Links: 12.18.2009

Some positive developments for sure. I'm very excited for the players that finals will be over by gametime tomorrow. No more distractions for the team. Just ball.

Update: Case in point

I'll be working on my TSU preview for later today.

VUcommodores.com Blog: Stallings' call-in show starts Sunday

Click Here to view the complete 2009-10 show schedule.

NOTE: I'm planning to have an open-thread for all Commodore Call-In Shows.

Ex-Vanderbilt player leads San Jose State | The Tennessean

Good Week of Practice Despite Troubling Injuries | Vanderbilt Sports Line

Hinkle sees his role as hustle player at Vanderbilt | Tennessean.com

"Coach always refers to us as having a deep team and a deep bench, and he likes the guys on the bench to come in and create a spark and pro­vide energy on the court," Charles Hin­kle said. "Basi­cally, I just try to do what I can to make the hustle plays. "Every coach wants a lot of energy. We always talk about how every­body on the bench needs to be clap­ping, stan­ding up and chee­ring for the team. When (Sta­llings) comes to the bench, he’s really loo­king for energy. So I’m trying to pro­vide that."

Practice roster full again for Commodores at Vanderbilt | Tennessean.com

A.J. Ogilvy has mis­sed prac­tice this week until today, as well as the bulk of two prac­ti­ces last week, with pain in his right heel. The injury is likely to lin­ger all sea­son, just as it did last season. Andre Wal­ker has been out with the flu and was thro­wing up a lot ear­lier in the week. His chief con­cern Satur­day would be his energy level and sta­ying hydra­ted. The Com­mo­do­res need Wal­ker for his work on the boards. Lance Goul­bourne suf­fe­red a con­cus­sion last wee­kend against Wes­tern Ken­tucky. He nee­ded to be symptom-free to prac­tice today, so that's encour­gaing. But as we saw with Ogilvy in Octo­ber, those symp­toms could return and side­line him again. It's a wait-and-see matter.

VU's Ezeli enjoys living above the rim | Nashville City Paper

"Festus Ezeli is one of the guys we have who can play above the rim and rebound above the rim and affect plays that go on above the rim and around the basket," coach Kevin Stallings said.

"The coaches say when I play in practice that I dominate," Ezeli said. "They want me to do that in games. It’s coming."

"At some point the light’s going to go on for him that there are going to be times that he can do in games what he does in practice," Stallings said. "I don’t think he possesses the belief system yet that he can affect games the way he affects practices. "He’s not going to affect every game the way he affects some –or a lot – of our practices, but there are going to be some games he can affect that way. It’s going to just have to happen for him some night before he’s going to really believe it.

"Everytime I get on the court I get more comfortable," he said. "Even in the way I shoot free throws, I’m getting better each game I play." "The story of my game is getting comfortable. … I think it’s coming."