SB Nation User Blog: azvol

Financially, times are difficult....but....

azvol — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:21:16 -0000

I surely hope that we can fill Neyland Stadium against Auburn. I just received (8pm, Tuesday) an email from UT Athletics with the information that "a limited number of tickets still remain" for the game this Saturday. Of course there won't be any wide swaths of empty seats as in the Ohio game, but it would be great if we had a good, old fashioned SELL OUT; not only for this game but for the game against Georgia next weekend, too.

Last season Joel created an "office" pool for Rocky Top Talk so that all of us could publicly...

azvol — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:43:32 -0000

Last season Joel created an "office" pool for Rocky Top Talk so that all of us could publicly display our ability (or inability) to predict college winners each week. Was wondering if we were going to do that again?

Sign of the times....

azvol — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:19:17 -0000

In a sign of continuing hard economic times, the UT Athletic Dept. this morning sent an email to all Tennessee Fund Donors (formerly VASF) alerting them that in its initial offering, UT did not sell all of its ticket allotment to the UT vs. Florida game in Gainesville.

The email read: "A limited number of tickets remain from our allotment for the upcoming football game AT Florida on Saturday, Sept. 19."

This is the first time in my memory that away game Florida tickets had to be RE-offered to donors. UT normally restricts UF, UGA and 'Bama away game tickets to 2 or 4, depending on giving level.

Admittedly, Gainesville is a "fer piece", requiring lots of gasoline and overnight accommodations. Add to that the less than hospitable welcoming UT fans receive and I can understand how that road trip might be one that get scratched from your fall football agenda.

Thankfully, the email only offered Florida tickets with no mention of away game Alabama tickets. If the Athletic Dept. has trouble selling those, I'll know the sky is close to falling.

Season ticket demand?

azvol — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:28:30 -0000

Not sure what to make of this, but I got a letter yesterday from UT concerning additional season tickets being made available to current season ticket holders. The available seats are in the LOWER levels of the North and South end zones. The number of seats available is not mentioned. Maximum you can purchase is 4.

I assumed that the buzz created by Kiffin and Co. would have resulted in great demand for season tickets. Maybe the university is simply rewarding current season ticket holders with an opportunity to get 2009 season tickets with no increase in annual donation. Maybe the down economy has resulted in non-renewals in numbers not seen in recent years. The letter says this offer is for 2009 season ONLY and priority dead line is August 15.

I assume that if current season ticket holders don't grab all of these seats they will be made available to the general public (after 8-15-09). The ticket booklet (with all home games) is $360----and you're in the lower bowl. Frankly, I anticipated a waiting list for tickets, not a bunch for sale.

The Ebay listing of flowers that were said to be the ones from which UT drew its school colors...

azvol — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:13:56 -0000

The Ebay listing of flowers that were said to be the ones from which UT drew its school colors leaves me with something preying on my mind.

First of all, the Ebay flowers were iris (TN state flower) and definitely not the flower UT choose for its school color.

If you Google search the topic, all sources say that the American Daisy was growing in The Hill and it is the flower we can thank for our beloved orange. BUT.......

I can recall when I was a kid——back in the 1960’s———-I was told that the flower growing on The Hill that caused orange to be chosen was the Gloriosa Daisy. I’ve been going through life thinking this. Now when I see American Daisy, even on utsports.com, I wonder if I’m wrong or, over time, has the wrong flower crept into picture.

Search Google images and you’ll see that the Gloriosa would certainly seem to be closer, in terms of our orange color.

A True Sign of the Times

azvol — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:33:38 -0000

Imagine getting an email from UT on the Wednesday before the 'Bama game that announces a "limited number of tickets are available" for the contest. Had I received this only two years ago, I would have thought the game, perhaps, conflicted with THE END OF THE WORLD.

At any rate, that email did arrive in my Inbox this morning. The remaining ticktets go on sale at 7pm this evening (Wed.) online.

Ken

Link to purchase: http://ev9.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=FB&linkID=utenn&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=