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Volunteer or Tiger: Are you a divided household?
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With UT v. Memphis as the biggest basketball game in the country on Saturday, we're wondering how many local families have divided loyalties. If you have both UT and Memphis grads in your household, we'd love to hear your story and your weekend plans.
Share your stories in the comments below.
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Posted by dirtdobber1 on February 21, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go Vols! That ole saying goes in this household... IF MAMA AINT HAPPY, DADDY DONT CARE!
Vols will cruch Memphis State this weekend!
Posted by jacksonvol on February 21, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why was Crews playing last night? If the shoe fits..............
Posted by eloist on February 21, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My Mom, Dad, Aunt, and 2 of my Uncles went to Memphis State. My Mom and Dad did graduate stuff at UT.
I went to UT.
My Aunt is the only one who is not a UT fan. Needless to say, if we lose, she'll be giving me a call.
I have grown up casually watching Memphis in between Vol games... but after listening to Calipari's arrogance, I am officially over them.
GO VOLS.
Posted by spartangolfer on February 21, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, it is a split house. Wife is UT alum. and I am a Mem. alum. We fly both flags and have car flags for both. We will have a LSU alum and a Tulane alum at the house Sat. night to watch. Plus the daughter goes to Miss. State, so loyalties are all over the map.
Go Tigers first and hears' hoping the vols win out after Sat. so they also get a # 1 seed and they can meet again in the NCAA finals.
Posted by DougGottliebsCreditCard on February 21, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am an alum of UT (undergrad) and Memphis (grad) and I pull for both teams unless they play each other; then, it's all orange, all the way.
Posted by HotlantaVol on February 21, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
At my house, I am a big-time Vols fan. My wife, however, is a big time Lady Vols fan. We root for each others team, unless we play each other, but that hasn't happened . . . yet.
Posted by GoVol on February 21, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone admitting they are a Memphis State fan is like saying "yes, I'm an IDIOT".
The question - "are you a Memphis fan or UT fan" is a stupid question.
GO VOLS!!!
Posted by marc_ash on February 21, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Most people in this neck of the woods could care less about Memphis. A divided house would be few and far between. You would have a better chance of having a UT/GA or a UT/Bama household.
Not a very good poll question. Nobody cares about Memphis. High School basketball isn't generally an issue in east TN.
Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on February 21, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ha -- I'm a 48-year-old Memphis State grad, born with orange blood, living in Denmark. Although I'm proud of them, have to say I've lost my enthusiasm for the Tigers over the years; I'm now Bruce Pearl's and the Vols' basketball team's biggest fan in Europe.
The equation used to be simple for me: always a Vol during football season and always a Tiger during hoops season.
Not anymore. The bright side of my dilemma: whatever happens Saturday, I win!
Posted by orangeblood1966 on February 21, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I live in West Tn, about 1.5 hours from Memphis, and I drive the 4.5 hours to K-town on a regular basis to root for my beloved Vols. For all I care Arkansas can have Memphis.
Posted by GoVol on February 21, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too bad the river is in the way, or we'd just cut off memphis and slide it over to Ark. We offered Memphis to Mississippii, but they refused to take it - maybe they are little smarter than we thought down in Miss.?
Posted by govols37917 on February 21, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Divided...NO! I like GoVol just wish they would go to Mississippi or Arkansas...they hate us and the feeling is mutual
Posted by General_Watermelon on February 21, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Memphis who?
Posted by VolnDothan on February 21, 2008 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Memphis HAS fans? That's news to me.
Posted by VolnDothan on February 21, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's funny orangeblood1966 and GoVol! I've said that so many times. I thought I was the only one.
What's odd about Tennessee as a state is how each of three divisions don't recognize the other! When I was at UTK I couldn't get any news about Middle TN at all. That was pre-internet days of course....
Posted by HotlantaVol on February 21, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, GoVol, that's not exactly correct. Mississississippi did want Graceland, but didn't give in when Tennessee told them it was all or nothing.
They should have taken the deal. Then we could call it U of Mississlappi since they like to slap fans.
Posted by pong982 on February 21, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dad was a Memphis State alum and I have two degrees from UT. Unfortunately, my Dad passed away almost a year ago exactly. I know he'll be watching it with me Saturday night, but will still be rooting for his Tigers while I cheer on the Vols.
Posted by andy112382 on February 21, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My dad went to Memphis State and Tennessee, my mom went to Memphis and my brother graduated from Memphis as well, and I was born in Memphis...
Only problem is I grew up bleeding orange and I have an orange and white room filled with all of my Tennessee items for cryin' out loud!
I grew up watching memphis bball and Tennessee everything else because there was more memphis bball games for me to watch on tv it seemed, but I must admit it will be bittersweet saturday no matter who wins, I would love to see memphis go undefeated, knowing how involved with memphis my brother still is, but I would also love to see Tennessee get to number 1! Fact of the matter is, come tournament time, I would love to see Tennessee on one side and Memphis on the other and the title game end up being a rematch!
I very close, fast paced game with lots of flash that goes into overtime and has everyone on the edge of their seat would be perfect, I think, because that would show that it is a toss-up anytime the two teams meet.
GO VOLS!!!........and Tigers??? Ahhhh!!
Posted by dvols on February 21, 2008 at 5:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hmmmm.
grew up with
william bedford
kieth lee
andre 'the general' turner
willie becton
marvin shamoo the killer whale alexander
dana kirk
vincent askew
baskerfield holmes
john wilfong
then i went to tennessee and started giving my cash
wade
kevin
jerry
buzz
use to could hear sneakers squeaking on the floor.
now things are different.
V O L S!
nobody in memphis really likes cali p.
Posted by brownsvillevol on February 21, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if we all liked the same team it would'nt be any fun but we all must be tennesseans first. but i would root for memphis any time over kentucky whom anybody that bleeds orange should truly despise.
Posted by volunteers4life on February 21, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Live in Memphis and graduated from Memphis but have always loved UT anything. I agree with andy112382 about it being bittersweet b/c I have also always watched Memphis Basketball as it is more available here than TN basketball games have been. Besides Tennessee and Memphis haven't had much to cheer about basketball-wise until Cal and Pearl showed up. Pearl is def. the better coach but I think Memphis is much better under the basket and rebounding. Free throws are pretty much a toss up with both teams as they both suck (memphis a little more so than TN). I would love to see ANY team from the state of tennessee go undefeated or at least win the NC which I think both clubs have the ability to do this year.
PAY ATTENTION: This will be one of the best years ever for Tennessee basketball and will put all of our teams on the radar for recruiting. Move over North Carolina, Duke, Arizona, UCLA etc... This season is ours and hopefully many, many, many more in the future!!! GO VOLS & TIGERS!!!
Posted by bobo_the_vol on February 21, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I knew a guy who cheered for Memphis once.
He still can't make the rash go away, poor guy :( But I think 'Tennessee #1 in AP/Coaches Poll' would make him feel better.
Posted by utbaby on February 21, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This will be the only game I ever root for UT's opponent. I grew up in Memphis, but went to UT. I've been a Vol football fan since the Bill Battle and Stanley Morgan days when I was a kid. I've been a Memphis basketball fan since the Larry Finch days (a player that is). I'm not a divided house.....but I'm a divided person. Go Tigers, but if UT wins, I'll get over the loss pretty quickly.
Posted by smokey90 on February 21, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am an alum of both. I graduated UT undergrad and Memphis post grad. I will be root for UT, but needless to say, I will be happy either way. I have a good shot at seeing one (or both) of my alma maters in the title game.
Posted by eb502us on February 21, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. UT grad who grew up in KY as a UL fan. And if you know anything about UL-Memphis, it's always been a rivalry of hate. It's just now, I dislike them more than ever.
Posted by nicksapnut on February 21, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lived in Memphis all my life until I went to UT for undergrad. Now I'm back home and have to deal with these dirty Memphis fans all day. My wife went to Knoxville also but is wearing blue on sat to the game .....She has forced me to get out the orange and white checkerboard overalls to cancel out her treachery. GO VOLS! If you see me yelling at Memphis fans after the game feel free to join in.
Posted by devault1 on February 21, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
House divided?
Not even close.
Our Smoky Mountain cabin is full of proud Memphis Tigers!
Posted by mun4life on February 21, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thaats funny hotlantavol and govol
Posted by cwisenhower on February 22, 2008 at 12:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well....the wife is wearing her blue and I'm wearing my orange. We're going to a local bar that will most likely be divided pretty evenly. If the Vols win, I'm marching my orange butt down Beale St. to heckle all of the crying Memphis fans!!!
Posted by ballewville6 on February 22, 2008 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WELL I HAVE COUSINS AND AN UNCLE GO TO MEMPHIS MY DAD IS A KENTUCKY FAN BUT I WENT TO 11 HOME GAMES LAST YEAR AND I PLAYED BASKETBALL UNDER RODNEY WOODS WHO WAS THE POINT GUARD AT TENNESSEE DURING THE BERNARD KING AND ERNIE GRUNFIELD SHOW WITH MIKE JACKSON AND THE OTHERS AND AT ONE OF MY BASKETBALL BANQUETS THE GREAT REY MEARES WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER BUT I WAS BORN IN A COUNTY NORTHEAST OF KNOVILLE AND OUR SCHOOL COLORS WERE UT COLORS AND OUR ARCH RIVAL WORE BLUE AND WHITE MY HIGH SCOOL PRINCIPLE AND MY DAD STARTED TRYING TO CHANGE ME TO A UK FAN BUT I FLAT REFUSED I WAS BORN WITH ORANGE BLOOD AND ILL DIE THE BIGGEST TENNESSEE FAN EVER I GO TO KTOWN 2 A MONTH JUST TO SEE THE TOWN MY 3 YEAR OLD HOUSE MY BEDROOM HAS UT POSTERS AND PLAYERS HANGING ALL OVER AND I HAVE OVER 70 TENNESSEE SHIRTS 55 ORANGE SOME GREY AND BLACK AND WHITE 98 NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMS SHIRTS ABOUT 6 OF THEM AND 3 WITH THE SCORE AND I HAVE NEWSPAPERS THAT ARE FROM 2 MONTHS TO 25 YEAR OLD IN CLOSET ,ON GAME DAY IF YOU ARE NOT A VOL FAN I KICK YOU OUT OF MY HOUSE ,CAUSE I GET VERY EXCIETABLE AND I DONT WANT TO HURT ANYONES FEELINGS BUT IF NO ONE IS HERE THEY WANT HEAR ME CURSE OR SEE ME GET SO EXCIETED THAT THIS 39 YEAR OLD GOES TO JUMPING AND DANCING ,GO VOLS WIN ME MY 1000 DOLLARS AND MAKE US PROUD HERE IN EAST TENNESSEE
Posted by marc_ash on February 22, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mbumburu, where in Denmark are you? Kobenhaven?
I have friends there and lived in Dk for a month a few years back. My buddy lives a couple of blocks from FC Kobenhavens stadium.
I'm hoping for a return trip this summer. Maybe this time the little mermaid's head will be attached.
Posted by piperscot on February 22, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I grew up in Memphis during the 60's and 70's. Lived in a house full of Tiger BBall fans and Vol football fans. Wanted to be Larry Finch growing up. Been bi-polar for 50 years. Went to UT during the Bernie/Ernie years, used to play pickup games with them behind the Sigma Chi house. Went to the Final 4 in 1985 to watch the Tigers lose to 'Nova. Usually travel once a year to see the Tigers play. Been to Charlotte, St. Louis, Mississippi State, Dayton, Marshall, East Carolina but haven't seen a game in Memphis in years. Never been in the FedEx Forum. Got tickets today, traveling tonight to Memphis. Will be on Beale by 11PM. Wearing my UT class ring, UT Blazer from McMillan & Co., and my autographed Tiger hat. Either way, I come out a winner. Go Tigers! Go Vols! Help me, I can't stop myself.
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