Question I’ve been pondering: IF TN had advanced and won the CWS last year…

[brockytop]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

 

[taylorvol]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

Yes.

 

[brockytop]

Yes.

What I was thinking too, but wanted input from others, especially those that follow the sport closer than I do.

 

[taylorvol]

What I was thinking too, but wanted input from others, especially those that follow the sport closer than I do.

With inflated rosters due to COVID, I doubt we will ever see another team as loaded as the 22 team. Great combination of experience, talent, and swagger.

 

[JarFly]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

If not the best, it would definitely be in the conversation. As it is I would rank it as one of the if not THE best teams to not get to Omaha.

 

[VolPack22]

I still consider them one of the best teams ever regardless. A CWS title doesn’t define just how dominant that team was. The last team in the tournament won so it’s just the nature of the beast.

 

[orangemadam]

Probably. Butting heads with the old Miss. State teams. Wasn't the old Palmeiro, Will Clark teams pretty decent in the day?

 

[JarFly]

Probably. Butting heads with the old Miss. State teams. Wasn't the old Palmeiro, Will Clark teams pretty decent in the day?

Yes the Thunder and Lightning team of Miss State with Clark, Palmeiro, Thigpen, Brantley were exceptional. I think the best of those was however in the CWS and got beat by Miami if I recall correctly after Brantley got hit by a line drive comebacker off his ankle. Back in the Gorilla ball, hot bat days of Pete Incaviglia and OK State lore at the old Rosenblatt Stadium.

 

[CAVPUT]

I still consider them one of the best teams ever regardless. A CWS title doesn’t define just how dominant that team was. The last team in the tournament won so it’s just the nature of the beast.

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

 

[txbo]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

Seems like Ole Miss was the very last team to make the tourney.

 

[mad4vols]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

Would have been cool to see how these two teams would have matched up against each other.

 

[OldTimer]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

that's why baseball is unlike any other sport, any team can win on any given day, or week........the best team rarely wins it all, even in MLB. Just sit back and enjoy the ride

 

[volforlife15]

I still consider them one of the best teams ever regardless. A CWS title doesn’t define just how dominant that team was. The last team in the tournament won so it’s just the nature of the beast.

This X100. If I’m not mistaken, they lost just 2 series the entire year . . . in the SEC. And how they did it was just so dominant. It just so happened that 1 of those 2 series was in the supers. But that’s why baseball is so fun and so sh***y at the same time

 

[WaywardVol]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

It really isn’t though. Seems to happen quite a bit:

 

[taylorvol]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

Baseball can be a very cruel game. It sometimes defies logic.

 

[tn4elvis]

Irony is that the national champ was a team that barely made the tournament while the team that was arguably the most talented and possessed a ridiculous W/L record didn't get to Omaha. Crazy.

It happens. Look at the Dodgers last year. Won 111 games and didn’t sniff the WS. It’s who is playing best in a short window of time not necessarily who the best overall team is. Sucks our guys didn’t make it but it’s baseball

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Yes. I read opposing fans message boards throughout the season. They were constantly talking about us. Fantasizing about our demise, ridiculing our theatrics and celebrating our losses of course, but also admitting they wished TV was their coach and how TN was the best team they’ve ever seen. I remember one thread that was pages long from on Arky thread. The title was something on the lines of “Ok, TN is ridiculous” and the op compared their ‘21 team to ours and how while they were very good, we were just on another level that he’s never seen. It was glorious lol.

 

[Jax_Vol]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

The best Tennessee team ever?

 

[Titan05]

I still consider them one of the best teams ever regardless. A CWS title doesn’t define just how dominant that team was. The last team in the tournament won so it’s just the nature of the beast.

One of the best SEC regular season teams for certain. Without getting to Omaha, can’t say much more than that.

 

[wmcovol]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

For maybe a year. This year’s LSU team is loaded.

 

[BabyvoI]

would that team be regarded as the best ever?

No, not even the best of the last 3 years. Vanderbilt's 2019 team went 23-7 in conference with the SEC regular season, tournament and NCAA championships.

 

[Tenacjim]

No, not even the best of the last 3 years. Vanderbilt's 2019 team went 23-7 in conference with the SEC regular season, tournament and NCAA championships.

The first part of the question was “if last year’s team had advanced to and won the CWS”
if so, it would have accomplished everything the 2019 Vandy team did, with a better conference record (25-5) And better overall record (would have had ~64 wins). How would that not have been better?

 

[taylorvol]

No, not even the best of the last 3 years. Vanderbilt's 2019 team went 23-7 in conference with the SEC regular season, tournament and NCAA championships.

The 2022 BaseVols dominated the SEC with a 25-5 record and won regular season and SEC tournament. Overall record of 57-9. They would have swept VandyBoys in 2019 CWS IMHO.

 

[Titan05]

What might have been. A true wasted opportunity IMO.

 

[tennrich1]

It happens. Look at the Dodgers last year. Won 111 games and didn’t sniff the WS. It’s who is playing best in a short window of time not necessarily who the best overall team is. Sucks our guys didn’t make it but it’s baseball

I think it happens in baseball more than any other sport.