Rammer, Jammer, Yellowhammer!

In case you missed it, the Times Free Press showed me some love at the end of last year.

I have to say I found it quite amusing that under the caption
of the picture on the TFP site, you have the option to purchase
such items as mouse pads, drink coasters, luggage tags and
t-shirts emblazoned with my smiling mug on them. Yeah…
they’re probably sold out by now…
Photo by Angela Lewis.

As I mentioned last week, I’m going to try to do some big things in the C.Rushing space this year. I have a number of ideas that I hope you will find entertaining and enlightening. Unfortunately, that is not the case this week. Due to massive events in the sporting world, I’m having a difficult time focusing. The BCS National Championship Game is being held in New Orleans tonight and my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide are in the mix. As my friends from Alabama will fully understand, nothing less than my ultimate personal happiness and sense of self-worth is wrapped up in the result. Depending on my mood, I may take next week off as well. Win, lose or draw, I will post something, but be forewarned that it is not likely to be a full-on 1,000-word post.

I considered trying to explain why college football is so important to Alabamians. It became clear after a couple of attempts that I lack the descriptive powers to tackle that. Additionally, that's been covered by others with far greater intellects than I. For the sake of this post, let’s just say that the “why” is less important than the fact that it “is”.  I know how silly the whole spectacle must seem to an outsider- grown people emotionally and personally invested in a game played twelve times a year by 19-year-olds.

Life for Alabama football, like a number of other elite sports teams, has been cyclical. We have gone through periods of dominance and we have gone through lean times. I try to constantly remind myself that when things are going well, enjoy it – it will not last forever. When we we’re losing to directional schools, I try to remind myself that it is temporary and that we will back.

We should think about downtown the same way. In the grand scheme of things, we’re doing well- we should appreciate that. Although, the past few years have been less than stellar, there seems to be a groundswell of enthusiasm and support and for picking up the downtown standard and charging forward. Now that it seems the Tide is turning (see what I did there?), it's time to go get 'em.

Roll Tide!