Why are you a Vol fan?

#51
#51
In 4th grade, my family got season tickets. In 5th grade, we won a NC. In middle school my heart was broken after losing to LSU and missing a shot at the Rose Bowl. I'm hooked.
 
#54
#54
I was vaguely a fan because I was more of a baseball fan, but before the UF game in 01, I remember saying that one of the teams would come out with a loss, and in the back of my mind I knew it wasn't gonna be us. From that point until my sophomore year of HS in 04, I was all Vol, all the time. Anything SEC related on TV, or in magazines, wherever, I was on it. I knew the backup RT for Miss State on cue. I would watch the UK game from 1998 over and over again in the offseason. I also had the last half plus all the overtimes of the Arkansas game in 02. But in 05, I started to care less and less. I was getting into cars, and my HS team was reaching heights like never before, so that took up a lot of my time. It got to the point where I wasn't really fussed about seeing the entire game, and this was in 07. I missed the second half of the UF game to go play a game of touch football. Then I came back home last year, and was ready for us to mimic 1998, I didn't even see what was coming when I probably would have seen it from a mile away when I was younger. Then I remember wanting Kiff to be our O coordinator last October, and when Fulmer got fired I started lurking here and I wrote an article on why Mike Leach should stay at TT. I signed up at SECTalk, and then over here. But then I started following recruiting for the first time since 03, and man is it so much better by way of internet.



That's my story.
 
#56
#56
My dad was in the band, my uncle wrestled at UT and played handball there also. Tossed me over the fence when I was about 8 years old and took me onto the Football Field. Saw many games growing up in Neyland Stadium and met many many players since we normally stayed in the same Hotel as the players did on road games. Had a family friend named Al Haagar that was known to dress outrageously in UT attire, including shoes with a U on one foot and a T on another. Sat in the end zone right behind the field goal and was in the paper many times for his crazy antics. All of my friends I played sports with or most of them were big UT fans as well. My friends use to join me or I join them to UT games. Running on the field as kids after the game and tossing one of those small plastic footballs with all of my athletic friends will never go out of my memory. Grew up with UT paraphernalia around the house and listening to John Ward on TV and the radio, and brainwashed with Rocky Top as a toddler. Once a Vol, always a Vol! I am 43 now.

My mom on the other hand went to Alabama, dated Joe Namath for a bit (what girl didn't), lol.
 
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#57
#57
I was born at Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, TN and lived in Blount County for 21 years prior to joining th USAF. My entire family are lifelong Volunteer fans. I been in the service for about nine years and spent about five of those years overseas. For me one of the best things about being a Vol is that no matter how many thousands of miles I am away from home, I know that when I call my family and friends during a Tennessee game we can forget the fact that we're so far apart and just talk and share our passion for Tennesse football. Win or lose, good year or bad year, following and representing Tennessee always makes me feel closer to home.

Go Big Orange!
 
#58
#58
Me, like a lot of other people on volnation, was born into the UT life. My pappaw was one of those guys that didn't miss a game for like 30 or 35 years; he was an usher when they still had bleachers, but he had season tickets as well. I'm from Maryville, so my whole family bleed orange. My pappaw took me to my first UT game when I was 9 against Kentucky (It was freezing), and it was love at first sight. From then on I could never imagine attending college anywhere else. UT was actually the only place I applied to, and I'm currently a sophomore. I am proud to be a vol fan considering our tradition and history, and that's not just football but for also how prestigious academics are here in knoxville. GO VOLS
 
#60
#60
I am a newly found vols fan, i'm from northern virginia (5 miles from DC) and go to school in southwest virginia (radford university, hence the screen name. 10 miles from va tech). I went to the UF/UT football game last year in knoxville with my roommate and can say it was a great overall experience. We tailgated for an hour or two before the game with a friend from home with Ryan Childress' family. The hospitality was almost overwhelming to my roommate and i.

Once we got in the game, although a less than stellar result was a fantastic experience and Neyland was stunning. We returned this year for the ohio game and just had a fun small tailgate with 4 friends from school but it has been a fun (although short) ride and I look forward to the future success of UT football.

Two of my roommates, a friend, and I are looking into season tickets for next year, so i do not believe this is just a 'fling'.

GO VOLS
 
#64
#64
Visiting Knoxville for a job interview years ago, I was amazed and must confess somewhat frightened by the seas of orange garb visible in seemingly every direction as we passed through the city. (I went to an ACC school where they apparently don't take their sports seriously enough.) In retrospect, it was obviously a game day and I was on Cumberland Ave, but at the time it seemed as if all of Knoxville was just one big rabid orange gang.

Entering Neyland Stadium was what sold me. I was blown away. Now suffering from orange rabies (likely terminal) and loving every minute of it!
 
#65
#65
I was born that way. Can't ever remember not being one. It is like asking why do you eat lunch in the middle of the day? My momma gave me food in the middle of the day and said "Eat your lunch". On Saturday, after summer was over, we watched the Vols and wanted them to win and we wore orange stuff. Dah?????
 
#67
#67
My dad was from east Tennessee. He was a huge Tennessee fan. I had no choice from the day I was born...and I am damn proud of that! Go Vols!
 
#68
#68
I was born in TN. Plus, my whole family loves UT and got me into UT football at an early age.. GO VOLS!!!!!
 
#69
#69
because after the bowl games i cant wait until next September and the first vol walk
 
#70
#70
Because I started dating a UT girl and started to pay attention to their games and just got to really love the traditions and the passion of the fans. Then I went to a game and was hooked.
 
#71
#71
Born and raised in South Carolina. My mom is from Clinton Tennessee but moved to SC where my father is from. We were up here on game day back around 1992 and saw all the ORANGE everywhere. Started watching UT games and have been hooked every since.

My better half is from Virginia but interned here at UT. She fell in love with them then. I met her in SC in 05. We hit it off and just happened to pull for the same team.

We got the chance to move up here this year and now live in Knoxville. Wouldn't have it any other way.
 
#73
#73
Because I'm a born an raised Tennessean! It would be like watching the Olympics and rooting for China!
 
#74
#74
i'm a vol because my dad raised me that way. he tried to raise all of my siblings that way as well, but none of them ever took to it like me. it's just a special bond between me an my dad and that's why i'm obsessed with the bog orange. i've made a point of having some sort of tn paraphernalia on me since i was in 5th grade (13 years).
 
#75
#75
Like many other I was born and raised a UT Vol. My pappaw went to UT in the 40's and both my parents attended in the 70's. Although I was born in Atlanta all I have ever known is to cheer for the VOLS and it will never change. My dad took me to my first game against Memphis in 1994 when I was 7 years old and i thought that Neyland Stadium was the coolest place in the world.

Now I am the 3rd generation to come to UT in my family and can't be more happy. I would love to live in Knoxville after I graduate, but I plan on buying season tickets the first year after I graduate and start my own streak on consecutive home games attended like my uncle (hasn't missed a home game since 1967).
 
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