[RollTideFan] Sad end of an era for Tide fans
http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/pfinebaum.ssf?/base/sports/1087031792256480.xml Sad end of an era for Tide fans Saturday, June 12, 2004 This is it, he said, slowly mustering up as much strength as he could earlier this week. He seemed to pause for a moment, took a short breath and continued expressing his thanks. I've heard from so many friends and it means so much ... you all mean so much to me. The name Jerry Bogle probably doesn't ring a bell to many people. However, the sights and sounds of Bogle and his long-time partner in crime, Troy Ferguson, have been a part of Alabama football folklore for as long as most can remember. They are commonly referred to as the Big Dogs from Scottsboro. The name came courtesy of the late Alabama All-American, Derrick Thomas. Bogle is 6-foot-3 and Ferguson, commonly referred to as Big Red, stands an inch taller. In full dress uniform, they would probably tip a scale together slightly over 600 pounds. They show up at Alabama football games wearing red pants, an elephant snout, suspenders, 5-foot-long crimson ties and -- as if you haven't figured out the rest -- hold up sticks with Tide detergent boxes on top along with rolls of toilet paper. They lead the Rammer Jammer cheer. They entertain the students and Tide fans with their endless enthusiasm. It has been the safest bet in the world over the last 20 years that when an Alabama game is televised, the Big Dogs are shown on the tube, shaking their Tide boxes feverishly after an Alabama score. It once took the duo three hours to make their way from their motor home at Legion Field to the entrance gate into the stadium. Everyone wanted their picture taken with the Big Dogs and they never turned down a request, even if meant missing kickoff. I bet we've had our picture taken a million times, said Ferguson, and he may be shooting low. For all of their theatrics, the two are among the nicest fellows you could ever meet, and their loyalty and support for their school has never wavered. Sadly, their long run is nearing its end. Bogle is acutely ill with cancer. Despite optimism from his friends and constant encouragement from Alabama fans far and near, Bogle has accepted the inevitable reality. This is probably it for me, said Bogle, who is 66 and recently retired from an aluminum plant. Bogle started leaving Tide games in the third quarter last fall to head back to the RV, something that had never happened before. Finally, he went to the doctor and bladder cancer was discovered. There was optimism at first. However, recently, the cancer has spread and hope has faded. Eight days ago, the doctors sent him home from the hospital to be with his family. Every day, Ferguson, who is 10 years younger and an investigator in the Jackson County District Attorney's office, comes by and the two old friends remember the good times. They finish each other's sentences. They call each Big Dog and a sentence rarely ends without the other one laughing. They act like two overgrown kids but are a joy to watch and be around. However, this week, while Bogle tried to be cheerful, his partner couldn't fight back the tears. He's like a brother to me and this is so difficult, said Ferguson, who choked with emotion. He's making arrangements. He has already picked out his clothes, his suit and pants and all ... and realized he didn't have a tie. So I ran over to Huntsville last night and bought him a big, red Alabama tie. The two met 20 years ago as high school football officials and struck up a famous friendship. They started going to games together and never stopped. Their Tide boxes have been signed by players and coaches alike (the original one rests in the Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa). Before games and after, their RV is the epicenter of the Tide fan nation. They have tailgated with fans of other schools as well, even those from Auburn, whom the two commonly refer to as the war chickens. I remember interviewing them once and gently asking about their habits during the game. After all, I thought to myself, there's no way these fellows can do this act stone-cold sober and I mentioned that to the duo. We have fun, said Ferguson. But let me make something clear. We don't drink during the games. Really, I said. Now we may take a drink afterwards when we get back to the motor home but no sir, when we're wearing the uniform, we don't drink. We don't want to bring any embarrassment to the University of Alabama. And they didn't. Oh, perhaps some of the more upper-crust fans who sit on their hands in their designer outfits during the games may have lifted their noses to the sky at the specta cle of the Big Dogs ranting and raving and grunting while shaking their Tide boxes and toilet paper. However, to the average fans, the guy or gal who lives Crimson Tide football 365 days a year, Jerry Bogle and Troy Ferguson have been as much a part of the wonderful tapestry of Alabama
Re: [RollTideFan] Sad end of an era for Tide fans
Damn. We will all miss him, but he's gonna have great fun talking BAMA football with Coach Bryant all the other Tide fans. - Original Message - From: kurtrasmussen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: rtf [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 8:54 AM Subject: [RollTideFan] Sad end of an era for Tide fans http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/pfinebaum.ssf?/base/sports/1087031792256480.xml Sad end of an era for Tide fans Saturday, June 12, 2004 This is it, he said, slowly mustering up as much strength as he could earlier this week. He seemed to pause for a moment, took a short breath and continued expressing his thanks. I've heard from so many friends and it means so much ... you all mean so much to me. The name Jerry Bogle probably doesn't ring a bell to many people. However, the sights and sounds of Bogle and his long-time partner in crime, Troy Ferguson, have been a part of Alabama football folklore for as long as most can remember. They are commonly referred to as the Big Dogs from Scottsboro. The name came courtesy of the late Alabama All-American, Derrick Thomas. Bogle is 6-foot-3 and Ferguson, commonly referred to as Big Red, stands an inch taller. In full dress uniform, they would probably tip a scale together slightly over 600 pounds. They show up at Alabama football games wearing red pants, an elephant snout, suspenders, 5-foot-long crimson ties and -- as if you haven't figured out the rest -- hold up sticks with Tide detergent boxes on top along with rolls of toilet paper. They lead the Rammer Jammer cheer. They entertain the students and Tide fans with their endless enthusiasm. It has been the safest bet in the world over the last 20 years that when an Alabama game is televised, the Big Dogs are shown on the tube, shaking their Tide boxes feverishly after an Alabama score. It once took the duo three hours to make their way from their motor home at Legion Field to the entrance gate into the stadium. Everyone wanted their picture taken with the Big Dogs and they never turned down a request, even if meant missing kickoff. I bet we've had our picture taken a million times, said Ferguson, and he may be shooting low. For all of their theatrics, the two are among the nicest fellows you could ever meet, and their loyalty and support for their school has never wavered. Sadly, their long run is nearing its end. Bogle is acutely ill with cancer. Despite optimism from his friends and constant encouragement from Alabama fans far and near, Bogle has accepted the inevitable reality. This is probably it for me, said Bogle, who is 66 and recently retired from an aluminum plant. Bogle started leaving Tide games in the third quarter last fall to head back to the RV, something that had never happened before. Finally, he went to the doctor and bladder cancer was discovered. There was optimism at first. However, recently, the cancer has spread and hope has faded. Eight days ago, the doctors sent him home from the hospital to be with his family. Every day, Ferguson, who is 10 years younger and an investigator in the Jackson County District Attorney's office, comes by and the two old friends remember the good times. They finish each other's sentences. They call each Big Dog and a sentence rarely ends without the other one laughing. They act like two overgrown kids but are a joy to watch and be around. However, this week, while Bogle tried to be cheerful, his partner couldn't fight back the tears. He's like a brother to me and this is so difficult, said Ferguson, who choked with emotion. He's making arrangements. He has already picked out his clothes, his suit and pants and all ... and realized he didn't have a tie. So I ran over to Huntsville last night and bought him a big, red Alabama tie. The two met 20 years ago as high school football officials and struck up a famous friendship. They started going to games together and never stopped. Their Tide boxes have been signed by players and coaches alike (the original one rests in the Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa). Before games and after, their RV is the epicenter of the Tide fan nation. They have tailgated with fans of other schools as well, even those from Auburn, whom the two commonly refer to as the war chickens. I remember interviewing them once and gently asking about their habits during the game. After all, I thought to myself, there's no way these fellows can do this act stone-cold sober and I mentioned that to the duo. We have fun, said Ferguson. But let me make something clear. We don't drink during the games. Really, I said. Now we may take a drink afterwards when we get back to the motor home but no sir, when we're wearing the uniform, we don't drink. We don't want to bring any embarrassment to the University of Alabama. And they didn't. Oh, perhaps some of the more upper-crust fans who sit on their hands in their designer outfits during the games
