http://tennessean.com/article/20081231/COLUMNIST0202/812310365/1002/SPORTS
On this particular August day, Bobby Johnson was cheerful and upbeat. That’s not unusual. The guy would look at an approaching Category F5 tornado and say the breeze felt good.
Immersed in preseason training camp, Johnson liked what he was seeing out of his Vanderbilt Commodores. Despite the shortage of playmakers on offense and serious concerns about the defensive front, Johnson was optimistic.
“We’ve got a chance to be a good football team,” he said.
Through the years, I’ve learned not to roll my eyes or shake my head in these situations. Every Vanderbilt coach I’ve known, and some who came before me, has spent the preseason putting a happy face on a sad situation. Optimism, false or otherwise, is part of the job description, especially in the preseason.
To put it another way, Rod Dowhower once had me almost convinced — almost — that his West Coast Offense would work on West End. Never mind that he was coaching a bunch of offensive players who had been recruited to run the option.
All things considered, the customary label was attached to Vanderbilt ’08 — Rebuilding Year.
Tennessean.com
12/31/08
Magnolia Tribune
