Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello is viewed as a “villain” in college baseball, and it’s easily one of the biggest mischaracterizations in sports.
Vitello coaches with passion, energy, and fiery competitiveness — which can rub fans of opposing teams the wrong way. But one thing that gets lost about Vitello, due to those traits, is the fact that he loves and respects the game as much as anyone in the sport
That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to see what Vitello did on Sunday afternoon after Tennessee’s season ended via a loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Fayetteville Super Regional.
After the Vols lost game two of the Super Regional, Vitello made sure to stick around after the game — while the Razorbacks were still celebrating — to congratulate each member of the Arkansas coaching staff (Vitello worked at Arkansas under current Razorbacks head coach Dave Van Horn from 2014 to 2017
“I miss some of those guys,” said Vitello after the game when asked about his post-game actions. “They deserve to win. Certainly would like to beat them. I think maybe we play them next year. Some of those guys (Arkansas coaches) said things they didn’t have to say, and I think there’s a mutual respect there.Losing to Arkansas was a gut punch for Vitello and his team, but he still showed nothing but class after the game.
Van Horn, by the way, showed similar respect for Vitello after the game.
“You know, I hated that one of us had to lose, honestly,” said Van Horn during his post-game press conference. “Tony did a great job when he came in here (as an assistant coach)
College baseball games — especially in the post-season — can get incredibly intense. But that intensity, which can often involve some chirping and gamesmanship, doesn’t change that most of these coaches and players have a lot of respect for each other.
“I think people don’t understand, especially our sport, because the coaches wear a uniform, too, these are like costumes, and it’s like recess out there,” said Vitello before the Super Regional. “So, there’s wild stuff that goes on.”
Maybe Vitello isn’t quite the villain that folks make him out to be
