Neither sneezing nor migraine will keep me from this post.

Such is my commitment to sharing the last part of what I believe Traci correctly called “the best inaugural UT game experience EVER.” So, continuing on. After a photo op with a slightly larger and fuzzier version of Smokey, Sarah and I headed for our seats inside of Neyland Stadium.

As we wound our way through the ramps leading up into the stadium, the anticipation built and my grin got wider and wider. And then, there it was…

Vast and glowing, an architectural behemoth checkered in orange and white.

After my initial peek into this Tennessee landmark, Sarah asked if I wanted to head down to the Lettermen’s Club located on field level. Um, am I willing to chase a celebrity and ask him for a picture? Heck, yeah! Down we went and shamelessly worked her husband’s letterman status {thanks, Kyle!} in order to get in. And then, there it was. The checkerboard, mere yards from me…

Oh yeah, and there was this other guy there, Johnny Majors.

I heard he was a big deal or something.

After stocking up on free snacks, water and cokes {take that, overpriced concessions stands!} we headed up to our seats and the gorgeous view that spread before us. And this is where our tale takes a sad turn. I took this one last shot…

…and my camera battery died. Kaput. Done. And like a total moron, I hadn’t brought my extra battery with me. So the rest of my pics are courtesy of my cell phone. Sigh. But what better to snap me out of my camera funk than a marching band? Bring on the Pride of The Southland Marching Band! Go Vols!

{We weren’t sitting on the home side, so just flip these pics in your head, m’kay? Thanks.}

The Power T

And here they come! We settled in for the first half in which I sang “Rocky Top” at least fifty times as we rolled over the Memphis Tigers.

At halftime, the alumni band joined the current band and taunted me with the first formation for the famous Circle Drill. If you haven’t ever seen this, click on over here and watch {it starts around 2:30}. AMAZING. We didn’t get the whole deal {teasers} but it was still a pretty great show. They even had the guys who first recorded “Rocky Top”, the Osborne Brothers, out on the field to perform. Pretty sweet!

Game won and “Rocky Top” sung another fifty times, we headed down for one more shot with Smokey and one last shot with the checkerboard.

Blissfully happy and deliciously exhausted from the wind, cold and hollerin’, we headed home to Chattanooga. But not before one last stop at Waffle House for a late night snack and “Don’t Stop Believing” on the jukebox.

Trust me, someone had to redeem the terrible frat band cover we heard that afternoon.

Go Vols!