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tidentrue
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 Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject: The difference between a graduate and a fan |
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very well thought out article.
thought some of you guys would like it
http://dd4bama.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html
Over the last year, I have noticed a distinct difference in the attitudes and expectations between Alabama football fans that graduated from the university and those that did not. In short, graduates tend to accept the status quo with more deference and patience and non-graduates tend to be overly optimistic.
First, let me say that there is absolutely NO difference whatsoever between graduates and fans regarding passion, loyalty, dedication, pride, and love for the football team. Being a graduate is certainly not a prerequisite for loving the team, attending the games, or being a fan. In fact, non-graduate fans typically spend more money for tickets, t-shirts and hats, and travel expenses associated with away games, and cheer louder at the home games. Graduates tend to be more subdued and aristocratical. The distinction is evident only in expectations for the team and the ability to understand and accept reality.
Generally, fans that graduated from Alabama love the school. Yes, they love the football team, but they also love the campus, the buildings, the bars, the restaurants, the apartments and dorms they inhabited while they were there, and the beautiful natural areas in which they exercised. They remember professors, where they studied in the library or wherever else, where they sat or hung out during the day, where they had lunch, etc. They have social and academic memories in addition to the trips to Baton Rouge and everything associated with the Third Saturday in October. Their passion and loyalty is tied to the school, not the football team. It will always be there and will remain at the same level or increase over time REGARDLESS of how the football team performs. If the football team is successful, it just serves to increase their pride and passion. If they aren't, other than some disappointment, nothing changes. The graduate is always proud of their attendance and the accomplishment of carrying on a family legacy or starting their own by graduating from the University of Alabama. In other words, graduates don't need Alabama football to win to be proud of their school. They are more patient, quicker to acknowledge weaknesses, are far more humble against more talented rivals and situations that appear to be probable losses, and tend to have more realistic expectations. They are more civil with opposing fans, and do not engage in the typical profane and argumentative verbal and electronic altercations that so often and unnecessarily occur. They are much more satisfied and happy with the status quo, even in times of woeful mediocrity, because they understand the cyclical nature of Alabama football and realize that they will always rise from the perverbial ashes. As a result, the graduate is completely satisfied with 7-win predictions and predicted losses to SEC rivals that are FAR supperior in talent and depth because they know that it is temporary.
On the other hand, non-graduate "fans" are generally associated with Alabama solely because of the football team. They grew up in parts of the state that are loyal to Alabama football, or their families were Alabama football fans since before they were born. They are tied to Alabama football because of Bear Bryant and his accomplishments, or passionate hatred of Auburn football. They have no connection or interest in the bricks and mortar part of the university, and their only connection to the school is attending games, tailgating, and following recruiting. As a result, their happiness and satisfaction is tied exclusively to the success of the football program. They need Alabama to be successful to be happy. They work with, are related to, or live in close proximity to Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia fans, and need Alabama football success to maintain a position of superiority, boasting, etc. If Alabama is not successful, as in Alabama's 6 losses in a row to Auburn, it makes daily co-existence with these rival fans almost impossible. To counter this, non-graduate fans tend to erect defense mechanisms. They generally tend to be overly optimistic, to have unrealistic expectations based on the facts and to be vocal about them, to over-estimate young player development and participation, and to carry-on with old rival traditions against rivals that have long-erased any record deficiencies against Alabama. There is comfort in this because that's what's always been done. It helps them to cope with the real weaknesses and bleak outlooks. They have to do this because their alternative is unacceptable to them. They cannot and will not admit obvious weakness or probable loss to rival fans. They can't, because it's all about football. For them, the quality, credibility, and reputation of the University of Alabama boils down to 3 hours on a football field on any given Saturday. In extreme cases, some non-graduate fans are so tied to the fate of the football program that their self-worth is dependant on beating Tennessee or Auburn. In those cases, the defense mechanisms are at the extreme - 13-0 predictions every year. For them, it is physically impossible to acknowledge Alabama weakness or strength in a rival, and they tend to resort to physical altercations with those that do.
Of course, there are exceptions to this. There are non-graduates that are well-aware of Alabama's weaknesses and show class in patience and self-control by waiting the TWO TO THREE years it will take for Alabama to be consistently competitive. There are also idiot graduates that squawk all day about Alabama winning the SEC in 2008, and declaring that 15 2008 signees with signifcantly contribute in 2008. There will always be disagreements as to which approach is better for the program. But for the non-graduate fans, the graduates that acknowledge weaknesses, probable losses, and have realistic expectations Sunday through Friday will be in Bryant-Denny or any SEC away venue on Saturday, drinking just as much as you, cheering just as loud as you, and wearing just as many elephant trunk hats as you. At the end of the day, everyone is cheering for the same team.
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Last edited by tidentrue on Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
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reger60
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Jeff
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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I would also think that most graduates could spell "graduate" when starting a thread.  
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tidentrue
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duwayne
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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LMAO!!!!
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************** MEMBER SINCE 1968*****************
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AFF
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Graduates tend to be more subdued and aristocratical. The distinction is evident only in expectations for the team and the ability to understand and accept reality...their happiness and satisfaction is tied exclusively to the success of the football program...they need Alabama football success to maintain a position of superiority, boasting, etc. ... non-graduate fans tend to erect defense mechanisms. They generally tend to be overly optimistic, to have unrealistic expectations...It helps them to cope with the real weaknesses and bleak outlooks. |
...and none of this guy's phraseology strikes you as just a tad bit condescending?
I thought the tone of the article was divisive and supercilious. He seems either very proud of himself for having recently graduated and is attempting to describe just how superior his newly educated brain is as compared to all the pathetic little non-grad brains  or.... he's being sophistic in an attempt to be "liked" by opposing fans. Desired response: "Gee, you're not like those other Alabama fans. You're reeeeeeeasonable!"
hope - v. intr. - To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
Every year, I think most Alabama fans, both grads and non grads, "hope" that Alabama has a very good season. Their "happiness and satisfaction" is NOT "tied exclusively to the success of the football program".
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Optimus
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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| AFF wrote: | | Quote: | | Graduates tend to be more subdued and aristocratical. The distinction is evident only in expectations for the team and the ability to understand and accept reality...their happiness and satisfaction is tied exclusively to the success of the football program...they need Alabama football success to maintain a position of superiority, boasting, etc. ... non-graduate fans tend to erect defense mechanisms. They generally tend to be overly optimistic, to have unrealistic expectations...It helps them to cope with the real weaknesses and bleak outlooks. |
...and none of this guy's phraseology strikes you as just a tad bit condescending?
I thought the tone of the article was divisive and supercilious. He seems either very proud of himself for having recently graduated and is attempting to describe just how superior his newly educated brain is as compared to all the pathetic little non-grad brains or.... he's being sophistic in an attempt to be "liked" by opposing fans. Desired response: "Gee, you're not like those other Alabama fans. You're reeeeeeeasonable!"
hope - v. intr. - To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
Every year, I think most Alabama fans, both grads and non grads, "hope" that Alabama has a very good season. Their "happiness and satisfaction" is NOT "tied exclusively to the success of the football program". |
I agree, and hope we kick the crap out of UT, BARN, LSU, Clemson, and all the others we play but the first 4 I hope more than others!! LOL
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TigerBait3
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| About the only difference I generally notice is the way people take care of campus on gameday. And of course there are bad apples on both sides.
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TideLine
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I also ran across this guys (dd4bama) blog ...I also ran across a post made by him in reply to
a another guys post titled "THIS IS ALABAMA FOOTBALL"
| Quote: | So, every year right before football season I post this. It's usually the only thing that I post but I am on this forum daily. I read this article all the time and still get chills EVERY time. I can't wait to get back in the stadium!!!
ROLL TIDE!!!!
This IS Alabama Football
There has been a lot of talk about Alabama football during the season. Some good, some bad. During the past few years, many people may have forgotten what Alabama football is all about. In case people have forgotten, don't know, or just want a reminder, THIS IS ALABAMA FOOTBALL !!!!!
It is Wallace Wade.
It is Paul "Bear" Bryant.
It is not Bill Curry.
It is the Rose Bowl.
It is knowing there is no other game Keith Jackson would rather call than an Alabama game. It is watching George Teague running down Lamar Thomas in the 1993 Sugar Bowl, then rewinding it and watching it again.It is hearing the first notes of "Sweet Home Alabama." And having a chill run up your spine. It is the desire to beat Auburn at any competitive event that exists. It is the houndstooth hat. It is having enough pride to fight for your school but having enough class not to. It is cheering the same amount for a first down on 2nd & 6 as on 4th & 1.
It is watching Cornelius Bennett give Notre Dame QB Steve Beuerlein a concussion on that October day in Birmingham in 1986 and knowing every man on the Alabama team wished him a fast recovery and good health. It is determining whom you are going to date & marry by which team they swear allegiance to. It is watching The Bear on the Jumbotron in Bryant-Denny Stadium and almost seeing him leaning against the goalpost. It is spending a day at the Bryant Museum & still not seeing everything. It is cool crisp fall Saturdays where you can smell football in the air & feel it with the slightest breeze. It is watching The Bear get #315 against Auburn (how appropriate). It is watching The Bear get #323 against Illinois in his final game. It is knowing no matter how many wins Bobby Bowden gets, he'll never measure up to Paul Bryant nor will he ever be as good.
It is hearing Paul Kennedy call the play-by-play as Van Tiffin kicks the 52-yd game winning field goal against Auburn in 1985. It is hearing Eli Gold call the play-by-play as Phillip Doyle kicks the 45-yd game winning field goal against Tennessee in 1990. It is knowing how many days until the start of the season year around. It is driving down Colonial Drive to see Bryant-Denny Stadium, not the sorority girls, although some may disagree. It is getting chills up & down your entire body whenever you hear anything about the 1993 Sugar Bowl & the pride you feel because on that night,TRADITION RULED.
It is hearing Coach Bryant's voice & having all the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up because you know that no matter what he said, it was something special. It is hearing The Million Dollar Band play "Yea Alabama" and knowing it just doesn't get any better. It is imagining hearing Penn State QB Chuck Fusina ask Alabama linebacker Marty Lyons "How close is it?" & hearing Marty say "About an inch, you'd better pass" right before 4th down during the Goal Line Stand in the 1979 Sugar Bowl. It is almost coming to tears whenever Alabama loses to Auburn or Tennessee. It is The Kick. It is the Goal Line Stand. It is The Desperation Block. It is purposely not wearing any clothes with orange in it, any shade or variation. It is the 3rd Saturday in October. It is not needing an alarm clock on game days. You sit straight up in bed long before it goes off, knowing it's game day. You can sleep after the bowl game. It is walking into the stadium with the feeling that Alabama will win the game, simply because that is the way it is supposed to be.
It is having a winning record against every school in the SEC. It's watching highlights of all 12 of Bama's championships on the Bryant-Denny jumbotron before the team comes out of the tunnel. It is saying "Offense wins games, defense wins national titles." It is the Bryant "A." It is walking into the stadium hours before the game just to be there. It is walking into another school's stadium & having those fans hate you because you're a Bama fan. It is walking into any other stadium and know that the atmosphere just can't compare to that of Legion Field or Bryant-Denny. It is the pride that a father has when he brings his children to a game so they may cherish the tradition. It is hearing "Roll Tide" and all you feel is pride.
It is beating LSU in Baton Rouge for thirty years in a row. It is hearing the crunch as a crimson clad linebacker takes down a running back in any shade or combination of orange. It is the pride you take in being EVERY team's rival. It is pulling for any team that's playing Auburn. It is pulling for any team that's playing Tennessee.. It is knowing that the SEC Championship is a birthright. It is owning Ole Miss and South Carolina. It is being respected, & feared at the same time. It is holding up four fingers at the end of the 3rd quarter. It is knowing what "Mama Called" means. It is having 21 SEC Championships (more than anyone else). It is having 12 National Championships (more than anyone else). It is more than I can ever mention in these few paragraphs.
It is class.
It is championships.
It is tradition.
IT IS ALABAMA FOOTBALL!!
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The reply from dd4bama was as follows ...
| Quote: | "It's horribly botching 6 coaching searches. It's hiring Ronnie Cottrell and almost incurring the death penalty. It's losing to Louisiana-Monroe at home, on senior day. It's beating Auburn once in the 21st century, and losing every game at home."
Let's not get out of hand here.
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link
http://forums.tidesports.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631098265/m/7271011557/p/1
and after reading several of dd4bama's other post
I have a real hard time trying to believe he is a
Alabama Fan at all let alone a Alum ...
so AFF , I agree with you . He is doing just what you
said and then some . also ,
I will not be reading his Blog any longer that is for sure .
for the record ...
I am not trying to bash anyone here but some of the things he has posted on another site just rubs me the wrong way . I know Auburn fans that are more positive about Alabama Football than this guy is .
sorry for buttin' in but I thought you all should
know too ...
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Optimus
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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The reply from dd4bama was as follows ...
| Quote: | "It's horribly botching 6 coaching searches. It's hiring Ronnie Cottrell and almost incurring the death penalty. It's losing to Louisiana-Monroe at home, on senior day. It's beating Auburn once in the 21st century, and losing every game at home."
Let's not get out of hand here.
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| Quote: | link
http://forums.tidesports.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631098265/m/7271011557/p/1
and after reading several of dd4bama's other post
I have a real hard time trying to believe he is a
Alabama Fan at all let alone a Alum ...
so AFF , I agree with you . He is doing just what you
said and then some . also ,
I will not be reading his Blog any longer that is for sure .
for the record ...
I am not trying to bash anyone here but some of the things he has posted on another site just rubs me the wrong way . I know Auburn fans that are more positive about Alabama Football than this guy is .
sorry for buttin' in but I thought you all should
know too ... |
Sad to say, but a lot of truth there as well. A great read about what we were and where we are heading back to. The thing about the truth is sometimes it hurts. Yes, we've made our fair share of screw ups at the capstone, but does not mean we still don't love our program any less. At least I don't maybe less on gameday "if we losing" only because I'm angry, but I'll always yell pride, pride, pride rollll tide, at the end of the day! RTR ! 7 days !
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TideLine
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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good point , and the truth also .
I guess maybe I read to many of his post that were
negative and because that I want some positive things to happen or be said "so bad" for the
Team and us as Fans that I discounted the truth .
It seems , we have had more than our share of negatives lately . 
ROLL TIDE ROLL !
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BamaCore
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Alex Cook
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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I've seen dd4bama around for a while. I don't acknowledge him as a fan of Alabama football. Fan is short for fanatic, and it seems that everything he says is always the opposite of fanatasism for the program. There's a difference between being a realist and a pessimist, and unfortunately he is nothing but the latter. He's one of those guys who loves to hear himself talk and always thinks his **** don't stink.
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TideLine
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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after reading "THIS IS ALABAMA FOOTBALL"
then reading his post it was like he was
pee'n on the Holy Grail or something
come on GAMEDAY 
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Bamapossum
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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What about those of us who are "Nomadic"?
We received our degrees from other institutions but have always been, and still are, Alabama fans.
I graduated from Jacksonville State University, and I am currently working on a masters at AUM.
How do we fit in this grand scheme of fan hierarchy?
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ghice
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Bamapossum wrote: | What about those of us who are "Nomadic"?
We received our degrees from other institutions but have always been, and still are, Alabama fans.
I graduated from Jacksonville State University, and I am currently working on a masters at AUM.
How do we fit in this grand scheme of fan hierarchy? |
I'm a bit curious of this as well. I go to UAH (off shoot of UA).
As a side question, are students from UAH and UAB eligible for student tickets at UA football games?
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Porter
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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| ghice wrote: | | Bamapossum wrote: | What about those of us who are "Nomadic"?
We received our degrees from other institutions but have always been, and still are, Alabama fans.
I graduated from Jacksonville State University, and I am currently working on a masters at AUM.
How do we fit in this grand scheme of fan hierarchy? |
I'm a bit curious of this as well. I go to UAH (off shoot of UA).
As a side question, are students from UAH and UAB eligible for student tickets at UA football games? |
No. Half the UA students aren't even eligible. 
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"He was a leader, patriotic to the core, devoted to his players, and inspired by a winning spirit that wouldn't quit. And that's how he made legends out of ordinary people. He was a true American hero, and he was Alabama's own."
-President Ronald Reagan speaking about Coach Bryant in 1984.
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Tider27
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Guess I have to graduate from UA to be considered a real fan. It's all a load of bs honestly, I don't see any difference in expectations.
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