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With Tim Corbin’s announcement today, Vandy fans stomachs finally settled. Mike Rapp and Chris Lee of VandySports.com, Kendall Rogers of Rivals.com, Brett Hait of the Nashville City Paper and Mo Patton of the Tennessean (and the College Baseball Blog) all covered the story in great detail. Early this morning, Coach Corbin announced, through Joe Fisher (the voice of Commodore athletics as announcer for all Vandy sports games), that he was staying in Nashville. Later in the day, Corbin hosted media to answer questions regarding the brief courtship.
Of interesting note, Corbin was not initially interviewing with Oregon. He was engaged by the University as a consultant to help build their program and advise on matters including the coaching search and facility construction. Much like Baylor, another program visited by Oregon officials, Vanderbilt is known to have among the best facilities in the country. However, during the courtship, Oregon upped the ante and offered Corbin a compensation package that dwarfed what Corbin currently receives at Vandy. Corbin is among the most well compensated coaches in the SEC, leading to speculation regarding just how large the package was — speculation Corbin did not address.
Ultimately, Corbin told the media that the entire experience has been: “slightly embarrassing, to be honest with you, because my first feeling is this has happened before. The last thing I want is for people to think, ‘Here we go again.’ I don’t have a sign over my head that says, ‘I need a job,’ because I don’t.” Corbin flirted with LSU and Auburn in the past three years and appeared to be attempting some damage control. Corbin acknowledged that he has an outstanding situation at Vanderbilt, evidenced by turning down NIKE money that would reportedly have doubled his current compensation package. Nevertheless, he came across as honest and open regarding his status as Vandy’s coach, his commitment to the program, and the fact that he will listen to offers if approached, as college baseball “is a performance driven business.” In this case, although Corbin entertained the Oregon offer, when asked if he was close to accepted he said, “It wasn’t close physically, emotionally or anything.”
Corbin also indicated what this blog suggested early last night. The presence of David Williams, Vandy’s Athletics Czar, is a key factor in the coach’s continued home in Nashville. So long as Williams is running the show, count on Corbin to turn down all offers outside of an opening at Clemson and in the Boston Red Sox organization. Corbin hinted that he has turned down more overtures than are public. Among those rumored are an immediate turn down of the University of Tennessee this past Spring.
Corbin’s press conference can be viewed at VUCommodores.com and Coach talks about his situation at Vanderbilt, the offer received from Oregon, the nature of Oregon’s program building and the departure of Chancellor Gordon Gee. Corbin also noted that recruiting coordinator Erik Bakich and pitching coach Derek Johnson have been approached and turned down opportunities at other schools.
To access the video of the press conference, you must register for free with VUCommodores.com’s all-Access video service, which also allows you to watch all home Commodore baseball games live.
In the early afternoon conference, Corbin did not address the status of then unsigned David Price, Dominic De la Osa and Jonathan White. All-American RF De la Osa and reserve OF White are returning to Vanderbilt for their Senior years. De la Osa will join fellow Rivals.com All-Americans Pedro Alvarez (3B) and Ryan Flaherty (SS) to form one of the most lethal middles of the lineup in baseball for the second year in a row. Alvarez and De la Osa currently rank #1 and #4 among returning players in career home runs.
Photo courtesy of Mike Rapp at VandySports.com.
