Randomly meeting a Vol Stories

#26
#26
Have you ever just randomly ran into a Vol (former or current)? I am not talking about an autograph signing or anything organized. I am talking about just randomly running into one on vacation or just in the every day world.

I wanna say it was around 2004 or 2005, I was on the same Carnival Cruise as former Vol Kicker Jeff Hall. He just shouted Go Vols and then I recognized him and just had small general conversation.

Sat next to Johnny on a flight from Atlanta to Knoxville in December of 81.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ATC_VOL
#27
#27
Met Heath Shuler when he was a toddler and I was a little leaguer. One of his uncles coached my team. Knew Benji from the time he was little too.

"Met" Pickens as we were heckling him during a high school game. My brother played against him and had an amiable, mutual respect acquaintance.

Jimmy Streater gave a pre-game speech to my HS team eons ago. He had played for our coach. He was already in pretty poor health by then.
 
#30
#30
Darel Middleton came into Walmart when I worked there. Strangely enough, I was working with Darels cousin at the exact time he walked by. Then nodded and then he told me that was Darel Middleton (i didnt recognize him at first) Then we talked abt him for a while and we talked abt his Oak Ridge days. Says Tee Higgins got a dodge charger the day he committed to Clemson. A couple others from ORHS that I talked to after confirmed it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jarnol32
#31
#31
Darel Middleton came into Walmart when I worked there. Strangely enough, I was working with Darels cousin at the exact time he walked by. Then nodded and then he told me that was Darel Middleton (i didnt recognize him at first) Then we talked abt him for a while and we talked abt his Oak Ridge days. Says Tee Higgins got a dodge charger the day he committed to Clemson. A couple others from ORHS that I talked to after confirmed it.
Other not as random run ins:
Met Josh Dobbs this past Saturday at the Radius Rooftop Lounge
Met Trey Smith this past Saturday on Gay Street
Ethan Wolf after the orange and white game a couple years ago right outside Neyland
Jalen Reeves Maybin in Market Square a few years ago
Antone Davis in Market Square a few years ago
Todd Kelly Jr. outside of Lyndsay Nelson Stadium a few years ago
Dom Wood Anderson on Cumberland Ave
 
  • Like
Reactions: goldenvol
#32
#32
I was fortunate enough to meet Reggie White at one of his daughters AAU basketball games and he invited me to sit with him and his wife and we just talked through that game and most of my daughter's game also. He was very interesting to talk to and very gracious. We talked about our faith, our times at UT, girls basketball and of course Tennessee football. Reggie thought it was funny when I told him that when I was at Tennessee, Phil Fulmer was playing there. Great memory of a great man.
 
#33
#33
I dont know if this follows guidelines, but my family had dinner with Cordarrelle Patterson at one of the welcome back bbq's the university used to have.

Great guy, had a fun time with him. He was down to earth and was great with our kids.

I'll have to think about some of the others. I know Aj Branisel was another year

Also, Jaquez Smith ate with us one year. He was a cool guy. Very personable and fun to talk to.

Got to talk with Josh Dobbs for an extended amount of time also. You could tell he was sharp just talking with him
 
Last edited:
#35
#35
So is there a strategy for meeting players? All the ones I've met have been just going about my buisness and boom there they are. Any particular spots?
 
#36
#36
I've got a few - mostly because I fly all of the time:
1. Met Johnny Majors in Knoxville airport on the elevator in the parking garage. Had a nice few minutes talking to him.
2. Met John Chavis in Atlanta airport between flights a few months after he was fired. We talked for a solid 20 minutes as we didn't have anything else to do. He shared a lot of cool stories.
3. Met Khalil Mackenzie when he was flying to Knoxville just prior to the start of camp.
4. Met Erik Ainge, Arian Foster and several others at practice - my boys were star struck. Well, except for Arian who was a jerk.
5. Bonus points: saw Tony Dungy in a hotel elevator when Indy was playing Patriots - we spent a few minutes talking about how great Peyton was.
 
#37
#37
I played with and against a couple Vols growing up, but as far as random the only instance was meeting George Kidd. He worked at Airport Honda when I bought a car there about 15 years ago.
 
#39
#39
Have you ever just randomly ran into a Vol (former or current)? I am not talking about an autograph signing or anything organized. I am talking about just randomly running into one on vacation or just in the every day world.

I wanna say it was around 2004 or 2005, I was on the same Carnival Cruise as former Vol Kicker Jeff Hall. He just shouted Go Vols and then I recognized him and just had small general conversation.

On flight back from Fiesta Bowl game versus Penn St, talked with Daryl Hardy, Tracy Haworth, Joey Chapman's parents and I've forgotten the other player.

When you say random, its hard for me to define that. I've had occasions to engage with hundreds of players and coaches in the 45 years I've been going to games. On road and bowl games have talked with many.

Bought Antone Davis and Dyron Nix a drink in Dallas after the cotton bowl.

Bought Dale Carter and several other Vols a drink after the sugar bowl.

Have visited with dozens of Vols on Bourbon Street before and after bowl games.

I could mention dozens more but too time consuming..
 
#40
#40
Casey Clausen almost ran me into the retaining wall on I40 in his dads Beamer.

I noticed a vehicle swerving in and out of traffic in my rear view. As it passed and cut in front of me I thought the driver looked like him. The California personalized tag I❤️MY3QBS confirmed it.
 
#43
#43
Ran into Cornelius Bennett @ Kentucky a few years back*. Took me a few minutes to realize who it was. He (and the Mrs.) were very laid back and super nice.

*It was the year we lost in the last minute. I went with 3 UK fans (and 2 grads). It was a bar they frequented in college. I got revenge the next year when I took the one to Knoxville when they were ranked #10 IIRC
 
#44
#44
Work in a portable office selling construction products. Lester McClain, Corey Allen, and DeRon Jenkins have been in. Met Don DeVoe at the Oklahoma City airport waiting on our plane. He was Navy head coach at the time. He loved talking about the Vols. I'd ask him about a player (Tony White, Michael Brooks, Reggie Johnson, Dyron Nix....) and he'd give me the run down. I was kicking myself self that night because I forgot to ask him about Howard Woooooooooda.
 
#45
#45
Sat next to Fulmer on a plane once. Met Barnes at a restaurant. Talked to Alvin Harper at a baseball game. And while not a Vol, I was at a resort in the Caribbean years ago and Herschel Walker was staying there. Only saw him once at the pool.
 
#46
#46
Have you ever just randomly ran into a Vol (former or current)? I am not talking about an autograph signing or anything organized. I am talking about just randomly running into one on vacation or just in the every day world.

I wanna say it was around 2004 or 2005, I was on the same Carnival Cruise as former Vol Kicker Jeff Hall. He just shouted Go Vols and then I recognized him and just had small general conversation.
I use to run the Sbarro pizza at west town mall and as I was leaving one night I noticed a man on crutches trying to get to the parking garage so I gave him a lift who you think??? Jamal Lewis
 
#49
#49
Keith Davis and Brian Kimbro both delivered freight(truck drivers ) to my business in Nashville . Also Tommy Baucomb who played in the same era as Fulmer was our account rep for a freight company.
Kimbro brought me a nice autographed picture of him tackling Bo Jackson . Baucomb still sends my 91 year old orange blooded grandfather who started the business I now own birthday cards every year . Keith Davis was cool as hell too and my favorite to talk to because he is the first star from the mid-state that I remember following / idolizing .

To have met 3 different former Vols who were all involved in the trucking industry is most definitely random.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SAPPER 5

VN Store



Back
Top