1. College football
The traditions. The rivalries. The memories.
When aliens stumble upon our ancient, 21st century Alabama civilization 10,000 years from now, they’ll probably assume The Iron Bowl was a yearly mass celebration of a primitive people’s religion.
Belting out “Dixieland Delight” during the second half of an Alabama football game (RIP?) is the closest you’ll ever feel to 100,000 people you don’t know, unless perhaps you find yourself slinging a roll of toilet paper at Toomer’s Corner after a victory down on The Plains.
Roll Tide and War Eagle, y’all.
2. BBQ
This week may be about turkey and dressing, but the other 51 weeks of the year are about pulled pork, smoked sausage, and ribs. Alabama is blessed to be home to the best BBQ joints in America. Praise the Lord for Saw’s. Thank God for Dreamland. Hallelujah Jim ‘n’ Nicks!
3. Our culture
Falling asleep in a deer stand and waking up to a twelve-point standing in the middle of a green field. Parrot Heads at the beach. Robert Trent Jones on a Friday afternoon in April. Bryant-Denny or Jordan-Hare on a crisp Saturday night in November. Church on Sunday morning and Talladega that afternoon. Proudly working hard all day, then humbly sitting down at the dinner table with family and a bucket of sweet tea in the evenings.
4. Big dreams
Thank you, Lord, for the dreamers. The ones in Huntsville who put a man on the moon. The ones in Muscle Shoals who made sure the whole world heard our sound. And the brave souls in Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma who turned Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream into a reality.
5. Skynyrd
Several years ago I walked off a plane at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and approached the immigration enforcement desk with my passport. The security guard looked at it, looked up at me and with a heavy Israeli accent said, “Alabama?”
“Yes,” I replied.
A big smile came across his face and he said, “Sweet home.” I smiled back, nodded and said, “You better believe it.”
Has any other song so perfectly captured the essence of a state? Gotta love Skynyrd.
6. Proper raisin’
The west coast, new age parenting fads have never taken hold in the Yellowhammer State, and thank God for that. We never thought growing up that one day we’d be thankful for getting a good ol’ fashioned whoopin’, but that discipline sure paid off once we entered the real world.
7. Nuts
Peanuts? Sure, we’re thankful for those. They kept the Wiregrass afloat when the boll weevil decimated the cotton crops. But believe it or not, we’re also thankful for the nutty politicians (What’s wrong with the beer we got?!) and local celebrities (Hide yo kids, hide yo wife!) who make sure we never have to endure a dull moment.
Oh, and the Peanut Festival is pretty awesome, too.
8. Our past
It made us who we are. Like the fires that made Birmingham the South’s “Steel City,” our trials by fire have forged a unique bond that we share as Alabamians.
9. Our present
Great people, great food, great weather… Limitless opportunities.
Seriously, would you rather live anywhere else?
10. Our future
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11.
Amen.
Now let’s eat!
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.