champion of the underdog, the "little man." You bleed with every loss. But you savor the victories in ways that the UT fans, the Florida fans, the Alabama-I'm-Going-To-Cheat-My-Way-To-The-Top-Because-The-Ends-Justify-The-Means fans have never had to suffer for their redemption. As the old cliche goes, "without the bitter, the sweet ain't as sweet." I bleed black and gold. And I'm damn proud of that fact.

Believe me when I say [allusion - see below], there aren't a lot of blogs on the Dores. You can probably count them on one hand. It's as close to uncharted waters (pun -- get used to them) as you're going to find among the major BCS conferences. I suppose that makes me a maverick. While this blog will be identical to the grand plethora of SBNation blogs in many, many ways, I plan to strike out in some unique ways that will distinguish The Anchor of Gold from the blogs of my SEC brethren. For instance, I plan to use complete sentences and proper grammar. I plan to use the maths I learned while attending my beloved Alma Mater. I plan to use logic and reason and all the other wonderful things that separate us humans from the rest of the creatures in this wondrous world. And clearly I'm going to have a sense of humor through it all.

So come one, come all. Join the fleet. Become a part of the Commodore Navy and we'll be your Anchor of Gold [Please forgive me for all those puns].

In parting, I've attached this little ditty Andy Samberg wrote about being a Commodore fan (FACT: the Spirit of Gold plays this at Vanderbilt sporting events):

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Comments

I'm going to like reading you!

Puns and cultural/academic hubris. Love it. Welcome aboard! (pun)

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 9:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome!

From a Tide Fan in Nashville.

by Bobby Briggs on Nov 25, 2009 9:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to SBNation

Also, did you intend the “justify the Means” pun regarding Alabama? If so, that makes you awesome!

by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 25, 2009 10:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'll give it to him.

That’s funny.

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 11:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome

We’ve been needing a Vandy voice for some time. This is awesome!

Team Speed Kills
SBNation's SEC Blog

by Year2 on Nov 25, 2009 11:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to the SB Nation.......

Glad to see Vandy represented….

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Nov 25, 2009 12:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hope you can overlook my upbringing

I grew up in Knoxville, and thus, I have a lot of orange in my blood. Despite that (because of that?), I went to Vanderbilt and even graduated and stuff. I love the Dores except in those games where they play the Vols and then I feel so conflicted. I look forward to hearing a fellow Vandy voice in the SBNation.

by VolnVA on Nov 25, 2009 12:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

some advice

You need to make a big splash as a new member to SBNation.

Assemble a top-notch staff by prying them from rival blogs. Notice above, Hooper has shown interest in your style. Go ahead and offer him $2mil contract for 3 years, and pry him away from RTT. You need to go out and recruit good all-american commenters that run 4.4 40s. Stir up your fanbase! At your next Anchor of Gold fan breakfast, go right ahead and accuse Team Speed Kills of cheating! While readers are here taking a look at your site, he has already left comments that feign an interest in Vandy football just to steal them away! Block him from your site. Don’t worry if the commissioner of SBNation repremands you! What’s he going to do? Suspend you? Ha!

It might take a couple seasons to build your blog. But everyone will know who you are and will know that Achor of Gold will be competing for CFB blog of the year in no time! Good luck!

by golfballs03 on Nov 25, 2009 1:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

P.S.

i would recommend putting up Anchor of Gold billboards throughout Georgia and Southern Florida

by golfballs03 on Nov 25, 2009 1:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

At $2mil for 3 years, I can be bought. :-D

by Hooper on Nov 25, 2009 2:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Garnet and Black Attack welcomes you!

I’ve always thought that Vanderbilt and South Carolina were brothers in arms regarding the futility of our athletic endeavors.

“— you are the champion of the underdog, the “little man.” You bleed with every loss. But you savor the victories in ways that the UT fans, the Florida fans, the Alabama-I’m-Going-To-Cheat-My-Way-To-The-Top-Because-The-Ends-Justify-The-Means fans have never had to suffer for their redemption."

Nail, meet head.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 25, 2009 1:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

welcome!

Arkansas Expats: Calling the Hogs from points way yonder.

by John Expat on Nov 25, 2009 2:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Big Thanks!

Thanks for all the welcome wishes. Of course, I was joking a bit in the post about our “academic” differences, but to be honest, I’m a huge SEC sports fan and am proud to represent the Dores alongside all of you.

by KingJamesIV on Nov 25, 2009 2:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to SBNation!

Glad to have you here, King James.

by marktheshark on Nov 25, 2009 2:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I look forward...

…..to seeing your posts on Vandy basketball. It’s a program I’ve admired for some time! Welcome to the blogosphere!

by Acid Reign on Nov 25, 2009 7:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome

It is easy to be a Bama fan in 2009. Let’s not talk about the previous ten years.

Lee Corso: How would you describe tailgating at Alabama?
Kirk Herbstreit: Barbecue and Ralph Lauren

by animalcracker on Nov 25, 2009 9:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to SBN!

Just recently moved to Nashville as my girlfriend starts grad school at Vanderbilt, so I have become a Vandy fan by default! We went to Knoxville last week to cheer on the Dores.

As an added note my girlfriend’s (and my) alma mater is Washington State. The two schools are a combined 0-16 in conference play this year. Sorry about that.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 27, 2009 12:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs