Johnson City Press. June 26, 2024.

Editorial: We are all Tennesseans today

It’s easy in the current divisive political climate to forget who we are sometimes.

We define ourselves as right, left, conservative or liberal. We argue about who is right and wrong, point fingers, call names and denigrate our fellow human beings.

Sports, sometimes, has a way of cutting through that.

There was a collective celebration Monday night across this state as the University of Tennessee Volunteers won its first national championship in baseball.

Everyone in this state can take pride in that. There were no Democrats, Republicans, conservatives or progressives. Just people watching a baseball game. A game that has been defined as “America’s sport.”

There is nothing more American than Monday’s night win for these Vols. They reached that point beating teams across the country from Indiana to Florida to finally Texas. They did it while playing on a field in America’s heartland in Nebraska.

For a brief moment in time, after these sledgehammer homering Vols piled on to each other near the mound, we were all Tennesseans and Americans. That’s not to say there aren’t those in Tennessee who support other teams. There are plenty of ETSU fans, Alabama, Georgia and Florida fans spread across this state.

But for a moment, even these fans had to have felt a small sense of pride that the state school lifted the trophy in the place they live, work, play or all three.

We could all learn something from college sports. What many may have not noticed is that these Vols and Aggies, playing against each other in the biggest game of their lives didn’t hate each other. They gave each other mutual respect, spoke to each other and congratulated each other at the end of the game.

Smile a little more today. Walk a little taller.

The national champions represent the state of Tennessee.

Let’s celebrate we’re Tennesseans.

Let’s celebrate that the national champions are clad in Big Orange.

END