Petition to rename TBA in honor of Summitt

[GiveEmSix]

There is an online petition that has started to rename TBA after Summitt IF you are interested in signing...

https://www.change.org/p/university...ents_action_panel_wrapper&utm_medium=copylink

 

[Vol_til_I_die]

This is a done deal. You know what happens when VolNation gets ahold of petitions..

 

[Special Ed]

Good idea. I've always hated the name Thompson Bolling Arena.
I soon got tired of non-Vol fans asking me why we play basketball in a Bowling Arena.

 

[TennesseeRhett]

Signed. No name will ever pass through that building that carries more weight than hers. It will always be her arena, and the name should reflect that.

We miss you, coach.

 

[Dallasbowlin]

Signed.

 

[Stoked]

Signed. These things work 60% of the time, every time.

 

[orangefloyd]

Im on board. I think Mr. Thompson would approve.

 

[bmaultbay]

Yes, I agree. She made that building.

 

[D-rock]

signed

 

[n_huffhines]

I'm inclined to agree to sign but can somebody explain to me why it's named Thompson-Bolling?

 

[Dallasbowlin]

I'm inclined to agree to sign but can somebody explain to me why it's named Thompson-Bolling?

An old president of the school, from what I've gathered along the years.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I'm inclined to agree to sign but can somebody explain to me why it's named Thompson-Bolling?

B. Ray Thompson donated the money. He made a fortune in the coal business. He allowed the building to be named after him ONLY if the UT Prez Ed Boling was also part of the name. The Thompson Cancer Center at Fort Sanders Hospital is named for the same guy.

The TBA was supposed to cost $25,000,000 and ended up costing $50,000,000 mainly due to the caverns underneath. Knox County kicked in funding and probably the city too. The nearly 20% hotel and entertainment tax was enacted to pay for most of it. I think that Thompson donated $5mm or $10mm to the arena construction.

The big concerts started by-passing Knoxville as a direct result of the entertainment tax.

 

[Orangedogsrule]

I'm inclined to agree to sign but can somebody explain to me why it's named Thompson-Bolling?

B. Ray Thompson is a rags to riches story. Originally a coal miner himself, he biult one of the largest coal mining operations in the southern Cumberlands and became a multi-millionaire.
He was a dedicated philanthropist to education, sports, and medicine. At Fort Sanders hospital he built the Thompson Cancer Survival Center with the intention that it rival any cancer research and treatment center, anywhere. He established a $100 million trust to that end. He gave to the university, he established scholarships. He gave the lions share to build the arena.

Ed Boling was a UTK president and contemporay of Thompson. Together, with Thompson's enthuasiastic support of all things Tennessee, they built the campus we had until the recent renovations and additions began.

“A Memorable Story” - The Vol Historian

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I think that there were cost overruns due to the roof design as well. Those huge concrete supports in the four corners were enhanced to prevent the thing from falling into the river. The roof couldn't support a center scoreboard when it was completed. When that scoreboard was added about 10 years ago even more structural reinforcement was added. I think that might be the big circular steel right above it.

Clarence Swearengen had the first basket in the TBA. A breakaway dunk off of the opening tip versus Marquette.

Greg Bell was the a shooting guard on that team. He worked on one of the construction crews.

At least one guy fell to his death building the TBA.

The construction company was replaced in the middle of the construction. Might have been Ray Bell Construction... I'm not sure. It was a bit of a scandal.

One other design considered was putting a roof over Neyland stadium and rolling in temporary seats on the field and using the south end zone permanent seating.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

B. Ray Thompson is a rags to riches story. Originally a coal miner himself, he biult one of the largest coal mining operations in the southern Cumberlands and became a multi-millionaire.
He was a dedicated philanthropist to education, sports, and medicine. At Fort Sanders hospital he built the Thompson Cancer Survival Center with the intention that it rival any cancer research and treatment center, anywhere. He established a $100 million trust to that end. He gave to the university, he established scholarships. He gave the lions share to build the arena.

Ed Boling was a UTK president and contemporay of Thompson. Together, with Thompson's enthuasiastic support of all things Tennessee, they built the campus we had until the recent renovations and additions began.

“A Memorable Story” - The Vol Historian

Much of the UT expansion occurred under Andy Holt's watch. I think that the Presidential Court student housing, Clement Hall, Communications Building, Administrative Tower, Stokely Mgmt Center, Humanities Plaza, Neyland expansions, and the original undergraduate library. Stokely Athletics Center and the Aquatic Center possibly too. Fraternity Row also.

 

[BigZiti09]

Arena name doesn't need to change. JMO.

 

[k-town_king]

I agree Ziti. In fact opposing coaches would use it against us in recruiting to say we only care about W bball and football.

 

[The Orange Pants]

I agree Ziti. In fact opposing coaches would use it against us in recruiting to say we only care about W bball and football.

"That damn Tennessee named an arena after one of the greatest people of all time. Don't go play there, son."

Yhea, that'll work.

 

[orangesince90]

I agree Ziti. In fact opposing coaches would use it against us in recruiting to say we only care about W bball and football.

Glad we don't have our football field named after a coach or our baseball field after an announcer. Oh wait.

 

[Dallasbowlin]

"That damn Tennessee named an arena after one of the greatest people of all time. Don't go play there, son."

Yhea, that'll work.

:rofl:

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I agree Ziti. In fact opposing coaches would use it against us in recruiting to say we only care about W bball and football.

I heard several times on ESPN this morning that Pat could have been the UT men's basketball coach if she wanted the job. I sure don't remember that being the case at all. She would have been better than most of them, but I don't remember those discussions going very far. One big reason was because the Lady Vols dynasty would have taken a hit.

 

[orangesince90]

"That damn Tennessee named an arena after one of the greatest people of all time. Don't go play there, son."

Yhea, that'll work.

I'm sure he would be ok with renaming something "The Dobbs"

 

[k-town_king]

"That damn Tennessee named an arena after one of the greatest people of all time. Don't go play there, son."

Yhea, that'll work.

Opposing coaches already use the Women's bball stuff against us. If we play in an arena named after a women's coach they will double down.

I'm sure he would be ok with renaming something "The Dobbs"

You keep trying to make this about something its not. Maybe you need to examine why you are so upset about me defending Dobbs or whoever else. You need to look at your prejudices.

Why would we name something after Dobbs? He hasn't won anything.

Does she not already have a street and court named after her? Does she not have a statue? Or did I imagine those things?

 

[k-town_king]

Glad we don't have our football field named after a coach or our baseball field after an announcer. Oh wait.

The court is named after her. So...

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The stadium is named after a coach/AD but the field isn't.