It was a site Tennessee fans ate up. Alabama fans, meanwhile, couldn’t stomach it.

In 1997, there was Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning, the highly publicized son of NFL great Archie Manning, standing on a ladder at Legion Field in Birmingham, leading the Pride of the Southland Band in “Rocky Top” after a 38-21 win over Alabama.

The audacity of the young quarterback, who would win three straight against the Crimson Tide.

Recently, the Sheriff explained what prompted him to play the role of maestro on the field against one of his biggest rivals.

“It kind started in 1995, we … beat Alabama in Birmingham,” Manning said on “Every Orange,” Tennessee athletics’ podcast. “I remember I had to do an interview after the game. I kind of missed all of the celebration. All my teammates were talking about, ‘Man how cool was that? We were, you know, hanging out with the fans in the stands and hanging out with the band and it was awesome.’ I’m like ‘I missed it. I was doing some interview.’ “

He said he made it a point not to miss the celebration in 1997.

“And so sure enough, two years later, we went back and we won the game again and I’m like, ‘I’m not missing this celebration,’” Manning explained. “And so I was kinda jogging over to the student section where most of the Tennessee fans were, and I remember someone saying ‘Hey, do you wanna go lead the band?’ and I was like ‘Sure.’ “

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.