There’s an art form to the concert of pleading your case with an umpire during a game, as Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello and comedian/actor Josh Mancuso illustrate.
Mancuso, an actor-comedian who has gone viral on several different occasions for sports-related comedy sketches, teamed up with Vitello in a video that was posted on Thursday to ask the question that baseball fans around the country have always wondered: What’s the best way to argue with an umpire?
A perfect opening act for the second round of the NCAA Tournament this weekend.
Mancuso played the hits for Vitello, calling back to Sweet Lou Piniella’s thrown hat and an infamous moment from Vitello himself earlier in his career. The two broke down body language and verbal cues when addressing an umpire, the correct equipment to have in times of need, and the necessity for actual dirt to be present when burying home plate.
How to argue with an umpire featuring #Tennessee Head Coach Tony Vitello. 😂🍊 #GBO #govols #baseball pic.twitter.com/OsnJasodu4
— Josh Mancuso (@joshmancuso) June 6, 2024
More from RTI: Tennessee Baseball – RTI Staff Knoxville Super Regional Predictions
Vitello’s got a Peyton Manning-like comedy quality to his day-to-day persona, to give an example that people around Tennessee are certainly familiar with – laid back, quick-witted, involved, reactionary, and almost a sense of “kids these days…” to him.
Check out Josh Mancuso and Tony Vitello’s full 16-minute “Job Interview” video from Jan. 4 below.
Tennessee will host Evansville in a best-of-three series this weekend in the Knoxville Super Regional.
The Vols and the Purple Aces will square off in game one of the series on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more live coverage of the tournament.
