I often wonder why I come in here and read many of these posts. I know the answer of course, it is because I love the Vols. It is simply another way to be connected to Tennessee Family. Lately though, I havent enjoyed reading or listening to many of the conversations. Many have been negative and seem to miss the bigger picture. What do I mean by that? Well, let me tell you my story.
I grew up in a little town in East Tennessee. My father didnt make a lot of money growing up, but enough to take care of his family, which included my mom and my brother. My grandfather retired the year I was born making a whopping $12k a year as an elementary school principal. He graduated from UT with a masters degree in 1948. Our family has had season tickets ever since. I have heard people talking about bad economic times and supporting the Vols. Well, there has been several recessions in the past. I dont want to downplay anyones personal reality right now, because I know what it is like to not be able to get work. However, our current reality isnt anything new. When my dad took my brother and I to our first game in 1981, we were in the middle of a deep recession. However, I will never forget that game, we beat Georgia Teach 10-7. It would be two years before my dad had enough money to take us again. In 1983, we lost to Pitt 13-3. Now I knew what it was like to win a game in Neyland and to lose a game. I still cant believe the next game I saw. Somehow, my dad got two extra tickets, so we could all go see #1 Auburn in 1985. I was twelve years old. I will never forget watching fans pour onto the field and rip down the goal posts. Debris was raining from the upper deck onto the lower deck. Then, my next game was the fifth straight loss in 1988 to Washington State. Luckily, back in those days, we werent fair weather fans, cause the results on the field werent good. However, in 1989, we went and saw the fifth straight win to open the season against Georgia. I saw us barely lose on the last play to Notre Dame in 1990. I watched us beat Auburn in 1991. In 1992, I sat through the down pour rain in a win against Florida. I watched us beat LSU in 1993. I could keep on going. However, let me just get the highlights from here. We traveled to the Cotton Bowl in 1990, the Sugar Bowl in 1991, the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1992, the Orange Bowl in 1998. Fortunately, my wife was a student at UT during the 1998 season. She got free student tickets and a paid for a spouse card. We saw all the home games that year, including the overtime win against Florida, the Arkansas down pour rain game with the famous fumble. After the season, we made our way to Tempe, Arizona to see the Vols when the National Championship! It was one of the greatest moments as a fan. Why you ask?
It wasnt great, just because we won the National Championship. It was great because of all those seasons that we rooted on the Vols and they didnt win. It was great because it hadnt happened since 1951 (1967 if you count non-AP NCs). It was great because I saw it with my family. My dad had made sacrifices to take us to games during times he could barely afford it. Bad economic times. Bad times on the field. So, even though it is still a financial sacrifice for me today. I look forward to next year, when I will take my eight year old son to his first game against Alabama. Yes, it will cost me the price of two tickets. Yes, it will cost me gas and travel expenses from Charlotte, NC. Yes, it will mean some sacrifices in our budget that month. But, when I see the Vols run through the T and the fans yelling at the top of their lungs and I look down and see the expression on my sons face, it will be worth every penny, regardless of the final score.
Regardless of your opinions of Dooley and the current players and coaches, he made maybe the best statement I have ever heard from a coach or player at Tennessee. Dooley said, Tennessee isnt about any given coach or any given player. Tennessee is bigger than any coach or player. That is so true. See, real fans dont go just to see a win. We go because we love the Vols. We go because we are a part of a much bigger family. We go for the traditions, the pageantry, and the memories. So, if some of you choose not to go next year because of wins and losses, all the better. That means people like me and my son can go and sit next to other fans who truly love the Vols and bleed orange.
eace2:
I grew up in a little town in East Tennessee. My father didnt make a lot of money growing up, but enough to take care of his family, which included my mom and my brother. My grandfather retired the year I was born making a whopping $12k a year as an elementary school principal. He graduated from UT with a masters degree in 1948. Our family has had season tickets ever since. I have heard people talking about bad economic times and supporting the Vols. Well, there has been several recessions in the past. I dont want to downplay anyones personal reality right now, because I know what it is like to not be able to get work. However, our current reality isnt anything new. When my dad took my brother and I to our first game in 1981, we were in the middle of a deep recession. However, I will never forget that game, we beat Georgia Teach 10-7. It would be two years before my dad had enough money to take us again. In 1983, we lost to Pitt 13-3. Now I knew what it was like to win a game in Neyland and to lose a game. I still cant believe the next game I saw. Somehow, my dad got two extra tickets, so we could all go see #1 Auburn in 1985. I was twelve years old. I will never forget watching fans pour onto the field and rip down the goal posts. Debris was raining from the upper deck onto the lower deck. Then, my next game was the fifth straight loss in 1988 to Washington State. Luckily, back in those days, we werent fair weather fans, cause the results on the field werent good. However, in 1989, we went and saw the fifth straight win to open the season against Georgia. I saw us barely lose on the last play to Notre Dame in 1990. I watched us beat Auburn in 1991. In 1992, I sat through the down pour rain in a win against Florida. I watched us beat LSU in 1993. I could keep on going. However, let me just get the highlights from here. We traveled to the Cotton Bowl in 1990, the Sugar Bowl in 1991, the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1992, the Orange Bowl in 1998. Fortunately, my wife was a student at UT during the 1998 season. She got free student tickets and a paid for a spouse card. We saw all the home games that year, including the overtime win against Florida, the Arkansas down pour rain game with the famous fumble. After the season, we made our way to Tempe, Arizona to see the Vols when the National Championship! It was one of the greatest moments as a fan. Why you ask?
It wasnt great, just because we won the National Championship. It was great because of all those seasons that we rooted on the Vols and they didnt win. It was great because it hadnt happened since 1951 (1967 if you count non-AP NCs). It was great because I saw it with my family. My dad had made sacrifices to take us to games during times he could barely afford it. Bad economic times. Bad times on the field. So, even though it is still a financial sacrifice for me today. I look forward to next year, when I will take my eight year old son to his first game against Alabama. Yes, it will cost me the price of two tickets. Yes, it will cost me gas and travel expenses from Charlotte, NC. Yes, it will mean some sacrifices in our budget that month. But, when I see the Vols run through the T and the fans yelling at the top of their lungs and I look down and see the expression on my sons face, it will be worth every penny, regardless of the final score.
Regardless of your opinions of Dooley and the current players and coaches, he made maybe the best statement I have ever heard from a coach or player at Tennessee. Dooley said, Tennessee isnt about any given coach or any given player. Tennessee is bigger than any coach or player. That is so true. See, real fans dont go just to see a win. We go because we love the Vols. We go because we are a part of a much bigger family. We go for the traditions, the pageantry, and the memories. So, if some of you choose not to go next year because of wins and losses, all the better. That means people like me and my son can go and sit next to other fans who truly love the Vols and bleed orange.
eace2:
