Save the Shield! A Vanderbilt sports blog

Man, I’ve been really out of it. I’m too cynical about college sports at the moment to blog much, but not quite motivated to blog about why I’m cynical. Maybe soon.

Here’s the first hoops ballot in conjunction with NYDore. I can’t claim any of the creativity here because I’m just not feeling creative these days.

1. Kentucky - Psst. Kentucky fans. No matter what they tell you, John Wall is NOT coming back for another year.

2. Ole Miss - Best in the West is a pretty far cry from best in the East right now.

3. Vanderbilt - Surprisingly easy blowouts are nice enough, but they have to start the conference season out strong against Florida.

4. Florida - Billy D has pretty much owned on Vandy in Gainesville, so a win this Saturday in Nashville could set up a key in division sweep.

5. Tennessee - No team with Steven Pearl in the rotation will be higher than 10th, but no DA in Knoxville can get past 2nd chair if they convict half the basketball team. So we have a stalemate.

6. Miss State - The second best SEC team to lose to Western Kentucky.

7. Carolina (our’n) - It’s hard to imagine this Cock squad going far without Dominique Archie… especially now that Downey is not the dominant PG showstopper in the East.

8. Alabama - OK, after Cornell outplayed (and should have beaten, but for the officiating) Kansas at the Fieldhouse, Alabama is officially out of the doghouse for that last loss.

9. Georgia - Getting rid of Felton is already looking to pay dividends.

10. Arkansas - Their best pre-conference win was over a rape allegation.

11. Auburn - There are close losses to FSU and NCState and a 1 point win over UVA. Not so bad. But then there’s the rest of the out-of-conference. Bleech.

12. LSU - Is it bad that I miss the days of being able to make fun of John Brady? Is it worse that I have to admit that LSU was a better team under him?

And here’s the final football ballot, a solo effort:

1. Alabama

2. Florida

3. Ole Miss

4. LSU

5. Auburn

6. Arkansas

7. Georgia

8. Tennessee (6-8 was the hardest part… Not sure UTn shouldn’t be 6th candidly)

9. South Carolina

10. Kentucky

11. State

12. us