The Official #1 Tennessee vs Florida SEC Tourney Championship Game Thread (Sunday May 29 3PM EST ESPN2)

[chuckiepoo]

The Better Late Than Never Post Game Report:

We’re SEC Champs, The Overall #1 seed. You all know that already. Ya’ll also know we brought it back to Knoxville and if yer like me, maybe a tense inning here or there but our Vols never seemed in danger of losing.

When I got home last night I fully planned to do this write up but a strange thing happened after I opened my beer. I drank about half of one, next thing I know it’s 5:30 AM. I’m still a noob. Before I drifted off I read a bunch of game thread posts and tried to catch up.

Seems to me all the baseball stuff has been discussed y’all don’t need me to regurgitate it. All I’ll add is Luc, at least in person, was a catalyst. I’m not saying Drew didn’t deserve MVP in that one but, over the course of the week Luc came up big at opportunistic times. So, tip of the Cap Luc.

There’s also no need for me to talk about the event staff or fans of other schools. Excellence!

One thing. I’ll probably get it for this one, but here goes.

I was happy to see so much Orange at the Championship Game. I fully appreciate people coming down, up or over to see the fellas bring it home.

But…while we had the strongest showing, that day of any Fan Base during the tournament, because of proximity…I expected a throw down. I expected we would be yelling our heads off, expected we’d clap, stand, etc…

I know this is gonna irk some but, given our numbers yesterday, I was not impressed, in fact it was depressing. Compared to the way the UT/LSU game, or even UK games went, it seemed subdued. It reminded me of big basketball games, where the fans don’t do their part until the players deserve it. Maybe it had something to do with UF not having many fans. VU didn’t have many either but UT fans had a plan for the Whistler!

This has nothing to do with the team or the outcome, they play with so much fire and calm determination, maybe it doesn’t matter.

Maybe it’s just pickin a nit and the Regionals will be a different story. It was the least fun game I attended all week. Maybe it was just the section I was in, but other than the dugout section, I didn’t hear much enthusiasm unless the team did something to warrant it. Just my two cents.

GBO!!!

I remember feeling that way the last high school football game I attended in Texas. Even winning, the hometown crowd just didn’t seem to get it.

 

[Volprofch05]

I remember feeling that way the last high school football game I attended in Texas. Even winning, the hometown crowd just didn’t seem to get it.

Yep, the problem with dominating is that fans begin to expect to win, get anxious when not comfortably ahead, and don’t enjoys wins as much. When I started grad school at Texas (back when they were good at football), I was shocked by how much the fans packed up when they lost one game since the season seemed to be over.

 

[Jax_Vol]

The Better Late Than Never Post Game Report:

We’re SEC Champs, The Overall #1 seed. You all know that already. Ya’ll also know we brought it back to Knoxville and if yer like me, maybe a tense inning here or there but our Vols never seemed in danger of losing.

When I got home last night I fully planned to do this write up but a strange thing happened after I opened my beer. I drank about half of one, next thing I know it’s 5:30 AM. I’m still a noob. Before I drifted off I read a bunch of game thread posts and tried to catch up.

Seems to me all the baseball stuff has been discussed y’all don’t need me to regurgitate it. All I’ll add is Luc, at least in person, was a catalyst. I’m not saying Drew didn’t deserve MVP in that one but, over the course of the week Luc came up big at opportunistic times. So, tip of the Cap Luc.

There’s also no need for me to talk about the event staff or fans of other schools. Excellence!

One thing. I’ll probably get it for this one, but here goes.

I was happy to see so much Orange at the Championship Game. I fully appreciate people coming down, up or over to see the fellas bring it home.

But…while we had the strongest showing, that day of any Fan Base during the tournament, because of proximity…I expected a throw down. I expected we would be yelling our heads off, expected we’d clap, stand, etc…

I know this is gonna irk some but, given our numbers yesterday, I was not impressed, in fact it was depressing. Compared to the way the UT/LSU game, or even UK games went, it seemed subdued. It reminded me of big basketball games, where the fans don’t do their part until the players deserve it. Maybe it had something to do with UF not having many fans. VU didn’t have many either but UT fans had a plan for the Whistler!

This has nothing to do with the team or the outcome, they play with so much fire and calm determination, maybe it doesn’t matter.

Maybe it’s just pickin a nit and the Regionals will be a different story. It was the least fun game I attended all week. Maybe it was just the section I was in, but other than the dugout section, I didn’t hear much enthusiasm unless the team did something to warrant it. Just my two cents.

GBO!!!

Great writeup!

Coming off three nights of short sleep, it was quite hot, and many of us had a few pre-game beverages prior to the night games. It had the slight feel of Day 4 at Bonnaroo...lol!

I haven't read any explanation, but think that Trey ran (or failed to retreat) on the one-out popup because of brain fog. Maybe he just couldn't find the ball.

By 6:00 on Friday, we will be relubricated.

 

[greasemachine]

Also have our secret weapon Zander available

That did not work out as planned on Sunday

 

[greasemachine]

Jared Dickey's mom sat behind us at Hoover on Sunday. Nice lady! I congratulated her on her son's recovery & base hit in his first return to duty. Once when Evan Russell got dinged behind the plate, I asked her if Jared had ever been a catcher..."YES, & he's hoping to be the Vols' catcher next season". News to me.

Tammy Dickey and me Sunday. Good times....

 

[volz2wallz]

GBO!!️

 

[VolPack22]

That did not work out as planned on Sunday

Yeah but I’m not second guessing Tony. Zander pitched great all season, albeit against lesser competition, and I thought he deserved a crack at it. It just didn’t work out for him.

 

[Mccage]

I have a gripe I'd like to share here. In that other thread about the 2022 champions there was a poster saying this season would be forgotten if "we choked" in Omaha. I don't know about anyone else, but I just don't see it that way. There are just too many variables to take into consideration. Why, if we lose, did we choke? Perhaps the other team just outplayed us. It happens. Pitching has been consistent this year, but you all.know hitting can be the proverbial box of chocolates. And the further we go, the better the competition is going to be. Do I want us to win? Heck yes. Will I be disappointed if we dont ? Certainly. Will it make me forget the accomplishments of this team in this special season? No way. Winning it all is hard. So, just wanted to put that out there. Go Vols, all the way, but win or lose, its been a hell of a ride this season.

Whoever said that knows nothing about the game of baseball.

 

[greasemachine]

Yeah but I’m not second guessing Tony. Zander pitched great all season, albeit against lesser competition, and I thought he deserved a crack at it. It just didn’t work out for him.

Thank you. He did have a great season and 2 hits are not going to change that. Cam absolutely should have started and I am glad he did.

 

[VolPack22]

Thank you. He did have a great season and 2 hits are not going to change that. Cam absolutely should have started and I am glad he did.

Cam pitched lights out. I’m happy he shined in that setting.

 

[greasemachine]

Cam pitched lights out. I’m happy he shined in that setting.

He sure did!

 

[taylorvol]

He sure did!

Will Zander play for MO again this Summer? I kept trying to get them to tell me when he was scheduled to pitch so I could watch him but I guess its a fluid situation. He’s been fun to watch in the mid-week games at LNS.

 

[vol66]

I forgot to put it in the post game report, after my time in Hoover, after meeting the team bus I arrived home to a package…

 

[greasemachine]

Will Zander play for MO again this Summer? I kept trying to get them to tell me when he was scheduled to pitch so I could watch him but I guess its a fluid situation. He’s been fun to watch in the mid-week games at LNS.

Thank you. Yes, if he plays, it would be for Gainesville Gold Diggers.

 

[Volstylexx]

its been 24 hours. How's everyone feeling??? I've rewatched the replay 4times.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

The Better Late Than Never Post Game Report:

We’re SEC Champs, The Overall #1 seed. You all know that already. Ya’ll also know we brought it back to Knoxville and if yer like me, maybe a tense inning here or there but our Vols never seemed in danger of losing.

When I got home last night I fully planned to do this write up but a strange thing happened after I opened my beer. I drank about half of one, next thing I know it’s 5:30 AM. I’m still a noob. Before I drifted off I read a bunch of game thread posts and tried to catch up.

Seems to me all the baseball stuff has been discussed y’all don’t need me to regurgitate it. All I’ll add is Luc, at least in person, was a catalyst. I’m not saying Drew didn’t deserve MVP in that one but, over the course of the week Luc came up big at opportunistic times. So, tip of the Cap Luc.

There’s also no need for me to talk about the event staff or fans of other schools. Excellence!

One thing. I’ll probably get it for this one, but here goes.

I was happy to see so much Orange at the Championship Game. I fully appreciate people coming down, up or over to see the fellas bring it home.

But…while we had the strongest showing, that day of any Fan Base during the tournament, because of proximity…I expected a throw down. I expected we would be yelling our heads off, expected we’d clap, stand, etc…

I know this is gonna irk some but, given our numbers yesterday, I was not impressed, in fact it was depressing. Compared to the way the UT/LSU game, or even UK games went, it seemed subdued. It reminded me of big basketball games, where the fans don’t do their part until the players deserve it. Maybe it had something to do with UF not having many fans. VU didn’t have many either but UT fans had a plan for the Whistler!

This has nothing to do with the team or the outcome, they play with so much fire and calm determination, maybe it doesn’t matter.

Maybe it’s just pickin a nit and the Regionals will be a different story. It was the least fun game I attended all week. Maybe it was just the section I was in, but other than the dugout section, I didn’t hear much enthusiasm unless the team did something to warrant it. Just my two cents.

GBO!!!

Maybe being up til 2 am two nights in a row had the fans a little off their game.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Well I wish I had known that. We were together. We shared an AirBNB with Dickeys and were sitting together.
I was going to say the other day when y’all were talking about catching that Jared actually came to be a catcher. I think him and Chuck will share time unless there is someone new coming. I won’t be surprised if they pick one out of the transfer portal

just my 2 cents here, but seems to me that Jared is too valuable of a hitter to be catching, unless he is an elite defensive catcher. Catchers have the hardest job on the field, taking care of the pitching staff, calling the game, executing the game plan, etc. It takes away from their offensive focus. And they get beat up a lot and worn down at the end of the year. I'm amazed at the resiliency of Evan Russell. Think about the grind he went through in those four games in four days this past weekend. Jared may be the best pure hitter on this club. I see him in the three spot next year. If we have - or can get - a better defensive catcher than Jared, I want Jared at another position.

 

[vol66]

Maybe being up til 2 am two nights in a row had the fans a little off their game.

Meh, if you went through that you don’t bail on the championship game. I chalk it up to not understanding the culture of baseball and people showing up to see UT for a championship in anything because you can afford it.

Next statement is heart felt…it’s not fair to get priced out. I made a choice this year, as I did last year. Last year was simple. Don’t go to Hoover because if we work the phones and ticket offices, we can get regional tix, but we can’t afford both. This year we had a conversation about buying season tickets and even my 14 year old understood why we didn’t. We chose Hoover. That meant pretty much no shot at regionals. It all worked out.

If the crowd that shows up for the final game in LNS is the same that showed up for the last game at the Met…I don’t wanna be there.

 

[fryeguy93]

If a guy wants to play catcher, and he’s good at, let him do it. More power to him.

Georgia Tech is bringing the best college catcher to town who happens to still kill the ball. Jared could be that guy as well.

Let the major league teams decide about wear and tear

 

[vol66]

its been 24 hours. How's everyone feeling??? I've rewatched the replay 4times.

great!

 

[taylorvol]

Looki

Thank you. Yes, if he plays, it would be for Gainesville Gold Diggers.

looking forward to checking out a couple of games.

 

[taylorvol]

Meh, if you went through that you don’t bail on the championship game. I chalk it up to not understanding the culture of baseball and people showing up to see UT for a championship in anything because you can afford it.

Next statement is heart felt…it’s not fair to get priced out. I made a choice this year, as I did last year. Last year was simple. Don’t go to Hoover because if we work the phones and ticket offices, we can get regional tix, but we can’t afford both. This year we had a conversation about buying season tickets and even my 14 year old understood why we didn’t. We chose Hoover. That meant pretty much no shot at regionals. It all worked out.

If the crowd that shows up for the final game in LNS is the same that showed up for the last game at the Met…I don’t wanna be there.

Interesting take but why would the crowd make you not want to support the team?

 

[vol66]

Interesting take but why would the crowd make you not want to support the team?

Nothing could make me not support the team which I did for a few days. However, it’s a bit intimidating to be sitting around people ya don’t wanna bother while knowing they only showed up because we’re winning.

 

[spyfish007]

Did this mystery ever get solved?

 

[Jax_Vol]

Nothing could make me not support the team which I did for a few days. However, it’s a bit intimidating to be sitting around people ya don’t wanna bother while knowing they only showed up because we’re winning.

Where were you sitting?