By FITSNews || Way (way) back when our founding editor was a cub reporter for The Gamecock student newspaper at the University of South Carolina, venerable Tennessee Sports Information Director Bud Ford showed him every courtesy during a 1997 visit to Knoxville.
In addition to providing young Sic with a seat in the press box (and an all-access Neyland Stadium pass), the future new media mogul also got a fifteen minute interview with Peyton Manning (word up) and a pre-game visit to the “T” in the middle of Shields-Watkins field.
At one point, Ford even tousled Sic’s Chesnut hair (yes, he had hair back then) saying, “atta boy, young man. Atta boy.”
Awwww.
Except no … that last part probably didn’t happen. Nor did Sic get in on any of that famous UT hostess action, despite his repeated boasts to the contrary.
Anyway, thirteen years later Ford is still UT’s main media relations man, although recent events indicate that his skills could use some “rebooting.”
Take the painful (and we mean painful) prelude to Lane Kiffin’s final press conference in Knoxville this week, in which a belligerent Ford sought to accommodate the departing coach by dictating terms to the Tennessee media … who were having none of it.
Here’s the Kiffin Kluster on YouTube …
Bud, Bud, Bud come on … in this business, you always gotta ask yourself the question … What Would Kerry Tharp Do?
By Garnet Spy January 16, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Ahhhhh… Now we know the roots of your devotion to the Indianapolis Colts. To think, had you gotten an interview with Tee Martin, you’d be a big Rhein Fire fan!
By fitsnews January 16, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Actually, Spy … Sic became a Colts fan in Week 14 of the 1986 season, when the team was 0-13. They won their final three games that year and then made the playoffs the following season after acquiring Eric Dickerson as a free agent.
Obviously, though, our mancrush on Peyton dovetails nicely with our 23-year Colts obsession.
By me January 16, 2010 at 5:57 pm
well its funny to me all of those cowards caved except that one dude in the black coat. That guy is a failure(the media dude)
By chester wolfarb II January 16, 2010 at 6:29 pm
1986…The Wonder Years, indeed! 6th grade at E.L. Wright Middle School…
By James the Foot Soldier January 16, 2010 at 9:02 pm
November 22, 1986 – the year I became a Nebraska Cornhusker Fan.
Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri(a)Sig – everyone else has) was having a mini-bash at a neighbor’s house and a blue-eyed blond hottie from Nebraska “turned me on” to the Nebraska way….and oh what a way it was……:)
By Steve V January 16, 2010 at 11:17 pm
haha…Eric “I get paid by the yard” Dickerson