Wes Brown wasn't hurting for incentive against Alabama

Game recap: Tennessee 10, Alabama 12

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Tennessee defensive tackle Wes Brown gave a speech on Friday night that was four years in the making.

The story was about one of the most painful moments in his life - when he had to leave his Tennessee teammates just before the Vols were traveling play Alabama in 2005.

Brown headed home to Athens, Ala., to be with his family after his grandfather had passed away. The reception he received from some Alabama fans was something he shared with his teammates Friday evening.

"He passed away and I went home to be with my family where I should be," an emotional Brown said Saturday after UT lost to Alabama 12-10. "We're at the visitation and a couple of people came up to me and said 'Sorry about your granddad. Roll Tide.'

"That just stung me the wrong way."

Brown was understandably incensed, but he kept the anger inside.

"Out of respect for my granddad, I didn't want to cause a scene," Brown said. "But ever since that day I told the guys last night that I've never wanted to beat a team so bad and show these people why I came to Tennessee and why the rest of these guys come to Tennessee."

Brown, who limped out of the locker room with ice on both of his knees, said the incident provided motivation to make sure he was on the field Saturday.

"I think about it every day," Brown said. "When I work out in the off-season I thought about it every day. That's what has pushed me so hard to get to this game and to play in this game.

"It's a special game anyway since I'm from Alabama but having that incident really sent me over the edge and fired me up to play this game."

Brown also wanted to prove that the doubters who questioned his bad knees were wrong.

"They told me I would never make it," Brown said, referring to his beat-up knees. "I was hearing a lot of people saying I would never make it past the Georgia game (two weeks ago).

"I said 'I'm going to make it'. Beyond all doubts, I'm going to make it to this Alabama game. Here I am, and I gave it everything I got. So did everybody on this team. I couldn't be prouder of these guys."

Brown registered four tackles against the Tide. He's 1-3 in games he played against Alabama. Records, however, aren't everything.

"It really ticks me off we lost and it ticks me off we're 3-4 but I'd rather lose every game here than go somewhere else and win them all because this team is special," he said. "This program is just special and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."