After 2022 mistreatment, former Alabama RB Kerry Goode won't return to Neyland Stadium

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS, has a grip on Kerry Goode's body, but not his mind.

The paralyzed, wheelchaired former Alabama football running back can think and reason as well as anyone, and he thinks the Tennessee fan who flung a drink on him at Neyland Stadium last year was unrepresentative of the UT fan base at large.

But he's also decided he'll never return.

That's how Goode now looks back, a year later, on his gross mistreatment in the moments after Tennessee snapped a 15-year losing streak to Alabama. He was there to support his son, Roman, who is a recruiting analyst on coach Josh Heupel's support staff. He even wore a UT shirt in the first half in support of his son, but felt compelled to change into an Alabama shirt in the second half. After getting soaked by a UT fan who was never identified, Goode signaled to his family that it was time to leave.

"My daughter was the only person in my group that knew what was happening to me. All 100 (pounds) of her stood up to defend me. (I'm) thankful the usher also witnessed everything and she got us out in a hurry," Goode, who has difficulty speaking, communicated to The Tuscaloosa News via email. "My daughter was so upset that she wanted to punch someone's lights out. (B)ut I told her to calm down and let them have their fun. (They're) not used to beating us. Besides I didn’t want Roman feeling bad about (what) happened. So we didn’t tell him. He found out like everyone else did, through my Facebook post. However, I will never see a game in Neyland Stadium again."

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Every school's fan base has its "bad actors," Goode wrote, Alabama's included. But he's seen enough of the ones in Knoxville. He also wasn't thrilled with some verbal abuse he withstood on his way into the stadium, and recalled exiting the field as a player, on crutches in 1984, when a Jack Daniels bottle shattered a yard from his feet.

"I won’t press my luck in Knoxville any more," he added.

Goode will be at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, however, when the rival Volunteers return on Saturday for a key SEC showdown.

"Alabama has played like the young inexperienced team that they are. However, I’ve seen them grow each week," Goode wrote. "I know everyone expects Alabama to play at a championship level each (year), but I think this team should be thought of as ”just win, baby."

Beginning this week and through the Iron Bowl, the Kerry and Gary Challenge kicks off to benefit Alabama families fighting ALS. Goode has teamed with former Auburn basketball player Gary Godfrey, also an ALS sufferer, with a donation drive in which both Alabama and Auburn fan bases compete for the higher donation total.

Follow Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread on Twitter @chasegoodbread.