Johnny Majors Tribute Thread

The loudest venue I've ever been to was Stokely Athletics Center on 4 March 1977. This list includes rock concerts, football games, Boomsday and an Army live-fire demo.

It was my sophomore year on The Hill and the 11th Ranked Volunteers under Ray Mears were facing off against #2 Kentucky and the hated Joe B. Hall. The Vols featured four guys who went on to the NBA: Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Reggie Johnson and Terry Crosby. The crowd was stoked, I had scored a date with a beautiful girl and the stage was set. Everyone who was anyone was there, even Big John Tate in a black leather three-piece suit and a huge black bullrider hat.

Then came half time.

In those days the Band came to big games about 100 strong, in full uniforms complete with caps and birds and would march out and surround the court playing basically the football pregame before forming a "T" for the team to run through.

Now they returned to courtside and the announcer said, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please welcome home Johnny Majors as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers!

I have no idea what the band played as Majors strolled out to mid-court because the ovation was so loud it must have registered on the Richter Scale. And it went on for about 5 minutes. My ears rang for days.

Eventually things calmed down a bit and Johnny said a few appropriate words (whether he included "Pursue!" is lost to time) and then exited again to thunderous cheering.

Oh, and Tennessee spanked that Blue Butt 89-87.

Godspeed, Coach, and thanks for the memories!
 
Last edited:
Like many of you, I watched the Major's show religiously. .....My favorite was after we had defeated Notre Dame and he banged that Leprechaun stick on the desk!......possibly after some Irish Whiskey???
I was there('79-'86) during his tenure at UTK. I loved (and love) UT Football, and he was a MAJOR part of it.
 
One of my favorite Vols ever,..............Johnny Majors was the epitome of a true Volunteer and represented Tennessee with dignity and Pride, RIP my long time friend!





Johnny Majors , your Volunteer pride and spirit shall live on for decades
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneManGang
The loudest venue I've ever been to was Stokely Athletics Center on 4 March 1977. This list includes rock concerts, football games, Boomsday and an Army live-fire demo.

It was my sophomore year on The Hill and the 11th Ranked Volunteers under Ray Mears were facing off against #2 Kentucky and the hated Joe B. Hall. The Vols featured four guys who went on to the NBA: Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Reggie Johnson and Terry Crosby. The crowd was stoked, I had scored a date with a beautiful girl and the stage was set. Everyone who was anyone was there, even Big John Tate in a black leather three-piece suit and a huge black bullrider hat.

Then came half time.

In those days the Band came to big games about 100 strong, in full uniforms complete with caps and birds and would march out and surround the court playing basically the football pregame before forming a "T" for the team to run through.

Now they returned to courtside and the announcer said, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please welcome home Johnny Majors as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers!

I have no idea what the band played as Majors strolled out to mid-court because the ovation was so loud it must have registered on the Richter Scale. And it went on for about 5 minutes. My ears rang for days.

Eventually things calmed down a bit and Johnny said a few appropriate words (whether he included "Pursue!" is lost to time) and then exited again to thunderous cheering.

Oh, and Tennessee spanked that Blue Butt 89-87.

Godspeed, Coach, and thanks for the memories!
 
  • Like
Reactions: qb19 and OneManGang
I was a sophomore that year as well and was also at that game. I think the band was playing "When Johnny comes marching home again". Fans were fired up as the 1976 team struggled in Battle's last year and Majors was coming off of a National Championship at Pitt.
 
I was a sophomore that year as well and was also at that game. I think the band was playing "When Johnny comes marching home again". Fans were fired up as the 1976 team struggled in Battle's last year and Majors was coming off of a National Championship at Pitt.
Same here. Sophomore also. My favorite game I ever attended at any time anywhere in my now 62 years for a lot of reasons. One detail incorrect, though. It was March 5, not March 4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneManGang
s-l1600.jpg
 
The loudest venue I've ever been to was Stokely Athletics Center on 4 March 1977. This list includes rock concerts, football games, Boomsday and an Army live-fire demo.

It was my sophomore year on The Hill and the 11th Ranked Volunteers under Ray Mears were facing off against #2 Kentucky and the hated Joe B. Hall. The Vols featured four guys who went on to the NBA: Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Reggie Johnson and Terry Crosby. The crowd was stoked, I had scored a date with a beautiful girl and the stage was set. Everyone who was anyone was there, even Big John Tate in a black leather three-piece suit and a huge black bullrider hat.

Then came half time.

In those days the Band came to big games about 100 strong, in full uniforms complete with caps and birds and would march out and surround the court playing basically the football pregame before forming a "T" for the team to run through.

Now they returned to courtside and the announcer said, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please welcome home Johnny Majors as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers!

I have no idea what the band played as Majors strolled out to mid-court because the ovation was so loud it must have registered on the Richter Scale. And it went on for about 5 minutes. My ears rang for days.

Eventually things calmed down a bit and Johnny said a few appropriate words (whether he included "Pursue!" is lost to time) and then exited again to thunderous cheering.

Oh, and Tennessee spanked that Blue Butt 89-87.

Godspeed, Coach, and thanks for the memories!

sorry to get off topic here............. I love TBA but there was nothing like old Stokley playing Ky. It was magic, it was electric. You stood the whole time, threw Daily Beacon in the air, and banged those old fold up metal chairs the entire game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneManGang

VN Store



Back
Top