by design | Jul 6, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly In another long-ago lifetime, I was a daily blogger for the local newspaper, along with writing a weekly column much like this one. The task was to write commentaries each week on various happenings in the daily world of sports I thought might be of...
by design | Jun 29, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly There was always something special about waking up on Saturday mornings in the fall during the 1960s and into the 1970s, knowing that one of the big games in the country was being played at Neyland Stadium, less than 10 miles from your home....
by design | Jun 22, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly This season’s clash between Tennessee and Georgia Tech is not that far away, set for Sept. 12 in Atlanta at historic Grant Field. Having that game on the Tech campus is a major salute to the tradition of the series. There was a time when...
by design | Jun 15, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly Would an 11-2 record overall, along with an SEC title, a Top 10 finish, and a BCS bowl bid be satisfactory to the Vol fan base in today’s college football environment? Every game now appears to be an “elimination game,” with the perception of...
by design | Jun 8, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly When No. 4 Tennessee squared off against No. 11 Air Force in the 1971 Sugar Bowl, there was a prevailing thought among the Vol faithful that the Vols didn’t seem to be the biggest deal in town. That honor went to the Air Force Academy in the first...
by design | Jun 1, 2026 | Columnist, Mattingly
By Tom Mattingly AUTHOR’S PREFACE: In my quest to identify Tennessee football’s “Best of the Best, By the Numbers,” sometimes the best selection is clear-cut, e.g. linebacker Steve Kiner (1967-69) for No. 57 or Hacksaw Reynolds (1967-69) for No. 64. Other...
