Big Orange, Elvis, and 'Anything Goes'

Here we go again.

UT's football team will trot out the "Smokey Gray" uniforms when they suit up against Florida on Saturday at Shields-Watkins Field. The last year they did this, they lost to Georgia (and Vanderbilt).

(Correction: Macon Vol buddy Dewayne Lawson reminded me that the Vols wore the alternate gray last fall and won. I was unable to watch much of the last two seasons due to illness. Thanks, Dewayne!)

This kind of thing bugs me, but then again, I still wore a tie, or at least a sports coat, when I was a regular in Section NN, south end zone, upper deck. So I'm probably not the best one to ask.

(Even Elvis knew about orange and white while he was here once...)

But, I can face facts. I'm not in the target demographic. Continuing a trend, Tennessee (and a lot of other schools) are directly playing to the iPhone generation. And, to quote Johnny Carson, "a dollar is always a dollar." I guess they think this also helps recruiting.

I know winning football games will. Autumn afternoons at Neyland Stadium do not need PR spin when all is well on Rocky Top.

This has been a strange year. Tennessee is 3-0 and ranked higher than Florida. That should be good news.

But they've looked bad for the most part, especially on offense, in close wins against Appalachian State and Ohio University, and fared a little better in the Barnum and Bailey show at Bristol. But it took awhile.

Ah, but again, this isn't a normal year. Florida's backup quarterback has to start Saturday. Tennessee is also missing players at key positions. Josh Dobbs is running for his life. Nobody can hang onto the ball. But the defense is doing well, all things considered, and the Vols go after the Gators at home. 

So who knows.

I miss a lot of Tennessee traditions. I miss the walking horse. I miss John Ward and Bill Anderson. I miss anyone with institutional knowledge.

(I don't miss "Third Down For What.")

But, in my quieter moments, I know it's all soap bubbles. Gridiron games no longer make nor break my weekends. Going through a chronic illness and living to tell the tale puts things in perspective.

I do think Tennessee should wear orange and white uniforms at home. Maybe they can get away with wearing all orange once every 10 years. I did like that one-shot black and orange jersey on Halloween.

Ah, well. To quote Cole Porter, "But now, God knows, anything goes..."

And let's be honest: If UT ends this 11-season losing streak, few will care, nor remember, what they were wearing when they did it.

(But that still doesn't mean I have to like it.)

Reflections from the road

Macon, Ga. -- Yes they can. And yes they did. And, yes, it was wonderful.

Five years of frustration. Five years of near misses, almost wases and what might have beens. Coach Lifetime, Coach No Time and Coach Half Time.

Now -- dare I say it? -- we've got Coach This Time.

A wild week ended with a bright orange glow.

Tennessee beat South Carolina. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Being five hours from Rocky Top gives one perspective. Time to breathe. Time to think. Time to reflect.

Yes, I cried. Can you believe it?

Haven't done that after a football game since Jan. 4, 1999, in Tempe, Ariz. Holy cow.

All the hubbub, all the hyperbole, all the craziness, all the cacophony (some of the latter from this writer) ... none now. No, sir. Not tonight.

The family comes together. It's a Tennessee thing.

After the game, Dewayne, Bridget, Jacob and I drove downtown. Light rain began to fall as we listened to live jazz. It would normally be ironic that the band was jamming to "Blue Skies" in the rain, but the precipitation here meant nothing. To the long-suffering Vol fan, the sky was blue no matter one's latitude/longitude.

I got so excited that I drank a High Life. And why not? Saturday called for champagne of any sort. (Plus, it was all they had.)

After dinner, we went to Mercer. I leaned against the goalpost like Bear Bryant used to do and watched the light fade on a perfect day. (Well, almost perfect, but we won't get into that now.)

Tennessee beat Steve Superior and all is right with the world.

I'm halfway tempted to sing "Rocky Top." :)

Power T doesn't stand for tradition

Things are rocky on Rocky Top.

Don't get me wrong. Butch Jones is building his bricks. These things take time. Georgia game was great.

But let's look at what has transpired since Athletic Director Dave Hart arrived from Alabama.

Former associate athletic director for media relations Harris D. "Bud" Ford -- the very definition of a Vol For Life (VFL) long before it became a marketing tool -- was denied the opportunity to complete a comprehensive stat book that could help scribes and some others, especially marketing majors who think Tennessee football began with Phillip and Peyton.

In UT B.H. (Before Hart), calling the sports information department at 974-1212 would often mean you'd get Ford himself. Now, in UT B.S. (no translation needed), you get a recording. Sometimes you get a call returned. Maybe.

I declined to renew my season tickets to two sports after the Ford fiasco. The three football games I have attended in UT B.S. happened because somebody either bought or reimbursed me for the tickets.

The athletic department violated its own policy on uniform colors by allowing the team to wear the so-called "Smokey gray" jerseys for the Georgia game. They make the 1963 Halloween jerseys look quaint by comparison.

Wait, wait, you say. Lane Kiffin had his black jerseys. John Majors' teams put on orange pants and shined up orange shoes for awhile. Bill Battle splashed orange shoulders on away uniforms in the '70s.

Don't care. Let's do the cheer for those who just got here.

ORANGE! WHITE!
ORANGE! WHITE!

At both the South Alabama and Georgia games, I noticed that the band didn't perform at halftime as long as in years past.

Then I stumbled onto the story, summarized here quite well (both sides) on KnoxViews.

News also hit this week that Tennessee and Virginia Tech will play in 2016 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Sheer stunt. Money-grabbing marketing maneuver. Moronic.

Good luck seeing a handoff without binoculars or a big screen.

 The only way you'd get me there is if NASCAR holds a race during the game.

The idea that the Pride of the Southland Band has been given the Big Orange Screw is the last straw. I admit that a big part of this is my bias against rap music and my fondness for real, live musicians. (I also like to fast-forward through commercials.)

In a sense, maybe this is part of a longstanding tradition, some of which started in UT B.H.

 This is the same program that misspelled Doug Atkins' name when his jersey was retired, gave George Cafego a used van as a thank you gift, had its own Ides of March on Friday, Nov. 13, 1992, denied Ray Mears access to the Ray Mears Room, and stopped playing Alabama on the third Saturday in October.

What's next? Hiring Oliver Stone as official athletic historian? Asking Kanye West to perform the alma mater to impress recruits? Playing a home game on the moon? Renaming the big house Pilot Oil Stadium?

Seems to me Tennessee would be better served by hiring a VFL to run the athletic department, or at least someone who leads more like Omar Nelson Bradley and less like George Tecumseh Sherman.

But what do I know? I'm just a UT graduate with small pockets and a sharp memory.

Here's one thing I think:

The Power T sure doesn't stand for tradition. Not anymore.

Whew...

TENNESSEE -- 31

SOUTH ALABAMA -- 24

"The 'rawness' of Fulmer's dismissal..."

I read with interest this morning a story by featured columnist Brad Shepard on the website Bleacher Report.

In it, he says that Tennessee football coach Butch Jones has welcomed back former UT coach Phillip Fulmer, who attended his first practice since being forced out in 2008. Fulmer also addressed the team at Jones' request.

In the article, Shepard writes, "Now, enough time has passed for the rawness of Fulmer's dismissal to heal."

The rawness of Fulmer's dismissal

Interesting phrase.

My memory goes back further than the mid-to-late 1990s.

I remember Coach George "Bad News" Cafego receiving a used van (one the women's basketball team took to away games), given to him as a gift on George Cafego Day (Sept. 6, 1980) at the Georgia game. Those who know say that Coach Cafego -- a heck of a player in his day -- returned the van, never said a word, but was deeply hurt.

I recall Ray Mears being denied entrance into the Ray Mears Room at Thompson-Boling Arena. I know that, for some strange reason, Ray Mears Boulevard isn't located on campus.

 I recall a press conference in Memphis on Friday, Nov. 13, 1992.

And I also recall the words of Mrs. John Elizabeth Bobo Majors:

"I've given one son to Tennessee. Now, I've given another."

The *real* University of Tennessee fight song(s)

Happy New Year, college football fans!

Yes, it's the first Saturday of the season, which for most of us means happiness AND heartbreak are just around the bend.

But, the year is young, so let's be optimistic and, as someone who attended and graduated (summa cum laude, baby!) from the University of Tennessee, let me say "Go Big Orange!"

Best of luck to Coach Butch Jones as he leads the Volunteers through the T today and all season. It's going to be a bumpy ride, maybe for awhile, but nobody wants to see Rocky Top glow again more than I.

Above, you will see a photo of Butch listening to my all-time favorite UT coach, John Majors, who is no doubt telling him to stress the kicking game, special teams, and most importantly, to "Attack, attack, attack! Always attack!"

And, for all you young 'uns out there, especially those who insist on inserting that obnoxious "woo" into "Rocky Top," here is the *real* UT fight song(s).

Go Vols, and wherever you are, may your team enjoy a great year, unless you're playing Tennessee or unless you are Vanderbilt on any given week.

For those who still love No. 45

I make no secret at this blog or anywhere else that I'm an unabashed fan of Johnny Majors.

When I was a kid, Coach Majors was Tennessee football. He was a single-wing star in the mid-1950s, won a national championship at Pitt in '76 and came marching back home to Rocky Top in 1977. It took awhile, but Majors brought UT football back to national prominence.

1992 was a year that broke my heart. First, longtime trainer and Majors friend Tim Kerin died. Then, Coach Majors underwent heart surgery. When he returned to the helm, Tennessee lost three SEC games in a row.

In a move that has left a bad taste in the mouths of some of us ever since, Majors was forced out. The announcement came on Friday the 13th at a hotel in Memphis. Johnny Majors, Tennessee's favorite son, was kicked out the door.

Today, I found this video, in which Coach Majors, who again lives in Knoxville, talks about coming to play at Tennessee from his home in Lynchburg. This is one of the best clips I've ever seen.

For those who remember, for those who still love No. 45 and the old-school coach in the coat and tie, this one's for you.

Back to the future

Elvis, Batman, "Family Ties" and go, Vols, go.

File this one under "Back to the Future." Great weekend. Good times.

Where to start?

Friday afternoon old pal Ross Southerland sent me a text.



"Conway and Loretta at Memories tonight. Would you like to come, bring your girlfriend?"

Memories means the Pigeon Forge theater, Lou Vuto and friends, Elvis, Vegas style, thankyouverymuch. So Jenn, her niece Leigha and I navigated the Nissan up to the Parkway.

Traffic was terrible. Ross called about 5:45. "You're going to be disappointed," he said.

We stopped at Zaxby's in Sevierville for dinner. From there to the theater -- no more than 10 miles -- took 45 minutes.

But we made it and was it fun. "Conway and Loretta" did well. Lou sang "Suspicious Minds" and some others. It reminded me of those halcyon days in the mid 90s.

Saturday was stunning, picture perfect, gorgeous goodbye to fall. Neyland Stadium was happening, happy, homecoming. Tyler Bray found some luck. Receivers were alert. Ole Miss wasn't.

Oh, almost forgot to tell you. Found a new channel, The Hub, on the tube. Used to be called Discovery Kids.

Hub shows "Batman," the good, campy one, Pow! and Zonk!, Adam West, Burt Ward, same bat time, same bat channel. And "Family Ties," a favorite from forever ago.

"Happy Days" happens on there, too, as does "The Wonder Years" and "Fraggle Rock" and other fun.

So now it's back to work, but not before back to the future, "Blue Suede Shoes," good ol' "Rocky Top," Pow! and Zonk!, "What would we do, baby, without us?"

Not a bad weekend, huh?

It could have been perfect

Don't guess there is much left to say about Saturday's sorry lost to Auburn.

Lethargic offense. Incomplete passes. Dumb decisions.

But, it's funny. Somehow, despite it all, I had a good time.

Maybe part of it was eating with family -- and almost eating with good friends -- at the Downtown Grill. Maybe it was the joy in finding RC Colas (in a glass bottle!) at the Mast General Store. Maybe it was the picture-perfect autumn afternoon.

Whatever the case, I had fun.

Even bought a black Outback hat with a feather in the brim. It matched my orange shirt, so I wore it to the game. Got a few compliments, too.

Making my way up to NN, the Mabe's UT football home since 1972, I shook hands with the usher, who grinned and said he was glad to see me. A bit later, we shared laughter and loss with our favorite football family, the McCrackens.

Then we lost. I shrugged. At least the Big Orange didn't give up, which it would have in previous seasons. A "never say die" attitude could be a harbinger of better things to come.

As I walked home in the chill of an early fall, my family by my side, I thought to myself, "Jake, you're one lucky guy."

The only thing that stopped it from being a super Saturday were dropped balls and dumb decisions.

It could have been perfect...

The day Johnny came marching home

And, so, it's back to reality.

After our dancing in the streets opener against Western Kentucky, Tennessee football fans were brought down to earth last night following a 19-15 upset loss to UCLA. I will leave it to others to talk about Jonathan Crompton's inept performance and a shaky offensive effort that ruined both stellar defense and a beautiful late summer Knoxville afternoon.

No, today, let's talk about the day Johnny came marching home.

In case you weren't there, UT honored one of its legends yesterday. Former head coach John Majors came back in a big way. He led the team down the traditional Vol Walk to the stadium. He was honored before the game. He was at midfield for the coin toss. And, yep, there he was, strolling the sidelines once again, in that trademark coat and tie.

My, how good it all felt, an overdue make-up perhaps, or at least a way to finally put 1992 behind us.

And, in case you weren't there either, here's what happened 17 years ago:

Majors underwent heart surgery before the season started. Serious stuff. UT announced that offensive coordinator Phil Fulmer would coach the team while Majors recuperated.

The Vols jumped out to a 5-0 start, which included unexpected wins at Georgia and against Florida. Majors returned to work sooner than expected (he reportedly just showed up at practice without telling anybody) and coached the Cincinnati game from the press box.

Then things just, well, went to hell. UT lost three straight -- to Arkansas, Alabama and South Carolina. Some fans (and others) jumped on Fulmer's bandwagon. (I never will forget the classless and disgusting chants of "Block That Artery!" at a home game that year.)

Word leaked in the days leading up to the Memphis State game that some kind of press conference would be held on, of all days, Friday the 13th. At it, Majors announced that he was being forced to resign at the end of the year.

To be fair, I should say that 1992 had not been a good year. Majors lost one of his best friends, trainer Tim Kerin. He had complained loud and long about wanting a pay raise during the preseason tour around the state. I have heard that a couple of the exchanges he had with old friends and members of UT's athletic board weren't pretty.

Still, the news was a shock. After all, Johnny was a favorite son, and the team despite its skid finished 8-3 and went to a Jan. 1 bowl.

Majors and some others said that it was part of a conspiracy, that Fulmer and others conspired to get his job. Fulmer denied it, said he'd remained a loyal assistant.

I don't know. I do think it's the great untold story of Tennessee football. Nobody in the local press at the time either had the sources or the guts to tell the real tale. About five people know the truth. Who knows whether they will ever blab about it.

Anyway, Majors left at the end of the year, returning to Pitt, where he'd once won a national championship and was (and is) a beloved figure. He remained bitter about the Tennessee firing and didn't have too much to do with his alma mater until after Fulmer's contract was bought out last year.

Perhaps Majors' biggest coaching flaw was his inconsistency. Legendary sportswriter Marvin West calls it a yo-yo. One step forward. One step back. Blow out Florida one week, lose to Alabama 9-6 the next. People always say, too, that Johnny was too conservative, "up the middle," blah, blah, blah. I hate to tell you this, folks, but not only is that a bit of hyperbole, it didn't stop after Majors went back to Pitt.

But, there he was yesterday, sporting his coat and tie, looking older and grayer, but still that same "I Did It My Way" coach that brought us so many good memories. Let's not forget (yeah, it was way before my time) that 1956 season, 10-0 before the bowl, single-wing tailback Majors losing the Heisman Trophy in a stunning and controversial vote to Paul Hornung, who played on a Notre Dame team that won two games that year.

Let's not forget that in 1977 Majors left Pittsburgh, the No. 1 team in the country, to resurrect a UT program that had hit a nadir. Let's not forget the 1982 win over Alabama, 1985, the '86 Sugar Bowl, the 11-1 team in '89, the 45-3 blowout of Florida in 1990 and the Miracle at South Bend. And let's never forget our fast-talkin' favorite son.

At the start of the fourth quarter, UT showed a video tribute to the ol' coach on the jumbotron. It showed his classic pregame talk in Memphis after the resignation announcement. It showed him roaming the sidelines in his coat and tie. It showed Andy Kelly throw a bomb down field.

Then it played a line from one of my favorite songs, and when I heard it I thought, "This is one of the classiest gestures this university has ever offered, one heck of an olive branch."

I'm the No. 1 fan of the man from Tennessee.

Welcome home, coach. You've been missed.

An orange-and-white afternoon

Tom Mattingly has some good advice for would-be writers.

Use more periods than commas.

Indeed. My version of it is to "think more Hemingway and less Faulkner." Don't write three page sentences, in other words. Three word sentences are much better.

Mattingly spoke this morning to a group of high school interns we're hosting at the newspaper this summer. He has become known as the Vol Historian. He's written a couple of cool books (including that sweet UT Vault thing), posts a daily blog on the News Sentinel Web site and writes a weekly column on UT football history.

Tom says a big chunk of publishing is getting lucky. Being in the right place at the right time. He should know. Tom is the only writer I know who received a five-figure advance for a book without having written a word. Perchance to dream. A wave and a handshake led to the official Peyton Manning biography endorsed by Peyton's dad Archie. Which meant that Tom received permission to use a lot of cool photos.

Tom is a great guy. Go buy one of his books. You can find them at Borders or Books-A-Million here in Knoxville. I'm sure they are on the Web, too.

Later in the day, Powell editor Greg Householder and I took the interns over to the UT campus. Marketing guy Doug Kose showed us around the ultra cool Pratt Pavilion, Thompson-Boling Arena and the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex. From there, we ducked into Stokely Athletic Center, that endangered species that holds so much history, to hear Halls guy Bud Ford talk about media relations.

Mattingly had said I needed to ask Bud about winning a Chevrolet Camero in 1969 at a football game. Bud did. He said it was an orange-and-white deal. He later wrecked it. Bud laughed when I asked him about it and said, "It was a long time ago."

Don't tell anybody, but I had as much fun as the interns did this afternoon. Maybe more.

The old ball game...

They play rap music now at Neyland Stadium.

Is there anything more obnoxious than modern music blared over a bad sound system? Didn't think so.

Otherwise it was a nice return to the big house. New scoreboards. New green grass. And, for once, a little defense to go with the no-huddle aerial attack.

Boy, it was hot. Couldn't wear the big orange suit. Felt like a Labor Day game. Thankfully the sun was to our backs most of the game.

Several nubile Georgia co-eds were dressed in suits and ties and dresses. They looked sharp. Passed a guy wearing orange pants and an orange suit. Wished I'd wore mine.

Ate lunch (well, breakfast actually) at Pete's coffee shop. Then we walked down to the Mast General Store before the game. My dad likes to get over there insanely early, so we had plenty of time to spare.

Haywood Harris stopped me on my way into the stadium. He wanted to know why the Shopper wasn't going to South Knoxville. I told him we were working on it.

The 35-14 thumping of the Bulldogs was a lot of fun. It's nice to go home happy from that place.

Even if we did have to suffer through all that rap.