In Eckleburg's Eyes - 9/22/2008, Part 4

While most Tennessee sports fans paid great sums of money to watch their team get demolished by Florida on Saturday, I paid $3 to see the Vols defeat Alabama on Sunday.

My Sunday began Shoney’s eating breakfast with WAM. I took a rare Sunday off from teaching and ate with my friend. For an anecdote from this encounter, check out the WAM Quote of the Day.

Afterwards, JTH and I joined PCR and his fiancé Amber at Thompson-Boling Arena to watch the Lady Vols’ volleyball team. JTH and PCR are regulars at these events and are often on the free pass list courtesy of PCR’s friend and player Lauren LaFlamme (LEL).

This is the first season games are being played in Thompson-Boling Arena as opposed to the Stokely Athletic Center (SAC). We learned that the SAC is no longer affiliated with the athletic department. This makes the stands look sparse as the team could not fill Stokely much less the massive basketball facility. At least this 30-foot Smokey circa 1980 ago is still dusted off and dragged out at the games as it always has been.

As noted above, we paid $3 for admission, but could have gain admittance with two food cans for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Instead, we made a sizable donation to the charity. Let’s just say we donated more than the cost of the ticket! Lady Vol softball player Allison Fulmer took our donation.

On this day the Lady Vols defeated Alabama three games to one, 25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 25-18. The Lady Vols would have won by far more were it not for an abnormal amount of service errors. Since 2001, collegiate volleyball has used the rally scoring system as opposed to the side-out method. It is worth noting that one of the referee’s helping to keep that score was our friend CBR’s father. Naturally, I heckled his rulings.

I learned a new word on this day: libero. In volleyball this is a player specialized in defensive skills. UT’s lone libero is Chloe Goldman. To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I learned the meaning.

We had fun. The atmosphere is a little drab despite the efforts of the program. The cheerleaders have one and only one cheer - “Point Lady Vols!”This makes the spectator almost root against Tennessee so as not to hear it. Regarding this annoyance, JTH asked, “If you were drunk and Stanley what would you do?”

The team also had horrible spots in between the action. At the break (always after the second game), the Apostolic volleyball team tried to hit items postioned across the net on serve. This was mildly entertaining and far more difficult than it sounds. Any event not involving the emcee was fine. He actually had a really awful version of “Deal or No Deal” in which the contestant took the deal and then did not reveal what she would have won. This effectively defeats the purpose.

I would not be surprised if we returned. In fact they have a promotional offer for people celebrating birthdays. WAM, I think a volleyball birthday is in your future!

I spent the remainder of the day with JTH. We had a great time doing very little productive. We drove around, visited JDM at Kroger, and ate at the Great American Steak & Buffet Company (GAS), a mutual favorite. We then watched Wedding Daze, written by the great Michael Ian Black on DVD. (We both like chick flicks.) It was a good day.

Finally, I sampled Froot Loops with marshmallows this weekend and though I like Froot Loops and I like marshmallows, I prefer them separately.