Remember when we didn't play Rocky Top?

#1
Bleed-Orange

Bleed-Orange

Surrounded by Bulldogs
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#1
My dad is an old UT alumni and we got into the discussion about the Black Uni's and the outcry from the "traditionalists". He said the entire discussion is laughable and went through a list of traditions that used to be and others that are new. Among the things he brought up were:

1. The UT band didn't play Rocky Top.
2. The north end zone didn't have stands.
3. There was a cannon on the hill above the north endzone that was fired when we scored.
3. Our traditional "orange" uniform used to be almost a gold color.
4. We used to have a Tennessee walking horse on the field before the game.
5. There wasn't an upper deck.
6. UT didn't have a QB. We ran the single wing. He watched the first time a qb took the field.

I knew about a few of these, but I had no idea the band didn't play Rocky Top. Anyone else have memories like these?
 
#4
#4
didn't rocky top as another fight song start in the early 80's or late 70's?
I know it's not our original fight song.
 
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#7
#7
I'm not sure that we played Rocky Top when I first started following it in the mid-60s. I think the fight song was Down the Field.

P.S. My dad said he didn't like the black jerseys nor the orange pants; said he kinda liked the khaki-looking pants we used to have. I said, when was that? He said, um, maybe the 40s.
 
#8
#8
I remeber most of these myself.... tradition starts somewhere and I believe Kiffin has a right to begin a new one at Tennessee
 
#13
#13
The modern version of Rocky Top was originally played was played by the Tennessee basketball pep band in the 1974 Conference Coaches Association Tournament versus Indiana.

The basketball program invented running through the T, and Big Orange Country too.

Prior to the 1970s, you wouldn't see a lot of fans at any game wearing their team's colors... so Ray Mears invented the Orange Tie Club.

Basketball and Ray Mears can take credit for quite a bit of tradition that is ascribed to our formerly stodgy old football program.
 
#14
#14
3. There was a cannon on the hill above the north endzone that was fired when we scored.

4. We used to have a Tennessee walking horse on the field before the game.


I would like to see these 2 brought back myself
 
#15
#15
oUTKickedCoverage said:
The modern version of Rocky Top was originally played was played by the Tennessee basketball pep band in the 1974 Conference Coaches Association Tournament versus Indiana.

The basketball program invented running through the T, and Big Orange Country too.

Prior to the 1970s, you wouldn't see a lot of fans at any game wearing their team's colors... so Ray Mears invented the Orange Tie Club.

Basketball and Ray Mears can take credit for quite a bit of tradition that is ascribed to our formerly stodgy old football program.
Click to expand...
Yeah that stodgy old football program went undefeated and unscored on in 1939.
 
#16
#16
governmentmule said:
3. There was a cannon on the hill above the north endzone that was fired when we scored.

4. We used to have a Tennessee walking horse on the field before the game.


I would like to see these 2 brought back myself
Click to expand...

me too :thumbsup:
 
#17
#17
I remember the Walking Horse, wish they would bring it back
Doug Dickey started the running thru the T and the power T on the helmets
Johnny Majors started the Vol Walk
Ray Mears coined the phrase Go Big Orange
 
#18
#18
I dont care to see the walking horse brought back, but what doof decided to get rid of the cannon? That would be awsome.
 
#19
#19
Little known fact, UT actually started playing Rocky Top by ripping it off the University of Chattanooga (before the merge) Mocs, who had been using it as their unofficial fight song at the time.
 
#21
#21
perico said:
Little known fact, UT actually started playing Rocky Top by ripping it off the University of Chattanooga (before the merge) Mocs, who had been using it as their unofficial fight song at the time.
Click to expand...

They countered by stealing B.J. Coleman. I think we got the better deal.
 
#22
#22
governmentmule said:
3. There was a cannon on the hill above the north endzone that was fired when we scored.

4. We used to have a Tennessee walking horse on the field before the game.


I would like to see these 2 brought back myself
Click to expand...


I think somebody got drunk and shot the horse with the cannon.
 
#25
#25
governmentmule said:
3. There was a cannon on the hill above the north endzone that was fired when we scored.

4. We used to have a Tennessee walking horse on the field before the game.


I would like to see these 2 brought back myself
Click to expand...

Agreed. Instead of an outburst of applause and cheering right after a TD like there is now, the stadium would get silent, then the cannon would go off. Only THEN did the croud erupt in unison. I think that sounds kinda cool.
 
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