IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE
If you are a friend, co-worker or the boss to a Tennessee fan you have
to forgive them these days. You have to ignore the extra pep in their
step, the smile on their face, and the fact that as the week progress
the work volume getting completed greatly reduces.
You see this week is different. It is not about predicting wins and
loses yet and it is not about talking about how their team should play.
It is the fact that their team is finally playing. It is the equivalent
to riding a roller coaster. Who knows if it is going to be a good ride
or a bad ride, you just know you have been standing in line a heck of a
lot time to ride it and it is time to ride.
Sure if the offense opens up with too many men on the field or jumps off
sides on the first play there might be a mutiny in the stadium, but
right now that does not matter. What does matter is that in just a
handful of days the Tennessee football team will be making their walk
from Gibbs Hall to Neyland Stadium through the droves of orange clad
fans singing Rocky Top at the top of their lungs.
What does matter is that thousands of fans will be tailgating and
sharing stories of season openers gone by. What does matter is that the
Cumberland Avenue strip will be buzzing with fans and cars with more car
flags than they have windows.
What matters is seeing the fleet of boats lined along the banks of the
Tennessee River forming the Vol Navy. Who starts the game is not
important and which tailback gets the most carries is not an issue at
this point. What is important is being in your seat in time to see the
entire Pride of the Southland pre-game routine.
What matters is that you are one of the one hundred and two thousand
fans standing with your heart pounding as the band forms the "T"
creating the corridor for the football team to race out of the locker
room and onto the field. It is hearing Bobby Denton say "please pay
these prices and please pay no more." It is hearing Denton announce "It
is football time in Tennessee" or "scores of interest." It is just
Tennessee and it is college football the way you expect it to be.
(Miss Bobby)
You see, for those who have never been entrenched in the game day
experience at Neyland Stadium, Saturday is a good day because college
football is starting throughout the country. But for those who have been
through the game day experience in Knoxville, the anticipation is great
and words can't really describe what the Saturday ritual is like. It is
like an old glove that feels right and fits perfectly when you drive
onto campus or walk to your tailgating spot somewhere on campus whether
it is circle park or over on the Hill. It is just a natural feeling to
smell the food in the air or hear someone shout "line-ups."
It is granddads taking their grandson to his first game or dads and sons
making the first of many trips to their Saturday playground. You can
pick them out in the crowd. The young boy or girl's eyes are wide open.
They point and they ask every question under the sun.
College football has great traditions around the country from Boomer
Sooner to Toomer's Corner, but for the Vol Nation no one has what they
have along the banks of the river.
And so whether you are just now tall enough to ride the roller coaster
for the first time or this is your 200th trip the anticipation is high.
You have been standing in line for a long summer and regardless of what
the ride is like this season there is no better anticipation then the
week leading up the first roller coaster hill which symbols the start of
the 2024 season.
So bosses forgive your workers and co-workers get out of the way because
the Big Orange Nation is giddy. Giddy because simply put, it's time.
GO BIG ORANGE!!!
If you are a friend, co-worker or the boss to a Tennessee fan you have
to forgive them these days. You have to ignore the extra pep in their
step, the smile on their face, and the fact that as the week progress
the work volume getting completed greatly reduces.
You see this week is different. It is not about predicting wins and
loses yet and it is not about talking about how their team should play.
It is the fact that their team is finally playing. It is the equivalent
to riding a roller coaster. Who knows if it is going to be a good ride
or a bad ride, you just know you have been standing in line a heck of a
lot time to ride it and it is time to ride.
Sure if the offense opens up with too many men on the field or jumps off
sides on the first play there might be a mutiny in the stadium, but
right now that does not matter. What does matter is that in just a
handful of days the Tennessee football team will be making their walk
from Gibbs Hall to Neyland Stadium through the droves of orange clad
fans singing Rocky Top at the top of their lungs.
What does matter is that thousands of fans will be tailgating and
sharing stories of season openers gone by. What does matter is that the
Cumberland Avenue strip will be buzzing with fans and cars with more car
flags than they have windows.
What matters is seeing the fleet of boats lined along the banks of the
Tennessee River forming the Vol Navy. Who starts the game is not
important and which tailback gets the most carries is not an issue at
this point. What is important is being in your seat in time to see the
entire Pride of the Southland pre-game routine.
What matters is that you are one of the one hundred and two thousand
fans standing with your heart pounding as the band forms the "T"
creating the corridor for the football team to race out of the locker
room and onto the field. It is hearing Bobby Denton say "please pay
these prices and please pay no more." It is hearing Denton announce "It
is football time in Tennessee" or "scores of interest." It is just
Tennessee and it is college football the way you expect it to be.
(Miss Bobby)
You see, for those who have never been entrenched in the game day
experience at Neyland Stadium, Saturday is a good day because college
football is starting throughout the country. But for those who have been
through the game day experience in Knoxville, the anticipation is great
and words can't really describe what the Saturday ritual is like. It is
like an old glove that feels right and fits perfectly when you drive
onto campus or walk to your tailgating spot somewhere on campus whether
it is circle park or over on the Hill. It is just a natural feeling to
smell the food in the air or hear someone shout "line-ups."
It is granddads taking their grandson to his first game or dads and sons
making the first of many trips to their Saturday playground. You can
pick them out in the crowd. The young boy or girl's eyes are wide open.
They point and they ask every question under the sun.
College football has great traditions around the country from Boomer
Sooner to Toomer's Corner, but for the Vol Nation no one has what they
have along the banks of the river.
And so whether you are just now tall enough to ride the roller coaster
for the first time or this is your 200th trip the anticipation is high.
You have been standing in line for a long summer and regardless of what
the ride is like this season there is no better anticipation then the
week leading up the first roller coaster hill which symbols the start of
the 2024 season.
So bosses forgive your workers and co-workers get out of the way because
the Big Orange Nation is giddy. Giddy because simply put, it's time.
GO BIG ORANGE!!!
