Volosaurus rex
Doctorate in Volology
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With all due respect to the streak-snapping victories of 1982 and 1995, my single favorite memory of The Third Saturday in October would have to be the 1969 game. It wasn't a play per se, but this event was illustrative of just how thoroughly we dominated the Tide in that game, one in which we led 34-0 before 'bama added a couple of late touchdowns for cosmetic effect:
"Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner chastised Alabama players for not playing better for Bear Bryant in the 1969 game at Legion Field. Former Tennessee assistant coach Bob Davis was there on the sidelines when it happened. Tennessee was ahead 34-0, and coach Doug Dickey was getting his first-line defenders out of the game. 'They had a play that ended right in front of us,' Davis said. Before he came to the bench, Kiner screamed at the Alabama players. He pointed to Coach Bryant and said, 'Look over there at that poor old man. He looks pitiful. Can you see him? You've let him down. You should be ashamed of yourselves'" (Tom Mattingly: SEC talk not for the faint of heart » GoVolsXtra).
Other accounts also allege that Kiner added as a final stinging remark: "There was a time when those crimson jerseys meant something."
I met Coach Fulmer once and mentioned this incident since he was on the team at that time. He said, "The strange thing is that Steve really did say that!" According to this 1971 article, Kiner said something else to Bryant after the game that really struck a nerve:
"In 1969 even Vanderbilt beat Alabama. And there was the time that same year when, after Tennessee had humbled the Tide 41-14, Tennessee Linebacker Steve Kiner came up to Bryant and said, 'Gee, Coach, they don't seem to have the same pride in wearing that red jersey anymore.' Bryant [would] never forget Kiner's words." See That is what Alabama had lost, along with 10 games in - 10.11.71 - SI Vault.
Apparently, there was a great mutual respect between Kiner and Bryant, who described our two-time All-American as "the best linebacker in the SEC since Lee Roy Jordan." See Archives for July 2012 | The Vol Historian | GoVolsXtra.com. It is easy to understand why. If anything, Steve's performance in the '69 Alabama game surpassed Al Wilson's sterling performance in the 1998 Florida game. Kiner was a one-man wrecking crew in that victory over 'bama; he amassed "five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble." See UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football.
"Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner chastised Alabama players for not playing better for Bear Bryant in the 1969 game at Legion Field. Former Tennessee assistant coach Bob Davis was there on the sidelines when it happened. Tennessee was ahead 34-0, and coach Doug Dickey was getting his first-line defenders out of the game. 'They had a play that ended right in front of us,' Davis said. Before he came to the bench, Kiner screamed at the Alabama players. He pointed to Coach Bryant and said, 'Look over there at that poor old man. He looks pitiful. Can you see him? You've let him down. You should be ashamed of yourselves'" (Tom Mattingly: SEC talk not for the faint of heart » GoVolsXtra).
Other accounts also allege that Kiner added as a final stinging remark: "There was a time when those crimson jerseys meant something."
I met Coach Fulmer once and mentioned this incident since he was on the team at that time. He said, "The strange thing is that Steve really did say that!" According to this 1971 article, Kiner said something else to Bryant after the game that really struck a nerve:
"In 1969 even Vanderbilt beat Alabama. And there was the time that same year when, after Tennessee had humbled the Tide 41-14, Tennessee Linebacker Steve Kiner came up to Bryant and said, 'Gee, Coach, they don't seem to have the same pride in wearing that red jersey anymore.' Bryant [would] never forget Kiner's words." See That is what Alabama had lost, along with 10 games in - 10.11.71 - SI Vault.
Apparently, there was a great mutual respect between Kiner and Bryant, who described our two-time All-American as "the best linebacker in the SEC since Lee Roy Jordan." See Archives for July 2012 | The Vol Historian | GoVolsXtra.com. It is easy to understand why. If anything, Steve's performance in the '69 Alabama game surpassed Al Wilson's sterling performance in the 1998 Florida game. Kiner was a one-man wrecking crew in that victory over 'bama; he amassed "five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble." See UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football.
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