How many of you are Vol fans for a reason other than…

[overseasorange2]

I observed it as being in pockets if that makes sense. Here in TN, there are UT fans likely in all counties. In TX it seemed like they were centered around the schools, like Texas fans were around Austin, SMU fans in Dallas, Baylor around Waco, Texas Tech around Lubbock, etc. There wasn't statewide support for one team, and where I lived there wasn't any major D1 schools. It was the 80's, too, things might have changed.

Oh ok. I was thinking HS football because I have never been in a state that HS football was more touted. Many of the high schools in TX look like small college facilities. My son goes to the same high school as Milroe went to. It's amazing.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

I didn't attend a home game in Athens. I've never been to Sanford Stadium.

it’s mediocre. You’re not missing much, even after two titles, I’d ranked them about 10th in the SEC. Tennessee, Bama, Auburn, Florida, TAMU, UTjr, LSU, Oklahoma, Mississippi State are better atmospheres. Maybe Ole Miss too. Probably slightly better than UK and SCjr. Better than Mizzou, Vandy, and Arkansas though! Lol.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Abilene, Dyess AFB.

Sounds right for the area! My parents worked Goodfellow/Lackland, but we grew up in Monahans. Miss those sunsets and night skies!

 

[Bearkat_Vol]

My wife and kids are Vol fans, because 'you dance with who brung ya!'

 

[deezvols]

My story is a bit unconventional.

I probably sold hats to some of you in the late 90s. Cat in the hat style (I saw one of ours on the basevols Regional broadcast last week) and jester style with the bells on the ends. A picture of my last remaining example of this experience is below.

My dad and his buddy were having hard times financially and started selling these hats all over the Southeast to make ends meet. Tennessee, UNC, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Georgia, and others. Tennessee was our favorite place to go.

When I was 13 he took me with him for the first time. I'd sell hats too and make 100-200 bucks each Saturday, which was a big deal to a 13-14 year old. I still remember hawking them on the hill above the stadium yelling "Hats, Seven Bucks!" It was gimmicky and I took a lot of crap from drunks and others but dang we sold a bunch of them every time we went.

This was in 98-99 by the way and a couple games (can't remember against who) we would buy tickets for 10-20 bucks each by scalpers who couldn't sell them by the middle of the 2nd quarter. We went up to the nosebleeds for the 3rd quarter and watched the game. I remember how I felt like the stadium was actually swaying and moving from the fan noise, and I'm sure it probably was. Then, we returned to our spots outside the stadium and sold more hats. I've been hooked ever since and have held season tickets for a while now that I will never give up.

View attachment 648535

I have a picture somewhere of me wearing this hat with Pom poms underneath to look like hair, and watching our NC game (which happened to be on my birthday).

Sometimes I’d fold down the top 2 layers to shorten it to a bucket hat style. Loved this hat when I was young!

 

[JRich]

Oh ok. I was thinking HS football because I have never been in a state that HS football was more touted. Many of the high schools in TX look like small college facilities. My son goes to the same high school as Milroe went to. It's amazing.

Oh yeah, for sure! I went to games at Shotwell Stadium which seats about 15k and when Cooper played Abilene High there would be about 20K squeezed in there. Big schools with big football facilities!

 

[LakeMaryFLVol]

How many of you are fans of Tennessee NOT because of: living in Tennessee, attending the university, or having family that are Vol fans?

I bet there are some interesting stories out there on how some became Vol fans.

Sold advertising for the VolNetwork. Called my Dad from the 1989 Colorado State game right before my first Salute to the Hill from an old block cell phone and told him that there were more people watching the band come in then were at the Brown v Harvard game. He came down a few weeks later for the Auburn game in the rain and the rest is history

Side note.: My wife was about to give birth yo my son a few days later and had the press box phone number to have me paged if she went into labor

 

[NcVolfan24]

I have a picture somewhere of me wearing this hat with Pom poms underneath to look like hair, and watching our NC game (which happened to be on my birthday).

Sometimes I’d fold down the top 2 layers to shorten it to a bucket hat style. Loved this hat when I was young!

I figured I'd find one or two on here that had one! You probably bought it from me, my dad, or his buddy. Small world.

 

[Fightmaker]

1980 Alabama game was the ABC game of the week. I was 8 and had never paid attention to UT football because I was obsessed with the Steelers (NFL was all over antenna TV and UT football was not yet). My friends at school were mostly Bama fans and talking smack about UT, and I bucked up because I could not conceive being a fan of the state 30 minutes drive south. Who is actually a fan of the neighboring state's school?

I watched the game with my Dad. It was a slaughter because Bama was really good (#1) and UT was down that season. I decided that cannot continue, so I started listening to John Ward for every football game and learned to listen for Willie Gault and Reggie White's names, because that meant something big was happening or going to happen.

I fell in love with TN Orange because it was so distinct. I learned to hate Bama, not because their teams tended to be better than ours, but because of the people who loved Bama. They made me really dislike them and their team.

I felt redeemed when Johnny got us over the top in 82 when we beat the Bammers. My classmates who were Bama fans were pretty shocked that I got bragging rights for once. Ya'll know how well they handled that.

John Ward was better than any TV preacher at winning over hearts. He just had a gift.

 

[Voltopia]

Over my many years in Texas, I came to understand that football had a pecking order. High school football came first. Always high school football. Then the Cowboys, then the Longhorns. There was loyalty at all three levels, and if you asked which one they followed, they'd give some variation of all three, but the level of support was almost always ranked in that order. Every native Texan I asked agreed with this. Doesn't mean I'm right, but it's how I came to understand "Texas football" as an experience. High school football was serious, serious business out there. And the Longhorns, while flagship, were one wealthy college program in a sea of wealthy college programs competing in a not terribly exciting league year in and year out.

Of course, the arrival of the Texans weakened the Cowboy crowd, but not to a noticeable degree, and the diehard generational Cowboys were everywhere. And, since nobody outside of Houston would ever think of going to Houston, the Texan influence never seemed to spread all that far.

Again, just my experience. Folks' mileage may vary.

 

[Vol4gzus]

Buddy that is a great story, and you have a lot of pride!

But sir, Freak is asking for anybody NOT affiliated with the University and why THEY are Tennessee fans.

Just wanted to point that out.

Yessir...we can read...glad you put him in his place. With that family history he ought to be embarrassed (NOT) that he posted. Just let it go next time and we'll give you a pass too.

 

[MackDaddyVol]

Since the Days of Condredge Holloway.

Exactly. I grew up rooting for Tennessee State. Big John Merritt was my idol, and if I ever was good enough to play in college, I would be a Tiger

Then I saw The Artful Dodger. I still root for TSU, but I’m a VFL! Listening John Ward on the radio during the Ernie and Bernie days just sealed the deal.

 

[UTblood4life]

Today my son said Nico is gona be that "Keith Jackson quote" Iamaleava get used to it folks" I said son slow down let's beat Oklahoma first and take it one day at a time, he said but it's Nico, I said I had manning, if nico balls out u can brag