Ray Davis disses Nashville in KSR interview

[BrentVU]

Ray Davis gives Vandy a little bulletin board material for Sept. 23...

On3.com: Ray Davis says Nashville was about country music, Lexington is about football
(by Alex Weber)

Ahem, I fear he may find out... Lexington is about another sport that uses a ball.

[NWOHDore]

If he had said that Lexington is all about UK and Nashville is about country music, he wouldn't be wrong, but football just gives Lexington a way to kill time until midnight madness.

[charlestonalum]

Well, let's wekcome him back...

[charlestonalum]

Well, let's welcome him back...

[commadore]

I hope one of our LBs knocks him into the next week. I hope he won't remember his return trip to Nashville.

[vandy05]

I hope one of our LBs knocks him into the next week. I hope he won't remember his return trip to Nashville.

I'm gonna chalk the second part of this post up to a few too many Friday night whiskeys.

[Doreknox]

The only things that are better in Lexington than in Nashville are horses. The rest...not so much.

[FayetteDore]

Hell, most Nashvillians diss what significant parts of Nashville have become. Hence, the campaign theme of the leading vote getter in Thursday's mayoral election: "More 'Ville, Less Vegas!"

There's not much to argue with in that short 23-second clip. He's talking about Lexington's single-minded focus on UK (just like any other SEC hometown EXCEPT Nashville). I wouldn't know Aldean from Bryan if they walked in and burst out singing, and none of my friends and colleagues talk about them or other country luminaries of the moment BUUT that's about all there is to the tourist trap that downtown has become.

He didn't diss Vanderbilt; he didn't even mention Vanderbilt. Geez!

[OldDude]

Hell, most Nashvillians diss what significant parts of Nashville have become. Hence, the campaign theme of the leading vote getter in Thursday's mayoral election: "More 'Ville, Less Vegas!"

There's not much to argue with in that short 23-second clip. He's talking about Lexington's single-minded focus on UK (just like any other SEC hometown EXCEPT Nashville). I wouldn't know Aldean from Bryan if they walked in and burst out singing, and none of my friends and colleagues talk about them or other country luminaries of the moment BUUT that's about all there is to the tourist trap that downtown has become.

He didn't diss Vanderbilt; he didn't even mention Vanderbilt. Geez!

Agree

[Versus75]

I listened to the interview live yesterday on Louisville AM-790. This is just 23 seconds out of 3 or 4 minutes. I wouldn't say that Davis "dished on" (as was printed in the article) Nashville so much as he mentioned a positive about Lexington. And he is not wrong. UK football is the only game in town and half the population of the state considers themselves members of the Big Blue Nation, whether or not they actually attended the university.

As far as the Nashville reference, the country music theme is pushed on everyone by the SEC Network folks but I doubt it's a negative factor for any student or student-athlete. How many football players are there for the music? If that was a factor, why did Davis transfer to Vanderbilt in the first place?

The reasons he cited for transferring to UK included some of the Kentucky players he knows who told him, "This is the place to be" or words to that effect, they said. "Come join us at UK." (A couple were right next to Davis, sharing the interview.) Davis was not asked why he entered the transfer portal in the first place. Was it graduate school options?

This line from his bio at UKathletics.com is interesting:
"Graduated from Vanderbilt in December of 2022 with a degree in communications studies … Currently working on a undergraduate certificate in business"

What is an undergraduate "certificate" and if you already have an undergraduate degree shouldn't you be working on a graduate degree?
https://ukathletics.com/sports/football ... ray-davis/

In any case, I have heard no indication of tampering.

And while I don't want to see Ray Davis injured, I REALLY want to see us win the UK game. My son, who was born in Kentucky and is a big UK fan despite playing football for Centre College, will be at the game with me as we've attended about a dozen UK-VU football games. I want him to "eat crow" one more time.

[FayetteDore]

So, to summarize, the young man a) didn't diss Vanderbilt at all, b) said he's not a big fan of country music, c) likes Lexington because it's all about his new school, d) is a recent VU graduate and alum - and yet, e) somebody on here wants him knocked unconscious?

Versus, not exactly sure what UK is offering but you can get certificates in a wide variety of things, for taking and passing courses in specific skills. They're mostly in technical or career fields like web design, coding, etc. The curriculum might be designed by somebody like Amazon Web Services or Adobe and offered through the school. Good for him!

[alathIN]

I listened to the interview live yesterday on Louisville AM-790. This is just 23 seconds out of 3 or 4 minutes. I wouldn't say that Davis "dished on" (as was printed in the article) Nashville so much as he mentioned a positive about Lexington. And he is not wrong. UK football is the only game in town and half the population of the state considers themselves members of the Big Blue Nation, whether or not they actually attended the university.

As far as the Nashville reference, the country music theme is pushed on everyone by the SEC Network folks but I doubt it's a negative factor for any student or student-athlete. How many football players are there for the music? If that was a factor, why did Davis transfer to Vanderbilt in the first place?

The reasons he cited for transferring to UK included some of the Kentucky players he knows who told him, "This is the place to be" or words to that effect, they said. "Come join us at UK." (A couple were right next to Davis, sharing the interview.) Davis was not asked why he entered the transfer portal in the first place. Was it graduate school options?

This line from his bio at UKathletics.com is interesting:
"Graduated from Vanderbilt in December of 2022 with a degree in communications studies … Currently working on a undergraduate certificate in business"

What is an undergraduate "certificate" and if you already have an undergraduate degree shouldn't you be working on a graduate degree?
https://ukathletics.com/sports/football ... ray-davis/

In any case, I have heard no indication of tampering.

And while I don't want to see Ray Davis injured, I REALLY want to see us win the UK game. My son, who was born in Kentucky and is a big UK fan despite playing football for Centre College, will be at the game with me as we've attended about a dozen UK-VU football games. I want him to "eat crow" one more time.

I believe an undergrad certificate is like completing the specialty courses for a major but not all the other degree requirements. Kind of like a post doc for undergrads.

[BrentVU]

Outkick takes notice...

Even if he is right, for Davis to say that Kentucky is more about football than Vanderbilt is rather funny after Kentucky lost to Vanderbilt last year. Perhaps the Wildcats should focus more on Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan if they want to win?

(Ray Davis) THROWS SHADE AT COMMODORES, NEGLECTS EMBARRASSING RESULT
(by Grayson Weir)

[Golddore68]

I don’t know if country music is a big drawback for Vanderbilt athletes, but I would think the Titans and (for basketball players) the Predators are.

Sports fans in Nashville can go to the pro games instead of Vanderbilt. The Preds home games are sometimes the same night as Vanderbilt basketball games. The Titans occasionally play on Saturdays too, which can be a conflict. Or if a fan of both Vanderbilt and the Titans has a certain amount of extra money one weekend and he has the choice of going to Vanderbilt vs. a non-conference game Saturday or the Titans vs. Texans on Sunday, he may choose to spend the money on the Titans game.

Whereas in cities like Lexington or Knoxville or Starkville, the SEC teams are the only teams in town. There are no conflicts. They get all the attention from the media and all the fans will show up for their games.

And this will affect NIL too. Companies donating NIL money have the option of either having an NFL star or Preds player endorsing their products (which would probably be very costly), or a Vanderbilt player, for not as much. Some companies would rather have an NFL star or Coach Vrabel endorsing their products. And smaller colleges like Belmont and Lipscomb are even further down the line of getting NIL money from the companies.

I would think from a player like Ray Davis’ perspective, the pro sports teams would be more of something to complain about instead of country music. I can’t see how country music has any negative impact on Vanderbilt sports teams at all.

[dorepleganger]

I would think from a player like Ray Davis’ perspective, the pro sports teams would be more of something to complain about instead of country music. I can’t see how country music has any negative impact on Vanderbilt sports teams at all.

It would have been nice to hear him publicly acknowledge appreciation for acceptance to Vanderbilt (as a transfer from Temple), the world-class medical treatment he received after injuring his foot (toe?) 2 years ago, as well as the personalized rehabilitation program he was able to enjoy - free of charge - so as to put him in the position to succeed last year, and go to UK as a degree-holding Vanderbilt alumnus who could then insult Nashville; alas humility, gratitude, and acknowledgements do not, apparently, have NIL (or much other) value.

He’ll fit right in, in Lexington.

[MrMemorial]

Somebody should educate Ray on the history of who the arena is named after where UK plays home basketball games.

Or he could watched a sanitized version of that coach as portrayed in the film "Glory Road" - streaming now on Disney +

[VUaskew]

I don't know that he dissed Vandy as much as he sounded ignorant about Nashville. Pretty stupid thing to say. Glad all they care about in Lexington is football!

[DonYates]

I'm not that offended by what he said. Not much said there really. He should have said "Lexington is about the Wildcats." which is more on target.