As the Vols lost their 12th SEC game in the past 13 contests, Tennessee fans struggled to look for any bright spots on Twitter. Then, out of nowhere, came a Gruden sighting. Jon Gruden, the man that every Vol fan hopes will be the next UT coach, was on a flight from Houston to Phoenix.
At least according to a man with the screen name "Vol Since 72" on Volquest.
Early in the morning, Vol Since 72 posted this message on Volquest, which sort of reads like Penthouse Letters, SEC edition: "He's (Gruden's) in first class and as I walked by, I say, 'Go Vols,' he winks and says, 'How you doing?'"
He then follows it up with, "I GAVE MY ALL FOR TENNESSEE TODAY!"
Of course it's the Internet so other Volquest posters didn't believe him.
A few went with the always classic message board reply of: Pics or GTFO!
Undaunted Vol Since 72 went stealth mode, channeling Carrie from "Homeland":
It was time for an in-flight pic.
Vol Since 72 posted this next on Volquest: "Here's the deal on the flight. I waited till the drink cart was blocking my section's bathroom and asked if I could go to the bathroom in 1st class. They said I could. On my way up he was watching the UT game and taking notes at a rapid pace. It looked like he had several pages of notes.
BTW -- the game was being shown live on United flight 1272 from Houston to Phoenix for $7.95 for you back woods numbskulls that don't believe that live TV IS possible on an airplane."
Imagine what Gruden was thinking as he watched Tyler Bray quarterback, it's a marriage made in heaven, a quarterback with a golden arm and a coach with golden hair.
Finally, there was a baggage claim interaction!
"Talked to him at baggage claim. I said, 'Hey coach, Knoxville would love to have you.'"
He smiled and said, "I love it there. My wife is from up there. We own land in Sevierville. Every year we go to Sevierville and plant a tree."
It's clear, the Gruden Fever, Gruver, has infected everyone in the Volunteer state.
He already plants a tree here every year.
Why not plant some touchdowns, SEC wins, anything at all in some fertile big orange soil?
We need you Chucky, we need you badly.
How did we ever live without the Internet?
I have no idea.
But this picture, out of focus as it is, is the absolutely perfect metaphor, the Volunteer's own Bigfoot, Gruden in flight, of the current state of the Vol football program.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the air over South Carolina, Derek Dooley adjusts his crutches as he passes over the Smoky Mountains.
No one is taking his photo.
