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And Bama fans wonder why they get called rednecks...

DKW 86

By DKW 86
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DKW 86 Founding Father

DKW 86 7,440

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http://www.al.com/living/birminghamnews/in...&thispage=2

Tide fanatic: Nathan Davis

Sunday, October 15, 2006

BOB CARLTON

News staff writer

Nathan Davis wears his devotion on his sleeve.

And his biceps. And neck. And back. And just about anywhere else he can find.

The 33-year-old Davis has turned his body into an indelible billboard for his favorite football team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

A Crimson Tide elephant adorns his right bicep, and a tattoo of the late Paul "Bear" Bryant decorates the left one. A likeness of former UA quarterback Kenny "Snake" Stabler is tattooed inside his right forearm and the Alabama state flag is sketched inside his left one.

He has a matching set of signature Alabama A's inside each of his biceps, which he shows off when he flexes his muscles in the gym, and another one just below his Adam's apple. The outside of each of his forearms spells out the words "Rammer" and "Jammer," from the UA victory cheer. Must be the Rammer Lammer guy...

His masterpiece, which cost $3,500 and took a couple of years to complete, is a portrait of Bryant leaning against a goalpost and wearing his trademark houndstooth hat. It covers the bulk of Davis' massive back.

"My co-workers and people at the gym are like, 'Why would you put a picture of another man on your body?'," Davis says. "And I'm like, 'That is not just another man. He is a disciple to me.' People don't understand. It's a religion."

And he has one more to come. He is saving up for a Mount Rushmore-like mural of Bryant and fellow national championship-winning coaches Gene Stallings, Frank Thomas and Wallace Wade across his chest, one of the few remaining patches of skin that hasn't been tattooed with the Tide.

Davis, who grew up in Dothan and worked for five years as an Atlanta police officer, now lives in Fort Collins, Colo., where he works for a company that does background checks for the government and the military.

He became a Crimson Tide fan while watching the 1976 Alabama-Auburn game with his grandfather, William B. Lee, when he was 6 years old. Although his grandfather was an Auburn graduate, he revered Alabama's Bryant.

"They showed a picture of Bear Bryant, and my grandfather said, `That's one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth beside Jesus Christ and General (Robert E.) Lee," Davis recalls. "Then I heard the coach talk, and I fell in love. I'll never forget it." Ahhhh, Man love for the Bear...

Nine years later, Davis realized how serious a fan he had become while watching the 1985 Iron Bowl with his oldest brother, John, an Auburn fan who is six years older than Nathan. His big brother needled him right up until the end of the game, which Alabama won on the final play.

"When Van Tiffin kicked that 52-yard-field goal, I jumped up screaming and got into the biggest fist-fight I have ever been in," he says. "I had blood all over my face. My lips and nose were bleeding.

"At that moment, I went from being a fan to a fanatic. I never felt so proud of my team, because I bled for them."

That intense loyalty to Alabama cost him his first marriage, he says.

"I got divorced, and I would say 50 percent of that was because of my love of football," he says. "She couldn't take Alabama; she couldn't take football. And it is my life." No Sir, I believe you need a life... Guess there wasnt enough room in the double wide for the three of them. Him, her and the Bama stuff...

Now, though, Davis has found a woman who, if she doesn't understand his passion, at least accepts it.

"It's great that he's fanatical about something," says his fiancee, Bobby Bienvenue, an upstate New York native whom he met at a Harley-Davidson dealership in Colorado. "But I'm a northern girl, so I have a different view. I'm not fanatical about anything. That's the difference between where you grew up."

However, most folks out in Colorado don't know what to make of Davis' fanaticism, he says.

"One of these local Colorado men asked me, 'What has UA ever done for you?'," he says. "I thought on it for a second and said, 'Sir, my mama always told me it doesn't make a difference how you find God, as long as you find him. And through UA, Bear Bryant, and Van Tiffin, I have found God.' :( Has this clown ever been in a church? That was pure sacrilege...

"He then said, 'You people from the South are weird.'"

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Ranger12 Founding Father

Ranger12 46

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Some people just get hit in the head with "stupid stick" more times or a lot harder then others.

Crimson Tide elephant adorns his right bicep, and a tattoo of the late Paul "Bear" Bryant decorates the left one. A likeness of former UA quarterback Kenny "Snake" Stabler is tattooed inside his right forearm and the Alabama state flag is sketched inside his left one.

He has a matching set of signature Alabama A's inside each of his biceps, which he shows off when he flexes his muscles in the gym, and another one just below his Adam's apple. The outside of each of his forearms spells out the words "Rammer" and "Jammer," from the UA victory cheer.

... "When Van Tiffin kicked that 52-yard-field goal, I jumped up screaming and got into the biggest fist-fight I have ever been in," he says. "I had blood all over my face. My lips and nose were bleeding.

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Ranger12 Founding Father

Ranger12 46

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Oops, I saw David had already posted this. I did something that gets under my skin when others do it, I did not check to make sure it was posted already. :big: I will merge it with first thread.

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GalensGhost Founding Father

GalensGhost 0

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What I found most interesting is that the News profiled two Bama "fanatics" neither of which ever attended the school.

I realize that a degree is not a prerequisite for fandom (I'm living proof of that axiom) but you'd think they could find at least one of these "fans" who actually graduated from there.

I was completely embarassed by the redneck tattoo guy. He brought disgrace on my family by association. What a rube. Morons like that make the whole state look stupid when they a) leave and subject others to their rampant ignorance and B) breed.

One of the two AU fanatics profiled was a grad and he sent his kids there as well. He came off as intelligent and passionate. Much different from the Bama fool.

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sogaaufan Mentor

sogaaufan 27

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I don't know about you, but my monitor started getting hot from the blasphemy being spewed forth from the tattoo guy. Worship him all you want to buddy, but "The Bear" ain't gonna save your soul!

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AUloggerhead Founding Father

AUloggerhead 2,253

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Thanks for posting that, DKW. Now at last we have a name to go with Tattoo Back Man. It cost him a divorce. Who'd a thunk it? Plus, as if $3500 isn't enough, Nathan wants to put a bammie coaching Mt Rushmore tatoo on his chest, and thinks he's practicing a religion. :o O.K. dude, whatever you say!

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

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AUChizad Founding Father

AUChizad 0

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"They showed a picture of Bear Bryant, and my grandfather said, `That's one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth beside Jesus Christ and General (Robert E.) Lee," Davis recalls.

"One of these local Colorado men asked me, 'What has UA ever done for you?'," he says. "I thought on it for a second and said, 'Sir, my mama always told me it doesn't make a difference how you find God, as long as you find him. And through UA, Bear Bryant, and Van Tiffin, I have found God.'

"He then said, 'You people from the South are weird.'"

:roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol:

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Tiger1992 Veteran

Tiger1992 999

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I apologize if this has already been posted today. I looked but didn't see it.

'Bama fan's inked body is a tribute to Crimson Tide

By Bob Carlton

Birmingham News

Published on: 10/18/06

Birmingham —- Nathan Davis wears his devotion on his sleeve.

And his biceps. And neck. And back. And just about anywhere else he can find.

Davis, 33, has turned his body into an indelible billboard for his favorite football team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

A Crimson Tide elephant adorns his right biceps, and a tattoo of the late Paul "Bear" Bryant decorates the left one. A likeness of former UA quarterback Kenny "Snake" Stabler is tattooed inside his right forearm and the Alabama state flag is sketched inside his left one.

The Fort Collins, Colo., resident has a set of signature Alabama A's inside his biceps, and another one just below his Adam's apple. The outside of each of his forearms spells out "Rammer" and "Jammer."

His masterpiece, which cost $3,500 and took a couple of years to complete, is a portrait of Bryant leaning against a goalpost and wearing his trademark houndstooth hat. It covers the bulk of Davis' massive back.

And he has one more to come. Davis, who grew up in Dothan and worked for five years as an Atlanta police officer, is saving up for a Mount Rushmore-like mural of Bryant and coaches Gene Stallings, Frank Thomas and Wallace Wade across his chest, one of the few patches of skin that hasn't been tattooed.

He became a Crimson Tide fan while watching an Alabama-Auburn game with his grandfather, William B. Lee, when he was a kid. Although his grandfather was an Auburn graduate, he revered Bryant.

"They showed a picture of Bear Bryant, and my grandfather said, 'That's one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth beside Jesus Christ and General [Robert E.] Lee," Davis recalls. "Then I heard the coach talk, and I fell in love. I'll never forget it."

Alrighty then...

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TigerMom Experienced

TigerMom 0

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And he attended UAt Tuscaloser when????????? WIERD.... Do you know of any Auburn folks who have made their body a shrine to this institution? I hope not.

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autigeremt Founding Father

autigeremt 6,684

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I have an :au: on my right bicep, but that's all I am getting. This is way overboard for sure! My gosh, relating the "Barhhhh" with our creator is :puke: !

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WarTim Founding Father

WarTim 3,457

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No Bama fans want to offer an opinion?

C'mon and claim him. He's one of you.

Not only is he one of their's, he is VERY typical. The rule and not the exception.

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Guest Tigrinum Major

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They interviewed this guy on WJOX about an hour ago. Someone (and I know it was one of you) called in before they got the doofus on the line and told Lance Taylor and Casio Kid about the Rammer Lammer miscue, but they were too scared to ask him about it. I would have loved to see what his answer would have been.

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autiger518 Mentor

autiger518 1

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Does anyone have a copy of the Photoshop enhanced picture on this guy's back ? If you've seen it, you know the one I am talking about.

Here is what I have:

This is the Original

bama1.jpg

Here are some photoshopped ones...note these are'nt mine, credit to whoever did them:

bama2.jpg

bama3.jpg

bama4.jpg

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