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The smoke off the mountains welcomes visitors
to Knoxville. These massive natural structures highlight the beauty of
this Tennessee town. The Tennessee river that runs along Neyland
Stadium adds to the picturesque venue and is the site of a tradition known
as the Volunteer Navy. Here, many boats of all sizes line up along the
river side to engage in pregame tailgating. The football day starts
early with throngs of orange and white fans gathering near the stadium for
the traditional "Vol Walk." The Tennessee players file out of the bus
to be welcomed by a tunnel of Volunteer fans cheering and greeting them.
The charge is led by beloved coach, Phillip Fulmer. Nearby, the "Pride
of the Southland" band plays "Rocky Top," Tennessee's unofficial fight song,
for the first of what would be many times throughout the afternoon.
Fans then shuffle from the Vol Walk to the "The Hill" for another pregame
tradition. "The Salute to the Hill" is popular as fans welcome the
band playing "Rocky Top," the alma mater, and a host of Tennessee
traditional tunes. Almost immediately after the show, fans file into
the massive Neyland Stadium, one of four stadiums in the nation exceeding
100,000 in capacity. Fans await the famous forming of the "T" that is
created by the band. Smokey, the blue tick coon hound, leads the
Volunteer players over the famed checkerboard endzones and through the "T,"
increasing the volume in this already booming structure. From the
outside, Neyland Stadium looks like an enormous, old wooden roller coaster.
On the inside, it simply is intimidating. The upper deck is steep, as
evidenced by the many fans who trip their way up the steps. Anywhere
in the stadium offers an excellent view. The student section is the
only disappointing aspect of this venue. Although the band plays
feverishly and performs "Rocky Top" on repeat, the students are not very
choreographed, nor are they leaders in revving up the crowd. The fact
is, all Tennessee fans are loud and frightening enough - there is no need
for inspiration. Neyland Stadium is a classic. Very few stadiums
could rival this cavernous and majestic arena. It's no wonder why few
visiting teams leave victorious.
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