If you were crossing the Gay Street Bridge on Wednesday evening, that flash of fluorescent orange in the corner of your eye can be easily explained.

Does Bruce Pearl miss a trick?

The guy has been Tennessee's basketball coach for less than a year but he hardly needs a lesson in Vol History 101. Heck, he could teach the class.

After his team beat Florida a couple of games back, Pearl invoked Pat Summitt and Philip Fulmer in his post-game press conference.

Wednesday night he tugged an even bigger heartstring.

That Pearl donned a blinding orange blazer for Vanderbilt's visit to Thompson-Boling Arena was no sartorial whimsy.

It wasn't Halloween, but he came dressed as Ray Mears.

And a 69-62 win over the Commodores was further evidence that the rest of the SEC should fear a reincarnation of Mears and the swagger his teams projected.

Pearl understands the significance of the UT-Vanderbilt rivalry. More about that later.

So on Monday he called Mears, who has been slowed by health problems, and pitched an idea.

"I asked did I have his permission and blessing if I were to break out the orange jacket for Vanderbilt and Kentucky,'' Pearl said, "knowing those two teams' importance to him.''

Naturally, the winningest and most beloved UT men's basketball coach ever approved.

Just Vanderbilt or just Kentucky or both, Pearl asked?

Mears, who never missed a trick and invented a few new ones, said both. Naturally.

And so the orange blazer is 1-0 going into the March 1 Kentucky game.

It wasn't easy. The Vols overcame any number of obstacles.

Some, like 4-of-19 3-point shooting, were self-inflicted.

Most, however, should be credited to a good, athletic Vanderbilt team that led by six points at halftime and by 52-47 with 10 minutes to play.

Mears would have loved the intensity of this game. Too bad he couldn't watch it at home on TV.

No one could. TV missed the boat.

Perhaps Vanderbilt's previous visit to Thompson-Boling had something to do with that decision.

A year ago, CBS came to town for a national telecast. The Vols responded with their worst effort of the year, getting pounded 88-63. No one other than Vandy fans stayed tuned after halftime.

Mears must have been sick. He never liked Vanderbilt much. That's putting it mildly.

He played the rivalry for all it was worth in the 1960s and '70s, exasperating Vanderbilt's coach, Roy Skinner, and the Commodores' fans with his antics, among them breaking out a bright orange blazer.

This was the 168th meeting between the in-state rivals. The Vols have won 103 of them, but Vandy had claimed the past three.

There's more fuel for a good rivalry fire - and we're not even talking recent football embarrassments.

Vandy's coach, Kevin Stallings, spurned Tennessee in 1997. Then Stallings beat the Vols for in-state recruits such as Mario Moore and Julian Terrell.

And Stallings can coach a little.

"I'm not looking forward to coaching against Kevin again,'' said Pearl. "He's hard to go against.''

In contrast to last year, Tennessee is hard to go against. Especially now that Thompson-Boling is a jumping joint.

"It's a tougher place to play because they've got a better team,'' said Stallings. "Those fans can't get out there and play.

"Now don't get me wrong, 17,000 or whatever compared to the six or seven hundred they had last year, that's a better atmosphere for sure.''

It was a better atmosphere in a worthy rivalry.

Ray Mears would have puffed out his chest and soaked it up with a grin.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.