They were telling me about how much I made their day. Auburn has two mascots. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. That's really the payment. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? As a result of DJ Al's popularity, a campaign was started on campus to name the mascot after him, and that campaign succeeded at the polls. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. William Webster poses with a fellow Big Al during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on January 7, 2019. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. So whether you're looking for guidance on how to make your home more energy efficient or just want some inspiration for dinner tonight, be sure to check out Arew! Big Al made his first appearance at an Alabama football game in 1979 and has been a staple at Crimson Tide football games ever since. There are several reasons why this is so. [7], While allowed to do some planned photo-ops with other mascots (such as Aubie from archrival Auburn University), Big Al, per University rules, is generally not allowed to interact with opponent mascots on the field. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. Strupper wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. I don't know how else to put it.". So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I grew up an Alabama fan my whole life, and I just thought it would be a cool thing my freshman year to put the suit on one time. That would go to us. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. Big Al's game debut was one to remember: The 1979 Sugar Bowl against top-ranked and undefeated Penn State, when a fourth-quarter goal line stand delivered No. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021 Why do they say Roll Tide in Alabama? He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. We had SEC Nation. Additional troubleshooting information here. 167.114.26.66 Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Another theory is that elephants are widely considered to be lucky animals, and thus choosing one as a mascot would supposedly bring good luck to the Crimson Tide. On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. 30 Second Answer. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding Mississippi, 64-0. He makes appearances at university functions and events, he stars in commercials and public service announcements, and he even has his own line of merchandise. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? Dickey: "There definitely is. It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. The birthday parties we can keep. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's, PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo, 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,', Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle", kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). Since you see out of the corner of your eyes the way they push you up you can see yourself on the screen whenever they put you on the screen. We talked to two Big Als -- one who currently plays him and one who used to -- to understand exactly what life as 'Bama's mascot is like. No. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. Performance & security by Cloudflare. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. We had Good Morning America. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Million Dollar Band. The bigger ones go to the school.". Thankfully I never had any problems with it. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. Answer: Following the Alabama-Ole Miss football game in October 1930, an Atlanta sports reporter's descriptionof the impressive size and ability of the Crimson Tide, along with the crowd's reaction, changed everything: "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," he wrote. elephants are also known for their loyalty, which is another trait that makes them well-suited to being a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. Since funding for the costume would have to come from the athletic department, Tart and Paige set up a meeting with Coach Bryant, who was the football coach and athletic director of the University. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. You can never see straight in front of you, so when we're taking pictures you always have to put the camera in that blind spot. That's when it really hit me. On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. The nickname stuck. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. It's just kind of a little thing we do. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. Big Al celebrated his first year with Bear Bryant's 300th win against the Kentucky Wildcats and a victory against the Baylor Bears in the 1981 Cotton Bowl. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. He wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. In addition to leading the football team onto the field before each game, Big Al also participates in community outreach programs and makes appearances at university functions. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. They always get us to the top.". The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot and its association with Crimson Tide football is a popular conversation topic among fans and outsidersalike. Every April during the weekend of the A-Day spring football game, there is a three-day tryout process for UA students who want to become Big Al. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. We had College Gameday in the morning. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). In 1979, he was meeting with the homecoming chairman, Ann Paige, as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. But there is a little bit of pressure about image. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. He's cute. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. It's not an obvious type of thing.". Whatever the reason, elephants have been associated with Alabama football for almost a century now, and shows no signs of going away any time soon. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. He's fun. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. So how did one of college football's blue bloods on the path to win its third national title in four years come to be represented by an animal most often associated with the circus, Dumbo and the Republican Party? Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. After a few rounds, he got dropped. Nonetheless, a student in a doe-eyed elephant costume struts his stuff at every Bama home game, having become a fixture at one of the states proudest institutions. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. ANSWER. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. They feel like they'd like to invest back into us, which really means a lot that the university would give money to the cheer program. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. That was definitely the most challenging event, but it was definitely the most rewarding because I think I got the most out of that one. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. Because those kids will be like, 'What? You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. It's a little bit of both. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Most popular on LostLettermen.com: PHOTO: Passed out Georgia football fan becomes infamous Alabama fans' family portrait includes baby as football PHOTOS: Top 10 ugliest college football helmets ever WAGS of college football players ft. USC's Matt Barkley PHOTOS: Insane H.S. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". During the 1979 season, after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Big Al made his first appearance alongside the Crimson Tide. We're in the program for the football team. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. According to the school, the relationship between elephants and University of Alabama football dates back to 1930, when Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper relayed a story from an Alabama-Ole Miss game. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? 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