What Kind of Vols Fan Are You?

#51
#51
SuggsOrMatthews said:
I'm a "make love to Rocky Top, named both my kids Peyton, make them recite the maxims every morning, named my dog Lane in 2009, took it out back after Kiffin left and Ol Yeller'ed that thing because ain't no traitors allowed in my house, got the General tattooed on my right arm, Johnny Majors tattooed on my left arm, Peyton tattooed on my back" Vol fan
Click to expand...

All sound more than reasonable
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#52
#52
Got a power T tat so... yeah, you get the picture. During the fall the mood i'll be in all week is solely based on what happens on Saturday's.

GO VOLS!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#54
#54
I started listening to game when Bill Battle was the coach, not many games on tv but I remember seeing peanut run out of the locker room and lead the comeback! John Ward made very easy to be a fan! Best I have ever heard! Go vols
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#55
#55
VFL-82-JP said:
We're all Vols fans here, right? I mean, mostly. We have a few Gator, Bama, and Georgia fans hanging around for the conversation, but by and large we're all fans of Big Orange.

But why? What's our motivation as fans? What do we really care about? This probably won't surprise anyone who takes a minute to think about it, but we're each a little different in how we answer the Why? question.

Here are a few of the most common types of Volunteer fans:

1. Self-centered. It's all about 'me' for some folks. Winning games is important for the bragging rights, being able to talk smack to the Gator or Vandy fan at work, the feeling of accomplishment-by-association. Vols fans who are focused primarily on themselves tend to be fair-weather friends when it comes to players and coaches. It's a "what have you done for me lately" kind of world. The hottest praise and quickest calls to 'fahr him' typically come from this quarter. Players are often treated like commodities, rather than fellow human beings, young men in college. Self-centered fans are sometimes even happy to sacrifice other people's values for their own benefit ("I don't care what they have to do to win, just win, dammit!"). They're real fans, just very self-oriented.

2. Star-centered. Some fans have a particular player (or coach) they're intensely interested in. Often a relative or friend, maybe a namesake, or just someone they took a shine to for whatever reason. This type of fan celebrates the team's success, yes, but most especially the success of the individual. Can be counter-productive when what's good for the player/coach does not match what's good for the team.

3. Team-centered. I like to call these the true fans, but there's room for all types in Vol Nation. Team-centered fans care most about the program, about UT, and about the players and coaches and trainers and administrators and workers who make up the program. A loss hurts for all types of fans, but it hurts the team-centered fan most to see the disappointment in the players' faces; it is as much an empathetic pain as it is a personal one. Team-centered fans are willing to sacrifice a bit of glory if that's what it takes to uphold certain values, and understand that there's life after college for all 100+ young men who put on orange each Saturday in the fall. Team-centered Vols fans are happy to talk smack with the Dawg fan in the next cubicle, but don't get mean or cruel about it (or try not to, and mostly succeed). Team-centered fans will discuss how the team did with other Vols fans, including frank criticism when deserved, but make every effort not to show disrespect to a fellow Vol--player, coach, or fan (we're all human, and all sometimes slip up in this particular).

There are probably a handful of other categories, as well. I just hit on the four that seem most obvious to me these days. It's funny how easy it is to tell which type a Vols fan tends toward once you start paying attention.

So what kind of Vols fan are you?
Click to expand...

All this....And then some!

Born, bred, raised, bled, cussed, cried, cheered, sang, rapped, and ranted.

Go Big Orange!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#56
#56
:rock:I think I was born a diehard Vol! My first memory of the the Vols was working in the tobacco fields as a small boy and listing on the radio. The Sunday dinner conversations of my late beloved uncles of the Vols. John Ward showed me the stadium long before I ever got the privilege of seeing it in person. I have witnessed terrible losses and marvelous wins! I grew up to hate Bammers it makes me sick to locals here wearing that junk! I would say I'm a Team Vol!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#57
#57
Rockytoptn83 said:
Been a Vol fan since the day I was born at UT Medical in Knoxville. There has never been nor will there even be any other team for me than the Tennessee Volunteers. Vol til I die! And I want Rocky Top played at my funeral (that's not morbid is it?)
Click to expand...

Coffin wired with electrical outlet
IPod plugged in playing Rocky Top
Into your headphones

Kinda morbid:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#59
#59
Yankee_Vol said:
People sleep peaceably in thier beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on thier behalf. - George Orwell

To include my family.
Click to expand...



I know this full well, and again, thank you for your service and sacrifice.
 
#60
#60
Yankee_Vol said:
They're aren't any bandwagon fans left
Click to expand...

Not true at all. A couple yrs ago when we were losing to teams like Vandy and KY, the band wagon fans ran like roaches with the light flipped on. But now, they are tentatively creeping back with big S-eatin grins on their faces getting ready to say, Tennessee has always been my team!

Mind you, they are not quite at level of wearing Vol orange in Bama country, but they are looking for it in their closet.
 
#61
#61
40 years of going to Neyland and games all over the country from California to Notre Dame. Will have UT Alumni on my gravestone, proud throughout eternity.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#62
#62
I literally don't remember not being a Tennessee fan. I was born in 69 and watched Bill Battle with Dad and remember Condredge from the show. It has literally been a part of my life my ENTIRE life. When people ask me who my second favorite team is I look at them with a confused look on my face that says "Second"?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#64
#64
I was born at Little Creek Sanitarium in Knox county in 1966 and I've been freakin crazy about my Vols since the day I was born! :crazy: :loco: :pepper:
 
#66
#66
Then type of fan that would like to go a couple of months without one of our star to potential star players stay out of trouble with the law. Is that too much to ask? :crazy:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#68
#68
We're a Tennessee Vols family and I really don't care to associate with people that aren't Vols fans.

Something about those types of people seems weird to me.

My will is all set, my favorite Big Orange shirt, favorite Vols hat and you damn well better play Rocky Top twice at my funeral to send me off in a good mood.

Every time I go see my doctor they always draw blood to check my a1c levels and people gather around to watch my blood because every time my blood comes out a beautiful bright Tennessee Orange.

They think I'm weird but I always remind them that it's just normal for those of us that Love our Tennessee Vols so much.

Wife loves her bluejean denim purses that she bought cheap at yard sales and then comes home, washes them and then they get covered all around with outstanding Tennessee Vols patches so no matter which direction her purses are seen from people always see Tennessee Orange patches to let them know we love our Vols.

Vehicles have mirrored checkerboard license plates with the mirrored power T in the middle, bumper stickers front and back, antenna has a little guy in a Vols football helmet sticking on the end of it and lots more.

There's zero doubt when we roll up anywhere that die hard Tennessee Vols fans just arrived.

I'll always love my Vols even throughout all eternity and anyone that doesn't like that can kiss my checkerboard (_)_)!!!

#BrickbyBrick...VFL...GBO!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#69
#69
My #7 Tennessee jersey that I had my 1973 school picture taken in looked a lot more authentic than the one Kenny Chesney wore.....real Tennessee orange.

John Ward made me a fan long before I ever went to a game, listening in on an old transistor radio in middle TN. The Vols might have been on tv once a season in those days. Graduated from there, met my wife there. These ties that bind are stronger than a 2 ft whale rope!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#72
#72
All about family, and the love of Knoxville, Football, and Tennessee for me.

My dad is a UT graduate, and I grew up in a UT household from day 1. No matter that I went to a different P5 school, my blood still bleeds as orange as anyone's. Wouldn't matter if we won 3 games a year, the love for big orange sports will never leave me.

Also, I've been to college games across the country, and there is nothing quite as special as an evening kickoff in Knoxville.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#75
#75
I'm a stand to cheer. Stand to lose kinda guy. A East Tennessee born, watched my first game at 5 during 1998 kinda guy. An orange bleeding, power T lovin, kinda fan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top