The Official FSU @ #1 Tennessee CWS Game 1 Thread (Fri. June 14) (7PM EST) (ESPN)

[cardvolfan]

Can't totally agree with that. I believe they came into Saturday locked and loaded, but when it started going south you could sense a bit of desperation in the way UT approached their AB's and could hear the anxiety in the building, even on TV. The 9th inning rally went a long way toward shaking them out of it and restoring the feeling that they were just the better team.

I'm sure Tony pounded this into them on Saturday night and Sunday, and the feel just seemed different in game 3. There was no point in that game where it felt like they might lose, even when Zander got into a bit of trouble. After the 1st inning I said to my wife "15-1", and it wasn't too far off.

The only residual problem I am having from the Saturday loss is that between Saturday and Sunday it took 2 years off my life.

 

[cardvolfan]

Arnold is really good. From the highlights I've looked at, he's got a mid-90's fastball with a nasty slider. But...he's not Paul Skenes. UConn got his pitch count up really high on Saturday. He was over 100 pitches after 5 innings. Our lefty batters might have a really tough time with him, so guys like Moore, Amick, and Ensley need to do some damage where they can. If we can get him out of the game by the 7th with the score close to tied, I like our chances.

Tibbs on the other hand...the guy is a monster. We need to tread lightly with that dude.

His RBI numbers are insane, but I believe had CMo batted 3rd or 4th in the lineup he would had had just as many as Tibbs.

 

[Volprofch05]

Thanks for the response as I truly appreciate our educators. My wife is an elementary teacher and volunteered to teach summer school b/ there are third graders who are illiterate. And this is in Williamson Co, TN. So kudos to you for teaching our youth!!

I’m all for people earning their spot in life as I disagree with self entitlement.

You it the nail right on the head about organic chemistry as my daughter mentioned that the test problems (equations) are different than the homework. Time will tell what her future holds. I just want her to chase her dream as she loves working with animals.

I don’t like the idea of on line classes, esp exams taken on line in lieu of the classroom.




Thanks again!

Students definitely get some revenge with the memes

 

[CAVPUT]

Students definitely get some revenge with the memes

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So good....and true.

 

[TAF]

 

[volz2wallz]

 

[OldTimer]

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I’d buy that shirt!

 

[volfannga]

Hey out there. Evansville alum/fan posting here for the first time after being invited by a couple of Vols fans commenting on the Purple Aces board. All I gotta say here is: Wow.
The best 8 teams in the world going to Omaha, and UE would be 9th if I do some peculiar Indiana math.
I can't say I am rooting for anybody, but if I need to adopt a team -- I guess UT will do. I admit as being a fan of Rocky Top, the tune, I really think I'm ready to move on to some Temptations. (I knew a country band from Fort Wayne that did that song in an audition at Grand Ole Opry.)
Should be a doozy of a tournament. The guy you call CMo -- that's big-league talent. Go for it, Vols!

Thanks for sharing. It was a great series and fun with your fans here too. Would be nice to have you down again for a weekend series.

 

[txbo]

Arnold is really good. From the highlights I've looked at, he's got a mid-90's fastball with a nasty slider. But...he's not Paul Skenes. UConn got his pitch count up really high on Saturday. He was over 100 pitches after 5 innings. Our lefty batters might have a really tough time with him, so guys like Moore, Amick, and Ensley need to do some damage where they can. If we can get him out of the game by the 7th with the score close to tied, I like our chances.

Tibbs on the other hand...the guy is a monster. We need to tread lightly with that dude.

Arnold might have the best stuff of all pitchers in Omaha. He can really spin it.

 

[txbo]

Nice sendoff for Kentucky but certainly not up to Vol Nation standards.

 

[MAD]

Nice sendoff for Kentucky but certainly not up to Vol Nation standards.

I know this is probably taboo to say, and I’m not a SEC SEC SEC guy, but I’d like to see Kentucky come out of that side of the bracket.

 

[Christian Lowe]

New pod out. They cover the rant. The NIL statements were about the transfers visiting over the weekend, namely the Miami kid. The rest is kind of self explanatory.

They say Moore could pass Condon with a good week in Omaha for HR leader. That would be funny, but I don’t think he can even be reconsidered for golden spikes without being a finalist.

Seems rumors of Texas going after tony are real, and we’re offering a contract extension that will pay him 2+ million per year.

The guys say they don’t think he’ll take the Texas job, but that it’s one that everyone will stop to think about.

Whatever he does, he’ll certainly be the highest paid coach in the country next year.

 

[MAD]

Who dis?

 

[ArmchairQB]

I know this is probably taboo to say, and I’m not a SEC SEC SEC guy, but I’d like to see Kentucky come out of that side of the bracket.

I think I've decided I want us to come out of the ACC side of the bracket (duh) and for NC State to come out of the SEC side, just for the symmetry of it. And because I'm just enough of a conspiracy theorist at heart to think that's probably better in the NCAA's eyes because they want more than one strong brand.

 

[VOLfrombama]

I sure would hate to go after a foul ball in that park. Sheesh

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Nice sendoff for Kentucky but certainly not up to Vol Nation standards.

Why are they dressed like car mechanics? I hate Kentucky, hope they go 2 and bbq.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

New pod out. They cover the rant. The NIL statements were about the transfers visiting over the weekend, namely the Miami kid. The rest is kind of self explanatory.

They say Moore could pass Condon with a good week in Omaha for HR leader. That would be funny, but I don’t think he can even be reconsidered for golden spikes without being a finalist.

Seems rumors of Texas going after tony are real, and we’re offering a contract extension that will pay him 2+ million per year.

The guys say they don’t think he’ll take the Texas job, but that it’s one that everyone will stop to think about.

Whatever he does, he’ll certainly be the highest paid coach in the country next year.

I don’t like that.

 

[Grnhead13]

Kinda nerdy but hey, what is the end of the work day good for anyways.
#1 Gators heading in
#2 FSU heading in
#3 Vols heading in
#4 random B52 hanging out

 

[Christian Lowe]

I don’t like that.

if he leaves, the job is Elander's. We wouldn't be absolutely ****ed like we think we would

 

[xman1102]

Does anybody want me to request tickets? I’m thinking I’m just going to get cheap seats.

you hear back yet?

 

[Proud Army Wife]

if he leaves, the job is Elander's. We wouldn't be absolutely ****ed like we think we would

I mean yeah, but Tony leaving would be on the Kiffin leaving in the middle of the night level of outrage. It would feel like a stab in the heart. Volnation loves that man.

 

[SmokinBob]

I mean yeah, but Tony leaving would be on the Kiffin leaving in the middle of the night level of outrage. It would feel like a stab in the heart. Volnation loves that man.

Worse because we do love TV…

 

[BruisedOrange]

New pod out. They cover the rant. The NIL statements were about the transfers visiting over the weekend, namely the Miami kid. The rest is kind of self explanatory.

They say Moore could pass Condon with a good week in Omaha for HR leader. That would be funny, but I don’t think he can even be reconsidered for golden spikes without being a finalist.

Seems rumors of Texas going after tony are real, and we’re offering a contract extension that will pay him 2+ million per year.

The guys say they don’t think he’ll take the Texas job, but that it’s one that everyone will stop to think about.

Whatever he does, he’ll certainly be the highest paid coach in the country next year.

Thanks for posting. It was interesting hearing their take on "The Rant"--but I don't think they got it.

I think "The Rant" was Tony (1) getting ahead of the Texas story (deep NIL resources being promised to a coach who deeply suspects NIL-motivated players in his clubhouse), (2) pre-setting the narrative for the media in Omaha (what success is and isn't), and (3) establishing for players what is really at stake for them in Omaha--to play in such a way that, for the rest of their lives, they will be respected for [pardon the cliche] how they played the game (as "warriors") rather than whether or not they bring back hardware. And by doing so in a press conference, he (4) modeled for his players how to deal with those kinds of questions in Omaha. He knows his guys, and that their mannerly respectfulness toward adults could be turned against them by experienced news story creators.

My take is that Tony's "rant" was neither off-the-cuff nor emotionally provoked by some writer. He just used those as convenient excuses to say with passion what he wanted to say anyway. He established as "team policy" what his players are to focus on inside their own heads, and gave them the verbal stick with which to fend off sports journalists. I'd say he used his rant to equip them for Omaha, on field and off.

His rant also put the media on notice. Anyone who brings up that (perfectly logical to ask) question about winning the CWS will be seen as poking the bear and viewed a little less respectfully for asking a Barbara Walters question in the mecca of college baseball.

As for recruiting, I think his rant set the table for how he wants potential future Vols to observe the current players in this highest profile arena. When you consider the various points in Tony's postgame sermon, he was begging certain questions: How hard do Tennessee players compete on the field? How much do they care for and cover for each other when things don't go right? How willing are Tennessee players to put the team first despite how eager they are to have the ball or bat in critical moments? How well does Tennessee's staff develop players mentally, physically, and technically, to reach their individual potentials? He practically handed every interested player a checklist.

I think Tony Vitello is brilliant. He uses the ruse of "being Italian" and "not the smartest guy" to create space for himself to say things bluntly and unconventionally so that they have greater impact, without incurring penalty from the press for "lack of statesmanship" that a more polished personality would be held to.

To murder the simile... Tony Vitello is Italian like a fox!

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Worse because we do love TV…

True and the thought of him in Texas is just
The shorthorns would immediately top my list of my most hated teams.

 

[Christian Lowe]

I mean yeah, but Tony leaving would be on the Kiffin leaving in the middle of the night level of outrage. It would feel like a stab in the heart. Volnation loves that man.

Worse because we do love TV…

It's hard for me to believe he would leave at this point with everything down the pipe for the program here. Stadium renovations completed, back to back insane classes, etc.

But what has become obvious is that since Pierce is still the coach at Texas as these rumors swirl, they want a yes from Tony in particular before they make a move. Tony is their guy. That makes me nervous, because if he's all they have eyes for then they could definitely pull out the **** you money to get him if they want him bad enough.