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What happened with Delmonico?
- Thread starter jasonvols2.2
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He was always kind of up and down during his career here. Mid 90's, had probably best baseball team ever in Vol history and won SEC tourney and went CWS. Other years, we mediocre even with decent talent.
Anyway, in late 2000's we were predicted to have a really good team that year and we were slightly above average and there was some grumbling and Delmonico made some sort of statement to the press that basically dared the AD to fire him and he would be glad to get paid and not coach. Hamilton obliged and fired him, although I don't think Hammy had much of a choice. Unless the coach is Saban, you can't let someone call you out in the press like that and then have them balk at rescinding what they said. Also didn't help that Corbin was starting to get Vandy rolling about that time.
1993-1995 we won the SEC tourney
then for years after that we would finish near the top of the standings, then have 2-3 years where we would be 4th-6th...then back to the top, then back to 4th-6th.
I don't think Hammy wanted to fire him but didn't seem like Delmonico gave him much of choice. Running your mouth to the press when you were predicted to finish top of the standings and ended up finishing 13-15 in conference and 34-25 overall. In fact, 8 of his last 12 years he had losing records in the conference.
94 and 95 teams were awesome though. Those two years, our conference record was 46-13 which is absurd for the SEC.
Anyway, in late 2000's we were predicted to have a really good team that year and we were slightly above average and there was some grumbling and Delmonico made some sort of statement to the press that basically dared the AD to fire him and he would be glad to get paid and not coach. Hamilton obliged and fired him, although I don't think Hammy had much of a choice. Unless the coach is Saban, you can't let someone call you out in the press like that and then have them balk at rescinding what they said. Also didn't help that Corbin was starting to get Vandy rolling about that time.
1993-1995 we won the SEC tourney
then for years after that we would finish near the top of the standings, then have 2-3 years where we would be 4th-6th...then back to the top, then back to 4th-6th.
I don't think Hammy wanted to fire him but didn't seem like Delmonico gave him much of choice. Running your mouth to the press when you were predicted to finish top of the standings and ended up finishing 13-15 in conference and 34-25 overall. In fact, 8 of his last 12 years he had losing records in the conference.
94 and 95 teams were awesome though. Those two years, our conference record was 46-13 which is absurd for the SEC.
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Delmonico led the Vols to 3 of their 4 all time appearances in the College World Series... 1995, 2001, and 2005. Just 2 seasons after the 2005 CWS appearance, in one of the biggest bone-head moves of all time, Hamilton fired him. And Delmonico's highly rated HS shortstop son was likely to join the vols before he was fired. We were perennial cellar dwellers for years until we got Vitello.
I really liked Rod. Him and Larry Simcox held a coaches clinic for me. One of the top five things in life was the CWS in 2005. My youngest son, Andrew, was stationed at Offett Air Force Base at the time. He had worked out weekly with Moziello and Serrano and knew Rod. Believe it or not the Air Force picked UT to host and wanted my son to be the guide welcoming them to Omaha and doing things with them.
What an experience! They loved him and would look for him in the stands having him to, briefly, come down on the field to the dugout with them before the game. Many of the players gave him their phone number for him to meet up with them when he came home on leave. Very special time in life!!
What an experience! They loved him and would look for him in the stands having him to, briefly, come down on the field to the dugout with them before the game. Many of the players gave him their phone number for him to meet up with them when he came home on leave. Very special time in life!!
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Not sure. I think I recall that Hammy asked his Clemson buds who they would recommend.
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