Tennessee Vols' Tony Vitello going viral for a very generous gesture to an opposing staff member
Tony Vitello isn't liked by many. That's unfortunate, but that's what happens when you say what you feel, and the Tennessee Vols' head coach is the furthest thing from bashful. However, many don't see or know about the generosity the Vols' leader provides when the cameras aren't rolling. That was evident on Tuesday, as a […]
Tony Vitello isn't liked by many. That's unfortunate, but that's what happens when you say what you feel, and the Tennessee Vols' head coach is the furthest thing from bashful.
However, many don't see or know about the generosity the Vols' leader provides when the cameras aren't rolling. That was evident on Tuesday, as a Facebook post from the Northern Kentucky director of baseball operations Bob Runyan took off on Twitter/X. It revealed that Vitello sent Northern Kentucky team manager Ryan Mavriplis two of the NCAA banners from the Vols' super regional.
Northern Kentucky came to town as the four seed in the Knoxville regional. The Norse faced Tennessee in the opening round, falling to the Vols 9-3. The Norse jumped to a 1-0 lead and fought back to 6-3 late before Tennessee closed the door. NKU would drop their next game against Southern Miss the following day to end their tournament.
However, that's not what really matters. The Norse made their first-ever NCAA tournament after winning their conference tournament, a huge achievement in itself.
And Vitello's gesture also shows that the Norse and Mavriplis left a lasting impression on him during their time in Knoxville. Tony V certainly didn't have to do anything, but he took the initiative to send a piece of the Vols' super regional triumph to him. Now, the Vols likely have a whole lot more fans in and around Northern Heights, Kentucky and the Cincinnati area.
They surely have a big one in Mavriplis.
