Vitello on Sports Talk this morning

#1

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#1
---NOTES---

--If we had not won the series at South Carolina, you can't quite say this, but this group has seen everything there is to see and also done everything either poorly or well on the road and against good competition. It helps to recognize what the group has been through and how they figured out a way to navigate through all that stuff.

--On the DH spot ... You've got a guy in Griffin Merritt who's fighting for his life, literally, his baseball life. Then you've got Dylan Dreiling, a guy who is literally the future of Tennessee baseball. And we need them both to win and both guys swung the bat very, very well since our time in Hoover. We've obviously gotten some live at bats and some BP since then. Bottom line is we need both to perform well and we'll use both guys.

--On Clemson's ball park ... The guys were craving to go to an SEC type environment. Careful what you ask for because that's what you're going to get. It's going to be a rowdy place regardless of what two teams are on the field. As far as the dimensions, it's always been a park that plays more offensive than anything.

--On ten SEC teams making the tournament and eight hosting ... It makes it even that much more frustrating that eight were able to do it and we were not. I think every now and then it's good to go on the road. It can be a little extra pressure when you're at home. It will be good for this club, but in the future it shows there's a great opportunity to host if you take care of business.

--People bring up Ole Miss last year as an example of the regular season doesn't matter. One of the things they had was experience. How much do you think experience matters in this tournament? ... I think experience is massive but more importantly leadership that comes from that experience. That deal at Mississippi doesn't happen with a different first baseman. His greatest asset was how he led that team. It all plays into it, but it is a fresh start this Friday for everybody and leadership is going to be key. Momentum is a real thing. If you can get out of the blocks, even out of the losers bracket, it can really snowball. It can lead your group all the way to a championship.

--Give me a non obvious trait that your team has that could lead to post season success. Potential. Potential to still play our best ball. We've had glimpses but I don't think we've completely unlocked it. The guys control more of our fate than the coaches, to understand what it is to unlock the best version of our team and that comes down to the best version of who they are as a person. Blake Burke is the same guy that hit 450-foot home runs as the guy who struggled in Hoover and got frustrated a little bit. What's the thing that gets him playin his best ball? Maui Ahuna, nobody makes that play against Enrique Bradfield. He's the fastest guy in the country. I'm not so sure Maui makes that play if he and Bradfield aren't teammates at USA and there's a little bit of personal competition there. What draws out that edge in each player?

Said they're traveling to Clemson today.


Tony Vitello - Vol Baseball Coach (5.31.23) - SportsTalk
 
#4
#4
To what was the reference by John Wilkerson at the end: "...tip of the cap for a dusting off triumvirate yesterday in your comments to the media..."?

Any links to that presser?
 
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#7
#7
Ah. Got distracted for awhile, but finally found it in a transcript of yesterday's remarks:

"I think we’ve kind of been multipurpose in recruiting. We’ve maybe hit on some guys that were guys everybody in the league wanted. Then there have also been some kinds that Coach E and Coach Anderson just had a good eye for. And then I mentioned the name Coach Anderson. He, ‘Q’ and Woody work with the pitchers way more than I’m ever around those guys at all. That’s a pretty good triumvirate, if I can use, I think that’s a Roman word or Latin or something like that."​
Everything Tony Vitello said about playing in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament

I just killed my 3rd Brown Recluse in two days, here in my swangin' new bachelor's pad.
They need to either die, take their brothers and leave, or start splittin' the rent.
 
#8
#8
Ah. Got distracted for awhile, but finally found it in a transcript of yesterday's remarks:

"I think we’ve kind of been multipurpose in recruiting. We’ve maybe hit on some guys that were guys everybody in the league wanted. Then there have also been some kinds that Coach E and Coach Anderson just had a good eye for. And then I mentioned the name Coach Anderson. He, ‘Q’ and Woody work with the pitchers way more than I’m ever around those guys at all. That’s a pretty good triumvirate, if I can use, I think that’s a Roman word or Latin or something like that."​
Everything Tony Vitello said about playing in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament

I just killed my 3rd Brown Recluse in two days, here in my swangin' new bachelor's pad.
They need to either die, take their brothers and leave, or start splittin' the rent.
Bengal
 
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#13
#13
"Potential" is probably the cruelest and most dangerous word in the english dictionary.

I was a little surprised to hear CTV use this word in his radio interview.
 
#15
#15
I’m still pinching myself that we have a CTV that speaks Latin. Lol. Gotta love CTV as he’s consistently a great interview.
Agreed. You don't have to know baseball to find his interviews entertaining and intriguing.

I can't tell what's genuine humility, and what's him getting self-conscious when the breadth of his reading & education slips out. You'd think there's a voice in his ear saying, "Now don't let 'em hear you sounding like Dooley!"

Of course, that "Wonder what's hidden below the surface?" image probably makes him even more fascinating to the women. LOL--our coach is so smart, he's surreptitiously picking up women while doing his pressers, and on the media's dime!

I guess coaches have to make every minute count.
 
#16
#16
"Potential" is probably the cruelest and most dangerous word in the english dictionary.

I was a little surprised to hear CTV use this word in his radio interview.
Yeah, me too. But I think he used it in the context of team, not individual play. That would keep "potential" in the goal category, rather than pressure to perform.

It's certainly true that this team has not yet played its best ball, whereas last year's team played most of the season near their ceiling, and entered the post-season bearing the burden of "Can we keep this up?"
 
#17
#17
Agreed. You don't have to know baseball to find his interviews entertaining and intriguing.

I can't tell what's genuine humility, and what's him getting self-conscious when the breadth of his reading & education slips out. You'd think there's a voice in his ear saying, "Now don't let 'em hear you sounding like Dooley!"

Of course, that "Wonder what's hidden below the surface?" image probably makes him even more fascinating to the women. LOL--our coach is so smart, he's surreptitiously picking up women while doing his pressers, and on the media's dime!

I guess coaches have to make every minute count.
His emotional intelligence and “people skills” are off the charts. Just a special person and Coach. So glad that he’s leading our young men!
 
#19
#19
Yeah, me too. But I think he used it in the context of team, not individual play. That would keep "potential" in the goal category, rather than pressure to perform.

It's certainly true that this team has not yet played its best ball, whereas last year's team played most of the season near their ceiling, and entered the post-season bearing the burden of "Can we keep this up?"

Yeah, he did not use the word or intended it to be negative.

The overall use makes me wonder about the conversations had behind closed doors and where CTV is with the team.

I think they will play well and really hope they beat Clemson.

Go Vols!
 

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