Thank You Coach Vitello

#1

NorCalVol67

Donde is a Badass
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
53,762
Likes
130,347
#1
I went to my first BaseVol game in the late 70s - thank you Dad! We had some great years during the Delmonico era, but other than that it was bleak.

We all have watched a lot of bad Vol baseball. We have all listened to a lot of bad Vol baseball. We all have followed a lot of bad Vol baseball on gamecast. We have all watched bad Vol baseball on a single fixed camera behind home plate.

I followed 66s smoke signals during some dark days.

We all thought Serrano was a great hire. Despite the outcome, it was a great hire.

But what CTV did for our baseball program is remarkable.

My two favorite Vol teams are the Sugar Vols and the 2021 BaseVols. Neither won a national championship, but both were special.

Thank you Tony for giving us a championship. You will always be one of my favorite Vol coaches.

I know this is premature. I hope I have egg on my face soon.
 
#2
#2
I went to my first BaseVol game in the late 70s - thank you Dad! We had some great years during the Delmonico era, but other than that it was bleak.

We all have watched a lot of bad Vol baseball. We have all listened to a lot of bad Vol baseball. We all have followed a lot of bad Vol baseball on gamecast. We have all watched bad Vol baseball on a single fixed camera behind home plate.

I followed 66s smoke signals during some dark days.

We all thought Serrano was a great hire. Despite the outcome, it was a great hire.

But what CTV did for our baseball program is remarkable.

My two favorite Vol teams are the Sugar Vols and the 2021 BaseVols. Neither won a national championship, but both were special.

Thank you Tony for giving us a championship. You will always be one of my favorite Vol coaches.

I know this is premature. I hope I have egg on my face soon.
Then why post this and I do hope you have egg all over your face
 
#15
#15
Whenever a potential move like this is leaked days before it actually is supposed to happen, my instincts say that there are multiple negotiations taking place. The coach and his agent are in negotiations with both a prospective new employer and the current one as well. Of course, that's not always the case, but that's what could be happening here .... which is why I think Vitello might stay put. Hopefully, this is resolved soon.
 
#16
#16
My gut feeling is CTV stays at TN and leverages the Giants offer for more financial support (ie larger allocation for revenue sharing and NIL) for the baseball program. Being the only college coach with zero MLB experience to be offered a MLB top job will only increase exposure for him and the baseball program. Recruiting will continue to be elite and top players will be beating down the LNS doors to come to UT.

I guarantee the power brokers (Pratt, Manning, Haslam) at UT are very involved in securing CTV’s commitment to stay. I’m sure Carmen Tegano, Phil Garner, Todd Helton, Chris Burke are all reaching out to CTV to offer their support and solicit feedback on what he needs to stay at TN for 20 more years.
 
#17
#17
My gut feeling is CTV stays at TN and leverages the Giants offer for more financial support (ie larger allocation for revenue sharing and NIL) for the baseball program. Being the only college coach with zero MLB experience to be offered a MLB top job will only increase exposure for him and the baseball program. Recruiting will continue to be elite and top players will be beating down the LNS doors to come to UT.

I guarantee the power brokers (Pratt, Manning, Haslam) at UT are very involved in securing CTV’s commitment to stay. I’m sure Carmen Tegano, Phil Garner, Todd Helton, Chris Burke are all reaching out to CTV to offer their support and solicit feedback on what he needs to stay at TN for 20 more years.
Agreed.

The leak itself has the feel of a "leverage" maneuver. I could be wrong. This leak seems strategic. I think he is staying.
 
#19
#19
Whenever a potential move like this is leaked days before it actually is supposed to happen, my instincts say that there are multiple negotiations taking place. The coach and his agent are in negotiations with both a prospective new employer and the current one as well. Of course, that's not always the case, but that's what could be happening here .... which is why I think Vitello might stay put. Hopefully, this is resolved soon.
Don't think so. If what's being posted has truth to it, white appears to value women's softball and basketball more than baseball. If so, White is probably seeing this as a cost cutting measure which frees up funds for sports and projects he does value. I've accepted that we've lost Vitello. I'm sure Elander will do a decent job, but he's not Vitello. Would be great to keep Anderson, but at this point in life, I'd be surprised if he stays. Such is the bitter life of the Vol fan.
 
#20
#20
My gut feeling is CTV stays at TN and leverages the Giants offer for more financial support (ie larger allocation for revenue sharing and NIL) for the baseball program. Being the only college coach with zero MLB experience to be offered a MLB top job will only increase exposure for him and the baseball program. Recruiting will continue to be elite and top players will be beating down the LNS doors to come to UT.

I guarantee the power brokers (Pratt, Manning, Haslam) at UT are very involved in securing CTV’s commitment to stay. I’m sure Carmen Tegano, Phil Garner, Todd Helton, Chris Burke are all reaching out to CTV to offer their support and solicit feedback on what he needs to stay at TN for 20 more years.
Is this a similar situation Sully had at UF. He was trying to go to LSU because boosters didn’t support baseball.
 
#21
#21
Don't think so. If what's being posted has truth to it, white appears to value women's softball and basketball more than baseball. If so, White is probably seeing this as a cost cutting measure which frees up funds for sports and projects he does value. I've accepted that we've lost Vitello. I'm sure Elander will do a decent job, but he's not Vitello. Would be great to keep Anderson, but at this point in life, I'd be surprised if he stays. Such is the bitter life of the Vol fan.
Hopefully, we will get some official word soon. I still think this leak feels like his agent is doing some leveraging. I also think it would be a strange hire for San Francisco.
 
#22
#22
Is this a similar situation Sully had at UF. He was trying to go to LSU because boosters didn’t support baseball.
No. Lots of apathy in FL but not at TN. TN fans and boosters have gone all in on the BaseVols thanks to CTV’s leadership. What has complicated things exponentially (obviously both for Danny White and all the head coaches) is the House Settlement allowing discretionary revenue sharing up to $20.5M, NIL becoming a huge factor in recruiting, and rosters dwindling to 34 (plus DSAs).
5 head coaches coaches (football, basketball, LV basketball, baseball, and softball) are all making their pitches for a larger allocation of revenue share and NIL $.
The nature of this scenario potentially creates a lot of friction between the Athletic Dept and the various head coaches. I’m sure CTV compares his budget of Rev share and NIL $ to those at LSU, Miss St, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Vandy, etc. CTV has stated that the programs who are in Omaha have more portal transfers, and TN was missing key pieces last year. I suspect TN baseball is likely not top 10 in college baseball budgets. Look at how GA is ramping up their baseball program under Wes Johnson. They have gone “all in” on portal.
 
#23
#23
No. Lots of apathy in FL but not at TN. TN fans and boosters have gone all in on the BaseVols thanks to CTV’s leadership. What has complicated things exponentially (obviously both for Danny White and all the head coaches) is the House Settlement allowing discretionary revenue sharing up to $20.5M, NIL becoming a huge factor in recruiting, and rosters dwindling to 34 (plus DSAs).
5 head coaches coaches (football, basketball, LV basketball, baseball, and softball) are all making their pitches for a larger allocation of revenue share and NIL $.
The nature of this scenario potentially creates a lot of friction between the Athletic Dept and the various head coaches. I’m sure CTV compares his budget of Rev share and NIL $ to those at LSU, Miss St, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Vandy, etc. CTV has stated that the programs who are in Omaha have more portal transfers, and TN was missing key pieces last year. I suspect TN baseball is likely not top 10 in college baseball budgets. Look at how GA is ramping up their baseball program under Wes Johnson. They have gone “all in” on portal.
Okay .... so do you think this could be a ploy for more NIL allocation for baseball?

The leak seems strategic. Throw the fan base into a panic the day of the biggest football game of the year to prove to the administration how important baseball really is to Tennessee fans?
 
#24
#24
No. Lots of apathy in FL but not at TN. TN fans and boosters have gone all in on the BaseVols thanks to CTV’s leadership. What has complicated things exponentially (obviously both for Danny White and all the head coaches) is the House Settlement allowing discretionary revenue sharing up to $20.5M, NIL becoming a huge factor in recruiting, and rosters dwindling to 34 (plus DSAs).
5 head coaches coaches (football, basketball, LV basketball, baseball, and softball) are all making their pitches for a larger allocation of revenue share and NIL $.
The nature of this scenario potentially creates a lot of friction between the Athletic Dept and the various head coaches. I’m sure CTV compares his budget of Rev share and NIL $ to those at LSU, Miss St, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Vandy, etc. CTV has stated that the programs who are in Omaha have more portal transfers, and TN was missing key pieces last year. I suspect TN baseball is likely not top 10 in college baseball budgets. Look at how GA is ramping up their baseball program under Wes Johnson. They have gone “all in” on portal.
What about all the current commits for future classes? That's got to be some serious NIL money or am I wrong?
 
#25
#25
I went to my first BaseVol game in the late 70s - thank you Dad! We had some great years during the Delmonico era, but other than that it was bleak.

We all have watched a lot of bad Vol baseball. We have all listened to a lot of bad Vol baseball. We all have followed a lot of bad Vol baseball on gamecast. We have all watched bad Vol baseball on a single fixed camera behind home plate.

I followed 66s smoke signals during some dark days.

We all thought Serrano was a great hire. Despite the outcome, it was a great hire.

But what CTV did for our baseball program is remarkable.

My two favorite Vol teams are the Sugar Vols and the 2021 BaseVols. Neither won a national championship, but both were special.

Thank you Tony for giving us a championship. You will always be one of my favorite Vol coaches.

I know this is premature. I hope I have egg on my face soon.
Great post. I think it echoes perfectly what many of us would say.
 
Advertisement



Back
Top