Comments on: The State of Hate: Football Rivalries at Tennessee http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/ Life, the Universe, and the Bounce of the Ball Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:03:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Al Baker http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-4650 Al Baker Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:21:27 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-4650 -- Rivalries are the essence of college football -- Great article on rivalries. I just did a search to try to find out when the Tide/Vol rivalry became so intense. I found your site, but did not find my answer. Maybe you can help me. I have been a Tide fan almost all of my life. I took a hiatus after they fired Curry and did not return until Shula was coach. Anyway, several Tide fans I know hate the Vols with such passion. I am watching UCLA-Vols right now and called one of these guys, asking, "Are you pulling for the SEC?" His response was like yours towards UF. I cannot understand this. I don't care who is playing, if there is an SEC team playing anyone outside the SEC I do not blink...I pull for the SEC. My wife (you're gonna love this), a Gator, asked me why Tide fans hate the Vols so much. Thus my question. Can you tell me? I enjoyed reading your article and read your spewing about UF to my wife who loved it. She is the same way towards Georgia and FSU. I remember the days growing up (60s-70s) and seeing the national network bias against the SEC - treating our teams like a bunch of redneck morons. USC and Notre Dame were always treated with such respect. Now it seems to be generally understood that the SEC is the strong conference in the nation...but I still hate ANY team playing against an SEC team. I love nothing more than seeing Eagles, Vols, Tide, Bulldogs, Gators, et.al. beat up on anyone and everyone during bowl season. That is my hope anyway. – Rivalries are the essence of college football –
Great article on rivalries. I just did a search to try to find out when the Tide/Vol rivalry became so intense. I found your site, but did not find my answer. Maybe you can help me.

I have been a Tide fan almost all of my life. I took a hiatus after they fired Curry and did not return until Shula was coach. Anyway, several Tide fans I know hate the Vols with such passion. I am watching UCLA-Vols right now and called one of these guys, asking, “Are you pulling for the SEC?” His response was like yours towards UF. I cannot understand this. I don’t care who is playing, if there is an SEC team playing anyone outside the SEC I do not blink…I pull for the SEC.

My wife (you’re gonna love this), a Gator, asked me why Tide fans hate the Vols so much. Thus my question. Can you tell me?
I enjoyed reading your article and read your spewing about UF to my wife who loved it. She is the same way towards Georgia and FSU.

I remember the days growing up (60s-70s) and seeing the national network bias against the SEC – treating our teams like a bunch of redneck morons. USC and Notre Dame were always treated with such respect. Now it seems to be generally understood that the SEC is the strong conference in the nation…but I still hate ANY team playing against an SEC team. I love nothing more than seeing Eagles, Vols, Tide, Bulldogs, Gators, et.al. beat up on anyone and everyone during bowl season. That is my hope anyway.

]]> By: I P Orange http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1070 I P Orange Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:33:50 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1070 I was in Kindergarten in 1970 and can't remember the win. I was a senior in high school the next time we won. And I grew up a half mile north of the border. I can say that I share the respect for the rivalry with Alabama, but I can't say that I root for them out of conference. At times I have managed, but not often. Too many bad memories. While their more ignorant fans are annoying (and numerous), they are tolerable, and their better fans are quite friendly. I do hate Florida, but mostly because they're really good, and we're not good at beating them these days and Alabama is. As for hatred of fans themselves and not the team, there are no fans more worthy than the trash at LSU. I was in Kindergarten in 1970 and can’t remember the win. I was a senior in high school the next time we won. And I grew up a half mile north of the border. I can say that I share the respect for the rivalry with Alabama, but I can’t say that I root for them out of conference. At times I have managed, but not often. Too many bad memories. While their more ignorant fans are annoying (and numerous), they are tolerable, and their better fans are quite friendly. I do hate Florida, but mostly because they’re really good, and we’re not good at beating them these days and Alabama is. As for hatred of fans themselves and not the team, there are no fans more worthy than the trash at LSU.

]]> By: Ben http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1067 Ben Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:10:30 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1067 It really comes down to geography as was mentioned above. That said... I really have a hard time believing that 50% of the fanbase would claim Tennessee as their biggest rival. Not that I don't understand the desire to claim Tennessee as public enemy No.1. Alabama has beat them in recent memory. It really comes down to geography as was mentioned above. That said…

I really have a hard time believing that 50% of the fanbase would claim Tennessee as their biggest rival. Not that I don’t understand the desire to claim Tennessee as public enemy No.1. Alabama has beat them in recent memory.

]]> By: Alessandra Ambrosia’s Goodies (The All-Vols Edition) « Third Saturday in Blogtober http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1066 Alessandra Ambrosia’s Goodies (The All-Vols Edition) « Third Saturday in Blogtober Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:12:15 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1066 [...] LawVol looks at the anatomy of a rivalry. [...] [...] LawVol looks at the anatomy of a rivalry. [...]

]]> By: gerry dorsey http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1058 gerry dorsey Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:34:46 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1058 well i am different than most bama fans in that lsu is the end all be all "rivalry" for me. geography has been mentioned a time or two, and i was born and raised DEEP in tiger country. however, since my family had no lsu ties, i was trained to hate their obnoxiousness at a very early age. my girlfriend went to lsu, her whole family loves them, and 90% of my friends from high school went there. what does this mean?? my phone/inbox blowup every time lsu does something of note. as you mentioned in regards to florida, i never pull for lsu in anything. i would pull for al quaeda against lsu. remember pre-2000 when lsu struggled to be relevant?? i sure do miss those days. this november will be my 12th straight bama/lsu game...please lord let the "trend" end. after lsu, auburn and tennessee are respected rivals, but not so much hated...at least for this bama fan. well i am different than most bama fans in that lsu is the end all be all “rivalry” for me. geography has been mentioned a time or two, and i was born and raised DEEP in tiger country. however, since my family had no lsu ties, i was trained to hate their obnoxiousness at a very early age. my girlfriend went to lsu, her whole family loves them, and 90% of my friends from high school went there. what does this mean?? my phone/inbox blowup every time lsu does something of note. as you mentioned in regards to florida, i never pull for lsu in anything. i would pull for al quaeda against lsu. remember pre-2000 when lsu struggled to be relevant?? i sure do miss those days. this november will be my 12th straight bama/lsu game…please lord let the “trend” end.

after lsu, auburn and tennessee are respected rivals, but not so much hated…at least for this bama fan.

]]> By: lawvol http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1054 lawvol Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:24:50 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1054 Well, Alabama will always be the biggest rival in my book. For more thoughts from Bama Fans, check out a little discussion I started over at Roll Bama Roll: <a href="http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2008/7/14/571273/a-question-from-vol-land" rel="nofollow">A Little Question from Vol-Land</a> Glad you all didn't take it personally... Well, Alabama will always be the biggest rival in my book. For more thoughts from Bama Fans, check out a little discussion I started over at Roll Bama Roll:

A Little Question from Vol-Land

Glad you all didn’t take it personally…

]]> By: tidefanintn http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1051 tidefanintn Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:48:26 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1051 Good read. For me, Auburn is slightly bigger, mostly because of family ties, but I enjoy the Third Saturday in October more, if only because Vols fans are fans of their team. Auburn fans are just anti-Alabama folks. Good read. For me, Auburn is slightly bigger, mostly because of family ties, but I enjoy the Third Saturday in October more, if only because Vols fans are fans of their team. Auburn fans are just anti-Alabama folks.

]]> By: crimson daddy http://gate21.net/2008/07/13/the-state-of-hate-football-rivalries-at-tennessee/comment-page-1/#comment-1049 crimson daddy Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:36:02 +0000 http://gate21.net/?p=444#comment-1049 As far as Alabama goes, I think two factors play a part. Geography and age. The further north you go in the state, the more fans you'll find that will say Tennessee is the biggest rival, no matter the age. For the rest of the state, I'd say the older the fan is, the more likely he'll say Tennessee because this rivalry has meant much more over the years than the Iron Bowl has. And really, the Iron Bowl didn't gain significance until Bryant's heyday. I think if you polled the entire fanbase, it'd be close to 50-50. I think you know how I feel on this issue. As far as Alabama goes, I think two factors play a part. Geography and age. The further north you go in the state, the more fans you’ll find that will say Tennessee is the biggest rival, no matter the age. For the rest of the state, I’d say the older the fan is, the more likely he’ll say Tennessee because this rivalry has meant much more over the years than the Iron Bowl has. And really, the Iron Bowl didn’t gain significance until Bryant’s heyday. I think if you polled the entire fanbase, it’d be close to 50-50.

I think you know how I feel on this issue.

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