Some Tennessee-Alabama history

[wmcovol]

I recall this game (as I have every one since the 1965 7-7 tie). Alot of truth in this article.

Jackie Walker was a great player & captain of the 1971 team.

https://tomshanahan.report/2024/02/jackie-walkers-true-1969-tennessee-story-forgotten-and-overshadowed-by-1970-usc-alabama-folklore/

 

[kcvols1]

Thanks for posting this!

I’m happy the University put up a statue of Jackie Walker. He was before my time but I hadn’t heard of him until about 10 years ago despite going to school in Knoxville in the 90s and being a fan for 20+ years.

Certainly the circumstances of his later life as an openly gay man and the manner of his death kept his story in the shadows for too long, and probably left the door open for the false narrative surrounding the integration of SEC football.

 

[wmcovol]

Imagine a LB returning 5 interceptions for TDs in 3 seasons. Hell, today there’s few teams that do that in 3 seasons.

 

[Volador]

Imagine a LB returning 5 interceptions for TDs in 3 seasons. Hell, today there’s few teams that do that in 3 seasons.

Imagine..... what life would be like if every year, year after year, the Tennessee Volunteers beat Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Can you picture it??

 

[wmcovol]

Imagine..... what life would be like if every year, year after year, the Tennessee Volunteers beat Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Can you picture it??

That would be in the wild dreams category.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Thanks for posting this!

I’m happy the University put up a statue of Jackie Walker. He was before my time but I hadn’t heard of him until about 10 years ago despite going to school in Knoxville in the 90s and being a fan for 20+ years.

Certainly the circumstances of his later life as an openly gay man and the manner of his death kept his story in the shadows for too long, and probably left the door open for the false narrative surrounding the integration of SEC football.

What false narrative? You talking about the fact they focus on Bear Bryant integrating after playing USC? That is BS, I would agree. We and others as well had already integrated years before that.

 

[kcvols1]

What false narrative? You talking about the fact they focus on Bear Bryant integrating after playing USC? That is BS, I would agree. We and others as well had already integrated years before that.

Well yes, because that was the upshot of the linked article.

I assumed folks would read that before my post.

 

[wmcovol]

What false narrative? You talking about the fact they focus on Bear Bryant integrating after playing USC? That is BS, I would agree. We and others as well had already integrated years before that.

The narrative from Birmingham has always been nobody in the SEC integrated their team until Bear did & that USC game changed it which is ********. Bama was getting their ass beat before 1970 & Tennessee & several others had already integrated their programs.