SPEED KILLS

So you're Vanderbilt. Everybody's picking you to win two or three games this year. Heck, you're the underdog in Thursday's game at Miami of Ohio.

But you think you're better than that. Fine. So why not just go out and show everybody that you're better than that. I mean, why not sneak up on people?

But no. Broderick Stewart, a junior defensive end for Vanderbilt, told ESPN's Chris Low this week that the Commodore defense is — are you sitting down for this? — the fastest in the nation.

Read Low's entire blog entry at

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec/0-1-234/Don-t-sleep-on-the-Commodores--says-Stewart.html

"Hands down, I think we're the fastest," Stewart told Low. "You'll see. We're going to play really fast."

I don't get it. Tell yourself you're the fastest. Power of positive thinking and all that. But here's a thought: Why not tell other teams you're the slowest? And then you get on the field and they say, "Man, these guys are faster than we thought! I wish I'd prepared better for this game."

But no. You say you're the fastest. Expect to see that quote on bulletin boards in Columbia and Oxford and Auburn and Starkville and Athens and Gainesville and Lexington and — especially — Knoxville.

And congratulations on having the fastest defense in the nation.

Enjoy it while you can.