The procedure now demands instant reaction — hot takes — to whatever we just witnessed on the sports stage. But if age has taught me anything, sometimes allowing enough time to pass to digest it all and let a wider overview dictate our perspective is better than a reflex tweet.
So, with the University of Tennessee’s baseball national championship — the school’s first title in a major men’s sport in 26 years — now a few days in the rearview, the context of its emotional significance for the Vols’ fan base cannot be overstated.
Set aside the program records set by the offense — home runs (184, which was 33 more than the next closest this season and just four behind LSU’s unthinkable NCAA record from 1997), grand slams (12, which was second-most all-time), extra-base hits (353) and RBIs (609).
Plus, the ridiculous individual numbers put up by Christian Moore, who became only the second player to hit for the cycle in College World Series history and finished with 34 homers (10 more than UT’s previous season record), Dylan Dreiling, who earned MVP honors in both the regional and CWS, and Blake Burke’s nation-leading 30 doubles and his 31-game hit streak.
As impressive as those were, they will not go down as the team’s identity.