Thanks for the compliment, Bammer

History of "Roll Tide"

Every time a Bammer fan says "Roll Tide", they are actually sending out a compliment to Auburn.  Here is how the battle cry originated.

• It was not until 1907 that the name "Crimson Tide" was used to describe Alabama. The name was supposedly first used by Hugh Roberts, former sports editor of the Birmingham Age-Herald. Roberts coined the nickname to describe the 1907 Alabama - Auburn game, played in a sea of mud. Although Auburn was favored to win, Alabama played well in the red mud and held Auburn to a 6 - 6 tie, thus gaining the name "Crimson Tide." Zepp Newman, former sports editor of the Birmingham News, probably popularized the name more than any other writer. 

The whole identity of the Bammer sports program is built on a tie with Auburn.  Think about that.   They were expecting to go down to defeat to their cross-state rival, but because they didn't lose, they chose to commemorate the lack of defeat by coming up with a catchy "Roll Tide" slogan.  They were so happy that they tied an Auburn team - an Auburn team with a final record of 6-2-1 - that their nickname and battle cry will forever be a tribute to being able to TIE Auburn.

So every time a Bammer says "Roll Tide", just grin, thank them, and say "1907".