The 2022 College World Series will be less interesting without Tennessee baseball | Estes

Danny Kanell, ex-quarterback and current talking head, tweeted four times this past weekend about college baseball to more than 342,000 followers.

Here’s one that stuck out: “Congrats Tennessee baseball on a great season. So many memorable moments…flipping opponents off rounding the bases, coach getting tossed for chest bumping umpire, crying over balls and strikes, and of course soooo many pimped out bat flips…what a legacy.”

Kanell tweeted three other times about the Vols losing to Notre Dame.

WILSON: Tennessee baseball did extraordinary things. Its legacy is an incomplete journey.

ADAMS: Notre Dame baseball, not Tennessee Vols, was No. 1 when it mattered most 

VITELLO: Everything Tony Vitello said after Tennessee baseball's season-ending loss to Notre Dame

Here’s who he didn’t tweet about: Every other team playing in the NCAA Super Regionals.

See where I’m going with this?

One of the worst things that could have happened for the 2022 College World Series was what happened Sunday in Knoxville. Nothing against Notre Dame, a mature, proudly mustached group of gentlemen who earned their spot in Omaha on the field while Tennessee did not.

But this year’s CWS became far less interesting without the Vols being a part of it.

You may hate these Vols and how they acted.

But by gosh, you were interested. You were watching and emotionally invested in college baseball – if only to see them fail.

Soon as the Fighting Irish won Sunday, the social-media masses voiced similar delight as Kanell. They so badly wanted the arrogant Vols to fall on their faces, karma for all their antics in a spectacular season to that point.

You can only imagine the extent had the Big Orange circus made it to the College World Series and kept playing for the title of “best team ever.” Viewership in their games would have multiplied, mostly with people rooting against them.

And look, I do understand why. I’ve understood all season. I’m not going to get into the specifics I've already written about at length, especially when Mr. Kanell already did.

You tell me the Vols acted disgracefully at times, I won’t argue. Same with most UT fans, if they’re being honest. Hear about those “Classless vs. Catholics” T-shirts at Lindsey Nelson last weekend? Vol Nation playfully leaned into the stigma.

But you say these Vols were bad for college baseball, and I’m pushing back.

Because college baseball can be really boring, y’all.

You know it’s true. These games too often take forever. You’ve got all the pings and offense and runs and pitching changes and replay reviews and unceasing whistles (looking at you, Vanderbilt), and it can be a stern test of anyone’s patience and attention span when you start getting into four or five hours.

You deserve a reward for investing in that.

The Vols were that reward. They made it fun, the way pro wrestling needs a great heel.

It’s a rare quality in a team sport. You’ve got to be as good as Tennessee was to keep acting a fool as Tennessee did. A mediocre baseball team can’t do the celebrations and fur coat and bat flips and arguing and talk about punching opponents in the throat, because it’d just be laughably transparent.

If these Vols ever stopped dominating, they’d look silly, too.

They knew that. They used it.

Lots of college teams have talent, but Tennessee put together one of the best regular seasons in history by establishing a culture that permitted no excuses and universal accountability. It forced them to stay sharp to live up to their own actions and swagger or else let the haters rejoice over the comeuppance.

What happened to the Vols wasn’t karma. It was baseball in the NCAA Tournament being difficult – as it always has been.

Tennessee got a tough draw against Notre Dame, a polished, experienced visitor that wasn’t intimidated by the raucous atmosphere or the hyped opponent. The Fighting Irish didn’t flinch, and the Vols – late in Sunday’s Game 3 – finally did. It has happened before to top seeds in baseball. It’ll happen again.

But the Vols aren’t going anywhere, not as long as Tony Vitello is still in Knoxville and they don't lose the attitude that worked so well for them in 2022. It’ll get even easier for Vitello to recruit to Tennessee's bad-boy reputation as the program’s popularity grows because of it.

Do not assume that everyone outside of Vol Nation hates this team.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the release of “Private Parts,” the self-biographical dramatization of controversial radio host Howard Stern’s rise to stardom.

While it’s not a cinematic classic, I’ve always appreciated the lessons taught by this movie, most vividly the scene in which the devious executive – played by the brilliant Paul Giamatti – is incredulous about Stern’s ratings, especially among those who hate him. The reason? "They want to see what he’ll say next.”

People are going to keep watching the Vols next season, too.

They’ll want to see what they do next.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes. 

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: College World Series 2022 is less interesting minus Tennessee baseball