Growing up a Vol fan

#6
#6
Sad that kids don't have that feeling for UT. I can remember anxiously waiting for my father to finish with the sunday paper. I wanted the sports section. Wanted to cut out the football pics for my UT scrapbook. Then I wanted to see the highlights on TV. Had a radio to listen to the games for both football and basketball. I can remember on some late night hoop games my parents would already be in bed because of an early work day. I'd get up and go into the living room near the picture window because the reception was so much better. I didn't have headphones so I'd need to turn the volume way down low so as to not wake my folks. Rarely missed a game. Loved everything UT back then. Couldn't get enough of it.
 
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#8
#8
I was an Army brat, so growing up on military bases I remember trying to find the games on my staticy transistor radio. The greatest athlete ever to play for the Vols , Ron Widby, came along about the same time I started following the vols and football and in general. He was AllAmerican in both bball and football as well as lettering in golf and and baseball. 8 varsity letters in all .Sonny Jurgenson was quartrbacking the Redskins. Dewey Warren was the Vol qb and some of the best liebackers I remember Paul Naumoff Steve Kiner, Hacksaw Reynolds. Another amzing athlete was Richmond Flowers who was All Amercan track star for the Vols as well as wing back a and running back for the footbal Vols. Great article by ESPN http://www.espn.com/classic/biogrphy/s/Flowers_Richmond.html . I Remember listening to the Bluebonnet bowl win against Tulsa. Got to watch 7 ' Tom Boerwinkle play for the Chicgo Bulls while at Fort Sheridan Il. in the late 60s.This was my introduction to all things Volunteers.
 
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#11
#11
me_grag said:
I was an Army brat, so growing up on military bases I remember trying to find the games on my staticy transistor radio. The greatest athlete ever to play for the Vols , Ron Widby, came along about the same time I started following the vols and football and in general. He was AllAmerican in both bball and football as well as lettering in golf and and baseball. 8 varsity letters in all .Sonny Jurgenson was quartrbacking the Redskins. Dewey Warren was the Vol qb and some of the best liebackers I remember Paul Naumoff Steve Kiner, Hacksaw Reynolds. Another amzing athlete was Richmond Flowers who was All Amercan track star for the Vols as well as wing back a and running back for the footbal Vols. Great article by ESPN http://www.espn.com/classic/biogrphy/s/Flowers_Richmond.html . I Remember listening to the Bluebonnet bowl win against Tulsa. Got to watch 7 ' Tom Boerwinkle play for the Chicgo Bulls while at Fort Sheridan Il. in the late 60s.This was my introduction to all things Volunteers.
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Same era, same players and same amount of awe for what Ron Widby did although at the time it didn't really register with my young mind what a great athlete he truly was. As I look back at it, I still sit amazed at what he did.
 
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#13
#13
CAVPUT said:
Same era, same players and same amount of awe for what Ron Widby did although at the time it didn't really register with my young mind what a great athlete he truly was. As I look back at it, I still sit amazed at what he did.
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Listening to basketball games in december was always exciting when football was over and he would come right into the starting 5 and score 20 or so.
 
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#16
#16
NEO said:
We older guys hang our memories on everything that's basically pre 911.

That shows how long ago it was.
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Yep. and we can tell our kids what it was like, try to keep the flame alive, but it’s not the same.

My son and I are sitting here watching a basketball game of no consequence and I asked him, what’s your biggest memory of UT football and he blurted out, “back to back picks by JG.”

I said, no, positive memory, “90 yard TD Gray run against Vanderbilt. I thought he’d say the hail Mary vs. UGA, not a lot to choose from though.
 
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#17
#17
Berry4Heisman14 said:
I’m 27. Seen us suck most of my life. Getting tired of it, slowly starting to care less and less
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Sorry, Brother

Still, remember when Majors wanted to come home after winning the NC with Tony Dorsett

The 1985 - 1986 Sugar Bowl was the best UT game that I ever watched.

Dickey and Majors had us rolling from 1989 and up. Still miss watching Andy Kelly and the gang.

Just too bad that Fulmer could only pull off Lovie as a true HC from all those good years.
 
#18
#18
NEO said:
We older guys hang our memories on everything that's basically pre 911.

That shows how long ago it was.
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I graduated from UT in ‘99. I tell my 9 year old about the good ol’ days and somehow he has stayed loyal to the Vols. Even after I demoted my Orange Room from my big room to turn it into my Raider room and move it to my office. All of the artwork is from the ‘90’s. I don’t think anything has happened worth an artist creating anything. 1B652E81-DB3B-4641-B742-F113E67B4282.jpeg1B16D9BE-97E5-4C09-95AA-98903D81BEE9.jpeg
 
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#19
#19
It's pretty crazy to think we're at 23 years since an SEC Championship, and if we're honest with ourselves we're probably not winning one anytime soon. So realisitcally it's probably going to be at least 30 years between SEC Championships if not longer.

I mean think about it, if you were late 30s in 1998 and that is pretty young especially in today's word, that means you're likely going to be in your late 60s to mid 70s by the time we win another SEC Championship.
 
#20
#20
Berry4Heisman14 said:
I’m 27. Seen us suck most of my life. Getting tired of it, slowly starting to care less and less
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29 and pretty much the same. Used to be excited to watch Tennessee. Thought we could hang with anybody. Been a while since that's been the case.
 
#21
#21
Jeff Mull said:
I'm looking forward to the day my grandsons know what it's like to root for the Big Orange when we are winning football games again.
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Good point.....hopefully college football, as we know it, will still exist. I've got my doubts unfortunately. GBO.
 
#22
#22
Berry4Heisman14 said:
I’m 27. Seen us suck most of my life. Getting tired of it, slowly starting to care less and less
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I used to be pumped every Saturday waiting for us to play, but now I don’t remember a single game this past year I was excited to watch. This never ending mediocrity just sucks
 
#23
#23
DVR is your friend. Record whatever game Tennessee is playing that day. Do something else that is enjoyable. Later, check the score and delete the recording of the outcome is unfavorable. It works wonders for your mental health.
 
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