Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

For discussion regarding the Vanderbilt Commodores' football program.

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vandybl
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by vandybl »

I moved to Nashville in 1974. Where I worked, most of the employees were Tennessee Orange fans, so I decided to go in another direction and began pulling for Vanderbilt. I appreciated the fact that Vandy players in all sports went to class and actually valued a great education. I saw the end of the Roy Skinner basketball teams and really enjoyed the Charles Davis/Mike Rhodes teams. I attended the 1982 VU-Tennessee game and was thrilled with the Vandy win. At that game, I probably had the worst case of hypothermia I have ever had, but it was worth it. Over the years I have been very proud to be a Vanderbilt fan. It has been humbling more often than I wanted, but I have really enjoyed the successes. For the most part, Vanderbilt tries to do things the right way. My wife and I continue to have season tickets to the VU football and basketball games and we both will pull for Vandy for all of our days. Our Marine Corps son grew up a VU fan and he follows them closely wherever he is. Go Vandy!


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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by nyyankeeDore »

I was born and raised in Gainesboro, which is in the outer reaches of Nashville's television, radio and (formerly significant) newspaper coverage. I became a Vanderbilt fan in the 6th grade (1963-64), which not coincidentally was when I figured out that Vanderbilt was a much above average university that I hoped to attend. I have stayed with them ever since (and received two VU degrees in the 1970s).
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GoheenFan88
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by GoheenFan88 »

Born 30 minutes north of Nashville. My dad and uncle are Vandy fans (even though my dad tried to stear me away from it to spare me the heartbreak) and reading the Dynamite book numerous times when I was a kid.

Actually seeing games in Memorial and knowing what the football team was at one point in time cemented my fandom.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by Nashmann »

Vandy Alum. I came down south from NJ in 1972. Had never been to a college football or basketball game before. I was hooked on both. Especially basketball as I came with the F-troop. Married a young lady who worked at Vandy. Graduated on a Wed got married that Friday. Never left Nashville. Also worked 22 years at the Vandy Medical Center. I had season football and basketball tickets for over 35 years until some life setbacks....Will always pull for VU even though the School and Med Ctr have done things I disagree with. I get frustrated and wonder why things can't get better. Loved the early BB years....and the CJF years. Maybe one day we will have better teams. Nice to see many Alum become so successful. Great student-athletes doing it the right way!!
Last edited by Nashmann on Thu Dec 01, 2022 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by ymtn64 »

Great Topic!
Simple answer is my dad grew up by Centennial Park & as he was the youngest of 8, he would find a way over to the crowds going into the football games in the fall while my grandparents worked running a market in east Nashville. My dad passed along his fandom to his 3 kids, and we all passed it along to our kids. Our dad spent about 2 years at MTSU, but that was as far as he got. Our mom never went to college. They raised 3 kids who all have undergraduate degrees, and I have a Master's, but none of us ever attended Vandy. Most of the grandkids have undergraduate degrees, or are still in school while one has earned her Master's, and another is a Lawyer, yet none of the grandkids attended Vandy either.

I got to attend a few random games as a kid, but not many. Financially, it wasnt possible, but the games were always on the radio, and I remember "finding ways" to get to stay up late to watch the basketball games being replayed after the news ended with my dad. As a teen, I was reading a book about the history of Vandy sports, and there was the name William Malone in there. That night I asked Mr Malone at the church we attended if he was related to this person. He laughed, and said it was actually him, and how did I learn about him playing basketball at Vandy. We talked awhile that night, and he told me several fun stories, and then he called the next day to tell me that I would be receiving a football season ticket for the old Endzone Bleacher seats. I was beyond excited & my best friend already had a season ticket in the same bleachers, so we went together for a few years to the games. I must admit, I never watched a game while seated in the bleachers, my buddy and I always found a way to the 50 yard line seats, great memories!

I went to college in Louisiana, and did Grad School in Texas. I ended up in those 2 states for 19 years before we relocated to Clarksville in 2001. Over the next few years we got season tickets for me and my daughter(my Louisiana born wife thought it was great she got us out of the house a few hours for games). My brother and I got to lead the group that did the various things for the football team to enter through for about a dozen years, but we found out they no longer needed us this season. I loved being on the field, but I love being in the stands as well. Our family shares so many memories of times of heartbreak, but also times of incredible celebrations. In 2005, my dad and I planned to go to Knoxville to watch the game, but I remember telling him lets don't go to end up mad, lets just go enjoy the game. That quickly turned into my mom, my wife, my daughter and my brother all wanting to join us. Not sure a family ever had more fun than us that day. We stayed behind to celebrate with the team so long that we couldnt get a ride back to our hotel, so my brother and I walked a few miles to our cars to come back and pick up the rest of our family. Attending SEC & NCAA Tournament games, going to Bowl Games, and being together in Omaha celebrating have been wonderful to share with our family. The original question, "Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?", it's a family thing! :)
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by DoreZag »

As others have mentioned, I think it is fantastic we have so many of the so-called "sidewalk fans." I hope y'all wear that as a badge of honor. It's similar to me being an "Army Brat" which I'm extremely proud of. My older sister was at Vandy the same four years I was in high school so I visited her often and loved the campus. When it came time to decide where I wanted to go I wanted to go to an out-of-state school (I was living outside Atlanta in Gwinnett County) at least four hours away so I wouldn't want to drive home too often and I wanted to be close enough to home so if I needed to drive home quickly I could. Also, I wanted to be at a small school in a major conference that had great academics. Vandy was the school that checked all the boxes. I've followed Vandy sports closely since graduating in 1981, but spent much more time in Nashville recently as my daughter graduated in 2021.

I think the next question is why have you remained a Vandy fan?! God knows all the suffering and heartbreak we endure in many of the major sports year after year. It's not much fun going to an away game (or home game) and being beat 50-something to nothing on a too-frequent basis.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by secchamp »

I came to Vanderbilt to play soccer in the mud '90s. I was always an avid sports fan and went to as many football and basketball games as I could as a student. After graduating, I worked in ministry with some of the student athletes, coaches, and administrators. Building those relationships only made my passion for Vandy sports grow stronger. I married a Tennessee fan the weekend before Thanksgiving, so we always have an interesting anniversary!
We still live in the area and I go to several games with one of my best friends from my time at Vanderbilt.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by Vandy_Law07 »

Vandy (Law) Alum that used to love sneaking out of the law library to watch Jay Cutler sling it around in the mid 2000s. Huge fan ever since. Mostly, been a struggle obviously, aside from the xCJF-era (sorry, will always love that guy)- but there's just something I actually enjoy each fall about watching a school like Vanderbilt (academics & size) trying to find 6 Ws playing in the SEC. Cue "Mission Impossible" music. Plus, UGA is my "second" team (live in SC, wife, tons of friends went there, root for the Dawgs against everyone except Vandy)- so probably helps ease the pain too. Lol.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by ChattaDore »

Levon wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:13 am
cc11316 wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 12:14 am Reasonable question, right? I mean the reasons are likely not always the same as the other SEC bandwagon fans (see Alabama, UT threads). In my case, it's a sidewalk alumni situation having grown up in Nashville where my entire family were Vanderbilt supporters. I mean, I thought this was normal until I reached my 40's and there was no turning back. ;)
I think you and I must be the same person. That is exactly how/why I'm a Vanderbilt fan. Fate can be a cruel bitch indeed ;)
Make that three of us. First male on my father’s side in my family after 3 generations not to attend. Dad or grandfather had me at every home game for the big three from ‘79-‘93. Born into it, bled it for my entire life.
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by geeznotagain »

Has anyone on this thread confessed to masochism?
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by DonYates »

I'm a fan of pain so Vandy football is good for me but this season they haven't given me as much misery as I desire.
:)
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Re: Why are you a Vanderbilt fan?

Post by docdore »

geeznotagain wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 8:46 pm Has anyone on this thread confessed to masochism?
isn't that assumed of all true vandymaniacs?
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