The Tradition Continues...

Current Tunes: Soundgarden – My Wave

Today’s the big day. Alabama vs. Texas for the whole can of beans. The BCS Championship. Today the big UA gets to write a whole new chapter and take home their 13th National Championship. It seems not so far a way a few years ago when we were having mediocre seasons and losing to Auburn 6 years in a row. That time is long behind us though, and tonight’s going to be the end of a long road.

Looking back further than that, I can remember very clearly being at my grandparents’ house in Tyler, Texas, on January 1st, 1993 when we last won the National Championship. I remember watching the game with my dad, in the dimly lit backroom of the house. I remember running around the house yelling and shouting multiple times throughout the night whenever Alabama made a big play.

I especially remember watching George Teague strip that ball straight out of Lamar Thomas’ hands to negate a touchdown. That’s probably one of my most fond football memories of any game, at any place, in any time. I suppose that’s not really saying a lot. After all, “The Strip” is one of the more amazing and famous moments in all of Alabama football history, and has a tremendous amount of emotional weight for Alabama fans everywhere.

That play I think was special to me because it was the first time I remember watching a play from a sports event and really going “Wow!” I’d watched lots and lots of players hit game-winning homeruns in baseball games, or last minute buzzer-beaters to win a big basketball game, but not a play like that where one guy just willed something not to happen on the field of play. I’ll remember it forever.

I hope tonight is another night like that, a night that’ll emblazon itself as another eye-popping, shout-worthy moment in the history of Alabama football.

I’m especially happy for coach Nick Saban. The whole university had plenty of reason to be excited about bringing him into lead this team to the top of the nation. However I seriously doubt anyone expected he would have led us to the National Championship after just 3 years as coach. That’s the phenomenal part about it all to me. Saban came right in here and completely turned us around and put us back on the path to success. Everyone pitched a fit about the incredibly high amount of money the university offered him to coach, but from here it looks like that money is paying off well.

Tide’ll take it home by 16 tonight. Roll Tide Roll!