SACKMASTER BRODERICK STEWART Q UARTE R BAC KS FEAR H I M, TEAM MATE S LOVE H I M
October 2008
table of contents 6
2 Connecting With The Web 4 National Commodore Club 6 In My Words D.J. Moore
7 Commodores Cubed Know your Commodores
8 Point of View Carolyn Gioia
9 2008 Homecoming Highlights By The Numbers
11 The Final Four Jeff Jennings
13 It’s My Turn — Rod Williamson Keeping it in Perspective
14 The Man Behind The Voice Joe Fisher
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16 Vanderbilt’s Sackmaster Broderick Stewart
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19 Soccer’s Twin Billing Molly and Megan Kinsella
20 Quick Hits A look at Vanderbilt’s sports teams
21 The Month Ahead A look at VU’s upcoming sporting events
23 Completing The Circle Former Commodore Kenneth Cole
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Connect with
VUCOMMODORES.COM Editorial Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Schulz Director of External Relations: Rod Williamson Designers: Jeremy Teaford Ryan Schulz
Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner Photographers: Neil Brake
It’s Good To Be Gold
Photo Store
Daniel Dubois
Get to know the student-athletes off the field by visiting Vanderbilt’s newest addition online — www.itsgoodtobegold.com. The site features videos of student-athletes talking about anything from their families to the number they wear.
Decorate your home or workplace with the purchase of exclusive Vanderbilt photos. The photos range from images of Vanderbilt’s campus and athletic venues to action shots from Vanderbilt’s sporting events.
Steve Green Mason Hensley Stan Jones Paul J. Levy John Russell Mike Strasinger
Contributors: Andy Boggs Kenneth Cole John Erck Carolyn Gioia Larry Leathers Thomas Samuel Chris Weinman
Administrative Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II
Football Gameday Central Get all of the information you will need heading into every Vanderbilt football game this season. From driving directions to daily news articles and videos, Gameday Central has you covered.
Desktop Wallpaper Brighten up the desktop on your home computer by downloading exclusive Vanderbilt desktop wallpaper.
Interim Vice Chancellor
for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune
Vanderbilt University’s Mission, Goals and Values Vanderbilt University is a center for scholarly research, informed and creative teaching, and service to the community and society at large. Vanderbilt will uphold the highest standards and be a leader in the quest for new knowledge through scholarship, dissemination of knowledge through teaching and outreach, and creative experimentation of ideas and concepts. In pursuit of these goals, Vanderbilt values most highly intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry; and equality, compassion and excellence in all endeavors. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university. ON THE COVER: Defensive end Broderick Stewart (Photo by John Russell) POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212.
Around The Web Each day, links to all the stories on the Web relating to Vanderbilt athletics are posted on VUCommodores. com. The links also are archived so you can go back and view stories from weeks past.
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Joe Fisher’s Daily Update
SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe to Commodore Nation, please contact the National Commodore Club at 615/322-4114.
Listen to what the Voice of the Commodores has to say about Vanderbilt on a daily basis. Fisher’s Vanderbilt updates on Nashville’s 104.5 The Zone are archived daily.
ADVERTISEMENT: To advertise with Commodore Nation, please contact Vanderbilt ISP Sports. Jeff Miller, General Manager 615/322-4468 jmiller@ispsports.com
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C O M M O D O R E C LU B
CORNE R No Time For Reflections; We Are Too Busy Moving Forward!
PHONE: 615/322-4114 vucommodores.com
SEPT. 4 SOUTH CAROLINA GAME
By Jeff Ulmer NCC Executive Director A couple of weeks ago, I was offered the role of president of the University of Mississippi Athletic Association Foundation. It is with mixed emotions I share that I have accepted the offer and will assume those responsibilities later this month. In my final note to Vanderbilt Commodore fans and alumni everywhere, I just want to convey my sincerest thanks to each and every one of you for the moral and financial support you have provided for our athletics programs during my tenure. I will truly cherish the relationships I have made and I look forward to maintaining those friendships well into the future.
Chancellor Nick Zeppos spends time with John and Anne Stokes.
It gives me a great deal of gratification knowing that the momentum we have gained over the years is continuing to increase with each passing day. Private support for facilities enhancements and scholarships is on the increase, and our teams’ achievements are following suit. Academically and athletically, Vanderbilt’s student-athletes are surpassing many of their conference rivals and we know that increased private giving has been critical to that success. I want to encourage you to continue to provide the support and energy needed to keep Vanderbilt’s star rising. So much has been accomplished yet there are so many opportunities ahead! Thank you for the chance to serve this great university.
Gloria and Ray O’Steen take a minute in the Chancellor’s box.
JOIN THE BLACK AND GOLD ENDOWMENT SOCIETY Vanderbilt Athletics and the National Commodore Club endeavor to endow all athletics scholarships. To help in that task, the NCC has created an endowment level called the Black and Gold Society. Black and Gold Society members create an opportunity for a student-athlete while receiving full benefits of the Dudley Society with a fiveyear, $100,000 commitment. For more information on the Black and Gold Society and Athletic Scholarship Endowments, please contact John Erck at: john.erck@vanderbilt.edu or 615/322-7922.
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JOIN THE NCC OR RENEW TODAY!
AUG. 28 MIAMI (OHIO) GAME
You should have recently received your membership renewal for the National Commodore Club. Please mail it in, call 615/322-4114, click vucommodores.com or stop by the office in the McGugin Center to make your gift. Every gift is allocated toward the goal of funding student-athlete scholarships. This year’s membership deadline is May 30 (Vanderbilt’s fiscal year ends June 30). Thank you for your continued support of Vanderbilt Athletics. Your Membership Matters!
2020 SOCIETY The 2020 Society comprises members of the National Commodore Club, age 40 and younger, who contribute at least $100 annually. If you have been giving to the NCC at this level and are younger than 41, you automatically are in the 2020 Society. The society is a creation of the 2020 Advisory Committee, a group of young alumni committed to increasing young membership in the National Commodore Club and promoting VU Athletics. If you are a non-alumni member of the NCC and qualify for the 2020 Society but have not been notified, please contact Cal Cook at: cal.cook@vanderbilt.edu or 615/343-4878.
NCC members and scholarship donors Ginny and Chuck Myer.
DECLINING BENEFITS Please be aware that if you choose to “Decline Benefits” when making your NCC gift, you will not be able to receive preferential seating or parking for any sport, nor can you receive any of the benefits — including Commodore Nation!
Matt Daiker, Eric, Noah and Jay Douthit.
UPCOMING EVENTS Letterwinners Day will be celebrated Nov. 22 during the Tennessee football game. Mark your calendars and check vucommodores.com for more details.
ROAD GAME TAILGATE A tailgate party has been scheduled for Vanderbilt’s football game at Kentucky on Nov. 15. For game time information, visit vucommodores.com as the date nears.
Dave and Laureen Bingham
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In My Words
D.J.
Moore
ne of the most electrifying players in college football, junior cornerback /punt returner/ kick returner/wide receiver D.J. Moore is Vanderbilt’s Mr. Versatility. A preseason All-America selection by Athlon, Moore has been added to several individual watchlists, including the Jim Thorpe Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award. It took Moore only one quarter into the 2008 season at Miami (Ohio) to show just how versatile he is. In that quarter, Moore had one interception, two tackles, forced a fumble on a sack that drove Miami out of fieldgoal range and returned the first punt of his career 91 yards. The plays led to 10 Vanderbilt points.
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On growing up playing basketball and football Basketball and football were my favorite sports growing up. It was a lot easier running around the basketball court than wearing shoulder pads on the football field. I just went from one season to the next, and I liked playing both of them. On his high school basketball career I started playing varsity when I was in ninth grade. I was a pretty decent point guard. I got a few offers from schools like Winthrop and Furman, but not from any big programs. I knew I was good enough to play in college, but I wanted to play football. On when he first dunked despite being just 5-foot-9 I was in eighth grade when I first dunked. The first time I dunked in a game was when I was a senior. It was one of the best feelings. On where he got his vertical leaping ability I don’t know. I didn’t get it from my parents because my mom and my dad weren’t really too athletic. My brothers are athletic, and I probably just developed it from playing different sports as a kid. On high jumping 6’6” in high school I started high jumping my sophomore year and did it the rest of the way through high school. I also did the long and triple jump and ran some, but I was never a blazer. I won the high jump at 6’6” my junior year. My senior year, I was ranked No. 1 (in the state) in long jump, triple jump and high jump, but I was runner-up in all three. On bowling with guys on the team A lot of guys on the team enjoy to bowl. Some days are better than others for me. A lot of times there are four or six of us that will bowl, and we will play two on two or three on three. It can get competitive.
On what he averages I average 170 or 180. My high score is a 253.
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JOHN RUSSELL
On why he enjoys it I just like going with the guys on the team and getting away. When I first started I wasn’t very good, but after a while I got better and when you get good at something, you just like doing it.
On having high school teammate and childhood friend Teriall Brannon on the team It is pretty nice to have him here with me. If I need something he is there for me. We have a good relationship and have roomed together every year since we got here.
Commodores Cubed
On playing offense, defense and special teams I like playing all three ways. It just gives me more of an opportunity to be on the field and try to make plays to help the team out. On if he ever gets winded The only time I’ve gotten winded was the first time I played all three sides (against Georgia last year). It was just at the beginning of the game that I was tired until I caught my wind. Since then, I haven’t gotten tired. On his favorite part of being cornerback I like the challenge that it brings because there aren’t too many people that can play corner. It is hard trying to defend someone who has the advantage of running straight at you. Getting an interception is one of the best parts because it can change momentum. On the football player he grew up idolizing Deion Sanders. I think every cornerback liked Deion growing up. He was such a good player to watch and learn from.
gaston t MILLER
james KASTEN
hannah BLATT
sarah SCOTT
Football
Cross Country
Tennis
Cross Country
Reuniting with my team and 7 a.m. Saturday practices
3000-meter steeplechase
The fall makes me think of
Cooler weather
Apple Cider
College Football
Olympic event I’d like to compete in
100-meter dash
Table Tennis
Gymnastics
The greatest athlete of all time
Michael Jordan Michael Phelps Michael Jordan
Anna Willard
Martin Lawrence
Will Ferrell
Ben Stiller
My best friends
On the player he likes watching the most in the NFL I like to watch Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) play. I really liked watching him in college at Miami.
One thing I can’t go a week without
Eating gummi bears
Dr Pepper
My planner
A mid-study session 2 a.m. dance party
On wearing No. 17 I had No. 16, but Teriall wanted to wear No. 16, so I switched my number to 17. I wanted No. 2, but it was already taken. I wore No. 2 since I was in little league all the way up to high school. ■
I wish I knew how to ____________
Fly
Find a good woman like my mother
Drive a car that is a stick shift
Add hours to the day
My most memorable Halloween costume
Clown
Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tin Man
A giant black sphere with constellations made of Christmas lights
I would like to change places with ____ for a day
Jay-Z
Bill Gates
PAUL J. LEVY (ACTION)
Funniest person alive
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Michael Phelps Michael Phelps
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Point of View
By Carolyn Gioia Editor’s Note: Each month “Commodore Nation” will ask a varsity athlete to sound off on a point of personal interest. A senior on the lacrosse team, Gioia is majoring in human and organizational development with plans of attending law school upon graduation. pon entering Vanderbilt University, I was unsure about what I wanted to be in the future, what major to focus on, and what areas I was really interested in studying. During my sophomore year, I was enrolled in a political science class, as well as a public policy course, and became extremely interested in the aspects of law and the systems under which our government functions. I was relieved that I had finally found a course of such great interest and also excited to see if this was a possible career path for me in the future. In the following summer I landed an internship at a competitive corporate law fi rm in New York. Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw is a leading global law fi rm that operates in major cities across the world. I worked in the paralegal department with one other intern in my offi ce. We worked directly for the paralegal supervisor of the fi rm, and we also assisted any attorneys that needed extra help. We often were responsible for document review, PDF transfers to clients, updating Excel spreadsheets for billed hours and delivering legal documents to clients. I tried to meet as many people as I could and introduce myself to try to build relationships for the future. Networking is one of the most important aspects of job hunting, and you never know who from your past can be an impact on your future. After my internship was completed, I felt that the legal fi eld was an appropriate path for me to pursue. I knew I was going to be doing my HOD internship the following summer so during my junior year I met with my advisor to discuss possible internships. My advisor recommended that if I wanted to apply to law school in the future, it is good to show on your resume that you experienced different fi elds and explored other industries. I definitely pursued a completely different industry this past summer when I interned at Dylan’s Candy Bar in the corporate offi ce in New York. Dylan’s is owned by the daughter of Ralph Lauren and is comparable to an F.A.O. Schwartz, but has grown from the candy industry into apparel, accessories and body care. Dylan’s currently has seven retail stores (the fl agship store is on 59th and Third avenues (New York) across from Bloomingdales, but has also expanded into new markets. This past summer was an ideal time to be interning at this company because of its rapid expansion. Dylan’s has recently cobranded with Juicy Couture, as well as Sephora, and also sells products in other high-end department stores such as Bloomingdales and Saks. Many of my responsibilities included contacting vendors and making purchase orders for the stores, as well as helping to decide which products would be launched for the upcoming quarters. My favorite task was compiling a guest list for Dylan for a party she is hosting at the fl agship store in October. Mattel is celebrating Barbie’s 50th birthday and asked Dylan to host the event. Having access to celebrity contact information was probably a one-time opportunity for me. Law is still the area I am intent on pursuing, although I did learn a great deal about the business world, especially from the marketing department, during my internship at Dylan’s. I plan on taking the LSAT exam this February before taking a year off for law school. I am thankful for the opportunities I was given my past two summers, and I have taken what I learned from both experiences to help decide my future plans. ■
U
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OCTOBER 2008
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By The
NUMBERS 13
Former Commodores were with NFL teams for the first weekend of the season.
2008 Homecoming/Reunion Weekend Schedule V VS.
Oct. 24-25 Friday, Oct. 24
Saturday, Oct. 25
Class-Sponsored Educational Events Noon - 4 p.m.
Homecoming Parade 10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Chancellor’s Address 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Homecoming Tailgate at Olin Lawn (corner of 25th and Highland avenues) 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Undergraduate Class Parties Begin 6 p.m.
Homecoming Game Vanderbilt vs. Duke 2 p.m.
All-Class Alumni Dance 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Registration: You can register for Reunion events online. Visit www.vanderbilt.edu/alumni/reunion and follow the link to your class Web site.
Yards gained on the ground by quarterback Chris Nickson in Vanderbilt’s season-opening victory at Miami (Ohio), the most by a Commodore since tailback Lew Thomas rushed for 173 yards against Auburn in 2001.
National television appearances highlight Vanderbilt’s 2008-09 men’s basketball schedule.
CORN E R A:
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COMPLIANCE
Q:
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The number of years it had been since Vanderbilt last had a home game on ESPN. Until the South Carolina game, ESPN hadn’t televised a VU home game since 1999 against Kentucky.
Goal Post is a prospective student-athlete (PSA). His uncle (who is a Vanderbilt booster) has provided Goal Post and his friends with tickets and travel to Vanderbilt home games for the last 10 years. Goal Post wants to take his best friend to a Vanderbilt football game. His best friend happens to also be his fellow high school teammate, and also a potential Vanderbilt recruit. Is this permissible according to NCAA rules? Yes. It would be permissible based on the fact that Goal Post’s uncle has a pre-existing relationship with his grandson’s friend. Boosters of Vanderbilt University are prohibited from providing any type of benefit to a current student-athlete or PSA. NCAA Bylaw 12.1.1.1.6 prohibits preferential treatment, benefits or services because of the individual’s athletic reputation or skill or payback potential as a professional athlete, the only exception to this rule is if there is a clear pre-existing relationship between the booster and the student-athlete, which is generally determined by the following: • The relationship between the athlete (or the athlete’s parents) and the individual providing the benefits not being developed as a result of the athlete’s participation in athletics or notoriety related thereto. • The relationship between the athlete (or the athlete’s parents) and the individual providing the benefits predating the athlete’s status as a PSA.
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The number of consecutive years Vanderbilt’s football team has defeated a ranked opponent — a first in school history.
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Double overtime games played by Vanderbilt’s soccer team in their first three games of the season — equalling the number Vanderbilt had played in the last two seasons.
• The relationship between the athlete (or the athlete’s parents) and the individual providing the benefits predating the athlete’s success, ability or reputation. • The pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the athlete (or the athlete’s parents) prior to the athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete being similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature.
Compliance questions? Please contact: Candice Storey Director of Compliance 615/322-7992 candice.storey@vanderbilt.edu
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George Midgett Compliance Coordinator 615/322-2083 george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu
John Peach Compliance Coordinator 615/343-1060 john.w.peach@vanderbilt.edu
$32,600,000 The amount in signing bonuses received by Vanderbilt’s last four first-round draft picks — Jay Cutler, David Price, Chris Williams and Pedro Alvarez.
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The Final
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JEFF JENNINGS • Football • Senior • Running Back Senior running back Jeff Jennings was selected by the football team’s ninemember Leadership Council to wear the “KD 1” patch honoring the late Kwane Doster. Jennings is just the second player to wear the patch. Former linebacker Jonathan Goff wore the patch in 2006 and 2007. How big of an honor is it for you to wear the Doster Patch? It is a really big honor to wear the patch. For the type of person Kwane (Doster) was, it is a real big honor to go out on the field and represent him. Does it mean even more to you having played with him for a season? It means even more that I knew him and got to play with him. I really know what type of player and person he was, the type of work ethic he had and how much he wanted to win every game. With the patch, do you feel like you have more of a responsibility to be a leader? I definitely know that I need to be a leader, and the young guys look up to me. If I go out and practice and play hard, they will see how important it is. They will go out and go 100 percent all the time, as well. Everyone on the team from freshmen to seniors knows what the patch represents. What’s it like to follow a player like Jonathan Goff? Jonathan (Goff) is the same type of player that Kwane was. He played hard every play, goes 100 percent all the time and he did everything that the coaches asked him. It was great to watch how he carried himself and how he represented Kwane with the patch. It is a real honor to follow his footsteps.
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It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson
Keeping It In Perspective ’ve officially been a Vanderbilt Commodore for a quarter century. Pull up a chair and let me tell you a few stories, not about the past but the present. It is much more interesting. A few years ago I was returning from Birmingham with Bobby Johnson. I’ve learned that successful coaches don’t care about laymen’s advice so I usually try to be seen but not heard. But Bobby was a captive audience so I earnestly explained my theory on how to get Vanderbilt football over the hump: “We never get that lucky break, but one of these days we’ll fall on a fumble for a touchdown with 10 seconds left to win a big game.” You might have been impressed with my expertise, but Coach Johnson was not. “That’s not how we are going to win,” Bobby flatly replied as we rolled down Interstate 65. “We are going to win when we can play 60 minutes of fundamentally sound football.” That rather meaningless conversation came to mind as I watched us grind out two hard-nosed first downs to ice that South Carolina win. As usual, Coach was right; we didn’t need a rabbit’s foot, four-leaf clover, voodoo or lucky socks to beat the Head Ball Coach for the second straight year. We needed a sound offensive line and a back that ran north and south. Vanderbilt athletics have come a long way, baby. We all realize fortunes can turn on a given play in the brutally difficult Southeastern Conference. But nobody can deny the Commodores are on the move. Reporters often ask Coach Johnson their version of “The Little Engine that Could” question: “Did the latest victory get your program over the hump?” His answer is standard: “There is no hump, no turning of the corner. Our next game will always be tough, and we will always need to play our best to win it. There is no Easy Street.” Right again. But as our first-rate coaches continue to improve our team, all external indicators are up. We sold more than 19,000 season tickets this season, up about 70% from 2006, which had a similar home schedule. This includes about 1,000 more to faculty and allowed us to completely dominate the stadium on opening night. Vandyville has grown again, and pre-game atmosphere has improved. We have more Commodore Club members. Last winter’s “White Out” basketball game was truly white, and the Carolina “Black Out” was actually black. It’s getting fun. As football shows new life, the old-school mindsets erode to new lines of thinking. “Of course Vanderbilt is recruiting well. It’s in the best city in the SEC, it offers the best education in the SEC and it has all those private-school advantages.” There isn’t a hump but we are making headway toward one. Media reports have underplayed the financial impact the new SEC television rights package will have on our program. Across the board, we are attracting outstanding student-athletes. Those young people who want to compete academically and athletically like what we have to offer. They find it appealing that we are tangibly different from State School U. The fantastic new Commons, home to all Vanderbilt freshmen, has no match in the SEC and few anywhere. Prospective football parents notice the team’s 2.91 grade point with more than 50 members at 3.0 or above. Just as Coach Johnson cautions about his program, there is no hump for Vanderbilt enthusiasm either. Every Saturday offers another challenge. We have realized what is possible when we as a university and fan base become united and enthused. ■
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The Man Behind The Voice hether you are listening on a car radio on Interstate 65 South in Nashville, listening on a satellite radio in the heart of New York City or on a computer in Sydney, Australia, no one makes Vanderbilt fans feel closer to West End Avenue quite like Joe Fisher does. Many coaches and players have come and gone in the past 10 years, but one thing that hasn’t changed at Vanderbilt has been the man who has been the eyes and ears for Commodore fans since August 1998. Players and coaches ultimately determine the result of a game, but few and usually just the best of the best ever have the long lasting-connection with fans quite the way a team’s broadcaster does. Whether it was Harry Caray taking you through endless summer nights with the Cubs or Chick Hearn describing a Lakers victory on a winter night, the voices of a team’s broadcaster are forever ingrained in a fan’s head. Fisher is no different. A Nashville native who graduated from Antioch High School, Fisher spent many evenings listening to Vanderbilt’s Paul Eells and Tennessee’s John Ward call games long into the night. Although sports always had been a passion of his, it wasn’t until the eighth grade that Fisher had any interest in getting behind the microphone. “When I was in eighth grade I had an inkling about what I wanted to do,” Fisher said. “I was PA announcing the junior high football game one day and it was one of those plays where they had three or four penalties in a row and instead of playing it totally straight over the PA
went on to attend Middle Tennessee State, where he made the drive from Murfreesboro, Tenn., to Nashville every weekend so he could work Friday night through Sunday at Channel 4. In addition to his work at Channel 4, Fisher stayed involved in radio by calling Blue Raider games for the campus radio station. Eventually, the long hours paid off for Fisher when he caught what would be his first of two big breaks, earning his first full-time job as sports director at 650 WSM Radio. Fisher’s second big break came not long after when Channel 4 hired him as their weekend sports anchor. “He knew everything,” Kalis said. “He could do great interviews. He learned to edit. He could do everything, and he remembered everything. It was almost like a brotherhood and that is the dearest thing to me. I think Joe is almost like a brother to me.” Eventually Fisher left Channel 4 for Nashville’s WKRN-TV Channel 2 for three years before leaving the industry to work for a public relations firm in Nashville called Dye Van Mol and Lawrence. While at DV&L, Vanderbilt contacted Fisher to broadcast women’s basketball games, which he did for 2½ years before officially being offered the job as director of broadcasting in 1998. “I was always interested in play-by-play,” Fisher said. “I thought that was the greatest thing, but that is just so hard to get into. It was something I always wanted to do. When you start doing television, those opportunities become fewer to do because you are kind of pigeonholed into what you do.
JOHN RUSSELL
W
I said, ‘third and forever,’ and I got a big laugh from the crowd. I think that is when I realized I’d like to do something like that where people would listen to what you had to say.” With his interest piqued, Fisher set out to find out more about sportscasting by calling Nashville’s WSMV-TV Channel 4. “I called and got put in contact with (sports anchor) Rudy Kalis and arranged to go meet with him because I wanted to find out what I have to do to get in this business,” Fisher said. “I was supposed to meet with him after the six o’clock show and was going to stay for 30 minutes, but I ended up staying until 11 o’clock. I stayed the whole time and he or whoever was impressed enough that I was serious about it that they called me and said they had a spot on Saturday afternoon.” Since it was before the days of the Internet and the ticker at the bottom of your television screen, Fisher’s primary job was answering the phone and providing score updates to fans for $1.60 per hour. “He didn’t make hardly a buck when he came here in high school and told me he was interested in sports,” said Kalis, who now is the sports director at Channel 4. “He was smart from the beginning. He was absolutely faithful. He was always there. “It was just that he was so dedicated and so smart. He had a photographic memory. He was such a help for me in that regard.” As Fisher continued to learn more about the ins and outs of the industry from shooting and cutting film to writing scripts, his interest and commitment to the profession grew. After graduating from high school, Fisher
Joe Fisher has been the “Voice of the Commodores” since 1998.
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For me it was right place right time and the stars aligned to where they needed to. To be able to do it at Vanderbilt in my hometown was just unbelievable.” Since coming on board, Fisher has seen many highs and lows from his first football game, where Vanderbilt got shutout 42-0 at Mississippi State, to Worth Scott’s dramatic walk-off home run against Tennessee, which sent Vanderbilt to the SEC Tournament in 2003. Lately, the highlights have outweighed the lowlights, which is something Fisher knows not to take for granted. “I think about where we were to where we are, and it’s extremely gratifying,” Fisher said. “I actually am probably one of the more fortunate Vanderbilt broadcasters to be able to be here at this time. All the sports are competitive. I don’t think anybody else maybe had that luxury, so I appreciate that.” Just as the teams have continued to improve since Fisher arrived, so has he. “I listen each year in how he has gotten better and better in his broadcasting,” Kalis said. “He was always meticulous about his work, there’s no question about that, but I think maturity and age adds something to it. There is kind of a depth to what he says now that is so good. I’m so impressed that he’s been the ‘Voice of the Commodores’ for as long as he’s been now.” Although there aren’t many things you can count on these days, one thing you can be assured of is that no matter how many hundreds of miles you may be from where the Commodores are playing a game, Joe Fisher will be sitting courtside or in the press box delivering Vanderbilt’s every move to you over the airwaves. “I think what’s been interesting to me has been to realize in recent years just how many people there are that live and hang on every word sometimes,” Fisher said. “Not only by the radio, but by satellite radio and the Internet all over the world. That kind of hits you every once in a while. When you get an e-mail from someone in India that’s stayed up until three or four in the morning to listen to the game, there is a little bit more of an added responsibility. It’s a good reminder that a lot of people are counting on you.” ■
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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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JOHN RUSSELL
Sackmaster Broderick Stewart
here are few players who can change a game the same way a good pass rusher can. The ability to put pressure on the quarterback is vital to a team’s overall defensive success. While many teams are left scouring their roster for a dominant pass rusher, Vanderbilt has found that player in junior defensive end Broderick Stewart. What makes a good pass rusher even more coveted is that they’re in short supply. Regardless of where they find them or how they utilize them, teams can’t have enough of them. Listed at 6-5, 230 pounds, the rangy Stewart has been a menace in the backfield since arriving at Vanderbilt. As a redshirt freshman, Stewart finished second on the team with five sacks, and last year he led the team with six sacks. Although he never started a game until Vanderbilt’s season opener at Miami (Ohio), Stewart’s presence on the field has long been felt by his teammates. “We love having Broderick out there with us because he is always giving 100 percent,” junior safety Ryan Hamilton said. “I know the quarterback knows he is there, and they are always worried about him because he is going to put the pressure on them and it helps everyone out in the back end.” In addition to his sack total, Stewart also
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shared the team lead with six quarterback hurries and ranked second with 8.5 tackles for a loss in 2007. Stewart’s ability to get to the quarterback also has affected Vanderbilt’s defense in ways that even his individual numbers can’t describe. “Because of his existence as a speed rusher, quarterbacks feel his presence and it’s helped other guys get sacks,” Vanderbilt defensive line coach Rick Logo said. “When we can get a quarterback to move his feet and step up in the pocket, it helps our linebackers and defensive tackles because of what he does on the edge.” Despite his production on the field, Stewart constantly has been under the microscope for carrying such little weight at a position where players typically average at least 260 pounds. “I understand that and I need to, but if I gain too much weight too soon, I’m not going to be as effective, so I have to be careful,” Stewart said. Stewart’s weight has been so hotly discussed since he arrived on campus that it even earned him the nickname “Razor” when he was a freshman. Although Stewart is outweighed by as much as 100 pounds by some offensive tackles he faces, he views his size as an advantage more so than a disadvantage.
“Speed is the key to my success,” Stewart said. “They say speed kills, they don’t say weight kills.” Because of his speed, Stewart is able to get around larger, slower offensive lineman in his pursuit of the quarterback. Even with his speed and quickness, Stewart knows that there are many areas of his game he needs to improve. “Speed is good, but I really want to work on things that I don’t feel comfortable with … not necessarily stopping the run, but a certain technique,” Stewart said. “I just try to focus on things, and I put myself in bad situations some times, so I can make my weaknesses my strengths.” As Stewart continues to improve his skills, his status among SEC defenders will continue to rise. In the past, a player of Stewart’s size would have been labeled a “tweener” in the NFL, meaning the player was either too big to play outside linebacker or too small to play defensive end in the NFL. Today, the word “tweener” in the football dictionary has an entirely different meaning and has even been replaced by a much newer word, “hybrid.” Players who are limited by their physical traits are no longer left on the outside looking in because they don’t fall into a specific positional category.
MASON HENSLEY
Defensive end Broderick Stewart led Vanderbilt with six sacks in 2007.
Some of the best players on the defensive side of the ball once carried the dreadful label of tweener. The list includes players such as Dwight Freeney, Shawn Merriman, Jason Taylor and Terrell Suggs. These players now are some of the most coveted in the NFL. In last year’s draft alone, three hybrid defenders were taken in the top 10. Even former Commodore Curtis Gatewood was labeled a hybrid defensive lineman last year heading into the NFL Draft. Although he went undrafted, he made the Washington Redskins Practice Squad at the start of the 2008 season. As someone who coached Osi Umenyiora and Demarcus Ware at Troy, Logo believes Stewart has the skills to play at the next level. “I believe Broderick’s strength for the next level, if given the opportunity, is going to be pass rushing,” Logo said. “He is athletic enough to be able to drop into coverage, and teams are going to love his height and speed.” For Stewart, seeing the aforementioned players, and especially Jason Taylor, succeed gives him even more confidence in his own ability. “I look at Jason Taylor a lot,” Stewart said. “He was Defensive Player of the Year, and he was only at 231 pounds. I see that weight is important, but it isn’t everything. He plays fast, he plays quick and he plays smart. I think weight is important, but I play fast and if I had a choice between playing fast or powerful, I’d rather play fast.” Stewart admits that he is a long way away from being the type of player Taylor is, but the amount of improvement he has made in a short amount of time has been remarkable considering he didn’t play football until the ninth grade. “I do learn something new every day,” Stewart said. “I learn something new because I have a great coach (Logo) who is always telling me to work at the things that I’m weak at. He always tells me that I can pass rush with the best of them, which is great, but that I need to work on the run.” Stewart’s late start in football was not by choice. Born in Queens, N.Y., before moving to Newnan, Ga., at age 8, Stewart played soccer, baseball and basketball throughout his childhood. However, despite his begging, his mother, Marriette, did not let him play football until he left home in ninth grade to attend Riverside Military School in Gainesville, Ga. “My mom is funny like that,” Stewart said. “Ever since I was a little kid, I watched football. When I was 2 years old, I could name every NFL team just by their colors. I don’t know why she didn’t want me to play football other than that she was worried that I would get hurt.” Because of his late start, Stewart has improved leaps and bounds
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with each season, which is something that his teammates and coaches have noticed. “He has made great strides for us,” Logo said. “I think he is beginning to understand how he fits into our scheme and utilize his speed not just for pass rush, but also for the run. He brings a presence on our defense in the pass rush that definitely gives other guys some opportunities to get single blocked because of the fact that people are keying on him.” Hamilton also agrees: “He has gotten a lot better. He has always been the type of guy who is going to go all out, but now that he’s got experience and gotten all of the fundamentals down, as well as the mental aspect of the game down, he is going to be a force.” Stewart, whose mother is a teacher and father (Dinsemoore) works for Delta Air Lines grew up in a working-class family with the understanding that hard work pays dividends. Because of his upbringing, Stewart’s play has been especially rewarding to him. “Coming from a hard-working family, it is just rewarding to go out on the field and have success after the amount of work I’ve put into it,” Stewart said. As he continues to grow as a player, Stewart certainly will begin to see teams add blockers to his side. If teams begin keying on him, Stewart believes the rest of the defense will benefit. “If I ever get double-teamed, I will certainly respect it,” Stewart said. “I feel like if they double-team me, that makes me feel even better because I know that just due to our pressure system, they don’t have enough people to double team one person. If they are double- teaming me, then it is going to be a lot easier for the team to make some plays.” Through the start of the season, Stewart has shown his sack totals from the past two years as a reserve were no fluke. In the first game, Stewart registered a sack against Miami (Ohio) and through three games, he had three quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. At the rate he continues to get to the quarterback, it should be only a matter of time before Stewart is regarded as one of the top defensive ends in the SEC. ■
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JOHN RUSSELL
Twin Billing Suits Kinsella Twins
Twins Molly (left) and Megan Kinsella have been playing soccer together since they were five.
or as long as they can remember, twin sisters Molly and Megan Kinsella have been compared with one another. Whether it was school, athletics or even the way they tied their shoes, the Kinsellas couldn’t escape the comparisons. The place where those comparisons were most evident was on the soccer fi eld. Since picking up the sport at age fi ve, the Kinsellas have spent every moment of their soccer careers as teammates. Not only did they spend all their time on the fi eld together, they also spent most every moment at home together as roommates. Even if they wanted to get away, it was practically impossible with seven children in their family. So when it came time for the two to select their college destinations, neither one could blame the other if she chose to go her separate way. “I tried to make a decision based on what I wanted, and (Megan) made a decision based on what she wanted,” Molly said. Deep down, however, it did matter to the two of them even if they didn’t want to disclose it at the time.
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“I think it mattered to us, but we didn’t want to admit it,” said Molly, who is older than Megan by five minutes. “If I followed Megan to school, I didn’t want to regret anything, so we tried to make decisions separately, but a big part was that if we got to play together, it would probably help us out.” Even though they knew it would be best if they played together in college, the two didn’t jump at the opportunity when Vanderbilt offered each one a scholarship while they were in high school at St. Agnes Academy in Memphis. “I looked more toward the East Coast in places like North Carolina and South Carolina because I didn’t want to go that close to home,” Megan said. Molly was much more decisive with her decision, committing to the Commodores some four months before Megan. “(Molly) knew what she wanted, and I wasn’t too sure yet,” Megan said. “I think we are where we want to be. We ended up in a good spot.” Vanderbilt fans couldn’t agree more. Since arriving on campus two years ago, the Kinsellas have been key cogs in Van-
derbilt’s starting lineup. Molly, a forward, and Megan, a midfi elder/forward, are part of a sophomore class that was hailed as the best recruiting class in school history. Last season Molly was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after leading the Commodores with six goals to go with three assists. Megan tallied one assist in 2007, while playing in 17 games. Although they continue to play for the same team, a rivalry that dates back to childhood is evident. “I’d say (the rivalry) was more prevalent growing up at home,” Megan said. “Though I always think that we try not to line up with each other in practice because it gets really competitive.” In part because of that rivalry that has developed over years of competing against each other and being compared with each other, the two have an innate ability to know exactly where the other is on the fi eld at all times. “The most benefi cial thing about playing with each other for so long is that I always know where she is going to go on the fi eld and her style of play,” Molly said. That knowledge that can only come from knowing someone better than anyone else also has allowed the two the freedom to offer coaching and criticism that only they can provide. “After the game you want feedback from someone, and I always go to Megan because anyone else on the team is going to be scared that they are going to hurt my feelings with criticism,” Molly said. “Megan will be honest with me.” Beyond the success on the soccer fi eld, having one another at college has helped their relationship grow. “Since we’ve gone to college we’ve had more similar interests, but before college we were very opposite,” Megan said. Molly added: “I feel like I’m a lot more laid back now (in college), but it was definitely opposite before. She was a lot more laid back and was the class clown, but now she’s more determined and has her goals set.” For as much as the two have been compared throughout their lives, they don’t have any regrets about continuing their careers together. “It is great just always having someone to be there when you need them,” Megan said. “It’s been benefi cial to play with Molly pretty much my whole life. She has helped me through hard times on the fi eld and off the fi eld.” Just like it’s human nature to compare restaurants or movies, people will continue to compare the Kinsellas. One thing, however, you can’t compare is whether the two are better together or apart. ■
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Quick Hits MEN’S SPORTS Baseball • Former Commodore David
Price was named 2008 Minor League Player of the Year by USA Today. • The team starts fall practice on Sept. 16. Practice will conclude with the Black and Gold Fall Series Oct. 23, 24 and 26.
Tim Corbin
• The August 28th start date was the earli-
Women’s Cross Country
est Vanderbilt has ever started a season. Before this year, Vanderbilt’s earliest start date to a season was Aug. 30th in 1997, 2001 and 2003. • Against South Carolina, Nickson became just the third quarterback in school history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career. The others were Jay Cutler and Eric Jones. • Vanderbilt’s game at Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 28 was the first-ever game broadcast on HD by ESPNU.
• Sophomore Rita Jorgensen
finished first at the BelmontVanderbilt opener on Sept. 6 with a time of 14:23.32. Steve • The team finished first at the Keith meet with an average time of 14:55.29. • Also finishing in the top 20 were Kristabel Doebel-Hickok, Amanda Scott, Adrienne DiRaddo and freshman Alexa Rogers.
Golf • Vanderbilt will play in two
Basketball
tournaments in October. The Commodores will play in the Tar Heel Invitational (Oct. 3-5) and the Stanford Fall Intercollegiate (Oct. 17-19).
• Head coach Kevin Stallings
was named Vanderbilt CoCoach of the Year at halftime of the South Carolina football game. Kevin • Stallings announced VanStallings derbilt’s 2008-09 schedule on Sept. 11. The schedule includes 17 home games.
Lacrosse
JOHN RUSSELL
• Head coach Cathy Swezey was
Cross Country • Junior Thomas Davis led all
Vanderbilt runners at the Belmont-Vanderbilt opener on Sept. 6 by placing ninth overall. • The team finished third at the meet with a team average of 15:59.65.
Chris Nickson earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after the Miami (Ohio) game.
Steve Keith
Golf • The Commodores will play
their only tournament in October at The Ridges Oct. 2426 in Johnson City, Tenn. • Vanderbilt concludes the fall Nov. 3-4 at the Western Carolina Intercollegiate.
MIKE STRASINGER
Football • Junior
linebacker Patrick Benoist was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 8 after his 15-tackle performance against South Bobby Johnson Carolina. • Benoist also was named the Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America on Sept. 9. • Senior quarterback Chris Nickson was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2 after his game against Miami (Ohio), where he rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 91 yards and another score in the victory.
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named Vanderbilt Co-Coach of the Year at halftime of the South Carolina football game. • Vanderbilt was recognized Cathy among the top 50 academSwezey ic squads in the nation by the IWLCA. • The association also presented Ashley Paschall, Michele Slotke and Brooke Shinaberry with honor roll distinctions.
Soccer • Vanderbilt got off to its best Tom Shaw
Tennis
Thomas Davis finished ninth at the BelmontVanderbilt Opener.
Greg Allen
• Former VU star Bobby Reynolds advanced to the second round at the U.S. Open. • Vijay Paul (No. 80) and Nick Cromydas (No. 84) were Ian ranked in the preseason ITA Duvenhage poll. Paul and Alex Zotov were ranked No. 42 in doubles, while Cromydas and Bryant Salcedo were ranked No. 46.
WOMEN’S SPORTS
start to a season since the 1998 team began the year 6-0. • Sophomore Megan Eddings was named SEC Defensive Ronnie Player of the Week on Sept. Coveleskie 8 after helping Vanderbilt to victories against East Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech. • Redshirt freshman Catherine Wearn was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 26 after she scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the season-opener against Belmont. • Vanderbilt earned its first ranking of the season on Sept. 1 when SoccerBuzz. com ranked the Commodores 15th in the Central Region.
Basketball • On Aug. 19, senior Christina Wirth was named to the 200809 preseason watch list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year. • Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb announced the team’s schedule on Sept. 15.
Tennis • Vanderbilt will play host to the
Melanie Balcomb
Bowling • The Commodores open their season Oct. 31 at the FDU Invitational in Elmwood Park, N.J. John Williamson
annual June Stewart Classic Oct. 17-19. • The Commodores will play four tournaments this October. Geoff • Former Commodore Julie Dit- Macdonald ty advanced to the round of 16 in doubles competition at the U.S. Open. • Catherine Newman and Courtney Ulery (No. 56) were ranked in the preseason ITA singles poll. In doubles, Ulery and Newman are ranked No. 35.
COM MODOR E
T I DB I T S • Vanderbilt sold out of football season tickets in the family section and the South endzone before the South Carolina game. • A book co-authored by Vanderbilt food coach Majid “Magic” Noori and former Commodore Nation Editor Skip Anderson, titled Eating To Win, is due out soon. The book chronicles Noori’s expertise in working with VU student-athletes for more than 18 years as the No. 1 Food Coach in America. • Vanderbilt’s victory over South Carolina was its first at home over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 25 Ole Miss 31-9 on Sept. 19, 1992.
The Month Ahead
Men’s Sports Cross Country 10/4 10/18
at Louisville Invitational at Pre-Nationals
All Day All Day
Football 10/4 10/11 10/18 10/25
Auburn at Mississippi State at Georgia Duke (Homecoming)
TBA TBA TBA 2pm
Golf 10/24-26
at The Ridges (Johnson City, Tenn.)
All Day
at Georgia Tech Invitational at ITA All-American at Louisville Invitational at ITA Regional at Crimson Tide Fall Championship
All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day
Tennis 10/3-5 10/5-9 10/10-12 10/16-19 10/24-26
Women’s Sports Bowling 10/31
FDU Invitational
All Day
at Louisville Invitational at Pre-Nationals
All Day All Day
at Tar Heel Invitational at Stanford Fall Intercollegiate
All Day All Day
Cross Country 10/4 10/18
Golf 10/3-5 10/17-19
Soccer 10/3 10/5 10/10 10/12 10/17 10/19 10/23 10/26 10/31
Florida South Carolina at Georgia at Tennessee at LSU at Arkansas Ole Miss at Mississippi State at Kentucky
7pm 2pm 6pm 12pm 7pm 1pm 7pm 1pm 6pm
Tennis 10/2-5 10/3-5 10/17-19
at Riviera All-Americans at Hoosier Classic June Stewart Invitational
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All Day All Day All Day
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Completing The Circle — It’s A Family Affair By Kenneth B. Cole, Jr., A&S ’81, Law ’84
Kenneth Cole (right) with his son, Zachary.
ad, I’ve decided to be a Marine.” I knew this day was coming but was engulfed by conflicting emotions. Fear for my son’s safety, pride in the fact my son wanted to be one of the best this country has to offer and realization that this kid was willing to give in a way most people only wish they could. I knew Zachary was about to embark on a journey the likes of which he could not imagine, and my job was to give him all the support I could. Since then, I’ve had time to reflect. Sometimes, we get so involved with the “busyness” of life that we lose focus on the “business” of life that means the most — God, family, country and relationships that mold us into who we are. I’ve thought about the 31 years since I first arrived at Vanderbilt as a wide-eyed freshman — son of a retired army sergeant with no business being at a school like Vanderbilt. I wouldn’t have been there except for the football scholarship that paid the way. But I wanted to play linebacker in the SEC and get an education, so Vanderbilt actually was the perfect fit for me. What I didn’t realize was how much I was receiving, and being a “receiver” meant multiple “givers” made it possible. I ended up getting an English degree. One of my friends jokes I’m the only Vanderbilt English major whose favorite author is the western writer Louis L’Amour. Studying and practicing didn’t leave much free time, and it wasn’t easy. Mom and Dad were always there, however, being supportive during tough times. Dad encouraged me by saying, “The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.” Mom was in the stands every Saturday. She didn’t understand football, but she knew her son needed her there, cheering even when we didn’t win all those games. I also had to adjust to the student body, from so many states and so smart it intimidated me. But I discovered I actually did belong at Vanderbilt. I found I could compete academically, making the freshman honor societies and
“D
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having students who thought I was just another “dumb jock” asking me if I could tutor them. I discovered I could succeed in football and the classroom when I made the Academic All-SEC team. Then, even though I always thought I would coach and teach, I went to law school because the young Vanderbilt lady I was dating thought my competitive spirit might make me a good lawyer. After serving on the Vanderbilt Law Review, it was time to hone my skills as a trial lawyer in the real world. Many Vanderbilt law graduates spend their careers with big firms or companies. Not me. God’s plan was different, and I left the security of Fulbright & Jaworski to represent hurt people, widows and orphans. In my cases, we are Davids against Goliaths. To put it in SEC terminology, we are Vanderbilts who go up against Alabamas and Tennessees. Although I didn’t realize it as a naïve freshman, those long, hot, difficult days on the gridiron were God’s plan to prepare me for my life’s work. It’s not easy to use lawsuits to change the safety mindset of big companies in this country. But my cases have made trucking, explosives and pizza delivery industries just a little bit safer. I am thankful that God allowed me to do so. I also realize that all the “accomplishments,” all the “diplomas” and all the “trophies” really don’t matter. You see, an institution like Vanderbilt is the collective spirit of the people who have been there, who are there and who will be there to carry on the traditions. What you really get out of college are the relationships with individuals who mold you into who you are. People like Roy Gottfried, who taught me a lot about English but more about life and compassion for others. People like Ray Barnes, who encouraged me in his unique way by saying, “God knows you ain’t big enough, fast enough or strong enough; but you’re gonna play a lot of football for me ’cause you got a lot of heart.” People like the friend who encouraged me to use my competitive spirit in the courtroom. People like Don Hall, who taught me respect for the law and the desire to help the less fortunate. Each of these Vanderbilt people helped me become me. They gave to me in a special way when they didn’t have to. These relationships are the ultimate value which Vanderbilt offers. Given the lesson from Zachary about giving unconditionally, I knew giving to my Vanderbilt family was a must. It is difficult to imagine giving back to Vanderbilt what Vanderbilt gave to me. Maybe it’s impossible, but Dad said we should do the difficult immediately, and the impossible takes a little longer. So, my wife, Jill, and I recently funded a McGugin Scholarship to pay for a football player to attend Vanderbilt for one year. The school named it in honor of my mom and gave this precious lady a plaque in front of thousands of Vanderbilt fans. It was a joy to give back to mom and my alma mater. I am grateful to partially complete the circle that began in 1977 when someone gave to Vanderbilt so I could be there. Perhaps one day, the young man we helped will complete the circle by making it possible for someone else to receive such a scholarship. If you are reading this article, then you are part of such a Vanderbilt circle. Perhaps now is the time for you to complete your circle. I can assure you, when you give you will find that what you get is much Kenneth Cole was a four-year letterwinner at linebacker, 1976-79. more valuable. ■
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The Last Look
GIANT LEAP
JOHN RUSSELL
Running back Jared Hawkins leaps past South Carolina defensive tackle Nathan Pepper in Vanderbilt’s 24-17 win over South Carolina. Hawkins finished with 84 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
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