Any and all who know me will also know the significance of that statement! TBA asked me last night how I thought I would react to seeing the Maxim thing happen. I told him I'm wasn't sure I'd be able to breathe. I'm still not.

I give all credit, props, laud and honor to TBA and BrockyTop who pushed this thing like a pair of D-11 bulldozers. Also, and no less, to PlumberVol, Beano, CharterVol, Uncle Gus, Swampy and anyone else who called, e-mailed or helped in any way. Even to ol' JC and Gray (Dear God, am I delirious?) for making sure we couldn't take ourselves too seriously. Last, and most importantly to Coach Phillip Fulmer, who stood up as a true Volunteer and said, "Make it so."

Whether you realize it or not, this one thing has separated us from every other board on the map ... AND we're just getting started. To paraphrase GSP, Jr.: someday, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, "Were you really part of Sports Parlor South?" You'll be able to say, "There I wuz..."

MAXOMG

I sent this to you privately, but I'd like to share it now with the rest of the SPS team:

Pat, if I can be serious for just a second, I'm really proud that you came up with the maxim idea. In the Book of Vols, you are in chapter one. I have always known that, and I would rather see your face during the video than the video itself.

Tennessee football means so much to so many. I hope the maxim recitation catches on and lasts forever. This gives you a tangible link to Neyland himself and is an outstanding contribution to Tennessee.

May your tribe increase.

Dan

That thanks to the man with the origional idea of the maxims being presented to the fans,This whole project had a beginning, and we will get to sit together and share the moment in Neyland Stadium.
How will the fans react? Will they grab hold of this defined link to the General and will the thundering 107,000 blast the maxims to the two teams below waiting to make their entrance on field?
I have butterflies in my stomach as I type this and tonight I am but two beers typing.
Guys tomorrow there will be a cannon shot fired in the name of Neyland.How far away it will be heard will be up to the living fan.
I can hardly wait.And ya know....the game is important too!

Goose bumps! Goose bumps!

I will watch the game at the home of a great friend of 37 years who was a mean captain of our high school football team & is a UT graduate . I could not drag him to the game today.

Also, hopefully in attendance will be a friend of ours of almost 40 years who was a mean high school teammate as well. His great uncle was the first quarterback at UT over 100 years ago. I have dragged him to only 2 games in the last 14 years since he & his family moved back.

I am sorry I will miss the debut of General Neyland's Maxims. I am torn, but friendship rules & once the game starts the knots will ease. As I watch the game, I will be educating my 2 friends about General Neyland's Maxims, the General, & the work of SPS. I look forward to seeing & hearing about the unveiling of a Tennessee Tradition--especially a biased report after the game!

I would predict that the reading of General Neyland's Maxims will go well. However, it could be a little awkward since it will be a new experience for about 107,000. I would say that the process will need a little fine tuning as any great tradition would. Good luck on the debut. I want to see Neyland's Stadium become "the most-feared & hated place to do battle in the Nation!!!"

I also want UT to become the most welcome place in the Nation for those who love UT!! It is about money, but it is also about friendships, academics, & fun!!!

I also want to state for the record that I love my long -time friends mentioned above and at the same time I appreciate the chatters who post on this board. It is a place to go if you have sports on your mind & you want to see how your thoughts will stand up to the flame or the ice!!!

Have a beautiful day in Big Orange Country!!!!!

I'm going to bring CV's recreation of the General on the back of the Voltron to the game today.
I woke up with this thought;
What IF, I was able to get picked up by one of the Voltron cams holding it up??
Can you imagine having a future image of the back on the front today?
Would the fans go........crazy?????

bump