Question: How did you become a Tidefan ?

[TommyMac]

The exploits of Harry Gilmer. I was a six year old in Mobile and his senior year coincided with me learning how to read. (no ESPN back then I loved reading the sports section with my Dad and Harry Gilmer and his jump passes were the biggest thing in the sports pages back then. I think ol' Harry was responsible for every kid in my neighborhood becoming Bama fans. :BigA:

 

[GA_Tide]

I was just born a Bama fan. I didn't realize there was a process.

 

[Jazzman]

I grew up wishing I had a father like Coach Bryant.

 

[BamaBeta]

Mother is an alumnus. Born in Alabama. Attended my first game in 1988 (lost to Auburn in Iron Bowl). Graduated in 2004. Had all 4 siblings follow in my footsteps as students at the University.

 

[IH8Orange]

Everyone in my extended family grew up cheering for the Tide. I have one uncle who turned to the dark side at some point (probably an undiagnosed mental defect) along with his kids but, other than that malignancy, the remainder of the family is solidly on the side of the Tide.

My father dream't of attending school in Tuscaloosa, but his family just didn't have the financial means and he was recruited by Uncle Sam to play for Team America in the Southeast Asia Rice Bowl. He considered using his G.I. Bill for tuition to attend UA, but had hungry mouths to feed by the end of his stint with the army and decided that he couldn't do it. Instead, he lived vicariously through me when I finished my B.S. at Bama.

 

[Alasippi]

Born in Florence, raised in Jasper, graduated from UA in 78.

Mom graduated and got her masters at UA, Dad, played one year of football at Bama before marrying my mom and transfering to Florence State University.

My Dad may have been the biggest Bear Bryant fan I've ever known and he took me to my first game when I was six. He loved Bama football with all his heart.

My mom started college at UA at the age of 36 and had two classes with Joe Namath who she described as "cute as can be".

I would have killed to have played at Bama but Coach Bryant wasn't in the market for 5'6 158 pound running backs in his wishbone.

As far as tidefans.com my son's best friend lives on here...lol....and he told me about how good it was. He was right

sip

 

[SavannahDare]

My mother and grandmother both attended the university. My mother had enough sense to indoctrinate me early on. Then, of course, I attended college there and I was hooked like a crack addict.

 

[TideEngineer08]

My dad became a fan when he was a kid (50s and 60s) and so I was born an Alabama fan, thank God. My first memories are of the 1990 Iron and Byron Halbrooks leveling Stan White on Auburn's first offensive series and then Efrum Thomas intercepting a pass and running it back to the 5. Robert Jones scored a few plays later and BAMA was well on its way to beating Auburn (who, unbeknownst to me at the time had a 4 game winning streak on the Tide).

I've never attended the University but I plan to attend UAH after I finish community college at Wallace State. I have had a few friends to did attend Alabama, but no family that I know of, so I'm pretty much a sidewalk alumnus, and a proud one at that.

I actually came across tidefans sometime around the end of the fRAN fiasco. I was a member before but forgot all my info, except my username. I was rtrcam. I hadn't posted in several years but decided to join again and become involved in the conversation. This is without a doubt the best BAMA site on the web.

Roll Tide!!!

 

[Swanny]

Big Tex,

I am one of those guys who have no connection to the University or the state for that matter. Heck, I have only been to the state of Alabama three times in my life and they were to attend games in Tuscaloosa. I just enjoyed watching the Tide and the Bear on TV when I was a kid and have been a fan ever since. My friends tell me that I am too fanatical when it comes to Alabama Football, but I just smile and tell them they do not understand.

 

[BamaNation]

My dad got his Ed.S. from Bama when I was 1,2,3. We lived at Rose Towers during the summers and some of my first words were "Bama" "Football" "Tuscaloosa"...

I didn't even apply to any other schools b/c I knew that even if accepted by the likes of Vandy, NC, ...Harvard etc., I would have still chosen to go to UA.

 

[I hate fat phil]

I didn't have a choice (thank the Lord), by the time I came along both my grandparents had attended Alabama. My mother was born in Tuscaloosa. My aunt was dating a QB on the team and was a member of the gymnastics team. I would watch games with my grandfather and learned from an early age it was ok to scream and holler at the tv on Saturdays during football season. When I was three I got to meet Coach Bryant for the first time at my aunt and uncles wedding reception and there was never a doubt from that point on. He was so nice to me and showed how to throw a football when he could have been doing a million other things. I later had the great privilege of attending The University of Alabama. Watching the Tide play has been my own private reality show, I have cried, laughed, smiled and on occasion even hurt myself during games. Through all the ups and downs we have had it has been the one thing, besides family, that has stayed constant in my life.

 

[68wRTR]

Also ....Curious if there is anyone on the board who:

Didnt attend the University - Wasnt born in Alabama - Didnt have parents who attended - didnt marry a grad or former player ?

You have no physical connection to the state / team or school , you simply are a fan.

I fit that category pretty well. I was born in Seguin Texas, moved to Mississippi where all my family is from, lived there about 4 years then moved to alabama around 1989 i believe. I was a huge MSU fan growing up until i got in junior high and switched to Bama... During those years it wasnt the greatest times to be a Bama fan. I truly didnt become a fanatic until i left for my basic training in Ft. Benning GA then to my AIT at Ft. Sam Huston. It was in Shulas 2nd to last year and i just remeber thinking Roll Tide and sweet home alabama were more than just a song and was more than just a war cry for our favorite College football team, it was something that had been a part of where i grew up for majority of my life and it meant more to me than the just listening to a song or yelling Roll Tide at the top of your lungs at a football game.
Thats pretty much the story of how i become an Alabama fan. Never went to school there, but i hope i do. Anyway RTR!!!:BigA:

 

[exiledNms]

Born into it. Grandpa was a huge fan; late in his life, was ordered by his Dr. to stop listening to & watching Bama games for the sake of his ailing heart. So, he'd take a slow stroll around Enterprise, AL on games, hating every second of not watching/listening. Mom was a student there in the Ears era. Her quote: "we never really thought we'd win; we just wanted to score now & then to make it interesting." Dad never went to college, but was a *huge* Bama fan. I grew up watching & reading & idolizing. Met Bart Starr--a classmate of an uncle's--when I was a kid. Dad took me to sit in the rain @ the Notre Dame Sugar Bowl which the bad guys won, but which remains a life highlight. Got to shake hands w/ Coach Bryant then, which made quite an impression on my young 12 year old self. Remember exactly where I was watching the Goal Line Stand on TV. Took leave of my senses & attended UF before waking up & wondering what I was doing there amongst the jort-clad orange folk. Transferred up to the Capstone, arriving in 1980. Three degrees from there. One wife. Attended the Sugar Bowl loss and the Sugar Bowl win over Miami. In other words, points on a pilgrimage. :biggrin2:

Regrettably, Bama doesn't have a pharmacy school, and pharm school tuition for #1 ruled out out-of-state tuition for #2. Thus, the Bama student line ends w/ me. My kids are both fans, but secondarily to their current school (son) & future school (daughter). jr. is having a *great* college experience in all the ways one is supposed to; he's just not having it @ Bama. I 'spect the daughter will too. Interestingly, their schools are pretty serious rivals; some fun Thanksgivings ahead @ casa exiled... (note: this aside, I could not be prouder of them!)

So, I'm a Tide evangelist amongst the local heathens. And let nobody think they like us. Hate...despise...and whatever adjective you can add. They really loathe us mightily. (in case you were wondering.) My Tidevangelism work here is decidedly not finished.

As to Tidefans, I honestly haven't a clue how I got here. But I've stayed & developed a healthy obsession w/ this place.

Roll Tide!
exiled

 

[RT1941]

I am ALABAMA BY BIRTH, CRIMSON TIDE BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!!

AMEN!

Bear Bryant taught me the meaning of PRIDE.
My pledge of allegance is ROLL TIDE!:BigA:

 

[CrimsonDonald]

When I was 6 years old, 1958, my Mother and Father would drive to legion field, park on 8th ave at the north endzone, which you could see through to the field and watch while they listened to Maury Farrell call the game on the radio. Times were very simple back then. I would help my mother compile stats in front of the radio or tv as the game was being played.
Mid sixties, my uncle who worked for B`ham park and rec, would load me and my cousin with empty boxes and let us walk through the north main gate, and we watched every game there until 74 when he died. The games I did not see live since then, I have either watched them on TV or listen to every radio broadcast up til now

 

[bamadws56]

I became a fan of the Crimson Tide because my Grandfather is a born and bred bama man. He brought me up right. 1997 I came to the glorious Capstone and attended the University. I stayed until 2000...lol finally came back and graduated a few years ago.

I became a member of Tidefans a few years ago while I was serving my second tour in Iraq. I needed a way to keep up. i actually stumbled on the site when I was trying to find copies of a few games, 1992 Sugar Bowl, Victory in the Swamp, The 99 SEC Championship game. Does anyone know who does that around here btw, Ican;t remember who I got those from?

I absolutely love this site and wish to extend my thanks to the mods for making this the best Bama site on the net. Roll Tide!!!

 

[CATider]

Not a native of the state, but had the privilege of attending the University. Having lived on the West Coast since leaving the Capstone, I take pride in the number of people who I have helped become honorary citizens of the Bama Nation. Thanks to Van Tiffin, several friends became passionate Tide fans after watching the 85 Iron Bowl at my place, partaking in the appropriate food and drink rituals and learning the rammer jammer cheer.

 

[rhYno]

I was born in Georgia, raised up watching Alabama, but didn't actually become "obsessed" until after I attended my first game which was the 2005 Tennessee game. Though I've been a life-long fan, I wasn't a die hard up until my first actual experience. :BigA:

 

[Crimson Surfer]

I was born a Tide fan at University Hospital in Birmingham. The rest is history.

 

[Bud]

one of my earliest memories was...I couldn't have been much more than a toddler - I was pushing this popper type toy (picture a plastic bubble with some plastic balls and piston inside that moved with the rotation of the wheels and made this annoying popping with the plastic balls) well, I remember pushing it in front of the tv 1 time too many while my dad was watching ALABAMA (and there were only two televised games at that time) well that toy ended up in pieces. I recognized right there, i believe, that "whooa, this must be important" and it was - it was ALABAMA football. Since then, it's been ALABAMA and a lot of great times with my Dad. Funny, I've told this story to non football people and they think it's cruel that my dad broke my toy...I think its cruel he didn't make me watch the game earlier.