Heh, I was thinking about an unsportsman like conduct penalty during the game actually. Be careful about the whole thinking alike thing.
You're right in that what, we broke Nebraska's record? But, it showed something that Alabama fans can be the best at. We can't have the top attendance in the nation, we're not the loudest, not the scariest place to play, etc... but Alabama fans had a record, and it's a record we can get back, we just have to want to.
I wish I could find that old picture, I posted it here and well it seems helplessly buried. It was from a couple of years ago, and it showed half of the stadium nearly empty in the third quarter. The conversation around then centered around the idea that the listed attendance was likely exaggerated (like it appears to have been this year as well), and of course some responses along the lines of well it doesn't matter anyway.
I am not a super fan and hope I never tried to make myself out to be. I didn't attend an Alabama game until I got a free ticket to the 2008 LSU game. Prior to that, the idea of affording to go to a game was beyond my expectations, but that experience ingrained in me the desire to do so. I wasn't one of the fans that set the A-Day record, I'd never been to a spring game until after that. But, when I saw the reaction and how much it did matter, I resolved to go and I look forward to it. I do appreciate that Alabama football is a luxury, there were times I was far more worried about a place to live and food to eat than Alabama games, and I in no way am trying to single people out. I'm just saying, we collectively, can fill this place up to capacity, which incidentally will be a new record.
But, we want the team to win championships don't we? Even if they don't win, we want them to try right? I'm just hoping we (I included), can try harder. Focus on ways to fill that stadium up, to regenerate some of the enthusiasm. Fans have been better about leaving early, they've been louder for games, we can do this to.
I do agree more can be done, although I've only had good experiences at the game. I've mentioned it before but I'd like to see a real concerted effort to get a lot of kids groups, youth groups, what ever you'd call them, Sunday school classes, you name it, to go to the game. Think about it, a lot of kids might never be able to afford to go to a regular game. Why not go out and make some new Alabama fans? Why not give them an experience they might never forget, of seeing the legendary Nick Saban roaming the sidelines (or field in this case) at the stadium? I'm not trying to have this overly negative view, I'm just hoping we look at positive ways to make this better.