The frustration was evident on Tony Vitello’s face when a reporter asked him about Tennessee’s offensive explosion in the Vols’ 10-0 run-rule victory over Belmont on Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
“The first nine runs were great,” Vitello said.“The last one, I already used my cuss word in my in-game interview on Sunday. So, I won’t do one now. I’d like to.”
All the assembled media knew exactly what Vitello was talking about. That 10th run, courtesy of a Reese Chapman solo home run in the sixth inning, meant that the run-rule was in play.
Vitello has shared his disagreements with the run-rule throughout the two years it’s been in existence, so Tuesday night was nothing new. But it was a more straightforward and public comment on the pace of play rule that he doesn’t agree with.
“I’ve had it with that – I’ve recommended people to be on the board or when we have our SEC meetings, to be the ones that speak first and all that,” Vitello said. “I am way down the totem pole and I ain’t trying to be humble, but I’m kind of over this whole deal here [run-rule]. Ten ain’t a lot and I don’t know why that’s the number. Reese Chapman hits a home run and everyone is bummed out. That’s not good and doesn’t make sense.”
