Can someone tell me what happened to the open North Endzone of Shields-Watkins Field?

#27
#27
When I was a freshman in 1966, Army ROTC had a howitzer on the North hill side and fired a round every time there was a touchdown.
Wow, I'd forgotten about that. I do remember.. Cool.. I think better than the fireworks, at least in the daylight.
 
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#32
#32
Widening butts + narrow seats= MurphyVol at home. Along with parking this had been my biggest complaint over the years. We are too fat for our current seating arrangement and I can't handle sitting sideways for 3 hours while Bertha takes up 70% of my seat.
umm..... if that’s your reason then wouldn’t this be the year you WANT to go??? They have everyone one so spread out you’ll have plenty of room.
Being a fellow large body I’m looking forward to not being squeezed in. Heck, I might bring a sleeping bag and take a nap.
 
#34
#34
Yeah, as part of the Pride of the Southland Band, we were taught that the S in the VOLS letters in the endzone stood for "South" if you need a reminder. Too bad those letters are gone.
Speaking of "south" I always enjoyed watching the game from there. It was mentioned to me that UT head coaches would always try to get in position to drive toward the south endzone in the 4th qtr. I don't know if there's any truth to that and if so I was never told the reason. If our opponent had to go north then their receivers would definitely have to face into the sun to find the ball in flight. Anyone know about this?
 
#35
#35
Speaking of "south" I always enjoyed watching the game from there. It was mentioned to me that UT head coaches would always try to get in position to drive toward the south endzone in the 4th qtr. I don't know if there's any truth to that and if so I was never told the reason. If our opponent had to go north then their receivers would definitely have to face into the sun to find the ball in flight. Anyone know about this?
I heard the same thing. It was pretty obvious that it was true too especially as the sun got lower later in the fall.
 
#37
#37
It’s fun looking back at the 4 stadiums I’ve been to the most...seeing how much they have changed (not counting APSU)
Vandy, Liberty Bowl, Neyland, and Doak Campbell.
 
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#38
#38
this was what it looked like the first time I went. The pic says 72 but my first game was 75. I was at the Vandy game at the end of they year and was on the top row of Sec I with nothing above us. They still had dorms under the stadium

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#39
#39
When I was a freshman in 1966, Army ROTC had a howitzer on the North hill side and fired a round every time there was a touchdown.
lol ..... just noticed in your avatar “yert, it’s a Cragrock thing”. Although not from “Sparty” myself I do have family going back over 200 years there . I’m about to post a funny story about a couple of Sparta boys , one being my 90 yo VFL grandfather & his late younger brother that involves a huge redneck (literal redneck) UGA fan and giant spit wads made of crepe paper shakers. My great- great grandfather owned the rock house until the late 50’s as it was on the old family homestead until he donated it to the State of Tennessee . My late uncle who passed away in the spring still owned 200 acres or so on the same plot of land although the original acreage was closer to 1000.
 
#40
#40
Intense Vol fanship. The thrown toilet paper, shakers shaking, singing Down the Field, the Walking Horse, singing the Alma Mater, not fighting with fellow Vol fans, standing for 3/4 quarters of the game, staying till the last play, not depending on a JumboTron to know what happened, no third down for what so the partial fans know the down and distance, knowing every player by number home town and and jersey, and showing up early and staying late? Have our football fans changed that much, sadly!View attachment 305080View attachment 305081View attachment 305082View attachment 305083View attachment 305084
I’m 42 but I still remember the crepe paper shakers ! I may still have a few stashed away somewhere . This was a bit before my time , and is the epitome of a “cool story bro” but when I think of those shakers I always think of this . My 90 year old VFL grandfather & his younger brother (now deceased ) were at the UGA game in ‘69 in Athens when Curt Watson ran all over everyone in the rain. My late uncle , who later became a very prominent politician in Chattanooga decided that some huge redneck (literal redneck) UGA fan sitting a few rows in front wasn't miserable enough so decided that wadding up those rain soaked paper shakers and pegging ol redneck in the back of the head might lighten his mood . After the 2nd one my uncle decided he probably should give it a rest as he was about to either take an arse whipping or end up in the Athens jail or both . He told me there was an old gentleman sitting next to them who was also a TN fan that told my uncle to do it again . My uncle expressed his concerns at ending up in jail and the old man told them that he owned a Cadillac dealership in Maryville (I believe ) & pulled out a wad of bills that would choke a horse and said “go on and do it again and don’t worry about jail, I got enough money here to spring all of us out of there “

My uncle waited a few minutes and threw one last time before his fear of death at the hands of UGA redneck helped him make the decision that he should probably leave the poor guy alone 😁
 
#41
#41
That end zone, by wishes of Shields- Watkins Field and agreement with the University was to never be closed. What part of polity was violated for the almighty dollar? I’m not incorrect on this post. Sad and forever wrong..
It completed closure when the guy who built the tall tower died. Agreement was it had to be seen from the 50yd line. Well if you fire that I’d Mill and void. They completed the enclosure in the 90’s!
 
#42
#42
tnutater,Now that your wife has divorced you and gotten the season tickets,you don't have to worry about being squeezed anymore!
 
#43
#43
There,besides the cannon was a giant orange "T" on the ground about thirty feet long.When it rained at a game,people would slide down it.
 
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#46
#46
You mean the South endzone? That's where the TD happened when he ran over Bates in the 3rd quarter. Prior to that drive was one of the oddest safeties you will ever see when Bates fumbled a punt and it rolled about 40 yards through the endzone. Ball must've have Vaseline on it.

Walker did score in the 4th going to the N. endzone but was untouched for the most part.



Well, I thought it was right in front of me. I might have been drinking!
 
#47
#47
And despite all those head-on collisions, he actually has some sense.

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#48
#48
I’ve read that Neyland’s design of the stadium in the future included double decked bowl so the idea started long ago.
 

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