Tennessee To The Bay: Tony Vitello And A Bowl Of Frosted Flakes Will Tell You Everything, Giants Fans

There were plenty of Tennessee fans packed into the baseball stadium on Tuesday afternoon, hoping one last show of support might change Tony Vitello’s mind about a move to the San Francisco Giants.

Unfortunately for those fans who have grown to love the Vols’ fiery head coach, his time in Knoxville has come to an end. After a few days of negotiations, Vitello is finalizing a deal to become the Giants manager, as Jeff Passan first reported. 

By now, I'd imagine plenty of folks that watch Major League Baseball know of the wild, former Tennessee baseball coach who is getting a shot in the professional ranks. 

Tennessee's Tony Vitello Taking San Francisco Giants Job Would Be Unprecedented, And Deserved

But, to better understand what you’re getting in a baseball coach, Giants fans, you probably need to know a little about the person. 

So, allow me to introduce you to Tony Vitello, the man, with a story that includes a bowl of frosted flakes just minutes after winning a national championship. 

A Coach Who Leads With Heart Took An Interest In A Father Battling Cancer

To understand the person San Francisco is getting, you have to look beyond the wins and the antics.

Growing up in a family full of either Auburn, Tennessee or Alabama fans was an interesting dynamic for me. It was even crazier when I found myself with a rooting interest in the South Alabama Jaguars. I grew up cheering for them inside the Mitchell Center basketball arena. 

But, for my father, who was raised in Nashville, there wasn't a day that went by that Tennessee athletics wasn't a topic of conversation for him. Even though it fell on deaf ears when it came to the college decisions of his three sons. 

Fast-forward to 2021. You don't expect to see your father on the other end of FaceTime sitting alongside my mother, explaining to us the intricacies of his cancer diagnosis that will lead to countless days of treatment that scare the hell out of three sons who are just praying every day he gets through to the other side of this horrible disease. 

Tennessee's Tony Vitello, one day before coaching his first college world series game, making a video message to a fan, my dad. (Courtesy Trey Wallace)

I don't think it was until I started covering baseball that my dad took a liking to the energetic pace of the sport, along with a baseball coach named Tony Vitello, who was egging on the fans to create more chaos from his perch in the dugout. 

When Vitello started his tenure in Knoxville, plenty of fans, my father included, latched on to his energetic spirit. Also, this is one of the reasons why Tennessee turned into such a force on the diamond.

As my father would continue undergoing treatment, there were always a few colleagues who would check in on my father consistently, and that included Tony Vitello. 

Tennessee's Tony Vitello Taking San Francisco Giants Job Would Be Unprecedented, And Deserved

From Tennessee To The Bay: How Tony Vitello’s Heart, Fire, And Legacy Will Shape The San Francisco Giants. (Courtesy Trey Wallace)

It All Came Full Circle In Omaha, For Both Of Them

When Tennessee made its College World Series debut under Vitello in 2021, most would have thought the head coach would focus solely on trying to win a championship, not on things outside the program. 

Then, one day before the Vols took to the field in Omaha, a video came through from Vitello, with one simple message: "Send this to your father, I'm thinking of him."

To say that video from Vitello lifted my dad's spirits would be an understatement. A two-minute message of how the Vols head coach was thinking about my father's battle with cancer had me choked up, which doesn't happen very often, especially in this profession. 

From Tennessee To The Bay: How Tony Vitello’s Heart, Fire, And Legacy Will Shape The San Francisco Giants (Courtesy Trey Wallace)

Taking time out of his preparation to send a ‘get well’ message would lead to plenty of further check-ins, which culminated in Omaha once again, but this time in 2024 when Tennessee won the whole thing. 

That memory of just doing my job, covering the College World Series and following Tony Vitello up the hallway where he was about to take his picture with the national championship trophy for the first time led to a moment I'll never forget. 

"Hey man, is your dad still in the stadium," Vitello asked. To which I replied that he was probably back at the hotel soaking it all in with a bowl of frosted flakes. 

"Get him on FaceTime," Vitello responded. To which I warned him that he was probably sitting in his boxers, and it might not be a pretty picture. 

For three minutes, after winning a national championship for the first time in his career, Tony Vitello was concerned about celebrating a title with my crazy, Tennessee dad. And yes, he was sitting in his boxers when Vitello's face popped up, as my father thought it was me calling to briefly check in. 

From Tennessee To The Bay: How Tony Vitello’s Heart, Fire, And Legacy Will Shape The San Francisco Giants (Courtesy Trey Wallace)

I've made plenty of memories over my career covering college athletics, most of the time thinking of my dad as I do it. I'm blessed to say my father is still here, as so many others continue their own fight against cancer. 

So San Francisco. I know you have read a lot of stories about Tony Vitello standing in the dugout or crowd-surfing in the stands with fans. But, you should also know that you're getting a baseball coach with a massive heart, inside that rough exterior. 

Enjoy him, Major League Baseball. Because whether you liked him or not, college baseball will be a tad different without him around next season.