When I had the privelege of playing football for the University of Tennessee in the early-mid ’80’s we had a tradition, in the locker room after every win, Coach Johnny Majors would lead the entire team in a resounding song, to the tune of The Old Grey Mare:

“We DON’T give a D-MN about the whole state of [Fill in the Blank], the whole state of [blank]; We DON’T give a D-MN about the whole state of [Blank]. WE’RE from TENNESSEE!!”

One of the awesome things about playing football for the Volunteers was taking part in the wealth of this tradition-rich institution.  Many of the traditions had been observed since General Robert Neyland instituted them in the 1920’s and 1930’s.  Some of these traditions, such as the reciting of General Neylands maxims, are so integrated with the sport of football that they have been adopted by other colleges and high schools across the country.

But evidently the Tennessee traditions were not much to the liking of our now dearly departed coach, Lane Kiffin.  Author and blogger Clay Travis writes in Fanhouse that Kiffin apparently had his own rendition:

“I don’t give d-mn about the whole state of Tennessee, the whole state of Tennessee, the whole state of Tennessee; I don’t give d-mn about the whole state of Tennessee, My love’s for USC.”

OK, maybe that’s not exactly what Travis reported. But in a column titled: Kiffin Never Embraced Tennessee, we can see how close the Vol Nation came to being victim of a covert hostile takeover. 

Not that I needed one, but here is yet another reason I am glad Tennessee will get a fresh start under a new coach.