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As an old school part-time (now) Alabama fan (before I went to Iowa State), the Tennessee game is my favorite on the schedule regardless of which team is streaking at the time. When I was younger (in the '70s), I didn't even think about a possible SEC Championship or National Championship run unless Alabama made it past Tennessee undefeated - as a loss to the Vols would have derailed both.EDIT: Regarding middle paragraph of last post, I just hope it isn't against us Saturday that you fix things and we do happen to beat you guys for once in a long time. To be fair, I am old enough that I remember the Fulmer era and our streak with him very well. Alabama starting losing focus with us and Florida was all the attention and top rival. With Saban and Alabama, it has turned back to a rivalry from Tennessee's side. I am not sure how Alabama fans see the rivalry but it seems serious on your end as well.
Alabama-Tennessee, in my opinion, is a terrible rivalry other than the turning points because it always seems like one program is good and the other is struggling so there are long streaks. I think it is because we literally recruit the same areas and it is hard for one program to be up when the other is up as well. Granted, Tennessee's terrible AD situation and Coaching hires also really ruined our program. Danny White is the first great AD we have had since Doug Dickey and was, interestingly, the only AD search that was dominated by boosters. Tennessee's boosters are finally behaving and letting the administration run the show from what I am gathering and that has paid dividends.
I've been to 3 Alabama-Tennessee games in 3 different stadiums (1979 @ Legion Field, 2009 @ Bryant-Denny Stadium and 2012 @ Neyland Stadium). Two of them were real nut crunchers (1979 and 2009). Oddly, Alabama won the National Championship all 3 seasons.
Two funny personal things about the Rivalry. I dated a Tennessee fan back in the late '90s. We broke up a few weeks before the game that year. When Tennessee won, she called and left me a "Go Vols!" voice mail drunk as a skunk. Made me laugh out loud.
Then, I went to the Tennessee Fiesta Bowl win over FSU for the National Championship with my Seminole brother. I really didn't care who won. At the airport the next day, I was chatting with a Vol fan. I just said something like, "I'm an Alabama fan, but I think it's great Tennessee won the National Championship" (just being nice). He snickered, and said something like: "Alabama is dead, they won't beat Tennessee again for 20 years!" Now, that the worm has turned, I think about that man's karma every year Alabama extends the winning streak. I often wonder if he remembers his jackass comment?
Good luck tomorrow! I think the Vols will win. If they do, enjoy the victory cigar!
P.S. I'd give a Tennessee win over Alabama for an Iowa State win over Texas!
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