Very true but when we were beating the brakes off folks, the critics were silenced. Now that we've been eliminated, this is their time to rub our noses in it. It is what it is....until next year. I do hope we play with passion and attitude but stop short of ejection and profane behavior. Not everything goes IMO.
100%!
When Coach Anderson was ejected from the game... his body language and immediate reaction...were the actions of someone steeped in the game of baseball...that had just run out to kick dirt on the umpire's shoes... Billy Martin style. It doesn't get anymore old shool than what Coach Anderson did. That is why Schilling's controversial comments are more about carving out a niche on Outkick...than honest analysis. But under the heading, "That's baseball" surely the detractors of this team's rituals understand our coaches have to protect players. When Drew was ejected (a stern warning from the umpire would have sufficed), Coach Anderson made the mistake of trying to protect Drew, at a time when retreat may have been the better part of valor. Of course in the end, we needed Coach Anderson, and that's what Coach Vitello means when he says, "He and Frank had a sincere conversation in the dressing room after the game." Perhaps having a designated trainer too take the ejection would have been better.
Where Schilling really gets it wrong...is the part about, "if you treat every homerun you hit...as the greatest homerun ever... other teams will notice and make beating you a priority." Wow, I thought the reason you played the game was to beat your opponent... my bad. Wearing the fur coat and "Daddy" hat is not about any other team. It's not about trying to show up someone. It's about trying to build a culture of fun and comradery. And brother is it working! This team is the best college baseball team ever assembled to not win a CWS.
Each year in SEC Baseball, your team has a chance to win six banners. Last year's team won three... SEC East Champs, Regional Champs, Super Regional Champs. This year's team won four...SEC East Champs, SEC Regular Season Champs, SEC Tournament Champs, Regional Champs. As the old saying goes it's a marathon not a sprint. However, unless I'm mistaken, last year was the first year since the early 2000's Tennessee won squat in baseball.
Our rituals may make our opponents not like us, clutch their pearl's and say asinine things like "Vitello should be in jail." A dandy little quote from an Auburn fan. Or complain to the umpires after a monster homerun (while rubbing their red and swollen eyes) "Their bat doesn't have a Vanderbilt sticker on it," please...of course it's a rule that should be enforced ( the bat had at least five stickers on it... just not a Vanderbilt sticker) but it's also our opponents crying out, "Moma there goes that man again." But, I absolutely guarantee you, the Auburn fan and the Vanderbilt player would pay anything for what Coach Vitello is selling.
