Two things: My favorite Uncle gave me my first Bama hat in 1980, and he died unexpectedly in 1983, so whenever we win, I look at it and remember him...Also 1992......I had loved Bama since I was 7 years old in 1980, but I had a good friend in Tommy Johnson, who played on the '92 team and I remember after that year, Bama football became more of a football team to me. Tommy is such a good guy and was glad to see him and that team win it all.
What was the moment when Alabama became more than a football team to you?
- Thread starter BigBama
- Start date
I grew up mostly out of state - had parents with no football interest at all. We moved here in 66 and during the Sullivan/Beasley/Musso/Manning years was on the fringes of fandom catching bits of Alabama games. The clinching moment for me though was staying up that night in September '71 and hearing John Forney intone "and Alabama has come out in the Wishbone". I knew then that big drama was ahead and was not disappointed.
Working at Kincaid (and later, Long's) while attending UA I got to know quite a few of the players - that's what changed it from being a spectacle to being more personal for me.
Jan 1, 1979. Bama / Penn State. 4th and inches. Fusina should have passed and the rest is history ... That's when I knew for sure.
Hard to really discern for me. I remember 1969 and 1970 living and dying with every play in the Iron Bowls (both of which we lost). I remember that Friday night in 1971 when, as a two touchdown underdog, beating USC behind Terry David and Johnny Musso in the wishbone and Robin Parkhouse and John Mitchell on defense. I just remember always loving Alabama football.
I guess Alabama became more that just a team and football became more than just a game to me in 1972 with the "Punt, Bama, Punt" game. At 12 years old, I literally lost it after that game. I felt terrible for weeks afterwards. That's the reason winning the Iron Bowl each years is so important me. I hated that feeling and never wanted to experience anything like it ever again.
I guess Alabama became more that just a team and football became more than just a game to me in 1972 with the "Punt, Bama, Punt" game. At 12 years old, I literally lost it after that game. I felt terrible for weeks afterwards. That's the reason winning the Iron Bowl each years is so important me. I hated that feeling and never wanted to experience anything like it ever again.
I can't remember the exact date (sometime in the mid 1970's). I watched an Alabama game on TV and someone (perhaps Keith Jackson) spoke with Coach Bryant. I really liked his style. That's all it took for me.
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My whole life I have really been an Alabama fan because of growing up in Tuscaloosa, but when my mom brought me a Don Jacobs #5 tear away jersey home I was really hooked.
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The only thing better than being older than many of the posters here is I got to enjoy Bama football in the 60s and 70s. My friends and I would wear ratty T-shirts as tear away jerseys while playing on Sundays in somebody's yard or in front of the trade school. Our youth league games were on Saturdays. When we didn't have enough kids for a decent game, we would practice the fullback dive by taking the handoff and diving into leaves. Or the halfback option flip from the QB. We all wanted to be number 22 of course but I also enjoyed playing QB. Later when I coached my son's youth football team and later as a high school assistant, I used some of that sandlot experience to draw up a defense against our opponent's option scheme.
1975 Alabama v. Clemson - my first game. It was a religious experience and I was all in after that...at age 8.
While I can't remember the exact time, i will just say I was very young. I am youngest of 7 children and most of my siblings were born in Alabama. I was not born in Alabama, but quickly realized what Coach Bryant and Bama football meant to my dad. Fast forward a few years, my kids since they were born have been attending games in T Town. (their ages now, 24 & 21). My daughter became the first in family to graduate Alabama and my son is in his last semester at Bama.
So, as you can tell Alabama football is much more to my family than a football team. It's in our blood, a passion and candidly a ton a great memories from my childhood (I am 51 now) and newer memories with our kids who will NO DOUBT, pass these same experiences on to their children.
RTR!
So, as you can tell Alabama football is much more to my family than a football team. It's in our blood, a passion and candidly a ton a great memories from my childhood (I am 51 now) and newer memories with our kids who will NO DOUBT, pass these same experiences on to their children.
RTR!
Man this thread makes me feel old! Nonetheless I'll confess, the day I became a confirmed Bama fan was January 1, 1946 and Bill Stern was the culprit. I'd been seeing the sports reels at the local theatre all season and pretending I was Harry Gilmer on the playground, but sitting with my parents and likstening to Bill Stern broadcast the Bama win over Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl completed the awakening. That was the last year, except for a brief period (1961-62) between contracts, that the Rose Bowl was an open bowl. The southern teams were just too successful and Bama contributed going 4 - 1 - 1!
From wikipedia regarding the 1946 Rose Bowl:
"This was the last Rose Bowl game played with "at large" teams from outside the Pac-8/Big 10 conferences. These two elite conferences openly admitted restricting the Rose Bowl, because they were tired of getting beaten by teams playing "hillbilly ball". The same reason they cited for not inviting them pre-1920."
From wikipedia regarding the 1946 Rose Bowl:
"This was the last Rose Bowl game played with "at large" teams from outside the Pac-8/Big 10 conferences. These two elite conferences openly admitted restricting the Rose Bowl, because they were tired of getting beaten by teams playing "hillbilly ball". The same reason they cited for not inviting them pre-1920."
I was at that game with my Dad.
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He came home on Thursday and told me to pack a bag and dress decent. It seems that is how you rode on airplanes back then. He wouldn't tell me where we were going until we changed planes in Atlanta and got on a non-stop to LA. I knew by then anyway
It was a big deal, especially for him. His Dad did the same thing (only they drove to LA) for the 1946 Rose Bowl. Seems we "processed" the state of California in that game according to Wiki.--------------------------------------------
From Wiki
Alabama led at the half 20–0 and the Trojans had a net loss of 24 yards. USC, which had won eight straight Rose Bowl games since 1923, didn't make a first down until the third quarter when the score was 27–0.
Alabama outgained USC 351 to 41 yards. Quarterback Harry Gilmer threw only 11 times in the game for one touchdown and ran for 116 yards on 16 carries. Hal Self scored twice, on a one-yard run and on a 24-yard Gilmer pass. Gilmer went over from the one, and Lowell Tew hit left guard from the two for points and Norwood Hodges scored up the middle on a one-yard plunge. Hugh Morrow kicked four extra points in the game.[SUP][2][/SUP]
This was the last Rose Bowl game played with "at large" teams from outside the Pac-8/Big 10 conferences. These two elite conferences openly admitted restricting the Rose Bowl, because they were tired of getting beaten by teams playing "hillbilly ball". The same reason they cited for not inviting them pre-1920.
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I have loved Alabama, the University, for the majority of my life as my grandfather, mother, and then I attended school and graduated from there. It's way more than football to me, but football makes it a LOT of fun to be the holder of a diploma from UA!
First let me say that it is great to see the varied ages of the people on here, and the different perspectives. Even at 68, a couple of you have made me feel not quite so old.
For me, January 1, 1979. My abbreviated college career from 65-67 was at MTSU. After spending the next 2 years in olive drab, I enjoyed football, and moderate betting on same, but never developed a single team allegiance. Moving to Florence in 75 changed that. I was quickly advised by a Alabama State Trooper that I met through my work, that I would be making a choice and he strongly suggested that it be Crimson. To this day I believe that I would have had numerous run ins with the law had I not heeded his advice. I routinely met with a gentleman on Friday and we would make 5 small wagers on 5 games, then on Mondays we'd meet and argue about why we won/lost. It most always was a 3-2 result and little money changed hands. At the end of the 78 season, I chose Penn State against Alabama for a substantial amount for the time, about 3 mortgage payments. Two powerful things happened watching that game. The entire game, but of course most of all the goal line stand, cemented my fandom. The other was that the loss of funds ended my gambling forever. I look at them both as equally important. When we settled the bet, my gambling friend handed me a National Championship shirt and said he expected me to have had to sell the shirt off my back to come up with the money. I still have that flimsy little well worn shirt and have it in my hand during most stressful games. No, of course I can't still fit into it!! Roll Tide!!
For me, January 1, 1979. My abbreviated college career from 65-67 was at MTSU. After spending the next 2 years in olive drab, I enjoyed football, and moderate betting on same, but never developed a single team allegiance. Moving to Florence in 75 changed that. I was quickly advised by a Alabama State Trooper that I met through my work, that I would be making a choice and he strongly suggested that it be Crimson. To this day I believe that I would have had numerous run ins with the law had I not heeded his advice. I routinely met with a gentleman on Friday and we would make 5 small wagers on 5 games, then on Mondays we'd meet and argue about why we won/lost. It most always was a 3-2 result and little money changed hands. At the end of the 78 season, I chose Penn State against Alabama for a substantial amount for the time, about 3 mortgage payments. Two powerful things happened watching that game. The entire game, but of course most of all the goal line stand, cemented my fandom. The other was that the loss of funds ended my gambling forever. I look at them both as equally important. When we settled the bet, my gambling friend handed me a National Championship shirt and said he expected me to have had to sell the shirt off my back to come up with the money. I still have that flimsy little well worn shirt and have it in my hand during most stressful games. No, of course I can't still fit into it!! Roll Tide!!
1957 I think, I was about 8 years old and I asked my Uncle what was going on with all the excitement and he explained that football as we all knew it was going to change. Alabama had hired Coach Paul Bear Bryant, the best football coach to ever set foot on the University of Alabama. I'd bet it was the same feeling as I had when Coach Saban announced he was hired by Alabama.
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My Dad loved Coach Bryant. We would sit in our den in Chicago drinking coke from the glass bottle and eating roast beef sandwiches on rye. Good memories. Plus I'm an alumni
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