You know who people in sports hate? Winners. This is 3 straight years of Tony having an elite baseball team. Do we think that Vanderbilt and Arkansas are going to be excited about that? They are the 2 most vocal because are most affected by Tennessee becoming a powerhouse.
Vanderbilt is the instate school who has their scholarship advantage. They also know that NIL for UTK really narrows that gap for big time players in the state. No Vanderbilt is pissed that we are on their level.
Arkansas... Tony is their former coach who doesn't do it "their way" and they feel they are the class of the SEC and now Tennessee is moving into that picture. So yes they are going to be vocal.
In sports people hate you if you win. Nick Saban and Alabama are literally hated by every team in the country and actively rooted against regardless of who they play. Coach K and Duke were respected because he moved into living legend status the last few years but before that he was totally hated because he coached with big time passion. Everyone wanted to beat Duke. Was Spurrier liked at Florida when he was winning big and running his mouth? What could teams do about it?
The reality though... being hated means absolutely nothing. Nothing. What are they going to do they aren't already trying to do? In fact how much teams dislike Tennessee probably helps Tennessee because other teams start pressing and are trying to do too much.
This isn't for everyone though. Not every player is comfortable playing in an environment where you are loud with it. But Tony recruits kids that are fine with it even if they aren't the most demonstrative. Their will be kids in recruiting that are turned off by that which competing teams will surely mention about the Vols. But those are not the kids Tony will go after to begin with.
Tennessee had to lay a foundation of not being bullied anymore. We were bulldozed for 10 straight years in baseball. We had no confidence as a program. Now? We are good, we talk and we back up. Teams won't like it but it doesn't change a thing that they don't like it. People hate a winner.
Vanderbilt is the instate school who has their scholarship advantage. They also know that NIL for UTK really narrows that gap for big time players in the state. No Vanderbilt is pissed that we are on their level.
Arkansas... Tony is their former coach who doesn't do it "their way" and they feel they are the class of the SEC and now Tennessee is moving into that picture. So yes they are going to be vocal.
In sports people hate you if you win. Nick Saban and Alabama are literally hated by every team in the country and actively rooted against regardless of who they play. Coach K and Duke were respected because he moved into living legend status the last few years but before that he was totally hated because he coached with big time passion. Everyone wanted to beat Duke. Was Spurrier liked at Florida when he was winning big and running his mouth? What could teams do about it?
The reality though... being hated means absolutely nothing. Nothing. What are they going to do they aren't already trying to do? In fact how much teams dislike Tennessee probably helps Tennessee because other teams start pressing and are trying to do too much.
This isn't for everyone though. Not every player is comfortable playing in an environment where you are loud with it. But Tony recruits kids that are fine with it even if they aren't the most demonstrative. Their will be kids in recruiting that are turned off by that which competing teams will surely mention about the Vols. But those are not the kids Tony will go after to begin with.
Tennessee had to lay a foundation of not being bullied anymore. We were bulldozed for 10 straight years in baseball. We had no confidence as a program. Now? We are good, we talk and we back up. Teams won't like it but it doesn't change a thing that they don't like it. People hate a winner.
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