Offseason thread - What "qualifies" you as a Bama fan?
- Thread starter LSUgrad2BamaDad
- Start date
^^^this...
I grew up a Bama fan. My Dad loved the Tide. I attended UA during the 70's. My son played in the MDB during 2 of Coach Saban's championships. I have been a fan all my life. I agree with the earlier comment about you have to be a fan through it all and not be a bandwagon fan. Roll Tide!
My mom and dad both graduated from Bama during the Ears Whitworth era so they did not celebrate a whole lot. My first 3 years of my life I was called Leroy for Leroy Jordan and our first dog was named Bama Bear. I did not attend Bama since I played college baseball at USA but I am Bama to the core. RTR!!!
I am an Alabama state tax payer. Also, as I recently said in another thread, I was indoctrinated from a very young age(5 yrs old) to love all things Alabama.
I moved to Alabama when I was 8 years old. The school year had already started. On my first day of class, I was introduced and took my seat. The boy sitting in front of me immediately turned around with a very serious look on his face and asked "Are you for Alabama or Auburn?" I had to think quickly, but luckily I made the right choice.
Brit by birth but moved to the US in 1980. As I watched college football, I started watching 10RC but that orange is an assault on the senses. I also found it boring and would often fall asleep watching them. And then I found Alabama and started watching a game by chance rather than choice. I liked the way the Bear would lean against the goalpost. loved the uni's, and I never felt the need for a nap while watching them!
Once I pick a team, it's my team through thick and thin -- through Perkins, Stallings and the NC, the low life i will not name, the 3 mikes, and now Coach Saban through all the NCs. As an indication of my loyalty, my English Premier Team, Manchester City, I have followed since I was 6 years old and my brother said he was a united fan. City have always been the red haired step child to united until a huge influx of cash care of Sheikh Massour. Now City has the best facilities in the world, a tremendous City in the Community Program, and the team has just won their 3rd championship in 7 years, breaking the 100 point barrier for the first time in top division history as well as a slew of other records.
It's great to follow two fabulous teams with Coach Saban and Coach Guardiola being mirror images with their process.
Once I pick a team, it's my team through thick and thin -- through Perkins, Stallings and the NC, the low life i will not name, the 3 mikes, and now Coach Saban through all the NCs. As an indication of my loyalty, my English Premier Team, Manchester City, I have followed since I was 6 years old and my brother said he was a united fan. City have always been the red haired step child to united until a huge influx of cash care of Sheikh Massour. Now City has the best facilities in the world, a tremendous City in the Community Program, and the team has just won their 3rd championship in 7 years, breaking the 100 point barrier for the first time in top division history as well as a slew of other records.
It's great to follow two fabulous teams with Coach Saban and Coach Guardiola being mirror images with their process.
There's still some active debate over whether that parcel of land is supposed to actually belong to Georgia.
Great responses in this thread so far. I always suspected that there are very diverse backgrounds of fans on this site. Not everyone is a lifer, which is absolutely OK, and it's really cool to read the stories of what attracted you to the Tide.
One thing, though, y'all have me questioning my LSU fandom. I guess I've been a bad fan by some accounts lately. My problem is, the game day experience is a lot of fun with my close friends in front of an HDTV, in the AC with beer and bourbon - and not having to park or drive home.
One thing, though, y'all have me questioning my LSU fandom. I guess I've been a bad fan by some accounts lately. My problem is, the game day experience is a lot of fun with my close friends in front of an HDTV, in the AC with beer and bourbon - and not having to park or drive home.
I grew up in an Alabama family. Both my parents went to Alabama, I went to Alabama, so yes it's in my blood. My first memories of Bama football was watching games with my dad on a black and white TV or listening on the radio in the 60's. I learned some prohibited words from him during those games.
I’m from Louisiana and both my parents are LSU grads but...... my class ring says Alabama and shortly so will my diploma! My children have been on campus with me for class about twice a semester for the last 4 semesters. That’s makes them Bama fans by osmosis.
From my Facebook page for 9/13/14:
September 14, 1978 - the day I became an Alabama Crimson Tide fan
A question I commonly get is how can someone who has absolutely no recollection of living in the state of Alabama while living some 23 years in Mississippi possibly be a Crimson Tide fan. How I became an Alabama fan is actually quite easy: it all started with an insult. From an Ole Miss fan.
I knew absolutely nothing about football in 1978. Heck, I didn't even know what a line of scrimmage was. I was eight years old and my little world had been happily occupied with Dad's softball games and the Atlanta Braves, the unchallenged worst franchise in MLB. I was riding the bus that Thursday morning and seated next to the kid who lived across the street from me at Chanute AFB. On our way to school that morning he began talking about college football, which I had no idea about. He then asked me where I was from. I told him I was born in Alabama. He then proceeded to tell me that people from Alabama "suck" (a still banned word at my Mom's house) and that "the Ole Miss Rebels" were like God's gift to football. I didn't know enough to argue about it. Heck, I didn't even know if Alabama had a team at that point. I wondered if he wasn't right because we did have one of those miniature footballs from several years earlier that said "Ole Miss Rebels." Maybe he was right.
The Alabama of my youth was nothing about George Wallace, civil rights marches, Bull Connor, or church bombings; it was where the happiest memories of my mere eight years at the time were made. I rode my first boat in Alabama (6/26/77 - on the Alabama River near Selma), played ball in the back yard, gave chase - the next summer I would even ride a motorcycle in the back yard. Alabama was - to me - a place to get away from life and see the grandparents. I'd even gone to my first major league baseball game (6/25/77) leaving with my grandfather who lived in Alabama. So the insult was - to me - misplaced, even if I didn't know anything about sociology or geography. So I got home that night and had to ask Mom - "does Alabama have a football team?" Mom then told me that yes they did and they were REALLY good. In fact, they were coach by a bear!!! Not just A bear but one so tough he was called THE bear - as in the best!!! That intrigued my eight-year old mind that a team was so good that a bear could coach them. And then she told me they were called the most unique name I'd ever heard before: the Crimson Tide. Not Tigers, Eagles, Lions, or some Indian tribe name.....Crimson Tide. The very name sent tingles up my spine. Wow!! Of course then I had to ask what "crimson" was since I had no idea (and my Crayola box only had 64 colors, none of which were crimson). A shade similar to red. The clincher was when I got the newspaper that night and looked at the AP poll rankings for the week. Guess who was right there on top of the polls as the number one team? Yep, you got it!!!
That settled it. I would claim my heritage and birthplace and root for a team with the awesome name coached by a bear. I didn't even know how the ratings were figured - in fact, I later feared that maybe the only reason Alabama was at the top was because their name was first alphabetically. But I came back to school the next day and gave that ole boy an earful, too. I still didn't know much. I couldn't have named even one player on the Tide. But I was set - I was an Alabama fan, which is a whole lot more fun than virtually all the other teams I root for (Atlanta's sports teams, the Texas Rangers, and okay, Duke is pretty good at b-ball). It's now been thirty-six years, a time that has seen Alabama win SIX national championships, SEVEN SEC titles, a Heisman Trophy, and compile a record against Ole Miss of 24-3, with two of those Ole Miss coming off the arm of QB Eli Manning.
It has been a fun time, and I owe it all to a loud mouth. Thanks buddy - because otherwise I might have been on the losing side 24 times
And for those who don't remember - YES, I hold grudges.
Roll Tide
September 14, 1978 - the day I became an Alabama Crimson Tide fan
A question I commonly get is how can someone who has absolutely no recollection of living in the state of Alabama while living some 23 years in Mississippi possibly be a Crimson Tide fan. How I became an Alabama fan is actually quite easy: it all started with an insult. From an Ole Miss fan.
I knew absolutely nothing about football in 1978. Heck, I didn't even know what a line of scrimmage was. I was eight years old and my little world had been happily occupied with Dad's softball games and the Atlanta Braves, the unchallenged worst franchise in MLB. I was riding the bus that Thursday morning and seated next to the kid who lived across the street from me at Chanute AFB. On our way to school that morning he began talking about college football, which I had no idea about. He then asked me where I was from. I told him I was born in Alabama. He then proceeded to tell me that people from Alabama "suck" (a still banned word at my Mom's house) and that "the Ole Miss Rebels" were like God's gift to football. I didn't know enough to argue about it. Heck, I didn't even know if Alabama had a team at that point. I wondered if he wasn't right because we did have one of those miniature footballs from several years earlier that said "Ole Miss Rebels." Maybe he was right.
The Alabama of my youth was nothing about George Wallace, civil rights marches, Bull Connor, or church bombings; it was where the happiest memories of my mere eight years at the time were made. I rode my first boat in Alabama (6/26/77 - on the Alabama River near Selma), played ball in the back yard, gave chase - the next summer I would even ride a motorcycle in the back yard. Alabama was - to me - a place to get away from life and see the grandparents. I'd even gone to my first major league baseball game (6/25/77) leaving with my grandfather who lived in Alabama. So the insult was - to me - misplaced, even if I didn't know anything about sociology or geography. So I got home that night and had to ask Mom - "does Alabama have a football team?" Mom then told me that yes they did and they were REALLY good. In fact, they were coach by a bear!!! Not just A bear but one so tough he was called THE bear - as in the best!!! That intrigued my eight-year old mind that a team was so good that a bear could coach them. And then she told me they were called the most unique name I'd ever heard before: the Crimson Tide. Not Tigers, Eagles, Lions, or some Indian tribe name.....Crimson Tide. The very name sent tingles up my spine. Wow!! Of course then I had to ask what "crimson" was since I had no idea (and my Crayola box only had 64 colors, none of which were crimson). A shade similar to red. The clincher was when I got the newspaper that night and looked at the AP poll rankings for the week. Guess who was right there on top of the polls as the number one team? Yep, you got it!!!
That settled it. I would claim my heritage and birthplace and root for a team with the awesome name coached by a bear. I didn't even know how the ratings were figured - in fact, I later feared that maybe the only reason Alabama was at the top was because their name was first alphabetically. But I came back to school the next day and gave that ole boy an earful, too. I still didn't know much. I couldn't have named even one player on the Tide. But I was set - I was an Alabama fan, which is a whole lot more fun than virtually all the other teams I root for (Atlanta's sports teams, the Texas Rangers, and okay, Duke is pretty good at b-ball). It's now been thirty-six years, a time that has seen Alabama win SIX national championships, SEVEN SEC titles, a Heisman Trophy, and compile a record against Ole Miss of 24-3, with two of those Ole Miss coming off the arm of QB Eli Manning.
It has been a fun time, and I owe it all to a loud mouth. Thanks buddy - because otherwise I might have been on the losing side 24 times
And for those who don't remember - YES, I hold grudges.
Roll Tide
I never said WE until that boondoggle with the ncaa. I also realized that other fanbases considered it to be a representation of the State of Alabama. I now say WE whenever I feel like it. That said.......here is to US winning #18 in '18. WE deserve it.
Was watching a show (SEC Storied) about the '92 SECCG and Florida's QB, Shane Matthews, talked about choosing a place to play QB. He said he really didn't know much about teams, didn't even know who Stever Spurrier was, but he said he LOVED Alabama's uniforms. He said they are the best in football IIRC. But Bama didn't offer him.
I grew up in Alabama as a BAMA fan. I have 4 relatives who went to BAMA. I really wanted to attend UA also, but ended up with a scholarship at another, smaller school. Two of my relatives live in Tuscaloosa (one works in the Athletic Dept). I have loved watching BAMA football since I was in high school, regardless of the coach or the record that year.
I also enjoy watching BAMA softball. I would love to be a water girl for the football team just so I could be around the team, practices, players, environment, etc.
I am thankful that Coach Saban has been so great at BAMA. He has really been a blessing for the entire University both athletically and academically.
I also enjoy watching BAMA softball. I would love to be a water girl for the football team just so I could be around the team, practices, players, environment, etc.
I am thankful that Coach Saban has been so great at BAMA. He has really been a blessing for the entire University both athletically and academically.
Dad graduated from Bama and got his Masters and Doctorate there as well. Uncle got accepted to Bama in 1942 to play QB but joined the Army instead. Met EJ Junior at a Kinkos in Mobile Alabama and helped him with his resume.
Under Work History it said “National Football League”. Never forget that day. He signed a copy for me and then went home and got me a team picture and signed it for me too
First heroes were Ozzie, Johnny Davis and Tony Nathan.
I cried like a baby when Coach Bryant died.
Under Work History it said “National Football League”. Never forget that day. He signed a copy for me and then went home and got me a team picture and signed it for me too
First heroes were Ozzie, Johnny Davis and Tony Nathan.
I cried like a baby when Coach Bryant died.
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