Asst. Sports Editor: Never a dull moment

ERIC WOODS Assistant Sports Editor

This time a year ago, I was two weeks into my first beat covering men’s tennis. It was also the time I took my first big step in pursuing a career in what I have loved my whole life: sports

I was scared - scared of doing a bad job, scared that I was in over my head and scared that it was a pipe dream. Besides, I hadn’t done much writing, and my portfolio was a whopping three articles.

After a couple months of doing nothing, I just went for it. It was my dream, and it still is.

Since then, I’ve been blessed to cover sports that I enjoy watching and playing: tennis, football and basketball. I’ve also had to cover sports that I’m not so familiar with: soccer, track and swimming. Even covering those sports, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Watching people perform to the best of their abilities thanks to a lifetime of hard work is truly a sight to behold.

That brings me to my next challenge. It’s baseball time in Tennessee. Those five words used to not have much ring to them. However, in just five seasons, Tony Vitello has made those words mean something to a fanbase difficult to woo.

I’m not a baseball fanatic by any means. The last game I watched was game six of the 2021 World Series. So, starting Feb. 21, the thought of spending 15 of the next 22 days covering baseball while trying to keep up with March Madness doesn’t exactly get me leaping for joy.

However, the best things come when you least expect it, so I’m keeping an open spot in my heart for baseball. If there’s one thing I love more than watching people doing things to the best of their abilities, it’s doing things to the best of mine.

This is my dream. I’m not scared — maybe a little nervous, but I see it as a time for growth. Whether that’s growth in my writing or how I see baseball.

One thing I’ve been able to do in my time with the Beacon is sit back and observe. I’ve seen a fanbase full of so many different people rally around its team as a unified body and voice. I’ve seen moments that define greatness. What’s to say baseball won’t be any different.

We are in the Golden Era of Tennessee sports and I’m happy to be a part of it. Nothing is boring. In the past year, I have covered four teams ranked in the top 10 and two of them were No. 1. With baseball, that number now jumps to five with potential to be a third

No. 1 team.

It’s a proven fact that this Tennessee baseball team is fun to watch — polarizing, but fun.

It’s time to experience a new side of college sports. There’s never been a dull moment in my time with the Beacon covering UT sports, and I don’t expect things to be any different as baseball rolls around.