This Was A Good Day to Be A Fan of Alabama Football

Saturday was a fun day. I arrived to the stadium early and met with my publisher "TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA", met our photographer and learned more about photography in 15 minutes than I've known all my life.

We went over some of the beautiful pictures taken by the staff and discussed this past year and the next. We have great plans on increasing the size of the magazine and the content.

They are a great bunch of people and they all do it for the love of the school and the good of the Bama Nation.

I was not in a hurry to get to the press box as usual and arrange all my notes and chart out what keys to game I was planning to track and to make sure I didn't miss the wonderful buffet they always put out an hour before kickoff.

I grabbed a sidewalk vendor cheeseburger and hung out with the fans. I greeted some visiting Chattanooga Moc's fans and gave them some after game dinner ideas and spots to try.

No one is a stranger when you tailgate and talk. I met two brothers from Albertville, Alabama and both had great insight into why the Tide would prevail against Florida this year.  It was nice to not be rushed and just enjoy being a dot of crimson in the Bama Nation sea.

At kickoff I looked up a new friend, Richard Keenam who has written for Bleacher Report and RollCrimsonTide.com and is one of the most respected writers I enjoy reading. I spent the first half with him and was truly a fan.

I got to talk, something you don't do in the press box, yell and clap, also forbidden in the press box. Then at half-time, I went to finally find my seat and met some great people from Andalusia, Alabama and did lot more yelling.

I talked to the people around me and they to me like we were all old friends who were re-uniting after a long absence. There really is a sense of family in the Bama Nation.

The writer in me couldn't stay subservient to the fan and I soon began checking off players in the second half that were making appearances. Nick Saban did a wonderful job of getting everyone in the game and as far as I could tell, all the seniors did in fact get to play on this Senior Day event.

At the end of the game, instead of rushing of the press room for Nick Saban's remarks and interviewing players, I hung around and talked to fans about their hopes and fears, joys and disappointments and everything else Crimson.

I was impressed with the depth of good football knowledge the average Alabama fan has and the keen insight they have to the best and worst aspects of the game.

Today my son got to come with me and we enjoyed the trip up from Florida getting to see my parents and spending one more father-son road trip together.

Yes, it was a great day to be a fan, there was much to yell about and many people to enjoy it with, but I can't wait to get back in the press box again. Once a year being a loud yelling fan is enough.