Last night, Chris and I took a break from the ongoing Operation Removal of Hideousness and watched the ESPN documentary "Roll Tide/War Eagle".
If you don't keep up with college football or live in the deep south, you might not know how much fans and alumni alike from the University of Alabama and Auburn University dislike fans and alumni of the opposing school.
And dislike is really putting it kinda lightly.
Most the fans I know and grew up with managed to keep the rivalry at a relatively polite level. Although, there is always the exception.
My pastor growing up was an Alabama fan. After a win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl, we would sing "Grace Greater than Our Sin". You know because "There is flowing a crimson tide..."
Not cool dude. Not. Cool.
I think to most of us sane fans and certainly alumni, football is football but my school...let's not go there. War Eagle means way more to me than just a sports battle cry. It's family. Where we spent Saturdays in the fall tailgating all together. The place where Chris and I met and fell in love. My dad, brother, both SIL's, FIL and best friend all called Auburn "family" during their college years as well.
Over the years, and especially last year, things were said to my family and friends that no one who didn't grow up in the middle of it could understand. Mrs. JT has a story or two that would blow your mind. And I admit to letting some comments on FB push me over an edge.
Watching the documentary only reminded me of one very important thing:
I am so grateful to not live in Alabama.
It is way easier to love my university and my family in a kind, polite manner from Texas. Distance is a great thing.
But only for this one reason. For a zillion other reasons, I desperately miss not living closer to home.
Even gratitude from the smallest things is worth remembering.
If you don't keep up with college football or live in the deep south, you might not know how much fans and alumni alike from the University of Alabama and Auburn University dislike fans and alumni of the opposing school.
And dislike is really putting it kinda lightly.
Most the fans I know and grew up with managed to keep the rivalry at a relatively polite level. Although, there is always the exception.
My pastor growing up was an Alabama fan. After a win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl, we would sing "Grace Greater than Our Sin". You know because "There is flowing a crimson tide..."
Not cool dude. Not. Cool.
I think to most of us sane fans and certainly alumni, football is football but my school...let's not go there. War Eagle means way more to me than just a sports battle cry. It's family. Where we spent Saturdays in the fall tailgating all together. The place where Chris and I met and fell in love. My dad, brother, both SIL's, FIL and best friend all called Auburn "family" during their college years as well.
Over the years, and especially last year, things were said to my family and friends that no one who didn't grow up in the middle of it could understand. Mrs. JT has a story or two that would blow your mind. And I admit to letting some comments on FB push me over an edge.
Watching the documentary only reminded me of one very important thing:
I am so grateful to not live in Alabama.
It is way easier to love my university and my family in a kind, polite manner from Texas. Distance is a great thing.
But only for this one reason. For a zillion other reasons, I desperately miss not living closer to home.
Even gratitude from the smallest things is worth remembering.
I agree. You may not like my football team but when you degrade my school, the alumni, my family and friends I get mad.
ReplyDeleteWar Eagle!
Love, Mom