Tennessee Vols fans have received a lot of negative attention over the last week.

It all stems from the end of the Ole Miss game — when Vol fans littered Shields-Watkins field at Neyland Stadium with various forms of trash.

The incident resulted in a $250,000 fine from the SEC and a litany of scathing columns from national writers.

"Tennessee fans are classless" was the main takeaway for many folks from outside of the Volunteer state this week.

That's unfortunate because it couldn't be further from the truth.

What happened at the end of the Ole Miss game is inexcusable. It shouldn't happen at any sporting event. But at the same time, it's happened many times in the history of sports. It's usually the result of frustration, alcohol, and poor officiating (all of which were present in Neyland Stadium on Saturday night).

However, instead of focusing on the actions of a few hundred fans, national writers should focus on how Tennessee fans made a positive out of a negative this week.

In response to the fine from the SEC, a group of Vol fans got together and decided to raise money for the East Tennessee Children's Hospital.

The goal for the fundraiser is $102,455 — one dollar for every seat in Neyland Stadium.

Over $52,000 has been raised as of Friday morning.

From the Go Fund Me page

On Saturday, October 16th 2021, Lane Kiffin and his #12 ranked Ole Miss Rebels rolled into a rocking, raucous Neyland Stadium. It was an incredible atmosphere, a peak representation of how magical college football can be.

Despite being marred by injuries and decimated by the transfer portal, coach Josh Heupel and his rag-tag skeleton crew almost pulled off the upset! They fought hard and they never gave up. They reminded us of what it really means to be a Volunteer!

Unfortunately, after a controversial call by the referees in the fourth quarter, some fans started throwing debris onto the field. It is never acceptable when fans do this. Tennessee was fined $250,000, and members of the UT athletic department issued apologies. Many in the fanbase feel embarrassed.

Unsurprisingly, some members of the national media saw a chance to slander the entire fanbase. They painted us with a broad brush, labeling us as "entitled," "crazy," and other names. There are a few national media members with a following that just hate Tennessee. They will amplify anything negative about the program, while ignoring or downplaying anything positive (especially when it comes to the fans.)

Well, they know nothing about the Tennessee spirit. Let's show them what we are really all about!

Let's raise $102,455 for the East Tennessee Children's Hospital. These funds will help the hospital to keep an open door policy to help sick kids in the Knoxville area. The minimum donation is $5. If just 20% of people that were at Neyland Stadium donate that amount, we will blow this goal out of the water!

This is simply incredible. What happened on Saturday night wasn't a good look for Vol fans. But judging all UT fans based on those actions is incredibly short-sighted.

Tennessee fans proved this week that the garbage-wielding fans on Saturday night aren't representative of the entire fan base.

Vol fans, however, shouldn't expect an apology from national writers. This amazing display of charity doesn't fit with their narrative that UT fans are classless, which is why it's unlikely you'll hear about this on any of the pre-game shows on Saturday.

Featured image via Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports