Not Built For It: Tennessee's Smokey Mascot Is Retiring After Two Years Because He Couldn't Handle the Job

Dogs, like people, aren't cut out for every job. You throw an orange vest on enough Bluetick Coonhounds and put them in front of 100,000 people and you're eventually going to find one that simply isn't having it. That seems to be what has happened with Smokey XI.

The duties of Smokey have even been scaled back the last couple years because he refused to put in a proper shift.

This dog was just never cut out for the bright lights, and that's ok. We'll go find another Smokey who can do the job, because we must have a next man up mentality for one of the most important positions in the Tennessee football program. If you're not up for the stakes of Georgia or Alabama coming into Neyland Stadium, we have to go get somebody who is. It's a cutthroat business.

I wish Smokey XI all the best in his retirement and hope he gets to enjoy life in a secluded cabin somewhere in East Tennessee, far away from the startling throngs of SEC crowds.