Sources: Jeff Taylor, John Jenkins, Festus Ezeli Returning to Vandy
by KingJamesIV on Apr 20, 2011 3:37 PM EDT
in Vanderbilt Commodores Basketball
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UPDATE: IT'S OFFICIAL!
You may have seen this FanShot from Doredarling. It is indeed the case that FoxSports.com's Jeff Goodman is reporting that according to multiple sources, Jeffery Taylor, John Jenkins and Festus Ezeli are all returning to Vanderbilt and will not declare for the 2011 NBA Draft.
His money quote: "this makes Kevin Stallings' team a legitimate Top 10 club entering next season."
Agreed. Most analysts and experts have pegged Vanderbilt in the top ten range for the 2011-2012 season. CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish is the most bullish of those I've seen, slotting the Dores 5th overall.
The lofty praise is legit. The team figures to lose only Andre Walker, who graduates this semester and may or may not decide to return despite having an additional year of eligibility remaining, while adding redshirt freshmen in Josh Henderson and James Siakam and Top 100 newcomers (depending on recruiting service) Dai-Jon Parker, Kedren Johnson, and Shelby Moats (yes, even Moats is ranked in the top 100, thanks to MaxPreps.com (affiliated with CBS)).
Quotes
Festus Ezeli -
"We're going to be a better team next year, and we still have a lot of unfinished business. After the loss in the tournament, I can't leave on that note. There's no rush for me to want to leave. I want to play here with these guys, I enjoy playing for Coach Stallings and this staff, and I look forward to earning my degree."
John Jenkins -
"I'm not too happy with the way the season ended in March. I think we all have a sour taste in our mouths from that experience in Denver. I love playing here, I want to get my education first, and I look forward to being a part of a great team next year."
Jeffery Taylor -
"While playing in the NBA is a dream of mine, I feel like Vanderbilt is the best place for me right now. As a team, we have unfinished business on the court, and personally, I am focused on my work in the classroom and getting a degree. I love representing Vanderbilt University, and I have a lot of fun with my teammates and coaching staff and playing for the great fans at Memorial Gym. Hopefully, there will be a time when I can fulfill my dream, but right now, I'm focusing on getting better on and off the court here at Vanderbilt."
Kevin Stallings -
"Obviously, we are very excited that those three guys have all decided to return to our program next season. All three carefully, thoughtfully, and diligently acquired information, with my help, about their draft status for the upcoming NBA Draft. After receiving the information, all three decided individually that it was their desire to return to Vanderbilt. I commend and applaud them for the intelligent and diligent way they approached this process in making their decision. Their return certainly positions our team for an exciting season next year."
If the squad lives up to its billing, we could be looking at the greatest single season Commodore team, ever.
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Which Taylor returns though?
Intense, take over the game and dominate on both ends of the court Taylor or passive, “I’m only going to defend because I’m sure JJ can take better shots than me” Taylor?
Senioritis
Hopefully Jeff develops a major case of it. Senior year (after a disappointing season) has a way of clearing out the cobwebs, so to speak. Look at the history —
2003: 11-18 – Matt Carter (walk-on)
2004: 23-10 – Freije, Hundley, Lakey – Sweet 16
…
2006: 17-13 – Terrell, Moore
2007: 22-12 – Byars, Cage, Skuchas – Sweet 16
…
2011: 23-11 – Duffy (walk-on) – NCAA 2nd Rd Loss (1st round)
2012: - – Taylor, Ezeli, Goulbourne, Tinsley, Tchiengang — ??
In 2008 we had seniors coming off a successful season. We played great during the year and we had a great team…but we just shat the bed in the NCAAT game. That team lived and died by the three, and we REALLY DIED that game. That team doesn’t fit my criteria.
2012 is the year. It is also the Apocalypse. Coincidence?
Anchor of Gold
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in other words
This is out last chance EVAR to get past the first round!
I live in the OC.
The one in OH.
Perhaps a 2012 Vandy national championship
Will be the sign of the Apocalypse…
I can live with that.
by MrManager on Apr 20, 2011 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Darshawn
I didn’t mention him in the “losing personnel” portion simply because he redshirted this past season (so losing him won’t impact what we were able to put on the court last season). It was widely speculated at that time that he would take advantage of the grad year transfer loophole in order to be able to 1) get his Vanderbilt diploma and 2) transfer to a different program where he would be able to have more playing time during his senior year.
Anchor of Gold
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yes!
We could actually do big things next year. If the big three can line up and have some great games, we’re in for one heck of a season.
I live in the OC.
The one in OH.
shit shit shit
I was planning on going to school next year in Vermont, but how can I turn my back on potentialy the greatest Commodore basketball team ever? How can I forsake my season tickets behind the home bench when Taylor, Ezeli, and Jenkins have passed up untold riches for a shot at redeeming Vanderbilt’s tainted tournament image? Plus, I’d be missing out on the swan song of our greatest recruiting class as well as the debuts of Parker, Siakam, Henderson, Johnson, and Moats.
I’M CONFLICTED, DAMMIT!
Live every week like it's Shark Week.
by Harbinger of Joy on Apr 20, 2011 4:54 PM EDT reply actions
tickets
hey if you decide to to go to vermont ill be a freshman next year ill be glad to buy them from u
You'll be a freshman
You won’t need tickets. You’ll have some of the best seats in the house.
by Christian D'Andrea on Apr 21, 2011 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm super impressed with Jeff
Jeff leaving, or at least declaring, would have been much more than just pride on his part. He had definite reason to believe he could be a 1st rounder and make an NBA roster.
I won’t say I’m shocked, because I don’t know the guy to make so absolute an expectation of him, but I have to say, if I were him (unless he’s heard recently that his updated draft stock had him squarely outside the 1st round), I would have at least declared to check things out.
From the things I’ve ready, everyone assumed he’d be a likely first rounder, or at the very least, on the 1st round bubble.
No pressure.
If Vandy loses again, or doesn’t make the Sweet 16, it should go down as a massive disappointment given the talent and experience on the roster.
Bring on the pressure.
Top programs deal with it every year, and they seem to thrive. We’ll find out a lot about Stallings, too, next year.
I always go first half - coffee, second half - beer, because In LA, the games start at 10:00 a.m.
good point
He’s been kind of disappointing the last couple years. If we fail next year, what’s next for CKS?
I live in the OC.
The one in OH.
A very good question.
Once can certainly make the argument that he should go if they fail again. I mean, how many times do you get there and choke? Its got to be the coach, right? Get someone who can motivate at the right time!
But as someone who’s followed Vandy b-ball for 30 years or more, I’d say he stays. If you’ve only come to know Vandy basketball in the last 10 years, you probably don’t appreciate how much better and more competitive Stallings has made this program. And he runs a clean program.
CSK has made this program a consistent top 25 team. He seems to be able to recruit top 100 players now. He’s the first coach who’s been able to do that since probably Roy Skinner. In the early 90s, Eddy Fogler probably would have gotten to that point, but he would likely have gotten the program in trouble with the NCAA for rules violations.
Stallings has run the most consistent clean program in the last 50 years. You fire him, you take a real risk. Yes, you might bring in the guy to get them over the proverbial NCAA hump. That same hump that Stallings crested a couple of times. But more likely, the program slides back into mediocrity like it had been for so long.
Is that a risk you want to take?
Or perhaps you build on the solid foundation Stallings created
and are able to forge ahead in a (hopefully) clean environment.
Thin Lizzy!
The Boys are Back in Town should be the intro music next year. While I hope Franklin delivers on the enthusiasm in football, this will salve any pains this fall. I look forward to Memorial rockin’ come November.
by Smoke n Mirrors on Apr 20, 2011 9:13 PM EDT reply actions
tickets
ill be a freshman next year i watched every game after i got in in december on tv or the internet. Im so fucking excited. How do i buy courtside seats next year. Is it possible to do so as a freshman?
All you have to do is show up
if you want to be courtside show up early.
Students get in free. The student section starts right on the sideline against the elevated floor.
tickets
like ridiculusly early as in several hours or like an hour or two?
Depends on the game
Other than the UK and UT games I don’t know that you ever have to show up more than an hour or two early. I don’t know exactly how early you have to get there to be literally on the sideline.
If you show up an hour early, you’ll safely have a very good seat in all but the biggest games. That said it could be a little worse next year if we are as good as we are.
is there a chance walker returns?
if he has a year of eligibility left, i have a hard time imagining him not wanting to play on this team.
I wish there was some obvious pun you could make about Andrew Luck.
I suppose there is a chance
Though as I said, most believe he will move on once he graduates in a few weeks. That said, I wouldn’t blame him for wanting a free year of grad school and the opportunity to play on a stout team…
In the event he does return, VU will be 1 over the scholarship limit. So you might see one of the players elect to give up their scholarship for one season (probably JT or FE, as they’re seniors and will definitely be going NBA after next season).
Stallings mentioned in one of his call in shows this past season that they had prepared for that scenario in the event it occurs.
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by KingJamesIV on Apr 21, 2011 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
big games
also how many hours before do u have to get there for the big games to get good seats
1. Try the reply button.
2. Don’t really know, I don’t have time to stand in line for hours for courtside. It depends to some extent on the time of day and the weather.
I’ve shown up about and hour or hour and a half early for the last two UK games and gotten in with no trouble. If you are 2-2.5 hours early for any game, you’ll be relatively close.
BTW, Don’t mean to imply that there is something especially important about me that I don’t have time to stand in line. Maybe more correct to say that I’m happy enough just to get in for the big games.
alright ill use the reply button from now on sorry haha
alright i know at duke the kids have to camp out overnight to get tickets so i wanted to make sure it wasnt that hard here
At Duke, that’s just to get in. Other than the UK, UT and maybe UF games, you can generally show up like 10 minutes before and still get in no problem, though it might be tougher this year if we can stick in the Top 10 like we should.
I think some people have camped out at times for the very best seats, but I think they do it for novelty as much as anything else. If you show up at 7 or 8 AM for a noon game, especially if it’s colder than 50º you’ll have a good seat no prob I imagine.
weather
what does the temperature have to do with it. Is the box office outside or something? Also i thought 2 hours should be sufficient to get a good seat? 7 or 8 a.m for a noon game would be 4-5 hours. Again thanks for all your help
They open the doors 90 minutes before the tip (usually)
But if it’s a big game, you’ll have to line up outside an hour or so early just to get inside and claim a seat, then wait it out from there. For games against #1 Florida and #1 UT I showed up about 2-2.5 hours early and got decent seats, but not courtside.
by Christian D'Andrea on Apr 21, 2011 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions
If it's cold
Not as many people show up…you know, because it’s cold. You may just be a freshman, but you can figure this out, haha.
But no, I was saying even if you want to be right up front you don’t really have to camp out or anything silly like that. But I’m pretty sure that a few folks do show up quite early for the big games, that said I’m still asleep when they do (or in class for the weeknight games), so I can’t be sure.
Cameron Indoor
capacity is officially around 9300+. Memorial is 14300+, so there’s just more room in general for students. Cameron’s student section is officially around 1100. Would have to think Memorial’s student section is larger than that.
Wikipedia: Cameron Indoor // Memorial Gym
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by KingJamesIV on Apr 21, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions
I am jealous
You are going to have a blast next year. Enjoy the ride!
Anchor of Gold
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by KingJamesIV on Apr 21, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
fantastic news!
I am super excited for next year. Please please please live up to expectations.
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