Did Oliver sit next to his new Georgia buddy? A. Leon Polhill, Gator "I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know." - Mark Twain
________________________________ From: Helen Huntley <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, September 17, 2012 5:54:22 PM Subject: Re: [gatortalk] The Tennessee Game Thanks, Shane for giving us the true inside scoop. On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 5:36 PM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: The highway patrol officers at that Subway were hilarious! We also ran into a mom & her son who told us that all of his friends went up to Knoxville the night before to try and get on ESPN. > >The part about the tickets that made me nervous was it didn’t seem like too >many >people were selling, but everybody was trying to buy. It didn’t help much >that >the first ticket scalper we ran into wanted $800 for a pair. I was about >ready >to jump back in the car and race home to watch the game in High Def. He says >as >Shane got tired, but that was after walking for over an hour. He abbreviates >this quite a bit! J It was also disheartening with all of the curses and >ugly >things I was called as well. I thought I had thick skin, but goodness >gracious! The savior of the afternoon was definitely the Georgia graduate. >Wow! Whoever would have thought a Georgia Graduate would do anything nice, >worth while, help us out in any way, or let alone make out day? Definitely >not >us!!!!! J They were extremely nice to us during the game, which I hope that >they felt the same from us. We tried, believe me. It was rough for Oliver >to. >I could tell. :-) > >We didn’t even make it to the stadium before we went through more insults, >more >drunks yelling at us, and even more obscenities. Oliver’s right though, I was >taking notes of the curse words, as they were using a few in a way that I >wanted >to remember for use later. ;-) I don’t even care to remember the drunk >“idiot” >who pulled my face over to his mouth so he yell the lovely chorus of Rocky Top >more directly into my ear. Why he felt the nerve to do that is beyond me? >Why >I didn’t haul off and punch him in the face is another mystery? J > >We did walk around the stadium for a little while, but there were so many >people >it was hard to move around. I wanted to sight-see some, but it was futile >trying to move around and get somewhere in a timely fashion. We did finally >park on the hill and "watch" the Vol walk from a far. There really wasn't >much >to see but a see of pumpkin orange. They promptly opened the gates at 4:00 >right after the Vol walk and we made our way into Gate 21. The seats were >amazing! I could have never dreamed of sitting so close to the action. WOW! >I >don’t think I’ll be too quick to rush back to Neyland Stadium, but I’m glad we >were so lucky on this trip. > > >Leon and Paula, it was very nice to see you guys again, even though the hike >up >the million steps nearly killed me. J The view of downtown Knoxville, the >Tennessee River and the Vol Navy was incredible from up there. The >conversation >is always good and hilarious. I even enjoyed the looks from people when they >saw Leon's favorite team and his Obama button. It was priceless! HA HA!!!! J > >I think the Vol fans were a little delirious about winning. It’s been >extremely >quiet at work. A few have come up to me to talk about it, but most have >chosen >to ignore me and the fact that the Vols played a game on Saturday. J > >The noise in the stadium was incredibly deafening in the first half. I don’t >think I’ve ever been in a stadium that loud. I wonder what it sounded like on >TV? I taped the game, so I hope to find out tonight when I re-watch it, >hopefully. I have to admit into the 3rd quarter, I was losing faith in our >Gators and brother Oliver had to keep sending me positive vibes. Luckily, >between Oliver’s positive vibes and his lucky shirt, the Gators responded in >the >2nd half and pulled out a very glorious victory. The game was incredible and >we >couldn't have asked for a better game. A good, close game in the first half >and >then a near blow out in the second. > > >The rest of the trip was about the way I remember it to. I just had to add a >few of my memoires and comments as well. I would have done it earlier, but my >boss decided having me in several meetings throughout the day was more >important??? I know? I know? I tried to tell him. J > >Later, > >SHANE > > ________________________________ >From: Oliver Barry <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Mon, September 17, 2012 11:18:27 AM > >Subject: [gatortalk] The Tennessee Game > > >Before my diminishing usage of brain cells prevents further recollection of it >I >will offer my observations of the game. >Shane and I started from my house in Hendersonville at about 9:30 am local >time >on Saturday. Perfect weather. >Stopped for Starbucks in Gallatin and were off! >We saw quite a few cars locally sporting Gator flags, etc. I took it as an >omen. >Next stop was at a gas station at about mile 300 on the interstate. A large >van >pulled up with all UT fans who mostly ignored us. >One of their brighter members shook his head at us. I think he may have >already >been into the sauce. That was about 10:30 am. >Next stop for lunch at a Subway. Two highway patrol officers came in while we >were eating. One joked that he didn’t want to see any Gator fans yet. >We talked for a while about football predictions, etc (he was a really nice >guy) >then moved on. >Got to Knoxville where the fun started. Found a parking place for $20 and >headed to The Strip to find tickets. >We walked for a bit holding up 2 fingers. Found prices at $200 to $250 >apiece. >Kept walking. > >Just as Shane was getting tired we walked up to an older gentleman who said he >had 4 tickets and wanted to get rid of 2. >He asked what we would pay. I offered $100 each and he accepted. I think if >I >had offered $80 he would have been ok with that too. The face value was $75. >He told us he and his son were up from Chattanooga and his son is a Gator. >He was looking for someone his son could talk to. Then he dropped the bomb. >He >is a Georgia Graduate!!! >But, we accepted the tickets anyway and sat with them at the game. They >turned >out to be two of the nicest people I’ve ever met. (that was difficult to >admit >to) >Next, off to the stadium. We had about 2.5 hours before game time at that >point, but I didn’t know what else to do. My whole mission up until that >point >was to get tickets and we landed the best ones we could have possibly gotten. > Oh yes, the best part… They were on row 25 in the lower bowl. We were just >above the UF band in the middle of the Tennessee section. They were great >seats!!! >We walked toward the stadium through back streets. There we walked past a >high >rise apartment building with balconies. >There were young males standing on the balconies shouting bad things. I >learned >a couple of new words. Shane already knew them. >I responded to one guy in a car who was giving us the one finger salute and >hurling un-nice comments with, “Hey, I can see you’re a UT graduate!” >That didn’t go over well. Shane complained someone screamed in his ear while >we >were on The Strip. I’m sure he must have provoked the guy. > >On to the Vol walk. We watched from quite a distance. I was impressed at >that >point with so many Tennessee fans who walked by, offering to shake hands and >wishing us good luck. >Then into the stadium to find Leon . He had texted me his section and we >walked >up (way up) there. >Found him and Paula hanging out at the underside of their section. There was >a >beautiful view of the Tennessee River from behind the cameraman who took our >photo. >Stood with them awhile and on to our seats. >Lots of Tennessee fans around us. I was impressed with how much they really >expected to win that game. When the Knoxville police posted the news that >anyone caught storming the field after the game would be arrested it was clear >there was no option or consideration for losing. I must have seen over a >hundred posters during the day that said something about, “It’s our year!” >Everyone was very friendly and no one seemed to mind us cheering for the >Gators. > I refrained from using any of my newly learned words. > >Of course you saw the game. It was as loud as UF can be at several points >during the game. Fortunately, I had worn my lucky shirt. > >I was very impressed with Jeff Driskell. To be able to keep us in the game >through the first half handling the ball the way he did, as a sophomore, was >truly admirable. >After we went ahead 27-14 the mass exodus was on. The way the game had gone I >was surprised to see it begin there. But, the aisles weren’t nearly big >enough >to get them all out. >After that you could see lots of blue. The team came over to the band after >the >game and they played the Alma Mater, but as close as we were we could only >hear >the Tennessee band playing. They were miked to loud speakers! I still have >that damned song going through my head! >Anyway, after the Alma Mater Will Muschamp ran over and did a couple of Gator >chomps, you’ve seen the photos, and that got us all worked up again. > >Long wait to get out of parking. Long wait to get on the road. Then smooth >sailing to home. No bad fans on the way back. J > > >Oliver Barry CRS,GRI >Real Estate Broker >Bob Parks Realty >1517 Hunt Club Blvd >GallatinTN 37066 >Phone: 615-826-4040 >Fax: 615-822-2027 >Mobile: 615-972-4239 > > > >-- >GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions >2008 National Football Champions | >Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), >Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us >-- >GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions >2008 National Football Champions | >Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), >Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- Helen Huntley (727) 823-3801www.helenhuntley.com -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
