SprocketRocket
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Some of you may recall that I posted before the start of the season that my daughter had enrolled at UT and as a freshman would be part of the Pride of the Southland Band. As lifelong Vols fans, my wife and I decided for the first time ever to buy season tickets to watch our beloved daughter and our beloved Vols football team. Here is my take on the season:
We were very excited to be at our first game. We had gotten there early to tailgate and had a blast! Went to the game and were excited to watch our daughter march. During the halftime show a kid passes out. OH NO – was that our daughter? We didn’t have out binocs, and my wife was freaking out. Wait a minute – it looks like a big guy. Whew – not our child. The rest of the game left us underwhelmed, and I was gutted at the end. What? Had we just lost to GA State? This should NOT have happened. Had I worn an unlucky shirt to the game or something? I HAD! It was all my fault. That one is officially retired. Into the rag bag it went.
OK, game 2 against BYU and more of the same flat and uninspired play but at least the halftime show was fun! The team hadn’t looked very good, but we had this one won. Before the season, I thought 1-1 was a real possibility – I just didn’t expect that we would get there this way. People all around us had already left and OH NO – SOMEBODY PLEASE TACKLE THAT GUY! Out of nowhere the score was tied, and I really didn’t like our chances in OT. I could barely watch as we gave away what was in my mind a sure win and it was pretty clear to me that JG was the problem and it wasn’t fixable. In hindsight we all know that this was premature on many of our parts, but at the time I was sure he needed to go. I honestly expected him to quit or transfer. Are we really 0-2? Good grief… Wait – what shirt was I wearing now? OK – another one for the rag bag.
We took care of business against my hapless alma mater UTC. We could have beaten them with me at QB. I couldn’t help thinking that we missed an opportunity to start one of the freshman QBs to get them some experience for the FL game. 1-2 - I guess I can keep this shirt.
After FL, we are 1-3 and I am genuinely worried that we might only get 1 more win against Vandy, and that really didn’t seem like a sure thing. At least there is the Pride of the Southland Band – right? I rationalized that was the only reason we bought tickets anyway. Wait - had we jinxed the whole season by buying season tickets just to watch the Band? I’m not superstitious or anything, but my mind is racing… What have we done?
Before the start of the season I had put the GA game into the ‘L’ column so I wasn’t surprised with the loss, but I thought we looked pretty good at the start. They had finally wised up and put in one of the freshman QBs and we looked like a different team. We didn’t win, but I left that game with my confidence buoyed. Wow – 1-4. Not what I had envisioned when I made my donation. The Band was great, though. I noticed that I had chosen the same shirt as the one I wore to the UTC game. Hmm…
There was no doubt they looked different – I just didn’t know why. Little did I know that the difference was not because of a single player (or a shirt), but because of an attitude – a will to improve and to win – that had apparently come from a meeting after the FL debacle. Two meetings apparently. Heart-to-heart meetings by our head coach with our players. That seems to me like the turning point for the players, the coach and also the fans.
The new attitude was on full display at the Miss St game. The team was into it, the coaches were into it, the crowd was definitely into it. That was great fun for us and for our daughter. 2-4 – I honestly didn’t see that one coming after the FL game.
That was the start of a run that would put our Vols into a bowl game. Who woulda’ thunk it? 6-1 to finish the season with us winning our last 5 and our only loss to Bama at their place – in what I felt was a very winnable game. We even had back-to-back SEC road wins no less.
I am so happy for this team. And to make it even better, the Band will travel to the bowl game and get to be a part of it, too! My wife and I will definitely be going to whichever bowl we go to, and that will be my first bowl game ever! And you can bet I’ll be wearing that same shirt I wore to the UTC game. I’m not superstitious or anything… That’s a great shirt!
We were very excited to be at our first game. We had gotten there early to tailgate and had a blast! Went to the game and were excited to watch our daughter march. During the halftime show a kid passes out. OH NO – was that our daughter? We didn’t have out binocs, and my wife was freaking out. Wait a minute – it looks like a big guy. Whew – not our child. The rest of the game left us underwhelmed, and I was gutted at the end. What? Had we just lost to GA State? This should NOT have happened. Had I worn an unlucky shirt to the game or something? I HAD! It was all my fault. That one is officially retired. Into the rag bag it went.
OK, game 2 against BYU and more of the same flat and uninspired play but at least the halftime show was fun! The team hadn’t looked very good, but we had this one won. Before the season, I thought 1-1 was a real possibility – I just didn’t expect that we would get there this way. People all around us had already left and OH NO – SOMEBODY PLEASE TACKLE THAT GUY! Out of nowhere the score was tied, and I really didn’t like our chances in OT. I could barely watch as we gave away what was in my mind a sure win and it was pretty clear to me that JG was the problem and it wasn’t fixable. In hindsight we all know that this was premature on many of our parts, but at the time I was sure he needed to go. I honestly expected him to quit or transfer. Are we really 0-2? Good grief… Wait – what shirt was I wearing now? OK – another one for the rag bag.
We took care of business against my hapless alma mater UTC. We could have beaten them with me at QB. I couldn’t help thinking that we missed an opportunity to start one of the freshman QBs to get them some experience for the FL game. 1-2 - I guess I can keep this shirt.
After FL, we are 1-3 and I am genuinely worried that we might only get 1 more win against Vandy, and that really didn’t seem like a sure thing. At least there is the Pride of the Southland Band – right? I rationalized that was the only reason we bought tickets anyway. Wait - had we jinxed the whole season by buying season tickets just to watch the Band? I’m not superstitious or anything, but my mind is racing… What have we done?
Before the start of the season I had put the GA game into the ‘L’ column so I wasn’t surprised with the loss, but I thought we looked pretty good at the start. They had finally wised up and put in one of the freshman QBs and we looked like a different team. We didn’t win, but I left that game with my confidence buoyed. Wow – 1-4. Not what I had envisioned when I made my donation. The Band was great, though. I noticed that I had chosen the same shirt as the one I wore to the UTC game. Hmm…
There was no doubt they looked different – I just didn’t know why. Little did I know that the difference was not because of a single player (or a shirt), but because of an attitude – a will to improve and to win – that had apparently come from a meeting after the FL debacle. Two meetings apparently. Heart-to-heart meetings by our head coach with our players. That seems to me like the turning point for the players, the coach and also the fans.
The new attitude was on full display at the Miss St game. The team was into it, the coaches were into it, the crowd was definitely into it. That was great fun for us and for our daughter. 2-4 – I honestly didn’t see that one coming after the FL game.
That was the start of a run that would put our Vols into a bowl game. Who woulda’ thunk it? 6-1 to finish the season with us winning our last 5 and our only loss to Bama at their place – in what I felt was a very winnable game. We even had back-to-back SEC road wins no less.
I am so happy for this team. And to make it even better, the Band will travel to the bowl game and get to be a part of it, too! My wife and I will definitely be going to whichever bowl we go to, and that will be my first bowl game ever! And you can bet I’ll be wearing that same shirt I wore to the UTC game. I’m not superstitious or anything… That’s a great shirt!
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