Built in the Trenches: A Marriage, a Coin Flip, and Alabama Football

Living in northeast Ohio, you learn pretty quickly which college football teams you’re allowed to like.

Alabama usually isn’t one of them.

And yet, somehow, here we are.

I get asked all the time how a guy from northeast Ohio became a lifelong Alabama fan. Did I go to school there? Do I have family from there?

No — but here’s the story.

Living In Northeast Ohio, Loving Alabama

The 2009 college football season will forever be one of the greatest seasons in sports history for the Anderson family.

Two years after my wife and I got married, we were attending a small PCA church called Faith Church in Akron, Ohio. While it was strong in theology, it also had a group of young people who loved college football. Like good Presbyterians, they didn’t just love college football — like their theology, they loved to argue and debate it.

That drew me in.

Growing up, my wife and I were both sports fans, but neither of us had ever followed college football. In 2009, we decided to jump in — probably more for the camaraderie than real interest, but nonetheless, we jumped in.

A Coin Flip, and a Kickoff Game

I came up with the bright idea that we should watch the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: No. 5 Alabama, coached by Nick Saban in his second year at Alabama (who neither of us had heard of — forgetting he was actually on the Browns’ coaching staff when I was about ten years old), versus No. 7 Virginia Tech.

I don’t recall the point spread, as we didn’t even have sports betting back then — lol.

I decided to add a little stake to the game.

I asked my wife, Amber, “Who ya got?” — my competitiveness already kicking in.

She said, “Hmmmm… Virginia Tech,” unknowingly setting the course for the rest of our lives.

I said, “Ok then, I’ve got Bama. Whoever wins, we follow for the rest of the season.”

Knowing full well that if her team won, I’d do it begrudgingly and probably fall off toward the end of the season — but whatever.

Alabama won that game, and I was all in.

They kept winning. And as they won, Amber and I became more and more invested. We suddenly had opinions to offer on Sunday mornings. This was the first time I remember watching college football since Ohio State beat Miami in the national title game in 2003.

The season was magical.

Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy and gave a moving speech. Alabama overcame Tebow-mania. Terrence Cody blocked two field goals — including what would have been the game-winner against Tennessee — securing the 12–10 victory that became known as The Rocky Block.

And in the end, Alabama went on to win the national championship with a 37-21 win over Texas.

But something else was happening that season.

Built in the Trenches

This college football thing — specifically this Alabama football thing — became something Amber and I truly bonded over. It became our thing. A young marriage built in the trenches of Bama football.

We were young and didn’t have much money. We were grinding and had to be disciplined — like the Bama defense. As Bama fans in northeast Ohio, it was us against everyone.

We watched the games together. We talked about the teams, the rules, and the differences from the pros. We learned how rankings worked. It added to our Sunday mornings. And yes — my wife wasn’t over with the ladies talking about kids and cooking. She was right there in the thick of it.

Alabama became part of our small family.

Over time, our Christmas tree became decorated with Alabama ornaments. The jersey collection started and grew. Everyone began to know this was our team. Our closest friends even started paying attention to Alabama — hard not to when they built the greatest dynasty in college football history. Some followed just to root against us, but still.

We even get texts from close friends who aren’t Bama fans just to say “Roll Tide” in support of our obsession.

People knew they couldn’t pull Bama out of us — no matter how much they teased us, jeered us, or tried to rationalize why we should cheer for Ohio State just because we live in Ohio.

And man, did we catch harassment when Ohio State beat Bama on January 1, 2015 — especially since the company I worked for was headquartered in Columbus.

But that only made our love for Bama stronger — and it made January 11, 2021, when Bama massacred O-H-I-O, even sweeter.

More Than a Game

Something else happened that night — and the next day.

Little did anyone know, Amber and I had been trying for a baby. We hadn’t planned to take a test for a couple more weeks, but Daddy was feeling pretty lucky.

After taking all our celebratory pictures in Bama gear in front of the tree, I told Amber, “Eh… maybe you should take that test in the morning.”

Sure enough, she came into the bedroom and said the best words I’d heard since “I do”:

“We’re pregnant.”

I grinned, hugged my wife, kissed her — and then rolled back to bed, because it was about 6 a.m. and I hadn’t gone to sleep until 2 or 3 watching highlights.

Isabella Marie Anderson was born on September 25, 2021 — on game day — and we were all adorned in Bama gear. And sure enough, Alabama’s Jameson Williams ran back the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

She’s a huge Bama fan now at age four.

I’m sure sometimes we go overboard. But being Bama fans is just part of who we are now. I couldn’t imagine a Saturday where I wasn’t anxiously rooting for them.

So that’s our story — I hope you enjoyed it.

If you have a story about your family fandom, share it in the comments. We’d love to hear it.

And until next time, stay shaped by reason, guided by faith, grounded in Christ — and oh yeah, Roll Tide.