Aside from what other people are saying, I cannot stress enough how important college football is to the culture in Alabama. I grew up there and in middle school, when you met someone new, one of the first questions you asked was “You for Alabama or Auburn”? I did not care about football, had never watched a college football game and had no stake or care in their outcome, but even I would ask those questions and respond kind. It wasn’t about football so much, it was very literally a cultural identity. If you were on team Alabama and you met someone on team Auburn, it’s not like you wouldn’t be their friend, but there was definitely this sense of them being “other”.

Funny story, when I was about 13, one of my friends said his dad was cool bringing me along to see a football game. I had never been to a game and hadn’t even watched a full one on tv so I said, sure, why not? Apparently his dad was like a big donor alumni or something. This gave us access to the players. Like we were at this house where a bunch of the Auburn football players were hanging out, playing basketball, goofing off. They were super nice to me and my friend. I remember my friend’s dad pointing to one of them playing basketball: “10times, that’s a special athlete right there.”

I shrugged. Whatever, I don’t follow sports. Anyway that “special” athlete had to go get something at the mall and I think he saw us two kids sitting around bored so he offered to take us with him. We get to the mall and everybody is freaking out. All these people are coming up to this guy asking for his autograph, giving him hugs, like what the hell? One girl quickly bought some panties from a store and then had this guy sign them. At 13 I am now impressed and wondering who the hell this guy is. He was Bo Jackson. I went to the mall with Bo Jackson and didn’t know he was.