College football means much too many people all over this great nation of ours. Every Saturday the youth of our nation duke it out in a game of hard work and determination. This football season, my dear Alabama Crimson Tide achieved a regular season ranking of Number 1 for the first time since I was born in 1980. And you know what, we are happy about it. But we are also wary. We don't do so well when people put us at the top. We prefer to be the underdog. Lucky for us Florida has made that possible. We will play them in the SEC championship game on December 6th with the winner almost definitely headed for the BCS Championship Game. And now the whole country's teams of analysts are already explaining to us how we will never win in a million years against them. They may be right, but I sure am glad to hear them say it.

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where I have lived all my life, Crimson Tide football reigns supreme above all. We live it and breathe it. Even during the off season it is a hot-button conversation topic. They have radio shows where people call in one after another to talk about an 18-year-old college recruit that just committed to the university. Everywhere you go in this town, there are signs that say Roll Tide. On the restaurant marquees, in the theaters, in the mall. Flags are on cars all times of year. Now, I know that people all over America feel the "same" way about their programs. But let me tell you, there's something special about the way it is here.

I normally would be the type of person to resist institutions such as these. To turn my nose up at something everyone so insistently believes in. But this is different. It's not just winning or losing, it's our way of life. The attitude of our football team which is nationally renowned both historically and for once in my life presently, it not just something we admire but something we live.

Alabama is not about flash. We play hard-nosed physical football. We always have and I rather think we always will. Not a lot of trick plays and craziness, but just good old fashioned playing hard is the way this program was built and our latest hero, Nick Saban, is fitting into this mold fantastically. We don't run up the score, we play with class and dignity. We don't trash talk in the papers; we show results on the field or not at all. And if we are fortunate enough to kick your butt, we'll claim the victory in the most sportsmanlike way possible.

The point I'm trying to make is that not only is that how our football program generally is, but our community is like that as well. We are not a large town. The football stadium here holds more people than live in our city. But we are brought together by this common thread that a magestic figure that has many things named after him started. We believe in winning. We believe in hard work. We believe in dedication and loyalty. We believe in our team and we believe in ourselves.

A friend of mine came to live here from Florida because of his work situation. He was a huge Florida Gators fan. He still is...but the attitude around here is horribly infectious. He started being a Crimson Tide fan too. Some of his friends from back home asked him how he could root for a rival of his real team. He said "You just don't understand how it is until you live here." He loves his team and they are a good team. They have things to be proud of. But here in Alabama the tradition and loyalty is so strong. There are no professional athletics in Alabama. College sports reigns supreme. And the heritage of our program is so strong that our community lives and breathes it. And they are living well.

As for the big game on December 6, my friend isn't sure which way to go with it. But if there's one thing he learned here in Tuscaloosa, it's loyalty. So I'm sure he'll be rooting for his Gators...but I rather think if it didn't work out his way, he won't be too disappointed.

Roll Tide and Happy Holidays!!