I Was There: 'Rocky Top You'll Always Be...'
In 1979, I watched Tennessee take on Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to a great game, I witnessed the birth of Rocky Top as the real UT fight song.
In those days higher-seeded teams got a bye and played the winner of a first-round game. UT played Eastern Kentucky on Friday, with the winner to take on the Irish on Sunday. That ND team featured Bill Lambeer and Kelly Tripuca,(sp) 2 players fans loved to hate.
These games were held in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University, the geographic center of Tennessee. Murphy Center looks like a glass box on a hill on the outside and features a ceiling resembling Belgian waffles. Naturally, UT attracted a lot of Orange fans and helped sell out the place. A buddy and I were among about 500 UT students who stood in line for several hours earlier that week to secure tickets.
UT-EKU was the second game of the night. Between games, the UT pep band played Rocky Top as something of a signal that the Big Orange were next on the court. The game was exciting, closer than expected, and UT pulled out the win.
Several things pulled together to create Sunday's electric atmosphere. Michigan State - with Magic Johnson - were in the first game. NBC's main announcing crew - Enberg, Packer & McGuire - were behind the mics. The place was packed with Orange.
As it did Friday night, the pep band played Rocky Top between games. The crowd response was over the top. When Rocky Top was played again just before tipoff, the place was really up for grabs. The frenzy was reinforced every time Rocky Top was heard.
The Irish won the game, but Rocky Top won a special place in the hearts of UT followers. At the first UT home football game that fall, I couldn't help but notice the strong crowd response the first time the UT band played Rocky Top during the pre-game show. The rest is fight song history. I'm convinced that Rocky Top would not be the inspiring/annoying/nauseating tune it is today had it not been for the events of that weekend.
Also I saw the '79 NCAA champs play that day.
OhioDave
#iwasthere
I Was There: 'Rocky Top you'll always be...'
In 1979, I watched Tennessee take on Notre Dame in the NCAA hoops tournament. In addition to a great game, I witnessed the birth of "Rocky Top" as the real UT fight song.
In those days higher-seeded teams got a bye and played the winner of a first-round game. UT played Eastern Kentucky on Friday, with the winner to take on the Irish on Sunday. That ND team featured Bill Lambeer and Kelly Tripuca, (sp) 2 players fans loved to hate.
These games were held in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University, the geographic center of Tennessee. Murphy Center looks like a glass box on a hill on the outside and features a ceiling resembling Belgian waffles. Naturally, UT attracted a lot of Orange fans and helped sell out the place. A buddy and I were among about 500 UT students who stood in line for several hours earlier that week to secure tickets.
UT-EKU was the second game of Friday night. Between games, the UT pep band played Rocky Top as something of a signal that the Big Orange were next on the court. The game was exciting, closer than expected, and UT pulled out the win.
Several things pulled together to create Sunday's electric atmosphere. Michigan State - with Magic Johnson - were in the first game. NBC's main announcing crew - Enberg, Packer & McGuire - were behind the mics. The place was packed with Orange.
As it did Friday night, the pep band played Rocky Top between games. The crowd response was over the top. When Rocky Top was played again just before tipoff, the place was really up for grabs. The frenzy was reinforced every time Rocky Top was heard.
The Irish won the game, but Rocky Top won a special place in the hearts of UT followers. At the first UT home football game that fall, I couldn't help but notice the strong crowd response the first time the UT band played Rocky Top during the pre-game show. The rest is fight song history. I'm convinced that Rocky Top would not be the inspiring/annoying/nauseating tune it is today had it not been for the events of that weekend.
Dominance in womens' hoops goes in cycles- one team rises for a while, then falls back to the pack. Connecticut has managed to break the cycle as Tennessee did years ago. Likely it will take Maya Moore's graduation to break this streak. (Disclosure- lifelong UT fan and UT graduate).
Has anyone seen any timelines comparing all of Tiger's conquests? It would be a real eye-opener.
The last verse of the song is described as "the perfect country & western song" because it mentions mama, prison, trucks, trains, and getting drunk.
//it doesn't bother me to know that.
Who would have guessed this - Natasha Richardson gone, Lindsey Lohan, still around...
Geno says he wants to coach a men's team. He's got nothing to do basically until next weekend. Here's his chance...
Did anyone else notice that FOX isn't going to match ESPN's offer on the next BCS TV contract? Our long national nightmare is nearly over.
//not a fan of FOX
Oh, the irony!!
Did anyone see a segment on NBC about the ballots in Palm Beach County Fla.? Voters have to connect two bars with a marking pen across from the candidate of their choice. I guess a bunch of people are doing it wrong.
/no surprise
CSM has the big advantage of not having a print home base. I'm not surprised that a publication that has actual journalism as its TOP priority made this decision. The big question is whether USA Today will do the same.
Students at Tennessee Tech U. used to do this once a year. DK if they still do. I attended a HS game that featured TP after the first basket. The refs were warned in advance, and they only gave a warning to the bench. There were brooms and trash cans ready to clean up the mess. It was pretty cool at the time.
What high school wouldn't want to have Dakota Fanning as a student? As for cheerleading, as long as she stays out of Texas she'll be OK.
What high school wouldn't want to enroll Dakota Fanning as a student? As for cheerleading, as long as she stays out of Texas, she'll be OK.
/long-time reader, first-time submitter
