FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, Phone (865) 522-8547,
or Hilary Phillips, E-Mail: tipoff@utfan.com

TOMORROW IS DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR BIG ORANGE TIPOFF BUS TRIP TO U.T.-GEORGIA MEN’S GAME IN ATHENS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 3^RD!

The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to have completed its second successive successful season of weekly meetings for the year. We appreciate all of your loyal support, encouragement, and publicity, and look forward to making next season even better.

BUS TRIP TO GEORGIA MEN’S GAME IN ATHENS: The Club is sponsoring a bus trip to the Georgia men’s basketball game in Athens, on Saturday, March 3. Coach Bruce Pearl has encouraged all Vol fans to go on the road to support the team as they attempt to sweep the Bulldogs this season. Everyone who went on the trip to South Carolina had a wonderful time. We have arranged through our corporate sponsor, Premier Transportation, for nonstop luxury motorcoach roundtrip transportation, meals and entertainment en route, and tickets to the games, all for only $99 per person. This is a day-only trip that leaves Knoxville mid-morning before the game and returns immediately after the game.

For those who are interested in going to Georgia, tomorrow is the deadline for signing up, and we will take your check or credit card number to secure your place. We would also encourage you to download the form from the link on the main page of our website, www.utfan.com/tipoff and to email Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com immediately or call Lloyd Richardson at 588-5433 or fax him at 588-2083 if you have an interest in making this weekend’s Georgia trip, so that we can secure enough game tickets for everyone.

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB PHOTO GALLERY: We have been working on getting our photo gallery online. We have all of the archives up now from last season and some of the highlights from this season, too, courtesy of our website host, Carl "Meathead" Swanson, of utfan.com. Most of the photos from last season are courtesy of Big Orange Tipoff Club Charter Member Jerry Upchurch. You can download any of them that you want from the following link:

http://www.utfan.com/volgallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3118

You can also access the “Club Photo Albums” Gallery from our main website, www.utfan.com/tipoff , as there is now a featured link to it from the main home page. We are working with Megan Ellis to get all of the photos from this season online, too, as well as with both Jerry and Megan to get all of our photos from bus trips to the away games online. We hope you enjoy this pictorial record of our club’s activities. Please feel free to use the photos to accompany any media coverage about our club. We will have all of them captioned soon, so please keep checking back for identification of those pictured in the photos.

THIS WEEK’S VOL & LADY VOL BASKETBALL CALENDAR: The men are playing their last regular season game in Athens this weekend, a game which may decide whether they are invited to the NCAA Tournament. The women will be playing in the SEC Tournament, which for the first time will be played in Duluth, Georgia, only 50 miles away from Athens, northeast of Atlanta, in the same suburb where former UT star Bernard King resides.

OFFICIAL BIG ORANGE TIPOFF PHOTOS: Many of you may not be aware that we now have an official Big Orange Tipoff Club photographer, Megan Ellis. You may have seen her roaming around our big meeting room taking pictures before, during, and after our meetings. To view and purchase pictures from any of our Big Orange Tipoff Club meetings this season, please go to www.meganellisphotography.com and click on the “TN LOGIN” page. The password is simply “tipoff”. You can also e-mail Megan with any questions you may have at megan@meganellisphotography.com .

2008 CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE: The club is soliciting individual members for next season at only $75 and discounted senior citizen memberships at only $60. Spouses of members are free, making this an excellent deal. In addition, corporate memberships, which include up to 5 members of a firm, are being offered at only $250.

Annual membership applications are also available by calling Club President Lloyd Richardson at (865) 588-5433, by faxing a request to (865) 588-2083, by e-mailing us at tipoff@utfan.com , or by visiting the website at www.utfan.com/tipoff . A membership application for downloading with the Big Orange Tipoff Club logo on it is available on the website.

All former UT men’s and women’s basketball lettermen, former UT Orange Tie Club members, Knoxville Quarterback Club members, VASF donors, Boost-Her Club members, UT students, UT alumni and friends, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and join as well. Legendary former UT Head Basketball Coach Ray Mears is an Honorary Member. Many members of the UT athletics administration, coaches, etc., are in attendance regularly.

MEDIA INFORMATION: All media are invited to attend all of our meetings. Each of our meetings so far has been covered extensively by print and broadcast media, including TV stations and several newspapers. Local talk show hosts have live remote radio broadcasts for some meetings.

All media are also invited to call J. Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547 or e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com to schedule radio, television, and newspaper interviews with various Big Orange Tipoff Club steering committee members, including Charles W. Morgan, Barry J. Smith, Michael J. Turner, Christy Gentry, J. Mark Hancock, and Club Historian R. Larry Smith regarding the club, its promotion of UT basketball, its purposes, its sponsoring of awards and contributions to scholarships, and its charitable endeavors in supporting college and amateur athletics in East Tennessee. Steering committee members have been making radio and television appearances and doing newspaper interviews regularly, and are available for speaking engagements to any groups.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is offering special merchandise for sale with the distinctive club logo on it, including T-shirts and caps, each for the low price of only $10. Only a limited number of each is available, and they are quickly becoming collectors’ items.

NEXT YEAR’S SPEAKERS AND FEEDBACK: We invite you to send us email suggestions on future speakers and to make other comments through our feedback form that you can download from the main page of our website and return to us. We are always interested in getting suggestions from anyone to improve our meetings.

XXX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 22, 2007
Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, Phone (865) 522-8547,
or Hilary Phillips, E-Mail: tipoff@utfan.com

ESPN’S WOODY PAIGE, U.T. ALUMNUS, TO BE BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB SPEAKER AT FOUNDRY AT WORLD’S FAIR PARK ON TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 27^TH

The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its next scheduled meeting this coming Tuesday evening, February 27, at 7:00 p.m., at the Foundry at World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet dinner for only $20, including a variety of entrees and side dishes, drink, dessert, etc., will be served. That is just before the big Senior Night UT-Florida men's basketball game in Knoxville, with UT alumnus and ESPN personality Woody Paige as the featured speaker. It will be our last weekly meeting of the season.

There is plenty of parking available, but please plan to arrive as early as possible to enjoy all of the festivities. The Foundry will open the cash bar at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines at 6:00 p.m. to accommodate what is expected to be another overflow standing-room-only crowd to hear Woody, who is widely known and much in demand as a speaker.

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB PHOTO GALLERY: We have been working on getting our photo gallery online. We have all of the archives up now from last season, courtesy of our website host, Carl Swanson, of utfan.com. Most of the photos from last season are courtesy of Big Orange Tipoff Club Charter Member Jerry Upchurch. You can download any of them that you want from the following link:

http://www.utfan.com/volgallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3118

You can also access the Photo Gallery from our main website, www.utfan.com/tipoff , as there is now a link to it from the main home page. We are working with Megan Ellis to get all of the photos from this season online, too, as well as with both Jerry and Megan to get all of our photos from bus trips to the away games online. We hope you enjoy this pictorial record of our club’s activities. Please feel free to use the photos to accompany any media coverage about our club. We will have them captioned soon, so please keep checking back for identification of those pictured in the photos.

THIS WEEK’S VOL & LADY VOL BASKETBALL CALENDAR: UT Men’s Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl is also expected to be in attendance to say a few words about his team’s big game with Florida coming up that night, as well as reviewing the big home win over Alabama, the game on Saturday at Arkansas, and also looking ahead to the trip to Georgia a week from this coming Saturday to end the regular season. UT Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt will also hopefully be in attendance to speak to us, to review her team’s big televised Senior Day home game with Vanderbilt to end the season a week from Sunday, as well as give us a preview her team’s upcoming trip to the SEC Tournament, which for the first time will be played in Duluth, Georgia.

The fact that both UT’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are drawing capacity crowds and are ranked high in the college RPI, will drive attendance upward for this meeting. UT Men’s and Women’s Athletics Directors Mike Hamilton and Joan Cronan are also expected to be on hand.

BUS TRIP TO GEORGIA MEN’S GAME IN ATHENS: The Club is sponsoring bus trips to the Georgia men’s basketball game in Athens, on Saturday, March 3. Coach Bruce Pearl has encouraged all Vol fans to go on the road to support the team as they attempt to sweep the Bulldogs this season. Everyone who went on the trip to South Carolina last weekend had a wonderful time. We have arranged through our corporate sponsor, Premier Transportation, for nonstop luxury motorcoach roundtrip transportation, meals and entertainment en route, and tickets to the games, all for only $99 per person. This is a day-only trip that leaves Knoxville mid-morning before the game and returns immediately after the game.

We will have sign-up forms at the meeting for those who are interested in going to Georgia, and will take your check or credit card number to secure your place. We would also encourage you, however, to download the form on our website, www.utfan.com/tipoff and to email Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com immediately or call Lloyd Richardson at 588-5433 or fax him at 588-2083 if you have an interest in making next weekend’s Georgia trip, so that we can secure enough game tickets for everyone. The form is also attached to this email for you to print out.

FEBRUARY 27 SECOND-ANNUAL PRE-GAME BASH AND SEASON FINALE EVENING DINNER GALA EVENT TICKET ORDER FORM ATTACHED: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its second-annual pre-game bash and season finale evening dinner gala event, on Tuesday evening, February 27, at 6:45 p.m., at The Foundry at World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet dinner will be served. UT alumnus, Denver Post journalist, and nationally-known ESPN television personality Woody Paige will be speaking just prior to the final Senior Night home UT men’s basketball game against Florida, which tips off at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27.

The UT cheerleaders and Big Orange Banditos Band will be there as well, making it a festive pre-game pep rally. Dress is “game casual”, so whatever you plan to wear to the game, jeans, sweater, etc., is fine. We are keeping things very informal and prices low so it is affordable for the whole family or all your clients. A special commemorative "thank you" collectible gift will be given to everyone that you don't want to miss.

Tickets are only $20 for members, $25 for guests, and $250 for a reserved table of 10, and are now on sale. Many tables have already been reserved and space is limited. The cash bars will open at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the program to start at 7:00 p.m. The event will be over by 8:00 p.m., in plenty of time to get to the big game or to get home to watch it on TV, since it has a late tipoff time and it is only a short 5-minute ride through Fort Sanders from the Foundry to the arena. We expect this event to be a sellout, as was last year’s, so please get your tickets early so that you won’t get left out.

Parking will be free and plentiful. Roving photographers will be there to take individual, group, and candid photos that you will be able to purchase as souvenirs.

We expect many former players to attend. There will be a silent auction of autographed UT basketballs signed by our speakers for the year, as well as by the UT men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs and lettermen.

Attached please find a ticket order form for that event for you to print and mail, fax, or e-mail back, or bring it with you along with your check to the meeting to purchase your tickets, which are going fast. The form is also available on our website.

We encourage you to get your order in as soon as possible to secure your seat. Since it is Senior Night, we hope to host Dane Bradshaw’s family and a contingent from Memphis, and the Chris Lofton’s family and friends from Maysville, Kentucky, have also indicated they may attend.

OFFICIAL BIG ORANGE TIPOFF PHOTOS: Many of you may not be aware that we now have an official Big Orange Tipoff Club photographer, Megan Ellis. You may have seen her roaming around our big meeting room taking pictures before, during, and after our meetings. If you would like Megan to take some photos of you, the people at your table, your guests, etc., please don’t hesitate to flag her down when you see her and her camera, as she will be most happy to do so for you. To view and purchase pictures from last week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting and those for future meetings from her, please go to www.meganellisphotography.com and click on the “TN LOGIN” page. The password is simply “tipoff”. You can also e-mail Megan with any questions you may have at megan@meganellisphotography.com .

THIS WEEK’S SPEAKER: Woody Paige, a native of Memphis, began is career as a sports columnist in with The Whitehaven Press in 1963 after graduating from the University of Tennessee. He later went on to cover politics for The Knoxville Journal and civil rights for The Memphis Commercial Appeal and The Rocky Mountain News. Paige joined The Denver Post in 1981.

Over his thirty-five year career, Paige has covered sporting events in over 22 countries. His resume includes27 Super Bowls, 12 Summer & Winter Olympics, over 18 World Championship Fights, as well as the World Series and the NBA & Stanley Cup Finals

A recipient of more than one-hundred local, state and national media awards for column writing and sports stories, Paige is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee and is a Baseball Hall of Fame and ESPY Award voter.

Paige is a regular contributor to ESPN Classic's Emmy Award winning Sports Century series, and his work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Time and Street and Smith. He is also the author of seven sports books. He is a regular on ESPN’s “Around the Horn” and hosted the popular long-running “Cold Pizza” on the network as well.

He is involved in more than twenty-four charitable events annually and currently serves as Chairman of Fund-A-Cure of the Children's Diabetes Research Foundation.

2008 CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE: The club is soliciting individual members for next season at only $75 and discounted senior citizen memberships at only $60. Spouses of members are free, making this an excellent deal. In addition, corporate memberships, which include up to 5 members of a firm, are being offered at only $250.

Annual membership applications are still available by calling Club President Lloyd Richardson at (865) 588-5433, by faxing a request to (865) 588-2083, by e-mailing at tipoff@utfan.com , or by visiting the website at www.utfan.com/tipoff . A membership application for downloading with the Big Orange Tipoff Club logo on it is available on the website.

All former UT men’s and women’s basketball lettermen, former UT Orange Tie Club members, Knoxville Quarterback Club members, VASF donors, Boost-Her Club members, UT students, UT alumni and friends, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and join as well. Legendary former UT Head Basketball Coach Ray Mears is an Honorary Member. Many members of the UT athletics administration, coaches, etc., are in attendance regularly.

MEDIA INFORMATION: All media are invited to attend and will have the opportunity to record and film any portion of the meeting, ask questions of Woody Paige in a public forum at the conclusion of his remarks, and will be able to interview him, as time allows, on both a group and individual basis. Each of our meetings so far has been covered extensively by print and broadcast media, including TV stations and several newspapers. Local talk show hosts are planning live remote radio broadcasts for some meetings.

All media are also invited to call J. Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547 or e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com to schedule radio, television, and newspaper interviews with various Big Orange Tipoff Club steering committee members, including Charles W. Morgan, Barry J. Smith, Michael J. Turner, Christy Gentry, J. Mark Hancock, and Club Historian R. Larry Smith regarding the club, its promotion of UT basketball, its purposes, its sponsoring of awards and contributions to scholarships, and its charitable endeavors in supporting college and amateur athletics in East Tennessee. Steering committee members have been making radio and television appearances and doing newspaper interviews regularly, and are available for speaking engagements to any groups.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is offering special merchandise for sale with the distinctive club logo on it, including T-shirts and caps, each for the low price of only $10. Only a limited number of each is available, and they are quickly becoming collectors’ items.

NEXT YEAR’S SPEAKERS AND FEEDBACK: We invite you to send us email suggestions on future speakers and to make other comments through our feedback form that you can download from our website and return to us. We are always interested in getting suggestions from anyone to improve our meetings.

XXX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 15, 2007
Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, Phone (865) 522-8547,
or Hilary Phillips, E-Mail: tipoff@utfan.com

FORMER ALABAMA MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH WIMP SANDERSON TO BE BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB SPEAKER ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20^TH

The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its next scheduled meeting this coming Tuesday, February 20, at 11:00 a.m., at Calhoun’s on the River in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet luncheon will be served for only $12.50 for members and $15 for guests, including a variety of entrees and side dishes, drink, dessert, etc. That is the day before the UT-Alabama men's game in Knoxville, with former Alabama head basketball coach Wimp Sanderson as the featured speaker. It will be our last weekly luncheon meeting of the year, since the meeting following that one will be the evening pre-game gala dinner event on February 27.

Due to the overwhelming demand for parking at Calhoun’s, please plan to arrive as early as possible for this meeting. Calhoun’s will open the buffet line at 11:00 a.m. to accommodate what is expected to be another overflow standing-room-only crowd to hear Wimp, who has had a wonderful career as a coach and is now a television analyst.

THIS WEEK’S VOL & LADY VOL BASKETBALL CALENDAR: UT Men’s Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl is also expected to be in attendance to say a few words about his team’s big game with Alabama coming up the next night, as well as reviewing the big home win over Kentucky, the game on Saturday at South Carolina, and also looking ahead to the trip to Arkansas a week from this coming Saturday. UT Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt will also hopefully be in attendance to speak to us, to review tonight’s big nationally-televised home game with Ole Miss on ESPN2 and fresh from her team’s trip to LSU on Monday, as well as give us a preview her team’s upcoming trip to Arkansas a week from tonight and the final Senior Day game at home against Vanderbilt a week from Sunday afternoon.

The fact that both UT’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are drawing capacity crowds and are ranked high in the college RPI, will drive attendance upward for this meeting. UT Men’s and Women’s Athletics Directors Mike Hamilton and Joan Cronan are also expected to be on hand.

BUS TRIPS TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA MEN’S GAMES IN COLUMBIA AND ATHENS: The Club is sponsoring bus trips to the South Carolina and Georgia men’s basketball games in Columbia and Athens, this Saturday, February 17, and Saturday, March 3, respectively. Coach Bruce Pearl has encouraged all Vol fans to go on the road to support the team as they attempt to sweep both the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs this season. We have arranged through our corporate sponsor, Premier Transportation, for nonstop luxury motorcoach roundtrip transportation, meals and entertainment en route, and tickets to the game, all for only $99 per person per trip. These are day-only trips that leave Knoxville mid-morning before the games and return immediately after the games.

We will have sign-up forms at the meeting for those who are interested in going to Georgia, and will take your check or credit card number to secure your place. We would also encourage you, however, to download the form on our website, www.utfan.com/tipoff and to email Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com immediately or call Lloyd Richardson at 588-5433 or fax him at 588-2083 if you have an interest in making this weekend’s South Carolina trip, as today is the deadline to sign up for it, so that we can secure enough game tickets for everyone. The form is also attached to this email for you to print out.

FEBRUARY 27 SECOND-ANNUAL PRE-GAME BASH AND SEASON FINALE EVENING DINNER GALA EVENT TICKET ORDER FORM ATTACHED: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its second-annual pre-game bash and season finale evening dinner gala event, on Tuesday evening, February 27, at 6:45 p.m., at The Foundry at World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet dinner will be served. UT alumnus, Denver Post journalist, and nationally-known ESPN television personality Woody Paige will be speaking just prior to the final Senior Night home UT men’s basketball game against Florida, which tips off at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27.

The UT cheerleaders and Big Orange Banditos Band will be there as well, making it a festive pre-game pep rally. Dress is “game casual”, so whatever you plan to wear to the game, jeans, sweater, etc., is fine. We are keeping things very informal and prices low so it is affordable for the whole family or all your clients. A special commemorative "thank you" collectible gift will be given to everyone that you don't want to miss.

Tickets are only $20 for members, $25 for guests, and $250 for a reserved table of 10, and are now on sale. Many tables have already been reserved and space is limited. The cash bars will open at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the program to start at 6:45 p.m. The event will be over by 8:00 p.m., in plenty of time to get to the big game, since it has a late tipoff time and it is only a short 5-minute ride through Fort Sanders from the Foundry to the arena. We expect this event to be a sellout, as was last year’s, so please get your tickets early so that you won’t get left out.

Parking will be free and plentiful. Jacqui Pearl, daughter of Coach Bruce Pearl, has tentatively agreed to sing the National Anthem for us at this event. Roving photographers will be there to take individual, group, and candid photos that you will be able to purchase as souvenirs.

We expect many former players to attend. There will be a silent auction of autographed UT basketballs signed by our speakers for the year, as well as by the UT men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs and lettermen.

Attached please find a ticket order form for that event for you to print and mail, fax, or e-mail back, or bring it with you along with your check to the meeting to purchase your tickets, which are going fast. The form is also available on our website.

We encourage you to get your order in as soon as possible to secure your seat. Since it is Senior Night, we hope to host Dane Bradshaw’s family and a contingent from Memphis, and the Chris Lofton’s family and friends from Maysville, Kentucky, have also indicated they may attend.

OFFICIAL BIG ORANGE TIPOFF PHOTOS: Many of you may not be aware that we now have an official Big Orange Tipoff Club photographer, Megan Ellis. You may have seen her roaming around our big meeting room taking pictures before, during, and after our meetings. If you would like Megan to take some photos of you, the people at your table, your guests, etc., please don’t hesitate to flag her down when you see her and her camera, as she will be most happy to do so for you. To view and purchase pictures from last week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting and those for future meetings from her, please go to www.meganellisphotography.com and click on the “TN LOGIN” page. The password is simply “tipoff”. You can also e-mail Megan with any questions you may have at megan@meganellisphotography.com .

THIS WEEK’S SPEAKER: Wimp Sanderson began his coaching career at Carbon Hill High School, where he went 25-4. The next season he became a graduate assistant to Hayden Riley at the University of Alabama for the 1960-61 season and was elevated to a full-time assistant's post the following year. He held that spot until C.M. Newton's retirement in 1980.

Then, after 20 years as an assistant coach, Sanderson was named Alabama's 16th head coach on April 15, 1980. In his first 11 years (1981-91) as head coach, Sanderson took Alabama to nine NCAA Tournaments, one NIT and reached the NCAA's "Sweet Sixteen" six times. He also took the Crimson Tide to the finals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament eight times and won five (1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991).

Wimp had seen almost 50 percent of all basketball games in which Alabama participated in up until 1991. He was named "SEC Coach of the Decade" for the 1980s by the Lexington Herald-Leader. During his first 11 years at Alabama, Sanderson compiled a 241-110 record at the time of his induction in 1990 into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Sanderson went on to coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and now hosts a TV show, “Talkin’ Hoops,” with former Auburn Coach Sonny Smith, one of our Big Orange Tipoff Club speakers last season. He also does television commentary for various games around the South.

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Big Orange Tipoff Club will also be hosting the Knox County boys and girls high school basketball players of the week, as they do weekly, who will be awarded certificates by prep sports Editor Jesse Smithey of The Knoxville News-Sentinel and will be honored along with their coaches.

PICK AND WIN: One lucky member each week will win a pair of tickets to each of the next home UT men’s and women’s basketball games by participating in the club’s weekly Pick’N’Win Contest for only $1 and picking the winners of a selection of men’s and women’s SEC games. The club will have several surprise celebrity guests on hand regularly, including former players, coaches, and other nationally-known basketball personalities.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE: The club is still soliciting individual members at only $75 and discounted senior citizen memberships at only $60. Spouses of members are free, making this an excellent deal. In addition, corporate memberships, which include up to 5 members of a firm, are still being offered at only $250.

Annual membership applications are still available by calling Club President Lloyd Richardson at (865) 588-5433, by faxing a request to (865) 588-2083, by e-mailing at tipoff@utfan.com , or by visiting the website at www.utfan.com/tipoff . A membership application for downloading with the Big Orange Tipoff Club logo on it is available on the website.

All former UT men’s and women’s basketball lettermen, former UT Orange Tie Club members, Knoxville Quarterback Club members, VASF donors, Boost-Her Club members, UT students, UT alumni and friends, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and join as well. Legendary former UT Head Basketball Coach Ray Mears is an Honorary Member. Many members of the UT athletics administration, coaches, etc., are in attendance regularly.

MEDIA INFORMATION: All media are invited to attend and will have the opportunity to record and film any portion of the meeting, ask questions of Tom Boerwinkle in a public forum at the conclusion of his remarks, and will be able to interview him, as time allows, on both a group and individual basis. Each of our meetings so far has been covered extensively by print and broadcast media, including TV stations and several newspapers. Local talk show hosts are planning live remote radio broadcasts for some meetings.

All media are also invited to call J. Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547 or e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com to schedule radio, television, and newspaper interviews with various Big Orange Tipoff Club steering committee members, including Charles W. Morgan, Barry J. Smith, Michael J. Turner, Christy Gentry, J. Mark Hancock, and Club Historian R. Larry Smith regarding the club, its promotion of UT basketball, its purposes, its sponsoring of awards and contributions to scholarships, and its charitable endeavors in supporting college and amateur athletics in East Tennessee. Steering committee members have been making radio and television appearances and doing newspaper interviews regularly, and are available for speaking engagements to any groups.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is offering special merchandise for sale with the distinctive club logo on it, including T-shirts and caps, each for the low price of only $10. Only a limited number of each is available, and they are quickly becoming collectors’ items.

NEXT WEEK’S SPEAKER: Next week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 27, with ESPN’s Woody Paige as the featured speaker, at the special evening dinner event gala mentioned above at the Foundry, just prior to the Florida men’s game.

XXX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, February 9, 2007
Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, Phone (865) 522-8547,
or Hilary Phillips, E-Mail: tipoff@utfan.com

TENNESSEE VOLS AND CHICAGO BULLS STAR TOM BOERWINKLE TO BE BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB SPEAKER ON TENNESSEE-KENTUCKY GAMEDAY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13^TH

The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its next scheduled meeting this coming Tuesday, February 13, at 11:00 a.m., at Calhoun’s on the River in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet luncheon will be served for only $12.50 for members and $15 for guests, including a variety of entrees and side dishes, drink, dessert, etc.

Tom Boerwinkle, the starting All-American 7-foot center on the 1967 Tennessee Volunteers SEC Championship Team, UT’s first under Coach Ray Mears and first since 1945, and the Big Orange player drafted highest in NBA history, by the Chicago Bulls, where he went on to be an All-Star, will be the featured speaker, and will be introduced by fellow teammate and All-American Billy Justus. Coach Mears and his family are going to try to attend, as well as Coach Stu Aberdeen’s widow, Lynn, and their family.

Due to the overwhelming demand for parking at Calhoun’s, please plan to arrive as early as possible for this meeting. Calhoun’s will open the buffet line at 11:00 a.m. to accommodate what is expected to be another overflow standing-room-only crowd to hear Tommy, who has had a wonderful career as a radio announcer in Chicago as well as in the financial district.

THIS WEEK’S VOL & LADY VOL BASKETBALL CALENDAR: UT Men’s Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl is also expected to be in attendance to say a few words about his team’s big nationally-televised ESPN home game with Kentucky Wildcats that night, as well as look ahead to the possible sweep of South Carolina on the road in Columbia next Saturday, and also review the big home win over LSU and Saturday afternoon’s home game with Vanderbilt. UT Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt will also hopefully be in attendance to speak to us, to review her own big “February Frenzy” home game with Kentucky this Sunday, which will also be shown nationally on ESPN2, her win on Thursday night at Auburn, and her upcoming home game with Ole Miss on Thursday. All fans are encouraged to “Paint the Town Orange” by wearing Big Orange clothing to the both the men’s and women’s Kentucky games to dazzle the national television audiences.

The fact that both UT’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are drawing capacity crowds and are ranked high in the college RPI, will drive attendance upward for this meeting. UT Men’s and Women’s Athletics Directors Mike Hamilton and Joan Cronan are also expected to be on hand.

BUS TRIPS TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA MEN’S GAMES IN COLUMBIA AND ATHENS: The Club is gauging interest in bus trips to the South Carolina and Georgia men’s basketball games in Columbia and Athens, on Saturday, February 17, and Saturday, March 3, respectively. Coach Bruce Pearl has encouraged all Vol fans to go on the road to support the team as they attempt to sweep both the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs this season. If we get enough people to commit to the trip, we will arrange through our corporate sponsor, Premier Transportation, for nonstop luxury motorcoach roundtrip transportation, meals and entertainment en route, and tickets to the game, all for only $99 per person. These would be day-only trips that would leave Knoxville mid-morning before the game and return immediately after the game.

We will have sign-up forms at the meeting for those who are interested in going, and will take your check or credit card number to secure your place if we can get enough people interested. We would also encourage you, however, to download the form on our website, www.utfan.com/tipoff and to email Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com immediately or call Lloyd Richardson at 588-5433 or fax him at 588-2083 if you have an interest in making this trip, so that we can secure enough game tickets for everyone before they are sold out. The form is also attached to this email for you to print out.

FEBRUARY 27 SECOND-ANNUAL PRE-GAME BASH AND SEASON FINALE EVENING DINNER GALA EVENT TICKET ORDER FORM ATTACHED: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its second-annual pre-game bash and season finale evening dinner gala event, on Tuesday evening, February 27, at 6:45 p.m., at The Foundry at World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet dinner will be served. UT alumnus, Denver Post journalist, and nationally-known ESPN television personality Woody Paige will be speaking just prior to the final Senior Night home UT men’s basketball game against Florida, which tips off at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27.

The UT cheerleaders and Big Orange Banditos Band will be there as well, making it a festive pre-game pep rally. Dress is “game casual”, so whatever you plan to wear to the game, jeans, sweater, etc., is fine. We are keeping things very informal and prices low so it is affordable for the whole family or all your clients. A special commemorative "thank you" collectible gift will be given to everyone that you don't want to miss.

Tickets are only $20 for members, $25 for guests, and $250 for a reserved table of 10, and are now on sale. Many tables have already been reserved and space is limited. The cash bars will open at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the program to start at 6:45 p.m. The event will be over by 8:00 p.m., in plenty of time to get to the big game, since it has a late tipoff time and it is only a short 5-minute ride through Fort Sanders from the Foundry to the arena. We expect this event to be a sellout, as was last year’s, so please get your tickets early so that you won’t get left out.

Parking will be free and plentiful. Jacqui Pearl, daughter of Coach Bruce Pearl, has tentatively agreed to sing the National Anthem for us at this event. Roving photographers will be there to take individual, group, and candid photos that you will be able to purchase as souvenirs.

We expect many former players to attend. There will be a silent auction of autographed UT basketballs signed by our speakers for the year, as well as by the UT men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs and lettermen.

Attached please find a ticket order form for that event for you to print and mail, fax, or e-mail back, or bring it with you along with your check to the meeting to purchase your tickets, which are going fast. The form is also available on our website.

We encourage you to get your order in as soon as possible to secure your seat. Since it is Senior Night, we hope to host Dane Bradshaw’s family and a contingent from Memphis, and the Chris Lofton’s family and friends from Maysville, Kentucky, have also indicated they may attend.

OFFICIAL BIG ORANGE TIPOFF PHOTOS: Many of you may not be aware that we now have an official Big Orange Tipoff Club photographer, Megan Ellis. You may have seen her roaming around our big meeting room taking pictures before, during, and after our meetings. If you would like Megan to take some photos of you, the people at your table, your guests, etc., please don’t hesitate to flag her down when you see her and her camera, as she will be most happy to do so for you. To view and purchase pictures from last week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting and those for future meetings from her, please go to www.meganellisphotography.com and click on the “TN LOGIN” page. The password is simply “tipoff”. You can also e-mail Megan with any questions you may have at megan@meganellisphotography.com .

THIS WEEK’S SPEAKER: Tom Boerwinkle, an Ohio native, was the first true 7-footer recruited to come to Tennessee. He was named an All-American and All-SEC while at UT, and led the Vols to the 1967 SEC Championship, its first under Coach Ray Mears and the first Big Orange SEC basketball championship since 1945. He was the starting center of Mears’ famous “Fearless Five” team that also included Ron Widby and Tom Hendrix as forwards, and Billy Justus and Billy Hann as guards.

That 1967 team secured Tennessee’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. It was also the first year that UT competed in their new home, Stokely Athletics Center, which was doubled in size from its old Armory Fieldhouse location to accommodate the burgeoning demand for Big Orange basketball. Boerwinkle led UT in rebounding and his nickname “The Bull” also earned him the honor by being voted as the SEC’s leading rebounder by his peers, the players in the league.

He was the fourth player picked overall in the NBA Draft and remains to this day the highest Tennessee player ever drafted into the professional ranks. He played for 10 years for the Chicago Bulls and his 37 rebounds that he secured in a game against Phoenix in 1972 set a record that stood for more than 30 seasons. He ranks second all-time in Bulls history in rebounds. A little known fact is that Tom’s rebound record was set in the famous “Ice Bowl” game that was played at Chicago Stadium, which is recounted in this link:

http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/boerwinkle_700108.html

Tom was named a Legend of the SEC in 2003. He went on to successful careers in the financial industry and as a radio commentator in Chicago. We are proud to welcome him as our speaker this week on what should be a very memorable day. Read these tributes to Tom that were written in Tennessee Alumnus magazine and by UTsports.com:

http://pr.tennessee.edu/alumnus/alumarticle.asp?id=418

http://utsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021403aab.html

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Big Orange Tipoff Club will also be hosting the Knox County boys and girls high school basketball players of the week, as they do weekly, who will be awarded certificates by prep sports Editor Jesse Smithey of The Knoxville News-Sentinel and will be honored along with their coaches.

PICK AND WIN: One lucky member each week will win a pair of tickets to each of the next home UT men’s and women’s basketball games by participating in the club’s weekly Pick’N’Win Contest for only $1 and picking the winners of a selection of men’s and women’s SEC games. The club will have several surprise celebrity guests on hand regularly, including former players, coaches, and other nationally-known basketball personalities.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE: The club is still soliciting individual members at only $75 and discounted senior citizen memberships at only $60. Spouses of members are free, making this an excellent deal. In addition, corporate memberships, which include up to 5 members of a firm, are still being offered at only $250.

Annual membership applications are still available by calling Club President Lloyd Richardson at (865) 588-5433, by faxing a request to (865) 588-2083, by e-mailing at tipoff@utfan.com , or by visiting the website at www.utfan.com/tipoff . A membership application for downloading with the Big Orange Tipoff Club logo on it is available on the website.

All former UT men’s and women’s basketball lettermen, former UT Orange Tie Club members, Knoxville Quarterback Club members, VASF donors, Boost-Her Club members, UT students, UT alumni and friends, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and join as well. Legendary former UT Head Basketball Coach Ray Mears is an Honorary Member. Many members of the UT athletics administration, coaches, etc., are in attendance regularly.

MEDIA INFORMATION: All media are invited to attend and will have the opportunity to record and film any portion of the meeting, ask questions of Tom Boerwinkle in a public forum at the conclusion of his remarks, and will be able to interview him, as time allows, on both a group and individual basis. Each of our meetings so far has been covered extensively by print and broadcast media, including TV stations and several newspapers. Local talk show hosts are planning live remote radio broadcasts for some meetings.

All media are also invited to call J. Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547 or e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com to schedule radio, television, and newspaper interviews with various Big Orange Tipoff Club steering committee members, including Charles W. Morgan, Barry J. Smith, Michael J. Turner, Christy Gentry, J. Mark Hancock, and Club Historian R. Larry Smith regarding the club, its promotion of UT basketball, its purposes, its sponsoring of awards and contributions to scholarships, and its charitable endeavors in supporting college and amateur athletics in East Tennessee. Steering committee members have been making radio and television appearances and doing newspaper interviews regularly, and are available for speaking engagements to any groups.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is offering special merchandise for sale with the distinctive club logo on it, including T-shirts and caps, each for the low price of only $10. Only a limited number of each is available, and they are quickly becoming collectors’ items.

NEXT WEEK’S SPEAKER: Next week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 20, with former Alabama head basketball coach Wimp Sanderson as the featured speaker, the day before the UT-Alabama men’s home game.

XXX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 8, 2007

Please Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, (865) 522-8547 or Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB FEBRUARY 27 EVENING DINNER GALA EVENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW! - SELLOUT CROWD EXPECTED AT THE FOUNDRY!

Woody Paige, a UT alumnus and nationally-known ESPN television sports personality and columnist for the Denver Post, will be the featured speaker at a major, special Big Orange Tipoff Club evening pre-game dinner event at The Foundry at World’s Fair Park just prior to the final Senior Night home UT men’s basketball game against the top-ranked Florida Gators, which tips off at 9:00 p.m.

The UT cheerleaders and the Big Orange Banditos Band will be there, as will UT Head Coach Bruce Pearl and Athletics Director Mike Hamilton, making it a festive pre-game pep rally. Dress is “game casual,” so whatever you plan to wear to the game, jeans, sweater, etc., is fine.

Legendary UT Head Coach Ray Mears, the winningest coach in UT men’s basketball history, who has experienced some health problems this season, is hoping to be there as well. We will have roving photographers to take pictures of everyone to make this a memorable evening. We tentatively have Jacqui Pearl, daughter of our own head coach, lined up to sing the National Anthem for us.

Tickets are only $20 for members, $25 for guests, and $250 for a reserved table of 10, and are now on sale. Many tables have already been reserved and space is limited. Our weekly luncheon meetings have been standing-room-only, and this should be a sellout with all available tickets pre-sold. You do NOT have to be a club member to buy tickets.

FREE BONUS FOR ALL TICKETHOLDERS: One of our Big Orange Club Corporate Sponsors, HoundDogs, through their sister company, Crick Printing and Graphics of Knoxville, has graciously printed our stationery and our souvenir tickets for this event on a complimentary basis. In addition, they are offering each ticketholder a coupon on the back of each ticket to redeem for 25% off on one regular priced item at any of their six HoundDogs locations. What this means for you is that you are essentially able to attend this event for FREE if you use the coupon, with the potential for saving even more money than the cost of your ticket!

The cash bars will open at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the program to start at 6:45 p.m. The event will be over by 8:00 p.m., in plenty of time to get to the big game, since it has a late tipoff time and it is only a short 5-minute ride through Fort Sanders from the Foundry to the arena.

Parking will be free and plentiful. There will be a silent auction of autographed UT basketballs signed by our speakers for the year, as well as by former lettermen and the men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs. We will be showing video highlights from the season before the program.

A special collection of Tennessee basketball memorabilia will be on display at this event. It will be worth your time just to see this collection provided by Big Orange Tipoff Club Historian R. Larry Smith.

We are keeping things very informal and prices low so it is affordable for the whole family or all your clients. A special commemorative "thank you" collectible surprise gift that you won’t want to miss will be given to each member in attendance.

Attached please find a ticket order form for the event for you to print and mail, fax, or e-mail back with your funds, or bring with you along with your check to the meeting this coming Tuesday, February 13, at 11 a.m. at our luncheon meeting at Calhoun’s on the River in Downtown Knoxville, to purchase your tickets, which are going fast. You can pick them up this coming Tuesday or we will mail them to you. We may not have any for sale on the night of the event, as it may be a sellout by that time, so please make sure you get your ticket order in now so you won’t be left out.

Please also e-mail us at tipoff@utfan.com or visit our website at www.utfan.com/tipoff for more information, or call Lloyd Richardson, Club President, at (865) 588-5433, or fax him at (865) 588-2083.

###

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB

2ND ANNUAL EVENING GALA EVENT

At The Foundry – World’s Fair Park

Featuring Special Guest Speaker Woody Paige, UT Alumnus, Journalist, and Nationally-Known ESPN Television Personality!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007 U.T. MEN’S SENIOR NIGHT

Cash Bar Opens @ 5:30 PM Tennessee Vs. Florida
Buffet Line Begins @ 6:00 PM Basketball Tipoff at Arena @
Program Starts @ 6:45 PM 9:00 PM on ESPN Cable TV

PLEASE ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW! Advance Ticket Prices:

Big Orange Tipoff Club Members & Spouses @ Only $20 Each!
(Includes 2 Entrees, Vegetables, Drinks, Desserts, Tax, & Tip!)
Guests @ Only $25 Each

PRIORITY SEATING! Reserved Tables of 10 @ Only $250 Each!
HURRY! SEATS ARE LIMITED & TICKETS WILL BE SCARCE!

Join us for an evening of fun, food, & fellowship in a sold-out dining room to celebrate our very successful second season!

Name (or Contact Person): _________________________________________

Company (if Corporate Sponsor or Member): ___________________________

Address (St. or PO Box): ___________________________________________

City: ____________________State: _________ Zip: _____________________

Home Phone: ___________________ Office Phone: _____________________

E-Mail Address: _________________________________________________

Credit Card: ______ Visa ______ Master Card (Please Check One)

Number: __________________________________________ Exp: _________

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Big Orange Tipoff Club

PLEASE MAIL THIS COMPLETED TICKET ORDER FORM AND FUNDS TO:

Big Orange Tipoff Club Website: www.utfan.com/tipoff

P.O. Box 11252 Fax #: (865) 588-2083

Knoxville, TN 37939-1252 E-Mail Address: tipoff@utfan.com

For More Information By Telephone, Please Call Lloyd Richardson @ (865) 588-5433 or Mike Turner @ (865) 599-2959

THE CLUB THANKS YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS YEAR! GO VOLS!

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB

2ND ANNUAL AWAY GAME BUS TRIPS

PLEASE ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW! Only $99 Per Person Per Trip! PRIORITY SEATING! FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED! HURRY! SEATS ARE LIMITED AND TICKETS ARE SCARCE!

Saturday, February 17, 2007 Saturday, March 3, 2007
To Columbia, South Carolina To Athens, Georgia
Tipoff at 3:30 p.m. Tipoff at 4 p.m.

Buses Provided by Justin Cazana & Premier Transportation will depart Second Presbyterian Church on Kingston Pike in Knoxville at 10 a.m. & return immediately after each game.

Luxury Motorcoach Roundtrip Transportation, a Ticket to the Game, a Box Lunch going down, & a Box Dinner coming back, a Big Orange shaker, snacks, soft drinks, & UT basketball video highlights & movies en route, taxes, & tips, are all included!

Join us for 2 days of fun, food, & fellowship on sold-out bus trips with fellow Big Orange fans to celebrate our very successful second season! Don’t be left out!

Names (or Contact Persons): ________________________________________

Company (if Corporate Sponsor or Member): ___________________________

Address (St. or PO Box): ___________________________________________

City: ____________________State: _________ Zip: _____________________

Home Phone: ___________________ Office Phone: _____________________

E-Mail Address: _________________________________________________

____ South Carolina Trip ___ Georgia Trip ____ Both Trips (Please Check One)

Credit Card: _____ Visa _____ Master Card (Please Check One)

Number: ___________________________________________ Exp: ________

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Big Orange Tipoff Club

PLEASE MAIL THIS COMPLETED ORDER FORM AND FUNDS TO:

Big Orange Tipoff Club Website: www.utfan.com/tipoff

P.O. Box 11252 Fax #: (865) 588-2083

Knoxville, TN 37939-1252 E-Mail Address: tipoff@utfan.com

For More Information By Telephone, Please Call Lloyd Richardson @ (865) 588-5433 or Mike Turner @ (865) 599-2959

THE CLUB THANKS YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS YEAR! GO VOLS!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Please Contact: Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com or Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547

BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB BUS TRIPS TO

SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA

The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team and UT Coach Bruce Pearl are asking all fans to hit the road in support of them and fill the arenas with Big Orange as the Vols take on South Carolina on Saturday, February 17, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time in Columbia, and Georgia on Saturday, March 3, in the regular season finale, at 4 p.m. Eastern Time in Athens.

Justin Cazana of Premier Transportation, a Big Orange Tipoff Club Corporate Sponsor, has answered that call and has arranged for roundtrip nonstop bus transportation, to take fans from Knoxville to these two venues to see the Vols sweep the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs this season.

Buses will leave from Second Presbyterian Church, on the hill at the corner of Kingston Pike and Neyland Drive in Knoxville, at 10:00 a.m. sharp each Saturday, and arrive back around 11:30 p.m. The cost is only $99 per person per trip, and includes roundtrip luxury motorcoach transportation, a ticket to the game, a pre-game box lunch, a post-game box dinner, snacks, soft drinks, and all taxes & tips. The trip will also feature popular movies and UT basketball video highlights en route for your pleasure while on the road.

Fans interested in joining the Vols in Columbia on Saturday, February 17, and/or in Athens on Saturday, March 3, can e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com or call Mike Turner at (865) 599-2959, or sign up in person at the Big Orange Tipoff Club Luncheon, with former UT basketball star Tom Boerwinkle as featured speaker, this Tuesday, February 13, at Calhoun’s on the River at Noon. We will take your check or credit card number to reserve and secure your spot so that you won’t be left out.

Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. We need to know as soon as possible how many tickets to order for the game, and they are going fast. Reservations are due no later than Noon on Thursday, February 15. It may be, however, that this will sell out long before then, as there are only a limited number of tickets to the game available, and once they are gone, there aren’t any more we can buy. Time is of the essence.

Last season, the trip to Georgia sold out two buses in 24 hours, as demand was very strong. We hope to secure enough tickets to take more buses for this game, depending on how much interest we have in each trip. You do NOT have to be a member of the club to go. Children and corporate clients are welcome. If you’ve never been on a road trip to follow the Vols, they are a lot of fun and this is your opportunity to do so.

Those who went on the trips to Georgia and Alabama last year reported they had a wonderful time. The team and the coaches indicated through the media that the support of those who came down was a major difference in winning the Georgia game. They also went up into the stands to personally thank those UT fans who were there immediately after that game, and stayed around to sign autographs afterwards.

Coach Pearl also spoke to all who came before his post-game radio show and boarded each bus personally to thank those who were on that trip. Let’s all go see UT sweep the Gamecocks on Saturday, February 17, sweep the Bulldogs on Saturday, March 3, and help the Volunteers continue on a Big Orange roll!

You can also sign up through our website at www.utfan.com/tipoff

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, February 5, 2007
Contact: Mark Hancock, Media & Public Relations, Phone (865) 522-8547,
or Hilary Phillips, E-Mail: tipoff@utfan.com

ABC/ESPN NATIONAL BASKETBALL ANALYST JIMMY DYKES TO BE BIG ORANGE TIPOFF CLUB SPEAKER TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6^TH

The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its next scheduled meeting this coming Tuesday, February 6, at 11:00 a.m., at Calhoun’s on the River in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet luncheon will be served for only $12.50 for members and $15 for guests, including a variety of entrees and side dishes, drink, dessert, etc. Jimmy Dykes, a national basketball analyst for ABC and ESPN, will be the featured speaker.

Due to the overwhelming demand for parking at Calhoun’s, please plan to arrive as early as possible for this meeting. Calhoun’s will open the buffet line at 11:00 a.m. to accommodate what is expected to be another overflow standing-room-only crowd to hear Jimmy, who is in demand as a speaker and will be part of ESPN’s announcing team for the UT-LSU men’s game tomorrow night in Knoxville.

THIS WEEK’S VOL & LADY VOL BASKETBALL CALENDAR: UT Men’s Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl is also expected to be in attendance to say a few words about his team’s big nationally-televised home game with LSU on Tuesday night, and also a look ahead to the home game with Vanderbilt this coming Saturday. UT Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt will also hopefully be in attendance to speak to us, as she will just be coming off their big nationally televised “Rivalry Week” TV game with Georgia tonight on ESPN2, and will be preparing for their annual road trip to Auburn on Thursday night, as well as their big “February Frenzy” home game with Kentucky this coming Sunday, also on ESPN2, in which all fans are encouraged to “Paint the Town Orange” by wearing Big Orange clothing to the game to dazzle the national television audience.

The fact that both UT’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are drawing capacity crowds and are ranked high in the college RPI, will drive attendance upward for this meeting. UT Men’s and Women’s Athletics Directors Mike Hamilton and Joan Cronan are also expected to be on hand.

BUS TRIP TO U.T.- SOUTH CAROLINA MEN’S GAME IN COLUMBIA: The Club is gauging interest in a bus trip to the Tennessee-South Carolina men’s basketball game in Columbia, which will tip off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, February 17. Coach Bruce Pearl has encouraged all Vol fans to go on the road to support the team as they attempt to sweep the Gamecocks this season. If we get enough people to commit to the trip, we will arrange through our corporate sponsor, Premier Transportation, for nonstop luxury motorcoach roundtrip transportation, meals and entertainment en route, and tickets to the game, all for only $99 per person. This would be a day-only trip that would leave Knoxville mid-morning before the game and return immediately after the game.

We will have a sign-up sheet at the meeting tomorrow for those who are interested in going, and will take your check or credit card number to secure your place if we can get enough people interested. We would also encourage you to email Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com immediately or call Lloyd Richardson at 588-5433 or fax him at 588-2083 if you have an interest in making this trip, so that we can secure enough game tickets for everyone before they are sold out. If this trip proves to be successful, we may also do another one for the Georgia game in Athens on Saturday, March 3.

FEBRUARY 27 SECOND-ANNUAL PRE-GAME BASH AND SEASON FINALE EVENING DINNER GALA EVENT TICKET ORDER FORM ATTACHED: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is proud to announce its second-annual pre-game bash and season finale evening dinner gala event, on Tuesday evening, February 27, at 6:45 p.m., at The Foundry at World’s Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville, where a buffet dinner will be served. UT alumnus, Denver Post journalist, and nationally-known ESPN television personality Woody Paige will be speaking just prior to the final Senior Night home UT men’s basketball game against Florida, which tips off at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27.

The UT cheerleaders and Big Orange Banditos Band will be there as well, making it a festive pre-game pep rally. Dress is “game casual”, so whatever you plan to wear to the game, jeans, sweater, etc., is fine. We are keeping things very informal and prices low so it is affordable for the whole family or all your clients. A special commemorative "thank you" collectible gift will be given to everyone that you don't want to miss.

Tickets are only $20 for members, $25 for guests, and $250 for a reserved table of 10, and are now on sale. Many tables have already been reserved and space is limited. The cash bars will open at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet lines will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the program to start at 6:45 p.m. The event will be over by 8:00 p.m., in plenty of time to get to the big game, since it has a late tipoff time and it is only a short 5-minute ride through Fort Sanders from the Foundry to the arena. We expect this event to be a sellout, as was last year’s, so please get your tickets early so that you won’t get left out.

Parking will be free and plentiful. Roving photographers will be there to take individual, group, and candid photos that you will be able to purchase as souvenirs. We expect many former players to attend. There will be a silent auction of autographed UT basketballs signed by our speakers for the year, as well as by the UT men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs and lettermen. Attached please find a ticket order form for that event for you to print and mail, fax, or e-mail back, or bring it with you along with your check to the meeting tomorrow to purchase your tickets, which are going fast. The form is also available on our website.

OFFICIAL BIG ORANGE TIPOFF PHOTOS: Many of you may not be aware that we now have an official Big Orange Tipoff Club photographer, Megan Ellis. You may have seen her roaming around our big meeting room taking pictures before, during, and after our meetings. If you would like Megan to take some photos of you, the people at your table, your guests, etc., please don’t hesitate to flag her down when you see her and her camera, as she will be most happy to do so for you. To view and purchase pictures from last week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting and those for future meetings from her, please go to www.meganellisphotography.com and click on the “TN LOGIN” page. The password is simply “tipoff”. You can also e-mail Megan with any questions you may have at megan@meganellisphotography.com .

THIS WEEK’S SPEAKER: For the past 11 years, Jimmy Dykes has been a national college basketball analyst for ESPN and ABC-TV. Jimmy was a 3-year basketball letterman at the University of Arkansas under Head Coach Eddie Sutton. Prior to his media career, Dykes was an assistant basketball coach at Arkansas, Appalachian State, Kentucky, Arkansas-Little Rock, and Oklahoma State. Dykes is also an NBA Scout for the Seattle Supersonics, and since 2003, has also been a college football reporter for ESPN. He is widely known and highly regarded, and is much in demand as Master of Ceremonies for major events. We are glad to welcome him to Knoxville as both our Big Orange Tipoff Club featured speaker this week and to broadcast the Tennessee-LSU men’s basketball game nationally on ESPN on Tuesday night a 9 p.m. Eastern time.

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Big Orange Tipoff Club will also be hosting the Knox County boys and girls high school basketball players of the week, as they do weekly, who will be awarded certificates by prep sports Editor Jesse Smithey of The Knoxville News-Sentinel and will be honored along with their coaches.

PICK AND WIN: One lucky member each week will win a pair of tickets to each of the next home UT men’s and women’s basketball games by participating in the club’s weekly Pick’N’Win Contest for only $1 and picking the winners of a selection of men’s and women’s SEC games. The club will have several surprise celebrity guests on hand regularly, including former players, coaches, and other nationally-known basketball personalities.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE: The club is still soliciting individual members at only $75 and discounted senior citizen memberships at only $60. Spouses of members are free, making this an excellent deal. In addition, corporate memberships, which include up to 5 members of a firm, are still being offered at only $250.

Annual membership applications are still available by calling Club President Lloyd Richardson at (865) 588-5433, by faxing a request to (865) 588-2083, by e-mailing at tipoff@utfan.com , or by visiting the website at www.utfan.com/tipoff . A membership application for downloading with the Big Orange Tipoff Club logo on it is available on the website.

All former UT men’s and women’s basketball lettermen, former UT Orange Tie Club members, Knoxville Quarterback Club members, VASF donors, Boost-Her Club members, UT students, UT alumni and friends, as well as the general public, are invited to attend and join as well. Legendary former UT Head Basketball Coach Ray Mears is an Honorary Member. Many members of the UT athletics administration, coaches, etc., are in attendance regularly.

MEDIA INFORMATION: All media are invited to attend and will have the opportunity to record and film any portion of the meeting, ask questions of Jimmy Dykes in a public forum at the conclusion of his remarks, and will be able to interview him, as time allows, on both a group and individual basis. Each of our meetings so far has been covered extensively by print and broadcast media, including TV stations and several newspapers. Local talk show hosts are planning live remote radio broadcasts for some meetings.

All media are also invited to call J. Mark Hancock at (865) 522-8547 or e-mail Hilary Phillips at tipoff@utfan.com to schedule radio, television, and newspaper interviews with various Big Orange Tipoff Club steering committee members, including Charles W. Morgan, Barry J. Smith, Michael J. Turner, Christy Gentry, J. Mark Hancock, and Club Historian R. Larry Smith regarding the club, its promotion of UT basketball, its purposes, its sponsoring of awards and contributions to scholarships, and its charitable endeavors in supporting college and amateur athletics in East Tennessee. Steering committee members have been making radio and television appearances and doing newspaper interviews regularly, and are available for speaking engagements to any groups.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE: The Big Orange Tipoff Club is offering special merchandise for sale with the distinctive club logo on it, including T-shirts and caps, each for the low price of only $10. Only a limited number of each is available, and they are quickly becoming collectors’ items.

NEXT WEEK’S AND FUTURE SPEAKERS: Next week’s Big Orange Tipoff Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 13, with Tom Boerwinkle, former UT Vols and Chicago Bulls star as the featured gameday speaker on the day of the UT-Kentucky men's game in Knoxville.

Next week, our University of Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball team will be taking on our archrival, the Kentucky Wildcats, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, in a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN. This game marks several important milestones in UT basketball history:

1. It is the 30^th anniversary of Tennessee’s 1977 SEC Championship team, which won twice over Kentucky, once in overtime. That team, which featured Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, Co-Captain Mike Jackson, and several others, will be honored at halftime of next week’s game and Bernard King will be especially honored that night, as he will be returning to campus for the first time in those 30 years.
2. It is the 35^th anniversary of the 1972 SEC Championship team, of which our own Lloyd Richardson was chosen as Captain, many of whom will also be in attendance next week.
3. It is the 40^th anniversary of the 1967 SEC Championship team, captained by Ron Widby, which also won twice over Kentucky, once in double overtime, which featured Tom Boerwinkle as our 7-foot center, who went on to star for the Chicago Bulls, and many members of that team will also be in attendance.

All of these 3 teams have one thing in common. They all had Coach Ray Mears at the helm. As many of you know, Coach Mears has been battling quite a few health problems. However, he is going to do his best to be at this game and visit with the only players that won SEC championships under his leadership.

We will be having a special luncheon that will begin at 11 a.m. on gameday, Tuesday, February 13, 2007, at Calhoun’s on the River. Tom Boerwinkle will be the featured speaker. Coach Mears and his family are going to try to attend, as well as Coach Stu Aberdeen’s widow, Lynn, and their family.

Please consider this as your special invitation to join us for this special luncheon as our honored guest to join in the fun, food, and fellowship of our club. We are going to make this a day to remember.

Other speakers to follow in our stellar 2007 lineup include former Alabama head basketball coach Wimp Sanderson on February 20, and UT alumnus and ESPN commentator Woody Paige for our evening event on February 27 mentioned above. All weekly meetings this season are on Tuesdays, so please mark your calendars to plan to be there for all of them.

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