Mason Post Game Comments Creating Firestorm On Social Media

Derek Mason struck a nerve with Commodores fans with a comment he made during his post game interview after his team was blown out by Kentucky 38-14 on Saturday.

A post game comment from Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason created a firestorm of fan reaction on Saturday following the Commodores 38-14 blowout loss to Kentucky in Nashville. 

The comment in question from Mason can midway through the conference when Mason was asked what gives him confidence moving forward in the final two games of this season and into next season. 

"Vanderbilt's always gonna go in waves, it just is. There are cycles of bowl teams and opportunities, it's not gonna be an every year opportunity unless these guys, you know, get it young and we hit it hot," explained Mason. "I mean, it's going to be waves and cycles in this deal, and I'm just in a wave right now. It's just a wave and cycle where we're not where we want to be but we just got to keep pushing."

Almost immediately upon the publication of that comment from media in attendance at the press conference, fan reaction began on social media and has shown little sign of slowing down even today. 

 

.@VandyAD FIRE MASON RIGHT AFTER THIS GAME.

SIGNED ALL THE VANDERBILT FANS

— Vandy Sixty Two (62) (@vandy_62) November 16, 2019

  

Do something @VandyAD

— Justin Kirby (@jakirby89) November 16, 2019

What happened to this being his most deep and talented team? What happened to “I’m built for this” just a few weeks ago? Fire this clown

— Wes Harper (@wesharper22) November 17, 2019

While Mason is historically correct in that Vanderbilt has been a program that has gone in waves of bad to some seasons of good and back again in its history, that doesn't mean that it has to be doomed to continually repeat that history.

No one expects Vanderbilt to ever be Alabama and win five national championships in a decade, that's not realistic. At the same time having a team that is competitive and wins 6-8 games most seasons with the occassional 9-10 win team thrown in for good measure is not exactly too much to ask either. 

Mason was not wrong on the facts, but this comment, and some others made during this press conference sure seemed like he was "throwing his players under the bus" so to speak. 

Wow... imagine that head coach trying to recruit you

— MEMELINES, LLC. (CFE) (@SEND_IT_CFE) November 17, 2019

As I've said before, it's not my job, nor am I one to call for a coach to be fired, but this is not a great look for Mason when you listen to the entirety of his comments. 

Also, when I first found the header picture above, I commented to other members of the media seated around me during the game that the look on Mason's face as he walked across the street from McGugin Center to enter the stadium looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. One of a man who was unsure of what was about to happen, and a man who looked as if he were walking toward the end.