bowl game shame

SOTD: Miranda Lambert - 'Famous In A Small Town'

It's difficult to get excited about tonight's BCS championship game between Auburn and Oregon considering the events of this past weekend, but perhaps having a destraction to occupy our minds for a few hours and remind us that life goes on will have a positive effect for those in need.

That said, I remember when my Tennessee Vols played in the first BCS game back on January 4, 1999. I was an 18 year old senior at Cumberland County High School, waiting for my letter of acceptance from the University of Tennessee. As part of an early release program, I worked at the local radio station several afternoons a week where I would gather news stories and topics of local interest that I could piece together for the weekend reports which I would not only produce, but also record and broadcast, typically, by myself. This is probably the coolest job a kid growing up in Crossville could ever have!

One of the perks of my job was the occasional ticket to a really cool concert, and New Years Eve 1998 was no exception. I accompanied the boss's 10 year old daughter, his wife, and one of the girls in ad sales to Nashville where we rang in the new year with box seats at the then annual Tim McGraw and Faith Hill NYE concert. But the coolest part for me was the opening act, the Dixie Chicks, who I still love today! After such an exciting night, I could hardly say no when I was asked to work the next day and the weekend that followed. 

That weekend I reported numerous news stories. But every broadcast had one common thread, the mention of the upcoming Fiesta Bowl Championship game between Tennessee and Florida State. As many of you probably already know, the Fiesta Bowl was played in Tempe, Arizona. I knew this too. What I didn't know apparently, was how to pronounce, Tempe. In each and every story I reported 'Temp-pay' rather than the correct 'Temp-pee' and it didn't take long for the townsfolk to let me know I was doing it wrong. Unfortunately, I didn't receive personal calls at work and had never really sparked a response from the listeners, so even though I noticed the phone lines lighting up like a Christmas tree, it was days after the actual game before I learned that dozens of messages had been left for me with the correct pronunciation, and in some cases a couple of other choice words. But I never went on air again without first making sure I knew how to say each and every word I reported, including some very difficult names for the obituaries.

My work with the radio station became the catalyst for what would be my future studies at UT. I had the time of my life working at WOW 102.5fm and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. As for the 1999 BCS game, UT beat FSU 23 to 16 and I began studies at the University of Tennessee in the fall of 1999 under the National Championship Banner.

Tonight, I will be pulling for a typical Tennessee rival, the Auburn Tigers. When my team plays, I cheer for the Vols, but if the Vols aren't playing, I root for the SEC. In the years of the BCS Championship games, when an SEC team has played, they've won every time. It would be a shame if Auburn let the whole conference down. Go Tigers! Make those Ducks quack!!