Let the Vitello speculation begin!

#51
#51
DW has done everything for Tony. Highest paid coach, multiple raises for staff, huge expansion and facelift to LNS, 34 full scholarships, one of the highest operating baseball budgets around. The list goes on and on.

I don’t think anybody tells CTV ‘no’ and that includes DW imo. He’s more of a rockstar than pretty much anybody else on campus. He’s shown nothing to me that he wouldn’t do anything and everything to keep him. He’s fended off legit interest from LSU, Texas, and A&M already.

Now Arkansas may be different given the history. Only Tony knows. However, CTV is all about loyalty and UT gave him his first shot and he’s referenced that multiple times. I don’t think he does an about face on that. He’s just close with DVH and other Arkansas guys, which is understandable.

He knows he’s the man at UT and can win more championships here. He can stay here as long as he pleases and will have a statue one day. He built the program from nothing and I think that means something as it’s all his. He can’t do that anywhere else as this is a 1 of 1 situation.
 
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#53
#53
If DVH doesn’t win a title this year….it will NEVER get easier than the field in Omaha. Four #4 seeds…I’m not a historian but I’d find it hard to believe it’s ever been more watered down than this year. Prob LSU will be their toughest game.
 
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#55
#55
TheMookieMonster said:
I may ruffle a few feathers here, but I think the DW hate is so weird. I understand that people do not like the price increases we are seeing across sports, I don’t either, but I’m not sure how anyone can say it’s because DW is a money hungry, greedy, dollar-worshipping, egotistical, (insert adjective here) monster.

With revenue sharing, NIL, etc., college athletics are in a landscape shift right now and he’s only doing what is necessary to keep us competitive. Success isn’t cheap, especially now that schools have to account for an additional $20 million a year to pay players starting this Fall. If he took the “consumer friendly” route, it very likely would come with a reduction in talent across the board in sports, thus fans would be pissed about lack of success on the field or court instead of the prices and professionalization of college athletics. If it’s not one thing, it would be something else.

I’m not sure what he has done that is at odds with trying to keep us successful in all sports.
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This!

TN athletics are at an all time high! College sports will continue to change resulting in higher prices to attend games. I rather be successful with higher ticket prices vs. a crappy product with cheaper prices.

A poor product = less attendance = less support = less revenue. Not to mention, recruiting will take a hit.

White has been the man imo so he had my support.

One more thing. Look at Texas, BYU in hops, and Texas. All three are spending 10-20 %more on their roster.
 
#56
#56
Gilbert said:
DW has done everything for Tony. Highest paid coach, multiple raises for staff, huge expansion and facelift to LNS, 34 full scholarships, one of the highest operating baseball budgets around. The list goes on and on.

I don’t think anybody tells CTV ‘no’ and that includes DW imo. He’s more of a rockstar than pretty much anybody else on campus. He’s shown nothing to me that he wouldn’t do anything and everything to keep him. He’s fended off legit interest from LSU, Texas, and A&M already.

Now Arkansas may be different given the history. Only Tony knows. However, CTV is all about loyalty and UT gave him his first shot and he’s referenced that multiple times. I don’t think he does an about face on that. He’s just close with DVH and other Arkansas guys, which is understandable.

He knows he’s the man at UT and can win more championships here. He can stay here as long as he pleases and will have a statue one day. He built the program from nothing and I think that means something as it’s all his. He can’t do that anywhere else as this is a 1 of 1 situation.
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Well said. Thank you!
 
#57
#57
TheMookieMonster said:
I may ruffle a few feathers here, but I think the DW hate is so weird. I understand that people do not like the price increases we are seeing across sports, I don’t either, but I’m not sure how anyone can say it’s because DW is a money hungry, greedy, dollar-worshipping, egotistical, (insert adjective here) monster.

With revenue sharing, NIL, etc., college athletics are in a landscape shift right now and he’s only doing what is necessary to keep us competitive. Success isn’t cheap, especially now that schools have to account for an additional $20 million a year to pay players starting this Fall. If he took the “consumer friendly” route, it very likely would come with a reduction in talent across the board in sports, thus fans would be pissed about lack of success on the field or court instead of the prices and professionalization of college athletics. If it’s not one thing, it would be something else.

I’m not sure what he has done that is at odds with trying to keep us successful in all sports.
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No hate here for DW. He’s done a great job so far. However, I’ve conversed with him and his ego truly is gigantic. He has apparently supported CTV and gotten out of his way so I’m grateful for that. My point was I don’t trust that he will continue to invest and support CTV the way baseball needs to be supported. I hope I’m wrong as that would be foolish.
 
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#58
#58
05_never_again said:
So you'd prefer previous ADs/administrations, who probably would have let TV walk after not giving him the salary + stadium improvements he wanted?

DW's job is to bring in more athletics revenue to the university. Being "all about the dollars" is the reason he was hired.
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That’s my point. With the House Settlement and drain to the AD’s budget that will cause, will DW continue to support baseball? My concern is will he pivot to focus on the margin generators (football and baseball) and treat baseball like golf and tennis? If 95% of the $$$$$ goes to football, basketball, and women’s basketball, baseball will be in trouble.
 
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#59
#59
knoxvol52 said:
I definitely don't want CTV to EVER take another job but if he did don't you think with our success the last 8-9 years that this would be an attractive job to the top notch head coaches or top assistants striving of a HC position?
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I can’t even entertain that thought.
 
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#60
#60
taylorvol said:
That’s my point. With the House Settlement and drain to the AD’s budget that will cause, will DW continue to support baseball? My concern is will he pivot to focus on the margin generators (football and baseball) and treat baseball like golf and tennis? If 95% of the $$$$$ goes to football, basketball, and women’s basketball, baseball will be in trouble.
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Football and basketball (mostly football) have always been the margin generators. It isn't like that's changing with the House settlement.

And other schools (like Arkansas) are going to have to make those same decisions. TV is already the highest paid coach in college baseball, and it is by a considerable margin.
 
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#61
#61
WallyBalls said:
I'll be dead level honest...I'm not sure I do.

I mean, I *think* DW would do what is needed, but there's a greed to White that has never sat right with me. There's too many guys like him with an ego that lets them believe guys like TV can be replaced.
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There's a bizarre strain of UT fan like OP that comes out of the woodwork to consistently paint DW as some greedy, back-stabbing, moustache-twisting, top-hatted villain in all things UT . . . without any real-world proof, of course. Very Basilio-ish.
 
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#62
#62
taylorvol said:
That’s my point. With the House Settlement and drain to the AD’s budget that will cause, will DW continue to support baseball? My concern is will he pivot to focus on the margin generators (football and baseball) and treat baseball like golf and tennis? If 95% of the $$$$$ goes to football, basketball, and women’s basketball, baseball will be in trouble.
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You come across as a DW hater tbh. DW wants to win. He wouldn’t have invested as much he has into the baseball program if he didn’t care about the baseball program which is what you are insinuating.
 
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#65
#65
Goodness, not this again. If CTV didn’t leave for LSU or Texas, who in their right might would think that he would leave for Arkansas?

Those are historical program. Arkansas is a “Johnny come lately” that will eventually slide back into the middle.
 
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#66
#66
TheMookieMonster said:
What specifically is it that is going to cause this reckoning? What does TV want that you’ve heard the admin will not allow?
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I don't know that any discussions have happened or will even take place. I know during the season, at least TV and those in the baseball building wanted the students moved back closer to the dugout.

Granted, its the type of thing that can be smoothed over and adjusted as the updates finish. But its also something I can see being a flashpoint **IF** its handled poorly.
 
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#67
#67
TheMookieMonster said:
Fair point of clarification, but I would only counter with he likely made those decisions with the foresight that revenue sharing or collective bargaining of some kind were an inevitability, so he took a leap that he knew would frustrate fans because he knew it was necessary. The fact that he is now publicly throwing his weight behind collective bargaining when many other ADs are silent suggests to me he’s a step ahead of the trends before they happen.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see the “fans” be taken care of more than they are but it’s not an isolated trend at the University of Tennessee. This is happening everywhere. People can hate the talent fee, but he’s only being transparent. Meanwhile, tons of other schools are raising prices and lying about what this is really used for.
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I think you're being fair very even if we disagree on some level. The collective bargaining piece is what keeps me someone on board with DW. I guess my problems are with the world as it is now more than just UT. Its a good discussion.

There's a part of me that is just extremely fatigued when dealing with the UTAD the last several years. There's a "Well, you better pay it. If you don't, someone else will..." attitude in every single interaction with them. I see other Universities and other sports focused businesses at least feign caring about their non-premium ticket buyers (discounts, small events, a small trinket or two). Across 5 different sports, I pretty much get my price update emails and that's it. (The commemorative ticket for baseball was the first thing I'd seen in years).

I know, I'm whining about first world problems. But its exhausting dealing with the business side of something I love. Humanizing it even a tiny bit would go a long way.
 
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#69
#69
Vawlz said:
There's a bizarre strain of UT fan like OP that comes out of the woodwork to consistently paint DW as some greedy, back-stabbing, moustache-twisting, top-hatted villain in all things UT . . . without any real-world proof, of course. Very Basilio-ish.
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Taylor and I are the ones in this thread that aren't sunshine and roses with DW and I don't think either of us have painted the picture that he's some evil baron tying women to train tracks.

Neither of us are working off of rumors and 3rd hand information. Deal with him sometime. The guy is what he is. The top ADs, pro sports GMs, hell most high level CEOs, etc are all similar and I'd feel the same way about any of them.
 
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#70
#70
hog88 said:
Last time a college coach was hired as a MLB manager was 1979. But yeah TV would have to make the leap.
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To me, the people who say "What if MLB wants to hire Tony?" is like saying "What if Sydney Sweeney shows up at my house and wants to have relations with me???" My answer would be "Yeah, you gotta do it, but what are the odds of that actually happening??" 😂
 
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#72
#72
VolFan_stuck_in_the_901 said:
All of this speculation has already been shut down by creditable journalists close to the program, anyways
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No it hasn’t.
taylorvol said:
That’s my point. With the House Settlement and drain to the AD’s budget that will cause, will DW continue to support baseball? My concern is will he pivot to focus on the margin generators (football and baseball) and treat baseball like golf and tennis? If 95% of the $$$$$ goes to football, basketball, and women’s basketball, baseball will be in trouble.
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This was my concern for months and you thought I was crazy
 
#73
#73
EZE said:
Goodness, not this again. If CTV didn’t leave for LSU or Texas, who in their right might would think that he would leave for Arkansas?

Those are historical program. Arkansas is a “Johnny come lately” that will eventually slide back into the middle.
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Here's the honest truth: prior to hiring DVH, Arkansas baseball was what Tennessee baseball was under Delmonico, i.e., a respectable program under a long time manager who had gotten stale later on his his coaching career. Same number of CWS appearances as Tennessee baseball as well (four of them, to be exact)... the difference is that Arkansas's AD wasn't an absolute dumbass, unlike Mike Hamilton
 
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#75
#75
EZE said:
Goodness, not this again. If CTV didn’t leave for LSU or Texas, who in their right might would think that he would leave for Arkansas?

Those are historical program. Arkansas is a “Johnny come lately” that will eventually slide back into the middle.
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Arkansas has been good a lot longer than we have
 
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