Jen Jeffrey: The Game, The Band And Racer 1

  • Wednesday, October 1, 2014
  • Jen Jeffrey
Jen Jeffrey
Jen Jeffrey

The first college football game I ever went to was in 2012 at UTC to see the Chattanooga Mocs play. I have watched football on television for years, but never had that stadium experience like I did a couple of years ago. Then when my husband and I were first dating we went to a Titans game. It was exciting, but I really felt like I could keep up better with what is going on by watching it on television.

I do like football even if I don’t understand it the way a man might – especially if he ever played the game and learned all the rules. I have been very excited to follow the UT Vols this year for several reasons. One – Butch Jones. He is the best thing to happen to the Vols in the last few years. And, after I wrote an article on Jay Jumper and we became Facebook friends, I have been eager to watch out for his son who plays football for the Vols, #53 Colton Jumper.

A few weeks ago, Jason and I went to MSU - Murray State University’s first game. We have tickets to all the home games and I was excited about attending them for some reason. Murray State is the college my dad attended and my husband also went there.

Before Jason and I got married, I visited Murray and drove to the campus during Spring Break. I realized that MSU was founded in 1922 and that was at a time when my God-wink special number 22 was appearing everywhere and frequently. Just one of those things when I know God is telling me to pay attention or just to remember He is there for me when I go through something.

At that time, I had been praying about my relationship with Jason. It was so cool how God brought me back to my roots as I watched everything leading me back to my birthplace of Murray. I hungered for more information about my dad and to find people who knew him.

It was such a thrill just being at that game. My husband was a football jock at Murray High and he played football his freshman year of college at Danville. He ended up coming back to Murray to graduate and, though he no longer played football, he is an avid fan. Actually, he is an avid SPORTS fan. He will watch any sport on television and he can get pretty loud when he watches. I thought I was safe from the loud rooting when he had a golf game on. I was just about to fall asleep one Sunday, to the soothing sound of whispering golf talk when all of a sudden Jason hollered out as he watched a hole in one.

While at the MSU football game, it was thrilling to me to know that my Daddy used to announce the games from the press box back in his day. He DJ’d for WNBS radio (The Voice of Radio) and he had a wonderful voice. I cannot describe how it felt to sit in the second row at the stadium, looking up at the lights and around the field thinking that my dad was once there. With polio, he couldn’t play football, but that is about the only thing I think he didn’t do!

He was on the tennis team, he played golf and he amazed so many of his friends. He always stayed active – not giving into his handicap (which I grew up never seeing him have a handicap… nothing held back Bill Jeffrey).

So, to me MSU felt like ‘home’. Jason and I didn’t have a kid playing that we could cheer on, so I chose #22 Dylan Boone to pay attention to and I also took him on as a prayer concern for the school year. I pray for him to stay safe, (though right now he has a cast on his arm) and I pray for his grades and his decisions in life. I sort of adopted him in my heart as ‘my kid’ that I root for.

I saw a few new friends at the game that I have made in Murray and I also saw my father in-law Bob Billington with his wife Jeanie. It was really great to support my hometown’s team and to be at the game. I finally understood my friends who would go to the Mocs games even if they didn’t attend UTC or have a kid going there.

MSU has a new president, Dr. Bob Davies. He is new to Murray too and I am sure he is just as overwhelmed as I am at times, trying to learn “everything Murray”. The people here are so great, but it is ‘me against them’ in learning names. I almost feel like I have been going to college just trying to cram all of this new information.

I believe it was Bob Davies who started the new tradition “Shoes Up!” At the first game we were told that before a kick off, we raise our hands up like a horseshoe and we yell out “Ho-o-o-o” until the kick is made. I have been doing it even if the people around me don’t. I found that people will join others doing it if someone else will just do it.

An old tradition is to have the Racer 1 horse run a lap around the track after a touchdown.  Murray is home of ‘The Racers’ and their mascot is a horse named Dunker (not real) and they also have a horse named Racer 1 that is real. I hope to get a picture with Dunker one day, but I was looking forward seeing the real horse run. I thought that would actually be my favorite part of the game, but unfortunately the track was too wet and Racer 1 did not run that night.

I loved the energy in the stadium. It was filled! Everyone goes to the games. At half time, the Murray State Band entered the field. It was huge! I had never seen a band so big!

Oh it was marvelous! I even enjoyed watching the drum major – which made me miss my days in Chattanooga watching Bob Bernhardt conduct the CSO. Hearing the band play reminded me of going to the symphony, only… it was different. Yes, there were a lot of the same type of instruments, but if you have never been to a college game either – one with an awesome band… it is amazing and a whole different experience!

Even the Titans game didn’t have this kind of band. Maybe from my lack of experience I can’t say much to compare other University bands in saying MSU’s band is one of the best, but I really think they are. Jason agrees.

In between the first game and the next game we would go to, I ordered an MSU wind shirt and I made sure to order the one that had the date 1922 on it!

At the next home game Jason and I went to, I was excited to see Racer 1 wearing his checkered blinker hood. It was great weather and I was looking forward to seeing him run around the track. Watching a horse is like breathing in oxygen for me. They are my passion. MSU has an equine program that I hope to find more about and see if I can be a part of it somehow.

I am envious of one of my Murray Facebook pals Larry England, who lives next to the pasture where the Murray Racer horses graze. He gets to see that beauty every day! I mentioned Larry in a previous article when I found out he was a student of my great aunt who taught debate.

After the first touchdown, Racer 1 was ready to run around the track. He was a bit skittish, but finally made it around. I love to see horses run. After the second TD He just didn’t want to get in front of the huge crowd in the stadium, but on the third TD he ran once again and we got a picture. We did not win that game, but we were up against a really good team.

I am so proud of Murray State. They are still a very classy University and I am so excited to support them and watch their games.

As far as the Vols and the Kentucky Wildcats, they both are playing pretty good this year and have been fun to watch.

Each football season I would root for the Vols, but when they played Kentucky I always had to root for Kentucky… there is just something about ‘where you are from’ that has your loyalty. So this year will be no different.  I am rooting for the Vols and the Wildcats both - until they play each other… then I must wear BLUE.

jen@jenjeffrey.com



Jason Billington
Jason Billington
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