Is that Smokey??

#1
S

someone else

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#1
Ok, so I was watching a rerun of Forrest Gump on tv today for the bajillionth time. Of course, you've got the football scene where Forrest runs for the kickoff back for Alabama. Of course, the opponent looks very similar to Tennessee (even though the helmets are plain without either numbers or the power T). But what I didn't notice until today is that there's a mascot on the sideline that looks very much like Smokey.

YouTube - Forest Gump Football confuse

If you watch this youtube clip of the movie, you can see the mascot at :10 to :12 seconds into the clip. Look on the sideline at about the 42 yard line on the left side of the field, between the bench and the crowd. The dog mascot even jumps off the bench.

Maybe this has been discussed before, but I had never noticed it until today. I didn't realize Smokey was a movie star.
 
#4
#4
I noticed it on TV first. The youtube clip isn't as clear.

I know Forrest Gump is not the most historical movie (but the directors did try to make things line up historically). Smokey was chosen as the mascot in 1953. But would Tennessee have had a costumed Smokey in the 50s (or 60s) or whenever this scene was supposed to be set?
 
#7
#7
I realize the game is set in Alabama, but the endzone is a checkerboard.
 
#9
#9
I couldn't tell, but what pissed me off about this clip is the freakin' checkerboard endzones!!!
 
#12
#12
smoke.JPG
 
#14
#14
One of the old-timers will need to confirm, but I've always been told by fans on both sides that the checkerboard endzones actually originiated with Bama. UT simply perfected them.
 
#15
#15
Duckhook said:
One of the old-timers will need to confirm, but I've always been told by fans on both sides that the checkerboard endzones actually originiated with Bama. UT simply perfected them.
Click to expand...

I've been told this as well, but a limited google search last night couldn't confirm it.
 
#16
#16
its really hard to tell trying to pick out fine details. i swear there are orange colored numbers on those helments. theres something on them besides the white stripe when they dive into the endzone. yeah that resembles a smokey. mascot uniforms have come a long way since then too so that may have been our old mascot uniform. blueticks can have whitish heads though. especially if they have some english mixed in with them. i think their stadium is too big in the clip though lol.
 
#18
#18
Duckhook said:
One of the old-timers will need to confirm, but I've always been told by fans on both sides that the checkerboard endzones actually originiated with Bama. UT simply perfected them.
Click to expand...

That's interesting and probably not something that an offical UT website will mention, which is why it will be hard to find confirmation.
 
#19
#19
Coal I live in Asheville and had a bluetick at one time. I noticed that you live in hendersonville, where did you get your dog?
 
#20
#20
Vol Mania 21 said:
wow what a catch, i took me 3 times to find him. why does he have a white head
Click to expand...

For 48 years before Smokey was officially named a mascot, TN had a different breed of dogs representing the school. This clip clearly shows Snoopy XII, the winningest of the Snoopys.
 
#21
#21
(NOTE: Upone further research the checkerboard endzone (Crimson and White) was used from 62-64 for home games at Legion Field. UT adopted that type of endzone when Dickey came over from Boston College. He incorporated that design from '64-'68. In '89 it was re-installed and has become a ut trademark ever since.)
 
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