There are a lot of excellent athletes competing in Nashville Sports. The Nashville Sports Council provides financial sponsors, arranges, develops and promotes sporting events in our city.
Nashville is now the home of the NHL team, the Predators with their spanking new Nashville Arena. Because the 17,000 seat arena was built in 1996 to double for overly large music events that could not be accommodated elsewhere, hockey fans will probably have the best acoustics of any NHL functions.
The rechristened Tennessee Titans, (formerly Houston Oilers) are Nashville's first NFL team. There was a lot of talk about choosing the team's name. Now the joke is: If the Jacksonville Jaguars are known as the "Jags" and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are known as the "Bucs", what does that make the Tennessee Titans?
The Titans and Head Coach, Jeff Fisher, are making us proud with their winning record in our new 67,000 seat Adelphia Coliseum" at a cost of $292 million. (Later changed to "The Coliseum. Original, huh? I wish somebody would make somebody would make up their minds on the name!)
On Sept. 12, 1999, the Titans pulled off one of the greatest plays in NFL history during thier first playoff game at the "Delph" Locals will forever refer to it as "the Music City Miracle." The Titans almost won the SUPER BOWL in 1999. Nashville fans threw an exciting well-attended homecoming parade on the downtown streets to celebrate their great season! The Titan's mascot is T-Rac, a raccoon. Odd choice when you consider raccoons are more often eaten than considered a pet in these parts.
Nashville Dream is one of the first two original teams in NWFA (National Women's Football Association) which started in 2000. The interest in this full contact football league for females is so tremendous that the 2003 season will start with thirty teams and even more waiting for team licenses. Fans love this new opportunity for women. Attendance records showed 53,000 fans attending the 2002 SupHer Bowl.
Did you know it takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's supply of footballs?
Most Nashvillians would probably add the University of Tennessee to their list of favorite teams. Tennessee Vols, went undefeated and crowned national champions in 1998. The Lady Vols, with Pat Head Summitt coaching, won six national championships between 1987 and 1998 . GO VOLS!
Nashville's first baseball game was played in 1885 at Sulphur Spring Bottom, which was later rechristened Sulphur Dell by sportswriter Grantland Rice. The Nashville Sounds, our minor league baseball team, play at Greer Stadium. The Atlanta Braves, the closest major league team, are another team that gets a lot of cheers and support in this part of the country.
Collecting baseball cards is a big hobby around here so there are many "sports collectible" stores. A unique store, Old Negro League Sports Shop (1213 Jefferson St.) sells a wide variety of Negro League sportswear, memorabilia, and autographed baseballs.
And of course, Nashville's Intercollegiate sports teams:
Belmont University Bruins
Lipscomb University Bisons
MTSU Blue Raiders
Trevecca Nazarene Trojans
TSU Athletics
Vanderbilt University Commodores
If soccer is your ball of choice, Nashville Metros (formerly Tennessee Rhythm) represents Nashville with a great team.
Nashville offers Nascar auto racing at the Nashville Speedway at the Fairgrounds. This short track opened in 1904 is one of the oldest in the country, and still leased from the city. In 1969, the Grand National, later called the Winston Cup race, was held in Nashville. Two Winston Cup races a year took place from 1971 to 1984. A new Nascar Super Speedway owned by Dover Downs is under construction in Mt. Juliet off Central Pike. Darrell Waltrip, a Nashville-area resident and three-time Winston Cup champion, said Nashville and NASCAR are a great match.
Originally known as "Union Hill", Music City Raceway opened in 1958 is Nashville's only sanctioned NHRA racetrack. Weekly drag racing and special events of Funny Cars, Jet Dragsters, Nitro Harleys, Outlaw Door Slammers, Wheel Standers, Pro-Modifieds and more are held for fans on a straight highway. There is also drag and stock car racing at Highland Rim Speedway, an oval track in Ridgetop about 25 miles out of Nashville. 6801 Kelly Willis Road
Golf is a popular sport in Tennessee. The Sara Lee Golf Classic and the BellSouth Senior Classic are held annually. The seventh annual Vince Gill Golf Pro and Celebrity Invitational, "The Vinny" was held in Kingston Springs this year.
There are also Wrestling, Boxing and Karate competitions, both professional and amateur.
Nashville has its own athletic organization for runners, Nashville Striders.
Another area of sports that is very important to me is Special Olympics in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE ~~ HISTORY
HoneyHoney's Country Girl Hullaballoo
http://www.oocities.org/bornhoney/
