Welcome to uncharted waters. That’s where Tennessee’s baseball team finds themselves.
If the Vols win a national championship, they’ll do what no men’s team has ever done in any of the three major sports in the modern era: be a favorite and win the whole darn thing. That doesn’t happen often at Tennessee or anywhere.
I mention “men’s team” because the Meeks did what Tennessee baseball is trying to do. Chamique, Semeka and Tamika were expected to win a championship. They did so in grand fashion. The Lady Vols won a national title in 1998 and posted a 39-0 record. That was a pretty good year for Tennessee’s athletic department.
The Vols also won a national championship in football, which will trump any other championship that Tennessee may muster. However, the 1998 championship was more of a surprise than it was a prompt response to expectations. That team excelled – in part – because they had less pressure than their predecessors, who were much more hyped and rightly so.
The 1997 Tennessee football team couldn’t get through September with an unblemished record even with Peyton Manning at the helm. That Florida thing got in the way. However, the Vols made good the following year with a championship that no one predicted. Manning deserves more credit for that championship than he has received, but that’s a thought for another day. He instilled the work ethic, but I digress.
Tennessee baseball doesn’t have the same luxury this season as the football team had in 1998. They have received extensive publicity because they’re just that dominant. These Vols won’t be sneaking up on any opponent. Sure, we could nitpick, but the Vols pretty much have everything a baseball team could want. Tennessee is an exciting, dominant group that most will predict to win the College World Series. The regionals this week are just a step in the road. At least that’s the way Tennessee has seemingly planned it with their play this season. Simple, right. Well, maybe not.
History would lead one to believe that the Vols won’t dominate every game and win a national title. That’s not a knock against the Vols. It’s just always wise to take the field over one team – even a team as dominant as Tennessee.
The chances are that the Vols will need a Billy Ratliffe type of moment during the postseason at some point. They’ll need someone to provide a timely play when a game hangs in the balance like Ratliffe did against Arkansas in 1998. The good news is that baseball is not a one-loss-and-you’re-out sort of proposition. The Vols don’t have to be perfect like the 1998 football team. They just have to be themselves. We’ll see if that is enough.
Whether or not Tennessee wins a national championship in baseball won’t determine whether or not this season was a success. It was a success – even if the Vols don’t advance through this weekend when things get a little more real. Just look at what has happened.
The Vols have achieved national notoriety in a sport that was on life support before Tony Vitello took over in 2018. Since then, he’s done quite well for himself and Tennessee. The Vols have won over 70-percent of their games under Vitello who said Tennessee baseball is his “life”. With Tennessee’s winning percentage under Vitello, I’d take loyalty over one single championship.
If Vitello is truly committed to Tennessee baseball for the long run, then that consistency will result in a championship at some point whether it’s this season or not. That, I’d bet on.
So don’t judge Tennessee baseball on what happens this weekend or even in Omaha. Baseball is a fickle sport. Tennessee can go from hero to heel in a few bad innings.
The mental aspect of baseball is incredibly challenging. A streak can turn into a drought at anytime and I can’t help but wonder if this team peaked too early.
I still think the Vols should be the favorite to win the College World Series, but that doesn’t mean that all the hype can’t work against them. Hype can turn into pressure faster than a 105-mph fastball. Pressure is bad at the plate or on the mound. In football, nerves can be counteracted with physical exertion. It’s not that easy in baseball.
Other than pure, raw, unadulterated talent and skill, the Vols have something else on their side that could counteract the mental game. They play loose and are always just a “Mike Honcho” reference away from maintaining their carefree attitude.
The Vols are a rare blend of carefree with attitude. Tennessee loves to pound opponents. Despite being the best team in the nation, the Vols have a chip on their should. That’s a good thing.
The Vols will hit the field this weekend with a trip to the College World Series on the line. Winning is expected, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. The Diamond Vols are already a success and the best is yet to come. At least it sure looks that way.
With Vitello and NIL funds flowing, there’s no reason not to think that Tennessee can be like Duke in basketball. Even when the Blue Devils don’t win a championship, they’re always seemingly in the conversation to make it to The Final Four or win it all. That should be the goal of any sport. Being in the hunt will result in championship trophies.
Will that result in a national title this season? I tend to think so. Yet here we are, still in uncharted waters.
