Just the other day I realized I was getting older…

The reason for this shocking moment of enlightenment was the fact that this past weekend was the 10th anniversary of my graduation from the University of Tennessee (Hmmm, I suppose it’s time for me to start considering my options for Medicare insurance supplements…).

Anyway, bearing this in mind, I thought I’d start a wandering trip down memory lane re-visiting some of my all-time favorite games played by the Big Orange over the next few days. I welcome any comments from the peanut gallery on my choices, and ones I forgot…

16 November 1991

vs.

Ole Miss 25 • Tennessee 36

Neyland Stadium

You might wonder why this game made my all-time favorites list, however, in my life as a Tennessee fan, this is where it all began.

I have been a Tennessee fan, to some degree, my entire life. My Mom grew up in East Tennessee, and went to school at UT. Thus, I had been aware of that “orange school” over the mountains from my childhood home in Western North Carolina since I was old enough to be aware of much of anything. That said, in those pre-Heath Shuler days, Western North Carolina was still largely dominated by fans of the Tarheads and other members of the ACC. Thus, my exposure to all that is Tennessee was somewhat limited.

Then, in 1991, my Father had been given three tickets to the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Tennessee Volunteers by a friend who worked the sideline chain-gang and who — in normal life — worked for a vendor supplying the hospital where my Father worked. It just so happened that we were already planning to visit my Grandmother in Norris, Tennessee that same weekend. Thus, my Dad convinced my Mother that the three of us should go catch the game. Whether this arose because he wanted to see the game, because he wanted to broaden my viewpoint on sports, or just because he didn’t feel like listening to my Mother and Grandmother argue all weekend is open to discussion. Either way, this was to be an auspicious day in the history of my life.

I had been on campus before, but surprisingly, I really had little recollection of the stadium, and amazingly forgot where it was even located. That changed…

Neyland Stadium circa. 1991

We arrived early, and my Dad’s chain-gang friend managed to get us on the field for pre-game warm-ups. This was the first time I’d ever been on the field at any major college sporting event. Standing down on the field the only thing that went through my mind was “This stadium is friggin’ huge!” Now, mind you, this was almost a generation ago, and the stadium looked different than it does now. There was only one pressbox, the field was Tartan Turf as opposed to grass, the North endzone didn’t have an upperdeck, The Vols bench was on the west sidelines, and the scoreboards were … well … less than impressive. Still, the sheer scope and size of the space, wrapped around “the greensward of Shields Watkins Field” (as John Ward would always say) was formidable.

The Kickin’ Scoreboards of 1991

Thus, despite being well into my teenage angst years, I was pretty impressed. I was even more impressed when two Tennessee defenders (whose names I never actually caught) began doing a little hitting practice right in front of me. The “crack” from the impact was much louder at a distance of six feet than it was on television.

From there we exited the Northeast portal of Neyland Stadium and made our way back around to the front. Ticket in hand, I entered the real Gate 21 for the very first time in my life. We took our seats and the rest is history. The only thing I actually remember about the game itself was that Tennessee recorded a safety in the first half and that they beat Ole Miss far more soundly than the score reflected.

My memories about that first game in Neyland Stadium are not so much about the game as they are about the “experience” of the game. That game still resonates with me to this day. I remember being taken aback by all of the orange, I remember watching pre-game and the opening of the “T“, I remember just being overwhelmed with the size of this event called “gameday.“

I was hooked…

If she were honest, however, my Mother would probably have to say that was her least favorite game, because she wanted me to go to Emory University, and on that Fall afternoon in 1991 I pretty much made up my mind about where I would be going to college. The die was cast, and I was bound to be a Volunteer.

In the 17 years since that Ole Miss vs. Tennessee game in 1991, I have attended 107 more Tennessee football games in person and I am sure there are many more to come…

…be that as it may, that first one is still special in my book.

– Go Figure …

Scoreboard Image Courtesy of: The VIB

About the Author:  "Lawvol" -- I'm just a guy living in North Carolina who has an unnatural fascination with the color orange. Just because I'm a Tennessee alum and die-hard Volunteer fan doesn't mean that I can't poke a little fun at the Big Orange and anybody else for that matter. Feel free to complain all you want. >> Read more from this author

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