Video
Team members from the 1998 National Championship Team share memories at the 10 anniversary celebration at the Tennessee Theatre Watch »
Video
Team members from the 1998 National Championship Team share memories at the 10 anniversary celebration at the Tennessee Theatre. Watch »
Video
Team members from the 1998 National Championship Team share memories at the 10 anniversary celebration at the Tennessee Theatre. Watch »
Video
Team members from the 1998 National Championship Team share memories at the 10 anniversary celebration at the Tennessee Theatre. Watch »
Tee Martin and Peerless Price were looking around Neyland Stadium remembering those same old feelings.
"Rocky Top" was blaring in their ears and a huge group of their 1998 teammates were together soaking it in one more time.
"It's like being a freshman again," Martin said Saturday just prior to being recognized for winning the national championship 10 years ago. "It's like we're coming together for the first time. We're revisiting the memories and it's great seeing these guys.
"I can see why we were so successful. These are a lot of great guys, a lot of guys with character who have gone on in society and done great things."
Some of the greatest happened at Neyland Stadium.
Martin was the quarterback. Price was the receiver and Martin's favorite target.
"Knowing what we accomplished as a team," Price said, "what we fought so hard to get, and now being remembered for it 10 years later, feels great.
"We clowned around, but when it was time to get down to work, we took care of our business. There was a togetherness and camaraderie we had that I haven't felt in nine years of NFL football."
The 2008 Vols were just minutes away from taking on Alabama. The Vols lost 29-9.
Evan a decade later, both Martin and Price were feeling the butterflies.
In Tennessee's 35-18 victory against the Crimson Tide in 1998, it was Price who made the definitive play of the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
"I just want to play," Price said. "Just being on this field, I still have the football passion in me."
For Martin, there was an even greater boost of adrenaline. He's an Alabama native from Mobile who heard about it when he picked the Vols over the Tide.
"To have the No. 2 team in the country at your place, to have an opportunity to pull off the upset during the reunion: It doesn't get much better than that," Martin said. "This house is going to be rocking tonight and it's going to be loud."
UT coach Phillip Fulmer made sure he greeted his greatest team prior to kickoff.
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Comments » 13
blitzshoot writes:
....and watching a nightmare!
kantanuuv writes:
Honoring the '98 champions. The biggest rivalry game of the year. Your arch enemy in your house. A chance to salvage the season, the coach, and the franchise by beating the #2 team. A national TV audience.
And you don't even sell out???
You give up a quarter of the stadium to enemy fans???
More feeble excuses about conspiring officials???
If I hear one more word about Big Orange Tradition I'm gonna puke.
smokyredbone writes:
Those were the days, I feel like my freeking grandfather talking about the good old days, It's time to reclaim whats ours!!!!!!!!! Hamilton do your job!!!!!!
Volalumnus writes:
Too bad the time between then and now is so full of so many bad memories.
blitzshoot writes:
The '99 team was great as well. Should had won at Florida that year. Very close to two straight.
rep88 writes:
wish we still had players that had heart like these guys. I wish big al would have been on the sideline and seen the idiot briscoe laughing as were getting hammerd again by another big rival. Big al would have hit him right in his mouth
posivol writes:
you guys put way to much blame in the wrong direction.we have a offensive coordinator (some called a genius) who has let us down in a huge way.this fellow had all spring to get this offense in line to consistantly move the ball and back up his words of we will use our weapons.he makes me long for the days of dink and dunk.last year we put up 3500 yards thru the air 35 td's and averaged 33 points a game.we have the same team minus erik but add warren and up till yesterday a healthy g.jones.i dont know what our offensive numbers are this year but do know they are OFFENSIVE.
i have never liked to play the blame game,but this years version of offense just plum sucks.i beleive with all my heart,same players (bj/pryor qb)and coach cutt as o.c. and we would be 7-1 right now.better ball control o.c. keeps the defense fresh.
i think we should have ponied up more cash for cutt and kept him on the field and moved phil to the box ala joe pa at penn st.we would have kept our best leader on the field (probably recruited pryor for q.b.)and our recruiting closer in the box out of harms way.
i doubt we would be seeing the comedy of errors we are enduring this year and economically it would have made sense.now instead we are in deep for a huge buyout and a new hefty payday for whomever we bring in.lets hope the right choice is made are we may endure many more seasons of these comedy of errors.
ncvol writes:
It was good to see the NC team at the game. They sure made us proud in 98. They will always be near and dear to our hearts. The stage was set for an upset but we couldn't pull it off. I know everyone wishes we could have had the big Win to cap off the event. Thanks 1998 guys for the memories...
Go Vols !!
theBONE writes:
JOHN GRUDEN !!! ENOUGH SAID
VolsorCat writes:
To The Bone: No thanks on Gruden. I don't see any offense on the field in Tampa and UT is going to have to score to beat the likes of Bama, Georgia and Florida. Let's see who all comes calling when the opening occurs. At that point, narrow it down to 5 and bring them all in. If they don't have a 5 year plan with details on everything from spring practice, to conditioning to recruiting and a work ethic that matches their plan, don't bother coming in to interview. The days of flying by the seat of your pants are over. EVERYTHING must be thought of and EVERYONE must be on board! It is an athletic department commitment from now on.
burpee_von_rotweiler_IV writes:
They brought Peyton to the game earlier in the season and that didn't work.
This time they brought in the 1998 championship team and that didn't work either.
What's next?
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I will not believe anymore hype. Top 10 reasons.
1. Arian Foster is looking slimmer and more explosive.
2. Jonathan Crompton is the man because he bowled over a defensive back for LSU two years ago.
3. We HAVE to get Brandon Warren eligible ASAP so he can explode on offense with the "packages" we have designed for him.
4. Gerald Williams can actually rip offensive players apart with a dirty look.
5. The G-gun will actually begin to throw and be more than a running gimmick.
6. Eric Berry has been spending time at QB... yet coach Fulmer tells us now there are "4 or 5 plays for him??? How about, "Run a Z pattern. Run a post. Run a flag. Hitch and go." There's you 4 right there. Just plug him into a receiver slot and go.
7. The Clawfense is going to get it into the hands of play makers in space.
8. It's a rivalry game. Everything is different.
9. This may be the best offensive line TN has had.
10. This year has kinda the same feeling as the NC year.
I am guilty. I have believed all of this. I will not believe anymore hype until it is on the field in results. Coach Fulmer, you have done much for this university and should be very much appreciated... however, please let someone else run the show. It is too hard to take in anymore.
jasonn1970 writes:
They're greatest Vols team in the last 50+ years. No matter how bad things get we'll always have the memories of 1998....
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