Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer, Give Em Heck Alabama!

The biggest rivalry in college football; The University of Alabama and Auburn University. The Crimson Tide versus the Auburn Tigers...or is it the Auburn Eagles? This rivalry out-ranks the “Holy War” between BYU and The University of Utah. Alabama fans and Auburn fans get into debates on a daily basis. Even on a vacation in Mexico, my dad and a man got into an argument about Alabama and Auburn football. Most people know about the greatness of Alabama football but have no clue about Auburn football.  Alabama football is a way of life. The phrase “Roll Tide” rings true to every born and raised Alabama football fan. The University of Alabama has a legacy of winning and Auburn University doesn’t have that classy way to play the wonderful game of football. The University of Alabama's football program is far superior to Auburn Universities football program due to the fans, mascots, and pure talent.

Alabama football fans are true fans. They support their team in ups and downs, good seasons and bad seasons.  Being a football fan at the University of Alabama is a life long journey while Auburn fans tend to be more fair-weather than loyal. A football team needs their fans to be loyal and support them at all times to be successful. The atmosphere at a game can make a big difference. Teams would rather play a team at home then away because the fans can make or break the game. If the fans are like Alabama fans, and support the team when they are not doing so hot, the team is more likely to improve. Also, the two team’s stadiums show a great deal about the commitment and participation of their fans; Auburn’s stadium, Jordan-Hare Stadium, holds 87,451 people compared to Alabama’s Bryant Denny Stadium which holds 101,821 fans. Even with all of these seats, Bryant Denny still has to turn away season ticket holders and people on A-day; the day of scrimmage between Alabama’s offense and defense.  Alabama fans can get a little crazy at the games because of the passion feel for the team and the game of football. There are many special cheers specific to The University of Alabama, such as the “Rammer Jammer” that Alabama fans know and love to chant. If Auburn fans were more enthusiastic during the games, then the team would have a greater sense of hope and would be able to win more of their games.

Auburn University has two mascots. Not one, but two! I have always been taught that teams got to have one mascot to represent their school. Auburn has the tiger and the eagle. The phrase Auburn fans say is “War Eagle.” But why are they called the “Auburn Tigers?” With two different mascots, loyalties can get a little confusing. Some fans will be cheering for the tiger and others for the eagle. The sense of unity would not be there as much as the University of Alabama’s unity. Hence another reason why Alabama has an outstanding football program because the elephant is the one and only mascot for the University and has the entire fan bases devotion.

The heritage of The University of Alabama’s football team is extremely impressive. The school has a great coaching staff along with great players. The head coach at Alabama is Nick Saban. Coach Saban has three national championships behind him. One from LSU, and the other two from Alabama! Since becoming coach in 2007, Saban has led the tide to 55 wins! But, to win games, you have to have great coaches and players. Alabama has fourteen National Championship titles next to Auburn’s measly five. The talent at Alabama far out ways the talent at Auburn. Look at the defenses of the two teams. Alabama’s defense is first in the nation and Auburn’s is sixty fourth; pretty big difference if you ask me. Another impressive statistic of Alabama football is the recruiting class. Alabama’s recruiting class is once again first in the rankings while Auburn is number twelve. In 2011 Auburn had a fantastic quarter-back, Cam Newton. It was highly suspected that this savior of Auburn’s football team was paid to come to the University and play for them. All of the stand-out players at Alabama have not had these accusations! With the number of games won and the great coaching staff at Alabama, players do not have to be paid to play on the team. They are just excited to play on a great football team, and in my opinion, the greatest football program in sport’s history.

I do realize that Auburn University does have some good things to offer at their school; the veterinarian program, the agricultural program, and the scholastics, in general, are fantastic. But, the football program is just not up to par with that of Alabama’s. The University of Alabama has a prestigious football team. Some say it is over-rated; others say that the entire South Eastern Conference is behind on the times and need to change the way they play their football. With fourteen National Championships under their belt, it is well known, that  the University of Alabama has a great understanding of the beautiful game of football. Auburn University could defiantly take some pointers from Alabama’s staff.  If Auburn could bring in classier fans, stop being indecisive on their mascot choice, and improve their players abilities, the team would begin to bring home as many championships as Alabama. But success like Alabama’s comes from a legacy of success and great football. But hey, if Auburn starts now, one day they might get there!        

I'm Normally Not This Emotional....I Promise!!

''So here lately I have started to get back into the 'I miss everything' stage.
I miss Alabama. I miss the thunderstorms there. I miss waking up in the middle of the night because the house is shaking due to the thunder rumbling. I don't ever get to hear the pitter-patter of rain on the tin roof anymore. I miss it.
I also miss the food. I miss getting to go out to eat to nice restuarants with my parents. I can't even remember the last time I went out to eat at a decent place! I miss barbecue. I hate how out west 'barbecue' is considered a verb. It. Is. Not. Barbecue is a noun. It is a food. NOT A VERB. You can grill-out, but you cannot barbecue. I miss my momma's cooking. Oh how she can make the best food!!

Most of all I miss my family, friends, and my ward. I miss having that group of people that have known me since I was born. Out here when things go wrong, I don't have that group of people there to help me out. My ward back home has known me for as long as I have known myself and they will do anything for me. Out here there just isn't that same support group. I feel weird if I needed something to call my relief society president and ask for something, cause she is in the same boat I am in. I miss my family. My neice and nephew. They are the cutest kids ever! I miss my momma and my daddy. I miss how my dad and I could just laugh and laugh without anyone else understanding what we are laughing about. I miss it. I miss my mom. I miss seeing my brother and my sisters.

Sorry for the little pity party. Life really is great! I just miss a fair amount of stuff. I am having the time of my life out here, but I do miss my great state and all of the people in it! I love BYU and am so thankful to be here!

Greek Junk.

Logos- Stadium size, Statistics (Alabama is ranked number one. Number of National Championships)

Pathos- Personal Experiences, passions (Being at the games, people get pretty passionate about football)

Ethos- Personal Experience, Citing experts (I've been to both Alabama and Auburn and rivals.com has experts)

You Know What They Say When You Assume...

Claim: Alabama football > Auburn Football

Reasons: Fans (bigger stadium, classy people), mascots (2 mascots), heritage (14 national champs, walk of champions, denny chimes, tailgating)

Assumptions: Fans want to cheer for the better team!

RTR.

Topic: Alabama football is better than Auburn football.
Thesis: The University of Alabama's football program is far superior to Auburn Universities football program due to the fans, mascots, and pure talent.

I'm sure that little sentence will change quite a bit over this writing process. But we shall see!

What in the World Should One Write About?

Here are a few of my ideas for my opinion editorial! By the way, anything is WAY to broad a topic:)

-Why Alabama football is better than Auburn football.

• Mascot- Auburn needs to make up their mind. Do they want the eagle to be it or do they want the tiger? You can't pick and choose here. An elephant is way cuter than both of these anyways so it doesnt matter what they choose.
• Ability- 13(hopefully 14) National Championships vs 5
• Don't have to pay players to come (Cam Newton) number 1 in recruting vs number 12
• 14th in rushing yards vs 32 in rushing

-LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.

• Show EVERY curve and mistake in your body. Whoever invented them made them to go UNDER skirts and such. NOT to replace pants.

-Why girls shouldn't be allowed to poof their hair

• Makes your hair nappy.
• Boys WILL make fun of you
• Caterogizes you as a Utah girl.

-PDA is badddddd.

• No one wants to see another person whisper sweet nothings into someones ear. So keep it private.
• It's just gross.
• It makes everyone around you feel awkward.

Yay for opinion topics!

Wanna Talk About Me?

Hey y'all! My name is Michelle Elmore and I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. I am 18 years old and this is my second semester at BYU! My major right now is Spanish translation and I am thinking about minoring in Arabic. I want to work for the government when I graduate. I love to sing and dance and I was in show choir in high school and LOVED it! We were pretty darn good, not going to lie! So some interesting/weird facts about me; I love football (especially Alabama), my favorite color is yellow, and I randomly break out in song! There's a little bit about me! :)