It’s been quite a while since I stood on the UT intramural field talking to Mary Elam White about her super-sensational arm. Her Joe Montana-like quarterback skills led her intramural football team to the girls’ championship.

That was my first article for The Daily Beacon. Nearly four years later, this is my last.

Instead of wasting valuable copy space with boring memories of working at the paper and what they’ve meant to me (yawn), I’ve decided to discuss some topics that I feel are important to the world of sports as we know it.

First I want to express the respect I have for all the athletes at UT that play a sport other than football or basketball.

Since the day these athletes walked on campus, they have given 100 percent to their respective sports and have never once asked for any recognition. They don’t get angry when someone doesn’t recognize them at a club simply because of the sport they play.

They don’t expect special treatment just because they’re a Tennessee athlete. They just do their part.

And they’re good, too.

The men’s baseball team is ranked No. 12 in the nation, the men’s track team is ranked No. 4, the men’s tennis team is No. 7 and the men’s swimming and diving team finished third in the nation.

On the women’s side, the swimming and diving team finished 20th, the tennis team is No. 2 and the golf team is No. 5.

Also, congratulations to UT diver Shannon Roy for winning the 3-meter and finishing second in the 1-meter at the Australian Nationals. Did I mention he qualified for the World Championships in Japan?

A big thank you goes out to men’s track coach Bill Webb for always cooperating with an interview.

As for the football team, I want to wish tight end Jason Witten the best of luck throughout the rest of his career (Can you say NFL?). Maybe this year the coaches will be able to hear me screaming from the stands, Throw the ball to Jay-Dee! every time C

asey Clausen drops back. But if history holds truth, I’m not going to count on it. (Translation: Throw the ball to Jason. He will score.)

Ah yes, now on to basketball.

I opened a Sunday edition of The Knoxville News-Sentinel a couple of weeks ago and read the craziest thing I’ve ever read in my life. Some guy wrote a letter to the sports mailbag just bashing Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt after Tennessee lost to Xavier

80-65 on May 24 in the NCAA tournament. My jaw dropped to the ground immediately.

At first I thought this guy was just being sarcastic, but no, he was serious. This cat actually said Summitt was the worst excuse for a basketball coach in the nation. I don’t know what kind of drugs he was on, but someone should regulate his dosage.

Summitt is the best basketball coach we will ever see in our lifetime, hands down. So, whenever I get my coaching career underway, don’t hesitate to look me up, Pat. I’ll play second fiddle any day.

As many know, I was a fan of Jerry Green and I still am. I don’t necessarily think Green is a great people person, but I do think he is a great coach.

However, on April 4, I totally forgot who Jerry Green was when the man they call Buzz was introduced as UT’s new men’s basketball coach.

Buzz Peterson is every school’s dream coach, and he hasn’t even coached a game for UT. I have never seen one man take control of a crowd like Peterson did.

Peterson is the perfect fit for Tennessee as long as it will stick with him. UT can’t expect to build a program with a winning tradition when the school changes coaches every four years. So for you fans, shut your mouth when our team drops to 20-11 thre

e years from now and maybe Buzz won’t get fired.

As for the team, there’s all these rumors that Jon Higgins is transferring. What is he thinking? If Higgins stays with UT, he’ll be one of the best team leaders to ever don the orange.

Finally, since I have been working for the Beacon, all of my friends have asked me to get them in the paper. Now how am I supposed to do that?

Well, here goes. The Godfather wants to give a big shout out to all my Sutters Mill crew. If you’ve never been at The Mill on a weekend, you’re missing out.

I want to thank both the men’s and women’s athletic departments for your cooperation, especially Bud Ford. Thanks to Dorie, Courtney and everybody else at the paper for giving me a chance to be sports editor. Good luck to sports editors Travis Haney and B

rad Shepard next year, I know it will be fun.

I’m out.