Someone tell me about the good times.

#51
#51
OrangeInKy said:
I'm jealous. I starting really studying UT football history in 90 when the 100 year anniversary going on. I have so many books, tapes, etc on the history of the program. Love it. Would have loved to have been able to see all that. I know so many people who were growing up in the Neyland days in Knoxville and have so many cool stories.My childhood is synomous with John Ward's voice. Autumn saturdays in the yard with Ward calling games while I played football with my friends. I realize it's corny, but when people say it's just a game, they don't get the emotional attachment so many have. So many of us grew up with this program, truly love it, and have great pride in the last 120 years. This year stinks, but the awesome thing about being a vol fan is that we get so upset over a year like this because we haven't known many of them. That's what makes Vol football special.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Your post reminded me of when I was a young kid growing up in East Tennessee. When Kenny Chesney did his documentary, "The Color Orange", man did the memories just start flooding back for me. I recall as a kid wearing my orange #7 jersey and playing backyard football, just the way Chesney described it. Holloway was IT in Tennessee when he was at UT. Holloway was Michael Vick before there was a Michael Vick.

Holloway's greatest game was in 1972 against LSU in the Bluebonnet Bowl. LSU had no answer for how to stop him from running and scrambling. The greatest play was in the 1973 Georgia Tech game. There was one play where he scrambled for a touchdown and every single player on Georgia Tech's team touched him trying to tackle him. Simply amazing! Ward's description of this play causes goose bumps when I hear it to this day.

One more memory: got to see Holloway as a Freshman play against Notre Dame's freshman team in 1971. Notre Dame had the number one ranked frosh team in America. Holloway ran rings around them that day and UT's freshman team won easily. I remember being glad UT would have him as quarterback next year.
 
#52
#52
I loved Willie Gault, then Chuck Webb and Alvin Harper. Carl Pickes is one of my favorite Vols ever. I met him when I was about 12, day after the Sugar Bowl, when he was a soph or junior. Wasn't a great experience. Also was huge fan of Greg Amsler, I wanted to be a fullback because of him. I became a waterboy instead.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#53
#53
In the past two decades, we have always had to worry about Florida.

When I say we, I mean they. I have only been truly following this team as a fan since 2009 xD
 
#55
#55
#56
#56
esarmstrong said:
They have been numerous in years past. When I started watching the Vols as a little whipper-snapper at age 6. It was the January, 1968 Orange Bowl against Oklahoma.

First game I saw in person was 1968 against Kentucky. The 1969 SEC championship team was one I watched very closely each and every week. Saw the Chattanooga and South Carolina games that year. Saw 1970 Vols take apart Alabama and Florida in Neyland Stadium and finish number 3 nationally. At the end of the 1970 season the UT/Bama all-time series was dead even. One of the really great teams in school history (Tim Priest was a standout on that team)

In 1971 saw Bobby Majors single-handedly take apart Penn State 31-11. Next season, saw us do it to them again in the first night game at Neyland Stadium.

Lean times came in the later 70's and early eighties, but the good times far outweighed the bad ('85, '89 & 90 SEC championships). And we owned Notre Dame during these years, beating them in '91, '99 & 2001.

I think about these years alot lately. Sure will be great to start having some good memories again ... preferably, with Dooley the helm.
Click to expand...

All of this, plus...

Going out to LA and whipping UCLA in the last seconds... I thought my mom was gonna faint!

The Orange Bowl against Oklahoma, #1 vs. #2. Missed the NC by about six inches on a Karl Kremser FG miss from like 50 yds. NOBODY kicked 50 yarders back then! Disappointing, but incredibly exciting!

The Penn State games. We whipped them the first time (first college game on turf I think). JoPa whined, wanted to cancel the second game (they were both here for some reason) because it was too hot. Would not play except at night. So, amazingly, lights appeared over Neyland Stadium for the first time, so they had to come back anyway. Whipped 'em again! Sweet!

Walking east on Cumberland Ave as a large group of students headed west with a goal post upright on their shoulders after beating Notre Dame.

Watching Johnny Majors pound the podium on "The Johnny Majors Show" with his "Irish shilelagh" WHAM! WHAM!! after above mentioned victory. (He could have hit himself in the head with the thing, it wouldn't have hurt)!

Coming back to my apt on Friday about 4 am to see city crews cleaning up Cumberland of the thousands of broken beer bottles from a riot before the Alabama game.

Coming home the next night to an even larger mess on Saturday because we WHIPPED Bama.

Watching the 85 Sugar Bowl at a bar in Burlington IA. It was truly a pleasure to see how much time Vinny Testaverde spent on his a**!!!

Shaun Ellis' interception.... I couldn't tell who was gonna pass out first... Ellis from trying to run 90+ yards or my nine year old daughter from laughing so hard watching him try to haul that big a** that far!

Just too many good memories over the years. Heck, by now even most of the bad ones are good. Even Citrus Bowl jokes.


Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
Last edited:
#57
#57
Panthro said:
I was a senior in high school when we won the NC. Was great to only really worry with having to beat Florida.
I met this smokin chick at a party for the UF game that year. I was a senior and she was a sophomore so I she thought I was cooler than I really was. I got her number that night, and as I type this, she's reading a bedtime story to our oldest of two sons.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

dang..I was 29 years old when UT won the first BCS NC game.
 
#58
#58
Back in those days, I was never nervous for a game, minus Florida. Whenever we played Georgia or Bama, I expected a win every time. I always loved watching our D with our hard hitting linebackers like Wilson and Thompson, the secondary with the likes of Deon Grant, and the offensive line with guys like Clifton and Coleman that dominated the trenches every single game.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#59
#59
Volgrad98 said:
Well son, back in my day we didn't worry about games against Bama and the chickens. Florida on the other, well let's just say it was good that game was early on in the year.Those were great Saturdays because we were getting wild and partying hard because we knew there was a victory ahead that night.

You youngins hang in there, Tennessee will be back.
Click to expand...

.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#60
#60
OrangeInKy said:
I loved Willie Gault, then Chuck Webb and Alvin Harper. Carl Pickes is one of my favorite Vols ever. I met him when I was about 12, day after the Sugar Bowl, when he was a soph or junior. Wasn't a great experience. Also was huge fan of Greg Amsler, I wanted to be a fullback because of him. I became a waterboy instead.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Greg Amsler was the man. That guy was like a charging bull when he was out in front of the ball carrier. :good!:
 
#61
#61
Adam2014 said:
When Tennessee never had to worry about losing to Alabama or South Carolina or Florida. Tell me about 98 I was only 2 then.
Click to expand...

You're kidding, right? Look at the last 40 years of UT vs UF. Not pretty.
 
#62
#62
hey, i have an idea.

let's make fun of the man who was in charge during all these wonderful memories.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#65
#65
I’m 60….attended UT 69-76. Played a non revenue sport and lived in Gibbs Hall for 2 years. Played pickup basketball with the likes of Pat Head and Larry Seivers...watched Kinner, Holloway, Stanley Morgan, Reggie White and Peyton Manning on the field

Listened to John Ward….

I could tell you about Tennessee football but you wouldn’t understand…in fact I believe its irrevocably changed…broken…to me, but at your age just a new reality..

I don’t think we’ll ever return to prominence…I think we’re destined to a lower/middle of the pack kind of program…sometimes when you mess up bad enough you never recover…so its best you get accustom to enjoying stunning victories over teams like Georgia, .500 ball with teams like Vandy and once in your lifetime win over Alabama…..
 
#67
#67
5012 said:
I’m 60….attended UT 69-76. Played a non revenue sport and lived in Gibbs Hall for 2 years. Played pickup basketball with the likes of Pat Head and Larry Seivers...watched Kinner, Holloway, Stanley Morgan, Reggie White and Peyton Manning on the field

Listened to John Ward….

I could tell you about Tennessee football but you wouldn’t understand…in fact I believe its irrevocably changed…broken…to me, but at your age just a new reality..

I don’t think we’ll ever return to prominence…I think we’re destined to a lower/middle of the pack kind of program…sometimes when you mess up bad enough you never recover…so its best you get accustom to enjoying stunning victories over teams like Georgia, .500 ball with teams like Vandy and once in your lifetime win over Alabama…..
Click to expand...

Were you a Drama major?
 
#69
#69
I can vaguely remember parts of the 90s. I was only 5, about to turn 6 when we won the National Championship but I can remember just how much this part of the country (Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia) bled Orange. I had a Tennessee Jersey and Helmet and a few outfits. I can remember going to Johnson City and just seeing everyone wearing Orange (people still do, but I don't feel like its with the same energy as before). To me, the 1990s of Tennessee Football are a sweet memory, sort of like your first pet or Christmas morning when you're a kid. It's something that I long for.

Another thing is, I was in Kindergarten when we won the National Championship and last year during my Senior Year of High School we went 6-7. I was ridiculed at some points for still being a Tennessee fan just because I wasn't on the Alabama, Florida, or even the Virginia Tech bandwagon.
 
#70
#70
San Diego Vol said:
100 wins in the 90's is pretty darn dominant
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

100 wins in a decade is impressive, no doubt. I'm not a fan of the title, though. You can't claim dominance when you go 3-7 against a team that won 5 SEC titles compared to 2 for UT.

I guess you had to call the VHS tape something.
 
#71
#71
Boca Vol said:
100 wins in a decade is impressive, no doubt. I'm not a fan of the title, though. You can't claim dominance when you go 3-7 against a team that won 5 SEC titles compared to 2 for UT.

I guess you had to call the VHS tape something.
Click to expand...

But even to this day we can say, Florida has never had a perfect season, and we have.
 
#72
#72
5012 said:
I’m 60….attended UT 69-76. Played a non revenue sport and lived in Gibbs Hall for 2 years. Played pickup basketball with the likes of Pat Head and Larry Seivers...watched Kinner, Holloway, Stanley Morgan, Reggie White and Peyton Manning on the field

Listened to John Ward….

I could tell you about Tennessee football but you wouldn’t understand…in fact I believe its irrevocably changed…broken…to me, but at your age just a new reality..

I don’t think we’ll ever return to prominence…I think we’re destined to a lower/middle of the pack kind of program…sometimes when you mess up bad enough you never recover…so its best you get accustom to enjoying stunning victories over teams like Georgia, .500 ball with teams like Vandy and once in your lifetime win over Alabama…..
Click to expand...

You remember beating Bama in the '70s? You were one of them hippy boys, wantcha.
 
#74
#74
5012 said:
I’m 60….attended UT 69-76. Played a non revenue sport and lived in Gibbs Hall for 2 years. Played pickup basketball with the likes of Pat Head and Larry Seivers...watched Kinner, Holloway, Stanley Morgan, Reggie White and Peyton Manning on the field

Listened to John Ward….

I could tell you about Tennessee football but you wouldn’t understand…in fact I believe its irrevocably changed…broken…to me, but at your age just a new reality..

I don’t think we’ll ever return to prominence…I think we’re destined to a lower/middle of the pack kind of program…sometimes when you mess up bad enough you never recover…so its best you get accustom to enjoying stunning victories over teams like Georgia, .500 ball with teams like Vandy and once in your lifetime win over Alabama…..
Click to expand...

You must have been on the Synchronized Swimming team with an attitude like that. Quitter!!!
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top