Crimson Tide fans rally at watch event
Published 1:02 am Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Selma residents wearing crimson had extra reason to celebrate Monday as the University of Alabama claimed their 15th national championship title, crushing Notre Dame in a 42-14 score in the BCS National Championship game.
“Notre Dame is a good team but man, they got beat tonight,” Selma resident Rhonda Harris said, adding a joyful “Roll Tide!”
Harris was one of many Selma residents who chose to view the championship game at Oasis Bar and Grill as the city of Selma hosted a special viewing party. Harris said she and her family had an exceptionally pleasant time watching the game at Oasis and she hopes the city hosts more events like this.
“We all had a lot of fun here cheering on the Tide,” Harris said.
Kesa Williams, assistant general manager of Oasis Bar and Grill, said a big crowd came out to watch the game at Oasis.
“This place was packed and we expected that,” Williams said. “We’re just glad our team won and everyone could be here to watch it and enjoy it.”
Charlene White, who also watched the Crimson Tide claim victory, said she didn’t expect the game to be such a blow out.
“I thought it would be much, much closer,” White said. “But I’m extremely happy with the outcome and watch my team win so big.”
This is the third national championship title Alabama has won in the last four years and fourth year the state has claimed the championship title.
“This whole place was just electric with energy,” said Selma City Councilmember Angela Benjamin, an Alabama alum. “I’m so glad the whole community came out and there was such a good representation of the community. Everybody was in this restaurant tonight watching Alabama bring it home, they were just a runaway train.”
As an Alabama fan, Benjamin said she was hopeful that her team would be victorious but she wasn’t expecting such a large margin defeating the Fighting Irish.
“I had a friend say Notre Dame would win and I just said ‘no way,” she said. “I knew [Coach Nick Saban] would pull it through.”