It's Football Time in Tennessee!

Saturday

Sep052009

Yes!! College football is finally back! It's a beautiful Saturday, there's a hint of fall in the air, and college football starts today. All is right with the world.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big college football fan. I love the pageantry, the spectacle, the rivalries, and the game itself. There's drama, and pathos, and celebration, and redemption, and story after story of triumph over adversity. Yes, there are also stories of decadence and frailties and greed and abuse ... but those just add to the sweep of the story and highlight even more the good that sport can bring.

A key part of college football is tradition. I love so many of the traditions before, during, and after games -- the Ramblin' Wreck, the USC trojan on the majestic horse, the Notre Dame kilt guys, Script Ohio. (And if you have no idea what any of these are, here's a slideshow of the 30 Best College Football Traditions.)

There is one tradition, though, that all Big Orange faithful know and love. It's not Smoky, or the Block T, or even Rocky Top, even though all of those are very special. No, it's a sound that many of us grew up listening to, a sound that has become engrained in our consciousness and imprinted on our hearts. And it all began with a radio announcer ...

John Ward was the Voice of the Vols for over 30 years, from 1968 to 1999. I grew up listening to his broadcasts on a scratchy AM radio, usually in the basement since my parents didn't want to listen to football. When I think of some of the greatest moments in Tennessee football history, John's call of the game is part of those memories.

He was and is one of the most respected individuals associated with Tennessee sports. The press box at Neyland Stadium is named for him. He's a Distinguished Alumni at UT (law degree '54) and immediately recognizable to thousands and thousands of Vol fans.

Before the 1998 football season, he announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Many thought the team could be pretty good that year, but no one would have predicted that the last football game he would call would be the National Championship, won by Tennessee over Florida State.

There is a CD available of great Tennessee football moments and sounds, and some of John's most memorable calls are on there: the comeback at Notre Dame, the thrashing of Miami in the Orange Bowl, the victory over Florida in Knoxville that ended Florida's streak against Tennessee, the end of the National Championship.

But the call that every Tennessee fan cherishes, the phrase that meant football was back and it was time to cheer on the Big Orange, the beginning of every game broadcast for thirty years, and the phrase that titles this post -- THAT'S the John Ward signature, the football moment that brings a thrill to the spine and a tear to the eye. When the pregame routine was over, the Pride of the Southland band would form the big block T, then open it up so the team could race onto the field through the T, and John would describe what was happening, always concluding just as the team reached the sideline:

"It's football time ... in Tennessee!!"

John Ward is retired. He still attends games, and is always surrounded by well-wishers. The day will come when he will no longer be with us, but through the miracle of digital recordings, his famous phrases and game calls will live on. In case you've never had the chance to hear them, here are a few of them. And remember -- if you see me at a game, even at Louisville or Kentucky, you'll understand if right before the game I stand and shout "It's football time in Tennessee!" It won't make sense to anyone around me, but you'll know -- THAT'S how you start the season, and the game. Let's have us some college football!