A-Day Attendance: The Blogosphere Chimes In

by Nico2.0 on Apr 25, 2007 4:50 AM CDT in Football Comment 12 comments

On Monday I posted links to various media reports on the A-Day game and the buzz about the attendance.

Over the last few days, many blogs took the opportunity to make stunned observations, bash or playfully tease Alabama for the record turnout. Pretty incredible how 92K showing up for a free game in Alabama makes an entire state mentally deficient, but 75K paying $5 admission at Ohio State almost passes without mention. There's no way I could provide links to them all, but here are excerpts from blogs ranging from the biggest to incredibly obscure.

One more note before we get going. PLEASE don't litter the comments sections of those that bashed Alabama with inflammatory comments. First of all, it's not worth the expenditure of effort and secondly, it just fuels the negative stereotypes when we fall for the baiting. I just assembled this list so you all can see the range of what's being said. Remember, we represent the school everywhere we go and identify ourselves as fans...even on the internet. If I might be so bold as to adapt the famous Gandhi quote to this situation: "When they ridicule you, respond with dignity and then you win."

Anyway, onto the recaps:

Might as well start with one of the heavy hitters of the blogging world, Deadspin and their post, "They Have a Love For Nick Saban That I Can't Understand":

Ninety-two thousand people showed up for a scrimmage. More than that, actually. The stadium holds 92,138, and there were people watching from the ramps. There were people sent away. From a game where the stakes were no higher than bragging rights between the Crimson team and the White team. Were people under the impression that Bear Bryant would be exhumed at halftime and coaching the Crimson team? I don't understand.

Check out the venom in the comments section. There are countless "jokes" about incest, dental care, poverty, education, etc. all while referring to Alabamians as having no class. Pot, meet kettle.

=

Sunda Morning Quarterback, whose site I enjoy had this to say:

Sometimes the absurdity of reality renders parody obsolete. So I don't have anything to say about 92,000 selling out Bryant-Denny Stadium for a pointless scrimmage. It confirms everything I've ever known about the unprecedented frenzy in that state, and is reassuring in its way.

We'll give SMQ a free pass on this one as an SBN colleague and a Southern Miss fan...seeing as that's punishment enough.

=

Rocky Top Talk`s Corn From a Jar chimed in too:

I vehemently argued last fall that any time one has the opportunity to see a game at Neyland, one must go. Notice I said "game." This is practice man practice, and I can't see myself driving the over five hours it takes for me to get to Knoxville for that. I'll do it to see the Vols take on anybody from Florida to Idaho, but not for practice man practice.

Maybe Epps is right. Maybe that makes me less passionate. But maybe I'm just more realistic. And it couldn't be that Alabama fans are less realistic, could it?.

=

ESDBS: We already linked to this one because of the podcast, but the jokes are good, so here it is again:

If you were to attempt the wave at your spring game, after great effort you might get a feeble ripple going two-thirds of the way around the stadium before it petered out in the bald patch of seats in the north endzone. And that's if you're lucky enough to get a good 30K to your game.

=

Even some guy from Colorado that participated in the triathalon on Saturday is getting his digs in at the school and the state. I also wonder what grocery store they went to. Both groceries I go to have organic sections. I know, because I checked. I even found them on my own without having to ask.

=

My favorite so far has to be from Mississippi State blog Hail Dear `Ole State:

And no, the Mississippi State spring game was not closed to the public. Or played in a secret location. It was right there at Scott Field -- just a short walk from Dudy-Noble where more than 10k watched a baseball game later that day.

Hopefully they'll forgive me for quoting their post in full.

=

Donkey Carnival has this to offer:

92,000 people showed up for the spring game...Wal-mart must have been closed or the NASCAR satellite ticket on the fritz for such an outpouring of support to happen in a meaningless game. Surely the Tide fans realized that Saban is already married and can't be bred with hundreds of young 'Bama coeds to increase the future IQ of the state by creating a race of non-retarded normies.

=

hogonsports.com observes the obvious:

What does it say about The United States sporting public that the NFL's draft is as important, if not more important, than the actual sporting events and playoff events of the other major sports leagues? What does it say when Alabama gets over 92,000 fans and Ohio State has over 75,000 fans attend their respective spring scrimmages and the NBA and NHL struggle to sell out arenas that hold around 20,000?

It says that we are a football country, dammit!

=

Like I said, it's a small sampling, but it's always interesting to see what's being written about us.

0 recs | Comment 12 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

heh

First things first, nice drop of the Gandhi quote.

Second, I figured out along time ago that Alabama, and the south in general, are damned if they do and damned if they don't when it comes to nationwide perception. So I just don't let it bother me too much. What does kind of irk me is when surrounding southern states jump in on the bloodbath. Because I've got news for you Tennessee, Georgia, etc: That snarky radio host or blogger may be the enemy of your enemy right now, but they will turn on you.

by Steve Dave on Apr 25, 2007 7:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I Agree

My father and I were talking about this yesterday. If we didn't come out in droves to support the team and/or the new coach, we would be labeled as non-fans or, worse yet, fair-weather fans. When we do show up, we're labeled as mentally-challenged, inbred, crazy people. I don't get it.

by CaptStu on Apr 25, 2007 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who cares I dont give a rat's #ss!

Who gives a #hit about what ESPN, rocky top this, and quarter back that said about TIDE FANS! The reason they are fans of those lesser schools is because they just don't get it! If they did they would be TIDE FANS. So everyone listen up real good, I know who I am and so should you. I am a ALABAMA FOOTBALL fan period and all I can say is it's the Mount Olympus, Shiznit, and Holy Grail of College football to me and I will not appologize for it. They point out what we do because they pull for a team that is not worthy of the following ALABAMA FOOTBALL has. Anyone who was at the A day game experienced something special. Every other football team in the nation is striving to get to the hieghts we have seen, to have the legendary coach's we have had, to match our records on the field. When and if they do then they can realize what it feels like to be a CRIMSON TIDE FAN! ROLL TIDE MY PEOPLE STAY PROUD OF IT!
BadassGsxr out!

by badassgsxr on Apr 25, 2007 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice

Nice write-up, Nico. I'll have to add some of these blogs to my bookmarks listing.

by CaptStu on Apr 25, 2007 8:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Fun, not ugly

For our part, I enjoy the teasing back and forth between Alabama and Tennessee. It's part of what makes it all fun. But I don't enjoy it when it gets ugly, and I hope ours isn't viewed as ugliness.

by Rocky Top Talk on Apr 25, 2007 8:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

In General

I don't see it as that. Poking and prodding among fellow SEC schools is one thing, but when the "national" media and schools from rival conferences jump on board with idiot-speak about the South as a whole, that's a whole new level of absurdity.

by CaptStu on Apr 25, 2007 8:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's funny you say that...

...we were actually talking about the difference in hatred level we have for UT and AU, and it the consensus was that we have a white hot burning HATE for the Vols because, in a weird way, we actually respect you guys for loving your team with as much passion (well, maybe not as MUCH passion after this weekend) as we love ours, and we tend to dismiss Auburn as a cow college down the road even though they've won five straight because most AU fans we know aren't Teagles because they love Auburn, they just hate Alabama. I'm not trying to say there aren't plenty of AU fans that are Orange and Blue through and through, but we all know plenty that are fairweather fans or only root for Auburn to piss off an Alabama fan they know. I tend to enjoy the rivalry between Bama and UT a little more than the one with Auburn, simply because Auburn fans just suck.

by Todd on Apr 25, 2007 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We're cool with you guys...

...but how could we construct a post of this nature and not include a Tennessee blog? ;)

Roll Tide!

by Nico2.0 on Apr 25, 2007 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As a matter of fact...

...when the Third Saturday in October rolls around, I hope the Rocky Top Talk crew will drop by our tailgate if you're in T-Town.

Roll Tide!

by Nico2.0 on Apr 25, 2007 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spring

It's always this time of year when I young man's fancy turns to love, and Alabama and Tennessee fans forget the mind-altering nation of fall and make nice.

Only six more months before the farks of Doughnut Phil and Uncle Saban Moneybags start popping up everywhere.

by Newspaper Hack on Apr 25, 2007 1:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs