Let Berry Run Through the “T”

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Knoxville radio the past month, here were the popular topics: black jerseys, Layla Kiffin, suspended players and Eric Berry’s last game in Neyland Stadium. Former Tennessee coach Doug Dickey started a tradition in 1965 against Army that has the band form a “Power ‘T’” as the players enter the field. On Senior Day, Tennessee allows its seniors to run through the “T” alone so the fans can give them the respect that they deserve. Coach Lane Kiffin said he would allow junior Eric Berry to run through the “T” alone since it is almost a guarantee that Berry will leave Tennessee for the NFL Draft. It is unbelievable how many Tennessee fans don’t want Berry to run through the “T” alone, because it ruins the tradition. I am here to give you reasons why Berry should be allowed to have his “senior” moment.

• The fans deserve  a chance to give Berry one last huge ovation for all that he has done while this program has been down and Berry deserves more than a measly timeout while the game is out of reach.
• Critics claim that the “T” is only for seniors, but booster “Thunder” Thornton was allowed to buy his way into the “T” and remember that Phillip and Viki Fulmer ran through the “T” against Kentucky last season.
• Ask yourself this question: If Peyton Manning would have left for the NFL after his junior season, would we have this same debate if Manning wanted to run through the “T”?
• Critics also are worried that Berry will set a precedent and other players after Berry will want to do the same. This easy to fix: Come up with some criteria where a player has to have some sort of success to have this honor and let the head coach make the final decision.
• Tradition, tradition, tradition. Guess what? This tradition has only been around since 1965! People acted like this tradition has been around since the Last Supper. Well it hasn’t and there is nothing wrong with updating traditions.