What made you become a Vol fan? *Cool Story Bro*

#52
#52
In 1969 i was a little kid and for some reason i had the radio on and John Ward said it is football time in TENNESSEE been fan from that time on. True story
 
#53
#53
Now please don't laugh me off of the board but I did not grow up a fan of UT. I grew up in Memphis and in most rate was completely against everything Orange. I was at the Memphis game in 88 on a recruiting trip. Saw the first win that year and the start of the decade of dominance.

I went to school in cookeville, played football and continued to dislike UT. When I finished my eligibility, I was crushed. I finished my career 2nd in all time scoring and couldnt bare the thought of not being on the field or involved. Enter UT...

Heath Schuler. That did it. I started watching. Started enjoying the quality of what I was watching. I started to embrace the tradition, the football heritage, the personalities, the university. I was disowned by most in my family. Except for my grandfather. He was a UT undergrad and graduated from the UT school of medicine. I went to my first game at neyland in 94. I've been hooked ever since.

I was able to live in alcoa for about 4 years. That only helped to solidify my love for east Tennessee, the mountains and UT football.
I miss being there everyday. I'm back in west Tenn now (my.dad has terminal cancer). My love for the university has impacted all in my family now. My mom claims her masters degree from UT, my son and daughter bleed orange and I still get to watch games with my dad while he's still here. He's the biggest fan I know.
 
#56
#56
Just another one of those off season threads. I want to hear everybody's story. I really wanna hear most of the fans out of state. I became a Vol fan out of pure tradition. My whole family are Vol fans so that is why I was swayed.



I first became interested in college football when I was in the 8th grade. I am from Nashville but I attended a private school in East Tennessee, so I used to hear U.T. games on the radio and I became hooked.
At the same time, my brother was a law student at Vandy so he drove up one weekend and took me to the Stadium to see the Vols crush Vandy with close to 100,000 in attendance. Jimmy Streater was the Q.B. at the time. I was hooked.
Also, my entire family loves the "O Bama" Crimson Tide, so I became tired of having that mess cramed down my throat. Liking U.T. seemed to be the perfect fit for me.
 
#57
#57
My grandfather was an usher at Neyland for 35 years. Just couldn't see myself cheering for anyone else.
 
#59
#59
Born into it. Both parents 1951 UTK alumni. My dad was an engineering professor at UT Martin and did post graduate work in Knoxville the summers he did not teach so I lived a couple of summers in Knoxville and had the run of the campus. Started at UT Martin in 1971, transferred to UT Knoxville in 1974, and graduated in August 1977 a week before Johnny Majors coached his first game. Moved to SC to find a job 35 years ago but will allways be a Vol.
 
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#63
#63
Born into a vol family. I was born in 86, so my earliest vol memories are from the 90's. I have fond memories of backyard football games with the neighborhood kids, pretending to be Heath shuler, dad teaching me about the tradition of Tennessee, hating bama. Me and dad would go to neyland once a year, and the rest I can remember watching on TV with the volume down and john Ward on the radio turned way up. I've always loved the university of Tennessee and always will, and now have two children of my own who love the orange and white!
 
#64
#64
As a young kid early 70's listened to everything on the readio. I started going to the jv games which I think were free with my uncle who also had season tickets since the late 50's. Any way I got so hooked that I used my lawn mowing money for the year and started getting a season ticket of my own and kept it for over 20 years until I let it go so I could get a pair and will never quit going since now I have taken my 5 yr old son for the last 2 years and one day hopefully he will take his child and the tradition continues
 
#66
#66
My Dad graduated from UT and ever since i was a little squirt he's been taking me to the games. Planning on going to UT next year.
 
#67
#67
My father was in the military so we traveled a great deal. We were living north of Jacksonville and 8 year old me walked into the living room one night and my dad was watching football. I didn't even really know the rules at the time, but I sat on the couch and watched the game with him. The game happened to be UT vs Nebraska in the 1998 Orange bowl and my dad was telling me how Peyton Manning was the best College QB he had ever seen.

I enjoyed the football game we watched together and learned the rules by watching NFL games the rest of the year. My very first season as a vol fan was the 1998 championship season, I still vividly remember that first game against syracuse and jumping up and down celebrating from my grandma's room since I was banished from the living room for making too much noise.

My father is a UK fan btw, my whole family is rather split between UK and UT fans
 
#68
#68
I was raised nearby in Kingston, Tn and used to watch the Bill Battle show every Sunday after the Eddie Robinson show (Grambling) and the Ara Parseghian show (Notre Dame) beginning in 1971. The deal was sealed when I attended UT from 1981 through 1985.
 
#69
#69
Nothing can make you become a Vol fan. You either become one of your own volition or you don't. For most of us, it's in the blood.
 
#72
#72
I wish Freak would ban " cool story bro " from ever being posted again.

I better post my cool story then

Yesterday my fiance' asked me why I didn't name my dog Smokey, my reply of course was "Why would I do that? That is like naming your kid Jesus or something, there is only one Smokey"

Totally natural response there, I laughed at myself afterwards
 
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#73
#73
My family has been in TN for generations. I grew up in Detroit and moved to Cookeville at 16 and graduated from TN Tech in '75. I always rooted for the Vols but everything went off the charts after going to a game at Neyland in 1979!

I've bled orange ever since that day!

GO VOLS!!
 
#74
#74
First memory listening to George Mooney on radio. Attended first game in '64. When Dickey & John Ward came onto the scene & the program took off, I was hooked.
 
#75
#75
I was born and raised in East Tennessee. There was no other option than to listen to John Ward and be a fan.
 
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