Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Volume 140, Issue 15 Wednesday, December 1, 2021

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‘THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT’ TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS ARE BOWL BOUND

Photo by: Nathan Lick / The Daily Beacon

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION

Heupel’s bowl berth the first sign of greater things to come JOSH LANE Sports Editor

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sarah Rainey MANAGING EDITOR: Caleigh Rozmenoski COPY CHIEF: Kyra Bogdan CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Daniel Dassow CITY NEWS EDITOR: Madelyn Muschek SPORTS EDITOR: Josh Lane ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Ethan Stone DIGITAL PRODUCER: Kailee Harris OPINIONS EDITOR: Ben Goldberger PHOTO EDITOR: Alexandra Ashmore DESIGN EDITOR: Bella Hughes SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Kimberly Lalas

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When Josh Heupel was announced as Tennessee’s 27th head football coach in January, it was met with a fair amount of criticism. Heupel was an offensive-minded coach who had success at UCF, a non-Power 5 school, but fans called it an underwhelming hire, considering the other names thrown around in the search.

Names like Billy Napier, Tony Elliot and Jamie Chadwell were mentioned in Tennessee’s search, with former Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin the most far-fetched of the bunch. Heupel had the potential to develop an elite quarterback and revolutionize Tennessee’s stagnant offense, but everyone would have to wait and see how things played out before proclaiming the hire a success.

Heupel went above and beyond those expectations, leading Tennessee to a 7-5 record in his first season on Rocky Top, the best record by a Tennessee first year head coach since Kiffin went 7-5 in 2009. With the Vols’ win last Saturday over Vanderbilt, they finished with a 4-4 record in SEC play, the first time in two years that the Vols finished with a .500 or better record in conference play.

It speaks volumes to Heupel as a coach that he finished with the best record of any first-year Power 5 head coach in 2021 despite inheriting a program that lost over 30 players to the transfer portal and was in the midst of an NCAA investigation. With the help of a talented senior class, Heupel led the Vols to a compete 180.

That shift started by convincing the seniors who stayed that brighter days were ahead of the Vols. Everyone could look at Heupel’s track record at his previous stops and see just how he could transform an offense, but it was, of course, easier said than done.

“For Alontae (Taylor) and all of them really, I’m grateful and indebted to them in a lot of ways for their buy-in, being great leaders and being able to communicate,” Heupel said after the Vols’ win Saturday. “It’s a group of seniors that is really rare in their ability to communicate. I saw that from the first moment that I got here on campus. What was working, what wasn’t, what was broken and what was important to them.

That laid a lot of the foundation of groundwork as far as how we kind of move forward.”

Much of that started with the confidence Heupel had in his players. It shows by looking at a player like Cedric Tillman, who had just 8 catches in three seasons at Tennessee. Ahead of Tennessee’s bowl game, Tillman has 8 touchdowns and is 69 yards shy of 1,000 receiving yards for the season.

“The biggest thing is that Heupel really trusts all of his players, and he really believes in all of his players,” Tillman said. “He is a player’s

Tennessee quaterback Hendon Hooker No. 5 tackled by Vanderbilt linebacker Tommy Eckels during the Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt football game on Nov. 27, 2021 in Neyland Stadium, Knoxville TN. Jamar Coach / The Daily Beacon

coach. When you give a guy like me, who hasn’t necessarily done a lot in the program, it’s not about ability but the fact that he trusts me. He puts me in a position to make plays.”

Or, you could look no further than the Vols’ quarterback Hendon Hooker. He had a decent career at Virginia Tech and transferred before Heupel’s hiring. He decided to stick it out at Tennessee, despite losing the starting job to Joe Milton III to begin the season.

Now, Hooker is seventh in Tennessee’s single season passing touchdown list with 26, and he has a good chance to rise as high as fourth in a bowl game.

Credit Heupel for giving Tennessee the stability at quarterback it’s missed since Josh Dobbs left. Hooker could always declare for the NFL Draft and leave after this season, but with what Heupel has built in year one, he’d have plenty of reason to stay too.

Hooker’s teammates are trying to convince him as much, pitching his potential with a second year in Heupel’s system.

“He did this the first year, imagine what he could do the second year,” running back Jabari Small said of Hooker. “There was a lot of new things, a lot of adversity he had to overcome.

For him to perform how he did and just stay so poised and be a leader, he could just grow in that, and the sky is the limit for him.”

Heupel, a native of Aberdeen, South Dakota, was always going to turn Tennessee’s offense around. His past stops at UCF, Mizzou, Utah State and Oklahoma proved as much. It was just a question of when it happened. The most significant thing for Heupel was that it happened in year one.

“Important for our program that we grew throughout the course of the season,” Heupel said. “You guys have seen our kids respond

and grow throughout the course of the season.

They’re great competitors, which is the first thing that you have to have inside of your program. Very consistent in that behavior. The one thing that I and we have never done is as a team put a ceiling on this group and they’ve responded to that too. They believe in who they are and are confident in themselves not only as individuals, but collectively as a group too.”

Now that Heupel can sell the success from this season and the breakouts that players Hooker and Tillman had, it makes recruiting much easier. Young prospects can see a viable product and exactly how they might improve as a football player under Heupel.

“It was important for us to show those things throughout the season for sure,” Heupel said. “I think, as much as anything, all the recruiting we did from the time I got here in January up until September were really, in some way, words.

You’re trying to compare and contrast things that you have done at other places and why it’s going to work here. I think the great thing about where we are at in recruiting now, recruits understand all of those things are true and will happen here.”

The Vols believe these are just the first signs of greater things to come. They’re losing key pieces in some seniors graduating, and Hooker could easily declare for the draft, but one thing remains clear — Heupel has Tennessee trending upward, and its bowl game is just the next step.

“With this being the first year of coach Heupel, we haven’t reached the peak or the ceiling of where we could be in the next coming years,” Small said. “I’m very excited to see the whole team buy into what coach Heupel is doing. We have some young players, and it’s our first year in the system. The future is bright.”

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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Still nuts for the Vols: 3-year-old Sinan the squirrel remains a devoted fan AUTUMN HALL Contributor

If you’ve been to a Neyland tailgate, you’ve most likely seen or heard of the Volunteers’ tiniest fan, Sinan the squirrel.

His unbreakable bond with owner Saed Awad began nearly three years ago when Awad’s friends asked for his help with a baby squirrel they found in their backyard. His friends knew that he often built structures outside of his house for squirrels to play on, and although he had never dealt with baby squirrels before, Awad’s love of animals inspired him to help Sinan.

Even though he did not originally intend to keep him for a long period of time, Awad decided to name him Sinan after a cartoon squirrel from a television show he watched as a child.

He did not then know that his kindheartedness would end up with an internet sensation in the University of Tennessee community, with nearly 75,000 fans and 1.2 million likes on TikTok and nearly 32,000 followers on Instagram.

An Oak Ridge local, Awad was originally inspired to recreate the UT rowing team outfit for Sinan after seeing the team practice while on a fishing trip. In the following years, Awad

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continued to create adorable outfits for Sinan, including his most popular attire of UT orange vests and game day helmets.

He explained the first time he took Sinan to Neyland to take a photo in the outfit and how quickly news sources began to pick up on the team-spirited squirrel.

“I took him to take a picture with his new outfit next to Neyland and one of the reporters took a picture and put it on the news the next day,” Awad said.

Sinan is now 3 years old and has become a key part of game day culture at UT, with over 100,000 followers between his social media accounts and a variety of coverages in local news.

Tennessee fans have grown to love meeting and taking pictures with Sinan, and he has been tagged in hundreds of Instagram posts.

Awad said Sinan loves meeting people but he can sometimes become uncomfortable when the weather is too cold.

First-year student Regan Musick, who met Sinan at the UT game against Georgia, elaborated on just how important the Tennesseeloving squirrel truly is.

“He’s a unique Tennessee tradition — kind of like a scavenger hunt on game days trying to find him — that the whole Volunteer community just loves,” Musick said. “He brings smiles and laughs for everyone that gets to meet him

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and it’s honestly the coolest thing ever to see a pet squirrel dressed in a Vols jersey wearing a helmet.”

Sinan is truly unlike any other member of the UT fanbase and has quickly become another Volunteer tradition. Although Sinan’s rapidly growing popularity has been a surprising change for Awad, he is making the most of it and greatly enjoys being a part of the game day atmosphere at UT. Awad mentioned various ways that he utilizes Sinan’s growing popularity to help other animals in need.

“Sometimes we raise money for local animal shelters and two years ago we raised money for the wildlife in Australia,” Awad said. “We always try to use it in a good way. Sometimes we go to schools to teach kids about wild animals.”

Awad has big plans for the pairs’ future endeavors, the biggest of which includes saving enough money to travel through all of the states and take pictures and videos in each one.

By popular demand, Awad is currently working to create a UT Pride of the Southland Marching Band costume for Sinan.

He also plans to begin producing Sinan merchandise such as t-shirts, hats and earrings. To find more information about Sinan or to simply view some cute, Vol-friendly content, fans can follow his Instagram or TikTok account.

Sinan the squirrel is a one of a kind UT fan.

To keep up with his adventures follow him on TikTok @sinantn18.

File / The Daily Beacon

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CAMPUS / CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

‘People rely on university housing:’ Students protest new lottery system for campus housing ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer

Last week, UT announced that selection for on-campus housing would be made through a weighted, randomized lottery system for upperclassmen. The new system will favor firstyear students and all incoming freshmen will be guaranteed on-campus housing.

The decision comes in preparation for a large incoming freshman class. According to UT’s website, the school saw a 23% increase in freshmen for the 2021-2022 school year. Now, they are anticipating even more students in the next school year as the campus population continues to break records.

Shortly after the announcement, junior political science major Victoria Leichtman started a petition campaign protesting the lack of priority for upperclassmen. She said the university is interested only in increasing class sizes and is undermining upperclassmen by not guaranteeing on-campus housing for them.

“This petition is to display our distaste in this change in policy and a call to return to the previous methodology for room selection and

room selection eligibility,” Leichtman said in the petition, referencing the old system which allowed on-campus students to remain in their same room and hall.

Fifth-year student Eden Lampley, a double major in anthropology and business management, was also disappointed in the news. They cite UT’s investment decisions as one of the reasons for the housing shortage.

“This school has consecutively shown itself to prioritize profit and sports over its students.

This new housing system feels like a pure money grab,” Lampley said.

Leichtman joined the contempt toward UT’s investment choices and claimed the new system was unjust for upperclassmen.

“The new housing policy of a lottery system completely undermines upperclassmen,” Leichtman said. “UT doesn’t problem solve or invest wisely, and instead of doing so, they want to undermine their upper class students’ money, time and work at UT.” Lampley was angered by the sheer amount of freshmen entering the university, which impacts the amount of available on-campus housing options.

“They cite having not enough housing to house all the incoming freshmen but refuse to consider maybe not taking in so many fresh-

men,” Lampley said.

In an email posted by a student to social media, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas defended the new policy and encouraged students to look for other housing options due to the unpredictability of the new lottery process.

“I know that the decision to limit on-campus housing for continuing students is difficult news to receive, and I want to assure you that we did not come to this decision lightly,” Cuevas said. “While we continue to explore on/ off campus options, for increasing our overall housing capacity, our goal in notifying students was to ensure that students had the information necessary to begin the process of making the best decision for themselves and to consider off-campus housing options.”

The initial email to students from University Housing on Nov. 22 said that housing for the 2022-2023 school year would be “limited and in high demand.”

Lampley reached out to housing and asked if there would be any priority considerations for out-of-state upperclassmen who cannot afford off-campus housing. The housing department said there would be no priority given to out-of-state upperclassmen.

“As a person that’s been at this school for five years, the fact that freshmen may get housing priority over me is a slap to my face,” Lampley said. “It is inconsiderate of their students’ needs and poorly thought out.”

Leichtman pointed out the impact of COVID-19 on regular classes and normal housing situations in the description of the petition.

“This year has been a mess for everyone,” Leichtman said. “Now for our junior or senior year we don’t even get guaranteed housing?

People rely on university housing.”

This petition is to display our distaste in this change in policy and call to return to the previous methodology.

VICTORIA LEICHTMAN PETETION CREATOR

Beacon Beats: Adele’s most personal album yet ‘30’ KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

Courtesy of Spotify

Only Adele can make an album about decadent, messy and beautiful divorce.

After six years and a few singles, Adele

Adkins has come out of the woodwork with her newest album “30.” It is made as a response to her recent divorce with Simon Konecki, with practically every song discussing it in some way.

Adele’s “30” is a grand and beautiful album that doesn’t shy away from discussing the personal and emotional weight that relationships and divorce create. She does so with extravagance and a myriad of musical styles.

With 12 songs running nearly an hour-long total, the album is a full and complete exploration of Adele and her relationships. Songs like “Strangers by Nature,” “Oh My God” and “Can I Get It” discuss her feelings towards others while she breaks down the inner workings of her long-term relationships.

At the same time, the album works as an introspective piece, as Adele grapples with a variety of feelings and what she should do. The song “My Little Love” is an example of this as she sings about her son and what her actions will mean for him. Another song, “Hold on,” has Adele singing about losing herself, but keeping in mind to hold on and stay strong.

As a whole, the album isn’t just her singing about her divorce. It is equal parts a thorough deconstruction of her thoughts and feelings as well as her being honest about her inexperience and youth, and most of the time she isn’t

positive about herself. That’s one of the stronger and more interesting aspects of the album, especially as she interweaves these thoughts throughout the album. In that vein, it’s a very open and personal album.

Another element of intrigue within the album is the sound of it. Adele combines a wide variety of genres and instrumentals that keep the album fresh and engaging. For example, the opening track “Strangers by Nature” and the closing track “Love is a Game” have huge orchestrals and strings, giving it a largerthan-life and grand feeling as she bursts into song.

Along with that, there’s a fusion of R&B and soul within several songs. “Cry Your Heart Out” is the first and immediate example of this on the album. While Adele sings about depression with some background vocals, a steady beat and a groovy piano create a nostalgic feeling. This can be found in several songs, including “Oh My God” and “All Night Parking.”

Finally, she mixes it up again on different songs, like the acoustic-focused “Can I Get It” and “Woman Like Me” or the piano ballad “To Be Loved.” She shows excellent range in the songs with these different styles, and she does each of them well.

Along with the different sounds, her

singing continues to be astonishing, as she can move from a somber and softer voice to a huge and emotional chorus carrying several notes for long periods of time. She sings beautifully, hauntingly and incredibly well. It might be some of her best singing to date.

It’s especially impressive when she does this within single songs. A good handful of songs run over six minutes long, and they are structurally sound.

They build to cathartic releases as the song crescendos and Adele sings from the heart. The best example of this is “Hold On,” which might be the best song on the album.

“30” by Adele is an incredible return from an incredible artist. Its vulnerability and genre infusions make it an instant standout album this year.

Even after six years, Adele is still finding ways to one-up herself. She has crafted an excellent album from start to finish. Its resonant power will more than likely grab hold of people and not let go for a long time. It’s re-listenable, devastating and beautiful.

There’s a high likelihood that this is her best album, perhaps that she’ll ever make. At the very least, it’s the most personal album that she may ever release.

IN FRAME A SEMESTER IN PHOTOS

Photo by: Jamar Coach / The Daily Beacon

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IN FRAME FALL 2021

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

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Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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1. Darth Vader at Fanboy Expo on Oct. 30. (Austin Orr / Daily Beacon) 2. Wrenne French poses with the SEC Eastern Championship Trophy on Oct. 28.

(Erick Gomez-Villeda, Contributor) 3. Students protest in response to pro-life demonstration on Sept. 27.

(Krish Dogra, Contributor) 4. First generation student celebrates on Sept. 23. (Sydney Goodsell / Daily Beacon) 5. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield attempts a shot against UT Martin on Nov. 9.

(Alexandra Ashmore / Daily Beacon) 6. Fans litter on field during football game against Ole Miss on Oct. 16.

(Alana Adams / Daily Beacon) 7. Students advocate for LGBTQ rights on Oct.15. (Sydney Goodsell / Daily Beacon) 8. Ribbon cutting for the newly-named Robinson Hall on Sept. 17. (Sophia Liberatore / Daily Beacon) 9. Drum major Julia Boylan during a game against Pittsburgh on Sept. 11.

(Kailee Harris / Daily Beacon)

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IN FRAME FALL 2021

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

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1. The Pilot Light performs on Sept 20.

(Alexandra Ashmore / Daily Beacon) 2. Fall colors outside the College of Education on Nov. 6.

(Sydney Goodsell / Daily Beacon) 3. Ja’Quain Blakely hugs a family member on Senior Day, Nov. 27.

(Jamar Coach / Daily Beacon) 4. Jordan Hurston against Texas on Nov. 21.

(Jamar Coach / Daily Beacon) 5. Santa Claus cheers on the Vols on Nov. 27.

(Jamar Coach / Daily Beacon) 6. Libero Madison Bryant passes ball on Sept. 5.

(Alana Adams / Daily Beacon) 7. Chancellor Donde Plowman in the Homecoming Parade on Nov. 12.

(Jamar Coach / Daily Beacon)

OPINION

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

Rumor Has It: Disney picked ‘Frozen’ title as distraction

LAUREN REID Columnist

I think it’s safe to say most people have heard some sort of version of the theory of Walt Disney’s body being frozen after he passed. Some say it was just his head, others claim it was his full body. I personally didn’t know this wasn’t an actual fact until recently, which now sounds naive. But, regardless, we’ve all heard of Walt Disney being in a freezer somewhere, waiting for the technology that could “bring him back to life” to be invented.

The rumor started a little after Disney died from lung cancer in December of 1996. Just a few weeks after Disney’s passing, a reporter claimed he had snuck into the hospital Disney passed away in and broke into the storage room, where he saw Disney’s body in a cryogenic metal cylinder. There’s no photograph, no proof, nothing in support of this claim being true.

Newspapers around the world heard of the reporter’s claim and published it as a fact, thus fueling the rumor. However, Disney’s known obsession with futuristic technology, which could potentially better the world, didn’t really help his case.

As the decades went on, the line between rumor and truth continued to blur.

Somewhere down the road, believers pointed out that the first man to ever be cryogenically frozen just so happened to be in the same city Disney is reportedly buried in and was frozen only a month after Disney’s passing. This proved that the technology existed at the same time and at the same place, too. In addition, Bob Nelson, former president of the Los Angeles-based Cryonics Society of California, claimed Disney had called and asked a lot of in-depth questions about being frozen early on in his sickness.

Here’s the thing, the tabloid that the reporter supposedly worked for, National Spotlite, hasn’t been found in any major newspaper archives. This makes it possible that the tabloid didn’t exist and neither did the reporter, bringing us back to the theory being just a rumor. There also isn’t

anything of Disney’s that would lead one to think he knew anything about cryonics, besides Nelson’s claims. Which, really can’t be proven to be anything other than claims. Disney’s family members have even denied Disney being frozen, some even took offense.

The last thing that has believers raising eyebrows is that in the cemetery where Disney’s ashes are said to be buried, there is no evidence or indicator of any remains of the legend being on his family plot, meaning Disney’s remains may not be where they were said to be. His daughter’s plate states “ashes scattered in paradise,” suggesting her ashes were elsewhere.

Surely, the creator of the largest media incorporation in the world would have a nameplate of his own on his family plot?

Recently, around 2019, there was a new theory born from the claim of Disney’s body being frozen. People across the internet started and continue to believe that the movie “Frozen” was actually meant to be a distraction to Disney lovers. Truly, this sounds absurd, but the concept behind this is interesting. If you were to google “Disney Frozen,” all that pops up is the movie. The movie’s title keeps search engines from pulling up articles about Disney’s frozen body. Instead, the articles are all on Disney’s “Frozen.” If you google even just the word, it’s evidently true. The movie shows up more than anything else.

The New York Post made an interesting point too. The movie loosely follows the story of an old fairy tale, like many Disney movies. They could’ve kept the original name, “The Snow Queen” and credited the original author, Hans Christian Anderson.

But, Disney wanted to make it their own by using their own title… or was that the reason?

Rumor has it … “Frozen” was a movie title strategically thought of.

Lauren Reid is a senior at UT this year majoring in journalism. She can be reached at lreid9@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

‘House of Gucci’ review: A-List cast portrays toxic family business KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

Courtesy of IMDb

Family business needs to stay out of the family drama, or is it the other way around?

“House of Gucci” is a crime drama based on the book of the same name. It was directed by Ridley Scott, known for this year’s “The Last Duel” and “Gladiator.” The film was written

by Becky Johnson and Roberto Bentivegna.

The film follows Patrizia Reggiani and her marriage to Maurizio Gucci over the course of 20 years. Over time, Patrizia Reggiani manipulates her way to the top to push Maurizio into power over the Gucci family brand, all before it caves in on her.

“House of Gucci” is nearly an engaging, thrilling and captivating crime film. But not even the performances can save this meandering, overly long film.

The film has an all-star cast, with Lady Gaga as Patrizia, Adam Driver as Maurizio, Jared Leto as cousin Paulo, Al Pacino as uncle Aldo and Jeremy Iron as the father Rodolfo. The performances are over-the-top and hammy, but in the best way possible. Everyone melts into their roles, and they really sell this glamorous, extravagant lifestyle that the Guccis live. Even though the accents are goofy and not very accurate at all, it still works because of the dedication from the actors — for the curious, Jared Leto had the most accurate accent, according to The Cut. Despite the great and melodramatic performances, the rest of

the movie can’t keep up and it drags behind.

Told over the course of two and half hours, the movie doesn’t do enough to justify its length. It goes on and on about small details that barely build up to anything. Even when it does begin to get more interesting and thrilling, it’s too little too late, and there isn’t any excitement towards the events.

It’s a slow burn when it should have been a mile a minute ride exploration through this backstabbing, plotting and conniving family.

There’s no real sense of pacing or justification for the length of the film. Surely, there’s a tighter two-hour film buried within this Gucci purse film, but as it is the film kind of slowly sinks over time.

That’s not to say that it’s awful or completely boring. It is still an intriguing story that is mostly competently made. The cinematography is strong even when it blends too many mute and muddy colors together, and the soundtrack is a killer representation of the time and gives the film some much needed rejuvenation.

The editing is also good, but it’s extremely unclear how long the film takes place. It was shocking when the realization hit that 20 years had passed in the movie.

There just isn’t enough life, energy or style to really hold this movie together. The film’s dry and calculated approach could work well as

a shorter movie, fitting along with some of the plotting that occurs to gain familial and corporate power. But that approach is much more noticeable within a longer film, and it can really drag at times.

The only time that any noteworthy stylistic choices took place was a transition to black and white when press photos were being taken.

This only happened three times in the movie, but they were placed so far apart from each other that it was only barely recognizable. This decision is an interesting one, especially in changing some of the film’s presentation, but it’s just not enough.

“House of Gucci” takes the wrong approach for the type of story that it wants to tell. The performances are grand, but the rest of the movie doesn’t stand close to matching with the melodramatic characters.

What should have been a huge, sweeping and thrilling story about one of the biggest fashion brands of all time fails to capture the viewer’s attention through its overall execution. The film misses the mark by a decent margin, resulting in a somewhat boring film.

3 of 5 Torches STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

Fantasy of Trees’ 36th anniversary event raises money for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital KAITLYN DANIELS Contributor

It is that time of the year again. The air is getting cold and Christmas lights can be seen all over the city.

One East Tennessee tradition located just a few blocks from campus in the Knoxville Convention Center has returned this year to celebrate its 36th anniversary after having to cancel last year due to COVID-19.

The Fantasy of Trees was held this past week, and it brought in over $400,000 to support the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

The event was open to the public from Nov. 24 to 28.

The theme this year was Sweet Christmas Memories. It provided family-friendly fun throughout the entire event. Gingerbread houses were immaculately designed and innumerable trees were decorated all across the event floor. Decorations were donated and made available for purchase, and all the profits went to the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

On Sunday, all trees and gingerbread houses that had not been purchased were discounted to make more donations for the Children’s Hospital.

Local Girl Scout troop leader, Lisa Pennington, spoke about her troop’s tradition of donating and decorating a tree every year for the Fantasy of Trees.

“Our service unit comes together to bring joy to others by having every troop make different ornaments. The girls work hard to make the tree look nice. It was quite beautifully decorated with paper chains, felt ornaments, and much more. Everyone did fabulous on their ornaments! The tree looked really good.

We had a few hiccups, but the girls used their problem-solving skills and did an awesome job of assembling. They practiced teamwork and they learned new things about what it means to volunteer,” Pennington said.

Over 50 dance and musical groups performed, and Fantasy of Trees effectively brought Christmas cheer front and center. A large stage was dedicated to local groups of all ages who prepared long and hard for this performance. From school groups to professional choirs and dance groups, the entertainment never seemed to cease. Other key events include the annual raffle draw, silent auction and photos with Santa.

Children had the opportunity to create Christmas presents and crafts at the 17 different booths. Kids Kash was available for purchase and could be used to enter most booths.

The booth called Tiny Trees was a simple task

for all ages to participate and decorate a special Christmas tree for a present.

One new booth at the Fantasy of Trees that was a crowd-pleaser was called TreeMendous Ornaments where kids and adults alike got to get creative and decorate tree ornaments. Carousel rides and video games were also part of the children’s section activities. Most booths required Kids Kash, however, face painting and a designated toddler play area called Rudolph’s Raceway were free for families to enjoy.

These booths were run by volunteers who made the whole experience run smoothly. Volunteer Amanda Granados spoke about her experience at Fantasy of Trees.

“It is always fulfilling to give back to the community and see the delighted faces of children having a great time. I enjoy volunteering here every year to support those in need and plan on doing so for a long time,” Granados said.

Among all the winter wonderland decorations lies different stores for finding the perfect present. Some shops specialize in ornaments, jewelry, hair bows and much more.

There was even a shop designated to help children to find and purchase the right gifts for their families. On the final day of Fantasy of Trees, most shops slashed prices, so great deals on presents and decorations were readily available.

Fantasy of Trees raises money for the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital by donating the profits made from selling immaculately designed gingerbread houses.

Kaitlyn Daniels / The Daily Beacon

SPORTS

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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Projecting Tennessee’s landing spot heading into bowl season ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

Tennessee football is going bowling once more, no small feat when facing the odds first-year head coach Josh Heupel was stacked against heading into a season with unprecedented roster and staff turnover.

The Vols finished their regular season at a fair 7-5 (4-4 SEC), dispatching every team in the SEC East apart from No. 1 Georgia and Florida in week four.

Now, all that’s left for Heupel to do is win his first bowl game at Tennessee to tie the Vols’ best record since faring 9-4 in 2016.

Six options are available for Tennessee, but three stand along as a best fit for a team that tied for seventh overall with Mississippi State SEC rankings in terms of wins/losses.

Here are the three most likely bowl destinations for Tennessee in order.

Music City Bowl: Nashville, Tennessee, Dec. 30 Why? The bowl selection process is almost completely subjective and random. Tennessee’s 7-5 record puts the Vols in ample position to nab a spot in the TransPerfect Music

City bowl against a Big 10 opponent.

The Music City Bowl itself will want to keep things local. Tennessee not only makes sense from a geographical perspective, but monetary as well. COVID-19 hit the pockets of the Music City sponsors hard last year, and drawing ample fans can be easy with an in-state participant such as Tennessee.

Who: Minnesota (8-4), Penn State (74), Wisconsin (8-4) History The Vols last played in the Music City Bowl in 2016 against Nebraska, a game the Big Orange won convincingly, 38-24. The Vols have only been to one other Music City Bowl, losing to North Carolina in 2010, 30-27.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Charlotte, North Carolina, Dec. 30 Why? Location is a big deciding factor, especially when considering Tennessee likely sits at the top end of the SEC with seven wins instead of six — which would put Tennessee against the likes of Arkansas, Kentucky or Mississippi State.

Kentucky played in the Mayo Bowl last time it was played, when it was sponsored by

Belk instead of Duke’s Mayo.

Who: NC State (9-3), Clemson (9-3), Miami (7-5) History Tennessee has never played in the Mayo Bowl but has travelled to Charlotte for the opening season of Jeremy Pruitt as Tennessee’s head coach in 2018 in a 40-14 loss to West Virginia.

Gator Bowl: Jacksonville, Florida, Dec. 31 Why? Tennessee has experience at the Gator Bowl, headlining the event seven times since its inception in 1945. Tennessee could be bidding against Mississippi State (7-5) and Kentucky for probably the most sought-after selection on this list.

Of those mentioned, Tennessee has the highest appeal. The Vols are closest and perhaps the most storied program of those in selection. Ultimately, Tennessee’s experience in recent years with the venue is almost entirely irrelevant.

Who: Wake Forest (9-3), Miami (7-5), North Carolina (6-6)

History

Tennessee is most used to playing at the Gator Bowl of all entries on this list. The Vols are 5-2 in the Gator Bowl and 3-0 in their last three trips.

Tennessee has beaten Iowa and Indiana recently at the Gator Bowl, dropping Indiana 23-22 in 2019-20 to post an 8-5 record.

The Vols beat the Hawkeyes 45-28 behind a strong performance from quarterback Josh Dobbs in 2015.

Other potential bowl projections The Liberty Bowl, held in Memphis, had representatives present for Tennessee’s regular season finale against Vanderbilt but is likely to be played by a 6-6 SEC team such as Florida or LSU rather than 7-5 Tennessee.

The Vols were slated to participate in the Liberty Bowl against West Virginia in 2020 until COVID-19 concerns sidelined the Big Orange.

The Outback Bowl in Tampa Bay, Florida, is possible, yet unlikely for Tennessee, as the Vols would have to outlast every SEC team that isn’t Georgia, Alabama or Ole Miss — namely Arkansas, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Texas A&M.

Tennessee volleyball to face North Carolina in first round of NCAA Tournament NATE TOSADO Staff Writer

Breana Runnels No.6 prepares to serve the ball against Auburn at Thompson Boling Arena on Wednesday Sept. 29, 2021.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

After dropping its last game of the season on Wednesday, the Tennessee volleyball team looks to bounce back in the postseason.

On Sunday Tennessee (19-9, 11-7 SEC) was selected to face off against North Carolina (21-8, 10-8 ACC) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

It is the first time since 2018 that the Lady Vols have qualified to be in the Tournament.

“I think the biggest thing for this group and this team is that they made a goal at the beginning of the year that this is where they wanted to be,” head coach Eve RackhamWatt said. “It was a really proud moment for the team. I’m just excited to get started and we’re prepping for our first match on Friday.”

The road to the tournament was not easy.

It was the Lady Vols’ first season back in a little over a year due to the pandemic.

Tennessee matched up against some of the top volleyball teams in the nation early in the season. The Lady Vols faced three top-10 nationally ranked teams in No. 9 Baylor, No. 7 Pitt and No. 9 Perdue. Tennessee upset Baylor in five sets but fell to both Pitt and Perdue.

The Lady Vols dominated early, taking down their opponents with ease. Through

the first 10 games, Tennessee managed to sweep its opponents seven times.

Entering SEC play, Tennessee continued to climb the national ranking each week. It wasn’t until later in conference play when the Lady Vols hit a wall.

The team suffered three straight losses and struggled in the latter half of the season. In the end, the SEC produced five other teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament.

Tennessee hopes that the experience gained over the season will translate into a successful tournament run.

“We’ve played five of the top-16 teams already, and we’ve already played a number of teams that are already in the tournament,” Rackham-Watt said. “I feel really good about that, I think that team feels really good about that. The experience we have against teams that are in the field and knowing we’ve beaten some of them and competed really well with some of them help. We start this weekend 0-0 just like everyone else but know we can draw from that experience.”

Two Lady Vols, graduate student Breanna Runnels and senior setter Natalie Hayward, were selected for the All-SEC team this year.

It is the first time in their career they were

selected to the All-SEC team.

Runnels was a true offensive machine throughout the season leading the team in kills, (389) kills per set (3.69 and total attempts (975). In just her first year with Tennessee, she became a key part of the team’s success.

Hayward has been nothing short of consistent all year. Being the team’s starting setter, she has been able to feed Tennessee’s offense time and time again. Hayward leads the team in assists with 1093 on the year.

“Bre came from a school where she was an all-conference player. And being able to do it in this league and this year we were really proud of her,” Rackham-Watt said.

“And Natalie, I don’t think people were thinking a year ago her being one of the best setters in the league. I was so happy for her.

It came as a shock to both of them when I called and let them know - they were both really surprised.”

The Lady Vols are focused and ready for a chance to bring the national title to Knoxville. The farthest that Tennessee has gone in the NCAA Tournament was a Final Four appearance in 2005.

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Women’s basketball grades: Thanksgiving Shootout RILEY THOMAS Staff Writer

Tennessee women’s basketball went undefeated during the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Lady Vols first battled against Kansas on Friday afternoon, besting them by 10. To end the shootout, Tennessee defeated Oklahoma State 8055 to finish the shootout undefeated, 2-0.

Here’s how the Lady Vols graded out over the weekend in Vegas.

Backcourt Grade: AJordan Horston has been a mainstay for the Lady Vols ever since Rae Burrell went down with an injury in the opener, and she continued her stellar play this weekend.

Horston notched her third double-double of the season versus Kansas on Friday, dropping 14 points and grabbing 11 boards. She almost added a triple-double in the blowout win against Oklahoma State, dropping 17 points, 9 boards and dishing out 9 assists.

Horston was named the Most Outstanding Player during the shootout, averaging 15.5 points, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists in both victories.

In previous games, Horston has virtually been the only production the backcourt has seen, but the other members of the backcourt stepped up and did not leave Horston hanging.

Sophomore Tess Darby had a breakout game versus Kansas. Darby tied her career high in points at the half with 8, before breaking that tie in the second half, finishing the game with 11 points.

She shot an efficient 4-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. She added 6 more points on 2-of-4 shooting in the win against Kansas.

Jordan Walker had a solid game herself versus Kansas, as she finished the game with 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting and added 5 boards and 3 assists.

Kaiya Wynn was productive off of the bench versus Oklahoma State, scoring 8 points on 2-of4 shooting from the floor and 4-of-7 from the free throw line.

Frontcourt Grade: AThe frontcourt was led by center Tamari Key. She has become the backbone of this Tennessee defense and a huge factor downlow, towering above everyone on the court.

Key filled up the stat sheet in the game versus Kansas, racking up 8 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 3 blocks and a steal.

In the final game against the Cowgirls, she recorded her third double-double of the season, grabbing 11 boards and scoring 12 points. She added 2 blocks to her stat sheet as well.

Alexus Dye struggled from the field versus Kansas, shooting only 2-for-13 from the floor, scoring 4 points. She did add 9 boards and a block.

Dye woke up against the Cowgirls, dropping 11 points on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. She also added 8 more rebounds in the 8055 win.

Sara Puckett and Keyen Green had great performances off the bench for the Lady Vols in both games.

Puckett scored 8 points versus the Jayhawks, then 11 points versus Oklahoma State. Green put up 11 points and 6 rebounds against Kansas, then 7 points versus the Cowgirls.

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PICK ‘EM FINALS Ethan Stone Asst. Sports Editor

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Offense Grade: B The offense continued to struggle versus the Jayhawks, shooting 33.3% from the floor and 4-of-18 from three. The charity stripe wasn’t much better either, only going 12-for-22 during the course of the game.

However, four Lady Vols finished the game in double figures, and six players managed to rack up at least 8 points or more.

In game two, the offense put up its best performance thus far.

The Lady Vols finished the game with its season high in points, dropping 80 on 54.7% shooting from the floor. Tennessee also added 4 threes on 4-of-12 from three-point range and put in 18 free throws on 18-26 shooting.

Four Lady Vols turned in double digit performances for the second straight game, and 11 of the 12 active players scored at least 1 point.

The bench scored its most points all season versus Kansas — 21 — to only break that total versus the Cowgirls with 30 points.

The only concerning thing for the Lady Vols were the turnovers. They had 14 turnovers versus Kansas and 23 versus Oklahoma State.

Shooting was massively improved in the second game, but the struggles were visible in the first game. If the Lady Vols can keep the turnovers to a minimum and carry the shooting momentum moving forward, they will be more than good.

Defense Grade: A+ The defense was the story for the Lady Vols this weekend. Tennessee bottled up both offenses, just like they have all season.

In the Kansas game, the Big Orange held Kansas to 58 points, on 30.8% shooting from the floor.

The Jayhawks shot a miserable 6-of-20 from three.

They coughed up 15 turnovers and allowed Tennessee to score 14 points off of those turnovers.

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