By Ben Troupe
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

Florida great Ben Troupe shares his feelings on the Florida-Tennessee rivalry.

Dear Florida vs Tennessee,

I know you are probably asking yourself why I am contacting you after all these years. It has obviously been a while since we last saw each other, but hear me out for a second. I have been keeping an eye on you over the years just to make sure you were doing okay and, obviously, you’re not. Clearly, I know a lot of things have changed, like coaches, players and, well, the overall relevance as it pertains to you actually having real meaning anymore. Before you completely give into the mediocrity, though, let me talk to you about what we once had.

We used to be a primetime event, the biggest game on the third Saturday in September for such a long time. Together, we decided who would represent the east in the SEC Championship Game, you know, back when we were still competing for championships. While most teams were still trying to figure out their identities, we are already in the spotlight, our seasons already on the line because the winner was in the driver’s seat towards Atlanta and the loser was in the passenger seat to nowhere. Florida vs Tennessee used to be prestige. We had so much history and tradition and the moments, oh the moments, were everything and at least used to stand the test of time. I know you remember, even if they feel like a relic of the past.

There was 2000, when Jabar Gaffney had a catch-no catch that was still ruled a touchdown, igniting the 100,000+ Vol fans into a frenzy. Or maybe that was because he did the cut-throat gesture to the crowd and got a 15-yard penalty that was the absolute truth.

The next year was a tough, emotional one. With the game scheduled for 9/11, college football took an obvious backseat and our showdown was rescheduled for later in the year. Suddenly, everything represented something more. That game, Tennessee won with the big boys like Albert Haynesworth, John Henderson and Will Overstreet, who I could not block, and had their way with us on that misty night in Gainesville.

Your 2002 edition was played in the rain and the GOAT Reggie White was in attendance rooting on his alma mater, who lost to the mighty Gators, with Ron Zook in for Steve Spurrier. It was a thriller.

One of my personal best moments you gave me to me my senior season. We lost, and that still sits with me, but I had my first 100-yard game in college. All of it came in the second half on five catches.

You have meant more to people than you even know. One of my favorite Florida teammates of all time, Darrell Lee from St. Louis, Missouri, who was rated the number one defensive lineman in the country in 2000, said he literally chose to become a Gator because he saw All-American Alex Brown sack defending national champion Tee Martin five times in 1999. Florida won that game by the way. Me personally, I went from watching players like Travis Henry torch our defense in 2000 to blocking for him when I played for, of all teams, the Tennessee Titans. When I was first introduced to the NFL, Troy Flemming, the fullback for the ‘Vols from 1999-2003, was my first roommate.

There’s even more. At my pro day when I was going to have dinner with my agent, you know who came up to me and told me great job? Not one of my Florida teammates, it was Tennessee great Jamal Lewis. For the longest time, all of us, whether we liked it or not, were together as one.

Even the legendary Peyton Manning, with everything he accomplished in his storied career, can never say that he beat the Gators. He has countless records in the SEC and the NFL, yet he can never say he beat my Gators. The two greatest coaches in your once-storied rivalry, Coach Spurrier is now ambassador at Florida and Phillip Fulmer is the athletic director at Tennessee.

I can still hear Tim Tebow colliding with Eric Berry when both were Heisman Trophy candidates. I remember the unsportsmanlike conduct call against Dallas Baker-the-Touchdown-Maker after he hit the defensive back only after the DB hit him. They always see the second guy; coincidence, I say not. Don’t get me wrong, we have had some famous moments recently, like Tennessee ending the streak in 2016. But how great was it to see Grier to Callaway and Franks throwing it deep to Cleveland?

It happens to everyone and you have replaced me with many others throughout this relationship. Some of these guys are even ‘Vols: Manning, Martin, Berry, Henry, Lewis, Haynesworth, Henderson, Peerless Price, Deon Grant, Al Wilson, Donte Stallworth and most recently guys like Joshua Dobbs and Alvin Kamara. And Tennessee, when I was in high school you won a national championship. And I rooted for you as you played that other school in the state from out west.

“Dem Boyz” though, I remember, had guys like Tebow, Brown, Major Wright, Lawrence Wright, Rex Grossman, Ike Hillard, Reidel Anthony, Jacquez Green, Fred Taylor, Percy Harvin, Trey Burton, Reggie Nelson, Brandon Spikes, Lito Sheppard, Kevin Carter, Keiwan Ratliff, Gus Scott and the stellar list goes on and on because “Dem Boyz” carried on an incredible tradition.

I miss it. We cannot waste time anymore. I can’t deal with it anymore, even though we have both moved on with our lives. I need you and you need me. I wish you never did, but you made an impact on me and hold a special place in my heart that nothing will ever replace. I know you have thought about me, so don’t act like you haven’t. I know I’m not the only one. I didn’t cherish it enough. Like the old saying goes, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone; I’m saying right now I want that old thing back. No more leadership reps.

Yeah, I said it. I don’t want us to be just another game, I want it to be the game once again. I want the moments. I want that love-hate relationship. I want real orange vs the sherbet orange. It seems like you have moved on, but I can’t.

Your move,

Ben Troupe
Florida TE, 2000-2003