by Jordan Edens
for Advanced Composition, ETSU, Spring 2011
When I was nine, I
vividly remember watching the University of Tennessee Volunteers take their
football program to the National Championship. I remember my parents being so
excited about the team winning, and I remember my own excitement because the
team had won. My excitement was stemmed from my parents overwhelming love and
dedication for the Tennessee Vols football team. Though none of us are from
Knoxville, nor have any of us ever gone to school at the University, it is safe
to say that we are fans! I always wanted to be part of the game and feel the
atmosphere the players and fans would feel while they were at the event. This was
especially true of Tennessee Vols football. Something about the way the fans
cheer, and the team reacts made me desperately want to be a part of the action.
And finally, I made my way to Knoxville, Tennessee and had my own experience,
and I have never watched a football game the same way again.
Finally,
in September of 2004 when I was 15, I got the chance to go to Knoxville, and
experience the game for myself and I have never watched a game, at home, or at
the stadium, the same. The first time I went I was joined by my family, and
since then, I have been to multiple games with my family, as well as games with
my fiancé. Every experience is unique and wonderful and each time I go, I feel
very much like part of the Tennessee Vols Family. There is so much to see and do at a UT football game, and truly,
everyone should experience such a wonderful event. I had been to my fair share
of sporting events, but when I made found myself in Knoxville, I knew this
would become my favorite event. There are so many aspects to the day. And each
time I have returned, it has always been much more than “just a game.”Since
this has always been such a fun experience for me, I decided to inform all who
are interested of how to make the most of the University of Tennessee Volunteers
Football experience
Before
the game—
Despite attending 17 games since
2004, some things never seem to change. From the moment you enter Knoxville,
you begin to understand that this town has literally exploded with people
coming out to show their support of the university and the athletic department,
and the team. The whole town is wearing orange and white. It is not uncommon
for your waitress, your cashier, your police officer, or your puppy to be
wearing orange on game day.
If your tickets did not come in the mail, or get
printed off of an online site, you may go to the will call station at the
stadium, and with a valid id, you make pick up your tickets there.
I suggest parking in the parking garage on twenty
second street where your money goes to the St. Jude’s organization, and is only
ten dollars. Most other parking locations cost you anywhere from twenty to
forty dollars for the day. Once you have found a place to park your car,—I
personally recommend parking cheaper and walking because you will wait in
traffic after the game no matter where you park— make your way to Cumberland Avenue
and find yourself among a sea of orange and white bodies making their way to
the shops to pass the time. These shops hold anything and everything a
Tennessee fan could ask for. They have jerseys, hats, books, shirts,
sweatpants, hair bows, and novelty items by the truckload. If you forgot
something orange, any given store, including the local Walgreens has what you
need to blend in to the excitement that it Game Day Knoxville.
After
your shopping is completed, make your way to Peyton Manning Pass and
extending onto Phillip Fulmer Way to what the team calls the “Vol Walk.” At this point, fans and media officials
line the sidewalks and wait patiently for the start of the pregame events. The
suggestion is to be there at least 3 hours before game time in order to see the
team and have a place to stand. When the
time finally arrives, usually just about 2 hours and 30 minutes before kickoff,
every player and coach makes their way down the street. Fans cheer them on and
encourage them in their upcoming game. This is always very special because it
is a chance to see the players and coaches that usually grace the television
set, standing right in front of you, shaking your hand!
After the legendary Vol Walk, fans
can follow the team down the road on Phillip Fulmer way, and on at the end of
the street you find yourself in another mass of people waiting for another Vol
tradition: the Salute to the Hill. During the Salute to the Hill, the band
lines the street and plays the traditional fight song of the university to the
hill ahead of them. The Hill is located near Gate 21, and is an actual hill,
with a monument atop it, that commemorates the school’s addition of the
football field to its campus. This is when we first get to experience the Pride
of the Southland Marching Band. They stand and play some of Tennessee’s
traditional music in the streets of Knoxville. This is another amazing
experience. You have the option of standing so close you could touch the band,
or far enough away to simply listen to their music.
The Game—
After experiencing all the pregame fun a Vol fan can
handle, the adventure becomes even more exciting as you scan your ticket and
make your way into Neyland Stadium.
21,939 students are enrolled in the University, but the seating in the
stadium prepares for much more. 104,079 seats are available in the stadium. Once inside, you can find
your seats, or make your way to the store inside the stadium! While the prices
may be slightly more expensive, there is something special about
buying items from the stadium. After making your way
around the stadium and find your seats, there are some entertaining activities
to experience. There are videos of the team on the jumbotron. You could watch
the team warm up, and take pictures, or you can simply enjoy the people
watching until time for my favorite part of the entire day! The Pride of the Southland Marching Band takes
the field and forms the “Power T” where they form a “t” from the home team end
zone to the 50 yard line. After they have formed the t, the players make their
way onto the field, running through the T and to their side-line.
Every
play causes me to sit on the very edge of my seat, if I can even manage to stay
seated at all. The entire stadium erupts in cheers at any good play. The sound
is sometimes even louder when the Vols are on defense, which makes it difficult
for the offense to call plays. Each moment is filled with excitement. Every
person is filled with emotion over something good or filled with sighs of grief
as their team does something the fans do not particularly like. Either way, the
crowd is always going wild over something that is happening. There is something
to be desired and enjoyed and something that cannot be equaled.
In addition to the game, the halftime show is something
special. There is something amazing about
watching any band take the field and perform a halftime show, but there is none
I have ever seen compare to that of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band!
They are nearly perfect, and while I am sure there are mistakes somewhere, I
have never seen one in all the years I have been attending Vols football. They
make beautiful formations on the field. There are wonderful, fantastic scenes
on the field and nothing can compete with the things that are being performed.
After the Game—
After the game, win or lose, there is still a wonderful
atmosphere. If the Vols win, there are people celebrating in the streets. If
they happen to lose, there are places to drown your sorrow in delicious pizza
and chicken wings at many different restaurants to choose from. Buffalo Wings,
Mellow Mushroom, and Hooters as well as multiple fast food chains make it easy
to find food for every hungry Vols fan. There is still an atmosphere of
dedication for all fans, whether the Vols win or lose.
The season is always too short to experience all the
wonderful things to do in Knoxville at a football game. I always want to go to
as many games as possible I can experience as much of this as possible. The
entire Tennessee Vols experience is more than simply a fan base; it is more a
family tradition for Vols everywhere!