October 5th 2013

I tried to explain to a guy from New York the “orange thing” today. I had to work, & although I do possess a couple of official Co-op shirts in orange, I was wearing a jersey.

“What’s with the orange? Y’all got a game today?”

Although Georgia isn’t viewed with the same hatred that fuels us against Florida or Bama, they are still SEC & it’s still a “big game”.

I thought for a second & finally said, “I can’t imagine NOT wearing orange on game day. I can’t imagine not caring about the turnout of a Vols game. I’m working till four, or I would be down there, screaming my head off with a hundred thousand other die-hards, because that’s what we do. That’s what my momma’s doin’, & that’s what my grandmother used to do, & that’s just what you do if you if you’re born here in big orange country.” He looked at me a while, cocked his head like a cocker spaniel, & said, “You people are a rare breed. You’re loyal to the end. Syracuse fans will leave in the first quarter if they’re down by ten.” I just smiled, & didn’t say the rest, but I’ll tell y’all:

  I don’t know how to explain it to you. I can’t make you understand how we pray to God while sneaking bourbon & simultaneously yelling obscenities & introducing ourselves to our neighbors & taking pictures of families who are there for their first game. I can’t describe the feeling of camaraderie that comes from singing Rocky Top with Knoxville’s population at least three hundred times in under four hours. There are Vol fans all over. I’ve seen them in Vegas, Portland Oregon, all over Texas, & even FLORIDA. I’ve seen us in all seasons, in all shapes & sizes, colors,& ages.I’ve seen us in varying stages of sobriety. We aren’t a rare breed, we are TENNESSEE. What can I say, but I am my mothers daughter. And I bleed BIG ORANGE. Good game guys. You did your best. Love ya already, Butch.

And one year later….

October 5th 2014

Growing up, I was taught there are two subjects taboo for polite company: religion & politics. Well. Facebook is anything BUT polite, and I reckon sports are fair game (pun intended) so here goes.

First of all GO BIG ORANGE!!! Now & forever. Emotions were running high yesterday, and I’m still brokenhearted. I tend to reach the end of my fuse rather quickly, and I elected not to get involved with any snarling debates. But today I said, that’s it.

If you live here, you root for the Vols. Period. I don’t give a red rat’s ass if you were born elsewhere, raised elsewhere, went to college elsewhere. Cheer for them when they play everyone else. When they play UT, you put on your orange & sing Rocky Top. Or you have the good taste to keep your dang mouth shut. This is the same principle as “Mexican Pride” {oh, yes, I did} Drop your loyalties at the border. You’re here now. You chose to be here for one reason or another. You don’t like it? Go back to your precious hometown, then. Or shut up. I think most of Florida’s fans are jealous of the loyalty we show our team, win or lose. I remember when playing Florida was just a blip on our radar, Alabama was the team to beat. But Spurrier made them surly, so here we are.

As far as Muschamp’s comments post game, he was out of line. Yes, I’m well aware of what was being hollered in the stadium, and while that is the very definition of poor sportsmanship, I believe it was primarily the student section. Coaches should be held to a higher standard & should exhibit better morals. Like Butch Jones. But I guess that’s part of the reason Florida’s head coach’s head is on the chopping block, since way before yesterday.

Spare me the lecture on how there are many more things to be worrying about, and if our biggest concern is football, then we are in high cotton, indeed. I know.

I don’t want to hear how it’s “just a game” or the whining about all the money wasted on the athletic program. UT football brings  a lot of revenue into Knoxville & Sevier County. Furthermore, some kids dream of growing up & playing for the University of Tennessee. Or playing for the Pride of the Southland Band. Sure, it would make me proud to have a cousin who enlisted in the Army right out of school, but to each their own.

I am not interested in any comments to the contrary of my statement here. I am smack in the middle of my “sore loser” stage.

VFL.