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Residents in the City of Calera, Alabama are wondering if some Tennessee fan pulled a massive prank on the town’s water tower, which had folks confused as to why it was painted with the signature checkerboard end zone scheme that the Vols use. 

No, this is not a joke, and city officials have to assure its residents that a Tennessee fan did not sneak into the town recently and paint the water tower as some funny gesture following the Vols win last month over the Crimson Tide.

Residents of Calera were stunned when they were riding along County Road 12 to find their local tower painted in Tennessee’s colors, which led to numerous phone calls to city officials, along with flooding their social media account in disgust. 

On Facebook, the city released a statement saying that this was not a prank, and there was a reason behind the paint-scheme that most likely forced some drivers to pull over and throw up. 

“Attention, citizens! We’ve been flooded with calls about the new water tower on County Road 12 near Savannah Pointe. Yes, we know that bright, gaudy orange and white checkered pattern might scream “Tennessee Volunteers’ end zone”—but rest assured, this is not some elaborate prank by city employees, and it hasn’t been “vol-untarily” vandalized.”

The City of Calera, Alabama had to issues a statement after its water tower was painted in Tennessee orange, which was forced by thr local FAA to support the Shelby Country Aitport Via: City of Calera

The City of Calera, Alabama had to issues a statement after its water tower was painted in Tennessee orange, which was forced by thr local FAA to support the Shelby Country Aitport Via: City of Calera

As for the exact reason why it was painted this way, well it was actually mandated by an airport that is close by in Shelby County, according to the city. 

“Believe it or not, this eye-catching design is federally mandated by the FAA because of the tower’s proximity to the Shelby County Airport. Safety first, fashion second! So while it may look like we’re making a bold statement in orange, we’re just following the rules—no team loyalty implied!”

Would I have put it by some Tennessee fan to paint through the night, just so that Alabama fans would wakeup the next morning to see this hovering over the town? Absolutely not. 

But it looks like the City of Calera has some unhappy residents, and I certainly couldn’t blame them.