Portal Activity (News and Rumors)

[knoxvol52]

Why did Skenes even visit UT? His list was the top programs in college baseball. LSU, Oregon State, Arkansas, A&M, Miss State needed him in their rotation. He wouldn’t have wasted his time visiting UT if the opportunity wasn’t in the rotation.

My theory is Vitello married himself to the idea of Burns in the bullpen when he was recruiting Skenes. That makes a lot more sense.

Lol no way that was in CTV mind .....

 

[BS06716]

This is the likely scenario that happened about a year ago. I’m not sure why BS or others have this “fly in the ointment” response. It seems pretty clear to those of us that follow pretty regularly that TV doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, nor was Tony clairvoyant in respect to the fact that Skenes was going to have the kind of year he had.

My only point is Skenes knew what he wanted and had good options to meet that need. If Tony was open with him about the opportunity at UT and the fact that it wouldn’t meet what Skenes wanted, why would Skenes even bother to visit?

Getting back on topic, the theory that Skenes went to LSU only because he couldn’t start at UT is crafted to avoid the real reason he chose LSU and why Holman is seriously considering LSU.

LSU has been the top baseball program for 30 years. They have a 12,000+ seat stadium. They’ve been to Omaha 20 times. They’ve won it 7 times. LSU fans outnumbered Tennessee fans in Omaha 5 to 1.

They care about it a lot more than Tennessee does and they can offer everything that comes with it - the best facilities, top coaching, NIL, opportunity to win, attention/fan support, a deep MLB track record, etc.

That’s not a big knock on Tennessee. No one can measure up to what LSU can offer in baseball. It should be LSU and Texas for guys like Holman, Skenes and White. Be thankful TV has Tennessee in the conversation, but you can’t expect guys to pick Tennessee over LSU right now. The programs are on very different levels.

 

[AllVols3]

My only point is Skenes knew what he wanted and had good options to meet that need. If Tony was open with him about the opportunity at UT and the fact that it wouldn’t meet what Skenes wanted, why would Skenes even bother to visit?

Getting back on topic, the theory that Skenes went to LSU only because he couldn’t start at UT is crafted to avoid the real reason he chose LSU and why Holman is seriously considering LSU.

LSU has been the top baseball program for 30 years. They have a 12,000+ seat stadium. They’ve been to Omaha 20 times. They’ve won it 7 times. LSU fans outnumbered Tennessee fans in Omaha 5 to 1.

They care about it a lot more than Tennessee does and they can offer everything that comes with it - the best facilities, top coaching, NIL, opportunity to win, attention/fan support, a deep MLB track record, etc.

That’s not a big knock on Tennessee. No one can measure up to what LSU can offer in baseball. It should be LSU and Texas for guys like Holman, Skenes and White. Be thankful TV has Tennessee in the conversation, but you can’t expect guys to pick Tennessee over LSU right now. The programs are on very different levels.

Yet they do pick UT over LSU.

 

[VolGee4]

My only point is Skenes knew what he wanted and had good options to meet that need. If Tony was open with him about the opportunity at UT and the fact that it wouldn’t meet what Skenes wanted, why would Skenes even bother to visit?

Getting back on topic, the theory that Skenes went to LSU only because he couldn’t start at UT is crafted to avoid the real reason he chose LSU and why Holman is seriously considering LSU.

LSU has been the top baseball program for 30 years. They have a 12,000+ seat stadium. They’ve been to Omaha 20 times. They’ve won it 7 times. LSU fans outnumbered Tennessee fans in Omaha 5 to 1.

They care about it a lot more than Tennessee does and they can offer everything that comes with it - the best facilities, top coaching, NIL, opportunity to win, attention/fan support, a deep MLB track record, etc.

That’s not a big knock on Tennessee. No one can measure up to what LSU can offer in baseball. It should be LSU and Texas for guys like Holman, Skenes and White. Be thankful TV has Tennessee in the conversation, but you can’t expect guys to pick Tennessee over LSU right now. The programs are on very different levels.

The top coaching part is debatable. That’s why Skenes would visit UT. Both parties were interested.

It’s pretty to simple that we had 3 dynamic starters returning, and TV wasn’t guaranteeing a starting spot. Skenes ended up better than anyone thought.

 

[taylorvol]

My only point is Skenes knew what he wanted and had good options to meet that need. If Tony was open with him about the opportunity at UT and the fact that it wouldn’t meet what Skenes wanted, why would Skenes even bother to visit?

Getting back on topic, the theory that Skenes went to LSU only because he couldn’t start at UT is crafted to avoid the real reason he chose LSU and why Holman is seriously considering LSU.

LSU has been the top baseball program for 30 years. They have a 12,000+ seat stadium. They’ve been to Omaha 20 times. They’ve won it 7 times. LSU fans outnumbered Tennessee fans in Omaha 5 to 1.

They care about it a lot more than Tennessee does and they can offer everything that comes with it - the best facilities, top coaching, NIL, opportunity to win, attention/fan support, a deep MLB track record, etc.

That’s not a big knock on Tennessee. No one can measure up to what LSU can offer in baseball. It should be LSU and Texas for guys like Holman, Skenes and White. Be thankful TV has Tennessee in the conversation, but you can’t expect guys to pick Tennessee over LSU right now. The programs are on very different levels.

You can absolutely expect top recruits to pick TN over LSU after what CTV and the team has done over the past 3 + years. Now, no one can argue against the facts that LSU is one of the blue bloods of college baseball, has tremendous tradition, rabid fan base, and outstanding facilities. With that said, I’d argue that right now, UT’s stock is as high or higher than any team in college baseball.

 

[malkmusvol]

Yet they do pick UT over LSU.

Skenes and Tanks picked them over us. That is all. You guys acting like LSU isn't getting who they want is laughable.

Hopefully Holman picks us, but the articles posted sounds like LSU is the favorite.

Then you guys can focus on talking about how Maui might come back. LOL.

 

[KptVFL]

Why you bros still talking about Skenes?

Haha! My thoughts exactly. Came up in here looking for some Holman nugs!

 

[JohnsonLong]

Money speaks every language.

If LSUs offering a bag and we aint Holman will take it regardless of friendships.

Nobody knows yet though.

Half will be right and half will be wrong.

 

[knoxvol52]

Money speaks every language.

If LSUs offering a bag and we aint Holman will take it regardless of friendships.

Nobody knows yet though.

Half will be right and half will be wrong.

Now this is logic 50/50

 

[AthensVol2007]

My only point is Skenes knew what he wanted and had good options to meet that need. If Tony was open with him about the opportunity at UT and the fact that it wouldn’t meet what Skenes wanted, why would Skenes even bother to visit?

Getting back on topic, the theory that Skenes went to LSU only because he couldn’t start at UT is crafted to avoid the real reason he chose LSU and why Holman is seriously considering LSU.

LSU has been the top baseball program for 30 years. They have a 12,000+ seat stadium. They’ve been to Omaha 20 times. They’ve won it 7 times. LSU fans outnumbered Tennessee fans in Omaha 5 to 1.

They care about it a lot more than Tennessee does and they can offer everything that comes with it - the best facilities, top coaching, NIL, opportunity to win, attention/fan support, a deep MLB track record, etc.

That’s not a big knock on Tennessee. No one can measure up to what LSU can offer in baseball. It should be LSU and Texas for guys like Holman, Skenes and White. Be thankful TV has Tennessee in the conversation, but you can’t expect guys to pick Tennessee over LSU right now. The programs are on very different levels.

You lost in a regional in Hattiesburg 13 months ago. The year before you lost in a Super to the team you’re comparing yourself to. You’re using 30 years worth of history to say LSU is vastly ahead of UT…TODAY. A) using what happened in 1996 to support your argument in 2023 is flawed and irrelevant B) the programs aren’t on very different levels today. UT is 13 months removed from perhaps a top 5 season overall, in college baseball history and just made it to Omaha again. There are only 3 teams who have been to 3 consecutive Super’s and LSU isn’t one of them. I’ll let you guess who one of the 3 is.

 

[AllVols3]

Skenes and Tanks picked them over us. That is all. You guys acting like LSU isn't getting who they want is laughable.

Hopefully Holman picks us, but the articles posted sounds like LSU is the favorite.

Then you guys can focus on talking about how Maui might come back. LOL.

Yet TV has the #1 class in '25. I guess LSU didn't push for any of those kids either. TV can recruit with any team/coach in the country, but as any sport, you're not going to get them all. That's the point I was making. Holman is a toss-up. I choose to believe in TV.

 

[AllVols3]

Skenes and Tanks picked them over us. That is all. You guys acting like LSU isn't getting who they want is laughable.

Hopefully Holman picks us, but the articles posted sounds like LSU is the favorite.

Then you guys can focus on talking about how Maui might come back. LOL.

Amick did. Some kids like the UT way and some don't. In TV I TRUST!!

 

[Weezer]

Skenes and Tanks picked them over us. That is all. You guys acting like LSU isn't getting who they want is laughable.

Hopefully Holman picks us, but the articles posted sounds like LSU is the favorite.

Then you guys can focus on talking about how Maui might come back. LOL.

Holy hell, why do you guys even put "vol" in your screen names? You're not fooling anyone. Why not just call yourself malkmustroll? If LSU gives you such a woody, go post on their boards.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Skenes and Tanks picked them over us. That is all. You guys acting like LSU isn't getting who they want is laughable.

Hopefully Holman picks us, but the articles posted sounds like LSU is the favorite.

Then you guys can focus on talking about how Maui might come back. LOL.

I see the trolls have wandered over from the football forum to get warmed up before fall camp.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Ah great. Anyone who acknowledges reality is a troll szn

 

[Weezer]

Ah great. Anyone who acknowledges reality is a troll szn

Anyone who dismisses Tennessee like they're crap isn't a Vol fan.

 

[ETNVolunteer1]

Ah great. Anyone who acknowledges reality is a troll szn

No. It’s just pretty obvious to tell actual fans from rival trolls who simply wander over here pretending to be TN fans. malkmusvol and BS are not Vol fans. Nice try though.

 

[BS06716]

You lost in a regional in Hattiesburg 13 months ago. The year before you lost in a Super to the team you’re comparing yourself to. You’re using 30 years worth of history to say LSU is vastly ahead of UT…TODAY. A) using what happened in 1996 to support your argument in 2023 is flawed and irrelevant B) the programs aren’t on very different levels today. UT is 13 months removed from perhaps a top 5 season overall, in college baseball history and just made it to Omaha again. There are only 3 teams who have been to 3 consecutive Super’s and LSU isn’t one of them. I’ll let you guess who one of the 3 is.

Where do we draw the line on history counting and not counting?

The SR win in 2021 only hurt UT versus LSU in 2023. LSU retired the coach and hired a guy who took the top 2 transfers and a #1 recruiting class to 4 of 5 wins wins over UT in 2023, including 2 in Omaha en route to a national championship.

LSU won 6 games in Omaha this year. UT has 5 Omaha wins in the history of the regional format that dates back to 1954. LSU’s success is on a totally different level from UT. They were just in the championship series 5 years before and they don’t even talk about it.

LSU is the top program in college baseball today because of what happened in 1996. The 90s are what created the support and passion for college baseball down there that carries the program today. They don’t fill a 12,000 seat stadium because of what Mainieri did in the 2010s. Though Mainieri did win a championship there.

In percentage terms, their average attendance in baseball compared to UT is like comparing UT to Boise State in football (60% less.) Boise has had nice success - a bunch of consecutive bowl games, 3 Fiesta Bowls - they’d probably argue more ”recent” success than UT. But we would never accept an argument that Boise is a remotely comparable football program to UT.

LSU has 4 SRs, 10 Omaha wins, 1 national championship in the last 6 full seasons.

TV is going into year 7.

 

[Zues1]

Lordy the love fest of Skenes is nauseating. As well as he pitched, with two real bats in the 8-9 position Tennessee probably wins that first match up at the CWS.

 

[knoxvol52]

Where do we draw the line on history counting and not counting?

The SR win in 2021 only hurt UT versus LSU in 2023. LSU retired the coach and hired a guy who took the top 2 transfers and a #1 recruiting class to 4 of 5 wins wins over UT in 2023, including 2 in Omaha en route to a national championship.

LSU won 6 games in Omaha this year. UT has 5 Omaha wins in the history of the regional format that dates back to 1954. LSU’s success is on a totally different level from UT. They were just in the championship series 5 years before and they don’t even talk about it.

LSU is the top program in college baseball today because of what happened in 1996. The 90s are what created the support and passion for college baseball down there that carries the program today. They don’t fill a 12,000 seat stadium because of what Mainieri did in the 2010s. Though Mainieri did win a championship there.

In percentage terms, their average attendance in baseball compared to UT is like comparing UT to Boise State in football (60% less.) Boise has had nice success - a bunch of consecutive bowl games, 3 Fiesta Bowls - they’d probably argue more ”recent” success than UT. But we would never accept an argument that Boise is a remotely comparable football program to UT.

LSU has 4 SRs, 10 Omaha wins, 1 national championship in the last 6 full seasons.

TV is going into year 7.

Are you not allowed on your own board over at Tiger Squatting???

 

[NighthawkVol]

Are you not allowed on your own board over at Tiger Squatting???

No, he’s a Vol fan who just SUDDENLY became very interested in posting incessantly on this board after never having done so before.

These people are so transparent.

 

[BS06716]

Lordy the love fest of Skenes is nauseating. As well as he pitched, with two real bats in the 8-9 position Tennessee probably wins that first match up at the CWS.

If UT replaced 22% of the lineup, they might have won a 6-3 game. Its plausible.

 

[BS06716]

Are you not allowed on your own board over at Tiger Squatting???

I’m pretty sure anyone can post over there. Lots of Vols.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Ah great. Anyone who acknowledges reality is a troll szn

BS made an account on Friday just to come in here and stir the pot. And the other poster is just encouraging it and trashing TN. They’re trolls. It’s not “acknowledging reality”.

 

[VolGirl81]

So I take it, no news on Holman or Ahuna yet lol.