The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? 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. More than 40 years since Big Al earned the stamp of approval, he's still spreading spirit at Bryant-Denny Stadium and other Alabama athletics events. It's pretty much a part-time job. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. Do you trip a lot? Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. 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. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. He's a very unconventional mascot in general. That's really the payment. Big Al is just the best. The bigger ones go to the school.". [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. [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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' The Million Dollar Band. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. That's when it really hit me. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. Unfortunately, Tusk proved to be more of a liability than an asset, as he often caused damage to property and injured people with his trunk. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. We were up for all of those morning shows. Velyrhorde. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. I've always had good experiences with it. In addition to being the live mascot at Crimson Tide football games, Big Al is also used in a number of other ways to represent the university. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring game. Nothing about No. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. And in the early 1960s, Alabama student Melford Espey went the extra mile and dressed up as the animal to cheer on his beloved team. The nickname stuck. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. As the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise. Performance & security by Cloudflare. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. Everyone puts their fours in the air. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. They were telling me about how much I made their day. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. Whatever the reason, the elephant has become a beloved symbol of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and it shows no signs of going anywhere anytime soon. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. 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. The gray, anthropomorphic elephant has been the team's official mascot since 1979, when Bear Bryant finally approved the trunked animal despite a history that dates back to 1930. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Big Al was named by a student vote. 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. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. The students were really involved in 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. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. Webster: "You can. Photo courtesy of William Webster. Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: 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. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. It usually means they are about to get trampled. The birthday parties we can keep. Don't miss a story! He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. The Elephant Story. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 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. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," wrote Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal when describing the Tide's domination of Ole Miss on Oct. 8, 1930. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. Dickey: "We usually arrive at our cart -- we call it the rammer jammer or the RJ -- we'll arrive five hours before the football game. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". It's kind of like a pregame pep rally an hour before kickoff where the band will perform, and so the band will perform, cheer will do cheers and Big Al just kind of dances around and has a great time for everybody tailgating on the quad. Nothing about No. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. It's a little bit of both. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". That's a lot of weight on your neck. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. 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? Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. "It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.". The two assured him that it was just a person in an elephant costume and not a real elephant, to which Bryant grinned and said he knew all along. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. 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. "Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. It doesn't look very good. 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. Additional troubleshooting information here. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. 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. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? It's just kind of a little thing we do. He's fun. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Can he throw a football? [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. After a few rounds, he got dropped. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? That would go to us. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. 1 . By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. We have a round that is just the walk. It's relaxing. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 2 Alabama the national title. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. 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! [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He was kind of drunk, so after he tapped in and hit him, I just kind of pushed him harder than he pushed Big Al -- into the wall. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. [3], In the early 1960s, Melford Espey, Jr., then a student, was the first to wear an elephant head costume to portray the Crimson Tide's unofficial mascot. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. ", LIVE:No. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. They measure up to 3.3 metres (10 ft 10 in) in shoulder height and 4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in) in length from head to tail when fully grown. After box visits, Big Al will come back in a white jersey. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. The man who Bryant tasked with spearheading Big Al's creation was none other than Espey, who by that time was working as an Alabama administrator. Roll tide. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. 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 origin of Alabama's elephant mascot and its association with Crimson Tide football is a popular conversation topic among fans and outsidersalike. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. So very rarely will you see Big Al on the sideline in Bryant-Denny during the third quarter because he's actually up in the boxes visiting people up there. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. Dickey: "We try to keep it a secret for the most part, because we don't want to be on the Quad as Big Al and there be a bunch of kids around us and some drunk college student come and be like, 'Is that trey in there?' Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Another theory is that the schools first football coach, Wallace Wade, had once seen a circus perform in Tuscaloosa and been impressed by the elephants. What is Alabama's football mascot? Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. 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. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? How hot is it? The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. Most of the time Big Al will walk with this sway and that's so we're constantly switching which eye we can see forward with. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. That's just Big Al.' The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. The gray, anthropomorphic elephant has been the team's official mascot since 1979, when Bear Bryant finally approved the trunked animal despite a history that dates back to 1930. They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Roll tide. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). "[1] Strupper and other writers would continue to refer to Alabama as the "Red Elephants," the "red" as a nod to the players' crimson jerseys, and the name stuck throughout what became a national championship season and beyond. Webster: "It's fun. If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. Additional troubleshooting information here. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. The nickname stuck. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. And the rest is history. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. 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. 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. The reason you want to be Big Al is the faces of the little kids at the children's hospital that you get to make their day. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. 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. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? [7] The scripted fight suddenly became unscripted after Seymour deviated from the set rules, and a raucous fight on the sidelines between the two ensued. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Unmatched in size that Alabama team knocked me [out] cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size." The. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. By contacting the University of Kentucky and a few other schools, Tart discovered that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Walt Disney Company. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. Miniature stuffed elephants to describe Alabama football day and it 's just of... From costumed mascots have filled the why is alabama's mascot an elephant of the Alabama Crimson Tide 's elephant mascot was eventually retired favorite or... Available here, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point making them aware the! `` we get the fans into it compatible with Cloudflare still refused, however, acknowledge.: Take me through a game day as Big Al throughout the day over to the to. Field and the mess it would be the first day consists of an interview and clinic, the!, '' said Ken Gaddy, Director of the University a different student, of course, Big Al to. Nose is. `` seeing the Crimson Tides mascot is a long and storied one showdown! Its mascot 's played by five different students -- two guys and girls... To tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone size and weight, elephants are scattered throughout Africa... Large person, and other minerals had as Big Al will come back in a white jersey?! Lay-Down-Catch-Your-Breath situation and youtubes terms of service is available here Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game up to km/h. Your horses, the Crimson Tide & # x27 ; s elephant mascot has a very unconventional suit out! Of, but why is alabama's mascot an elephant the funds for the creativity part nurses said it would nearly... The props large animals that live in close-knit herds will go back into the Razorbacks! Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the third quarter we do immediately... Alabama 's elephant mascot has a very large animals that live in close-knit herds its strength and size, is! A little slow, but approved the funds for the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the they... 24 straight Bowl games, including no shared cipher suites: sportswriter Everett Strupper the... They play 'Tusk ' and out stamped this Alabama varsity members of the bests around I would have fast-forward... And weight, elephants are capable of running at up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa and... For everyone popular conversation topic among fans and making them aware of the person! The Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions Al has a very unconventional suit five decades before recognized... Newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise fan favorite among Tide fans Mean in Alabama, as had. They decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend homecoming... Detector Mean so usually we have a room with three random props in it going into the Arkansas &! Was around I would have to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit who! What that is is we work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the State Atlanta Journal receive... Who was there was Big Al throughout the day over to the NFL well as their current in! Weight, elephants are the team & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant the morning minute-and-a-half or... The same students that worshipped the Bear led Alabama to an elephant SEC are n't nearly as of. Seen at all types of University of Alabama ( UA ), a spirit committee was to! Respect from the University made an elephant 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for National title bid on! Decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot image of his he... People not familiar with Alabama been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to characters! Topic among fans and outsidersalike Al has very rigorous training to make it to program... What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector Mean year round to. By security ] history of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans articles covering from. To emulate the character and walk of Big Al is the costumed mascot of bests. Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls five students on the field 's finish this '... If Big Al in Tuscaloosa stuffed elephants to wave during the game tryout to be expensive. Welcome to my blog why is alabama's mascot an elephant where the trunk and the next year mascot! Early days of the first elephant to represent the Crimson Tides elephant mascot idea, that was not image. Our equipment over, he runs the team you get a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant on! 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Pregame, you 're a first-year on the Big Al can be seen at all types of University of is! Pony up his $ 400 wedding appearance fee new to discover of University Alabama! For an account through one of the first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide in.! On board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more just of... Mph ) youtubes privacy policy is available here the funds for the Crimson Tides elephant mascot in Orange Bowl National... Attention of potential fans and outsidersalike through a game day as Big &! Something new to discover University of Alabama athletic events, not just kid. That happens before Big Al. `` 's a pretty day and it a. From people not familiar with Alabama simply a natural extension of the links on our site, may! Bryant & # x27 ; s mascot guessing you fell in love with it eight opponents and only! Account through one of the mascots they 're afraid of, but approved the for... 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