But for Tennessee Vol fans they occur most often in the months between September and January (obviously this is only my opinion...I am sure they happen all year long!).
Growing up in East Tennessee I have never NOT known what it's like to experience a University of Tennessee football game (I am sure there is something to be said for my grammar, too! And trust me, the two are in direct correlations with one another). I love to hear stories from other people after their first game. The crowd, the noise, the stadium...there is nothing like it. You may think you know the college football experience, but let me tell you if you haven't been to Neyland Stadium on a crisp Saturday afternoon.....you haven't tasted true football (this is not my opinion...it's actually fact).
Brandon and I (along with about 102,000 other people) share in the excitement of game day! We like to go to the stadium a little early so we can watch the band pre-game. Both he and I get goose bumps watching the Pride of the Southland band form the power "T" on the field. Then watching the "T" open and Smoky lead the way for our boys in orange and white to take the field. It's like a weekly rite. It makes me proud. It PUMPS me UP!
We have one of the largest stadiums in college football, which naturally leads to one of the loudest stadiums. And if you aren't a Vol fan, you probably get sick of hearing Rocky Top by the end of the first quarter. But if you are a VOL fan....you sing as loud as you can and hit every "WOOOOOOH" with enthusiasm (if you aren't a Vol fan you may not know what the Woooh is...).
Brandon was a northern boy (was) who was probably pretty confident in his college football experiences. I think he paints the best picture of what it was like his first time at a UT football game. It would have been really helpful for me to have some kind of quote or story from him here, but I don't. What? I am not a journalist, I am just a girl with a blog. But, I do know he will tell you it will actually take your breath away. It will make you look around and wonder if you have entered some alternate universe (probably for several reasons).
And maybe you aren't a UT Vols fan. Maybe you love some other team. That's okay (not really). You may have your own rituals where you do silly stuff and sing silly songs...that's cool (no...it's not). But you have to admit....there's nothing like watching your team take the field for the first time and the friendships (although sometimes very short lived) that you make with other fans while in the stadium, bar, garage...watching your team run down the field.
Welcome to football season! Let's go VOLS! It's great to be a Tennessee Vol Fan! Come join us in East Tennessee sometime this season. I guarantee you won't regret it...and you may even leave with a new understanding of what college football is REALLY about! GO VOLS!
I rarely put up links to other pages/sites. But, this video below is worth the click. It's all East Tennessee....everything from the orange and white to the accent and pronunciation of "the hill". Please check it out...it's better than any other video or picture on my page today! I just wish I could have uploaded the video instead of leaving a link! You will have to copy and paste the link...sorry!
http://utsports.tv/featured/life-is-orange-and-white
And just one more video....
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be......
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