Listeners could hear the game’s excitement

Listeners could hear the game’s excitement By Tom Mattingly Many of the old stadiums across the country have been torn down. Only film, later videotape, and the power of memory are keeping them alive. Life as we know it has taken a number of interesting turns. Closer...

‘He doesn’t like to lose’

‘He doesn’t like to lose’ By Tom Mattingly Many times, during University of Tennessee basketball games at Stokely Center, there were often-heated confabs at the scorer’s table featuring the game officials, opposing coaches, official scorer Russ Bebb, and clock...

Setting the stage

By Tom Mattingly Most Tennessee fans see visiting teams at Neyland Stadium trot onto the field to a scattered chorus of boos, but that’s just part of the story. There’s drama underneath the south end after each game precious few people get to witness. The current...

Sartorially Challenged

By Tom Mattingly There have been times, through the years, when combatants have come out to play football in uniforms that were, shall we say, sartorially challenged. For the 1977 Vandy game, in John Majors’ first year as head coach, Tennessee for the first time...

Fun and games on the road with the Volunteers

Fun and games on the road with the Volunteers By Tom Mattingly The stadiums where the Vols play are ancient and creaking, built in sections over the years, designed for football and nothing else. There are the echoes of Bob Neyland at Tennessee, Wallace Wade and Bear...