Concert to also include Billy Currington & Jeremy McComb SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Country-music star Trace Adkins headlines an impressive line-up of accomplished musicians who will be performing live at Smokies Stadium on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. Billy Currington, a future superstar, and Jeremy McComb, an up-and-coming performer on the country-music scene, will be accompanying Adkins to bring fans all over a night of fantastic entertainment. “I couldn’t be more excited,” said Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley. “This is a great lineup lined up for a wonderful evening of entertainment.” Added Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters, “Plan on coming early for a great night of country music. This line-up pushes us towards the goal to make Smokies Stadium and Sevier County a concert venue for showcasing the very best today’s music scene has to offer.” Concert tickets are now on sale! Tickets may be purchased... (more...)

NEW YORK, April 30, 2009 - From the national ballot of 76 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees, Archie Manning, chairman of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, announced the 2009 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Class, which includes the names of 16 First Team All-America players and two legendary coaches. Titans defensice coordinator Chuck Cecil is one of them. A two-time First Team Academic All-America selection (1986-87), Cecil becomes only the second Arizona player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. “This is a great honor. I feel very proud to be a part of the 2009 class and the tremendous group of players and coaches that are on this list,” said Cecil.  “There are so many teammates and coaches throughout the years who helped make this day possible, from the University of Arizona to my years as a player and coach in the NFL, and I thank them all.  I thank... (more...)

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (April 2009)—The ever-expanding Duggar family, stars of TLC’s “18 Kids and Counting,” is coming to Pigeon Forge May 5 –9 to explore what entertainment legend Dolly Parton and more than 10 million annual visitors already know—this Smoky Mountains town is ideal for families of all kinds. “Just when you thought Pigeon Forge had everything, along come the Duggars,” said Mayor Keith Whaley. At the invitation of Mayor Whaley, the Duggars will travel 750 miles from their hometown of Springdale, Ark., to participate in the upcoming Dolly Parton Homecoming Parade on May 8 and take in the many sights of this major tourist town. The Duggar family trip to Pigeon Forge will be featured in a summer episode of “18 Kids and Counting,” which airs on TLC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).  Each episode chronicles the lives of... (more...)

The Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson/John Mellencamp concert scheduled for July 29 at Smokies Stadium has been cancelled by the concert’s promoter. At this time, there are no scheduled plans by the promoter to reschedule the event in this market. Refunds for concert tickets pur chased on the Internet, via phone and at the Smokies Stadium ticket office will begin later this week. The refunds will be made back to the credit card used to purchase the tickets. For those who paid cash for concert tickets, the tickets will need to be brought back to the Smokies Stadium ticket office for refund. Concert ticket buyers will be receiving information in the coming week about a special ticket offer to two other concerts taking place this summer at Smokies Stadium: Trace Adkins on Tuesday, June 23 and Merle Haggard on Saturday, July 18. Those who purchased tickets and/or had questions regarding the show’s cancellation can call (865) 286-2300.  Read More →

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies, Class AA minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, have added RHP Juan Mateo to the active roster. In a related roster move, LHP Jayson Ruhlman was promoted to Class AAA Iowa on April 25. Mateo joins the Smokies for the first time in 2009 after spending the 2008 campaign with the Class A Peoria Chiefs, the Class A Daytona Cubs, and two games here with the Tennessee Smokies. The Cubs traded for Mateo from the Cincinnati Reds on Auguest 30, 2007 for OF Buck Coats.  Read More →

TITANS NOTES FROM DAY 1 OF THE 2009 NFL DRAFT: · The 2009 NFL Draft is the 50th selection process in the history of the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers. · The 2009 draft is the third by the Titans under current general manager Mike Reinfeldt. · Kenny Britt became the first wide receiver drafted by the Titans in the first round since 1998, when the team selected Kevin Dyson with the 16th overall pick. Britt is only the third wide receiver drafted in the first round by the team in its history, joining Dyson and Haywood Jeffires (1987, 20th overall). · Prior to selecting Kenny Britt, the last time the Titans picked 30th overall was 2000, when they drafted linebacker Keith Bulluck, another product of the Big East Conference (Syracuse). · Kenny Britt became the first Rutgers player ever to be selected in the first round of the draft. · From 2008 to 2009, the Titans spent consecutive first-round picks on offensive players (running back Chris Johnson and wide receiver Kenny Britt) for the... (more...)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Titans announced that they have agreed to terms with the following undrafted free-agents: RB Rodney Ferguson – New Mexico WR Dudley Guice – Northwestern State CB Jeremy Haynes – McNeese State DT Mitch King – Iowa WR Phillip Morris – South Carolina State QB Alex Mortensen – Arkansas G Ryan Schmidt – South Florida P A.J. Trapasso – Ohio State  Read More →

Ribfest & Wings Shifts to the Parkway For a Street Fair River Walk Gatlinburg’s Ribfest & Wings is moving to the Downtown Parkway for a full-fledged Street Fair on Thursday, April 23. Gatlinburg’s 8th Annual Ribfest & Wings festival will feature extended hours (4 to 10 p.m., with food sampling starting at 6) and loads of atmosphere as the Parkway transforms into a Street Fair between Traffic Light 6 and Riverside Motor Lodge/Reagan Terrace Mall. Come out and enjoy live entertainment, children’s activities, two hot wing eating contests and an ice cream eating contest, each promising a wonderfully good time! The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will also be part of the fun. This year’s event features a mixture of entertainment, spiced up by the smooth Motown music of The Tams, the return of the Beat Daddys featuring their soulful rock ‘n roll blues, and the funky rhythm and blues... (more...)

“Vol Calls,” the University of Tennessee’s weekly statewide call-in radio show, kicked off its 21st season Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. Central) from the Texas Roadhouse across from West Town Mall in Knoxville. The program can be heard on 70-plus stations that make up the Vol Radio Network across the state of Tennessee and throughout the Southeast. Vol Calls can also be heard through UTSports.com by utilizing the All-Access multimedia player. Bob Kesling, voice of the Tennessee Volunteers and UT’s director of broadcasting, serves as the show’s host and various coaches will appear on the show each week during year. “Vol Calls” is the exclusive radio program where Tennessee fans can call in and talk with the head coaches of the Volunteers. Vol Network veteran Brent Hubbs teams with Kesling to answer questions and provide insight on UT athletics. “Vol Calls” runs for 36 consecutive... (more...)

The University of Tennessee Athletics Board met Saturday and was presented an update on the state of the athletics department, including student-athletes’ academic and community success, UTAD’s budget and several facility projects. The meeting began with a discussion of UTAD’s efficiency committee findings. In January, then UT President Dr. John Petersen asked Mike Hamilton and Joan Cronan to look at ways to create more efficiency within the athletics departments. Over the past three months, the Athletics Efficiency Committee assessed the organization, staffing and operation of the departments and will consolidate four units – compliance, development, event management and sports information, effective July 1, 2009. The discussion was followed by a report on academic success for the fall semester: – 48 student-athletes were named to the SEC Fall Honor Roll – 28 from football, 14 from soccer and six from volleyball; – 213 student-athletes were named... (more...)