I like this thread, it's a good read on a frigid January morning. But the only three things we have in common with VD (my name for Vanderbilt) are: both are in Tennessee, both have US Highway 70 run through their campuses, and both are in the SEC. Otherwise, VD folks have just about Zero in common with us. They in no way identify, in fact they deplore, with our Southern culture. Their assumed air of superiority is both individually and collectively nothing but effete snobbery. And since most of their students come to Nashville from out of state and then don't stay here after graduation, it gives them no real competitive base here to support a rivalry. If you happen to go to a VD football game you'll see that their demographics are primarily a few hundred students and then a bunch of old fuds (my age or better) and not much else.
Recently, we've been down and they've been lucky. We must Never dignify their hubris by acknowledging any rivalry. As far a I'm concerned, we ain't brothers, pals or friends. The only thing we need to do is to return to being our historical selves and render them athletically insignificance. They are on the wrong side of history in this series and they know it. This is a series, not a rivalry. There is no rivalry here, they don't deserve the recognition.