Why does everyone hate us?

[Anchovy]

In response to Anchovy - If the roles were reversed you would have given your head coach (insert name) sainthood. It is people like you that reinforce that stereotype of the dumb southern hick that ALL of us fight.

First off I don't want my coach to be Super Sleuth. Second I have a major problem with your coach why that would equal me being a "dumb southern hick" I don't know.

Although I maintain that Fulmer did nothing out of line in talking to the NCAA (Spurrier did as well but that did not stop you from trying to entice him to come the Capstone).

I have nothing to do with the hiring of a new coach and a lot of coaches were talked to during the Means investigation including Spurrier but none of them were involved with secret meetings and secret tapings and coverups

I do believe that he is a respectable man though.

Really?! Ask Johnny Majors if he thinks Fatumbo is a respectable man. Was he respectable when he allegedly arranged payments for Tee Martin and Eric Locke? How about when he was a coward and wouldn't publicly admit that he was the secret NCAA witness? Is it respectable to illegally and secretly tape record someone?

Maybe he made a mistake in talking to the NCAA. I am not in a place to judge him. He is a Tennessee Vol, born and raised in Tennessee and played here as well. He loves the state and the school and he does a lot of great things in the community. He also donates a ton of time to children's organizations. That being said, I wish he was as strong willed as our basketball coach Bruce Pearl though. Then maybe UT football would not headline the police blotter during the off-season. That stuff makes me as sick.

Well it is often said that a team takes on the character of it's coach.

 

[foley_boy]

IMO, He was out of line. I would not want any Bama coach more worried about UT than Bama. Again, my opinion. I respect yours.

PLEASE...for the love of God, DO NOT put me in the group that wanted Spurrier. Although he did report us to the NCAA, he did it in the official manner versus acting like a CIA Operative. I DID point that out (among other things) however when I was upset at Bama fans actually WANTING him to come here. Excuse me a minute while I throw up again just thinking about it. I've spent 15 years despising the man...can't turn that off. I'd rather General Neyland coach us than Spurrier (at least he had respect for us).

I'm with you on that one...I think I got flamed a couple times for trying to rally people AGAINST the Spurrier idea...I can't stand him

 

[skrayper77]

Going to our friendly Volunteer's post...

We dislike Fulmer for a multitude of reasons, but his handling of the rape charge of one of his own players should have sent warning lights in all directions. Honestly, if he wasn't the head coach of Tennessee, do you think for five seconds that he would not have had his butt thrown in jail for obstruction of justice and impeding a criminal investigation?

I doubt MTSU's coach or Vanderbilt's is as safe from legal ramifications as Phil Fulmer is in Tennessee. I can certainly understand his reluctance to leave the state... few people enjoy such immunities as he does within the Volunteer State.

Aside from that, and I do apologize for the rant on Fulmer, I don't fault him for turning in Alabama. I *DO* fault his very underhanded way of doing so. I think he was very cowardly, and I do believe he did it so save his own team from sanctions.

However, Alabama did break the rules. Punished overly so? Yes. If we had not done it, we couldn't have been punished to begin with though. So the fault lies with us.

However, I do long for the days of what the rivalry used to be... I considered it to be a much friendlier rivalry than the one with Auburn.

 

[bayoutider]

I don't think Spurrier ever reported us for anything. He just sent a letter to DuBose warning him that he would if something wasn't fixed.

Bingo Jack.

Let's try to keep it civil folks even if you have to ignore the UT version. And my departing comment to all is I don't want or need anyone's stinking pity.

 

[TurningTide]

First of all, everyone does not hate you. It is worse than that. People now pity you. Stop all the "woe is me" stuff and get on with it. Hire a good coach(Saban is a pipe dream, but more power to you if you get him because he is just the one to slay all of your sacred cows that are holding you back) and get back to a competitive status. Alabama will never be what it was in the 70's and 80's. No program will be. There are too many schools that are putting a whole lot of emphasis on football and plenty have more resources than Alabama. There are several schools in your own conference that have more resources than you including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU. Quit the pity party and get back to respectability for all our sakes. Start by beating the stuffing out of OSU.
RollTide and Hold that LSU Tiger!

First, don't patronize us with the "RollTide" bit at the end. You don't come on here and slam us, then end with that.

Secondly, you mention how we are "pitied." Is it kind of like the way people have always pitied LSU until after 2000 for being nothing more than mediocre? 5-7 good seasons does not a great program make. Just like 5-7 poor seasons does not good program destroy.

Speaking as a realistic fan, not one who always thinks things are just rosy, Bama CAN be what they once were, and you want to know why? We have one hell of a foundation beneath us, unlike 90% of college football programs out there. (LSU most definitely included) MOST schools could not bounce back from what happend to us. And the fact that our fans have done nothing but scream that much louder how proud we are to be Bama fans is what TRULY disgusts others out there. (whether they'll admit it or not...it's transparent)

All the other big time SEC programs have been waiting for us to roll over and die, but it's not happening and quite frankly it ****** them off. You say "the 70's and 80's will never come back," but I believe what you really mean is "God, I hope the 70's and 80's don't come back for Bama" because deep down you know the foundation will always be laid for a big come back for Bama, and that most likely is what causes the disdain.

 

[SoldierForTide]

First, don't patronize us with the "RollTide" bit at the end. You don't come on here and slam us, then end with that.

Secondly, you mention how we are "pitied." Is it kind of like the way people have always pitied LSU until after 2000 for being nothing more than mediocre? 5-7 good seasons does not a great program make. Just like 5-7 poor seasons does not good program destroy.

Speaking as a realistic fan, not one who always thinks things are just rosy, Bama CAN be what they once were, and you want to know why? We have one hell of a foundation beneath us, unlike 90% of college football programs out there. (LSU most definitely included) MOST schools could not bounce back from what happend to us. And the fact that our fans have done nothing but scream that much louder how proud we are to be Bama fans is what TRULY disgusts others out there. (whether they'll admit it or not...it's transparent)

All the other big time SEC programs have been waiting for us to roll over and die, but it's not happening and quite frankly it ****** them off. You say "the 70's and 80's will never come back," but I believe what you really mean is "God, I hope the 70's and 80's don't come back for Bama" because deep down you know the foundation will always be laid for a big come back for Bama, and that most likely is what causes the disdain.

I lived in Louisiana for 19 years of my life. Sadly, there were probably 1/5 of the fans pre-2003 than there are now. Don't worry, once Les gets them back where they belong, he can start rooting for the Saints full-time. The dude is obviously scared about us getting Saban. Notice how all these other schools "fans" come here to give us "helpful advice" by saying a good coach is a pipe-dream.

If he wants to slam us, I agree, he should be a little more "manly" about it. Sadly, I'm not real sure what to expect from a team sporting purple and men kissing one another on television.

 

[BIGBAM]

I myself would like to know what other fans mean when they say we "Alabama"
supposedly dont have the resources of other sec teams. To that I say BLASPHEMY! Someone correct me if Im wrong but didnt we at the Univ of Al just spend 150+ million collectively on athletic facilities and more? And thats only the beginning of where thats going. The other sec step brethren has never been anything but a big bag of dried up hot air and they still are now as far as Im concerned. What do you mean by "resources"? Does that mean friends in high places and money lenders in the shadows that help your kitties,dawgs,etc. or someone elses school? Probably LS-WHO and the hillbillies only wish they had a stadium as nice as ours. Their stadiums are tired decrepit old nasty dumps and they know it. Take that anyway you like it either with your so called rentivated upgrades or not. They wish they had our alumni support,tv coverage,beautiful campus, co-eds,baseball stadium,basketball arena,public status and whatever else you can drum up. We as Bama only have one place to go from where we are at this point. 'They' know where that is deep down inside and its not looking good for everyone else who opposes. If these people dont like us then fine with me. Go find a counselor to cry to about it.

 

[foley_boy]

I myself would like to know what other fans mean when they say we "Alabama"
supposedly dont have the resources of other sec teams. To that I say BLASPHEMY! Someone correct me if Im wrong but didnt we at the Univ of Al just spend 150+ million collectively on athletic facilities and more? And thats only the beginning of where thats going. The other sec step brethren has never been anything but a big bag of dried up hot air and they still are now as far as Im concerned. What do you mean by "resources"? Does that mean friends in high places and money lenders in the shadows that help your kitties,dawgs,etc. or someone elses school? Probably LS-WHO and the hillbillies only wish they had a stadium as nice as ours. Their stadiums are tired decrepit old nasty dumps and they know it. Take that anyway you like it either with your so called rentivated upgrades or not. They wish they had our alumni support,tv coverage,beautiful campus, co-eds,baseball stadium,basketball arena,public status and whatever else you can drum up. We as Bama only have one place to go from where we are at this point. 'They' know where that is deep down inside and its not looking good for everyone else who opposes. If these people dont like us then fine with me. Go find a counselor to cry to about it.

whoo! well said my friend...glad to have you as a fellow Bama fan!

 

[AlpineVol]

Going to our friendly Volunteer's post...

We dislike Fulmer for a multitude of reasons, but his handling of the rape charge of one of his own players should have sent warning lights in all directions. Honestly, if he wasn't the head coach of Tennessee, do you think for five seconds that he would not have had his butt thrown in jail for obstruction of justice and impeding a criminal investigation?

I doubt MTSU's coach or Vanderbilt's is as safe from legal ramifications as Phil Fulmer is in Tennessee. I can certainly understand his reluctance to leave the state... few people enjoy such immunities as he does within the Volunteer State.

Aside from that, and I do apologize for the rant on Fulmer, I don't fault him for turning in Alabama. I *DO* fault his very underhanded way of doing so. I think he was very cowardly, and I do believe he did it so save his own team from sanctions.

However, Alabama did break the rules. Punished overly so? Yes. If we had not done it, we couldn't have been punished to begin with though. So the fault lies with us.

However, I do long for the days of what the rivalry used to be... I considered it to be a much friendlier rivalry than the one with Auburn.

Very good points. I admit to seeing the world through orange-tinted glasses from time to time. The whole deal with the rape charge was disgraceful. I guess looking at Fulmer from an outsider's POV shows him in a different light. Sometimes I see hints of a "win-at-all-costs" attitude there. I keep hoping that that is not the case. I am keeping the faith that the good people up there will right the ship. I in no way imply that UT runs a spotless program but I think some on here are a little harsh. The way your media attacked Jason Swain was unforgivable. All of those wild accusations without a ounce of truth to back it up. To you Bama fans who bash Tennessee and Auburn as flawed programs, be careful throwing stones in your glass house. This rivaly has lost it's civility to a point. That is sad. I wish I could walk into Bryant-Denny wearing my orange and white without the torrent of cursing at me because the football coach and the school I support turned your coach in. It is sad when the Bama fans in my section in 05 made my 7 year old son ask me why every one there hated us. I know that this past season many Vol fans, myself included invited Bama fans to their tailgate and was otherwise civil. Granted there are the idiots in knoxville, and maybe i had the misfortune of being around the minority of the same type of idiots in T-Town. I just wish it weren't so. Maybe this is the way it will be from now on..... all that being said, although I hope we beat the snot out of you every time we play....I do hope Bama rights there ship and becomes the torchbearer of southern football that they used to be.

 

[CaliforniaTide]

The Southern man is the only group in America where it is still socially acceptable to poke fun or ridicule.

This is gonna sound real weird, but despite being born and raised a California dude, my California friends call me "redneck" just because I decided to go to school in Alabama. I still dress like a surfer boy when I go to class at Alabama most of the time, but I still have some friends that think I'm the redneck of the rednecks simply because of the stereotype that Southerners get.

In all honesty, I think it'd be real cool if I had been born a Southerner and not a Californian.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

We take volunteers - just not the UT sort...

 

[CrimsonAlways]

We take volunteers - just not the UT sort...

Took a little while to read the posts contained in this thread. I am not surprised nor impressed with most of the comments by people who are content to have their team be in the top "15" in the country. I suppose when you are accustomed to being at the top or in the top "5" for so many years as Alabama was and hopefully will be again that number has a hollow ring. I do, however, want to coment to any UT fan that may read my post. I really don't care what you think about anything on any subject much less your less than acurate ramblings on the status of Alabama football. How dare you! Clean up around your own door before you step over here and offer words of wisdom couched in platitudes of pity. I don't go to other sites and offer my comments as I do not feel that is my place. Our program paid its dues. We have circled our wagons and now we can handle our own affairs thank you very much.

 

[BamaIMRice]

People like to talk about schools when they're down and jump on the hating bandwagon. We just don't hear about the respect most people give us underneath the bashing of a few.

 

[LegionField]

Because you are from down around the beach. We are all jealous.....

 

[foley_boy]

Very good points. I admit to seeing the world through orange-tinted glasses from time to time. The whole deal with the rape charge was disgraceful. I guess looking at Fulmer from an outsider's POV shows him in a different light. Sometimes I see hints of a "win-at-all-costs" attitude there. I keep hoping that that is not the case. I am keeping the faith that the good people up there will right the ship. I in no way imply that UT runs a spotless program but I think some on here are a little harsh. The way your media attacked Jason Swain was unforgivable. All of those wild accusations without a ounce of truth to back it up. To you Bama fans who bash Tennessee and Auburn as flawed programs, be careful throwing stones in your glass house. This rivaly has lost it's civility to a point. That is sad. I wish I could walk into Bryant-Denny wearing my orange and white without the torrent of cursing at me because the football coach and the school I support turned your coach in. It is sad when the Bama fans in my section in 05 made my 7 year old son ask me why every one there hated us. I know that this past season many Vol fans, myself included invited Bama fans to their tailgate and was otherwise civil. Granted there are the idiots in knoxville, and maybe i had the misfortune of being around the minority of the same type of idiots in T-Town. I just wish it weren't so. Maybe this is the way it will be from now on..... all that being said, although I hope we beat the snot out of you every time we play....I do hope Bama rights there ship and becomes the torchbearer of southern football that they used to be.

If it were me brother, I wouldn't take a little kid to a fierce rivals stadium unless you are prepared to deal with something like that. That's just common sense man.

 

[neutralguy]

Very good points. I admit to seeing the world through orange-tinted glasses from time to time. The whole deal with the rape charge was disgraceful. I guess looking at Fulmer from an outsider's POV shows him in a different light. Sometimes I see hints of a "win-at-all-costs" attitude there. I keep hoping that that is not the case. I am keeping the faith that the good people up there will right the ship. I in no way imply that UT runs a spotless program but I think some on here are a little harsh. The way your media attacked Jason Swain was unforgivable. All of those wild accusations without a ounce of truth to back it up. To you Bama fans who bash Tennessee and Auburn as flawed programs, be careful throwing stones in your glass house. This rivaly has lost it's civility to a point. That is sad. I wish I could walk into Bryant-Denny wearing my orange and white without the torrent of cursing at me because the football coach and the school I support turned your coach in. It is sad when the Bama fans in my section in 05 made my 7 year old son ask me why every one there hated us. I know that this past season many Vol fans, myself included invited Bama fans to their tailgate and was otherwise civil. Granted there are the idiots in knoxville, and maybe i had the misfortune of being around the minority of the same type of idiots in T-Town. I just wish it weren't so. Maybe this is the way it will be from now on..... all that being said, although I hope we beat the snot out of you every time we play....I do hope Bama rights there ship and becomes the torchbearer of southern football that they used to be.

Don't be sad. You should be much more "sad" if you were at Tennessee-Alabama game this year, when more than 10,000 people yelling, "'B'uck you, 'F'ama" in Neyland Stadium. I don't normally call these people or whose people who scared the crap out of your son "idiots". That's how it works, and we, at least I, have no time to talk about the "civility" here.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I remember the '01 UT game. I attended and watched from the UT President's sky box (there're actually two - orange and white). I was urged to wear neutral colors, so as not to "encite friction." (Although there was one couple in crimson and white.) Our former President was also there, dressed neutrally, I might add. My thought was "They can't protect me even here..."

 

[PattheCatinSaudi]

Very good points. I admit to seeing the world through orange-tinted glasses from time to time.
This rivaly has lost it's civility to a point. That is sad. I wish I could walk into Bryant-Denny wearing my orange and white without the torrent of cursing at me because the football coach and the school I support turned your coach in. It is sad when the Bama fans in my section in 05 made my 7 year old son ask me why every one there hated us. I do hope Bama rights there ship and becomes the torchbearer of southern football that they used to be.

In 1966, my Dad took me to the Bama-UT game in Knoxville. I was 12, but I looked about 9 or 10. I wore my new crimson Alabama sweatshirt. We met my aunt, uncle and cousin who drove down from DC. My cousin and I had scalped tickets in the UT section. For most of the 4th quarter and all of the time it took to exit the statium and meet up with our parents, my cousin and I were roundly and imaginatively cursed. That was 40 years ago and I still remember their "civility". I personally have never heard the things said to any UT fan in either BryantDenny or Legion that were said to me and my 14 yo cousin that day in Knoxville.

 

[bamapeppy]

I have attended many SEC games over many years and never felt intimidated at any rivals stadium. Not till the 90s that was when the American youth seemed to change the atmosphere at sporting events.

 

[Anchovy]

I wish I could walk into Bryant-Denny wearing my orange and white without the torrent of cursing at me because the football coach and the school I support turned your coach in.

First off it wasn't our coach. Second maybe if your coach hadn't made an underhanded deal with the NCAA things wouldn't be so bad. Maybe if Fatumbo had "just" turned Alabama in and not become an investigator things wouldn't be so bad.

It is sad when the Bama fans in my section in 05 made my 7 year old son ask me why every one there hated us. I know that this past season many Vol fans, myself included invited Bama fans to their tailgate and was otherwise civil. Granted there are the idiots in knoxville, and maybe i had the misfortune of being around the minority of the same type of idiots in T-Town. I just wish it weren't so. Maybe this is the way it will be from now on..... all that being said, although I hope we beat the snot out of you every time we play....

I thought it was sad three years when I was leaving your stadium some tall redneck with a mullet wearing a Thugessee jersey decided to stick his middle finger two inches from my face and this was besides the comments that I heard. I may hate Auburn but I have never feared for my safety there.

I do hope Bama rights there ship and becomes the torchbearer of southern football that they used to be.

You can cut out the patronizing comments no one believes you.