The Porky's Open golf tournament was still eight years from reality the last time Buddy Nix coached a football game for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
One can argue over whether or not Nix being forced out at UTC in 1992 after nine seasons wasn't the best thing to happen to him. After all, he might never have become the current general manager of the NFL's Buffalo Bills if he'd remained with the Mocs.
But Nix has no trouble imagining how much more successful his Chattanooga tenure might have been if he'd had even a small fraction of the money the Porky's fundraiser has amassed over the years to help benefit the athletic department.
"It would have helped tremendously," said Nix, who will play in the tournament when its 11th edition begins at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Council Fire. "If we could have just had a little more money for recruiting. We had some good ideas, but we never had the money to make them work."
Some things never change. Exactly a week ago today UTC athletic director Rick Hart both praised the Porky's event and cautioned against relying so much on an outside fundraiser to help carry his department.
Knowing the tournament has raised more than $750,000 over its first 10 years, Hart said, "We can't thank (tourney founder) Frank Kinser and his friends enough for all the work they've put in over the years to make the Porky's such a success. I don't know where we'd be without them."
But Hart also added, "We've got to find a new way to do things We've got to have a reasonable level of institutional support. We can't go on this way much longer."
When Kinser first officially began the Porky's in 2000 -- his nickname, by the way, is "Porky" -- it was questionable how long it would last.
"We gave a basket of tomatoes to the winning team that first year," said Kinser on Sunday afternoon. "Second place got a basket of cantaloupes. Third place got a couple of watermelons. But we raised close to $50,000 that first year and it hasn't slowed down since."
The high mark was $125,000 in year five. The event reached $100,000 for a second time in 2007.
"And we've already got more than 100 signed up this time," said Kinser. "Even in a tough economy, it's going to be another fantastic year."
It promises to be a fantastic afternoon for UTC fans, and not only because of the presence of Nix, who said of the event, "That's the reason I came home this weekend. I'll always help UTC any way I can. We still have season tickets."
Single-game tickets and a night at the team hotel for the UTC men's basketball game at Tennessee are one of the items up for bid at the silent auction following the golf. Golf vacations, official Mocs athletic apparel and autographed UTC football helmets are also in the auction.
And if having UTC basketball coach John Shulman, women's coach Wes Moore, golf coach Mark Guhne or football coach Russ Huesman strike a drive or putt for you isn't enough, professional fisherman Brent Brady will oversee a casting contest on Council Fire's No. 6.
For Nix, who splits time between Buffalo and the family home in Ooltewah, it's yet another sign that the UTC football, if not the whole athletic department, is in far better shape than when he was on the payroll.
"They got the right guy when they hired Russ," said Nix of the second-year head coach. "I've really been impressed with the way he handles people. I think the program's made the turn and it's on the upswing."
Who knew competing for a basket full of tomatoes could inspire such philanthropy?
More info
Anyone interested in signing up for the Porky's Open should either contact UTC Mocs Club director Brandon Potts today at (423) 425-4233 or show up at Council Fire by 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Individual entry fees are $250 and team fees are $1,000.