Never a dull moment

By Tom Mattingly

In this business, Vol fans are always asking intriguing questions – whether it’s on the street, in restaurants, via social media, or on the telephone.

There was a postal employee in Chattanooga who called one year and asked who the third string tailback was in the 1950s, probably in 1956 or 1957. When I said “Al Carter,” he said, “Thanks,” and hung up.

There was apparently a bet in his section of the post office, and I never had a chance to find out who won. I also got the impression he dropped 50 cents into the cash box to cover the cost of the call.

I am often asked who I think is the most underrated player. My answer is Shawn Bryson, one of the captains of the 1998 national championship team. He could do it all: run, block, and catch passes. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Think about his touchdown catch in the 1999 Florida State game and a very big fourth down reception when the Vols were trying to kill the clock late in the game.

One December, a lawyer asked when the Vanderbilt game the previous Saturday had started and ended. He also wanted to know what the weather conditions were. That was all readily available on the official play-by-play distributed after the game. It seemed one of his clients had fallen outside the stadium, and he was preparing a lawsuit. That’s about all I could get out of him. There was also no word about the disposition of the case.

When fans ask about my favorite teams, I always ask, “What generation?” It does make a difference. I try to discuss teams I actually saw play.

The 1965 team was the one that put the Vols back on the national radar. There’s something special about those teams. The 1967 and 1970 teams were flat-out good. I give Doug Dickey credit for reinstalling the “swagger” in Vol football during those years.

The 1985 team that defeated Miami in the Sugar Bowl was a personal favorite later on. Then there was 1989, the 11-1 Cotton Bowl team. The 1991 team rallied from down 31-7 to win at Notre Dame. That was an unforgettable memory. There was also the 11-1 team in 1995 that defeated Ohio State.

The 1998 national championship season was exciting week by week, including some tense times along the way. Once the Vols got to No. 1, things became very exciting, but not without a few anxious moments.

The day was Nov. 14, No. 1 Tennessee versus No. 10 Arkansas. It was late in the game. The Razorbacks led and had the ball.

Then came a moment never to be forgotten, one that led to a Vol win. Billy Ratliff not only caused a Clint Stoerner fumble but recovered it as well. The Vols then moved quickly to the winning score in five plays, 43 yards, all carries by Travis Henry. That’s what Gen. Neyland said to do in Maxim No. 2: “Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way – SCORE!”

Billy was an exceptional player, who suffered more than his share of injuries. He was injured once on the practice field in a non-contact drill and left via ambulance. That was a scary time.

There was a sad sidebar to this game. The Arkansas lineman Billy faced off against was Brandon Burlsworth, a very good player who bore a striking resemblance to comedian Drew Carey. Brandon was later killed in a traffic accident on April 28, 1999, near Alpena, Arkansas. He was a walk-on who became an All-American selection and third-round draft choice of the Indianapolis Colts.

I liked the way the 2001 team came back from the loss to LSU and took Michigan apart, piece by piece, on New Year’s Day 2002. Hearing “Hail to the Victors” played by the Michigan band was very impressive. Watching Vol receivers, especially Jason Witten, slice through the Wolverine secondary was even more impressive. That 2001 team, led by Casey Clausen under center, won at Arkansas, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Florida.

I once received a call from SEC official Jimmy Harper about getting a copy of a Volunteers Magazine cover that showed the coin toss of the 1989 Auburn game. There was this deep voice on the phone identifying himself, and my response was to the point: “Should I really be talking with you?” He said, “Yes, of course,” and later profusely thanked me for the photo.

One of the officials from the 2001 SEC Championship Game, I believe his name was Mike Wallace, called with a similar request. He also asked the following pertinent question: “Why couldn’t No. 14 come up with an interception when he had the ball right in his hands?”

No. 14 was Julian Battle, and he nearly had an interception that might have changed the course of the game. I never came up with a good answer why he didn’t.

Interesting questions about significant moments around the Vol football program abound. There’s never been a dull moment.