The CheckerBoard

kinda sad to say cause I'm a die hard fan! but first game was this year in the GA dome!

1963 Chattanooga, Vols win 49-7 in Jim McDonald's only year as coach giving way to the Doug Dickey era. I fell in love with the Big Orange that October Saturday. The thing I remember as a 7y/o, was leaving our seats early as the Vols had the game well in hand. There were no seats in the North end zone and my father and I stopped by the fence on our way out as the Vols tacked on a final touchdown. The extra point attempt sailed thru the goal posts and over the fence where a young man standing next to us caught it , quickly turned to his right and heaved a hail Mary to another young man running toward the corner. As soon as he had made the reception he promptly hurled the ball toward another accomplice who caught and ran with the game ball up toward the student center as the police blew whistles and ran after him . Witnessing that game ball heist was the highlight of that day.

We moved from Knoxville to Nashville later that year and I saw Vandy beat the Vols 7-0 on a statue of liberty play. It was cold and I was miserable . I've seen games at Starkville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, Lexington, Athens, Auburn,and Columbia as well, with season tickets at Knoxville since 1983, same seats in HH. I'll be there till I die. I love the

Sept. 14th 1985, 1st game of the year. Went to all the home games that year. Sadly since then I have only seen them when they played in the Citrus Bowls. Saw some great games there though.

I am going this year if it kills me!