🏈 Alabama Football: Is It Time To Stop Yellow Hammer Cheer and Show More Class?

[RollTideinGA]

Also, I found this from UA Gameday:

The “Rammer Jammer Cheer” is a traditional and controversial cheer which taunts the Crimson Tide’s football opponents. It typically is played towards the end of a game when an Alabama victory is certain.

The lyrics originate from The Rammer-Jammer, a student newspaper in the 1920s, and the yellowhammer, Alabama’s state bird. The cadence of the cheer was adapted from the Ole Miss cheer “Hotty Toddy” after then Ole Miss marching band director Dr. James Ferguson was appointed director of the Million Dollar Band. The cheer was long referred to as “Ole Miss”, and today the drum major’s signal is still the motioning of one arm in a full circle (an ‘O’).
Author Warren St. John entitled his 2004 bestseller about obsessive sports fans Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer after the “Rammer Jammer Cheer”.

The cheer has recently come under fire on account of its taunting nature and its use of the word “hell”. In a vote at Homecoming 2005, the question was posed to students of whether the cheer should be banned. 98% of students voted in favor of keeping the cheer, while only 95 students voted to have it banned.​

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[Nate]

Yeah, its a game. One that most of you probably never played past junior high or maybe high school

Another point...forget about fans for a moment. Forget about how you feel for a moment.

Imagine...

You are a football player for (insert school here) and you just spent hundreds of hours of conditioning and practice over the past year. You just played your heart out against Alabama...and lost.

You are tired.

You are beat up.

You are emotionally worn out.

You are walking off the field toward the locker room.

And now 100,000 people are screaming at you that they just beat the hell out of you.

If that doesn't put it in perspective and make you think twice about it, you are hopeless.

Thats about as stupid an argument as the people that don't think non alumni should cheer for Alabama.

So what if you spent hundreds of hours conditioning and blah blah blah. You go into the game knowing one team is going to lose.

Should Bama refuse to play teams we are favored over because it might hurt their poor little feelings when we beat them as expected? Should our team not hit other players as hard as they can because our players are more talented? I mean seriously.

It gets on my nerves so bad when people can't respect the fact that other people are allowed to make their own decisions about something. Instead of respecting others rights they try and ban everything they don't like or agree with.


If you don't like it, either don't participate, leave early, put in some ear plugs, or even pass out ear plugs to opposing teams so they don't have to hear it if they don't want to.

 

[Big_Fan]

Also, I found this from UA Gameday:

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[/INDENT]

Rammer Jammer was the name of the student paper. Like the state bird, it predates the cheer. Like the Yellowhammer it has nothing to do with it, other than being referenced.

The cheer was started by James Ferguson around his last season as director. For years the band referred to it as the Ole Miss cheer and even the hand signal that the drum major still uses to tell the band it is being played is a big "O" for Ole Miss.

I KNOW it wasn't done after Bama beat Penn State in the 79 sugar bowl or in the 80 Sugar. There is a video on Youtube of the 1993 Sugar Bowl - no RJ there either, just the fight song.

To me, RJ is like the angry elephant - a recent "tradition" that makes me think of the Mike DuBose era. I want the Elephant stepping through the A and the fight song after we win.

+ Yea Alabama = Tradition

+ Rammer Jammer = not tradition

 

[Big_Fan]

Thats about as stupid an argument as the people that don't think non alumni should cheer for Alabama.

So what if you spent hundreds of hours conditioning and blah blah blah. You go into the game knowing one team is going to lose.

Should Bama refuse to play teams we are favored over because it might hurt their poor little feelings when we beat them as expected? Should our team not hit other players as hard as they can because our players are more talented? I mean seriously.

It gets on my nerves so bad when people can't respect the fact that other people are allowed to make their own decisions about something. Instead of respecting others rights they try and ban everything they don't like or agree with.


If you don't like it, either don't participate, leave early, put in some ear plugs, or even pass out ear plugs to opposing teams so they don't have to hear it if they don't want to.

You have nothing to do with those players on the field. If you think you do, go down to the field right after the game and walk up to a player on the opposing team, and yell in his face that you just beat the hell out of him. I will come visit you at the hospital.

Your rights end when they infringe upon the rights of others. A strong argument can be made that RJ steps across the line...that is why it is so controversial.

You should be embarrassed for posting that rant...I am embarrassed for you.

 

[RollTideinGA]

You have nothing to do with those players on the field. If you think you do, go down to the field right after the game and walk up to a player on the opposing team, and yell in his face that you just beat the hell out of him. I will come visit you at the hospital.

Your rights end when they infringe upon the rights of others. A strong argument can be made that RJ steps across the line...that is why it is so controversial.

You should be embarrassed for posting that rant...I am embarrassed for you.

I actually I kind of agree with Nate on this and disagree with you. I agree that people can do the cheer if they want and it isnt right for a few to decide that it isnt right. 98% of the student body voted to keep it. As far as it impacting the opposing players I disagree with you. I think thats a little overboard on your example. A co-worker that played for an ACC school in the mid 2000's said the players really only hear noise not specific words or chants. And he also said the noise doesnt impact them much, but he was a Safety.

To each his own, live and let live. I like the cheer and I dont personally know anyone who doesnt. Only the internet dwellers. The non-virtual Bama alumni and fans I know like the cheer.

And I hardly think RJYH infringes on anyones rights, seriously relax. Have a smoke, a cocktail, or whatever you need to relax. Its not that serious. Its a cheer at a game. A GAME! The fans arent in the players front yard while he's sleeping yelling the cheer. I guess we better knock off some of those other cheers like GO BAMA GO, or DEFENSE (which I find highly offensive). LOL
Love,
Hopeless

 

[BamaDelta]

Delta...8443 post in 16 months!!!! Im impressed:rofl:

Me too! Wow, I've been busy. I gained about 6,000 posts last week alone.

 

[Millie]

Is it really that offensive? I happen to believe that it is one of the most exciting points of any football game at Alabama, doubly so if it is after a win from one of our major rivals or a hard fought game. I am more concerned/offended by the way that some of our fans dress for these games (if you wear a shirt with the sleeves cut off, I am talking about you).

 

[RollTideinGA]

Is it really that offensive? I happen to believe that it is one of the most exciting points of any football game at Alabama, doubly so if it is after a win from one of our major rivals or a hard fought game. I am more concerned/offended by the way that some of our fans dress for these games (if you wear a shirt with the sleeves cut off, I am talking about you).

I have the right to bare arms!!!!!!:rofl:

No, its not offensive, some people are just a little overly sensitive.

 

[Nate]

You have nothing to do with those players on the field. If you think you do, go down to the field right after the game and walk up to a player on the opposing team, and yell in his face that you just beat the hell out of him. I will come visit you at the hospital.

Your rights end when they infringe upon the rights of others. A strong argument can be made that RJ steps across the line...that is why it is so controversial.

You should be embarrassed for posting that rant...I am embarrassed for you.

I actually help pay for their education, so yeah I do have something to do with them. I wouldn't walk up to anyone and yell something in their face, that has absolutely nothing to do with 100,000 fans chanting RJ in a stadium at least 20- 30 yards away from any players.

Exactly my right to sing a chant ends when it infringes upon someone else. RJ infringes on NOBODIES right to anything. The stadium doors are not locked to where you can't leave, ear plugs are allowed in the game, and nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to sing along with me. HOWEVER, banning the chant INFRINGES on my right to sing RJ at the end of the game.


You think I should be embarrassed for having an opinion other than yours? Pretty sad that you don't have the ability to respect others opinions and points of view that are outside of your own. Instead you think they should be embarrassed for not seeing it through your eyes.

Whats funny is that this whole thing is about respecting the opponent in your eyes, yet you don't even have the ability to respect opinions differing from your own for fans of the same team. THAT my friend is embarrassing!

 

[Big_Fan]

I actually I kind of agree with Nate on this and disagree with you. I agree that people can do the cheer if they want and it isnt right for a few to decide that it isnt right. 98% of the student body voted to keep it. As far as it impacting the opposing players I disagree with you. I think thats a little overboard on your example. A co-worker that played for an ACC school in the mid 2000's said the players really only hear noise not specific words or chants. And he also said the noise doesnt impact them much, but he was a Safety.

To each his own, live and let live. I like the cheer and I dont personally know anyone who doesnt. Only the internet dwellers. The non-virtual Bama alumni and fans I know like the cheer.

Love,
Hopeless

If you came up to me after a game when I played, and screamed you had beaten the hell out of me, I would have knocked your teeth down your throat.

As a rival fan I would look at it as classless and trashy, and scoff any any suggestion you were a classy fan base. We want to say we are a classy fan base...and we have rammer jammer. Those two things are mutually exclusive.

Funny, about the only people I know who like the cheer enough to make an argument for it are ignorant kids (25 and under) and fans who never attended any college at all. When people grow up or get an education they tend to outgrow that cheer...I personally don't know anyone who likes it that does not fit that description. I bet if it were voted on by faculty you would see a different outcome. Probably 98% against.

 

[RollTideinGA]

I actually help pay for their education, so yeah I do have something to do with them. I wouldn't walk up to anyone and yell something in their face, that has absolutely nothing to do with 100,000 fans chanting RJ in a stadium at least 20- 30 yards away from any players.

Exactly my right to sing a chant ends when it infringes upon someone else. RJ infringes on NOBODIES right to anything. The stadium doors are not locked to where you can't leave, ear plugs are allowed in the game, and nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to sing along with me. HOWEVER, banning the chant INFRINGES on my right to sing RJ at the end of the game.


You think I should be embarrassed for having an opinion other than yours? Pretty sad that you don't have the ability to respect others opinions and points of view that are outside of your own. Instead you think they should be embarrassed for not seeing it through your eyes.

Whats funny is that this whole thing is about respecting the opponent in your eyes, yet you don't even have the ability to respect opinions differing from your own for fans of the same team. THAT my friend is embarrassing!

DANG! :stick:

* On a side note we need a smilie for hugging it out. Id like to see Nate and Big Fan hug it out. Come on guys I'll buy you both a beer.

 

[UAgrad93]

Can we have this thread killed off like one of those lame actresses in a soap opera? PLEASE!!!! Sing along if you like and don't if you don't. I think it does get embarrassing when those drunk azz fans start yelling it in opposing fans faces. I choose when I sing and when I don't. I didn't sing after the UT game but screamed it after the SEC title game.

 

[Big_Fan]

I actually help pay for their education, so yeah I do have something to do with them. I wouldn't walk up to anyone and yell something in their face, that has absolutely nothing to do with 100,000 fans chanting RJ in a stadium at least 20- 30 yards away from any players.

Exactly my right to sing a chant ends when it infringes upon someone else. RJ infringes on NOBODIES right to anything. The stadium doors are not locked to where you can't leave, ear plugs are allowed in the game, and nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to sing along with me. HOWEVER, banning the chant INFRINGES on my right to sing RJ at the end of the game.


You think I should be embarrassed for having an opinion other than yours? Pretty sad that you don't have the ability to respect others opinions and points of view that are outside of your own. Instead you think they should be embarrassed for not seeing it through your eyes.

Whats funny is that this whole thing is about respecting the opponent in your eyes, yet you don't even have the ability to respect opinions differing from your own for fans of the same team. THAT my friend is embarrassing!

I stated my opinion, you attacked it in an inflammatory manner, got embarrassed in prose, and now try foul. Priceless.

You are probably angry because you can go to war and die at 18 but can't drink until you are 21.

 

[Big_Fan]

DANG! :stick:

* On a side note we need a smilie for hugging it out. Id like to see Nate and Big Fan hug it out. Come on guys I'll buy you both a beer.

I would prefer he bugger off to a UT board. He strikes me as Vol material.

 

[psychojoe]

If you came up to me after a game when I played, and screamed you had beaten the hell out of me, I would have knocked your teeth down your throat.

There's the rub. No one is getting in an opposing player's face. Straw man argument.

 

[RollTideinGA]

If you came up to me after a game when I played, and screamed you had beaten the hell out of me, I would have knocked your teeth down your throat.

As a rival fan I would look at it as classless and trashy, and scoff any any suggestion you were a classy fan base. We want to say we are a classy fan base...and we have rammer jammer. Those two things are mutually exclusive.

Funny, about the only people I know who like the cheer enough to make an argument for it are ignorant kids (25 and under) and fans who never attended any college at all. When people grow up or get an education they tend to outgrow that cheer...I personally don't know anyone who likes it that does not fit that description. I bet if it were voted on by faculty you would see a different outcome. Probably 98% against.

Dude no one is going up to a player and yelling it in their face. Get over it. I attended UA and I like the cheer. I attended after military service so I was an adult learner. I have a college education I graduated with honors and I still like the cheer. Where is your argument now? Again, its a GAME! Like I mentioned earlier it has been a part of Bama football as along as I have been going to games. And I went to games when some guy named Bryant was the coach.

 

[Big_Fan]

There's the rub. No one is getting in an opposing player's face. Straw man argument.

The entire argument for RJ is ad hominem tu quoque. The scenario of getting in a players face is not straw man. That would be a misrepresentation of his position. The scenario of getting in a player's face is making it personal instead of mob. It is easy to scream along with 100k people. It is somewhat different when you make it personal.

Edit...it might be possible to argue that my position is a fallacy of division, but by similar standard you could say that the entire RJ argument begs the question since both the premise and conclusion are the RJ is ok to do. Essentially the argument for it also contains the fallacy of assertion.

 

[Nate]

If you came up to me after a game when I played, and screamed you had beaten the hell out of me, I would have knocked your teeth down your throat.

Nobody is getting up in players faces screaming they beat the hell of out them like you make it out to be. The players are usually about midfield 50-60 yards away from any fan of any type. Do you not think it would be classless to beat up a rowdy fan??

As a rival fan I would look at it as classless and trashy, and scoff any any suggestion you were a classy fan base. We want to say we are a classy fan base...and we have rammer jammer. Those two things are mutually exclusive.

So the only reason you dislike RJ is because you are afraid of how other fan bases think of us?

Funny, about the only people I know who like the cheer enough to make an argument for it are ignorant kids (25 and under) and fans who never attended any college at all. When people grow up or get an education they tend to outgrow that cheer...I personally don't know anyone who likes it that does not fit that description. I bet if it were voted on by faculty you would see a different outcome. Probably 98% against.

Thats quite a blanket statement, and really having fans that think so lowly of people who didn't go to college or aren't over the age of 25 is kind of embarassing. Do you take this attitude of yours out into the real world???

 

[RollTideinGA]

The entire argument for RJ is ad hominem tu quoque. The scenario of getting in a players face is not straw man. That would be a misrepresentation of his position. The scenario of getting in a player's face is making it personal instead of mob. It is easy to scream along with 100k people. It is somewhat different when you make it personal.

Much like arguing and getting all upset when people dont agree with your position over the internet. I've always wondered how these conversations would go minus a keyboard, a monitor, and no internet in between.

 

[BamaCore]

I never had the opportunity to go to college and I'm 24 years old. Guess I'm not a "real" fan then. Also, I guess I'm stuck in a perpetual state of immaturity and ignorance that magically disappears when you take a few classes at a local college and turn the age of 25.