NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Coach Derek Mason is embracing what a win Saturday night would mean both to his Vanderbilt Commodores and the program hes been building for three seasons.No clich?s about trying to go 1-0, though his Commodores proved Tuesday theyve learned that talking point well from their coach. No, when talking Tuesday about the game in both teams regular season finales, Mason referenced the quote from the late John F. Kennedy about why settle for second when first is available.Were going to make sure for us we go get everything there to get, Mason said. Were not going to leave any meat on the bone. Its time for us to go eat. Its time for us to grow up. Its time for us to put down the little boy toys and pick up the big boy toys, and lets play football and lets try to find ourselves in the midst of doing something great.Masons Commodores have a high enough APR, Academic Progress Report, that they just might head to a bowl with the five wins they already have this season with more bowl slots than six-win teams . Beat in-state rival Tennessee, and academics will take a backseat to what the Commodores do on the football field.This Tennessee-Vanderbilt rivalry has been lopsided for decades with the Volunteers dominating. In the past 10 years, Tennessee is 8-2. Each time the Commodores beat the Vols -- 41-18 in 2012 and 14-10 in 2013 -- they went bowling and finished 9-4 under coach James Franklin.When Franklin went to Penn State, Vanderbilt hired Mason away from Stanford where he was defensive coordinator as a first-time head coach. Vanderbilt still is looking for both its first bowl berth and first victory over Tennessee. In his third season, the Commodores (5-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) are having their best season yet under Mason.Beating Mississippi 38-17 last weekend marked the most points Vanderbilt has scored against an SEC opponent under Mason. That also got the Commodores their fifth win, and their SEC-best APR could have their bowl eligibility secured before kicking off against Tennessee.Mason said winning not only means a sixth win for the Commodores but taking the next step in being relevant in the SEC.And to me right now thats where were moving, Mason said. Thats where were headed, but this opportunity would really cement exactly what weve been able to do in terms of building culture.Tennessee coach Butch Jones, who has his Vols at 8-3 and 4-3 in his fourth season, noted four of Vanderbilts losses this season came in one-possession games.When you look at Vanderbilt, Derek Mason has done a great job of really continuing to build that football program, Jones said.Vanderbilts last bowl came in Franklins final game with the Commodores who beat Houston 41-24 in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Jan. 4, 2014. But Masons Commodores werent biting when asked about possibly being bowl-bound or knowing a win was necessary before kickoff. Linebacker Zach Cunningham said their focus is on Saturday night.This game is the only thing thats important to us right now, Cunningham said.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Discount Soccer Jerseys .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. http://www.stitchedsoccerjerseys.com/ . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. 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I dont need to make every life move centered around my profession, because thats not who I am. I kind of disassociated with that identity. It felt a lot better to me going out there playing because thats what I felt in me, not because I felt obligated to do it. It was a lot more enjoyable this year.La Stella, 27, went home to New Jersey instead of reporting to Iowa after being optioned. A valuable role player, he was caught in a numbers game but was likely to return.La Stella stressed there is no animosity with the Cubs and that his decision was just what he felt was best for himself.Its a reflection of where I am in my life and my career, La Stella said. I told them, I know you have a business decision to make. I completely understand where theyre coming from. I dont fault them for making that choice one bit. Theyre doing whats in the best interest of the team. I understand that 100 percent.La Stella even contemplated retirement last offseason but returned to the Cubs because he wanted to be with his teammates who have backed him.Everybody that walks through those doors, were happy to have them, right fielder Jason Heyward said. Especially someone like La Stella, who contributes so much even when he isnt playing. Hes a guy that spoke up during the game, rooting us on and things like that. Stuff like that is missed. If you see someone like that, who brings that every day, when he comes into the clubhouse, you welcome him back with open arms every time.La Stella spoke publicly about his situation for the first time Tuesday in order to take some pressure off his teammates, who have had to answer questions about him over the last several days. He also said he expressed his thoughts to the team in the spring.Going into this season, it was a shift in how I looked at it, he said. I said if Im going to do this Im going to do it the right way. Im going to be here because I want to be here. That was pretty much what I told them in spring training when we had that sit down meeting. I thought that went well.La Stella also said he thinks his conversations he has had with the front office since being sent down have gone well. The team is trying to be understanding of his situation.The perspective weve chosen to take is, were dealing with 25 different human beings in that clubhouse and everyone has different backgrounds, and we try to be understanding of that, general manager Jed Hoyer said. I know his teammates like him I know he can help his teammates win. Right now were trrying to give him time to clear his head.dddddddddddd.As a left-handed bat off the bench, La Stella has given the Cubs plenty of value, compiling a .388 on-base percentage in 122 plate appearances. He repeatedly stressed that his decision to go home after being optioned wasnt a response to being sent down. He said he simply doesnt want to be anywhere else but Chicago.There wasnt much more that went into it than this is where I want to be, La Stella said. It was as simple as that. It didnt feel right to me to go be somewhere else just to continue playing. Thats not what my thoughts center around, being a ballplayer and making it happen anyway possible. We all have a right to dictate what we do to some extent.It had nothing to do with trying to leverage anything. It was just where I was in my life and my career. It was an obvious decision for me. There was no other consideration.La Stella even said he would rather step away from the game then play for another team meaning a trade was out of the question. He doesnt want to go anywhere.That would have been it, he said. Im not going to go play for someone else. Thats not something I have any interest in doing. Im here for a reason. This is where I want to be...Im just waiting to hear back from the team and keeping up with all the workouts and training and hitting.So for the moment hell stay in shape with his private trainers as he waits for what the Cubs will do next. He understands not all fans will understand his decision but is hopeful hes not looked at in a selfish manner.Im not going to fault anyone for what they say or assume about the situation, La Stella said. Im ok to step away. Its something Ive been preparing for, for a while. Its an accumulation of things. With injuries and stuff like that. Its a bunch of stuff thats personal to me.Though the Cubs were hopeful La Stella would report to Triple-A they were at least aware of his mindset.To say we were completely shocked would be the wrong thing to say, Hoyer stated. We were surprised and hopeful to get him back helping this team.La Stella says if the Cubs bring him back hell give his 100 percent to help the team win and thinks he and team executive Theo Epstein at least understand each other.(Epstein) understood where I was coming from, La Stella said. Or else I felt like he did. The conversations were great. I got off the phone feeling really good about it.La Stella has stayed in contact with Dr. Ken Ravizza, who the Cubs employ as a sports psychologist, as well some of his teammates. Some didnt know he hadnt reported to Triple-A but all publicly support him. He would still love to return.Im just trying to get people to hear where Im coming from and whatever conclusions they draw are up to them, La Stella said. If that day does come that they decide they want me back hopefully we can make that happen. ' ' '