All Vol!
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- Aug 31, 2006
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So I'm going to try and get this, my first proud post here, in under the wire before kickoff in a little while. I hope that all of you will enjoy reading this and that the little story I have for all of you might in some way add just a bit to your anticipation of the game tonite, as if the anticipation could be any greater, right? Anyway, let me just say quickly that I am very glad to come aboard here...I have actually been following the forums for some time now, reading many of the excellent posts you guys put up...kind of like the Andy Griffith episode where the guy has been 'taking' the Mayberry Gazette while in the army and learned everything about the town's people, so he decides to make it his hometown, lol; yes, I'm a major Andy fan as many of you are too, I feel sure.
Anyway, as I mentioned, I have a little story I am proud to share with all of you as I christen my membership here. I am originally from Crossville, TN, 'bout an hour west of K-town; many of you probably know the area. I have followed the Big Orange with a huge heart since I was a small kid and love UT football the same way many of you do. I make my home for now in Richmond, VA, where I work as a butcher. About six weeks ago, I was at work one day when an elderly gentleman came through with some vendor product to set up a display. I happened to be doing some work near him, and he kind of came out of nowhere with some small talk, making some mention of how hot it was outside (Richmond was still sweltering at that time). I just kind of courteously acknowledged him, saying something similar about the heat. Then he said, "Don't you know them boys doin' their two-a-days out on the field are havin' it rough right about now!" I said, "Boy, you know they are." He then continued with something like, "Back in my day, we didn't get pampered though, no matter how hot it got...etc." By now, he was coming across as a really nice older guy who really just liked to talk, kind of lonesome maybe. So I said, "Oh, did you play high school ball here?" "Well, I played high school and college ball," he replied. I was getting a little interested, being the college football fan that I am, so I asked, sounding more interested now, "Oh, really? Where did you play your college ball?" And then it came..."Tennessee." My head snapped around real good this time. "No kidding?! You mean Tennessee Knoxville?" I asked. "Yep. Played four years from '47 to '50." I dropped the box I was holding quick as I could and walked closer to him. I explained that I was from Crossville, and he said he knew just where I was talking about. I told him how much I had always loved UT football and so forth, and then I thought for a few seconds...'47 to '50. "Wait a minute...that would've been back in General Neyland's day, wouldn't it?" He said, "Yep. I played four years for the General." Man, I was floored! Here I am up in central Virginia and in the most unlikely of spots, I run into a walking giant from UT football past and have the chance to stand, shooting the breeze with him, asking him anything I wanted for half an hour or more. He was very, very happy to talk, cursing once in a while, just as you'd expect from a hard-nosed old ball player from one of Neyland's squads. He launched into a handful of story's as if he'd been waiting for years to tell them to someone. It was truly awesome! He told one about having broken his ankle in a fight while he was home on Christmas break one year. When he returned to school, he was on the elevator going up to his room (he lived in the old stadium), walking with crutches and wearing a cast. On the second floor, the elevator opened, and low and behold, in walked Neyland himself. He looked him up and down, then said, "What happened?" "I got into a scuffle, sir, and broke my ankle." After a little pause, General Neyland said, "What in the hell you doin' on the elevator?!" "Well, like I said, sir, I broke my ankle - I can't use the stairs." Neyland says, "You mean you don't know how to walk up & down stairs on crutches?" "No sir, not really." Without saying another word, he said Neyland took the elevator up to the fifth floor, took his crutches from him and said, "I'm gonna show you how to do this..." So Neyland walks down 5 flights of stairs on crutches and one leg, while he hops along behind. When they get to the bottom, Neyland hands his crutches back and says, "Now, I better not see you on this damned elevator again!" He said on the field, General Neyland was always "Coach", but off the field he was the General, and when you were in his office, you were expected to stand at attention, lol.
I made a point of shaking his hand and telling him I was honored to meet him...he said "Same here...", then walked around the corner and disappeared like a living ghost from an old black and white team photo or something. A couple minutes later, I had a thought of asking him if I could take his picture with my phone, so I went to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found, kind of adding to the whole mystique. He did however tell me his name...Herb Waters. I googled myself blue in the face that night, looking for UT rosters from those years...the nearest I found was a list of every player who lettered down through the years...his name was not on that list, so it could be he was on the team but did not play all games. Nonetheless it was something, needless to say, I won't forget. He told me that now, he referees high school football here in Henrico county.
Sorry for the wordy first post, but I hope you guys enjoyed this, and just before I go, let me give a rowdy roar from central Virginia...GO BIG ORANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giv'em Heck!!!!!!!!
Anyway, as I mentioned, I have a little story I am proud to share with all of you as I christen my membership here. I am originally from Crossville, TN, 'bout an hour west of K-town; many of you probably know the area. I have followed the Big Orange with a huge heart since I was a small kid and love UT football the same way many of you do. I make my home for now in Richmond, VA, where I work as a butcher. About six weeks ago, I was at work one day when an elderly gentleman came through with some vendor product to set up a display. I happened to be doing some work near him, and he kind of came out of nowhere with some small talk, making some mention of how hot it was outside (Richmond was still sweltering at that time). I just kind of courteously acknowledged him, saying something similar about the heat. Then he said, "Don't you know them boys doin' their two-a-days out on the field are havin' it rough right about now!" I said, "Boy, you know they are." He then continued with something like, "Back in my day, we didn't get pampered though, no matter how hot it got...etc." By now, he was coming across as a really nice older guy who really just liked to talk, kind of lonesome maybe. So I said, "Oh, did you play high school ball here?" "Well, I played high school and college ball," he replied. I was getting a little interested, being the college football fan that I am, so I asked, sounding more interested now, "Oh, really? Where did you play your college ball?" And then it came..."Tennessee." My head snapped around real good this time. "No kidding?! You mean Tennessee Knoxville?" I asked. "Yep. Played four years from '47 to '50." I dropped the box I was holding quick as I could and walked closer to him. I explained that I was from Crossville, and he said he knew just where I was talking about. I told him how much I had always loved UT football and so forth, and then I thought for a few seconds...'47 to '50. "Wait a minute...that would've been back in General Neyland's day, wouldn't it?" He said, "Yep. I played four years for the General." Man, I was floored! Here I am up in central Virginia and in the most unlikely of spots, I run into a walking giant from UT football past and have the chance to stand, shooting the breeze with him, asking him anything I wanted for half an hour or more. He was very, very happy to talk, cursing once in a while, just as you'd expect from a hard-nosed old ball player from one of Neyland's squads. He launched into a handful of story's as if he'd been waiting for years to tell them to someone. It was truly awesome! He told one about having broken his ankle in a fight while he was home on Christmas break one year. When he returned to school, he was on the elevator going up to his room (he lived in the old stadium), walking with crutches and wearing a cast. On the second floor, the elevator opened, and low and behold, in walked Neyland himself. He looked him up and down, then said, "What happened?" "I got into a scuffle, sir, and broke my ankle." After a little pause, General Neyland said, "What in the hell you doin' on the elevator?!" "Well, like I said, sir, I broke my ankle - I can't use the stairs." Neyland says, "You mean you don't know how to walk up & down stairs on crutches?" "No sir, not really." Without saying another word, he said Neyland took the elevator up to the fifth floor, took his crutches from him and said, "I'm gonna show you how to do this..." So Neyland walks down 5 flights of stairs on crutches and one leg, while he hops along behind. When they get to the bottom, Neyland hands his crutches back and says, "Now, I better not see you on this damned elevator again!" He said on the field, General Neyland was always "Coach", but off the field he was the General, and when you were in his office, you were expected to stand at attention, lol.
I made a point of shaking his hand and telling him I was honored to meet him...he said "Same here...", then walked around the corner and disappeared like a living ghost from an old black and white team photo or something. A couple minutes later, I had a thought of asking him if I could take his picture with my phone, so I went to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found, kind of adding to the whole mystique. He did however tell me his name...Herb Waters. I googled myself blue in the face that night, looking for UT rosters from those years...the nearest I found was a list of every player who lettered down through the years...his name was not on that list, so it could be he was on the team but did not play all games. Nonetheless it was something, needless to say, I won't forget. He told me that now, he referees high school football here in Henrico county.
Sorry for the wordy first post, but I hope you guys enjoyed this, and just before I go, let me give a rowdy roar from central Virginia...GO BIG ORANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giv'em Heck!!!!!!!!
