Outside SEC:
Nebraska. exiled, jr. & I went to a game there once; never seen anything like it. There's lots of noise about "class" these days; all of us are a distant 2nd to the Husker Nation imo--including we Bama fans (2nd generation alum w/ multiple UA degrees here). But I was a long-distance fan of NU back in the 60s & 70s, well before we went to a game in Lincoln. Their demolishing of Miami some years back is one of my fave all-time games. "We're gonna run the ball right between the guard & tackle, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it"...Check the 3rd qtr rushing stats from that game; a thing of beauty!
Inside SEC:
Ole Miss. (Yeah, I know; nobody on this board can stand them...I'm giving *my* opinion here, not y'all's. :biggrin2: :biggrin: ) When we moved to MS 21.5 years ago, my intended ordering of in-state schools was USM, MSU, & UM. Since then, I've had 21.5 years of encounters w/ lots of alums & fans of all three, and have been to a bunch of games at all three stadiums. In my experience, UM wins by a *LONG* way in game-day experience and in fans that are fun to be around, win or lose. Also in quality humans in life around town in the offseason. And yeah, I've been @ V-H in Oxford when my Tide beat them, including the controversial end-of-game call a few years back; I've always been treated very well there. This has not been true in Starkville. (I'm so far from a noise-talking fan before, during & after the game that it's not even funny)
Of course, some years after my in-state allegiances switched, exiled, jr. decided to go to Ole Miss. The combo of his *fantastic* college experience in multiple ways that is worthy of a long blog entry, plus paying lots of $$ in tuition helps one develop a secondary allegiance. (this is year three of grad school tuition...Pharmacy School!) Something about treasures & hearts & such...
"So, exiled, why'd he go there & not to UA?" Simple: check the rankings of UA's Pharmacy School. (don't bother; we don't have one) When he was deciding where to apply, I gritted my teeth & said "Auburn has a Pharmacy School"...to which he
instantly replied, "No chance I'm going to Auburn!" One of my proudest parenting moments. :biggrin: BTW, he pulls for my alma mater in all but one game a year.
exiled jr & I are aiming to attend the Army-Navy game this Fall. I agree also w/ the service academy mentions above.
exiled
