The Official ‘Smokey XI’ Thread!

#58
#58
mad4vols said:
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To keep things going. This dog bread is at a greater risk of hip dysplasia, luxating patellas and autoimmune thyroiditis. Rugh rowwwwww. :p

But seriously, I'd love to have one...but being a hound I bet they smell pretty bad. (ugh oh, I did it again).
 
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#59
#59
NEWDAYVOL said:
To keep things going. This dog bread is at a greater risk of hip dysplasia, luxating patellas and autoimmune thyroiditis. Rugh rowwwwww. :p

But seriously, I'd love to have one...but being a hound I bet they smell pretty bad. (ugh oh, I did it again).
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What’s your favorite breed?
 
#60
#60
One of our lifeguards over the summer here in Lebanon is one of the three handlers for Smokey this season. I just met him a few weeks ago. He seems to be a fine young man: bright, personable, excited about the coming season.

Go Vols!
 
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#63
#63
mad4vols said:
No, genuinely curious. The best dog I ever had was a Pekingese named Stanley.

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My favorite (and last) dog was a midnight black mutt named Trigger. When he died, so did my desire to have another dog. He was MAYBE 30 lbs soaking wet, but he took on any other male dog that ever crossed his path. And usually won!
 
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#73
#73
Buzzbait said:
Does anyone remember why Smokey IV, Smokey V, and Smokey VII had such short tenures? Health, attitude, injury?
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In 1953, the University of Tennessee Pep Club held a contest to select a coonhound, a breed common in Tennessee, to serve as the school's live mascot. Announcements of the contest in local newspapers read, "This can't be an ordinary hound. He must be a 'Houn' Dog' in the best sense of the word."
The late Rev. W. C. "Bill" Brooks entered his prize-winning bluetick coonhound, "Brooks' Blue Smokey", in the school's contest. At halftime of the Mississippi State game that season, several dogs were lined up on the old cheerleaders' ramp at Shields–Watkins Field for voting. Each dog was introduced over the loudspeaker, and the student body cheered for their favorite. "Blue Smokey" was the last hound introduced. When his name was called, he barked. The students cheered and Smokey threw his head back and howled again. This kept going until the stadium was in an uproar, and the University had found its mascot. "Blue Smokey" would compile a 10-10-1 record during his two seasons as Vols mascot. Tennessee's first mascot met a sudden and tragic end in 1955, as he was fatally struck by a car after escaping from his home.

Smokey II ("PR Brooks Blue Smokey II") took over for his father as the Vols' mascot when he was only 3 months old. In 1955, students from the University of Kentucky kidnapped him for eight days, dressing him in a blue and white blanket with a large ‘K’ and parading him around at a Wildcats pep rally. Smokey's captors returned him just before kickoff. A week later, three Vanderbilt students tried the same heist at the Brooks house, but ended up taking an old hunting dog instead. Smokey II was also involved in an incident with the Baylor Bears' live bear mascot Judge at the 1957 Sugar Bowl, with the bear taking a few swats at the hound. In 1963, Smokey died in Lexington shortly after the Vols' game against Kentucky, reportedly because someone fed him a chocolate pie.
Smokey III ("PR Brooks Blue Smokey III") assumed the role of Tennessee mascot on June 18, 1964.He compiled a 105-39-5 record, attended ten bowl games, and presided over two SEC championships during his tenure.
Smokey IV ("PR Blue Smokey Joe") became mascot on September 24, 1973. He compiled a 12-10-1 record with the Vols, but died of cancer on December 4, 1979. Smokey IV never produced offspring before his death, and thus the bloodline was broken.
Smokey V ("PR Blue Smokey V") was the nephew of Smokey IV. He assumed the role of mascot on June 1, 1980 when he was just 12-weeks-old, and he would then outgrow five jackets in one season. His reign came to an end when he was hit by a car.
Smokey VI served as mascot and presided over three SEC championships for Tennessee. His owner, the Rev. Bill Brooks, died during Smokey VI's tenure on September 17, 1986 at the age of 81. Brooks' wife, Mildred, then took over in caring for Smokey. During the 1991 UCLA game, Smokey suffered heat exhaustion in the 100+ degree temperatures and was listed on the Vols injury report until he returned later in the season. A kennel mate named "Woody" took over for him while he recovered. Smokey VI died in late 1991 of brain cancer at 10 years old.[8]
Smokey VII roamed the sidelines for Tennessee from 1992 to 1994. He was forced into early retirement after he nipped at the same UT band member in consecutive games in 1994.
Smokey VIII was the most successful of the live dogs, presiding as mascot as the Vols compiled a record of 91-22, claimed two SEC titles, and won a national championship in 1998. Born on November 10, 1994, Smokey VIII began his reign in 1995 and retired after the 2004 Peach Bowl in Atlanta after being diagnosed with a nasal tumor in December 2003.He underwent radiation treatment and then chemotherapy. The expected prognosis, with treatment was 13 months. Smokey VIII more than doubled that at two years, four months. "He served with distinction, weathered storms, cold and heat", recalled Earl Hudson, who owned the dog since it was two months old. "He came through it all real well and was always rearing to go. He was a great mascot." Smokey VIII died on March 17, 2006 after suffering complications from high blood pressure and kidney disease.
Smokey IX began his post at the 2004 Peach Bowl and was retired in 2012. This dog was known to be somewhat feisty. In 2006 he bit an Alabama player during pregame warm-ups. An ESPN article said a Crimson Tide receiver fell on the dog when the player jumped out of bounds for a pass. The athlete-dog interaction caused a dust-up among the rivals. Alabama said Smokey bit the player but UT say Smokey only nipped, getting a little of the receiver's uniform but not breaking the man's skin. He also took a nip at one of UT's own: running on the field after halftime of the Vols' game against Georgia State, he nipped backup long snapper Matt Giampapa on the hip. Giampapa wasn't hurt, and it was thought that Smokey may have seen a towel Giampapa had and mistaken for a towel his handlers use as a dog toy.
Smokey X, the current Smokey mascot, made his debut in 2013. During the week, he lives with the Hudson family. He is the first Smokey not descended from the original Smokey bloodline, but he is the first from a new Tennessee-born and bred bloodline. On game days and while attending to official mascot duties, Smokey is handled by members of UT's Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. For home games, he usually spends the weekend in the fraternity house on UT's campus.
The live hound mascot has been featured in television news segments. Additionally, in 2012, the University of Tennessee Press published a book about Smokey's history, written by Tennessee sports historian Tom Mattingly and Smokey's owner, Earl Hudson (the brother-in-law of Rev. Brooks, the original owner of Smokey).
 
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