It was a perfect day. I’m going to take this opportunity and take a break from the usual retrospective of the game and instead describe what I found to be as good of a day I’ve had as a Tennessee fan that I can remember in quite some time.
First, my father, two younger brothers and I got in to Knoxville around 6 p.m. Friday night (by the way, what did they do with I 40 thru town??? Man, a lot has changed), checked in to the hotel, made run for some adult beverages and went to a down town establishment for food and drinks. We were able to meet up with an old friend of mine and was finally able to meet and talk to Hatvol96. Hat, again, nice to talk to you Friday night, hopefully it won’t be another 3 years before I make it back over there. The food and beverages were excellent and round about midnight we made the walk back to the hotel sufficiently filled with food and local brew.
We got up Saturday morning to find a very crisp morning; it felt like football season finally. It looked like it too. The sky was that perfect shade of blue, the leaves on the trees are in the beginning stages of turning, cars and trucks are driving around town with MSU and TN flags on the windows……….you hear a few “go vols” and a few “go dawgs” walking around the lobby. We met some very nice folks from Starkville that morning and were able to swap stories quite easily since we are from North Mississippi originally and have all been (both my brothers went to MSU) to MSU on several occasions.
From there, we made our way down to campus, around 10 a.m., because we were fortunate enough to have a guided tour of Neyland Stadium scheduled (thanks Dad for getting that arranged….) with virtually no one in it. I’ve been to that stadium a hundred times, but I have a whole new appreciation for the facilities we all talk up around here. The locker rooms, players’ and coaches’ lounges are top notch. The new letter winners’ lounge is extremely nice, if for nothing else than its location. Going thru the “inner sanctum” of Neyland, I really felt like I was part of this thing called Tennessee Football.
Then, we were able to go out on to the field, and I simply have to say, as someone that has been a lifelong Tennessee fan and now a 35 year old father, I felt like a 6 year old on Christmas morning. Standing in the tunnel and seeing the view that players like Peyton Manning and Al Wilson and Reggie White saw before they ran out thru the T was….well. …..pretty cool. Also pretty cool was being able to get a picture of a father and his three sons standing on the Power T on the 50 yard line on such a beautiful morning. Truly a great moment for us all, as we got to share something that we’ve all be passionate about for basically all our lives.
Now it was lunch time, so let’s hit the strip, have some more adult beverages and some food. I’ve seen the strip change over the years, but man, I can only say it was a lot “cooler” when I was in school. I almost feel sorry for the students today. Buffalo Wild Wings? Blasphemy, considering the ground that place is built on. Someone should do SOMETHING with the old O’Charley’s building, even if only to bull doze it for more tail gaiting space. We wound up at The Roaming Gnome (formerly Charlie Pepper’s), and it was fine for what we needed it for. So far so good. All that’s left now is to get ready for the game. Back to the hotel for a quick change, tickets and……..more adult beverages.
Now, at this point, we’re all in a very good mood, we’ve already had a great day, and to be able to cap it off with the game, well at this point, we’re calling it a bonus. Keep in mind, my brother and I have made bets on the winner, though neither of us really believes our team will win. My dad is as cynical as ever about the state of the program, Fulmer, and this game. My youngest brother is confused as he brought both orange and maroon and he didn’t know which would be appropriate……..in the end, he chose wisely. We get to our section, and by the way, I’d like to thank all the fine folks in section QQ that either put up with or were entertained by us as a group. As the day wore on, and the game got going, adult beverages had, of course, been a constant theme throughout the weekend. And unlike the guy sitting behind us up to the left………we’re fun drunks.
We make it thru the 1st half and we’re commenting on what a horrid game it is up 6-3 in what had otherwise been the perfect game for PPV. Fortunately for us, the 2nd half brought out the best in our defense that made play after play, capped off by the pick 6’s by Morley and Berry (I think that’s right……..stupid adult beverages). And once again, as we had the whole day, we were having fun. Once the game got started, we didn’t find ourselves talking about buyouts or replacements or any of the topics of the day that seem to consume our football side of life this season. It was just 3 brothers and their dad enjoying football game……… and some adult beverages.
And as I drove the group of us back to Charlotte yesterday morning it occurred to me that as much as I do enjoy all the debating back and forth and believe in my convictions on what should be happening at UTK right now, this weekend reminded me of why I love college football, Tennessee football in particular, in the first place. It’s not always been about winning or losing, it’s simply that they play. It provides the event that brings family and friends together. So, for those of you that get to do that every weekend, I’m sure you think I’ve romanticized this in excess, but as someone who hasn’t been to a game in three years and hasn’t been to a game with his father and two brothers since I don’t know when, I think the perspective it gave me, even for one weekend, was invaluable. I know I won’t ever forget it.
Thanks Dad, Matt and Nick. I had a great time.
Go Vols. Beat Bama!