I didn’t believe this until I went to Alabama last winter with Beau - who spent a good chunk of his high school years in Alabama - Albertville area - playing football.
Wow. Literally everything revolves around football down there - and I thought being a rabid Badger Fan or Packer Backer was intense! These people live, breathe, eat, sleep football every day. I thought Beau was exaggerating.
Kids that aren’t built for football are practically given up for adoption by their families! ;)
How come UAB is giving up football?
Also, my dad played center for LSU in Sugar Bowls II and III.
Ping to the Auburn list!
And, a ping to the full Alabama (state) list.
I am very happy today, we beat the tea-sippers.
My old girlfriend is from Alabama and a big ‘Bama fan. I’m Ga Tech. There was bad blood between Bobby Dodd and Bear Bryant, so the teams did not play each other from 1962 ( Tech beat #1 Alabama 7-6 in Atlanta) to 1982. To be honest, Tech was outclassed by ‘Bama in football most of the time.
Tech played #2 ‘Bama in 1982 with 78,865 in attendance at Legion Field in Birmingham and low & behold, Tech WON 24-21! Naturally, I had to call her (with Mrs. BN’s permission, of course) to offer my condolences.
Lewis Grizzard wrote about the game, stating:
“The entire state of Alabama is in mourning. Even the State Animal (a dead ‘possum in the middle of the road) was observed to roll over and mutter something unprintable!”
As for Alabama, college football power shifts (albeit less frequently than the pros). The SEC has been dominant for the past decade; that will change.
The only thing that leaves all of us non-SEC fans scratching our heads is the weird SEC loyalty, where fans of SEC teams will actually cheer for other teams in the conference in addition to their favorite team. This is strange to every other sports fan on Earth. I still can't understand why you would cheer for a conference.
But, no more. I grew up. I quit wasting my every waking moment watching and calling sports. I don't watch football anymore. Basketball might as well be on the planet Mars and baseball is no longer important either. If I watch any sports, I drive up the highway and catch a high school football game. The last game I went too was two years ago. That is as far as I go any more with sports. Simply got sports over load. Got sick of it. And don't watch anymore. When Alabama played Auburn the other week, I was asleep. That is how much I gave a care any more about sports. I found there was much better uses of my time.
Roll Tide!
Go Buckeyes!!
Interesting article. My daughter got a full out of state tuition scholarship to go to Alabama next fall. She loved the campus when she visited. She also has a rare disorder (dystonia). Alabama actually researches the disorder, and she may be able to participate in it as an undergraduate.
She’s not that interested in football, but she loves all the spirit. There are lots of “Roll Tides” around our house.
I’m an Aggie and so is my son. We’re pulling for Alabama today, but not next fall.