“This thing has turned into a monster” - Tennessee HC Tony Vitello discusses the state of college baseball after loss against Texas A&M
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello wasn't too happy after his team lost 9-5 against Texas A&M in Game 1 of the College World Series finals on Saturday. He also addressed the duration of the games in Omaha after the opening contest ran for four hours.
When asked about the growing popularity of college baseball and the lengths of the games with people attending them, Vitello said:
"I get it. The 20-second clock has been productive. But I’m not so sure people wouldn’t come to the park anyway. Heck, everyone’s attention span is brutal because of what we hold in our hands all day long with our phones.
"But, man, this thing has turned into a monster. The draft is shorter. There’s fewer minor league teams. There’s more resources that these kids see. I don’t want any scouts to slash my tires, but it certainly makes sense for a lot of guys now to go on to school."
As per reports, Game 1 of the CWS finals between Tennessee and Texas A&M on Sunday stretched for two-and-a-half hours even before the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
Vitello further touched upon the duration of the games at Omaha, especially the CWS finals and the long breaks in play due to the commercials and other activities that stretch the matchups.
"So I think you could make it two and a half hours, you could make it four hours, which if it’s a big game, it’s probably going to be four with the commercials and all that BS," Vitello said. "But I think you show up and you have your hot dog. If you want to have a beverage, have a beverage.
"And you yell stuff at me if you’re wearing maroon. And the orange people yell crazy stuff at the other team."
Tony Vitello's Tennessee in a do-or-die situation ahead of College World Series finals Game 2
Tony Vitello's Tennessee needs to beat Texas A&M on Sunday to keep alive its hopes of winning the national title. The Vols lost Game 1 of the CWS finals on Saturday and need to win two games in the next two days to lift the championship.
Here's a look at the details for the Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Game 2 CWS finals:
- Date: Sunday, June 23
- Time: 2 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. CT)
- Venue: Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska
- TV Channel: ABC
Notably, the Vols have never won the College World Series title. However, Tony Vitello's team will be eager to make history with the program this year, despite being down 1-0 in the CWS finals series.