20 Years Ago Today

#26
#26
I was at home in Pickwick, TN watching with friends. My cousin is a die-hard hog fan and when PP didn't catch the 4th down pass all I could think about was how bad my cuz was gonna rag me.

The "stumbled and fumbled" call till this day brings me chills of what such an unexpected miracle feels like. That is such a rare event in football, it practically never happens but it did that night. As awesome as that miracle play was, we still needed a TD to win and watching a man possessed pounding the rock all the way to pay dirt, well that's why it's so legendary.

GFV's!
 
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#28
#28
I was in Section G, next to the band. It was my freshman year. I was soaked from the rain earlier in the game but it didn't matter. Man, that was a great time!!
 
#29
#29
I can hear our Vols in the huddle...

OK guys, we have the ball and we ARE going to get the touchdown and WIN this game.

Those ugly hogs look hungry so lets feed them some cheese.

On 3...POUND EM!!!

Damn, what a way to end a game!

VFL...GBO!!!
 
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#30
#30
I was less than 2 years working for my current employer here in Oregon and still worked Saturdays. My wife and I had a system setup where she would monitor the game at home and send me updates on the score on my old style beeper pager (opponent's score first in two digits and then Tennessee's). I remember being in meetings and co-workers saying, "Okay, what's the score?" when my beeper would sound-off. Since Arkansas led most of the game, I remember being surprised when we won -- and calling my wife to make sure she sent the score correctly.

Fortunately, I stopped working Saturdays not long after, because man that is a tough way to not watch a game and not get much work done either.

iu
 
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#31
#31
I know this is a troll move...

I am going to take a big Arkansas fan co-worker to Central BBQ today. Roasted piggy for lunch....
 
#32
#32
If the officials would have gotten the call right when the punter kicked the ball through the end zone it's UT ball on the 1 and no need for the fumble which wasn't a miracle but a DL blowing the center up. And what a play it was.
 
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#33
#33
BigOrangeMojo said:
Much like Clint Stoerner, I'm just going to leave this right here

View attachment 176153

Does everyone remember where they were at? Will anyone admit to leaving Neyland early? Anyone remember the party post-game? I remember telling the person next to me right before the play "If they run a bootleg, we're F'ed"
Click to expand...


I was there in the student section in great seats 8-12 rows up (wife was a grad student at UT at the time). The crowd was loud and rowdy, but it was shocking and unbelievable that Stoerner actually fumbled and Ratliff recovered! Travis Henry and the O-line were unstoppable once we got the ball. Still an amazing, season-saving game today!

Go Vols!!!
 
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#34
#34
TN Outlaw said:
I was at home in Pickwick, TN watching with friends. My cousin is a die-hard hog fan and when PP didn't catch the 4th down pass all I could think about was how bad my cuz was gonna rag me.

The "stumbled and fumbled" call till this day brings me chills of what such an unexpected miracle feels like. That is such a rare event in football, it practically never happens but it did that night. As awesome as that miracle play was, we still needed a TD to win and watching a man possessed pounding the rock all the way to pay dirt, well that's why it's so legendary.

GFV's!
Click to expand...
I hear you Outlaw. I’d only felt that way once in my lifetime, that’s when Santa brought me a pony.
 
#36
#36
We were in section Y8, soaking wet, just above a bunch of Arkansas fans, one of which had a sign that read, "Houston there's a problem on Rocky Top". As the guy was walking past us after the clock ran down and we were singing Rocky Top, I told him - "We solved the #%*^ing problem" . . . He was not a happy camper!!! LOL

That is probably the best game that I have been to in Neyland, and I have been to a lot of games there.

GBO - BEAT MIZZOU!!
 
#37
#37
I was turnin 9 years old in six days, didn’t give a crap about football.

In college I mended my ways, sadly my college years included Fulmer’s last year, Kiffin and Dooley.

Still didn’t miss a game. I should earn a medal for that.
 
#38
#38
What a play! What a memory.

The only pause I always have watching that is the knowledge of Brandon Burlsworth. Billy Ratliffe ate his lunch on that play, causing the fumble. By all accounts, Burlsworth was a decent, hard-charging kid who worked his way from being a walk-on into a starting spot through sheer determination and sweat. He was killed the next April in an auto accident, shortly after being drafted into the NFL. Always reminds me just how fragile life is, and how it can all change in an instant.
 
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#39
#39
Somebody said that it wasnt a lucky play. Maybe, maybe not, but Brandon Burlsworth had been having his way with Billy Ratliffe all day long, except for that one play.
 
#40
#40
Well played sir. This was the first home game that I missed since 1993. I was working as a bag-boy at Butler and Bailey Market in Rocky Hill and everyone (including the customers) had stopped everything to listen to the game. The place was deflated when Arky got the ball back, so business proceeded as usual. I had to take a lady's bags out to her car and when I got back in, everyone was going nuts. It is surreal describing that moment now.
 
#41
#41
I was fresh out of law school working in the legal department of soon to be out of business service merchandise. I think I watched the game at Bleachers on 96 on Franklin, also out of business.
 
#42
#42
I was there and was soaking through and through. Tried to leave early but before I could get to the gate, the fumble happened. Watched the remainder of the game standing on the mezzanine aisle of section Q, IIRC.
 
#43
#43
I was there. Thank God for Billy Ratliff and his heart!
I heard some great, good natured banter between Vol fans waiting to file out and those staying at their seats. We never thought about leaving early.
The thing that seemed to get overlooked by many was that if we stopped the Hogs on downs, we would have got the ball back on a punt with nearly a minute left needing only a field goal to win. So, we would have had a slight chance even without the fumble. That win wasn't as much luck as it was playing hard to the final whistle IMO.
 
#44
#44
My dad just stormed out of the room after Tennessee gave it back. He said he couldn’t watch anymore and he went outside to rake. When Clint fumbled I went running right out of the door yelling he fumbled he fumbled!!! Tennessee has it!!! We came back in and watched the rest. So awesome.
 
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