abw0004 10,110 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Recommend this read. Very interesting. Looks like Gus out-recruited Alabama on not only Daniel, but his younger brother, Anders. By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter on November 21, 2016 at 7:05 AM, updated November 21, 2016 at 11:32 AM Auburn's star kicker has a dog named Bama. Of all the insane things we do as human beings in the name of sports, associating our pets with our favorite teams is one of the truest signs of unwavering fandom. When the Carlson boys of Colorado Springs, Colo., finally won permission to adopt a dog, they could think of only one name worthy of so much love. They named that pup after the football team their family taught them to cherish above all things. Understand, just earning the right to adopt that dog was no easy thing for Nils, Daniel and Anders Carlson. Like everything growing up, they had to work for it. To teach a lesson in commitment and responsibility, their father, Hans, made his sons give up television for an entire year before they could have the pet. Daniel Carlson is arguably the best field goal kicker in the country this season, and he represents perhaps Auburn's best chance to defeat No.1 Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Daniel grew up something more than a diehard Alabama fan. He is an Alabama legacy of the highest order, but somehow he is now starring for Auburn. Carlson, Auburn's redshirt junior kicker who has never missed an extra point in college, is the lineage of a proud Alabama family with deep roots to their university. Now the favorite to win the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nation's best kicker, Carlson wanted to play for Alabama, but Nick Saban wouldn't offer him a scholarship. That decision has rewritten the history of the Carlson family, and could play a pivotal role in Saturday's Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Carlson is the kicker who set an Auburn single-game record for six field goals in the Tigers' victory against LSU this season. His freshman year, he made five field goals against Alabama. Last season, he was 2 of 3 on field-goal kicks against his former favorite team. Carlson is 22 of 25 on field goals this season, and he has made 140 consecutive PAT attempts, a school record. For his career, he is 63 of 76 on field goals, and those statistics represent Auburn career records for field goals made and career percentage (0.829). This season, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn has repeatedly called Carlson the best kicker in the country, and the redshirt junior might be Auburn's only edge against its rival in the Iron Bowl. The game between Auburn and Alabama has divided households for generations, but the story of Daniel Carlson and his family is something so unique — and almost unbelievable — that it stands out even for a rivalry considered the most intense, personal and passionate in all of college football. Daniel's grandfather, Deacon Jones, played baseball at Alabama and was later awarded with the recognition of being Alabama's No.1 fan for helping raise millions for the athletic department. Daniel's grandmother, Juanita, was a cheerleader for the Crimson Tide. His mother, Jodie, helped recruit football players for Bear Bryant. His father, Hans, played varsity tennis for the university. Yes, even the family dog is named Bama. "I taught my kids and my grandkids growing up to hate Auburn," said Deacon Jones, the grandfather, "and all these Carlson kids got red and white caps and shirts every year for gifts, and every time they came over I would give them some more Alabama stuff. My three kids graduated from Alabama. We're about as red and white as you can get." And almost in an unhealthy way. TURNCOAT CARLSON When Daniel signed with Auburn in 2012, his grandfather stopped calling his grandson by his given name. Jones only calls Daniel "Turncoat Carlson" now, and until recently Jones refused to ever watch Daniel play at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium. Jones attended Auburn's victory against Vanderbilt three weeks ago, but the grandfather says he did it only because he was shamed into it. "Some of these so-called new Auburn fans, they've been on my case," said Jones, who is 84 and attended Woodlawn High School in Birmingham with Bobby Bowden. "They said, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. That's not how you treat somebody. He is a fine young man. You are bad because you won't go to Auburn to see your grandson play." So, Jones finally attended a game, he says, to "satisfy" everyone else, "because I'm satisfied." Does Jones realize how ridiculous that sounds? Yes, of course he does, and he has to fight back tears when talking about how proud he is of his grandson, but, all the same, Jones has also mentioned taking Daniel out of his will. Jones says he is only joking about that, too, but being an Alabama fan has been serious business for him ever since he played baseball for the Crimson Tide in the early 1950s. After graduating, Jones served in the military and worked in Birmingham before retiring. Ever since then, Jones he been an active Alabama alumnus. He served as president of Alabama's A-Club Alumni Association from 2001 to 2003, and he spearheaded the creation of the A-Club Classic. The golf tournament for former Alabama varsity athletes helps raise money for current athletic scholarships. "The A-Club has raised over $2 million for the athletic department, and it all started with that one little golf tournament," Jones said. "We just wanted to have fun and raise a little money, and show the athletic department that we appreciated our scholarships, and we wanted to give a little back." In 2014, Jones was given the inaugural Red Elephant Club of Birmingham Award for being Alabama's No.1 fan. The Red Elephant Club is a booster organization. Jones drives a crimson Lexus and his wife, Juanita, drives a crimson Cadillac. His office, tucked into the back of a home in Trussville he built himself, is decorated with pictures of his playing days at Alabama, and all of his many connections to the university through the A-Club. He has pictures with all of the football coaches, and personal anecdotes about some of the greatest moments in Alabama football history. An avid golfer throughout his entire life, Jones remains an active booster for the Alabama golf team. Does he want his grandson to play well against Alabama on Saturday? Yes. Does he want his grandson to play so well he beats Alabama? That's where things get confusing for the family. "We're not Auburn fans," said Juanita, Daniel's grandmother and a former Alabama cheerleader, "but we're Daniel fans and we're going to be Anders fans, too. For another five years, we're locked in." Another five years? Anders, too? As the Alabama and Auburn rivalry goes, the Carlson Era is only nearing its midway point. Daniel's younger brother, Anders, is a high school senior in Colorado Springs, and he's signing with Auburn in February. Like Daniel, Anders first wanted to attend Alabama. Unlike Daniel, Alabama actually had a scholarship to offer the younger Carlson, according to the family, but Saban chose another kicking recruit. CARLSON DYNASTY As the story goes, Saban extended an offer to Daniel back in 2012 to be a preferred walk-on for the Crimson Tide. Alabama's coach couldn't offer the Alabama legacy a scholarship, though, because it was already taken by current Alabama kicker Adam Griffith. Fate has shined on both kickers. Griffith's onside kick of the 2016 national championship game cemented him permanently in Alabama lore, but he also has struggled at times throughout his career. Meanwhile, Carlson earned an undergraduate business degree in three years at Auburn, and is currently in graduate school. According to his family and former coaches, he will consider leaving Auburn for the NFL Draft after this season. If he does, another Carlson could be taking his place next year. Anders, the youngest of the Carlson boys, broke his brother's high school records in Colorado. Both kickers grew up playing soccer in Colorado and Sweden. Superior athletes compared to average college kickers, the brothers come from a strict household where perfection is demanded at a young age. "Daniel got one 'B' in high school, and I'm pretty sure it cost him his cell phone for like three or four months," said Chris Coughlin, a family friend who the Carlsons credit with their football careers. "They are a pretty disciplined family." Coughlin recruited Daniel from the soccer fields to kick for their high school football team, and that random introduction to the sport eight years ago has shaped the Carlson family and Auburn football. Daniel and Anders' older brother, Nils, played professionally in Europe as a goalkeeper. His younger brothers strengthened their kicking legs taking countless practice shots against him throughout their childhoods. "They would have to take 100 shots a day," said Hans Carlson, the boys' father, and a former Alabama tennis player. Hans was recruited to Alabama from Sweden in 1980 where he met his future wife, Jodie Jones, who was an athletic hostess for the football team during some of the team's greatest years. In those days, the athletic hostesses were nicknamed "Bear's Angels" after the popular TV show of the day, Charlie's Angels. Jodie grew up in Birmingham immersed in Alabama fandom. That fandom included some classic Iron Bowl pranks made famous during the 1970s. "One thing we would do to our Auburn friends is we would winter grass their yard with the score of the game," said Jodie Carlson, Daniel's mother. "I mean, that was a big deal. We were serious about it. We would do all kinds of little pranks after the game. "We would hang black wreaths on their front doors. We really gave our Auburn friends a hard time. If we won, we would do something to show them who was the boss for the year." And now she's an Auburn fan, and her son, the kicker, might be the Tigers' best shot at beating Alabama. During Daniel's official visit to Auburn in 2012, Jodie's cell phone ring tone was still the Alabama fight song. It went off in front of Auburn's coaches, "and everyone laughed and laughed." When Jodie was in college, one of her tasks as an athletic hostess was to show Alabama football recruits around the Tuscaloosa campus. "I went over to Auburn for a game once back then, but I didn't really look at it as a town," Jodie said. "I just remember thinking, oh, Alabama is so much better. And then as we came through as a recruit, it was like, 'Oh, my gosh. What a cute little town and what a great little place. What sweet people. Talk about different perspectives totally in life." So, after four years of their son playing football for the enemy, a Crimson Tide family has found peace rooting for Auburn. As for that poor, confused family dog, though, the psychological damage might be permanent. The miniature Australian shepherd named Bama now wears Auburn cheerleading outfits on game days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aujeff11 6,243 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Good for Daniel. He will be making NFL money and won't need his Updyke grandfather's inheritance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToraGirl 5,498 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 WOW, awesome article! Who knew! Thank you so much for sharing!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linayus 676 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 "Anders, the youngest of the Carlson boys, broke his brother's high school records in Colorado." (would love to know what records those are) Anders said he and Daniel have competitions all the time and are pretty even but Daniel "usually" wins. Hell, if he's even 80% as good as Carlson he'll be a Lou Groza finalist. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger 8,818 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Lol this grampa needs to get a life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr82be 14,422 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Great story about Daniel but I feel really bad for the dog ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Freak 2,526 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Grandpa's got a little too much bammer in him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBiGGiE 2,488 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 *Sean Connery's voice* "His name ish Junior. The dogsh name was Alabama" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowerOfDixieland 3,226 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I really hope he hits a 57 yarder with no time on the clock to win it. Pretty sure that would complete the circle and do Grandpa Jones in, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hikerdns 52 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 My grandfather (Auburn Fan, who knows Deacon Jones), told me this story after the 2013 Iron Bowl. Evidently Deacon Jones wasnt too pleased with Saban not offering the scholarship to his grandson. I believe I've told the condensed version of this story on the boards here in the past. My grandfather's point of the story is that Carlson (with a bigger leg than Griffith) would have been the freshman kicker Saban would have sent out in 2013, thus maybe-possibly negating the greatest play in Auburn history. Wonder how his grandfather felts after that kick fell short? War Eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linayus 676 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Saban hates kickers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionheartkc 6,150 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 1 hour ago, Linayus said: Saban hates kickers. He certainly hates our kickers... they keep him up at night worrying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburn4ever 1,266 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I'm so thrilled that we have Daniel and Anders on our team. WAR EABLE guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfangs 269 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 8 hours ago, auburn4ever said: I'm so thrilled that we have Daniel and Anders on our team. WAR EABLE guys. Hold your horses, we don't have Anders yet. But WAR EABLE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 21 hours ago, Tiger said: Lol this grampa needs to get a life Gramps is typical bama trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linayus 676 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 12 hours ago, tigerfangs said: Hold your horses, we don't have Anders yet. But WAR EABLE! It's pretty much a done deal. I'd even say Daniel is returning next season just to play a year with his brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfangs 269 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 6 minutes ago, Linayus said: It's pretty much a done deal. I'd even say Daniel is returning next season just to play a year with his brother. I love everything you say. Just another reason to be thankful this time of year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linayus 676 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 6 minutes ago, tigerfangs said: I love everything you say. Just another reason to be thankful this time of year. Haha! Absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUfan_UAgrad 230 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Wow what a dick for a grandfather. While my brother and I were no college athletes, growing up our grandmother, who was basically blind, would come "watch" us play soccer and baseball. She was at every game she could make; blistering heat, raining, or freezing cold. She had to use binoculars just to get a fuzzy image of us. She would tell my mom (my dad was normally coach) tell me when one of the boys is up to bat, or has the ball, etc... and up went the binoculars. As a father myself and die hard Auburn fan, if my son or one day grandson or granddaughter had the chance to play a sport at Alabama I would be at every game I could even ones in Ttown. I would even pull for the team, bc there is nothing greater then seeing your child win or accomplish a goal they have set for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoundationEagle 637 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Calling your own grandson a turncoat and refusing to watch him play because he didn't turn down a scholly and go to turd town? What a pathetic disgusting individual. He alone proves what is wrong with this world (and especially this state). False idols. This dumbass actually treats bama as a god and holds them above his own family. The turds really need about 30 years of horrible football to get rid of some of this ridiculously awful behavior. Unreal (and unfortunately very typical of bammers, including many I know) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charhair 345 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 you'll be missing being in my will once you make millions in the NFL!!! in all honesty, your grandson is going to end up the all time scorer at one of the most prestigious college football programs in the history of the sport and you won't watch him play because you like their rival? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randman5000 4,226 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Alabama fans.... screw 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jAUSon 2,836 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 classic Bammer. Maybe these carlson boys hook up with some Auburn cheerleaders and spawn out some tiger lineage, convert the whole family tree thus forth. take that gramps. war eagle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C'viewTiger 242 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 On Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 8:00 AM, WarDamnEagleWDE said: Gramps is typical bama trash. Can't speak to Gramps but any amount of red and white as it pertains to uat is unhealthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole256 17,042 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 He's a hell of one but that's waaay too long of an article for a kicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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