There are stories of the Bama mom caught on tape fighting for her Tide. There are negative comments about Bama fans losing control over the loss. And there are countless other innuendoes of how we losers should stay in our trailer parks and cry it out. I am again amazed at the sheer number of fans from other teams that want their jab at us simply because we yell Roll Tide. I say bring it on. Nothing you say will ever change my Crimson Legacy. Nothing.
My Crimson Legacy runs deep because I was raised to appreciate the experience of being a Tide fan. It is more than winning and losing. It has always been way more than that.
It's being born in Druid City Hospital and calling Tuscaloosa home.
It's countless hours in Bryant Denny stadium, Coleman Coliseum, and Foster auditorium cheering on the Tide.
It's doughnuts from the Krispy Kreme in Alberta City.
It's that moon winking at you every time you drive by.
It's being nine years old and carrying that University of Alabama employee dependent card to prove that I was a card-carrying fan.
It's remembering when basketball was big and beating Kentucky was even bigger.
It's Bobby Lee Hurt, Derrick McKey, Mark Gottfried, Penney Hauschild, Bobby Humphrey, Jay Barker, AJ McCarron, and many more.
It's breakfast at Waysider, lunch at City Café, and dinner at DePalma's.
It's Hackberry, 15th Street, and Bryant Drive.
It's Eli Gold's voice.
It's Yea, Alabama.
It's Sweet Home Alabama.
It's the Million Dollar Band.
It's the Bryant Museum.
It's the Strip on Thursday night.
It's Denny Chimes.
It's the Tusk, the Houndstooth, and Gallette's.
It's Dreamland.
It's Bear, Gene, and Saban.
It's 15 national championships in football.
It's 6 national championships in gymnastics.
It's 2 national championships in golf.
It's 1 national championship in softball.
It's because I, my husband, my mother, my father, my sister, my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, and both brothers-in-law all call the University of Alabama their alma mater. But I think more than all of these, I love the Crimson Tide because of the tradition and legacy that it brings for my son.
As a surprise this Christmas, my husband and I decided to buy our 9-year old son, Matt, a Sugar Bowl ticket. This boy is a die-hard Bama fan and knows stats about current and former players better than most adults. His room is littered with Alabama football items...posters, helmets, jerseys, banners, footballs, and even Bama bed sheets and pillowcases. He loves the Tide and I love watching him enjoy them.
And so, as we prepared for our trip to New Orleans, I loved watching the excitement grow for him. He couldn't wait to cheer on the team he loves. He anxiously waited to watch AJ and his crew defeat those Sooners. He prepared by asking questions about Oklahoma and wanted to know as much as he could about their offense and defense.
Amid all the talk about our fans, they did not let me down. A couple of Tide fans gave us shakers. Others took pictures for us. Still others offered to get us drinks and snacks as they went to buy their own. The stadium was packed with hospitable fans dressed in crimson and houndstooth. I was proud of our fans and happy that Matt experienced such a great night.
And although our Tide didn't come out on top, the legacy continues. He experienced it. He lived it. He loved it. He has so much more to look forward to. And that's worth way more than winning or losing.
Roll Tide before. Roll Tide now. Roll Tide Always.
So glad you were able to give him the greatest Christmas gift ever! I could tell from the photos that you all had a wonderful time. I'm so glad that my family can play a role in preserving the legacy at the Bryant Museum for future fans like Matt. Roll Tide!
ReplyDeleteScarlett, we had so much fun. He loved every minute. Tell Kenneth we are bringing Macy to a gymnastics meet later this month. It's her turn to experience the legacy :)
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