SOTD: Kenny Chesney - "Touchdown Tennessee"
Today is one of my favorite days of the year, right behind my birthday & Black Friday, it's officially the start of the college football season. And before I go any further, I would like to address the 'elephant' in the room...against all my instincts, I've decided to call a truce with my family and our Tennessee/Alabama/Georgia rivalries. Well, that is, of course, until we play each other! So as long as you aren't playing my precious Vols, I suppose I can, at the very least, think happy thoughts.
Except for Florida. It's just too much to ask.
As the Vols prepare to kick off against Montana, I am reminded of my very first Tennessee game. It was the fall of 1999, my freshman year at the University of Tennessee. I had been on campus for about two & a half weeks, one of which was spent going through sorority rush, so as the season opener against Wyoming approached, my anticipation grew with each passing day.
For those of you who didn't grow up on Rocky Top, you should probably know that in the year prior, the Vols won the National Championship. And if I'm being honest, much to my mother's disappointment, yes, this was part of the reason I chose to go to UT.
You see, I'm pretty sure my first words were "Roll Tide", until I was about 9 years old, I thought Tuscaloosa was a vacation destination and until I was about 14 I thought Bear Bryant was my great Uncle! Tennessee was never on my radar, well, at least not until I was in High School. I'll be honest, I liked to pretend that I knew football back then, but I didn't really know much at all. Although my family is convinced my acceptance at UTK was some sort of long planned out rebellion, I can assure you, my decision had more to do with in state tuition and the comforts of home than trying to darken the wool of an already black sheep!
So, back to my story, as the big Labor Day/Game weekend began I was ready to blow off a little steam. Granted, I was 18 and a little naive, but I was ready to live the college life, full force, and an off-campus party seemed like a great place to start.
I don't remember a lot from this night, and it's not because I was so wasted...at least I don't think so! What I remember is having a couple of beers and then, typical of the klutz that I am, I took one mis-step and rolled my ankle as I fell off the sidewalk. As usual, I just sort of shook it off and kept going, I was determined not to miss a moment of that night and a little twist wasn't going to slow me down.
That was a decision I would regret the following morning. I don't remember how I got to my bed that night, but I will never forget what I saw when I woke up the next day. My ankle was the size of a softball and a color more fitting of an LSU fan. I knew I didn't have a choice, I had to get an X-ray to make sure I hadn't broken anything.
So I spent most of my day in the UT Medical Center ER. How did I get myself there, you might ask? Police escort. Yes, it was actually that bad. While I can't think of anything more humiliating, I had also never felt anything quite so painful, and the one outweighed the other!
After several hours, four ice-packs and two x-rays, I left with a shiny pair of crutches and a sprained ankle. Instructions from the doctor included more ice packs, elevation and not even a mention of the game, I would assume because anyone in their right mind would know, you probably shouldn't attempt Neyland Stadium on crutches...but even then I was was a left thinker...and nothing was going to keep me from that game!
In continued humiliation, I crutched my way from Presidential Courtyard to Neyland Stadium. (If you don't know how stubborn I am by now, I'm pretty sure you're not breathing!) By the time I got to my seat, I had missed the run through the Power T, and most of my friends had been tailgating all day and between the overwhelming smells of whiskey, vomit and sweat, I was beginning to wonder why I was so he'll bent on going to that game.
And then it happened. I witnessed my very first real live Tennessee Touchdown! It was like nothing I had ever seen. Watching the game on TV is nothing like the adrenaline rush that comes from sitting in a sea of orange with 100,000 of your closest friends. Throwing high-fives with complete strangers and singing Rock Top until your voice gives out. This was it, this was the college experience I never knew I always wanted!
Over the years I learned that I really did love the game, but I especially loved my Volunteers! In good times and bad, I stuck by them and I can honestly say, I bleed orange! As we kick-off a new season, I raise my orange Dixie cup and offer a toast to remembering the glory days and making new memories of greatness!
Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me.
Good 'ole Rocky Top!
Rocky Top Tennessee!!
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