Vol for Life? Well it’s not a new concept, and now we have entered into an era in which they are being born. They meaning Vols who will grow up and give their all for Tennessee. Some of them are 10 years old learning from their dad what it means to be a Volunteer and some of them are 25 years old who once only new prosperity. Some of them are just new to Tennessee and have fell in love with Big Orange Country.
The thing people often do not understand is adversity creates some of the greatest passion and the most loyal friends. Ask any Alabama fan what it was like after the great Paul Bear Bryant retired minus the Gene Stallings teams in the early 90’s until the Saban era. As much as the state of Alabama sickens me they know heartache with their team, and so do I. However it did not start in 2005 when I watched Vanderbilt beat us on our home field or when our coach Phil Fulmer was fired and we lost to Wyoming. When CLK skipped town and his mad dog tried to sabotage our recruiting class and Mike Hamilton flew around the country getting rejected by every coach in D1 the heartache did not begin for me. Last week when we lost to Florida and lost the best WR in the nation it was not a new feeling to me.
So when did it begin for me? It all started in Orlando Florida December 17, 1983 Citrus Bowl. Boomer Esiason was the QB for Maryland and it was my first game on a neutral Field. I was six years old and I had never seen the other fans. I knew little about the game, but when Reggie White sacked Boomer and knocked him out of the game Tennessee went on to win after a 2nd half comeback and finished #15 in the nation. It was our highest ranking since 1972. On that night I became a VFL. One year later we played Maryland again in the Sun Bowl. We were winning 21-0 at halftime. Maryland came back and had us 28-27 with hardly any time left on the clock. We had one of the best FG kickers in College Football and were driving. Our QB Tony Robinson who had a golden arm ran the ball into field goal range but when he was being tackled the ball hit his knee and he fumbled. Maryland recovered and ran out the clock. I was seven years old. I cried.
In 1994 I was a senior in high school and Jerry Colquitt a 5th year senior waited behind Heath Shuler who left to go to the NFL for his chance to play. All summer we heard of how impressive he was and how confident the new head coach Phillip Fulmer was in his veteran QB. Finally the season opener was here and Tennessee’s first game was at UCLA. On the third play of the season Colquitt ran for the first down and tore his ACL. I was seventeen years old. I cried.
I know Tennessee fans are frustrated now, but now is the time when VFL’s are born. When you have to go to work and defend your team because there are no Vol fans around after a loss or at least any who can intelligently speak about the game you are creating a passion and loyalty that represents VFL. One day we will win again. We will chant SEC SEC SEC, and we will celebrate like we never have before. Just so you know……..I may cry.
Go Vols
RR
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