Alabama Football Tradition Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3NgTqppHec

Most people will recognize this as the infamous video played before Alabama games. Once the video starts on the jumbotron, the crowd almost instantly goes crazy. Each tackle made leads to a harmonious “BOOM.” I wanted to watch the video a little more closely to see what exactly creates the sense of pride, exhilaration, and even reverence in the audience.

The music, in my opinion, is the most important aspect. Clint Mansell’s “Requiem for a Dream” was revamped a little and used for the video. The music builds up to high points that create a general feeling of excitement. The audience is waiting to see what will happen next.

The video starts with the text “our tradition is built on” to set the stage for the remainder of the video. Old clips of Alabama football games are shown. All of the clips are action shots, and they build up to current clips of the Alabama football team. The contrast between the clips that are filled with static or in black and white and the current clips that are clear and in color leads the viewer to draw similarities between the past and the present. All of the shots have different perspectives. Some come from a high angle, some from a low angle, some from straight on behind the field goal, some zoom out from a player’s helmet, while some pan the football field. Regardless of the perspective, there is a descriptive term that accompanies each set of shots. Adding to the “our tradition is built on” idea, terms such as “legends, pride, heroes, victories, excellence, desire, intensity, courage, spirit, and class” are all shown to capture the overarching idea of Alabama tradition.

Of course, the video would not be complete without Paul Bear Bryant’s voice heard twice throughout the span of the four minutes. His image is what is seen right before the video ends. Overall, the perspectives, text, and music tie together to create a sense of Alabama tradition that inspires the audience.