In 2008, Georgia decided to go "Black Out" for the regular season game against Alabama. They were pre-season No. 1 and Alabama was just supposed to be a rebuilding team.
The fact that Georgia wanted to try and include include Alabama on their "Black List" ended up doing little to invigorate their own team and ended up simply motivating Alabama to take away their No. 1 ranking and rub their face in the defeat.
A strength and conditioning coach summed it up best when a camera and microphone caught him extolling the players at a practice session just before the Georgia game with his famous statement, "Yeah, they better wear black, they're going to a (expletive) funeral!"
Previous to this game, Georgia put on the "Black Out" for games against Auburn and Hawaii. They won them both with ease. They thought this game would make a statement to the world that Georgia was back as a contender. Instead, it simply started their spiral downward, and they still have never come back up yet.
Georgia has not donned the black uniforms since.
This year it has already been announced that Penn State will be all in white for their game with the Crimson Tide this fall when Alabama goes north to play at Beaver Stadium.
But that's all right with the Tide. There's no extra motivation to beat Penn State than if it were just a regular game and Penn State's not doing it to make a point or try and intimidate the Crimson crowd. There's just a wonderful mutual respect between these two teams.
Maybe it was because they were both built by legends who demanded that the players try and win with class, and if God forbid they should lose, they do that with class too.
Maybe it's because when the Penn State fans came down to Alabama last year, they were so bowled over with the sense of sportsmanship showed them by the fans and citizens here, that when the recent tornadoes hit the area, aid from Penn State and its fans was some of the first aid to hit the ground near Tuscaloosa.
Whatever the reason, Alabama fans can proudly wear their Crimson in that sea of white and not have to worry about trash talking from the Nittany Lion fans.
It will be an interesting crowd shot where the Bama fans will certainly stick out.
As for the game, Penn State is always tough at home, and the Tide should not expect the same easy win they did last year. Though the boys from Bama may still prevail, it will be a much harder fought contest.
But the real winner is college football. Alabama and Penn State have a storied history together, and yet it is a rivalry done right, with class, respect and sportsmanship showed by both the players and fans alike.
That is college football at its best, no matter who the winner should be.
Gwen Stefani Sunny Mabrey KarolĂna Kurková Laura Harring Naomi Watts
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