‘Memories by the bushel’

‘Memories by the bushel’ By Tom Mattingly Over the years, football fans seem to make critical, life-changing decisions about team allegiances in their most tender years and live with the impact of those decisions through the rest of their lives. College...

Who played in the final Garden State Bowl?

Who played in the final Garden State Bowl? By Tom Mattingly Who played in the final Garden State Bowl? It’s been more than 40 years since the bowl’s demise on Dec. 13, 1981, but fans in the know in Knoxville, Tenn., and Madison, Wis., know the answer, almost by heart....

Fascinating Interviews

Fascinating Interviews By Tom Mattingly Who might be among the most fascinating people you have interviewed or written about during your professional writing career? That question has been raised more than once in a number of forums. Col. Tom Elam, the self-described...

A question for the ages

A question for the ages By Tom Mattingly If you’re a college football fan enamored with collecting all kinds of memorabilia, you never know when you’ll find something special about your favorite team that catches your attention almost immediately. Collectors are...

‘After an extensive nationwide search…’

‘After an extensive nationwide search…’ By Tom Mattingly Sometimes, the best coaching search is no search. Case in point. Go back to Dec. 3, 1976, a day Big Orange Country had anxiously awaited. A Tennessee legend was coming home as head football...

‘I’m not changing my offense for anyone’

‘I’m not changing my offense for anyone’ By Tom Mattingly The single-wing offense, a staple of Tennessee football since the ascension of Bob Neyland as head coach in 1926, took its last breath on Nov. 30, 1963, as the Vols took a 14-0 decision over...