So rather than embarrass myself by making a prediction ('Bama is favoured by 9.5, for you wagering folk),I'll provide insights from die-hard fans on both sides of the gridiron.
"Win one for the Gipper", we have The Notre Dame fan:
On
attending live games:
On being a fan, even during the tough periods:
Like the San Francisco 49ers, Notre Dame had a bout of extreme ugly seasons where you just could not admit you were a fan. Brutal, ugly losses. But, I still watched.
On the diverse fan base, and the allure of the team:
NBC is basically the Irish network because they have been televising their games exclusively for as long as I can remember. This team has a very rich history. Don't forget the Lou Holtz era, which was the last time this team was really a contender. In fact, the last time the Irish won a national championship was against the West Virginia Mountaineers on January 1, 1989 when Tony Rice led the Irish to victory in the Fiesta Bowl. It was also an era where it was rare to see a black starting QB (Rice), let alone two (Major Harris with the Mountaineers). I still have this Sports Illustrated with Tony Rice on the cover. I also have an autographed picture of Tony Rice from that season.
On what a win would mean:
Given that the Irish have barely seen a bowl game since 1989, it would mean a lot to the team. That said, it is a bittersweet moment for many Irish fans, including me. I am having a difficult time supporting Brian Kelly since his negligence in Declan Sullivan's death, although Sullivan's family has seemingly forgiven the university and will be in attendance: . Then there are subsequent criminal acts under Kelly's watch that were shushed by the coach and administration, which led to the suicide of one of the victims. I'm not a huge fan of Nick Saban, so I am really torn as to how to watch this game. More than likely without any emotion and only for the football.
Ah yes, Nick Saban - of "I will not be the head coach of Alabama" infamy. To provide a perspective from the Crimson Tide sideline, I contacted a fan from the heart of the deep South, where they are friendly, hospitable, NOT all sounding like Honey Boo Boo, and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a church.
"Roll Tide Roll", we have The Alabama fan:
On why fans would root for Saban, accepting the job that he flatly denied he would take:
I don't have a great answer for that. As stereotypically southern as this sounds, I don't think many Bama fans even think about that, though admittedly we wouldn't be happy if that was done to us. Ha, we're just grateful he's ours now.
On attending live games:
I grew up attending games almost every Fall weekend. There's nothing like a Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It's an electric atmosphere steeped in tradition.
On becoming a fan:
Born a Bama fan. My Dad graduated from UA's School of Law, and began brainwashing us right out of the womb. :).I attended grad school there as well.
On watching games when not at a stadium:
When I can't be at a game, I enjoy watching games with family, friends, and great food. There's no shortage of good cooks down here, and people go all out on game days.
Kickoff is at 8:30pm ET on ESPN. Regardless of the outcome I'd be happy for either of my two friends, and I would like to thank them for their time!
