The Official #10 Auburn @ #12 Tennessee Series Thread (Sat. May 3 11AM EDT) (Sun. May 4 1PM EDT) (Sun. May 4 45 mins after) (All games SECNET+)

[Christian Lowe]

I've followed your basketball analysis for years now, so I respect your opinion, but I couldn't disagree more. First, the season hasn't ended, so it's premature to be disappointed in an outcome that is yet to be determined. I think it's funny in basketball, Barnes and squads have arguably given us the best decade of basketball most middle age TN fans have ever seen in their life, yet every season the "beauty of the regular season" is always negated because the dialogue is always "well, let's wait and see what they do in march. They crap the bed every year."

Why is it with baseball, fans care more about the regular season than the post season? It's odd, because baseball is the one sport that a .500 team can get hot for a two week stretch and end up in a championship series in Omaha. This is THE sport where post season play is a great equalizer. We're not losing to scrubs. We play in THE best baseball conference on the planet, and any of the SEC squads could hoist the trophy in a month. That is why you don't go out and schedule a brutal non-conference schedule when you're going to play 7 ranked series in the SEC. The idea that we're scheduling soft isn't even true either, as they've played in some of the premier tournaments in Texas over the last several years and did fine. Won the Shriner's classic this year... which brings me to my last point, and it won't be a popular one. I'd rather be a 13 seed matched up with a non-conference rival in their park for Supers, than be a 4 seed paired with an SEC rival at home in Supers. Give me a Coastal Carolina, a DBU, hell - send us west. Give me anyone but an SEC team. This league has shown time and time again that it eats its own during the regular season but that any of those teams can find themselves in Omaha (see TN's win at Clemson and then Southern Miss a few years ago). The doom and gloom meltdown is a bit dramatic, because if you've watched this league long enough, you know that none of this matters right now.

Seeding matters.

 

[Volpatine]

This team has everything it needs to get back to Omaha. No one is arguing that, from what I gather. What we lack is that edge we’ve had over the last few years. I expect to get it back with Vandy and Arky coming up. I’m not saying we win both those series. But sometimes the right opponent can spark you. Just look at A&M.

 

[Volstylexx]

Why though? Why not play someone else who gives the team a better chance to win? Isn't this a TEAM SPORT? I never did understand this line of thinking. He can sit the bench like anyone else. Talent?? Use it then!

Imagine the message it sends in recruiting when a coach can say, “Did you see how they handled their All-American? One rough stretch and they benched him for someone else.” That’s why it speaks volumes that Tony has continued to back Curley. It’s a strong reflection of the program’s culture—loyalty, trust, and letting guys play their way through adversity. As someone mentioned earlier, we've seen this with Beck and Ensley in prior years. The pure vitriol spewed at Ensley and then he literally sacrificed his body when it mattered most. All it takes is that one hit at the right time in post-season to change the trajectory. No one remembers Amick being 1-17 in Omaha because of the one hit that mattered the most.

Curley has earned the right to work through this funk, and i hope there comes a point and time where he makes TN fans look silly for wanting him benched.

 

[Volstylexx]

Seeding matters.

Nah, not really. Not like any other sport. Anyone 1-16 could host the trophy, and like I said with SEC/ non-SEC - the matchup matters far more than the seed.

 

[knoxvol52]

Nah, not really. Not like any other sport. Anyone 1-16 could host the trophy, and like I said with SEC/ non-SEC - the matchup matters far more than the seed.

2023
Sent to Clemson Regional- fan base" oh no we want get out of Clemson Regional- we're doomed"
Sent to Souther Mississippi for Super Regional -Fan base- " their HC is retiring we're doomed they will win it for their HC"

Only thing that stopped us from winning it all was Paul freaking Skenes...

 

[Weezer]

Nah, not really. Not like any other sport. Anyone 1-16 could host the trophy, and like I said with SEC/ non-SEC - the matchup matters far more than the seed.

This is your fault, you know? I've been begging you to unleash Carla on this team, yet you refuse. You are not giving your all for Tennessee.

 

[Volstylexx]

This is your fault, you know? I've been begging you to unleash Carla on this team, yet you refuse. You are not giving your all for Tennessee.

Texas AM gave her a hell of a NIL deal midway through the year. I will say this... transfer season opens soon. IF fans want to get serious about this, they should venmo me and I'll present a package.

 

[Weezer]

Baseball is streaky. Bats get hot, bats get cold. Winning streaks, losing streaks. It's part of the game. The only thing that's really upset me this season is all the errors. Some were unavoidable, but many should have been routine plays. And they almost always seem to bite us in the butt. It's sloppy, and, IMO, it's fixable. Guys need to be able to play their positions. Other than that, people just need to calm down. You're not going to win a title every season. I trust Tony.

 

[Weezer]

Texas AM gave her a hell of a NIL deal midway through the year. I will say this... transfer season opens soon. IF fans want to get serious about this, they should venmo me and I'll present a package.

That's not very VFL-like.

You can turn your Vol Card in to Freak.

 

[knoxvol52]

Baseball is streaky. Bats get hot, bats get cold. Winning streaks, losing streaks. It's part of the game. The only thing that's really upset me this season is all the errors. Some were unavoidable, but many should have been routine plays. And they almost always seem to bite us in the butt. It's sloppy, and, IMO, it's fixable. Guys need to be able to play their positions. Other than that, people just need to calm down. You're not going to win a title every season. I trust Tony.

Last seasons team was error prone as well but that offense covered up a lot of miscues...

 

[AthensVol2007]

On another note ............ where in the hell are all our fans ?
Defending national champions and we can't fill the place for a conference game ?
We lose some games and now our "best fan base in the country" loses interest ?

Were you there? Did you sit in 55-60 degree rain and sit through hours of uncertainty and delays? If not then don’t call out others for doing the same.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Yeah for like two weekends at the beginning of the season, then he got it going haha. Problem is, none of the guys in the lineup right now have it going consistently. The leadoff spot has looked cursed no matter who is in it, Curley still isn't himself, Fischer looks like he's feeling the pressure of having to do it all, Chapman has turned back into the pumpkin he was for 90% of last season, etc., etc. Bargo and Ensley have been the only consistent hitters, and even they have hit slumps at times.

Nobody hits consistently without slumps. Find me a hitter who’s never had a rough patch.

 

[tn4elvis]

Nobody hits consistently without slumps. Find me a hitter who’s never had a rough patch.

Hunter looked great all weekend.

 

[volfan411]

Baseball is streaky. Bats get hot, bats get cold. Winning streaks, losing streaks. It's part of the game. The only thing that's really upset me this season is all the errors. Some were unavoidable, but many should have been routine plays. And they almost always seem to bite us in the butt. It's sloppy, and, IMO, it's fixable. Guys need to be able to play their positions. Other than that, people just need to calm down. You're not going to win a title every season. I trust Tony.

I agree with you on the errors and would add the mistakes of running bases is concerning. This team has all the pieces to be great and who knows maybe they get hot and go on a winning streak down the stretch.

 

[WVU05UT09]

Where are the fans?

From the POV of this out of town alum they've essentially "shocked" me with the price of these tickets. Look at the Vanderbilt tickets non standing room on any of the online ticket sites--$100+.

In the past when I came for a baseball game I bring my kids and I feel like to make it worth our while to come 3+ hours I either do 2 games or 1 game/pair it with a long weekend in Smokies. For the three of us to do two games would easily reach into $500+ territory. Some may say I'm being cheap (I am over 40 now so maybe lol), but I just can't stomach that and I can afford it.

Contrast this with seats on the 3rd baseline for the Arkansas at LSU game this weekend--upper part of the bleachers...$84. Alabama at Florida this weekend. $50 bucks by home plate.

If the place was packed I would say go for it. But by the looks of it on tv something is badly wrong with the pricing.

I can't imagine what people of limited means local or not must feel about it.

 

[Volgrandpa]

While some members here are taking the time to bash some of our players I would like to give a WELL DONE to Cannon Peebles. After struggling most of the year at the plate he is finally turning it around. He was 4 for 11 with a double and Home Run during this series. The coaches and players say he is one of the hardest workers trying to straighten out his swing. Keep up the hard work Cannon..

Also when the player slid hard in to him on the play at the plate, he didn't react. Just tossed the ball down and headed to the dugout. I don't know what the Ump said but it looked like he gave him a compliment.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Hunter looked great all weekend.

He was a machine this weekend no doubt.

 

[taylorvol]

Baseball is a strange, sometimes cruel sport. Here’s one recent example. Cannon Peebles hits a missile that the pitcher stabs at blindly and somehow catches for an out. Chris Newstrom hits what would be an a routine double play, but since the infield is playing in, the SS cant make the play, and it’s a walkoff game winner.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Where are the fans?

From the POV of this out of town alum they've essentially "shocked" me with the price of these tickets. Look at the Vanderbilt tickets non standing room on any of the online ticket sites--$100+.

In the past when I came for a baseball game I bring my kids and I feel like to make it worth our while to come 3+ hours I either do 2 games or 1 game/pair it with a long weekend in Smokies. For the three of us to do two games would easily reach into $500+ territory. Some may say I'm being cheap (I am over 40 now so maybe lol), but I just can't stomach that and I can afford it.

Contrast this with seats on the 3rd baseline for the Arkansas at LSU game this weekend--upper part of the bleachers...$84. Alabama at Florida this weekend. $50 bucks by home plate.

If the place was packed I would say go for it. But by the looks of it on tv something is badly wrong with the pricing.

I can't imagine what people of limited means local or not must feel about it.

Many on the outside looking in want to blame other fans for price gouging and sure, there’s plenty of that going on, however UT has increased prices so much with the success, that many fans are simply trying to get their money back. So many are spoiled too, on not wanting to watch the mid-weeks, that season ticket holders struggle to sell those games. So you try to recoup the tickets you ate by jacking up SEC games. Thankfully I found a guy and cut a deal to sell every mid-week before the season started, the last couple of years I’ve ate a lot of mid-weeks while asking for $30-$50 pair which is under my cost per game.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Puncher's chance at a Super Regional if the Vols win both series and show out in Hoover. Unfathomably, relative to even a month ago, almost a guarantee of being on the road for Regional play if they lose 4+ games from now until the SEC Tournament.

I think 18-12 this year, this league gets a top 8. In 2012, UF was the overall #1 seed at 42-18 (18-12) after Hoover. The league got 8 of 12 in the tournament that year, this year the thought is 13 of 16 get in. Not only is that more on volume due to league expansion, it’s a greater % of the league getting in.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Imagine the message it sends in recruiting when a coach can say, “Did you see how they handled their All-American? One rough stretch and they benched him for someone else.” That’s why it speaks volumes that Tony has continued to back Curley. It’s a strong reflection of the program’s culture—loyalty, trust, and letting guys play their way through adversity. As someone mentioned earlier, we've seen this with Beck and Ensley in prior years. The pure vitriol spewed at Ensley and then he literally sacrificed his body when it mattered most. All it takes is that one hit at the right time in post-season to change the trajectory. No one remembers Amick being 1-17 in Omaha because of the one hit that mattered the most.

Curley has earned the right to work through this funk, and i hope there comes a point and time where he makes TN fans look silly for wanting him benched.

Hoover but point stands.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Dean Curley is the antithesis of a leader by the way. Dude plays like a p*ssy lately

I’m not gonna dog on him for this weekend cause he worked several walks and had some competitive AB’s. However, 5-6 inning time frame of game 3 he stepped out of the way of a 71 MPH curve heading for his foot/lower leg that would’ve led off the inning with an HBP. He proceeded to ground out to SS on the next pitch. Rembert for AU had a similar play in game 2 yesterday and picked his heel up, turned his front foot in and took a ball off the bottom of his shoe. In a game 7 inning game when you’re down 5-0 in the last 1/3 of the game you need base runners and you have to do whatever it takes to get on. I thought that play was mentally and physically weak. Not saying Dean is overall, but that particular pitch he was.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I've followed your basketball analysis for years now, so I respect your opinion, but I couldn't disagree more. First, the season hasn't ended, so it's premature to be disappointed in an outcome that is yet to be determined. I think it's funny in basketball, Barnes and squads have arguably given us the best decade of basketball most middle age TN fans have ever seen in their life, yet every season the "beauty of the regular season" is always negated because the dialogue is always "well, let's wait and see what they do in march. They crap the bed every year."

Why is it with baseball, fans care more about the regular season than the post season? It's odd, because baseball is the one sport that a .500 team can get hot for a two week stretch and end up in a championship series in Omaha. This is THE sport where post season play is a great equalizer. We're not losing to scrubs. We play in THE best baseball conference on the planet, and any of the SEC squads could hoist the trophy in a month. That is why you don't go out and schedule a brutal non-conference schedule when you're going to play 7 ranked series in the SEC. The idea that we're scheduling soft isn't even true either, as they've played in some of the premier tournaments in Texas over the last several years and did fine. Won the Shriner's classic this year... which brings me to my last point, and it won't be a popular one. I'd rather be a 13 seed matched up with a non-conference rival in their park for Supers, than be a 4 seed paired with an SEC rival at home in Supers. Give me a Coastal Carolina, a DBU, hell - send us west. Give me anyone but an SEC team. This league has shown time and time again that it eats its own during the regular season but that any of those teams can find themselves in Omaha (see TN's win at Clemson and then Southern Miss a few years ago). The doom and gloom meltdown is a bit dramatic, because if you've watched this league long enough, you know that none of this matters right now.

I don’t agree with your idea that the post-season is in any way relevant to what I was describing. It would be relevant if I was one of the posters that routinely said that the regular season doesn’t matter, but I’ve never said that and I challenge you to find a single post where I have.

Much like basketball, I enjoy the regular season for baseball. Sure, if you want to boil everything down to a 2-3 week period when defining success, go for it. But I think my point still stands that this season has been a disappointment so far and that this team is young and lacks an identity. We’ll see how things trend from here, but I don’t expect much. Unlike the 2023 squad, we’re not getting better as the season goes on.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Nah, not really. Not like any other sport. Anyone 1-16 could host the trophy, and like I said with SEC/ non-SEC - the matchup matters far more than the seed.

We’re headed straight for not being 1-16

 

[vol66]

Many on the outside looking in want to blame other fans for price gouging and sure, there’s plenty of that going on, however UT has increased prices so much with the success, that many fans are simply trying to get their money back. So many are spoiled too, on not wanting to watch the mid-weeks, that season ticket holders struggle to sell those games. So you try to recoup the tickets you ate by jacking up SEC games. Thankfully I found a guy and cut a deal to sell every mid-week before the season started, the last couple of years I’ve ate a lot of mid-weeks while asking for $30-$50 pair which is under my cost per game.

I have been fairly outspoken on this issue and I don’t wanna bore everyone again. We had our chance early on.

Directly responding to the post. I do not blame the fans. Fans here have been exceptionally gracious here with unused tickets, and I have no issue with folks trying to recoup what they can.

My issue is when it comes to regionals and supers at home ALL being linked to season ticket holders, but that’s why most made the donations. I’m not talking about the porches, and not talking about premiums or MVP stuff.

My kid and I, like on a half day of school, especially midweeks, you wanna catch a game? Sure. Walk up, get a pair, and now I don’t have to make dinner! What’s not to like?!?

Those days are over in the short term…but…

Sports are cyclical as is life.

GBO!!!