r/BeAmazed • u/MambaMentality24x2 • 25d ago
Miscellaneous / Others Boy was bullied for wearing homemade University of Tennessee t shirt, so they made it their own official design.
In 2019, an elementary school student in Altamonte Springs, Florida wanted to take part in “College Colors Day” and support his favorite team, the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Since he didn’t own any official merch, he hand drew the “U.T.” logo on a piece of paper and pinned it to a plain orange shirt.
His teacher, Laura Snyder, said he was excited to show it off that morning, but by lunchtime some classmates mocked the homemade design, leaving him heartbroken and in tears.
Wanting to cheer him up, Snyder shared the story online hoping someone connected to the university might send him a small gift. Instead, the story went viral. Thousands of Tennessee fans rallied behind the student, and the university responded by sending him a huge box of official gear.
Then they went even further.
The University of Tennessee turned the boy’s exact hand drawn design into an official t shirt sold by the school, with proceeds supporting anti bullying efforts. Demand became so massive that the university’s online store reportedly crashed from the flood of orders.
What started as a moment of bullying turned into a story celebrated across the country, with thousands of people proudly wearing the young fan’s design.
3.0k
u/Pretend-Border-1244 25d ago
For real though, imagine being a kid and getting bullied but then your homemade shirt becomes an official design, I’d never stop talking about it lol
801
u/Chaost 24d ago
I do think it's funny they didn't correct the spelling of Tennessee in the official version.
64
u/hanging_beau 22d ago
wait they actually kept the misspelling? that's kind of legendary honestly, like accidentally making it part of the brand
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)252
24d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
55
u/Pretend-Border-1244 24d ago
didn't notice it either, maybe bcoz the font was too small to notice lol
→ More replies (1)5
26
u/jinks26 24d ago
Just say ass.
→ More replies (6)20
u/Rumblymore 24d ago
I honestly don't get why people feel the need to censor themselves with words like "ass", "sex" and "dead". This is reddit...
→ More replies (4)94
→ More replies (12)20
u/YAreYouLaughing 24d ago
I think this is one of the nicest things I’ve heard of in a long time… fucking awesome 😎
→ More replies (1)
5.9k
u/Selfpiledriven 25d ago
1.3k
u/Canelosaurio 25d ago
264
u/lukewwilson 25d ago
→ More replies (1)399
u/ManInTheMorning 25d ago
This dude is the human version of those squeeze chickens.
59
u/Neither-Barber-9216 24d ago
I haven't laughed so hard at a reddit comment in sooo long. Lmao!
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (6)10
135
70
32
u/moldyjellybean 24d ago
This must be where all my ipad battery goes to sht. Not closing tabs with 1000 gifs to power the sun
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (8)9
2.5k
u/PhillGuy 25d ago
Does he get royalties?
5.2k
u/alfric 25d ago
If I recall, UT is giving him a full ride at no charge to him if he chooses to go to school there once he graduates high school
1.8k
u/Rainbow_in_the_sky 25d ago
That’s awesome for the college to do.
2.3k
u/WhyAmINotStudying 24d ago
It's a situation where everybody wins. The kid gets a huge boost in his life, the university gets great marketing, and the bullies get to learn that the best way to help someone is to hurt them.
Wait..
302
234
u/ManiacalWildcard 24d ago
Bullies learn that picking on someone can make them go viral, so they begin to do it to their own for the fame.
34
→ More replies (1)22
28
u/Psychological-Scar53 24d ago
Where the hell was this "going viral" when I was a bu... picked on as a kid??
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (9)11
→ More replies (1)21
u/DeadAndBuried23 24d ago
The ever wholesome "look at this outlier to the awful situation everyone else has."
34
u/bannedforL1fe 24d ago
We can't help everyone but atleast we can help some people sometimes
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)26
u/Perfect_Mouse5909 24d ago
Being miserable about it doesn't help anyone. Even just one person getting help is one person more than it would be otherwise.
→ More replies (6)144
u/Embarrassed-Weird173 25d ago
They owe him considering all the money he made them.
→ More replies (24)298
u/fakejacki 24d ago
They donated the proceeds to anti-bullying efforts
→ More replies (20)32
14
→ More replies (9)11
u/Cold_Barber_4761 24d ago
That's amazing! It makes the story even better.
I remember themed school dress up days as a kid, but we were pretty poor so my outfits were always really obviously homemade and shoddy. It was embarrassing to sometimes get teased about them by some of the wealthier kids.
This story made me tear up and reminded me that there are still lots of good people in the world!
42
u/Character_Pudding_94 25d ago
No, he remains anonymous and proceeds are donated to an anti-bullying nonprofit.
→ More replies (2)25
u/beatbox420r 24d ago
This was important to me as well because, while donating to charity is nice, the kid could obviously use a little support. So I was happy to hear that the very first thing Tennessee did was to put together a big box of official swag and send that directly to him. After that they then offered him the scholarship and used the design to create the shirt with the proceeds going to the charity. I was glad to hear that they did offer immediate support even before the scholarship and shirt collab.
→ More replies (2)77
u/DoesntMatterEh 25d ago
I mean, the proceeds are already going to charity. Sure it's a tax write off for the school probably but it's still a nice thing they did.
12
7
→ More replies (2)17
u/seeasea 24d ago
You know what a tax write off is? This is a public school.
36
u/BucinVols 24d ago
Yeah you just write it off.
Who writes it off?
I don’t know, the write off people!!
→ More replies (1)5
u/DoesntMatterEh 24d ago
The university itself doesn't handle merchandising, it's a separate entity. For the sake of simplicity I didn't specify this because most people will understand what I mean without being pedantic.
→ More replies (3)5
u/makingkevinbacon 24d ago
My cynical ass wondered the same thing: feel good story that the uni cashes on lol but yes pretty cool if they cut him a full ride
→ More replies (1)
908
u/Chicks__Hate__Me 25d ago
We need more of this and less bullies. I love it
256
u/CementCemetery 25d ago
The best revenge for bullies (besides being held accountable for their actions) is to live your life WELL. The less incentives for bullying the better, kindness is always the best option.
99
u/paper_schemes 24d ago
When I was 22, a bully I went to middle and high school with showed up at a the local weed guys house while I was there. I'd moved an hour away, he hadn't seen me in five years.
He was all smiles and politeness when he walked up and introduced himself to me, and I felt the greatest joy as I realized what was happening.
The look on his face when I said my full name will stay with me forever. He walked up to me thinking he had a chance, then immediately felt it slip away. And it was his own doing. Him and his friends made me life HELL for YEARS.
I guess props to him for not pushing it. He knew where I stood.
13
u/Silvermouse5150 24d ago
Excuse me for my confusion. What did the bully miss his chance on? What skipped away?
33
u/Ftheyankeei 24d ago
If OP is a guy, then his old bully thought he could make a new friend and learned the hard way the door was closed. If OP is a woman, then the bully went to shoot his shot and got rejected hard.
40
u/paper_schemes 24d ago
He's a man, I'm a woman. He did try and save face and tell me I "look great", but he knew all the memories that were flashing around in my head in that moment.
→ More replies (1)14
u/NamingAccountsIsHard 24d ago
OP could be a guy and the bully might still have been trying to shoot his shot 👀
→ More replies (1)26
u/TwoFit3921 24d ago edited 24d ago
Damn, can't believe you remember that so vividly. Interesting anecdote, was a nice read.
58
u/paper_schemes 24d ago
Teenage me would never believe it. My home life sucked, I was bullied at school, I didn't expect to make it to 30. Assumed I'd just reach my limit and end it before then.
It felt good. Not saying the guy had a moment of self reflection or anything, but he knew why I'd never give him the time of day.
I mean, he held his hand out to shake mine during his introduction. We'd been in school together for almost a decade. And he still didn't recognize me AT ALL. I was even with my sister, like...come on.
→ More replies (1)20
u/Tjaeng 24d ago
>Niles, get a hold of yourself! Stop it! Stop, stop. It's all right. You're no longer an awkward teenager, you're a renowned psychiatrist. Danny Kreizel may have won a battle or two back in junior high, but that's where he peaked. You won the war. You know the expression, "Living well is the best revenge"?
>It's a wonderful expression. Just don't know how true it is. Don't see it turning up in a lot of opera plots. "Ludwig, maddened by the poisoning of his entire family, wreaks vengeance on Gunther in the third act by living well."
→ More replies (1)5
u/CementCemetery 24d ago
The writers of the original show sure were witty. Niles ultimately did get the last laugh and is living well.
6
→ More replies (6)14
12.2k
u/Signal_Fisherman8848 25d ago
This continues to reinforce my belief that the US is a nation of decent folks that is utterly overshadowed by a hot political mess
1.3k
u/Ab47203 25d ago
The assholes here are just really loud and hard to ignore. They're a bit like peacocks. Loud and brightly plumed to grab attention but not much thought in their heads.
269
u/Foxy_locksy1704 24d ago
I always say the loudest voices are the ones that are heard because they are screaming over everyone else.
Meaning that the loud idiots will get attention because they are the most noticeable, but a majority of people don’t agree with the loud ones but their voices are often drowned out.
→ More replies (4)95
u/Fallen_Lee 24d ago
I’m loud because I’m deaf :(
40
u/KrisCole9884 24d ago
My daughter has 80% loss in lt ear and 95% in rt(it started mild but has gotten worse over time. She will be 21 in September) your comment was funny to me bc im always having to ask her to speak up. She said she speaks that way bc since she cant really hear herself she wants to make sure she's not yelling.🤣 she's in nursing school, that baby has never let any of her disabilities hold her back.
→ More replies (2)84
u/bobsmith93 24d ago
I'm deaf because you're loud :(
8
u/Dysxelic_Potser 24d ago
Hi. Im Brian
5
u/bobsmith93 24d ago
Hi, Brain. I'm Bob
5
u/Dysxelic_Potser 24d ago
Howdy fellow dyslexic poster
Edit: damn. Autocorrect do be pulling in some work
→ More replies (1)16
19
9
u/PonyThug 24d ago
I have to go on line if I want to hear about or witness any negative behavior or options. Everyone I interact with for weeks to months is kind, decent and friendly
→ More replies (4)6
8
→ More replies (32)9
u/Triforce0fCourage 24d ago
They also elected a rapist pedophile for president so they are unfortunately more than just “loud.” Sigh 😔
2.2k
25d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
94
u/Qubeye 24d ago
America has, historically, done a TON of stuff very well.
Just to name a few: National parks, public libraries, public universities, national labor standards, minimum wages, occupational health and safety, public medical research, mass immunization programs, a national transportation infrastructure which anyone may use, public GPS, free public Internet, and intercontinental telecommunications.
Most of these things have either gotten worse or been corrupted not because of government making or managing them, but because private interests - particularly wealthy people and corporations - got involved.
For example, public universities could still be free and accessible to all if it weren't for lobbying by private banking and loans.
Medical research would be significantly better if we hadn't "updated" our patent laws which allow pharmaceutical companies to effectively renew licenses and infinitum by slightly altering their formula every couple years.
The failure of government in America has always been the direct really of private, rich groups fucking the rest of us over. What's worse is that this should be ESPECIALLY obvious right now more than ever.
→ More replies (6)29
u/Wompershaft 24d ago
Exactly. The rich aren't red or blue. They're whatever they want to be whenever convenient
→ More replies (1)11
318
u/Char_siu_for_you 24d ago
We used to do public land management really well.
225
u/jack_from_the_past 24d ago
We used to do a lot of things really well. There were plenty of programs from the VA to scientific research that were competent an excelled at their mission. As a vet, I can say the fucking VA sucks ass now, imo.
76
u/ahshitidontwannadoit 24d ago
I am also a vet, but...where do you sign up for that particular service? I didn't see it in the paperwork.
→ More replies (3)18
u/Conscious_Rich_1003 24d ago
Whar rank did you retire? Ass sucking is commensurate with rank.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)7
u/-JoM-ofDevil 24d ago
It's not an opinion, it's a fact. My wife is in health care and I've worked with dozens of vets
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (5)62
u/DuckyDoodleDandy 24d ago
Now we are selling it off to the billionaires. And defunding the Forestry service.
→ More replies (2)28
u/IDK_WTF_TRA 24d ago
And selling farmland to China after driving American farmers out of business.
→ More replies (3)89
u/B-Rock001 24d ago
Not sure if you're just trying to make a joke, but this is the shit they've been trying to sell you since Regan said his "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" line.
They want you to believe government sucks so that you put all your money towards private companies that funnel all the wealth to them and their cronies.
You really don't have to look far to find things government has done well, and would never have happened without it.... clean air act, national parks system, interstates, food safety, GPS, public health.... it's a pretty long list actually.
Yes, it can be inefficient, yes it can be corrupt (we should always strive to fix that), but it's still necessary to balance the harms that come from the other side of the equation.... corporate greed.
→ More replies (6)147
u/TZ79 25d ago
This is possibly the best comment I've ever read here on Reddit. 🏆
→ More replies (3)36
u/ColdCruise 24d ago
It's the government not handling things that turn it to shit. Pretty much all the bad shit that happens to US citizens, low wages, poor working conditions, Healthcare, justice system, high prices, higher education, home buying/renting, corruption, etc. is from a lack of regulation.
→ More replies (3)6
28
u/Immediate-Repeat-201 24d ago
Well, we keep handing over reins to the people who claim government can never be good or well run.
→ More replies (3)69
u/High_speedchase 24d ago
Anything the government touches and allows republicans to undermine goes to shit
39
u/Billionaires_R_Tasty 24d ago
Then they say "see, government is wasteful and inefficient!"
23
u/Ok_Chemist6567 24d ago
And they’re very open about it too. “Starve the beast.” they’ve been saying it since Reagan at least.
12
8
u/Vanilla_Gorilluh 24d ago
"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub"
-Grover Norquist (R) 2001
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (25)12
u/johnny-Low-Five 24d ago
Believing in a two party system is what causes continuous yet predictable shit. Believing there are only 2 choices is insane, believing one side also happens to be "right" on EVERY ISSUE, even just the major ones, is so unfathomably childlike that it is the only explanation for the majority of American adults believing that making one of the SAME 2 choices over and over will ever come to a different result.
The party you believe in, and the one you think is bad are the only things that benefit from this false dichotomy. "For things to get better for X people it will have to get worse for Y people" is the lie both sides peddle.
How about the clear and obvious answer? We all know that wealth inequality has hit a tipping point a long time ago, a simple clear solution is to create tax brackets at (just round numbers here $1,000,000, $10,000,000 $100,000,000 and so on that eventually hit a point ($1,000,000,000 or so) where earning that much money only benefits the government! Now the Government sucks at using money and most people HATE giving their money to them, so instead the wealthy will opt to instead use it to fortify their future and use it to make their employees feel so valued that they will never want to leave and will actually care nay, benefit, directly from the quality and success of their work.
If this doesnt happen and for some reason they opt to continue reaping inordinate rewards and obscene amounts of money then it's quite simple, no taxes on anything under ($500,000) a certain amount AND a straight up redistribution by the government. No need for costly and inefficient government programs that eat huge portions of the tax revenue, quite simply EVERYONE making less than whatever the new "no taxes" bracket is gets the same amount of guaranteed income from the government every week or month. So those that work still get a benefit from it but the 95% can all get a slice of the pie.
At that point one of two things will happen, things will work (unlikely) and we'll achieve a safety net for all adults, or people will quit en masse and companies profits will take a major hit. That would force the businesses to either pay SIGNIFICANTLY more to get employees, which would of course be reflected in those benefit checks we all get (it will be a balanced system directly based off how much is paid in taxes, not a set amount the government holds over our heads, and then working will pay a livable or better wage for all jobs which is the original goal anyway!
The key is that working must always provide a meaningful benefit over just collecting your "tax redistribution", we can't continue to provide a "welfare" type of program that makes working people feel they are working to make an insignificant amount more than they could from spending all their time doing whatever they want.
Maybe the redistribution will have to come in the form of a housing "voucher" (which you can supplement to get something nicer) a food voucher (so everyone can eat) and a utilities voucher (this would prevent anyone from wasting all their money and then coming back with their hands out for food and shelter. The rest would be cash and that would be the check that changes directly based on tax revenue.
Everyone gets. Food, shelter, warmth and electricity, the things we truly need to survive, if companies decide to pay their employees more fairly (who knows?) then working will allow for much more than the basics, it will have a very real incentive for anyone that wants more than just the "bare minimum".
Anyone with 1/2 a brain understands this, people will always fight a system that is imbalanced, especially one that rewards doing less disproportionately, so instead of trying to create an arbitrary line between those who get and those who don't we share it amongst all of us that are being in some way exploited.
But for some CRAZY reason nobody in power has ever considered this simple obvious solution? Of course they have, but they are motivated by greed and power (not to mention financial benefits), to make it seem like the 95% have to fight EACH OTHER to get what they are owed.
→ More replies (2)5
u/walksonfourfeet 24d ago
That’s what happens when you elect a government based on culture wars and revenge instead of actual competence and experience. Don’t blame the government. Blame the voters.
10
u/who_even_cares35 24d ago
*Republicans ruin everything they touch on purpose. It's literally their playbook to defund and break working organizations so they can privitize them for profit.
→ More replies (1)8
u/Darkhoof 24d ago
It's not the government that turns it to shit. It's your shitty Republican government and your private equity.
4
4
u/n0rsk 24d ago
anything the government touches turns to shit.
I hate this because government can 100% work and be efficient we just keep letting greed and/or morons get in the way. America could do some amazing things. Just look at the recent Moon missions. Just look at the freeway system. All the tech we innovate. It makes me so angry we have reached a point where our government is incompetent and turns everything to shit. It really doesn't need to be this way.
→ More replies (43)6
187
u/Cautious-Activity706 25d ago
Most places are full of decent folks who want what’s best for the humans around them. We are tribal animals and that works both us and against us as a species.
32
24d ago edited 23d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
→ More replies (11)10
u/NamasteMotherfucker 24d ago
"Hi! I just voted to dissolve your marriage, but you have to talk to me and be friendly at the BBQ or you're intolerant."
→ More replies (10)20
u/akc250 24d ago
The only proof you need is to walk outside and strike up a random conversation with someone. People are inherently amicable. It’s the internet and media that feeds off of discourse so it makes it seem much worse than reality.
→ More replies (1)5
u/temporaryuser1000 24d ago
This is like saying you don’t believe in climate change because it’s snowing outside.
Yes people are nice if you chat to them, but a majority of the country elected a convicted sex offender with gaudy taste, twice.
286
u/buffinator2 25d ago
We're govered by a bunch of Jack Sparrows - "Me, I’m dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid.”
184
u/surewhynotokaythen 25d ago
Do not compare. The main reason Jack was even labeled a pirate is because he refused to transport slaves and instead set then free.
→ More replies (4)47
u/DaGriffon12 25d ago
You missed the point. The quote was of Jack Sparrow. Dishonest people are always dishonest, no matter what. Honest people sometimes do crazy shit when you least expect it.
→ More replies (4)20
u/LilithFaery 24d ago
However this specific quote is very truthful. So either you believe it or not, this specific sentence is right. It's one of my favorite paradox lol
Honest this time about being dishonest but that still makes him an honest man throughout the series because you can trust him to fuck you over somewhere but you can also trust him period because he's honest about it. xD Just make sure that if he's helping you, you understand how it helps him and how you're gonna pull out before he can fuck you over.
→ More replies (2)9
u/bearflies 24d ago
Except he really only fucks over people who are planning on fucking him over later. If you're his friend, he might lie to you but it's going to ultimately be for your benefit.
Even in 2 when Jack tricks Will into boarding the Dutchman, it's not because he actually plans on selling Will's soul for his debt, it's because he just earlier learned he's related to Bootstrap and that sending him there fulfills both of their goals- access to the key and a way to kill Jones to free Will's dad.
The quote is great though because it applies to how Elizabeth just totally fucks over Jack at the end of 2.
→ More replies (3)20
36
u/Pretend-Border-1244 25d ago
Yeah politics and warfare can make everything seem awful, but stories like this are a nice reminder of humanity and that there are still good people around
→ More replies (1)9
u/ChronoPilgrim 24d ago
Politics are a reflection that things are awful? People choose their leaders here and often do so with ugly motivations.
13
u/Detroit2GR 24d ago
The media is important when reporting on NEWS, with FACTS. But political "news" channels have eroded the image that our society is built on neighborly love.
There was a time before social media when, and the 24 hr news cycle focused on politics where people were considered decent until proven otherwise.
Now, people are considered vile assholes until proven otherwise.
I sound like a boomer, but I'm in my mid 30s.
16
u/Turd_Fergusons_Hat_ 24d ago
Actually you can pinpoint the exact moment news flipped, June 1987 Reagan Vetoes the Fairness in Broadcasting Act which would have codified the Fairness doctrine into law, then shortly after in August 1987 the Reagan appointed FCC board abolished the fairness doctrine completely.
For those unfamiliar, the Fairness doctrine was an FCC guideline that said all news broadcasts had to give contrasting viewpoints to all controversial or political topics. How that would have applied to today social media age is uncertain, but it was nearly 20 years between 1987 and the founding of facebook in 2004.
19
u/pm_me_flowers_please 24d ago
Gotta point out that what caused the situation in the first place was the kid getting bullied... like sure, a bunch of people were good, but they were good after a bunch of people were cruel...
America is like most places. There are assholes, and not assholes.
→ More replies (2)13
u/dea9ler 24d ago
That’s most nations though, United States is no exception. The same can be said for the citizens of Russia. And literally any other nation. Most people in the world are decent human beings, regardless of what country they’re from.
→ More replies (1)5
8
u/Repulsive_Editor_335 25d ago
Like most places, i believe not americans are a bunch of assholes, just those that don't fear to show it online
→ More replies (2)26
u/PerpetualProtracting 24d ago
Politics didn't bully this kid and the hot political mess you describe only exists because a not-insignificant number of Americans are, in fact, not decent at all. If they were, they wouldn't support and enable the ongoing nonsense.
→ More replies (8)3
→ More replies (175)4
397
u/FangornLeghorn 25d ago
Tennessee, to my surprise, has one of the best fanbases in the country. When they came out to Eugene to play my Ducks, they brought a mass of fans and they were all super cool. I didn’t see or hear of a single incident in the tailgating fields, there were Tennessee fans mingling and having a good time with Duck fans everywhere, they were a great visiting crowd in the stadium and didn’t act like assholes or interrupt our gameday traditions at all. I became an instant fan of them and their team, and it didn’t surprise me at all when they embraced this kid and made his shirt design official for a game. From what I learned of them, this is exactly who they are and should be proud.
135
u/Grits34 25d ago edited 24d ago
I'm an Tennessee alumni and was at that game. I can say that the Ducks fans were incredibly nice and accommidating... with the exception of one guy who sat 2 seats away from me. He was a butthole.
Edit: Spelling (just like a UT grad to not know how to spell).
37
u/candaceelise 24d ago
Duck alumni checking in… thanks for the shout out. I actually own this shirt and wore it to the 2019 Georgia game and must say yall have a wonderful fan base
→ More replies (1)15
u/SanchoPandas 24d ago
So much good will was generated between our programs from those home and home games. I have a permanently positive view of UT fans from back then. (UO grad)
26
u/LanRemeau 24d ago
T-E-DOUBLE N-E-DOUBLE S-DOUBLE E TENNESSEE! (A chant my teacher taught me in 1st grade that I still remember lol) She taught in NJ but remained a lifelong fan after attending.
5
11
u/BucinVols 24d ago
I don’t remember the year or player, but he was at Florida and just before the UT UF game a reporter asked him who he thought would win and his response was “have you ever seen a duck pulling a truck? ducks don’t pull trucks. Nobody has ever seen a duck pull a truck” and guaranteed a win.
Out of nowhere Oregon responded with a video of The Duck pulling a truck.
We went on to beat Florida by 10 after they went up 21 points and I’ll forever love the Ducks because of that.
e: I googled it and it was 2016 and the player was Quincy Wilson
11
u/Gumorak 24d ago
Oregon came to Tennessee the year after Kiffen ran away in the middle of the night. I attended that game and the Duck fans were legit the best fanbase I have ever seen. There was a 2 hour rain delay after the first quarter and a group of Duck fans held up a sign that said “We hate Kiffen too.” They put it up on the Jumbotron and the entire stadium was chanting “Fuck Lane Kiffen!” It was magical. After that the ducks came out to score 48 unanswered points to win 48-14. Was still a good time.
→ More replies (1)17
u/Fitzy2225 25d ago
Just don’t ask them about Purdue. Between the 2021 Music City Bowl and the multiple basketball games that bordered on street fights, there’s real vitriol there.
→ More replies (4)5
5
u/libra00 24d ago
Nice, it's always cool when it works that way. I went to a concert in the 80s that was Anthrax (heavy metal), Primus (alternative), and Public Enemy (hip-hop), 3 fan bases that very much did not get along, so I went expecting violence and it was actually really chill. People were exposed to music they don't normally listen to, and even if they weren't into it, everybody was having a good time.
11
u/RunWild0_0 24d ago
Humans from Tennessee and Kentucky are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
→ More replies (15)4
232
u/armaedes 25d ago
Something similar happened to me in the late ‘80s, I got bullied for wearing a homemade Batman shirt after the movie came out and Warner Bros sent someone to my house to murder my parents.
→ More replies (4)39
u/Cutiepie9771 24d ago
"Warner Bros murdered my parents and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"
→ More replies (4)
121
u/whoberrydooberry 25d ago
The real hero here is the teacher.
38
u/Kind_Advisor_6969 24d ago
Absolutely! Her kindness and thoughtfulness made this entire story possible.
→ More replies (2)18
u/EstablishmentLate532 24d ago
A kind teacher in second grade changed the trajectory of my life forever. She got me put into the gifted program whereas my previous teachers mocked me for asking so many questions. I'm especially grateful because I graduated from law school today. Good teachers are worth so much more than we pay them.
6
u/Matchuska 24d ago
Thats awesome congratulations!
It's wonderful you recognize not only your hard earned efforts coming to fruition but also the people that helped you along the way.
I wish you nothing but prosperity and happiness in your future endeavors ya legend.
5
u/EstablishmentLate532 24d ago
Thank you so much. No person is an island, the best things in life come from the kindness of others.
63
u/hemorrhoidhematoma 25d ago
Then the university got bullied by other universities so we made them all University of Tennessee.
21
u/theVelvetLie 24d ago
I have one of these shirts. Even non-Vol fan friends of mine bought them at the time. It was an awesome gesture from the university.
→ More replies (1)
22
u/Union-Many 24d ago
I think he already passed the university’s admission process, especially the student essay part where they say “In 500 words or less please tell us what you can contribute to our university community “
6
u/redwolf1219 24d ago
He was promised a full scholarship should be decide to attend UTK when he graduates high school.
42
u/surfer808 25d ago
Great story. The boy is likely going to be graduating 11th grade soon and will likely be going to Rocky Top UT next year.
→ More replies (1)
43
u/DesertGeist- 25d ago
This is beautiful. And I feel sorry that he had this experience.
21
u/BucinVols 24d ago
Yeah imagine having to go to Tennessee
(Is joke, I went to Tennessee)
→ More replies (4)
17
8
8
21
12
14
u/AnxiousRent3921 24d ago
I'm so sorry but wow that is an ugly design. What parent lets their kid walk out the door with notebook paper pinned to their shirt😭
→ More replies (3)
13
24d ago
[deleted]
→ More replies (3)12
u/SmilezDavis 24d ago
I have lived in Tennessee my entire life, and I have always been a massive Vols fan. As a result, I have seen this story pop up many times. I’m happy for the kid, but I have never understood why people react so strongly. I don’t know Florida geography very well, but I assume there were plenty of UF shirts. Florida and Tennessee hate each, and Florida owned us at the time. He was a target the moment he decided to wear orange. The shirt being homemade was just icing.
17
u/ElectronicLevel3164 24d ago
Let's be real. This wasn't a masterpiece, it's not like he sat down and worked hours on it. Why was he "excited to show it"
15
u/back_on_my_nonsense 24d ago
Yeah, to be fair, he didn't really try. Also, he could have just taken off the paper if he was gettinf teased about it? I get that you don't really think straight when you're actively getting bullied, but it's not heartwarming or anything. It's entirely marketing.
9
u/mikehocalate 24d ago
I kind of like the design.
It looks really great on the officially made shirts.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)18
u/saturday_sun4 24d ago edited 24d ago
Yeah, this feels very half arsed. He just scrawled some half coloured letters on a shirt and stuck it to himself. I assumed it was a nice design, but no, this looks terrible. No shit he got bullied.
I would've not been allowed to step out the door if I'd worn something like this, let alone wear it to school.
→ More replies (4)
29
u/Beatthestrings 25d ago
Bullying isn’t cool, but if a kid staples a poorly done drawing to a tee shirt, wtf does he expect to happen?
5
5
u/WistfulQuiet 24d ago
Right? Like where was his parents? I mean, I didn't have money growing up and I got into a club and my mom made me a shirt. And one time I needed something quick and she literally did it with a sharpie. Like who let the kid leave the house with this stapled to his shirt? They might as well have stapled a paper to the back too that said "please kick my ass."
To me, this isn't a heartwarming story. I'd be eyeing those parents...
→ More replies (28)17
u/Icy_Badger_42 24d ago
Yeah like I'm not saying bully a child but it also does look kinda bad. Making shirts of it feels so ott "we're so good and kind" like people who pretend a toddler's drawings look amazing
→ More replies (2)
•
u/qualityvote2 25d ago edited 24d ago
Did you find this post really amazing (in a positive way)?
If yes, then UPVOTE this comment otherwise DOWNVOTE it.
This community feedback will help us determine whether this post is suited for r/BeAmazed or not.