How to get the full experience of an Alabama football game

Melissa Lovell



How to get the full experience of an Alabama football game

I have always grown up in Alabama. My parents are huge Alabama football fans. I have always grown up loving Alabama football and everything that goes along with that. I was about 11 when I went to my first Alabama football game in Tuscaloosa. All the things that I saw and experienced surprised me but also made me really happy. Since that first football game, I have kept coming back to experience the atmosphere of an Alabama home football game. There are some things that you need to do to get the full experience of an Alabama home football game.

Before you even leave your house to get to the game, there are a few things that you need to know and learn. You should learn the Alabama fight song, Rammer Jammer, and Dixieland Delight. You should buy or borrow an Alabama t-shirt and maybe even an Alabama hat. You should also be prepared for all the crowds that will be in Tuscaloosa and you should be prepared to scream a lot. Once you get to Tuscaloosa, there is a lot that you should do before, during, and after the game.

1. You should get to Tuscaloosa early on game day. I would suggest at least 3 hours before the game starts. There is so much to do on campus that you should experience and you need plenty of time to them all.
2. Once you get to Tuscaloosa you should go to the Quad and walk around. There are always a lot of people tailgating on the Quad. The band plays while on the Quad, and there is always something for young children to do.
3. When there is about two and a half hours before the game starts, walk over to the front of the stadium. There is a walkway that leads up to the big steps in the front, and there will be a lot of people lined up on the edges of the sidewalk. You should get in line with all the other people and wait. At about two hours prior to kickoff, the football team pulls up to the stadium and they walk down the sidewalk to get into the stadium. This is called the Walk of Champions. It is a great way to be able to see the football players before the game and get some good pictures of them.
4. After you see the Walk of Champions, you can walk to the side of the stadium that is close to sorority row and you can see the band walk to the stadium. They call this the Elephant Stomp. Once you see the band go into the stadium you can continue to walk around the Quad or just walk around the campus for a while.
5. When there is about 30 minutes before the game starts you should enter the stadium. If you are sitting in the student section you may want to get there about an hour before the game starts.
6. Once you are in the stadium, you should watch the band do the pre-game show.
7. The band does the big bama spell out and so when they start spelling out B-A-M-A you should yell each letter really loudly.
8. When the band plays the national anthem you stand and if you choose, you can sing. Some times after the anthem some military planes fly over the stadium, so be prepared for a loud roaring noise.
9. Once the anthem is over and the fly over is over, yell really loudly and get really excited about the game that is about to start.
10. The jumbo-tron will begin to play some footage from old games and good moments in Alabama football history moments. When they show an awesome play, the stadium will erupt in cheering. Cheer along with the rest of the crowd. If you really love football, you could get some chills from watching the amazing plays.
11. Then the jumbo-tron with show the doors to the locker room with Saban standing there waiting to come out with the team. This is the time that the crowd goes crazy and gets really really excited.
12. You should be yelling really loudly at this point and when the football team comes out onto the field you should start yelling louder. If you have a shaker you should be shaking.
13. When the band begins the fight song you should sing it as loud as you possibly can.
14. If you are a true Alabama football fan you can boo the other team when they come out onto the field. (This is not required to get the full experience, but it is quite fun.)
15. When the kicker is setting up the ball for kick off the stadium will start a cheer. They will say roll until the kicker kicks the ball and then they will say tide roll. Join in on the cheer.
16. Now that the game has begun you are entitled to yell what ever you want at the players and the refs. (Booing your own team is really not nice so I would not recommend it.)
17. Most people think that half time is for bathroom breaks and to get food, but you should stay in your seat and watch the Million Dollar Band perform. (They are really good.)
18. When the game starts back up again, you should continue to be loud and rowdy.
19. At the end of the third quarter, be ready to sing Dixieland Delight.
20. At the beginning of the 4th quarter, hold up four fingers. Do not worry about looking stupid because everyone will be doing the same thing, even the football players.
21. If the team is winning with a minute or less in the game, the band will play Rammer Jammer. Sing with all the you have in you! You can even scream the song if you want. (This is even better when there are fans from the other team sitting next to you.)
22. If we have won the game, you can stay in the stadium for some celebration time. The celebration will be better if we defeat an SEC school or a school that is in the top 10.
23. After the game you can do what ever you want celebration wise. If you want to go and get plastered, then go for it. There are almost always fraternities that are having parties and people are always hanging out on the Quad.
This is the best way to really enjoy a football game here in Tuscaloosa.

To live in the south, you should know how to go to a football game and how to make the most of your time at the game. If anyone wants to fully enjoy a game I suggest that they take what I say into consideration and they will really have the best time of their life.