KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lady Vol superfan Linda Ogle has been attending Tennessee women's basketball games for more than 20 years, but for the past six, she's had her canine companion, Annie, with her courtside at Thompson-Boling Arena.
"You can see from watching her how much she enjoys [the games]," Linda Ogle said. "If it's really exciting, she just sits and watches. It's amazing to me. We all laugh about it."
The 9-year-old Pomeranian has become a fan favorite among Lady Vol fans and the Lady Vols themselves. Linda Ogle often finds that people know Annie's name and not hers.
"I saw a lady in Sam's the other day and she came walking up to me and she said, 'You're the lady that brings Annie to the ball games,'" Linda Ogle said. "She knew Annie's name, but I was just 'the lady.' Nobody knows that I'm Linda, but everybody knows that I'm Annie's mother."
Annie acts as Linda's service dog and helps keep her aware of things she may not hear, like someone coming up the elevator to her apartment. Linda said Annie also is a perfect companion, and she found Annie at a time when she needed her most.
"My husband died suddenly, and I had my son and my mother to take care of," Linda Ogle said. "Then my mom died and my son moved out, and it was the first time that I felt like I was really by myself."
Linda said that Annie's companionship is special to her, and she has never had a dog who has had such a special place in her life.
"I don't know what I would do without her," Linda Ogle said. "If she didn't do anything but sit on my lap, I'd be happy."