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Friday, October 1, 2004
By Matt Giles
Special to ESPN.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- So, you're in Knoxville for a game, but not quite sure how to blend in at Neyland Stadium or how to cheer for the Vols? Here's a quick checklist to help you out.
10. If you show up just in time for kickoff, you've missed half the fun.
9. When orange-clad boats dock on the Tennessee River early Saturday morning, you know "It's Football Time in Tennessee."
8. Hours before the game, head over to Peyton Manning Pass and join thousands of other Vol fans greet the players and coaches on their walk to Neyland Stadium (aptly called the "Vol Walk").
7. After that, rush over to Phillip Fulmer Way to get a prime seat to watch the Pride of the Southland Marching Band's pre-pre-game show just outside the gates of the stadium.
6. When the band forms a 50-yard long "T" and marches back and forth on Shields-Watkins Field before the game, expect to feel like you are part of a 108,000-member religious cult.
5. When the band forms a 60-yard long hollow "T" for the players to rush through onto the field, pay attention to Smokey when he leads the team onto the field. A few years ago before kickoff, the blue tick coon hound decided to stop on the 10-yard line to take care of his personal business.
4. Remember, the thousands of blonde-haired beauties in the student section may look alike, but the only tie they share with each other is their orange blood.
3. Forget about the official fight song. Learning the words to "Rocky Top" will suffice. If you've ever watched a UT game on TV, you should already know the chorus.
2. If the words to "Rocky Top" are stuck in your head a week after the game, don't worry ... you're not alone.
1. If you decide to utter the name "Steve Spurrier" or "Charles Woodson," there's just one thing for you to do: Duck.
Matt Giles is the sports editor of The University of Tennessee's Daily Beacon.
By Matt Giles
Special to ESPN.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- So, you're in Knoxville for a game, but not quite sure how to blend in at Neyland Stadium or how to cheer for the Vols? Here's a quick checklist to help you out.
10. If you show up just in time for kickoff, you've missed half the fun.
9. When orange-clad boats dock on the Tennessee River early Saturday morning, you know "It's Football Time in Tennessee."
8. Hours before the game, head over to Peyton Manning Pass and join thousands of other Vol fans greet the players and coaches on their walk to Neyland Stadium (aptly called the "Vol Walk").
7. After that, rush over to Phillip Fulmer Way to get a prime seat to watch the Pride of the Southland Marching Band's pre-pre-game show just outside the gates of the stadium.
6. When the band forms a 50-yard long "T" and marches back and forth on Shields-Watkins Field before the game, expect to feel like you are part of a 108,000-member religious cult.
5. When the band forms a 60-yard long hollow "T" for the players to rush through onto the field, pay attention to Smokey when he leads the team onto the field. A few years ago before kickoff, the blue tick coon hound decided to stop on the 10-yard line to take care of his personal business.
4. Remember, the thousands of blonde-haired beauties in the student section may look alike, but the only tie they share with each other is their orange blood.
3. Forget about the official fight song. Learning the words to "Rocky Top" will suffice. If you've ever watched a UT game on TV, you should already know the chorus.
2. If the words to "Rocky Top" are stuck in your head a week after the game, don't worry ... you're not alone.
1. If you decide to utter the name "Steve Spurrier" or "Charles Woodson," there's just one thing for you to do: Duck.
Matt Giles is the sports editor of The University of Tennessee's Daily Beacon.
