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Michael Casagrande |
Asking Alabama players about playing Tennessee and the rivalry.
It's been a while since Alabama and Tennessee were trading wins in this historic rivalry. Some of the players involved were younger than 10 the last time the Vols beat Alabama.
The conflict still means something to Crimson Tide players interviewed this week in advance of the 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday game in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Nick Saban on Monday fought the perception this would be an easy Alabama win after his team opened as a 34-point favorite over the struggling Vols.
"I was already thinking about them when I was running off the field (following the Arkansas game)," linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton said. "I was singing their fight song. That's all I was talking about, it was Rocky Top Week. It definitely lights a match up in the room. You know you have to go a little bit harder in practice this week."
Apparently, it's a popular song in the Alabama locker room.
"I'm not even the only player who knows a lot of the words," said Hamilton, a Montgomery product familiar with the rivalry. "A lot of my teammates do, also. We always sing it. So, it's going to be a pretty fun week."
Josh Jacobs didn't grow up in the midst of the tension. He's from Tulsa, but is familiar with the rivalry before Alabama began its 10-game winning streak.
"I definitely noticed during the (Peyton) Manning era, with him at Tennessee, when I really first took notice about how big it really is," Jacobs said. "With the 30-for-30s and all that. We're just trying to keep the tradition alive and keep the winning streak (going)."
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It's been a while since Alabama and Tennessee were trading wins in this historic rivalry. Some of the players involved were younger than 10 the last time the Vols beat Alabama.
The conflict still means something to Crimson Tide players interviewed this week in advance of the 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday game in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Nick Saban on Monday fought the perception this would be an easy Alabama win after his team opened as a 34-point favorite over the struggling Vols.
"I was already thinking about them when I was running off the field (following the Arkansas game)," linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton said. "I was singing their fight song. That's all I was talking about, it was Rocky Top Week. It definitely lights a match up in the room. You know you have to go a little bit harder in practice this week."
Apparently, it's a popular song in the Alabama locker room.
"I'm not even the only player who knows a lot of the words," said Hamilton, a Montgomery product familiar with the rivalry. "A lot of my teammates do, also. We always sing it. So, it's going to be a pretty fun week."
Josh Jacobs didn't grow up in the midst of the tension. He's from Tulsa, but is familiar with the rivalry before Alabama began its 10-game winning streak.
"I definitely noticed during the (Peyton) Manning era, with him at Tennessee, when I really first took notice about how big it really is," Jacobs said. "With the 30-for-30s and all that. We're just trying to keep the tradition alive and keep the winning streak (going)."
Continue reading...
