The Hippodrome: If He Leaves, Don't You Cry

This Week In The 'Drome, We Love Something And We Set It Free

Opening Face-Off

Staying vs. Going: As an energetic coach whose had unprecedented success at a traditional football minnow in a powerhouse conference, it's no real surprise that Vanderbilt coach James Franklin is mentioned as a candidate for top jobs with increasing frequency.

This week, Texas messageboarders have bandied about his name and Vandy fans have a bit of concern about their popular head man putting on a burnt orange polo.

But is it really a bad thing?

As Lord Baden-Powell said, "Leave this world better than you found it." There's no doubt Franklin has satisfied this dictum of the First Scout. He's proven that even a guy who nobody had ever heard of heretofore can turn lowly Vandy into a winner.

Franklin's changed Vandy from a place where starry-eyed dreamers lose their religion into somewhere they can expect a little of attention and runs of success.

If he leaves, he left it way better than he found it.

The Week Behind

Hit City: So maybe

of hosting the NCAA women's bowling finals or the tennis championships, but maybe we scored something better.

Sixteen women's roller derby teams from around the world will travel to Nashville for the Women's Flat Track Derby Association world championships Oct. 31-Nov. 2, slated for Municipal Auditorium.

No longer (just) entertainment in smoky National Guard armories, flat-track roller derby has grown enough to be considered (though ultimately passed over) for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.

This is a reasonably BIg Deal — and it won't even cost tens of millions of dollars.

Snatching Defeat From The Jaws of Defeat: To bastardize the famous Borg maxim, "Persistence is futile."

Down 17 with six minutes to go, the already-paltry crowd at LP Field has dissipated, leaving just a few thousand die-hards and too-drunk-to-leaves. Those so inclined and sober enough to see saw a brilliant comeback by the mostly-moribund and mainly-mediocre home team sprint back into contention Sunday against Arizona.

Memories of Vince Young's furious 99-yard game-winning drive against those same Cardinals flickered to life in the frozen grey matter of the faithful few. And when Rob Bironas executed an onside kick (he used a tee like a normal person and everything) and then Michael Preston — dressed because Justin Hunter and Damian Williams were suspended — caught the tying touchdown with 10 seconds left, there was evidence the Titans had one left last gasp of hope left in them.

But Ryan Fitzpatrick had one left in him too — one final interception in OT that set up the Cards winning field goal in overtime.

The Titans have found so many ways to lose this year, metaphors are running out. Is time running out on the Munchak regime too? It seems not.

The Vigorous Exercise: Pekka Rinne is slated to test out the progress on his diseased hip today, just as the Predators are ready to flip back to their Other Other (Other) Goalie again.

After doing enough to garner the NHL's Third Star of the Week, Carter Hutton backstopped the Preds to a 3-1 belt-losing loss to Chicago and a 4-2 beating in Tampa, putting the brakes on a good run of form for the Preds — a three-game winning streak.

There were early makings of the kind of winning streak that has bolstered the Preds playoff hopes in the past, but none was coming. And it's that they played poorly Tuesday against Chicago — indeed they hung around well with the NHL's best team. They were frequently hemmed in against Tampa, but Craig "Nuke LaLoosh" Smith and Matt "Crash Davis" Cullen gave the Preds a chance (though both times Nashville closed the gap to one, the Lightning struck quickly).

Barry Trotz's rather curious roster decisions continued. He scratched Colin Wilson Tuesday and continues to roll his Wagon Line that features the delightful Rich Clune, who is a fun and interesting guy but not much of a contributor.

Halftime Entertainment

Oh ESPN: If there's anything more tired than the trope that all athletes should be "leaders," it's any time anyone plays the no-respect card. That notion is pretty prominent in the South, what with our whole Lost Causeism and all that.

Anyway, it's hard to blame Vanderbilt fans for feeling they get no respect, what with being forced into a bowl game being played at the non-condemned parts of Legion Field despite being 8-4. And it's even harder since ESPN thinks Jordan Matthews isn't a guy worth watching.

The Week Ahead

Ratings Bonanza: The

that gets to watch the Titans-Jags game Sunday will be blessed with hearing the dulcet tones of Andrew Catalon, who will take time off from his busy schedule as the voice of American curling (no, seriously) to call the game.

The NFL made an effort a few years back to push divisional games to the end of the schedule, in part to prevent teams from resting their regulars in Week 17 and in part to extend playoff races as long as possible.

The downside of that effort is when two teams — like the Titans and Jags — meet in Week 16 with nothing to play for. Indeed, the most thrilling thing might be if neither of these teams play their regulars at all.

Fifth Avenue Freeze Out: The NHL traditionally takes off a few days around Christmas — this year the Christmas break runs from Christmas Eve through Boxing Day — and freezes rosters a few days prior (that's today), so the hockey schedule is a bit light for the next week.

The Montreal Canadiens visit Bridgestone Arena tomorrow. A rare highlight from this season was a Nashville victory in Montreal featuring a brilliant late game winner from Seth Jones. The Boston Bruins come in Monday.

I'm off next week so no 'Drome until 2014. Email to jrlind[at]nashvillescene[dot]com.