Bailey turned down an offer from UT to keep season tickets at a rate close to what he’d been paying because they were in the upper deck. “I’m 88 years old," he said.

Bailey said he loves Tennessee basketball, and he loves Rick Barnes, the team's current, successful coach. But, as Bailey noted, he showed up to games during the program's bad ol' days, too.

Thomas Bailey didn’t aim to personify the extent to which college athletic departments are selling out their conscience — and loyal supporters — to chase cash and wins. He just wanted to be able to ...