Strange: Top 10 local stories

When the Vols beat that good Ohio State team in the Citrus Bowl, was that 1995 or was it '96? The Corn-Fed Chicks, was that Pat's '87 title team, or the one in '89?

2005 will be different.

It will forever remain distinct in the sporting minds of East Tennesseans. Even with the passage of time, the year Tennessee football crashed and burned will not be confused with the past or the future.

Whether the Vols' disastrous 2005 football season is to be viewed as an aberration or a sea change remains to be determined.

Regardless, it is unchallenged as the top area sports story of the year.

When you start the season ranked No. 3, then crumble to 5-6, miss a bowl game for the first time since 1988, and lose to both Vanderbilt and a prodigal Steve Spurrier, all other storylines pale in comparison.

Even an average UT football season generally overshadows what goes on down the street at Thompson-Boling Arena. Still, the men's hoops program generated more than its share of headlines in 2005.

Elsewhere, another stunning collapse makes the list. This one at least lasted less than half an hour.

There was nearly unanimous excellence by the UT women's sports.

Out at the ole' ballgame, there were heroics on the diamond by both genders.

And we must recognize Blount County as the state's capital of high school football.

Our list of the top 10 sports stories is dominated by teams who wear orange, so virtually universal is their appeal. That makes it a year like any other.

Several athletes with connections to Knoxville had outstanding accomplishments in 2005. They include Justin Gatlin, Chris Burke and Peyton Manning. Golfers Troy Matteson and Eric Axley played well on the Nationwide Tour and move up to the PGA Tour in 2006.

On to the list:

1, UT's football implosion.

Coach Phillip Fulmer calls it a "perfect storm" that conspired to sink the Vols.

Off-season discipline issues set the stage for a season-long soap opera as the coaching staff waffled on whom to play at quarterback. The offense was a mess and led to the late-October resignation of coordinator Randy Sanders.

The Vols not only lost to their three chief rivals (Florida, Georgia and Alabama), they were upset by Spurrier's South Carolina team. None of the above prepared the UT faithful for getting beat in Neyland Stadium by Vanderbilt.

The upshot is that public confidence in Fulmer is at a low point unthinkable in August. Much hope for a quick rebound is being hung on the return of David Cutcliffe to the offensive coordinator post he held in the 1990s.

2, BP I is out; BP II is in.

Men's basketball remains the sticky wicket at Tennessee and required yet another change in 2005.

Buzz Peterson was terminated in March after a fourth season with no NCAA tournament bid.

Sacking nice-guy Peterson was a gut-wrenching call for athletic director Mike Hamilton. Hiring Bruce Pearl to replace Peterson was a no-brainer.

A savvy marketer as well as an astute tactician, Pearl already has re-energized the program. Attendance at Thompson-Boling Arena is up dramatically and the entertaining Vols are off to an 8-1 start.

3, Maryville and Alcoa repeat.

This was supposed to be the year to get Maryville since graduation decimated 2004's Class 4A state-champion football team.

Wrong. Coach George Quarles reloaded the Rebels and captured Maryville's fifth state title in six years with a 23-10 victory over Melrose. The Rebels have won 30 consecutive games and 69 of the past 70.

Neighbor Alcoa lost only one game -- to Maryville.

Coach John Reid guided the dynamic Tornadoes to a second consecutive Class 2A state title with a 55-13 romp over Goodpasture.

4, Sweet & Sour for Summitt.

In the space of two weeks, Pat Summitt went from peak to valley. On March 22, the Lady Vols gave her victory No. 880 to surpass Dean Smith as the all-time winningest coach in Division I basketball.

On April 2, at the Final Four in Indianapolis, her seventh NCAA title looked promising when UT built a 49-33 lead against Michigan State with 14: 30 to play in the semifinals.

Michigan State, appearing in its first Final Four, pulled off a stunning rally and sent Tennessee home, 68-64.

5, Back to Omaha.

UT baseball wasn't picked to even contend in the SEC Eastern Division in 2005, which meant coach Rod Delmonico's future was a bit dicey.

The Vols surprised everyone with a trip to the College World Series. Luke Hochevar (15-3) was the national pitcher of the year and lefty James Adkins (10-5) was one of several freshmen to play a starring role.

Delmonico got a five-year extension and a raise.

6, Lady Vols rock.

The University of Tennessee women couldn't have had a much better year across the board. Softball went to the College World Series in Oklahoma City, volleyball to the Final Four in San Antonio. Track and field won an indoor national title. Cross-country and soccer successfully defended SEC crowns.

Softball's Monica Abbott was the best-spent scholarship money on campus. The left-handed pitcher fired 34 shutouts and led the nation in strikeouts as the Lady Vols finished third at the College World Series.

Abbott went on to earn a spot on the U.S. national team. The softball Lady Vols return almost intact for 2006 and move into a renovated complex.

7, Candace Parker Era.

The Lady Vols' Final Four breakdown is ancient history. The program is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 with the Candace Parker Era under way.

Delayed by a redshirt season due to knee surgery, the 6-foot-4 Parker is finally unleashed and showing what all the fuss is about.

Billed as the next great thing in women's basketball, Parker is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. She recently has been featured everywhere from Sports Illustrated to ESPN to Time Magazine.

8, One giant leap.

Tianna Madison is to long-jumping what Abbott is to softball -- and then some.

Madison helped Tennessee win an NCAA indoor national championship in March. In June, she added an NCAA outdoor long-jump title to her indoor crown.

In August, the 19-year-old sophomore went to Helskinki, Finland, and shocked her sport by winning the event at the World Championships. With a leap of 22 feet, 7A 1/4 inches, Madison joined Jackie Joyner-Kersee as the only American to win long-jump gold at the World Championships.

9, Knoxville Marathon.

Having established itself as a first-class golf host on the Nationwide Tour, Knoxville entered the marathon arena in March. It was a resounding success.

The first Knoxville Marathon drew 2,359 runners and was projected to deliver a $400,000 shot to the local economy. The fact that a Kenyan crossed the finish line first at Neyland Stadium was vindication that the inaugural effort wasn't small potatoes.

In August, Covenant Health signed on as title sponsor of the 2006 event.

10, Oak Ridge's native son.

Stanton Stevens played football at Oak Ridge High School in the 1980s. In April, the Wildcats called him home from Austin-East to take over at his alma mater.

Stevens delivered. Led by the Gulmire brothers, the Wildcats finally got past arch-nemesis Riverdale and made their first appearance in the Class 5A state title game since 1991.

Alas, a 14-7 loss to Ravenwood ruined a happy ending.