like come onnn they're so. so.
“By now, you all know I officially accepted a position to babysit Drew Gilbert,” Vitello told reporters
“I think he’s kind of like a Swiss Army Knife in terms of leadership,” Gilbert said. “He knows how to get the most out of each player. I think that’s his biggest strength. He is the best motivator I’ve ever been around. He knows how to get people to buy in. He does it in a way that’s a blend of an old-school, new-school sort of mentality. He just toes the line of player to coach so well. I’ve never seen anybody be able to do that. It’s super impressive.
“It’s an energy that’s so organic. It’s nothing fake, nothing forced. It’s real. It’s intense. I think a lot of people have a misconception that it’s this rah-rah stuff. Don’t get it twisted, man. He has a high level of expectation for each player. There’s a standard that he set, at least at Tennessee, that was extremely high, and he would live up to that every single day, no matter what time of year it was. I think that’s a joy to be around every single day. It’s hard to even describe unless you were there.”
and when people got mad at vitello for #favoritism
The obvious frustration from fans stems from Vitello giving Gilbert an at-bat, a player he previously coached at Tennessee. That connection was always going to be something critics watched closely when he took the job.
connection....watched closely....something illicit happening BLA BLA BLA. you Know.
Vitello will inherit an entirely different set of challenges. He also happens to inherit Gilbert, the player he credits for instituting foundational change in a Volunteers baseball program that was transformed from Southeastern Conference doormat into a swaggering, national powerhouse.
“What that tells you is the impact he’s had at Tennessee and why he was even wanted for a job like this,” Gilbert said. “You don’t have people showing up to a scrimmage and chanting your name if you haven’t done something special there. Tennessee fans are special. They’re the best. I was fortunate enough to play in front of them for three of the best years of my life. But I’m also really excited for Coach to be in front of Giants fans. We know they’re hungry to win, and we all feel we have something to prove next year. So I’m excited for him to get the opportunity and I get to do it along with him as well.”
“I think varying personalities is great for a clubhouse,” Vitello said. “I think to have somebody that's almost like the rabbit you're trying to catch or something to chase that's good for you.”
Gilbert, in this case, is the rabbit.
???????!??!?!?!??!?! THE RABBIT HE'S TRYING TO CATCH??? tony what are you ON about.
There are two sides to Gilbert, Vitello said, and not everyone sees both.
“When I say crazy, I just think he's comfortable in his own skin,” Vitello said. “So, he's not afraid to say what he's thinking. Then it's this extreme level of intensity on the field and then you switch it off and you get this kind-hearted kid.”
genuinely emotional about this #NGL
Vitello said Gilbert’s emotional transparency -- the intensity, the reactions, the way he carries himself -- creates a rare connection.
"There’s other players too that there’s as much give, but you just don’t see it as much," Vitello added. "For him, you have that visual -- the way he plays, the emotion he plays with -- and it can really affect the locker room. I think that’s his strength. It’ll never leave."
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