Trash-talking TN senators to duke it out on the field at UTC football game

Bo Watson and Todd Gardenhire
Bo Watson and Todd Gardenhire

NASHVILLE -- After days of trash talking each other's athletic abilities, two state senators from Hamilton County will duke it out on the gridiron during halftime activities at Saturday's game featuring the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Western Carolina.

The Finley Stadium "punt, pass and chip showdown" pits Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, against Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

Both lawmakers are UTC alums with Gardenhire a member of the Class of 1973 and Watson having graduated in 1983.

The loser will make a donation to UTC's Mocs Club. Both lawmakers have bantered back forth on social media this week in anticipation of the competition.

"I'm trying my best to keep up with Bo Watson," Gardenhire said in a news release. "[Watson] can throw the 'pumpkin' twice as far as I can."

Gardenhire vows to check the pressure in Watson's football.

"I don't want a BoFlate on my hands. It's bad enough that he is taking so much advantage of our age difference. You realize I was graduating from high school when he was starting first grade."

Fired back Watson: "So here is the problem, Todd Gardenhire is quoting from an Andy Griffith routine from 1953. That's 1-9-5-3over 60 years ago!! This isn't even going to be fair on Saturday. Just phone it in, Todd."

Upcoming Events