This "In A Word" series included an interesting mix of thoughts, personalities, etc. Some of the words are tied to personas or looks. A few came from standing or position within the team, while others were somewhat performance-based or even touching on inside jokes.
Then there's
Justin Brown. Or Mr. Waffle House to his teammates. Yep, it's the proper noun not the verb in "waffle" that rang true with the lanky post's squad.
"He doesn't want to eat anything else
EVER,"
Duane Moss shared. "It's all he wants. They don't have it up in Chicago, and he found it here. It's like his second home."
Is it serious?
"I get Facetime calls at 9 p.m.," Moss continued. "'Have you eaten yet? Let's go to Waffle.'"
So what's his go-to dish? There was no hesitation in Moss' answer.
"Either the All-Star Breakfast with extra chocolate chips or a Hash Brown Bowl. He's a Waffle House beast."
Did Justin just stumble upon his new favorite restaurant or was he introduced by someone who obviously contributed a lot to his happiness?
"Jerry (Johnson, Jr.) took me on a Sunday last year when the campus was closed," Brown shared. "I wasn't too excited...I've never been that big a fan of waffles. But ever since that day, I found the love of my life."
So how on point was Moss on the go-to dish. We asked Justin if he walked in and ordered the
Justin Brown, what would it be?
"What defines me?" he pondered. "It has to be the chocolate chip waffle with extra chocolate chips."
While so many attributed waffle to Brown, there was a true freshman who had another word…loyal. Why
Keigan Kerby? Loyal is kind of the opposite of waffle when using the verb.
"He's loyal to Waffle for sure," Kerby smiled. "He's always ready to go to Waffle." Then he turned serious, "He's been through everything the last two years, he stuck through it all. It shows how loyal he is and how much he believes in what is going on here.
"He's someone you can count on. As young as he is, he's still someone I look for advice from and can definitely count on."
Brown has worked his way back from an injury that happened at this time of year last season. He was pegged to start the exhibition game before seeing the year taken away from him. We're guessing Nov. 1's exhibition game vs. Lee has been circled on his calendar for a while now.
His old-school view of breakfast being the most important meal of the day certainly hasn't hurt that process. Now that I have a yearning for scattered, smothered and covered hash browns…has anyone seen Justin?
Waffle: a crisp cake of batter baked in a waffle iron. Merriam-Webster
IN A WORD
David Jean-Baptiste –
Engaged
Thomas Smallwood –
Dad
Rod Johnson –
Mayor
Kevin Easley –
Goofy
BASKETBALL TIPOFF EVENT
The Mocs men's and women's teams are hosting a get together in McKenzie Arena on Tuesday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m. It's an interactive program allowing young and old a chance to meet all of their Mocs and maybe even try their hand at displaying their own hoops abilities. There are game and skill stations managed by the student-athletes covering knockout, free throws and dribbling. Artists can render their interpretations of the players along with photo and autograph areas as well.
More info here.
TICKETS
Season tickets are on sale now. They can be
purchased on GoMocs.com or by calling (423) 266-MOCS. Fans can also stop by the Gate 1 ticket office at McKenzie Arena.
Full season tickets range from $90-190 for lower-level reserved through upper-level general admission.
| Seat Type |
Season Ticket |
| *Padded Reserved |
$190 |
| 100 Level Reserved |
$165 |
| 200 Level Reserved |
$165 |
| 200 Level Corner |
$135 |
| 200 Level End Zone |
$105 |
| 300 Level GA |
$90 |
*Mocs Club Donation Required
UTC faculty/staff season tickets are offered at a reduced rate. Faculty/staff members should stop or call the McKenzie Arena ticket office for more information or to purchase.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here.
