Scrappy impersonator Zach Langley and Rich Dwyer dressed as Santa Claus pose for a photograph during the first Santa Moc photo session at Hamilton Place mall on Tuesday.For any University of Tennessee at Chattanooga supporter still needing proof that Christmas has come early to the Mocs, we're pleased to inform you that Santa arrived at Hamilton Place mall wearing UTC blue and gold Tuesday night.
"A lot of people may not know this," began the Great Jolly One, "but many years ago I transferred from North Pole University to UTC. In fact, when the Mocs had so many coaching openings a couple of years ago, they approached me about taking one of those jobs, but I said I wouldn't come without my elves, and that seemed to kill the deal."
The wardrobe change certainly didn't kill the holiday spirit for those hoping to share their Christmas wish list with Santa. Both the young in age and young at heart maintained a steady line for nearly two hours, much to the delight of UTC marketing director Jeff Wilcox, who first reached out to Santa a few weeks ago.
"He's obviously associated with red and white most of the time," Wilcox said. "But he told us his true colors are blue and gold. We're just thrilled that he'd take time out of his busy, busy schedule this time of year to do this."
While this is surely a painful revelation to Alabama fans, given that the Crimson Tide Nation is so convinced that Santa's red suit really is crimson in tint that they've dubbed their football coach Saint Nick (Saban), it tended to draw mixed feelings from the little ones.
For instance, Jeremy and Nina Bryson and their sons Joshua (7) and Noah (2) were among the first families in line to meet Santa. Now a UTC education major after retiring from the Army last year, Jeremy tries to take the Brysons to every UTC home game in both football and basketball.
Joshua, who attends Ooltewah Elementary, has been a ball boy in the past at UTC basketball games. His No. 1 gift wish for Christmas?
"A real UTC football helmet," he said.
Six-year-old Talley Blackman is a first-grader at Big Ridge Elementary. After asking Santa for "lots of Elsa (from 'Frozen') stuff," she described his blue-and-gold attire as "kind of weird."
However, when Kate (10) and Mattie Cooper (6) reached Santa's lap, they both described his wardrobe as "awesome."
Then Kate -- who's already such a Mocs fan that she coaxed her uncle into driving her to Cookeville for last Saturday's UTC football game after her father got sick -- asked for an American Girl doll and Mattie requested an EZ Bake oven.
UTC security staffer Howard Neely Sr., 76 years young, brought one of his 26 grandchildren -- 7-year-old Harley _ and her 11-year-old cousin Matthew Ballew to meet Santa. Like young Miss Blackman, Harley was pushing for a "Big Elsa doll."
Carol and David Gibbs have been Mocs boosters for decades. As they often do at games, they held up a "Go Mocs" sign as they posed with Santa.
Asked what they asked for, David grinned and said, "Lots of UTC wins."
You might think UTC's No. 1 women's tennis player, Kayla Jones, would request a few wins on the court next spring. Instead, after spying an Aldo shoe store nearby, she said, "I'm in love with shoes. I'd ask for shoes, I guess."
As Santa surveyed all this love for the Mocs before gushing, "This is absolutely amazing," Alan Cooper stood to the side, debating whether to join daughters Kate and Mattie on Santa's lap.
What would Cooper, a 1996 UTC grad, ask Santa to bring him on Christmas morning?
"A (football) national championship," he said, obviously not content that the Mocs are in the playoffs for the first time in 30 years.
And would he be willing to sit on Santa's lap to make that happen?
"If that's what it takes," he said.
Though it takes more verbal skills than UTC mascot Scrappy has at the moment to ask Santa anything through his large beak, he did sign that he requested, "Only wins for all the Mocs teams."
Some might consider that an impossibly tall order, but if anyone can make it happen it would surely be UTC's most famous transfer student from North Pole U.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.