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A Vols guide to Aggie fans

  • One advantage for the Aggies moving to the SEC - they can keep all of their "Beat UT" stuff, just need to alter the color to a REAL orange...

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    tntoak

  • Kevin Ryan said...

    My favorite restaurants (at least used to be, not sure if they are still there ... I'm old)

    1. Gus' Good Times Deli on 17th street just off the Cumberland Avenue strip. They specialize in "steamed sandwiches" and it's one of those places you have to go if you are an out-of-town-visitor trying to get a flavor of the area. 2. Aubreys - They have a few of these around town, and they are good. Big menus have something for everyone. 3. Ye Olde Steakhouse - Original burned down, but I hear it is rebuilt and as good as ever. 4. Calhoun's on the River - Popular meeting place before/after games.

    Gameday tradtions 1. Running through the T - You need to be in your seat about 10 mins prior to kickoff so you can see the band make the T and see the team run through it. 2. Checking out the Vol Navy 3. The Vol Walk - players make way to stadium with thousands upon thousands cheering them on 4. As the ball is being kicked off to start the game, Bobby Denton tells everyone that it is "Football Time in Tennessee!"

    Lots of folks have already mentioned notable alumi, but some biggies are: Peyton Manning, Eric Berry, Arian Foster, Allan Houston, Todd Helton, Jerod Mayo, Al Wilson, Jason Witten, Ernie Grunfeld, Bernard King, Charles Davis, Dr. William Bass (The Body Farm), Al Gore Sr., Al Gore Jr., Heath Shuler, Howard Baker, Lamar Alexander, Charlie Ergen (Dish Network), Alex Haley, Kurt Vonnegut, Phillp Fulmer, Johnny Majors, R. A. Dickey, Dale Ellis, Phil Garner, Kara Lawson, Chamique Holdsclaw, Candace Parker, Lindsay Nelson and Vols superfan David Keith.

    Most known for: Being the Volunteers Rocky Top General Robert Neyland (and the stadium named after him) The Hill The Torchbearer Pride of the Southland Band The Vol Navy Lady Vols Basketball

    Most important things are: The fans are very friendly and all have the "Volunteer Spirit." They do wear shoes and the don't all dress like Davy Crockett

    Kevin - you have it nailed! great job everyone!

    one more thing to point out to Texas A & M fans...when you google UT you get the Vols not the horn's...biggrin

    This post was edited by muddy waters on 3/21/2012 at 11:41 PM

    muddy waters

  • Jersey Vol said...

    The three biggest boobs to ever come out of this state. Sorry, couldn't resist.

    funnypost

    BUTCH IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. GO VOLS!

    OrangeNCarolina

  • tntoak said...

    Some Famous Alumni:

    Reggie White Peyton Manning Chamique Holdsclaw Candace Parker Howard Baker (Sr. and Jr.) Al Gore (Sr. and Jr.) Dixie Carter David Keith James Denton Pam Tillis Alex Haley Cormac McCarthy Min H Kao (Founder of Garmin) Pat Summitt

    Pat Summit only counts if you include UT-Martin. Don't think that is what they are looking for! But she is famous as the best women's basketball coach ever, the best woman basketball coach, and, arguably, maybe the best basketball coach ever (including John Wooden).

    My favorites:

    - From growing up a Tennessee fan, I have to admit that the names I remember most are Condredge Holloway and the Ernie and Bernie show.
    - Next would be having my kids sit in the dugout in Gainesville, FL, watching Todd Helton play baseball. He was a good football player, he may be the best baseball player ever at UT. R.A. Dickey was pretty good, too.
    - Watching Al Wilson play middle linebacker. Of the football players that I have watched in my lifetime, Wilson and Ray Lewis have to be the hardest hitting, meanest linebackers I have ever seen. No, I did not see Butkus or Nitschke play in their prime.
    - The country around Knoxville is some of the prettiest that I have ever seen. The rolling hills, the lakes, Cades' Cove, Smokey Mountains, etc., are simply God's country.

    volray

  • Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread. Getting some great feedback here, and you guys are showing why you are known for having one of the best/friendliest fan bases in the nation. Our board rules.

    Keep the answers coming! Sure there are some things we've left out/forgotten.

    -KR

    Kevin Ryan

  • For restaraunts, Louies is hard to beat. The traditions have been covered pretty well. I would add that the UT gardens off alcoa highway are a beautiful place to go walk through with a pretty woman. I take my wife there every so often and she loves it down there.

    shtooo

  • Just a few things that haven't really been mentioned that I think are notable:

    -The Pride of the Southland Band has marched in 12 consecutive Presidential Inaugural Parade, starting with Lyndon B Johnson's in 1965.
    -The checkerboard endzones come from the checkerboard design on Ayres Hall, UT's first building (I think).
    -"The Hill" is the hill where UT was first located and where a majority of classes are located
    -Dr Bill Bass has his "Body Farm" across the river. He is one of the most renowned forensic anthropologists and uses the Body Farm to facilitate his research. He also has some fantastic books under the pen name Jefferson Bass.

    Twitter: @nick11vols

    nick11vols

  • For those of us that work in Agriculture. Having another real ag school is great. We welcome them and cant wait to play em.

    as far as places to eat sam and andy and good times deli are it for me.

    turf1964

  • Howdy Vols! Thank you for the great responses so far! As we gear up to officially join the SEC family on July 1, we invite you to continue tell us more about your University so that we can share this information with Aggie fans. We're looking forward to sharing the Aggie Spirit with our new SEC family. Thanks & Gig 'em!

    TexasAMUniv1595

  • TexasA&MUniv said...

    Howdy Vols! Thank you for the great responses so far! As we gear up to officially join the SEC family on July 1, we invite you to continue tell us more about your University so that we can share this information with Aggie fans. We're looking forward to sharing the Aggie Spirit with our new SEC family. Thanks & Gig 'em!

    we are happy to have you guys on board.... I think you are a great addition to what is already the best league in the country.... Good luck to you and i hope you guys take care of business against Alabama next year!!!!!

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    tlepage99

  • Two important things I don't see:

    Before every game the football team recites General Robert Neylands 7 game maxims before leaving the locker room. These words are second only to the lords prayer in many of our hearts. As a grown man I still get tears when I hear the players utter these words.

    Our players tap a sign on the way out that says "I will give my all for Tennessee today" reminding them they are playing not just for a school but the entire state.

    "Count it down with me. Five, four, three, two, one. The national champion is clad in Big Orange!"

    kyvolunteer

  • One more: after we beat you, no offense, our team would sing "we don't give a damn about the whole state of Texas cause we're from Tennessee, led by players from the opposing state

    "Count it down with me. Five, four, three, two, one. The national champion is clad in Big Orange!"

    kyvolunteer

  • Kevin Ryan said...

    As you are all aware, Texas A&M is officially joining the SEC on July 1.

    I was asked by Texas A&M University to introduce themselves - and more importantly let them get to know University of Tennessee fans - in terms of game-day traditions, places to eat while in Knoxville, etc. I need your help in providing info and feedback to their fans. You’ll also get to learn a little bit about the Aggies, too.

    Here's a snapshot of Texas A&M:

    Location: College Station, Texas (about 90 miles northwest of Houston)
    Colors: Maroon & White
    Nickname: Aggies
    Founded: 1876 (first public university in Texas)
    Enrollment: 49,861 Students

    There are a few questions listed below that they’d like us to answer in this thread so they can take that info back to educate their fan base about us.

    - What are the best restaurants and attractions to visit when the Aggies are in Knoxville?
    - What are some of your game-day traditions?
    - Who are your most famous/notable alumni?
    - What is the University of Tennessee most known for?
    - What’s the most important thing you think Aggie fans need to know about the University of Tennessee?

    Here are a few of Texas A&M’s Traditions Explained:

    Kyle Field - Texas A&M’s football stadium opened in 1927 on a plot of land purchased by Professor of Horticulture E.J. Kyle. Today, the stadium boasts a seating capacity of 83,000+. When the crowd sings the ‘Aggie War Hymn’ they “saw” back and forth which actually moves the stadium from side to side.

    Here is a photo of the field - http://i40.tinypic.com/34q2p8j.jpg

    The 12th Man - This term refers to the entire student body. After several injuries during a football game in 1922, the Aggies were down to just 11 players. Student E. King Gill came from the stands, suited up and stood ready to go on the field if needed. The spirit of this “Twelfth Man” continues, as current students stand during the entire game to support their team.

    Howdy - “Howdy” is the official greeting of Texas A&M. Students greeting one another, and especially visitors, with a “howdy” has earned the university a reputation as one of the friendliest campuses in the world.

    Yell Leaders - Aggies don’t cheer, they yell! Look for Aggie Yell Leaders in front of the student section at athletics events, wearing all white and encouraging their peers to show their Aggie Spirit. Listen for the A&M student body doing different “Yells” during any A&M sporting event.

    Midnight Yell - A&M’s version of a 25,000 person pep rally. At midnight the night before each home game, Aggie fans gather at Kyle Field and Yell Leaders get the crowd pumped and ready to support the Aggies in the next days’ contest.

    Gig ’em - Aggies will often flash a thumbs up and say “gig ’em.” This started at a yell practice before the 1930 TCU football game, when Aggie Pinky Downs shouted, “What are we gonna do to those Horned Frogs?” He then gave the crowd a thumbs-up yelling the answer, “Gig ’em, Aggies!” A “gig” is a sharp-pronged tool used for hunting frogs.

    Corps of Cadets - Texas A&M began as an all-male military institution. While today’s membership is voluntary, the Corps of Cadets’ makes up about 4% of the total student body at A&M — both male and female — and is the largest uniformed body of students outside the U.S. military academies.

    Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band The nationally acclaimed Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, which is comprised of members of the Corps of Cadets, is known for its military precision and style.

    Here is a video of a halftime clip - http://goo.gl/M9Je7 ('Aggie War Hymn' starts at 6 minute mark). Here is another photo - http://i42.tinypic.com/124hj76.jpg

    Reveille - The official mascot of Texas A&M. Reveille first came to campus in 1931, after a group of cadets found a stray dog on the road. “Miss Rev,” as cadets address her, can be seen around campus, in class or attending a number of events. Photo - http://i41.tinypic.com/pm32a.jpg

    We’re working with Texas A&M University on this program in an official capacity. Remember that your replies to this thread will be read by fans at Texas A&M, and officials at the University. Let’s represent Vols fans well as we welcome Texas A&M University as the 13th member of the SEC!

    How can we forget the one thing that Tennessee always does... "is kick the sh*t out of Vandy"

    I'm sure A&M will soon join us in that tradition!

    This post was edited by WVa Vol on 3/27/2012 at 7:02 AM

    WVa Vol

  • thankinvol21 said...

    Agree with all the additions everyone has said, but just as a matter of clarification for anyone out there...Al Gore actually only has an honorary degree. Gore actually went to Harvard and Vanderbilt...just don't want us to be misquoted later!

    Personally, I would petition to rescind the the honorary degree.

    TN Engineer

  • One of my favorites pre-game rituals is where the Pride plays the opponents fight song and 3,000 to 20,000 opposition fans go crazy . . . and then they go straight into Rocky Top and the stadium absolutely explodes! GO BIG ORANGE!

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    "Old School"! A strong defense wins championships!

    volviking

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