Question: Why do people cheer for the University of Alabama football team when they didn't attend school there?

[BamaNation]

For those of us who are alums, we sort of have a built-in interest in the team's performance... and most likely are fans regardless of that performance.

Also, for many of us, fandom started long before we made college or work or location decisions. For example, my dad got his Ed.S. at Alabama during the summers when I was 1,2, and 3 years old. We lived in Rose Towers and it was eleventy thousand degrees on the playground and at the pool. Despite those scorching memories, I ALWAYS said I was going to be a "Bama boy" (according to my Mom) and I don't have any memories of anything else (because there was nothing else in the picture for me because of that lifelong desire).

Others of you probably have family stories, or the fact that Alabama was dominant during your formative years. Others, you have entirely different reasons for cheering for the Tide.

Whatever your story, I want to hear it!

 

[Bama_N_Va]

Dad is an alumni, I grew up in Tuscaloosa and Northport!!! Used to work concessions at BDS and sit with the Bama band during games, yeah, no kidding!!!!

 

[Saban4Ever]

I grew up in Alabama. Had many relatives who went to UA. Had one who worked at the university for a long time. I started watching Bama football when I was in elementary school. I have always been a Bama fan, regardless of the coach or record. It sure has been nice since Coach Saban came in 2007 though. RTR!

 

[bamaee04]

I grew up on the coast of MS, but my Dad worked in AL. Even though we were right on the state line of MS/AL, I grew up following the Tide and developing a love and passion for Crimson Tide Football at a young age. This only grew as time went on and eventually led to me attending and graduating from the Capstone. I never had any strong like or dislike towards Ole Miss or MS State and would have attended one of them I'm sure, but my mind was made up as soon as the stars aligned for me to attend UA. Visiting and being at any of them never compared to being in Tuscaloosa. I love anytime that I get to be on campus and my kids do too. I hope that what I have instilled with my kids will lead to at least one, some, or all of them to eventually become alums as well. I'm very appreciative of what my degree has done for me and my family, and I love continuing to be a big supporter of things academic and sports related and all things Alabama. Roll Tide!

 

[bamadwain]

I'll take a stab at it, never was able to go to college but I've had a good life of 62 yrs , born in Tennessee ( Fayetteville) grew up in Huntsville, have a uncle who is 6 yrs older than me and think of him as a brother he graduated from Alabama and took me to many games over the years ( Big games) moved to West Tennessee in 78 ( Dad got transferred) and finished up high school here, have always been a die hard Bama fan, as is my son and he's boy's, we have gone to many games over the years ( wife and daughter like the festivities) hopefully soon me and my son will take the boy's Roll Tide

 

[CoolBreeze]

I am not a UA alumnus. I was the first of my family to graduate college (BSC) but I have been an Alabama fan my entire life. Why, my Dad (of the step variety) was blind and I grew up with him listening to the Alabama broadcast every Saturday. We shared that experience as I grew up and the relationship became more profound. I lived overseas when I first found this board and my Dad would call me on the phone so we could listen to broadcast together...all 4 hours worth every Saturday at wee hours of the morning. So it is a hobby for me, a favorite pastime that I really enjoy. I guess you could say I am an Alabama fan by birth (born at St. Vincent's) but Love Alabama by choice. Roll Tide!

 

[Tidelines]

I didn’t graduate from Alabama. I grew up a Bama fan mainly because of coach Bryant. And down through the years I’ve gone to a lot of games, bowl games, and one championship game. The first game I went to it was still just the lower bowl.So I have been a fan a while.
I did buy a house in Tuscaloosa about two miles from Bryant Denny so one of my grandson could go to Alabama. He is a proud graduate. So I have donated some to the Tuscaloosa’s economy.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

grew up in Alabama, dad was a fan, took me to my first game. I had every intention of attending Alabama, but my initial major wasn't offered and then my final major wasn't offered at Alabama. I have stayed a fan because it really is the only part of my dad that I have left.

 

[Bazza]

I been asking myself that question for years!

J/K.....for me it's an appreciation for the way they approach their program.

Aside from "the process" - there's the traditional stuff like the Bryant Museum - the Crimsonettes - Rammer Jammer and Dixieland Delight.

Gotta also appreciate the business trip attitude instilled on the players. Lord knows I wish we had more of that at Florida. Maybe over time with Coach Napier we can.

I've also enjoyed my time here on Tide Fans. Lot of great folks......

 

[teamplayer]

I never really knew that I had a choice. Everyone cheered for Bama at our house, so that is what I was raised to do. My dad is an alum, but I'm pretty sure my family were Bama fans before he ever attended UA. I started at a junior college because I had a small scholarship there, but I got my bachelor's degree from Bama and have continued to be pure Bama my entire adult life. My daughter has not followed in my footsteps, but I do remember when we took her to Tuscaloosa for one of her college visits. I think she noticed the look in my eyes and the sound in my voice when I talked about memories that I had. She smiled and hugged me and said that she was glad that I enjoyed my college years so much. I think she even gave me a Roll Tide, but then she said that she still wasn't going to Bama. Oh well, you can't win them all.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

grew up in Alabama, dad was a fan, took me to my first game. I had every intention of attending Alabama, but my initial major wasn't offered and then my final major wasn't offered at Alabama. I have stayed a fan because it really is the only part of my dad that I have left.

in hindsight I could have gotten a BS at Alabama in literally anything then transferred to another school to get a masters in Architecture. I had no idea that was even an option.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Because I was born and raised in Alabama and I grew up a Bama fan. I went to FSU because I qualified for In-State tuition after graduating from a Florida JUCO (Chipola). You also got admitted automatically if you graduate from a Florida JUCO. I maintained my Bama allegiance.

I've told this story one or two times. I used to work at the FSU Bookstore back in the 90s. I was a campus political activist and I knew/had a good relationship with most of the FSU police. Coach Bowden had a book signing at the bookstore and I wanted to get my step-father an autographed copy of his book. So, I took the book up for him to sign. One of the Campus officers was sitting beside him at the table and he looked at me and said, "Why do you want his autograph, you're a Bama fan!" Coach Bowden looked at me and then at him and said, "Heck, I'm an Alabama fan also!" The officers face turned as red as the Bama shirt I was wearing at the time. And he signed the book.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I was born and raised in Mississippi but all I knew as a kid was we were Bama fans. Around the 6th grade, I had kids at school constantly ask me why I lived in MS but rooted for Bama. So, one day I came home from school and went out to where my dad was working on the lawn mower and asked "Daddy, why do we root for Alabama when we live in MS?". Without even hesitating he turns and says "We don't root for losers son now go get me a crescent wrench out of my toolbox."

ROLL TIDE!!!

 

[crimsonaudio]

I was born and raised in Mississippi

Okay, it's all beginning to make sense now.

 

[Power Eye]

All of my family is from AL (mom from Tuscaloosa and dad from Huntsville). My parents met at the University and moved to Atlanta to start their careers, so I've never lived in AL. When it was time for me to go to school it was either GA Tech or Alabama, and the Hope scholarship won out.

I didn't really choose to be a fan, it was just how as I was raised. My parents have had season tickets since I can remember, and when I got out of school during the Francionne/Shula years, I got season tickets until we had kids. My parents gave up their tickets in 2019 and now I try to watch as many of the bigger games as I can with them, and I always talk to my dad after a game.

It's interesting how Alabama football can be such a centerpiece in a family's life and how it can bring them together. Outsiders might see it as crazy or sad even, but not to me. Some of my fondest memories with my family have involved Alabama football.

 

[cjhadley]

I attended, but did not graduate, but I plan on eventually going back and finish my degree. As far as the question, my parents and brother are fans and I have always felt that it is because there is no pro team in the state. I was a fan before I even attended and I would have been even if I didn't, but I don't know if it would have been different there was an in-state pro team to cheer for.

 

[mdb-tpet]

I worked with a engineer, who seemed like the least likely guy to be an Alabama fan in the plant. And one day he walks in with this ragged full of holes U of Alabama sweatshirt, so I ask him if he's an Alabama fan. And then he start singing, "

"They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues "

Said he decided to be an Alabama fan when he heard the Deacon Blues lyrics.

 

[Tidewater]

My family moved from Virginia to Huntsville in June 1980, the summer before my senior year. On my first trip to K-Mart, I saw a toilet lid with the elephant stepping through a block A. (Next to that was a toilet lid with a logo from some cow college I cannot remember now).

My father was a Va Tech grad, so we had grown up listening to (and occasionally watching) the Hokie football team, but I had never seen fanhood taken to that extreme.
At any rate, I wanted to study Russian and I could not afford to go out of state, so, short list. I started my college career at Alabama in 1981 and finished in 2017.

 

[CB4]

Born and raised in Birmingham. My earliest recollections were listening to John Forney on the radio broadcasts in the mid 1960’s with my father. I was the youngest of four (and a very late in life child for my father). My father was a steel worker in Birmingham and retired while I was in junior high. It was the bigger than life personality of Coach Bryant that hooked me.

Pretty much all of the “college savings” for the kids was spent getting my oldest brother (16 years my senior) through to his Masters. My dream was Tuscaloosa. My reality was working two jobs and attending UAB. But I never lost my love for all things “Crimson Tide”.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

This is a good thread. These stories are great