This might sound strange, but it just dawned on me that not everyone is a lifelong Vols fan. I kinda assumed that, as a kid, you liked them or you grew up with UT fans. I just saw someone mention they became a fan in Sept. 2019.
I grew up just across the river from Neyland. My grandma lived off Martin Mill pk, next to Fleniken elementary. Every football Saturday, we'd climb the hill behind Fleniken and watch for the fireworks after a score.
The old man, who lived on top of the hill, would always have John Ward playing. We'd build dirt jumps in the woods next to his house and ride the trails while the broadcast aired. Whenever we scored, we'd know it. The radio excitment, then hearing "Go Vols" being yelled inside & outside houses having game day bbq's up and down the street, and seeing or hearing the fireworks exploding. . . I was hooked early, as far back as I can remember.
When/why did you become a Vols fan?
My Mom and Dad weren't big on sports, but they are Volunteers as were all my grandparents and great grandparents. We moved back to Texas when I was 11 and since my parents weren't really followers, I really didn't think much about the Vols, and didn't know much at all about them.
I developed my love of sports on my own, I and my Texas friends were all really into baseball and we played literally every day all summer, so I really got into the Braves and MLB, watching baseball almost every night on TBS, and if the Braves weren't on, I would watch the Cubs or White Sox on WGN, or the Mets on WOR...I would get the morning paper and pore over the stats religiously. I was really into the NBA and NFL too, especially the Steelers in the NFL, and I was a big Celtic fan in the NBA.
We moved to Knoxville in May of 85...so you know what happened from there...lol. My Pappaw and Mammaw, Aunts and Uncles and their kids were ALL huge Vols, so the upcoming season was a huge talking point all summer. The UCLA game was my first experience watching them, and I thought Tony Robinson, Tim McGee and Co. were awesome in that game..but I became a die hard VOL for life the next game against Auburn.
I just knew Bo was going to run for 200 and 4 TDs...after all SI had him in a Super Man costume on the cover proclaiming AU the #1 team in the land...but that beautiful tough little scrappy outmanned defense knocked his **** in the dirt all game and made him quit.
I was hooked from there, and watching the emotional roller coaster ride of a season from that scrappy team, and then dominating Miami in the Sugar Bowl is something I will always remember.
That team epitomizes what being a Vol is in my heart, and every team we have had since is measured against them. They are the reason I have been so disgusted by teams chocked full of soft lazy quitters, and puke inducing mercenaries...the Sugar Vols weren't perfect, but they played their guts out no matter who they were playing.
One thing I love about Heupel is that even though our overall record last year wasn't great, (well really it was a great record if the crooked refs in three games hadn't completely screwed us out of 3 wins) the team exibited the same qualities that made the Sugar Vols the epitome of being a Tennessee Volunteers.
It gives me hope for the future, a future that I had all but given up on.
GO VOLS!