Tide, Tigers, and Playground Scrapes - A Little Tiger in a Crimson World

With the Alabama/LSU game fast approaching, I have had the opportunity to read a number of articles written by loyal Alabama fans on B/R who insist on bringing up the same tired, old, and used up reasons why LSU is losing.

If I hear another take on how “Saban’s recruits” no longer have an imprint on the LSU program, and that Les Miles is driving the program that Nick built into the ground, I'm going to stick a sharp object in my eye.   

As one of my distinguished colleagues on B/R just recently eluded to is that any true well educated LSU fan should not fall for the bait any longer.  Getting sucked into that mindless banter is foolish at best. 

However, the thought of how Alabama fan baits LSU fan brought to mind a few comparisons that I have noticed about the two fan bases—and much more.

Where I'd like to focus my attention is on the ‘much more’ part. But first, I must settle the confusion about how I, being a devout LSU fan, would have any credibility as to having any knowledge about the Alabama fan?

Although born in Baton Rouge and having lived there for a good deal of my life, I also lived in Alabama for nearly six years—Alabaster, Alabama to be exact—Thompson Elementary, Jr. High, and High School.

Satisfied?

Funny thing is, that while brainstorming and remembering some of the characteristics of what I think the typical Alabama fan personifies verses the typical LSU fan, I uncovered some apparent childhood memories that I had forgotten while living there. 

Needless to say, living in Alabama as a young Tiger fan during that time gave me the thrill and blessing of having to settle many arguments about LSU on the playground in a compelling, sensible manner.

I had my fill of knuckle sandwiches back in the day. But don’t worry my fellow Tiger brothers and sisters; I was known to make a pretty good sandwich as well and I gave them out willingly and generously.

The Bible does teach that it’s always better to give, than to receive right? Amen!?

Much was learned during those scuffles.  It brings to mind a whole new meaning of “taking one for the team,” and as it turned out, I took a lot of em'.

It wasn’t long until every kid knew that the big kid from Louisiana was talking smack and not backing down. I was the LSU prophet. The message was clear and distinct.

“We’re finally going to beat the ‘H’ out of Alabama this year!”

I’m sure you can imagine that my preaching was not well received and often ignored which was mostly due to LSU's win/loss record against the Tide.

Speaking of Tide—what's the deal with the whole Tide detergent box with a roll of toilet paper on top hat?  Dude, for real?

Anyway, pretty soon, every event that I participated in during my elementary years was seen by my peers as a way to challenge not just me. It was a way to challenge my beloved LSU Tigers.

If I lost a pick-up basketball game that was one-on-one; It wasn’t me who lost, it was LSU who lost. If I scored a touch down in flag football, it wasn’t my team who scored, it was LSU.

There were times on plays where I could be thrown the ball and my friend wouldn’t pass it to me because they didn’t want to hear about how LSU just scored again on Alabama.

One game could go on for weeks. There was never a consensus winner.

The challenges were soon not limited to just the playground.  The classroom soon became Death Valley. If I did better on a test than one of my classmates; LSU won—if I got a lower grade, Alabama won.

I’m sure my teachers were so happy that I was so involved in my grades with having absolutely no idea as to what was truly going on. “That Dale Weaver is such a conscientious student.” Yes sir, I was.

What great memories that I had nearly forgotten.

Thank you myopic delusional Alabama fan for helping me rediscover a once lost treasure in recollecting a small piece of heaven for a young boy who is a Louisiana State University Football fanatic.

I loved sticking up for my team; I loved sticking up for my LSU Tigers.

By the way Alabama fan, “We” just scored again!  Geaux Tigers!