Rocky Top will ALWAYS be home sweet home to me!

Since it's January 1, 2011 (FINALLY!) and football is ALL over the place, I'm going to write about one of my passions!  I know Tennessee played a couple of days ago (and had ANOTHER win stolen), but since there is SO much football on, I'm reminded of MY team!

I love Tennessee football!  I mean LOVE it.  To the extent that most of my friends don't even ask me to make plans when a game is on because they just know better!  Love as in I have bought special clothing in orange and white just to wear to work the Friday before a game.  Love like I own 3 jerseys and about a million t-shirts and sweatshirts.  Love so much that my mother buys me at least one Tennessee stocking stuff EVERY year!  And that I have a Christmas tree dedicated to it (although a few other teams are represented as well: The Colts, Titans, and Cowboys, as well as Tony Stewart).  That's how much I love it!

I will love them forever.  I do not care if we have 15 losing seasons in a row (although hopefully that will not ever happen!).  I will still wear my orange out in public proudly and I will still scream my head off during every play.  It's just a part of who I am!

I guess I have to address the Lane Kiffin debacle too.  I hated him before he left.  I thought he was a horrible fit at Tennessee and I missed Phil Fulmer immediately (truthfully I thought the was he was booted out was distasteful to begin with).  I never got on the "Lane Train" and I'm so glad, because even though it made me mad when he left us in a lurch, I wasn't nearly as hurt and betrayed as some people were.  I still rooted for Tennessee, but I was glad when he left!

Now on to the future.  I think Derrick Dooley is a wonderful fit for Tennessee.  He is young, which was one good thing about Kiffin.  He can make a career as a Tennessee head football coach.  Also he was born and bred in the south and has a wonderful pedigree in the SEC.  I mean Vince Dooley is his daddy!  One thing that really drove me crazy about Kiffin was how he ran his mouth SO much.  Dooley understands how we play ball in the South and how to conduct himself.  So I see GREAT things coming for Tennessee in the next few years and I CAN'T WAIT!!! 

I'll leave you with some pictures showing my love!

My first game!  I was 18!  With me are Alex, Joan, and Katie.  We had a blast!

Alex and I at Qdoba.  I'm not totally certain what year this was but I was going to UTC and it must have been on a Friday.  While I was at UTC I always wore a TN tshirt Thursday, my white jersey on Friday, and my orange jersey on Saturdays.  Sad but true!

Joan and I.  I know this was at Applebee's and I know it was the first game of the season for what ever year this was.  Notice how faded that jersey is, I think I got a new one shortly after.

Matt and I before the Florida game last year.  We watch it at the lake every year with our family friends Bill and Jean, who are big Florida fans and have the boat next to my parents' boat.  So much fun!

GO VOLS!!!!