When/Why did you become a TN fan?

#27
#27
Sam I Am said:
Since birth !

I remember hearing ol Rocky Top while's ins't my momma's womb. I knew we-in's wast at a UT game from all the up and a downin' momma did while a cheering. I remember the doctor telling her at check ups that he went to Vanderbilt.

Whens I was a born, and the ol doc wast about to smack my behind.....I reached up and grabbed that sum-a-na-bytch's arm, and said, "Not today Commodare.....Not today! Go Vols!"

Every bit of this here story is true that I just made up....
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I think I heard about this from my Uncle! He's an obstetrician who once delivered a baby with an Orange umbilical cord.... And sure enough, he graduated from Vandy!!
 
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#28
#28
I was born in Knoxville in 1955. My dad was a UT alumnus and always took me to 2 or 3 games a year, probably starting in the early 60's. I quickly became a Vol fan and when not at the game, I always had my ear next to the radio listening to the great John Ward call the game. I've lived through a lot of ups and downs of Tennessee football through the years, but I don't think I've ever seen Tennessee football as low as it is now. I live behind enemy lines now in Alabama and used to have a lot of fun telling my friends how we were going to whip their butts this Saturday, but these last few years I've pretty much kept my mouth shut.
 
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#29
#29
Born and raised in Knoxville. I saw my first Tennessee game during the 1982 World's Fair, it was a night game against Iowa State. We won 23-21. I fell in love with atmosphere at Neyland as a kid... the massive orange balloon release that we used to do as the team was running through the T. The smell of moonshine in the stands (had no idea what is was at the time, but I liked it), and I loved hearing "Rocky Top" over and over.... and I loved our bright orange color. Tennessee is one of the few unique teams around. Nobody else is the Volunteers and nobody else has this shade of orange. I'm also a 1996 UT graduate. I loved my time on The Hill, I couldn't cheer for anyone else no matter how bad we get.
 
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#30
#30
Dad was in the navy so we moved every 4 years.When we were in Little Rock i was a razorback fan.When we moved to Tennessee in 1977 one trip to Neyland was all it took.Been a Vol fan ever since.
 
#32
#32
VolforFootball said:
I want a memory like that with my Dad so bad. Then again, he's an Ole Miss fan....
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Sorry to hear that. These days I call my dad up from time to time and we hash out our opinions on the game. I hope that my dad is alive long enough to witness UT come back to prominence. He's only 55yrs old, but his health has been pretty bad the last 10yrs.
 
#33
#33
Like everyone else, born into a Vol family. I think we all initially get into it to impress our dads.
 
#34
#34
My great grandfather immigrated from Scotland, ended up in Loudon. I was born in Chattanooga. Grew up watching Tennessee football. We moved around a lot. Put the fun in dysfunctional. We are in Georgia now. My wife is a Yankee (Sarasota). Didn't know a thing about football until she married me. Now she bleeds orange. My boys are growing up watching Tennessee football.
 
#36
#36
Family was all-Tennessee. Dad went to UT and for one quarter achieved a 0.38 GPA, failing--among other things--Elementary Tennis. Made friends with Steve Kiner, which was a good way to have fun and get into a whole lot of trouble at the same time. But it was my Grandma that got me full-bore into it, passionate about Tennessee to the very last year of her life in 1996-1997. The fans around her helped her up the steps to her seat in that final year.

I started watching it through highlights on ABC in 1977 while living in Georgia. That was typically how you got to see the Vols play if you were so unfortunate to be outside the home state. Jimmy Streater was the king of those highlight films and a fine player on some mediocre teams.
 
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#37
#37
VolforFootball said:
I wrote this in another thread, but it made me curious to hear all of your stories.

I was 9 when we won the NC and didn’t really watch football at the time as my family really only watched Baseball. The only reason I started to watch football was because my mom remarried to a man who is a Colts fan, which led to me becoming a Colts and Peyton fan during his rookie season. As a result of being a Peyton fan, I began watching TN since that’s where he went to college.
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Born in the late 60’s, no one in my immediate family was a huge UT fan but I was born in TN so I decided I was going to go all in to support my state school in my early teens. Started watching Vols football in the early 80’s when we weren’t so great. Eventually got hooked on the Lady Vols BB team and later the Men’s BB team. It was a great ride watching the football team in the 90’s into the early 2000’s. My son’s a huge Vol fan too but unfortunately he hasn’t experienced a dominant UT football team but he’s hanging in there and bleeds orange like me. I might get aggravated with our team and mouth off in the heat of the moment but I will NEVER vacate my Vol Card and pull for another team.
 
#38
#38
I'm a third generation Vol. As a kid me and dad would ride around the mountains of upper east Tennessee and listen to John Ward. It was great times win or lose. Years later after my father passed I was told by mom that when I was born dad gave up his season tickets that he had for many years so he could spend Saturdays with me. For this I will never turn my back on the Vols no matter how bad it gets.
 
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#40
#40
Syracuse in 1966 Gator bowl. Listened to games with my dad. It was the only thing we had in common.
 
#41
#41
For me it was the 1971 season, more specifically the season Bobby Majors had year. I was only 9 at the time but listened to every game just to hear what he would do next.
Now, 48 years, a degree from UT, a wife with a degree from UT, and two kids with UT degrees later, I often reflect how something as seemingly simple as college football has had such a profound effect on my life. I guess that’s what being a Vol really means - to me anyway.
 
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#42
#42
Can't really remember not being a Vol fan. Grew up 45 min outside of Knoxville. A lot of family in Knoxville. Grandfather got me a UT uniform for my 4th (I think) birthday. Dad took me to my first game in Neyland in '97 when Peyton played his last in Neyland and beat Vandy. Always wanted to play for the Vols, but couldn't get a scholarship offer so went to a smaller school. My fandom died down those 4 years but returned as strong as ever after college.
 
#43
#43
If you're not a UT fan in my family then you better be tough lol.. All jokes aside I was born and raised a VOLS fan and will NEVER be anything else. Over 40 years of being a VOLS fan and I'm still here
 
#44
#44
Back around '77 or '78,I was just starting to play a little football and understand it somewhat. My buddies talked about Hubert Simpson,who is from Athens and went to Mcminn County High School like we all did,was playing for the Vols so I started paying attention to them and was hooked immediately. Also,I was a grade ahead of Shazzon Bradley and still friends with him.
 
#45
#45
My Dad used to rake me and my brothers when we were little. Alabama 1967 0r 68 was my first game. I was hooked! We always went to Ramsey's cafeteria and bought "line ups" on the way to the stadium. Usually attended the Vol walk and checked out the tailgaters in the parking lot. Very precious memories!

On the other hand, I have one son that bleeds orange like me, who was about 7 years old in 1998, and just started getting interested in Tennessee. He has watched them go downhill ever since. I hope my Dad will see a revival in Vols football competition. He is 83, and most certainly VFL. My son is 27, and hopes he see's a revival befotre he loses interest.

We all want this story to have a happy ending, but it looks like for now, and probably into next year, we are gonna have growing pains. And it's likely to get worse before it starts getting better.
Win or Lose, I love my Tennessee VolS!
 
#46
#46
Born and raised in Alabama (close to TN state line), when I was 12 or so I started following college football, after hearing how effing stupid "row tide" sounded, and the annoying fans, I started following the Vols, been hooked for 39 years now.
And most importantly, my dad was a Vols fan, I miss that man.
 
#47
#47
Since birth, born and raised in Tennessee. Likes the vols since I knew what football was. Joining the military you develop more pride in where you are from.
 
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#48
#48
My first UT game. My uncle took me to Arkansas in 1998. Been a fan ever since... then attended UT and it sealed the deal
 
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#49
#49
September beach trip at Myrtle Beach in 2005. I was 17. Watched the LSU vs Tennessee football game with my uncle who was mainly a NFL fan, but it was football. So we sat and watched it. My parents had gone out to eat and my aunt had taken my cousin putt putting. So my uncle snuck me a beer and we sat there watching the game. I fell in love with TN that game.
 
#50
#50
Condredge Holloway made me a fan for life when I was just a little kid. My dad took me to autograph day at the stadium back around 1972. I was walking around on the field with my autograph book, but not getting any autographs because I was afraid to ask. This man carrying a big white bag full of stuff saw me, stopped and knelt down, sat me on his knee and asked me if I wanted an autograph. He said a few nice words to settle me down and sent me on my way. That was my only autograph for the day, but my older brother got a bunch. A couple years later, after moving to Wash DC area, my dad found my autograph book and saw it was signed by Condredge Holloway! He told me who Mr Holloway was and I have been addicted to UT football ever since.
 
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