The CheckerBoard

Born that way I guess! Can't ever remember not being a Vol fan. My first memories of Tennessee football have to do with my dad taking me to the White Stores supermarket to meet Curt Watson and a couple other players.

Born and spent a good chunk of my life in Knoxville, North side to be exact. (Powell High School, holla!)

My parents uprooted my from the place I loved and brought me to Indiana. Attended high school here and currently go to college in the state. I was a Vol fan by way of location in Knoxville, and it's only gotten more intense since. I'm sure simply not liking IU, Purdue, and Notre Dame played a role in my love for Tennessee, but I wouldn't have it any other way. My folks have been against the university from the get-go. My mom is a Butler grad, my dad and Illinois grad. My brother hopped on the Texas bandwagon in the Vince Young years. Needless to say it's been a lonely, painful experiencing being a Vol fan in Indiana, but it's made my love for the school that much stronger.

Was born in Maryville. Moved around quite a bit but mom & dad both graduated from UT. Saw my first game in Jan 1985. My dad drove us from Indiana to New Orleans to see the 85 Sugar Bowl beat down of Jimmy J and the Miami Hurricanes. I will never forget listening to a N.O. radio station as we were driving in and they were interviewing JJ. The announcer asked him what he thought of playing UT and his comment was "They're a decent team, but they shouldn't be on the samle field as us." Was he ever wrong! I Have bled Orange ever since. I watch and support when the team is down and i watch and support when things are good. I get to about 3 or 4 games a year in football and about 6 or 7 bball games. Always watch them on TV and will even DVR the games if I go and come home to watch them again.

My family has always bled orange...we just switched shades. I grew up a Clemson fan in SC. My brother who's 4 years older than me was recruited to play baseball at UT. He threw out his shoulder during his senior season and became a preferred walk-on to the football team instead. I spent the next 4 falls going to football games in Knoxville.

When it came time for me to choose a college I didn't want to go to UT initially because I always wanted to be different and didn't want to go to the same school as my brother. I didn't choose Clemson because it was too close to home (I wanted my dad to have to call before deciding to visit) and I refused to consider USC. At the time I could only drive 4 hours before becoming drowsy so my choices needed to be between 90 mins - 4 hours. The only schools I actually chose between were UGA and UT. Knowing I wanted to work in sports, I chose the school with a more well-round athletic program (football national champions, women's basketball, baseball college world series, and men's basketball was on the rise).

I couldn't be happier with my decision. My entire family, cousins and all, are now Vol fans.

My whole family went to UT. My dad grew up in Hermitage, TN outside Nashville. All his brothers went to UT. My sister went to undergrad at William & Mary then MBA at UT.

Another words, I've been a UT fan since Wise County, VA Hospital on August 29 1974 at 3:20 PM

Dad's family is all from east Tennessee (Greeneville) that bleeds the orange. I always cheered for Michigan (just to aggravate my OSU alum family members). My Dad took me to my first Vol game in '96 (UNLV). Fell in love with the atmosphere and been a diehard Vol fan ever since.