PREDATORS WRAP UP ROAD TRIP WITH WIN

The Nashville Predators are limping home in a way with only six games left in the regular season. The Preds did shut-out Edmonton on Saturday night, but it’s only the 2nd win for the Preds in the last six games. The Detroit Redwings are still putting heat on the Predators as they are just 2 points behind for the Western Conferences top spot. Nashville will have home ice advantage over their next five opponets, hopefully that will help as the Predators try to hold on to the top seed for the playoffs. Should be a wild ride down the stretch and into the post season.

VANDERBILT LOSES HEARTBREAKER TO GEORGETOWN

Can you say “WALK”! Vanderbilt fans can after losing a heartbreaker to the Georgetown Hoyas 66 to 65 in the sweet sixteen. The Dores played an unbelievable game and took a one point lead after Dan Cage knocked down 2 free throws with 17 seconds left. Georgetown’s Jeff Green looked to be trapped in the post after picking up his dribble, but took a step and went up to bank in a hook shot over two Commodores with 2.5 seconds left on the clock. Vanderbilt didn’t have much of a chance to get off a shot and the Dores NCAA run ended in East Rutherford. Derrick Byars and Cage led Vanderbilt with 17 points apiece. Vanderbilt ends the season with a 22-12 record. Do you think Jeff Green walked? Should Vandy have fouled a player to give them the ball at the end of the game?

A HeartBreaker, but what a run by Vanderbilt!

Gordon Takes Pole At Bristol In Car Of Tomorrow

Jeff Gordon rolled to his 2nd Bud Pole of the season at Bristol this afternoon with a fast lap of 125.453 mph. Today’s qualifying also marked the introduction of the “Car Of Tomorrow”. Nascar believes the COT will improve saftey, cost and competition. A number of drivers have been critical of the new car, that has been in development for the past 7 years. Is it just change that is frustrating the drivers or Nascar constant changing of the sport?
Also another tough day for Michael Waltrip as he didn’t qualify, but his driver Dale Jarrett did make the field on his time, not on a provisional! Do you think Waltrip will get in a race this season?

Other notables in the field:
Kasey Kahne 2nd
Tony Stewart 4th
Casey Mears 16th
Sterling Marlin 21st
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 31st
Kevin Harvick 40th

Food City 500 12:30 On Sunday

Tubby Headed to Gopher Land…….

Breaking sports folks. According to ESPN’s Andy Katz Tubby Smith will leave Kentucky and take over as head coach of the University of Minnesota. According to Katz’s report Smith has informed his Kentucky players and the Athletic Director that he is leaving. Smith has four years left on his current contract.

More to come…………..

Big Joe with Vandy…….

Joe Dubin is covering Vanderbilt in East Rutherford. He’s like a kid in a candy store. This is first NCAA Tournament and he probably won’t sleep tonight. Joe’s reports will begins Thursday afternoon on News 2 at 6pm. They arrived in Newark and are ready to roll.

My question to you……. I’ve told Grande Jose about a nice little Italian place (this place is the real deal) just down the road from the arena in South Hackensack. Do you think he will go? Or do you think he’ll hit the closest Ruby Tuesday’s?

I’ll let him know what you say……..Chris

Pearl playing mind games with OSU……..

Bruce Pearl is doing everything to get a tactical advantage over Ohio State. The Vols head coach said today “I wish we hadn’t played Ohio State earlier this year. We are a tough team to play the first time.” Translation: OSU won the first game by a hair at home. If the Buckeyes hear Pearl saying they are not tougher the 2nd time around, the may let their guard just enough for the Vols to squeak out a win. This should be a doozy.

I’ve actually got Tennessee going to the Final Four in my Pick 2 win bracket. However, I will not be putting any money on this game.

Do you think the Vols can upset the Buckeyes?

Vandy Women Fall……..Lady Vols advance…

The 2nd seed Vanderbilt Lady Commodores got shocked Tuesday night falling to Bowling Green in East Lansing 59-56. The Dores trailed by 13 at the half. Their biggest halftime deficit this season. It was too much to overcome. They cut the lead to 2 with 2 seconds to go, but that was all she wrote. Vanderbilt not the only 2 seed to fall. Maryland lost as well.

The Lady vols advanced to their 26th consecutive Sweet 16 with a 68-54 win over Pittsburgh. The Lady Vols get Marist in the Dayton Regional. Candace Parker led the way with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

By the way……..I’m curious. How much women’s basketball do you watch? Do you feel we give a proper amount of coverage? Too much? Too little? I’d love your input.

…….Tootoo Out for 5 Games….

Today, the NHL suspended the Preds Jordin Tootoo for striking a Dallas Star player last Saturday night.

Here is the release from the NHL:

TORONTO/NEW YORK (March 19, 2007) — Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo has been suspended for five games, without pay, for striking Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas during Game #1074 at Nashville, March 17, the National Hockey League announced today.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his annual average salary, Tootoo will forfeit $16,032.80. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 16:21 of the third period. Tootoo was assessed a double minor penalty for roughing for his action.

“In reviewing this incident, Stephane Robidas appeared to be initiating a confrontation by approaching Jordin Tootoo,” said NHL Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. “While a player is entitled to defend himself, Mr. Tootoo’s forceful blow to Robidas’ head was an overly aggressive and inappropriate response. The fact that Mr. Tootoo’s actions resulted in an injury to his opponent also was a factor in this decision.”

Tootoo will miss Nashville games March 21 at Vancouver, March 22 at Calgary, March 24 at Edmonton, March 27 vs. Edmonton and March 29 vs. Detroit.

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If you went to the game, what do you think? Is it too much? Is it too little? What should have been done?

….It’s going to be a fun, fun week…..

March Madness keeps on going. We have 3 teams from the state of Tennessee in the sweet 16, we have 3 women’s teams still alive in the their tournament. Vandy, UT, and Memphis in the men’s and Vandy, UT and MTSU Lady Raiders in the women’s part.

I don’t think it is ever happened that both UT and Vandy are in the sweet 16 at the same time. Historic in a neat way for some folks.

But the team that I am enjoying watching the most are the MTSU Lady Raiders. Saturday night they forced Gonzaga into 37 turnovers. That would be like Vince Young tossing 10 interceptions in a game. Rick Insell has those girls playing relentless on defense and a full out 40 minutes of what Arkansas’ basketball team use to call, ‘40 minutes of Pure Hell.’

They play Marist Monday night and if they win and the Vols win Tuesday, they will meet up in the sweet 16. Now that would be a game. MTSU has won 27 straight, their last loss, you guessed it, to UT back in November.

So sit back for the next week and let the madness just take you over, because it is taking over everyone else.

And oh yes, how are those brackets looking?

…The Most Amazing Sports Day…

I have been working in the sports department since June of last year. In that time, there have been a lot of busy days, but Saturday, March 17th, was the best and most hectic, the most awesome, the most difficult, the absolute most incredible sports day yet.

First off, you have Vandy in the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney. They are playing Washington State and on paper, WSU is a very good team and matches up better than Vandy. But we play the games on the court, not on paper. Vandy ends up winning an incredible game, 78 to 74 in double overtime. It was a game that was so emotional, so much drama and the Dores pulled it out in the end. Unreal.

Then the class 3A boys basketball finals were going on in Murfreesboro. Friday night, Clarksville beat Oakland in 3 OT’s to advance to the finals on Saturday night. They played Maryville from East Tennessee and this game was a stunner. It went into double overtime and Maryville won the game on a 25 footer at the buzzer, 69 to 66.

Finally, the Preds were playing their first game after getting the beat down from the Detroit Red Wings. They played Dallas Saturday night and they played one of their most complete games of the year but with about 3 minutes to go, Preds’ Jordin Tootoo layed a roundhouse on a Stars player who just collapsed to the ice. I know fighting is a part of hockey but Tootoo just layed this guy out. Reports were that the Stars player was alert after being knocked out for about 15 minutes. The Preds were up 3 to 1, Tootoo went to the box and Dallas had about 70 shots on goal in 3 minutes. They scored once and just fought to the end, but the Preds won 3 to 2.

And they wonder why we call it March Madness…..

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