Well...in my family it was about being a Tennessean which I realize a lot of people here aren't. It was about Us vs Them...and growing up in the late 70s early 80s we endured a lot of humiliation, but it was a "Tennessee Volunteers don't quit when they are outmanned" attitude that was drilled into me by my pappaws as they would talk about Tennesseans getting annihilated at the Alamo, or destroying at New Orleans.
And that idea, that underdog stubbornness, was perfectly personified by the 85 Vols and even the 88 Vols in a weird way.
That is why the last few years have rubbed me so raw about the team that represents..US...all the softness and quitting, and don't care is just sickening to me..
Now this team, or at least some few members of this team may have some of those qualities as their default mode still, but I have decided that I am not...the team may not truly represent the..US..that my grandfathers would talk about...but I sure can, so I have made up my mind that I will not quit.