Smoke Dog Returns...Pricks

Waldini:

This is the 2nd installation of my ongoing summer series. I gave you the worst Laker moments so I decided to flip it up and give you the 5 best Volunteer moments


1999 Fiesta Bowl - Does this really need any explanation :-)? As an adult I had yet to experience any of my teams winning the big one and FINALLY it happened. After so many years of Citrus Bowl appearances, Florida beatdowns, fallen expectations, etc, I could finally smile about the Volunteers. It helped that I won a friendly wager against a co-worker who said Tenn would get spanked by FSU (this is the same person who picked Syracuse against Florida in the Orange Bowl that same year)

1998 win over Florida - Emotional on so many levels. As mentioned above, the constant ridicule from Florida fans throughout college and early corporate years, the smart ass comments made by Spurrier on an annual basis (including the infamous Citrus comment), the repeated bridesmaid role. They FiNALLY beat Florida under Phil Fulmer. I was at Tyrone Bonner's apt (a big Florida fan) when this happened and when he said "This is bullshit after the final whistle, I was vindicated. I could finally talk smack to a Gators fan. And of course, that lead them to the bulletpoint above

1991 win over Notre Dame - See here for a quick recap. All I remember is this cat at my school named Joe Mahoney that kept talking shit about ND and how much better than UT they were. Didnt help that ND road out to a big lead at halftime and Mahoney called to taunt me. But we all know how that turned out. Oh man, if Johnny Majors ever did anything right, it was winning that game. And in South Bend no less. And when ND was a bigger player in college football than UT at the time. I remembered I called Mahoney after the game ended and said "How does it fell now Mahomo??" Click....Aww the memories....

2005 win over LSU - Where do I start? The Vols and Tigers were both highly rated but Tenn had looked mighty suspect in it's early season Ws. Plus they were playing in Baton Rouge, at night, and on ESPN, which is usually a guaranteed win for LSU. Down 21-0 in the first half, I'm on the phone with Nate Dogg, cursing the Vols, hating on Ainge, doubting Phil, completely forgetting it's my birthday and I'm supposed to enjoy my day. What happens in the 2nd half, Clausen the 2nd coming gets put in, he pulls a Revenge of the Sith and proceeds to guide my Vols to a W. Sadly, it was the only good thing about that season as the Vols finished the season horribly. I think God heard my birthday wish for that day....

1993 tie with Alabama - Alabama is coming off its national championship season, the Vols are having a decent season and they havent' beaten Alabama in 8 yrs. This tie started the beginning of 8 consecutive wins over the Tide, which of course was huge for this rivalry. At the time I was pissed Tenn choked away the lead and let David Palmer convert the 2 point conversion. BUT I was happy that they stand their ground.

Gangsta D:

The '98 game against Arkansas HAS to be honorable mention. If Clint Stoerner doesn't screw up, you guys are watching the first BCS Bowl at home.

Da Realist:

a classic that espn NEVER shows! i've been telling athena about this game for years, but it's never on. It hurt at the time cause i wanted to see the hogs do well, but now i just want to see that classic game again.

Waldini:

Definitely honorable mention. And considering I missed most of this game and walked in to surprisingly see Arkansas leading in the 4th, that was a classic ending.