And Tony V is officially gone.

#177
#177
Herman Hickman said:
He said it himself; he doesn't talk to coaches.

That is not how a proper business operates, especially when it comes to a question of losing your top employees.

How does it work? Take a look at Indiana's AD to see the way it is done.
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You mean similar to what DW did to keep TV from going to Texas A&M
 
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#178
#178
UTK said:
Okay when Texas A&M came calling with a huge contract, who was it that made Tony V the highest paid coach in the country? ITS AN MLB FRANCHISE. It’s not like he’s going to Arkansas or some ****. Lmfao
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Exactly. This vilification of White over Tony leaving is idiotic - it's the major f***king leagues! If he had left for another school, then the criticism is justified, but as @UTK said, DW stepped up and did what was necessary to keep Tony here when A&M called.

This is the MLB, every kid's dream, and Tony is making history being the first college coach to step right into being manager, and of an historic franchise no less. At that point, it was no longer about money, it was about the opportunity of a lifetime.

TV won a natty and built the program from the ground into an elite juggernaut, and now it's DW's mission to keep it on that level. He has proven with his hires so far that he is more than up to the task.

Wish Tony well in what will be a monumental challenge for him, and the UT program will be just fine.
 
#179
#179
Volador said:
Happy for Tony and all Vol fans who followed the BaseVols. Wow, what an amazing run and it was for sure fun being a UT fan to embrace Tony and his winning style. We are blessed to have had him in Knoxville this long and can only wish him the best in the big leagues. Danny White will no doubt find the best person to take over the tsunami of excitement that Tony started years back.

Go Vols!!
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Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
 
#180
#180
Volboy said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
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So if you were offered your dream job you wouldn't go? There is no such thing as loyalty.
 
#181
#181
Volboy said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
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You are entitled to your opinions and I for one hope you are in the minority. Seldom do championship teams and coaching staffs stay in place long. Thanks Tony!
 
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#182
#182
MadMaxSC said:
Women's BB pretty much pays its own way. As Tony Soprano said, "It's just business." An AD has to make decisions which are in the best interest of the entire athletic program. He could never meet Toby V's salary and program demands.

Tony V will make big bucks until he gets fired and fades into obscurity. That's just the nature of the big leagues. I wish him well.
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Women’s basketball has been in the red. A few months ago I got into this argument and posted some recent financial statements to prove it
 
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#185
#185
Volboy said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
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You are absolutely correct, you are in the minority
 
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#186
#186
volbeast33 said:
You mean similar to what DW did to keep TV from going to Texas A&M
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You know what you didn't hear at that press conference yesterday?

"We did everything we could to keep him here."

In the early 1930s, Tennessee had a Major assigned by the Army to run the ROTC program and assist with Corps of Engineers projects in East Tennessee. He doubled as Tennessee's football coach. Fordham, at that time a major football power, wanted him and made several overtures to that Major to gain his services. A judge in New York City contacted the Army to get him transferred to the Corps of Engineers district located in that region.

Tennessee's athletic department at that time did everything they could to keep him.

It is a good thing White wasn't in charge at that time. Major Neyland would have become General Neyland in the Bronx, winning championships in the nation's largest market and adding Vince Lombardi to his coaching tree.

I expect more from an athletic director. You should as well.

Winning championships is important. You never let an elite-level coach walk out the door with only a handful of words said.
 
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#187
#187
Volboy said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
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You’re in the minority. He wanted our support, we gave it to him and in turn he reciprocated with a lot of wins, several college World Series appearances and a national championship. It’s a business between fans and the coach. We buy tickets, merch, etc and we expect a good product which he delivered. I’m grateful for all of his success here.
 
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#188
#188
Volboy said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but SCREW TONY VITELLO and the horse he rode in on. He encouraged us to attend games, spend more money, etc., etc., which we did, all the while helping him to achieve HIS goal of coaching elsewhere. Loyalty works both ways dude. We survived before TV and we'll find someone who truly values this job. GBO
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The problem with your opinion is we did survive before TV but as a bottom feeder instead of the contender that he made us. I am sure we will be fine but I don’t expect us to be a contender year in year out like we were with TV.

Much like another poster said earlier with the ticket prices today championships are expected and when they do not happen expect empty seats in the future.
 
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#189
#189
preacherman20 said:
I don't think you can discount the fact that he is driven by being the first which has been talked about on here before. First national championship at UT. First college coach to become MLB manager and then first person to win CWS and MLB WS. That is pretty impressive.
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Guy brought us a lot of joy and made our baseball program one of the best in the country. Whoever is getting his spot is (no pun intended) starting on third base with no outs. Hopefully they can maintain the success.
 
#190
#190
Herman Hickman said:
You know what you didn't hear at that press conference yesterday?

"We did everything we could to keep him here."

In the early 1930s, Tennessee had a Major assigned by the Army to run the ROTC program and assist with Corps of Engineers projects in East Tennessee. He doubled as Tennessee's football coach. Fordham, at that time a major football power, wanted him and made several overtures to that Major to gain his services. A judge in New York City contacted the Army to get him transferred to the Corps of Engineers district located in that region.

Tennessee's athletic department at that time did everything they could to keep him.

It is a good thing White wasn't in charge at that time. Major Neyland would have become General Neyland in the Bronx, winning championships in the nation's largest market and adding Vince Lombardi to his coaching tree.

I expect more from an athletic director. You should as well.

Winning championships is important. You never let an elite-level coach walk out the door with only a handful of words said.
Click to expand...
EXACTLY!
 
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#191
#191
preacherman20 said:
I don't think you can discount the fact that he is driven by being the first which has been talked about on here before. First national championship at UT. First college coach to become MLB manager and then first person to win CWS and MLB WS. That is pretty impressive.
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In your opinion, do you think there was anything that could have been done to have made him want to turn the Giants down and stay? Or was the drive to try to be the first to win a CWS and MLB WS too much to overcome?
 
#192
#192
I know very well that many people who post on VolNation despise and belittle Tony Basilio but there are some wonderful salutations on Tony B's website from fans sharing stories about Tony V. and thanking him for bringing us the golden era of Tennessee baseball.

I am going to miss Tony Vols!
 
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#193
#193
From Matt J. Dixon on Tony B's website:

"Tony Vitello leaves Knoxville with a 341-131 record. His .723 winning percentage is 2nd best all-time in the SEC behind only Skip Bertman.

In eight seasons on Rocky Top, Vitello’s Volunteers claimed the 2022 and 2024 SEC regular season and Tournament titles, played in six NCAA regionals, reached five consecutive super regionals, made the College World Series three times and won the 2024 national championship.

Just an unprecedented run for a program that was struggling just to make the SEC Tournament before Vitello’s arrival."

I am still in shock.
 
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#194
#194
sami said:
Exactly. This vilification of White over Tony leaving is idiotic - it's the major f***king leagues! If he had left for another school, then the criticism is justified, but as @UTK said, DW stepped up and did what was necessary to keep Tony here when A&M called.

This is the MLB, every kid's dream, and Tony is making history being the first college coach to step right into being manager, and of an historic franchise no less. At that point, it was no longer about money, it was about the opportunity of a lifetime.

TV won a natty and built the program from the ground into an elite juggernaut, and now it's DW's mission to keep it on that level. He has proven with his hires so far that he is more than up to the task.

Wish Tony well in what will be a monumental challenge for him, and the UT program will be just fine.
Click to expand...
I agree with you on the Tony points. However, my issue with DW is the arrogance and lack of perception in that presser. He came off butthurt, talking about owed apologies and honestly it was disrespectful to Tony and what he’s built. That presser should’ve been 90% flowers for Tony, his staff & players that made the last 8 years magical…10% what we’re doing moving forward. Also, if you’ve got the best coach in the sport on your payroll and he’s considering another employer, don’t openly admit you’ve only talked to him once in the last 5 days. If it’s Tony’s fault those convos never happened, then don’t even bring that point up. It’s idiocy and unbefitting of the caliber AD we all have given him credit for.
 
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#195
#195
Herman Hickman said:
You know what you didn't hear at that press conference yesterday?

"We did everything we could to keep him here."

In the early 1930s, Tennessee had a Major assigned by the Army to run the ROTC program and assist with Corps of Engineers projects in East Tennessee. He doubled as Tennessee's football coach. Fordham, at that time a major football power, wanted him and made several overtures to that Major to gain his services. A judge in New York City contacted the Army to get him transferred to the Corps of Engineers district located in that region.

Tennessee's athletic department at that time did everything they could to keep him.

It is a good thing White wasn't in charge at that time. Major Neyland would have become General Neyland in the Bronx, winning championships in the nation's largest market and adding Vince Lombardi to his coaching tree.

I expect more from an athletic director. You should as well.

Winning championships is important. You never let an elite-level coach walk out the door with only a handful of words said.
Click to expand...
This. Perfect summation. The issue isn’t losing Tony to the San Fansisco Giants…it’s the optics (or reality) of how this was handled by the AD.
 
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#196
#196
BigALWiLson said:
Bs Pat's teams put asses In seats winning 8 titles and a sh1t load of SEC championships. UT men's bb didn't pay for TBA football and women's BB did that. It will get back to that as well when we get back to those things just like the men's
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You’re literally drunk. TBA was built for men’s bball. They even offered Pat Stokely gymnasium and she turned it down. You could get into lady’s games for a canned food donation. Women’s basketball did not make money. This is just 100% wrong info on your part.
 
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#197
#197
BillyHoyleVol said:
I agree with you on the Tony points. However, my issue with DW is the arrogance and lack of perception in that presser. He came off butthurt, talking about owed apologies and honestly it was disrespectful to Tony and what he’s built. That presser should’ve been 90% flowers for Tony, his staff & players that made the last 8 years magical…10% what we’re doing moving forward. Also, if you’ve got the best coach in the sport on your payroll and he’s considering another employer, don’t openly admit you’ve only talked to him once in the last 5 days. If it’s Tony’s fault those convos never happened, then don’t even bring that point up. It’s idiocy and unbefitting of the caliber AD we all have given him credit for.
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This^
 
#198
#198
BillyHoyleVol said:
I agree with you on the Tony points. However, my issue with DW is the arrogance and lack of perception in that presser. He came off butthurt, talking about owed apologies and honestly it was disrespectful to Tony and what he’s built. That presser should’ve been 90% flowers for Tony, his staff & players that made the last 8 years magical…10% what we’re doing moving forward. Also, if you’ve got the best coach in the sport on your payroll and he’s considering another employer, don’t openly admit you’ve only talked to him once in the last 5 days. If it’s Tony’s fault those convos never happened, then don’t even bring that point up. It’s idiocy and unbefitting of the caliber AD we all have given him credit for.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree about White's comments, but then I really don't put as much importance in press conferences as most here seem to do. No one knows what really went on behind closed doors, and there is usually nothing but speculation based on whatever axe the media has to grind.

Bottom line (to me, anyway) is that TV had a once in a lifetime opportunity after achieving all he could here - building a program from the ground up to elite national status, winning a natty, and raising the interest level in the baseball program at UT to the point where stadium upgrades are happening and every game is a sellout.

There was nothing that could have been done to keep him here, and maybe instead of blowing smoke up all our asses about "doing everything possible to keep him", White is focusing on moving forward and keeping the program at the elite level. I'm not defending White, but sitting here knashing our teeth about a guy fulfilling a dream as if the world revolves around UT is just silly and unproductive.

Tony should have a statue built in front of LNS some day, and my guess is he will, but now it's time to move on.
 
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