The Official Tennessee @ Florida Series Thread (Fri. May 3rd Game 1 3PM EST, Game 2 after SECNET+) (Sat. May 4th 6:30PM EST SECNET+)

What about Burke’s mental lapse running through a stop sign the other night? That was just as bad, if not worse. Luckily we ended up pulling away and winning that game but that’s inexcusable. I don’t care who the player is. You are not above the team and that was a selfish act. I’m sure Tony has/will address it but man that would be infuriating to me if I were a coach.
Agree on Burke but I'd say he's got just a tad more rope than Backus
 
I couldn’t even remotely join the forum during the game. I knew the NegaVols would be running down the coaches, taking cheap shots at the players, and then scatter like rats once UT began winning. It’s sad but so unfortunately predictable…
The Legion, they were ecstatic. Then they retreated but stand ready to march again at the first pitch.

Not sure any of them really enjoy the game of baseball.
 
Agree on Burke but I'd say he's got just a tad more rope than Backus
Yeah he lucked out being one of the best hitters in the team. But that’s how all this works right? Production always prevails? I support Tony 100% but I would not have batted an eye had he parked his butt on the bench and sat him the next game too. If anyone else would have gotten benched for it then Burke is not above that same coaching. I remember Bobby Cox benched Andruw Jones for loafing on a ball and everyone applauded him for it and Andruw came to respect his coach even more afterwards. Stars are not above the team.
 
I think Chapman was removed earlier in the season for allowing a guy to score on a shallow pop up to right field , I agree the lack of urgency from Backus in that wild throw led to him being taken out
Actually, TV specifically said he removed Backus because he thought Robin was a better matchup in what would have been Backus’ next AB.
 
Yeah he lucked out being one of the best hitters in the team. But that’s how all this works right? Production always prevails? I support Tony 100% but I would not have batted an eye had he parked his butt on the bench and sat him the next game too. If anyone else would have gotten benched for it then Burke is not above that same coaching. I remember Bobby Cox benched Andruw Jones for loafing on a ball and everyone applauded him for it and Andruw came to respect his coach even more afterwards. Stars are not above the team.
Maybe Blake was using the George Costanza theory of doing the opposite of what Elander says? He's been known to get runners gunned down at the plate. Not so much this year though.
 
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So are we cheering for Arkansas or Kentucky today?

If Arkansas wins, Tennessee is in 1st in the East. But if Kentucky wins and aTm loses, we’re probably ranked #1 in America.

Personally, I’ll take Arkansas winning and 1st in the East. Don’t really care to be ranked #1, even in the pub is nice.
Would prefer Kentucky lose since they have the easier schedule left. Arkansas still has to play Mississippi State and A&M. Kentucky finishes with Florida and Vanderbilt.
 
I want no part of the #1 ranking. So I hope Arkansas wins today.
Agree. And if LSU can complete the sweep of aTm, things set up really well for an overall SEC title for Tennessee.

With 2 weekends left, we’d be tied with Kentucky, down a game to Arkansas, and up 2 games on aTm. If they beat LSU today, we’re up 1 game on aTm.

The remaining weekend series are:

Tennessee: at Vanderbilt, vs South Carolina
Kentucky: at Florida, vs Vanderbilt
Arkansas: vs Mississippi St., at aTm
aTm: at Ole Miss, vs Arkansas

Tennessee has a great chance to win 5 of its last 6. Will that be 1 or 2 games better than Arkansas, 1 game better than Kentucky? I think it should be.
 
Agree. And if LSU can complete the sweep of aTm, things set up really well for an overall SEC title for Tennessee.

With 2 weekends left, we’d be tied with Kentucky, down a game to Arkansas, and up 2 games on aTm. If they beat LSU today, we’re up 1 game on aTm.

The remaining weekend series are:

Tennessee: at Vanderbilt, vs South Carolina
Kentucky: at Florida, vs Vanderbilt
Arkansas: vs Mississippi St., at aTm
aTm: at Ole Miss, vs Arkansas

Tennessee has a great chance to win 5 of its last 6. Will that be 1 or 2 games better than Arkansas, 1 game better than Kentucky? I think it should be.
One team that people are forgetting about is Mississippi State. They finish with Arkansas and Missouri and are now only 3 games back now. They have really been playing well and if they win again today then they will have an opportunity to take the West lead next weekend. They are also only 1 game behind A&M but A&M owns the tiebreaker.
 
So are we cheering for Arkansas or Kentucky today?

If Arkansas wins, Tennessee is in 1st in the East. But if Kentucky wins and aTm loses, we’re probably ranked #1 in America.

Personally, I’ll take Arkansas winning and 1st in the East. Don’t really care to be ranked #1, even in the pub is nice.
Go for Arky, they still have the series against the aggies
 
Agree. And if LSU can complete the sweep of aTm, things set up really well for an overall SEC title for Tennessee.

With 2 weekends left, we’d be tied with Kentucky, down a game to Arkansas, and up 2 games on aTm. If they beat LSU today, we’re up 1 game on aTm.

The remaining weekend series are:

Tennessee: at Vanderbilt, vs South Carolina
Kentucky: at Florida, vs Vanderbilt
Arkansas: vs Mississippi St., at aTm
aTm: at Ole Miss, vs Arkansas

Tennessee has a great chance to win 5 of its last 6. Will that be 1 or 2 games better than Arkansas, 1 game better than Kentucky? I think it should be.
For me today, it’s…..pig…..soooie! Things are starting to align nicely.
 
One more win and we will have our 5th consecutive 40-win season (Covid season excluded). The only other time our program has accomplished that was Delmonico’s teams from 1993-97. Hard to imagine that 2020 not making it there either considering they started off 15-2 with wins over the number 1 and 25 teams before conference play even started. So we almost certainly would be heading for our 6th consecutive 40-win season.
 
Tony said he thought Robin had a better chance than Backus hitting that off speed stuff. But yes, Villanueve is in a terrible funk. His SO% is enormous for the year.
Yes, I read CTV's comment. Probably his way of publicly explaining the decision while keeping private the real reason.
 
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Actually, TV specifically said he removed Backus because he thought Robin was a better matchup in what would have been Backus’ next AB.
Yikes! That’s scary for Backus then. If Robin was “better” it was only that it took him more pitches to strike out than Backus…..
 
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I think I saw somewhere that he will be a draft-eligible sophmore. If so, probably only one more year to develop his game. Also, I'd bet he's at 3rd next year for us. The pros will like him no matter the position he plays.
He turns 20 in October…he has to turn 21 before the draft next year so I think we have him for a full 3 years regardless!
 
I think it’s clear the MVP of the Saturday- and the whole series really, was Jim Frye.

Mr. Frye (36th year-senior, walk-on, DH) courageously left a comfortable sofa with his overly chatty fiancé and went into his office to watch the rest of the game-where he had also watched game 1.

Further, Frye courageously RAN two stories down to basement to scavenge for any bottle of scotch, bourbon or Tennessee whisk(e)y he could find and RAN back up the 2 stories -past the agitated and confused fiancé back to the office in time to catch the start of an 11 run inning. Pausing only once for a clean glass and a large cup of ice.

I’m sure we all agree the 52-year-old Jim Frye made this win possible and should also be considered for SEC Player-of-the-Week honors.
 
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