The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Roll Tide: The Universal Greeting

Posted on | January 9, 2010 | 35 Comments

Like aloha or shalom, “Roll Tide” is a phrase of tremendous cultural nuance. Thursday night, after the ‘Bama Championship Show, my Burbank host JSF and I took a stroll through the streets of downtown Pasadena, crowded with fans celebrating the Crimson Tide’s glorious victory.

Everyone was wearing crimson, while many of the ladies were stylishly accessorized in black-and-white houndstooth (if I have to explain what houndstooth means to a ‘Bama fan, you’re reading the wrong blog). And wherever they encountered each other, the signifier of recognition was shouted: “Roll Tide!” Here are a couple of enthusiastic coeds from Tuscaloosa:

And here is a video, for which I must apologize as being so dimly lit, but listen to this fan’s humorous narrative of the season followed by the classic Alabama kickoff cheer:

Here are more photos from this week’s trip:

With son James at Dulles Airport, prior to departure Tuesday.

The front desk at the Westin Hotel in Costa Mesa which was the Crimson Tide’s BCS HQ.

Wednesday morning, my Twitter buddy Brittany Cohan met Donald Douglas and I in Costa Mesa and proved quite helpful at soliciting information about the Crimson Tide’s practice schedule.

Texas fans Wednesday at the Rose Bowl — they were in a cheerful mood prior to Thursday’s unstoppable onslaught of the Crimson QB Crushers.

This is Don, whom I met in the lobby of the Newport Beach Marriott. Don is a conservative blog reader who was overjoyed with surprise to discover that The Other McCain was in California for the big game.

Wednesday, outside the BCS media headquarters at the Newport Beach Marriott. The banner said, “Welcome Media,” which did not necessarily mean that they were going to give me credentials.

Being turned down for credentials didn’t prevent me from setting up the Sports Desk in the media hospitality suite in Newport Beach and poaching official BCS WiFi.

Hanging out with a sports writer for the Tuscaloosa paper at Wednesday’s media reception in Newport Beach. The BCS denied me credentials, but they couldn’t stop me from crashing their reception. (Suggestion to BCS fascists: Next year, have Department of Homeland Security protecting the buffet.)

With Brittany Cohan and Jenny Erikson at the Wednesday night pre-game blogger meetup in Redondo Beach.

An anonymous Alabama fan at Wednesday’s blogger meetup illustrates a shocking modification of the “Hook ‘Em Horns” symbol. He said, “This is for Nancy Pelosi,” whatever that means . . .

Jenny Erikson and Baldilocks at Wednesday’s blogger meetup, where they were equally oppressed by my corny jokes.

Friday morning, on JSF’s balcony in Burbank.

California Highway Patrol officers Friday afternoon at the Westin in Costa Mesa, waiting to escort the triumphant Tide to the airport for their victorious return to God’s Country.

Now, I’m en route to a Tea Party event in Altadena, before catching my flight back to Washington. ROLL TIDE! HIT THE TIP JAR! And in commemoration of this spectacular occasion, here is special music from the Leningrad Cowboys featuring the Red Army Choir:

Category: Alabama, Fear and Loathing in Pasadena, Football

Comments

35 Responses to “Roll Tide: The Universal Greeting”

  1. uberVU - social comments
    January 9th, 2010 @ 4:01 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by rsmccain: @bccohan @jennyerikson ROLL TIDE! The Universal Greeting http://bit.ly/5vYHaf Photos from Calif. Trip [] PLZ ReTweet #teaparty…

  2. Deuce Geary
    January 9th, 2010 @ 9:58 pm

    DHS protecting the buffet? What, so you can grab twice as much next time?

  3. Deuce Geary
    January 9th, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

    DHS protecting the buffet? What, so you can grab twice as much next time?

  4. the other mccain jr
    January 9th, 2010 @ 11:41 pm

    what ever happened to avoid the police at all costs?

  5. the other mccain jr
    January 9th, 2010 @ 6:41 pm

    what ever happened to avoid the police at all costs?

  6. Linkage: Spreading the Word Around, As Best I Can. « Starting from the Middle of the Story
    January 9th, 2010 @ 7:26 pm

    […] Other McCain: Roll Tide: The Universal Greeting theblanque @ 12:22 am [filed under Linkage tagged Linkage Leave a Comment […]

  7. Instapundit » Blog Archive » WELL, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE HAVING FUN, but to a Tennessee fan this is pretty much a Satanic Mass o…
    January 9th, 2010 @ 10:56 pm

    […] WELL, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE HAVING FUN, but to a Tennessee fan this is pretty much a Satanic Mass or something. […]

  8. Joe
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:10 am

    Wow, that was nice of Glenn to link you–and very funny ta boot.

    Alabama CT celebrations are a satanic mass, but congratulations!

  9. Joe
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:10 am

    Wow, that was nice of Glenn to link you–and very funny ta boot.

    Alabama CT celebrations are a satanic mass, but congratulations!

  10. Joe
    January 9th, 2010 @ 11:10 pm

    Wow, that was nice of Glenn to link you–and very funny ta boot.

    Alabama CT celebrations are a satanic mass, but congratulations!

  11. bruce wayne
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:16 am

    Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America

  12. bruce wayne
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:16 am

    Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America

  13. bruce wayne
    January 9th, 2010 @ 11:16 pm

    Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America

  14. Ken
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:20 am

    Who replaced Logan Young as recruiting facilitator?

  15. Ken
    January 9th, 2010 @ 11:20 pm

    Who replaced Logan Young as recruiting facilitator?

  16. Tully
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:36 am

    That is NOT a “modification” of the UT hook’em horns. Don’t you dare give Texans any credit for it. Any good (or rather, bad) Kansan can tell you where it’s from originally.

  17. Tully
    January 9th, 2010 @ 11:36 pm

    That is NOT a “modification” of the UT hook’em horns. Don’t you dare give Texans any credit for it. Any good (or rather, bad) Kansan can tell you where it’s from originally.

  18. Wombat-socho
    January 10th, 2010 @ 5:05 am

    Bruce, you need to kick back and have a beer. You sound a little too tightly wound for these parts. 😉

  19. Wombat-socho
    January 10th, 2010 @ 12:05 am

    Bruce, you need to kick back and have a beer. You sound a little too tightly wound for these parts. 😉

  20. willis
    January 10th, 2010 @ 12:13 pm

    “Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball
    This is whats WRONG in America”

    I agree Bruce, the damn ball should have been twice as big. Texas might have had chance then.

  21. willis
    January 10th, 2010 @ 7:13 am

    “Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball
    This is whats WRONG in America”

    I agree Bruce, the damn ball should have been twice as big. Texas might have had chance then.

  22. Hucbald
    January 10th, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

    Wow, Ponch has really let himself go.

  23. Hucbald
    January 10th, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

    Wow, Ponch has really let himself go.

  24. Hucbald
    January 10th, 2010 @ 7:52 am

    Wow, Ponch has really let himself go.

  25. Velociman
    January 10th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    Awesome Varsity shirt. They also double as decent UGA game attire.

  26. Velociman
    January 10th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    Awesome Varsity shirt. They also double as decent UGA game attire.

  27. Velociman
    January 10th, 2010 @ 8:00 am

    Awesome Varsity shirt. They also double as decent UGA game attire.

  28. SteveP
    January 10th, 2010 @ 2:49 pm

    “Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America”

    We can do both.

  29. SteveP
    January 10th, 2010 @ 2:49 pm

    “Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America”

    We can do both.

  30. SteveP
    January 10th, 2010 @ 9:49 am

    “Instead of concern for our Freedom and Leberty we have Americans big love affair with
    grown men playing a game with a little ball

    This is whats WRONG in America”

    We can do both.

  31. betheweb
    January 10th, 2010 @ 7:03 pm

    Whhooooo Pig. Sooooooooooie. The only real cheer.
    Bama Plagarists. Wait ’til next year.

  32. betheweb
    January 10th, 2010 @ 7:03 pm

    Whhooooo Pig. Sooooooooooie. The only real cheer.
    Bama Plagarists. Wait ’til next year.

  33. betheweb
    January 10th, 2010 @ 2:03 pm

    Whhooooo Pig. Sooooooooooie. The only real cheer.
    Bama Plagarists. Wait ’til next year.

  34. Linkage is Good for You: Hot Sexy Israeli Girl Conspiracy Edition | In Mala Fide
    January 10th, 2010 @ 4:43 pm

    […] Robert Stacy McCain – “Roll Tide: The Universal Greeting” […]

  35. The Day I Met The Other McCain « The Rhetorican
    January 14th, 2010 @ 4:53 pm

    […] by Jehuda in Uncategorized. Tags: New Media, News, Politics trackback As some of you may know, R.S. McCain was in Southern California last week apropos of the Texas/Alabama BCS game.  I spoke with him early in the week, by phone.  But, as I was wrapping up story-producing an […]