Now that I am finally done with my trial, I can begin to get back to things that really matter, namely spending endless hours blogging…

Needless to say, this has been a football season which could drive a Tennessee fan to drink, sniff glue, use leeches, beat up little old ladies on the side of the road, or some similar vice.  Between mounting losses, SEC and BCS irrelevance, the controversy over the legacy of the Great Punkin, and bickering among the fans, the battle for the soul of Big Orange fans has never been more feverishly pitched.

That said, I am still convicted—perhaps even more so—that there is no other team I’d ever follow and that it is truly great to be one of the many Tennessee Volunteers.  Thus, I thought I’d offer up a little list—just to remind the doom and gloom crowd that life really isn’t all that bad (and for reasons which should be fairly obvious, “21” is the top of the list).

Thus, here are 21 Things that make it great to be a Tennessee Volunteer:

>> (Lawvol’s first attempt at) Flash (which he couldn’t get to resize properly) Version <<

Full Version after the Jump…

** Many images, may load slowly on dial-up connections

1. The Great Smoky Mountains

All of nature’s glory for the senses to behold.

2. Fort Sanders

I mean, it’s pretty cool to have your college be right in the middle of a battlefield—and a super cool neighborhood.

3. The Sea of Orange!

Such a sublime hue, chosen due to the American Daisy which used grow on the Hill.

4. Bobby Denton urging us “to pay these prices, and please pay … NO MORE!”

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I doubt that I would ever intentionally pay more than the advertised price for a watered-down cup of sort-o-Coke-like-substance, but I appreciate the reminder.  Not sure where is came from, but I like it!

5. The Sunsphere

Sure, Bart Simpson said it was a wig shop, but we know better…

6. Painting the Rock

The joys of conveying a spirited message, paint fumes, and geology…

7. The Vol Navy

Arrrggh, life on the High Seas of … er… Lake Loudon!

8. Checkerboards

Can you guess which of these photos inspired the chekerbaord endzones?  Love ‘em, no ifs, ands, or buts.

9. Counting the sides on Hodges Library

I’ve always lost count after about a million or so…

10. Cumberland Avenue

Our ramshackle but welcoming little strip.

11. Rafter Banners

Don’t they look nice?

12. The Pride of the Southland Band

Gotta love those circle drills and that “Pregame tradition unrivaled in college football” which leads to the opening of the “T”!

13. “Vic”

Also known as “the Torchbearer,” he and I go way back, thus I call him by name (after all, the statue was fashioned in the likeness of Tennessee’s own Victor Davis).

14. Ayres Hall & The Hill

Ahh, the traditions of the Hill and Ayres Hall, not least of which would include me barely passing Calculus…

15. Smokey

Such a cute pooch, unless you’re an Alabama player, that is…

16. Bruce Almighty

In Bruce we Trust!

17. The Wizard of Knoxville

Best in the World—no contest, no discussion, no argument.

18. Rocky Top

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Don’t you just love the fact that our “unofficial” fight song is about moonshine … and that opposing fans hate it so much?  Despite having played Rocky Top over 4000 times while in the Pride of the Southland at Tennessee (yes, we did keep track with the hallowed “clicker”), I still never grow tired of hearing it.

19. The Tommy Bowl

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It used to be simply “the Big Brown Box,”  but thanks to Bruce and the Barbarians, it’s got a whole new name.

20. Neyland Stadium

How could you not stand in awe of the fort known as “Neyland” along the banks of the Tennessee?

21. The awe inspiring beauty of Gate 21 (Yeah, I’m biased)

Just look at it, makes you want to cry, doesn’t it?

Anyway, now that you’ve had a chance to look at my little list, maybe some of the folks out there will realize that things really aren’t all that bad, and will smile a bit.

Oh and, yes, you guessed correctly—I hope for this to become a new feature here at the Gate.

Now, it’s time to get ready for the ThunderChickens…

– Go Figure …

Images Courtesy of: (Flickr)  CessVass • Major Vols • Joelk75 • ladyvols1’s • deanna515 • MagnoliaJazz • Merelymere • abthompson • Dr. Reelgood & Co. • Michael Wender • asm.photo • JW Photo • ut9099 • MikkiAllen29 • Grant.Harley • Cesarito85 • DavidCFoster • Cliff Michaels • Rusty Tanton

(Other) Nial in America • SECSportsFan.com • ChotoMarine • pBase • ThinkLia.com • Dynamic Art Photography • Friends of the Fort • Encyclopedia Britannica • GatorTailgating.com • AP • Sports Illustrated • Reeves Maps • Sabir 265 • f8 and be there • Worlds Fair Photos.com • The University of Tennessee • PhillipFulmer.com • TheLinkery.com • The BruceBall Blog.com • BrendenLoy.com •  Replay Photos • Legions of the Miserable • Fulmer’s Belly • PlanetWare.com • Pics4.city-data.com • UTSports.com • Pride of the Southland Marching Band • Go Vols Xtra • Knoxville News Sentinel • TNJN.com

Audio Courtesy of: The University of Tennessee / Vol Network / IMG • University of Tennessee / Pride of the Southland Marching Band / House of Bryant Publishing

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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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