Former Alabama Quarterback Calls Tony Vitello ‘Embarrassing’ And Appalling

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is not a fan of Tony Vitello.

McElroy, the co-host of Birmingham radio show “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning”, ripped Vitello after Tennessee baseball won its first ever National Championship on Monday night.

“His antics after the game last night were embarrassing,” McElroy said. “Seriously. Have some class. You just won a National Championship. Have some class. WWE, with all due respect, not class. Just not.”

What exactly were Vitello’s antics? He said “holy shit” during his ESPN interview and he and one of his players did the “suck it” sign at one another. Other than that?

Vitello ran around the field looking for players to hug, he jumped into a crowd of Tennessee fans and signed autographs and took pictures with a multitude of them. He embraced his dad with a long hug after the finest moment of his college career.

“I just wish he doesn’t have the antics that he does,” McElroy said. “He’s like a WWE character and it’s embarrassing. Seriously, to be an adult and I’d be appalled. I really would. I know he wins and he’s great and the kids love him and all that stuff but if that was the leader of my organization I’d have to have a little talking to him. It’s unbelievable.”

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McElroy, like so many that don’t like Vitello, discussed Tennessee baseball’s 2022 team which flamed out in the super regionals after setting the sport on fire with one of the best regular seasons in college baseball history.

That team lost to Notre Dame in the super regionals in large part because its emotions ran too hot. Star outfielder Drew Gilbert and pitching coach Frank Anderson were both ejected in game one of the best of three series.

“The team a couple years ago I think lost the National Championship, and they had the best team— that team was probably better than this team and I think they lost it because they didn’t harness their emotions and it’s great to lean into that but man, like I said, it’s a tough team to root for. Goodness gracious.”

There’s some truth in Vitello’s emotions running too hot hurting Tennessee in the 2022 postseason, but that’s where McElroy outs himself as someone who hasn’t watched Vitello’s program over the last few years.

Vitello is still fiery but he’s dialed back the most over the top parts of his program. Tennessee baseball’s 2024 team played with confidence but it never reached a boiling point like it did in 2022.

In that, Vitello deserves credit for finding the right balance and getting his program to the mountaintop.