Painting The Rock — a UT tradition

The Rock is simply an enormous boulder that’s been moved at least once since we were students at UT but has been been a rock-solid canvas for literally hundreds of students over the years.  Spray paint, wall paint, touch-up paint — The Rock has seen it all.

The predominant color comes as no surprise to anyone.  This is Big Orange country, after all.  And over the years, we’ve seen celebratory messages, political insight, even personal notes like you’d see on social media today. The Rock may have been the university’s first Twitter account!

Big Orange is the dominant color on The Rock. Well, usually.

One thing’s for certain, though.  If the administration ever has designs on removing it, they’d better be ready for a fight.  Painting The Rock is one solid student tradition!

Artwork or a mess? The Rock is always up for interpretation.

For more entries in Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Paint challenge on her blog Where’s My Backpack, click here.

For more entries in this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Orange, click here.

But in our usual “let’s-see-what-else-we-can-see-along-the way” mode, we decided to cruise the coast a bit from Tybee Island down to St. Augustine and then over to Amelia Island stopping in Jekyll and St. Simons along the way.  After all, getting there is half the fun, right?

So, join us on our brief but jam-packed tour before and after the bowl.  We’re calling the series “Coasting” — ’cause that’s what we did.  Cruised the coast with eyes wide open.  It’s a series you don’t want to miss.

It’s a sea of orange at the TaxSlayer Bowl where Tennessee defeated Iowa 45 to 28 — first win in a bowl game in seven years!

Coming soon to Oh, the Places We See:  Coasting!

The beautiful marina at Amelia Island at sunset. We’re coasting! Come join us!

Big Orange Fans?  Ya gotta love ’em, ’cause numbers are impressive.  Win or lose, UT Vols can still pack ’em in!

Seating capacity of Neyland Stadium, home of The Tennessee Vols!

More numbers on Neyland Stadium, home of The Vols:

• 1919:  W. T. Shields, UT Trustee and bank president provides money for a Knoxville stadium
• 1921:  Shields-Watkins field opens, named after Shields and his wife Alice Watkins
• September 24, 1921:  Inaugural game in Shields-Watkins agains Emory and Henry with a seating capacity of 3200
• 1926:  Grandstand added with additional 3600 seats, and Robert R. Neyland named head of the football program
• October 20, 1962: Dedication game as Neyland Stadium (Alabama 27, Tennessee 7)
• September 16, 1972: First night game at Neyland Stadium (Tennessee 28, Penn State 21)
• 2004:  UT approves $200 million expansion plan to be executed in five phases
• September 18, 2004:  Largest crowd:  109, 061 (Tennessee 30, Florida 28)
• Since attendance records were kept in 1946, over 25 million fans have watched Tennessee play football in Neyland Stadium!

Information from 

“Neyland Stadium”: http://www.collegegridirons.com/sec/NeylandStadium.htm

“Neyland Stadium”: http://www.utsports.com/facilities/neyland_stadium.html

For more numbers in Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack challenge — Travel theme: Numbers — click here.

First, set up your tailgate near frat row and add one giant blow-up Smokey Dog.

Tennessee Tailgate

Then, gather your friends around you, pose for a picture, and get ready to sing Rocky Top.

It’s cowgirl boots or flip-flops and cute orange dresses for these Vol fans!

Next, sit yourself down in Circle Park and rally the troops.  It’s almost Football Time in Tennessee.

So where are you exactly?

And right before the Pride of the Southland band kicks off the pre-game, board that bus near the Volunteer statue and head to Neyland Stadium.  Go, Big Orange!

The Smokey Bus

For more (but not better, mind you) photos suitable for this theme, get on board with Ailsa’s Travel theme: Orange.

And for more on UT Sports, go to www.utsports.com.  You’ll find lots more Big Orange to shout about!

The Pride marches in front of the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center on Volunteer Blvd.

Before the game, the band gathers near the new Natalie L. Haslam Music Center and then marches in almost near-perfect lines down Volunteer Boulevard to Neyland Stadium.

The band’s pre-game performance gets the crowd roaring as The Pride forms the Power T, and in rush the cheerleaders, Smoky (the blue-tick hound), and the players and coaches.

The Pride of the Southland forms the Power T

Players and cheerleaders run through the T to pump up the crowd in Neyland Stadium!

But it’s the halftime performance that sparkles.  The Pride moves across the field forming lines that move and morph into various shapes.  Like the circles they’re known for.

The Pride performs their famous Circle Drill.

Or spirals that move yet maintain their shape.  (How DO they do that?)

Moving the spirals during the half-time performance

And sometimes they get really fancy forming geometric shapes like we used to make with a Spirograph!

Another great half-time performance!

Lines have defined UT’s Pride of the Southland Band, and most folks forgo getting popcorn and Coke or taking a bathroom break until after the band’s mid-game performance.  You CAN’T miss The Pride!

After all, even when the Vols aren’t playing so well, we can truthfully say, “We ALWAYS win the halftime!”

For more interpretations of the Word a Week Challenge: Lines, go to http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/a-word-a-week-challenge-lines/

This is post #19 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.