Neyland Stadium: Section XX3
Friends for Life
When the Vols kick it off, the gang in Neyland Stadium’s Section XX3 starts a new season, too. The group of friends who graduated in the early ’90s shares a bond that transcends the win-loss record. Four of the guys—Nemo Larmore, Andy Dishner, Joel Burt, and Mike O’Shaughnessy—got to know each other living on the seventh floor of Hess Hall. Now the group includes wives, children, and other friends and relatives. After more than 10 years of tailgating, sitting together at games, and traveling to away games, they drew together for a profoundly serious purpose as the child of one of the group members suffered a serious illness.
Who we talked to...
- Joel Burt ’91 political science, Cary, N.C.
- Stacey Hamilton ’91 English, Cary, N.C. (wife of Joel Burt)
- David Wilds ’92 agriculture, Knoxville
- Andy Dishner ’91 logistics and transportation, Knoxville
- Nemo Larmore ’91 accounting, Virginia Beach, Va.
- Mike O’Shaughnessy ’92 engineering, St. Louis, Mo.
The tailgate
Behind the old O’Charley’s on the Strip
Mike: A few years after graduating we started to park together for home games. It was just a few of us out of the trunks of our cars. Over the years we added wives, friends, and kids to the point where there are quite a few “rug-rats” running around.
Nemo: Mike O’Shaughnessy sets the tailgate up by 6 a.m. on game days. He drives 650 miles from north of St. Louis to Knoxville. He brings tents, entertainment center, flat-screen TV, generator, satellite dish, and an indoor-outdoor carpet. He also brings twin 7-year-old boys and a lovely bride (a UT grad as well). We have fed over 60 at times. Once I was in charge and had crabs flown in from Baltimore. We picked crabs and made 60 crab cakes and fried them at the tailgate.
Dave: Our challenge is to upgrade the tailgate each year. We are up to HDTV with DirecTV and enough tent space for everyone to sit around and watch ESPN Game Day.
Stacey: We have a giant blow-up Smokey, but we don’t inflate him very often because he’s such a drain on the generator.
On the road
Best road trip
Andy: Notre Dame in ’91. The miracle at South Bend. I still have some of the turf in a Mason jar in our guest room.
Going bowling
Stacey: We’ve gone to several bowl games, stretching back to the ’92 Fiesta Bowl. Joel and I drove across the country to go to that game. That trip cemented our relationship. We decided if we could spend that much time in the car together, we could spend the rest of our lives together.
Sitting in XX3
12 together
Joel: In ’96 when the north upper deck was built, we all applied together to VASF to get block seating. Since then, we have had some of the initial block drop out and some new add on.
Nemo: Sometimes the head count grows for the big games.
Andy: It’s the most passionate section of the stadium.
On friendship
What an excuse for a party
Dave: The games are what everyone uses as an excuse to get the whole group together. If it were not for all of us having a passion for Tennessee football, we probably would not have been able to stay in touch like we have.
Together forever
Andy: Our time on Rocky Top not only prepared us to be successful from a career standpoint, it was the common denominator in the forging of lifelong friendships. My brother Phillip Dishner, ’00, his wife Tracy, and my sister Dianna Cantler, and her husband Bob, sit in our block as well.
Mike: I look forward to the tailgates about as much as I do the games.
Let the circle be unbroken
Nemo: Keeping in touch with old friends is challenging, but when you have shared such good times and respect one another so much, it is a travesty to let those bonds weaken. I consider it a personal challenge to maintain contact. I try to make it to four or more games a season. With a roundtrip of 1,100 miles, it is quite an undertaking. I want our kids to know each other and hopefully be friends for years to come.
Prediction for this season
This could be our year.
Andy: We always have a good season when we’re not loaded with superstars. I’ll say 10-2. Maybe even a trip to Atlanta (yes—we’ll be there!). This may be our year. My wife says I say that every year. I tell her that’s what real Big Orange fans do!
Dave: 9-3. Tough road schedule.
Joel: 10-2 regular season, with a win in Gainesville and a trip to Atlanta.
Mike: I think the team is a year away from a serious title run. Play all the youngsters this year, because the next two years are going to be a lot of fun!
Nemo: I think we have a chance to be competitive. That all you’re going to get out of me!
Doing it for Ian
He’s the “Iron Man”
Nemo [on his son Ian’s illness]: My UT friends have been amazing. We have received visits, care packages, cards, and gifts. This group even rounded up Buzz Lightyear (the Disney cartoon character), who made a visit to the hospital. He scared the fool out of Ian, but it was a big hit with the other kids on the floor! My goal is to have Ian at the home opener. If not that game, I hope for him to make it to a game this year.
Andy: Ian’s illness has touched all of us. He is a champ, the “Iron Man.” We have grown in faith together.
Want more? See a complete list of the XX3 gang and read more about them.
Do you have a group of friends you sit with at football games? E-mail torch@tennessee.edu and tell us about your gang.
Pictured above: Back row (left to right) Joel Burt, Dianna Cantler, Philip Dishner, Stacy Sams, Joey Charlton, Andy Dishner. Middle row (left to right) Bob Cantler, Stacey Hamilton, Katrina Nidiffer, Beth Dishner. Kneeling in front are Rick and Robin Lunsford.