Not too many people here at the Gentry Center on the campus of Tennessee State University, alma mater of former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joe Gilliam, who played for the Tigers when TSU was known as Tennessee A&I. He died of a heart attack at the age of 50 on Christmas Day, 2000, and was known as Jefferson Street Joe, a street I ran up today from my hotel to the campus on the north side of the city, crossing Rosa L. Parks Boulevard on the way.
NBA players produced by Tennessee State include Anthony Mason, Truck Robinson and Carlos Rogers. Lonnie Funderburke, a senior on the current TSU roster, is a cousin to former Ohio State and NBA player Lawrence Funderburke.
Sights and sounds from downtown this afternoon:
More cowboy boots on sale than I've ever seen in my life.
A guy on every street corner playing an acoustic guitar and singing.
Honky-tonks and open-air bars already filling up at 2 in the afternoon.
Banners left over from the Country Music Awards, which were held here on Wednesday. The co-hosts are named "Brad and Carrie", which I believe are Madonna-esque appellations country fans must recognize instantly. If this was Double Jeopardy, my best guess would be: "Who are Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood?" How'd I do?
Cadillac Ranch, Grand Ole Opry, Charlie Daniels Band museum (Free admission!), a joint dedicated to Jack Daniels.
Fiberglass Elvis statues.
Did I say cowboy boots?
I had a burger at McFadden's topped with fried pickles, a local delicacy. I approve.
LP Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, is a half-mile from my hotel, and if I had planned this a little better, I might have stuck around to watch them play the Bills on Sunday. Already spotted some Bills fans filtering in, including a nice couple from Middleport, halfway between Buffalo and Rochester, my hometown. I guess the Buffalo papers are being pretty hard on head coach Dick Jauron. So everything is as it has been for the last, oh, three years or so.
The Saints look pretty loose. Freshman O.D. Anosike is wearing a facemask after catching an elbow and breaking his nose recently. Coach Fran McCaffery said he'll keep it on for a few more weeks.
