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Mark Nagi's Football Weekend Across the State of Tennessee
10/03/06
by Mark Nagi

Well, the weekend began in September and ended in October.... 3 days, two football games, and 835 miles driven by 6 Sports Photojournalist Garrett Gooch.... Let's get this diary started.

FRIDAY

Garrett and I leave from the WATE-TV 6 parking lot at approximately 9am.... A short 5 3/4 hours later, we arrive in Memphis.... I've got to be honest.... Having lived in Knoxville for over 5 years now (nearly 8 counting the college years), I've only been to Memphis a couple of times.... and only spent a day in the city in each instance.... I don't really think about Memphis as being part of the state. We're much closer to Atlanta, Cincinnati and Charlotte. Memphis is basically part of Arkansas as far as I'm concerned.

Also, I have seen more security guards in stores than any other city I can recall. At least Graceland is nearby.

We go to the Liberty Bowl for Vols Walkthrough.... basically a chance to interview Phillip Fulmer and get some last minute clichés to send back for the newscasts that evening....

Later that night sports crews from WATE, WBIR and WVLT have dinner together at the Blues City Cafe on Beale St. This is kind of like FDR, Stalin and Churchill meeting at Yalta... only we all get along.... and instead of discussing the division of Germany after WWII, we talk fantasy football and the Vols running game.

FDR was actually asking Churchill what he thought about LT against the Ravens defense.

After dinner, I hang out with friends that have made their way to Memphis for the game. JJ, Jason, John and Joe.... John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt (his name is my name too...) was not there.

SATURDAY
The alarm goes off at 7am CST. This does not please me.... in theory, a game starting at 11am is great for us TV folks.... very little deadline pressure... in actually, it is early... too early....

Our hotel is a 10 minute drive to the Liberty Bowl..... It takes us 2 1/2 hours to get to our parking spot. I'm serious... this was an absolute mess.... driving around the football stadium, through tailgates, by railroad tracks... We see a parking attendant tell someone he cant turn around, the driver proceeds to turn around anyway, the parking attendant jumps on the hood of the car.... the driver keeps driving..... Our first road rage incident of the trip.

Presumably Randy Moss was driving the car in front of Mark Nagi.

Of course, things are made more difficult by the Mid-South Fair, occurring at the same exact time, only a few feet from the stadium. We pass signs for "Cattle entrance" and "Horticulture exhibit." Great job of scheduling by all parties.

My friend Jason calls later that night to tell a story of fans so upset with the lack of open entry ways into the Liberty Bowl that they break down a gate to get into the stadium. A near riot eventually quelled by a state trooper with a firearm. I love southern football....

The press box is packed, no seats for TV guys, but I sneak in anyway. Mark Nagi=Risk Taker.

00Nagi

One side note: Here are the 4 folks you may meet in the press box. This is not specifically from the Memphis game.... but a composite of all my years in the business.

1.) The fan. Somehow this guy gets a press credential, and doesn't realize that he isn't in the bleachers, cheers for his team after big plays. Cheering in the press box..... that's a no-no.

2.) The talker. This guy makes a comment after every play. Offering advice to the coaches, questioning a referee's call... lets you know that the pre-game meal was better last week.

3.) The historian. This guy has been at every game in said press box since Millard Fillmore was in office. Knows all about the stadium, the city, the team, the school, etc. Either a good source of information, or a know it all dufus. You make the call.
Millard Fillmore in the flesh. Or, I guess, actually an 1850's tin photo.

4.) The mover. This guy can't sit still.... takes phone calls, gets snacks, gets stats, and constantly forces you to adjust so he can get past you in the row.... No one likes this guy. Even when that guy is you....

The Liberty Bowl is covered in Memphis Blue and Tennessee Orange.... Vols fans making up about 40-50% of the 61 thousand in attendance.... If I was a Memphis football player, I would be miserable. I would also be 21 again.... I'll say this about the Liberty Bowl.... there is a difference between "historical" and "old." I'll give the Liberty Bowl positive marks overall....

Why does Memphis get to call their stadium the Liberty Bowl anyway? Tennessee was a slave-holding state.

With the Vols up 3-0 in the first quarter.... Erik Ainge is picked off by Quinton McCray.... who goes 38 yards for a touchdown.... but the play is called back, the Tigers ruled offside.... last year not only would this TD have stood, but Vols fans would have immediately hit message boards trying to get Randy Sanders fired....

In the second quarter the Vols complete a 17 play, 97 yard drive that almost lasts 8 minutes, Ainge throws a TD pass to Jayson Swain. Impressive.

In the first half Ainge completes 5 passes to Chris Brown, and one to Brad Cottam.... that's 6 passes to the Tight Ends in 30 minutes..... this will likely never happen again in my lifetime. Vols up 13-0 at the break.

Chris Brown. Hopefully this is not Vols tight end Chris Brown.

Memphis had only 2 first downs in the first half. This is not a good football team. Maybe John Calipari should coach.

The second half is much like the first. All Vols.... Ainge looking like Johnny U. Swain and Robert Meachem like Swann and Stallworth. Tennessee's defense like the 85 Bears. Memphis fans leave the game early to check out the Horticulture. Despite the dire times for the home team, their band continues to play 'Eye of the Tiger."

"Risin' up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances... Just a man and his will to survive...."

Somewhere Survivor is smiling.

An actual tiger eye. My blood is chilled.

The Vols win 41-7. Phillip Fulmer walks off the Liberty Bowl field holding his wife Vicky's hand, while waving to the adoring Tennessee faithful who are cheering loudly. 6 weeks ago these same fans were raising money to pay for his contract buyout..... Things change when your team is 4-1 and in the Top 15.

After the game we edit our stories and feed back to WATE. Garrett drives us to Nashville, finding radio play by play from games at Iowa, Ole Miss, Western Kentucky, Northern Illinois and Washington St..... we couldn't find Manchester United.

At dinner we catch the end of the Georgia/Ole Miss game.... the Bulldogs won, but they really struggle on offense. Coupled with the Vols whitewash of the Tigers... Tennessee has to feel confident going into Athens this weekend.

SUNDAY

Instead of hoofing it back to K-Town, we decide to cover the Titans Cowboys game that day. We arrive at LP Field in plenty of time to see tons of Cowboys fans, ready to invade LP.

Upon arriving in the press box I pass ESPN's John Clayton. Good to know that he does exist and isn't just a computer generated face made by the Worldwide Leader. He asks me if I want to buy 150 thousand unsold ESPN cell phones.

John Clayton in the flesh. And in Nashville. This would have been awesome to see him. I'm sure he was out until three a.m. drinking and hitting on chicks.

This game has all sorts of intrigue. Dallas WR Terrell Owens playing only 5 days after a "suicide attempt," later changed to "accidental overdose." Tennessee QB Vince Young getting his first NFL start. Dallas owner Jerry Jones having plastic surgery done at halftime.

I feel like Jerry Jones face would gush oil in the event of plastic surgery.

There was a giveaway outside LP field.... fans given Blue and Red Titans flags.... this place looks like a semi fore convention.

The game starts with Young driving the Titans down the field. Eventually Rob Bironas kicks a field goal.... It's 3-0 Titans, and their fans are making reservations for Glendale and Super Bowl XLI....ok, maybe not.

Terry Glenn has to be the happiest man in America that T.O. is a Cowboy. Catching 2 first half TD passes while the Titans defense was worried about Owens. On the second one Cowboys QB Drew Bledsoe had 10 days to throw in the pocket, I swear I think I saw him reading "War And Peace" back there.

Mike Vanderjagt hits the upright on a 26 yard field goal attempt late in the half. Has there ever been a least popular kicker in NFL history? Even Bjorn Nitmo had fans. Dallas up 14-6 at the break.

Vanderjagt kicks as Letterman holds. Later Letterman slapped him and yanked out Vanderjagt's earring.

The second half turns into a circus. Julius Jones runs it in the end zone from 5 yards out. After the play, former Vol Albert Haynesworth kicks Cowboy Andre Gurode (who is without a helmet) in the head with his cleat. Gurode's cut requires 30 stitches to close.

Haynesworth is ejected.... walks off the field.... Titans fans in that corner of the stadium give him a standing ovation. They weren't privy to the replay that we were seeing in the press box.

Haynesworth wears the largest polo ever stitched. How in the world did he find a baggy one?

After the game Haynesworth apologized, said he lost control...... this guy wasn't exactly a model citizen while at Tennessee, and it has continued on and off the field in the pros..... Haynesworth said that he isn't a dirty player....

Um, ok....

Always fun to see what jerseys fans wear to ballgames.... I see a fan wearing a Cowboys Quincy Carter jersey.... Wait, I think that is Quincy....

Jerry Jones is autographing hats and other paraphernalia in the luxury box and throwing them into the crowd.... while play is going on... This is strange beyond belief.

Dallas pours it on.... wins 45-14. The Titans are 0-4, with no relief in sight. Titans fans started leaving at the end of the third quarter.... Cowboys fans pretty much the only folks left at the end....

After the game we interview some former Vols... like Titan DT Jesse Mahelona, and Cowboys Jason Witten and Kevin Burnett. Witten says "We need to win at Georgia."

Awesome quote from Witten. Every Vol fan agrees.

After the game we get back in the 6 Sports Hummer (just kidding, it's a Yugo) and drive back to Knoxville.... 3 long days all across the state. I turned down a chance to cover a bowling tournament in Johnson City, decided instead to head home, see my wife and 6 month old daughter.....

Quite an experience.... now back to reality.... Lillian has woken up from her nap, must warm up some sweet potatoes...

It's good to be home.....