Tennessee's Tony Vitello Should Know That The Great Skip Bertman Struggled In Omaha, Too

Make no mistake about it. Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello overreacted to a fair and timely question last Saturday, then deflected and went off on a series of tangents as if blown by the winds of Omaha.

Vitello and his No. 1 overall seeded Volunteers still made it back to Omaha, Nebraska, for the second straight year to play in the College World Series, which has proven to be an Albatross around Rocky Top's collective neck. As good as Tennessee has been in baseball over the years, the Vols have never won a national title in baseball. There was a runner-up finish in 1951, but they haven't even smelled a title bracket since, with their best mark 2-2 through five trips. Vitello is in Omaha for the third time as Tennessee's coach.

Tennessee (55-12) plays No. 8 seed Florida State (47-15) at 7 p.m. Friday on ESPN. No. 4 seed North Carolina (47-14) and Virginia (46-15) were scheduled to open the CWS at Charles Schwab Field at 2 p.m. on ESPN.

The Vols were also the overall No. 1 seed when the NCAA Tournament field was announced two years ago. But one of the greatest regular season teams in college baseball history - 53-7 upon winning the SEC Tournament after coasting to the SEC regular season title at 25-5 - choked in the best-of-three Super Regional to lightly regarded Notre Dame.

Tennessee coach Tony Vitello and players argue a call during the Vols' Super Regional series loss to Notre Dame in 2022 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. (Getty Images)

Vitello won't admit it, but he and his program still carry that around like a bad limp, even though the Vols reached Omaha last year before another early elimination in three games. So when Tennessee found itself in another do-or-die Super Regional final against very lightly regarded Evansville after a 10-8 loss last Saturday, the question from a non-Tennessee reporter stung Vitello like a foul tip off the big toe.

The Question That Got To Tony Vitello

"You guys being the No. 1 team in the country all season long - it is the same narrative (as 2022) - does tomorrow's game weigh a bit more for your guys? Meaning if you guys lose, it could be another unsuccessful season for your guys?"

Valid question, but the questioner hurt himself in two ways. Tennessee was not No. 1 all season in 2024 as it was in 2022. And his use of the word "unsuccessful." Tennessee's 2022 season that ended at an incredible 57-9, but out of Omaha, ended in a choke, but it was far from unsuccessful.

And Vitello jumped on the success part, instead of answering the real question. Are you thinking about 2022 because 2024 is suddenly very similar?

ANALYSIS: Tony Vitello's Press Conference Rant

Vitello tried to explain the real meaning of success. And he made good points, but still, he knows he has to win a national championship no matter how hard he has worked over the years and how many hotels he stayed in. He also was not just having the back of his player Blake Burke, who was upset by the question. Vitello was obviously upset by it, too.

Tennessee coach Tony Vitello has dominated the SEC for years, but he has struggled at the College World Series that starts Friday. (Getty Images)

"Omaha's real fun to go to. If you don't play that well, it ain't that fun," Vitello said. "But I don't really give a damn to be honest with you."

Wrong. Yes, you do. You're deflecting. And that's a bit immature for a 45-year-old. But it is a good approach nonetheless. That's a good way to play baseball. Like you couldn't care less. Then you're not too tight, which is how Tennessee has been in Omaha and against Notre Dame in 2022.

"As a matter of fact, we can pick up where Evansville left off," Vitello said. "We're not supposed to win because the No. 1 seed never wins."

Excellent deflection here. Vitello is right on. The last No. 1 overall seed to win the CWS title was Miami in 1999. He flipped it, like J.B. Smoove's Leon Black character used to say in "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Vitello flipped the pressure off of him since every No. 1 seed this century has left Omaha early.

"So, house money," Vitello said brilliantly.

He should use that for his pre-game speech tonight.

"So, at the end of the day, success for me in Omaha will be where Father's Day is for me," Vitello added, but he's in denial again. "If it's not in Omaha, I would recommend Cabo, Ibiza or Talan. I'll be there at some point."

And at some point, you're going to win the national championship at Tennessee, Tony. If it's not this year, it will come. You're only 45.

LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman hugs a fan after winning his fifth national championship in 10 years on June 17, 2000, over Stanford, 6-5, in the ninth at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska. (Getty Images)

Former LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman was 52 in 1990 when he took LSU to Omaha for the fifth time since 1986 and lost again. The best he did in his first five trips was only 2-2, too, Tony.

Then he won five national championships from 1991 through 2000. Everything just started happening. Sometimes, Omaha is like the U.S. Open.

"Nobody wins the Open," 1949 and '56 U.S. Open champion Cary Middlecoff once said. "It wins you."

It will win Tony Vitello, if not this year, very soon, and probably another time or two.  

So, relax.