Fans who watched the end of the NCAA Tournament second-round meeting between Alabama and Maryland on Saturday heard a uniquely unsportsmanlike cheer in the moments immediate following the game.
Shortly after the final buzzer sounded in the Crimson Tide's 73-51 win over the Terrapins, fans at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., could be heard jeering, in cadence, "We — just — beat — the — hell — out — of — you!" The cheer is not only allowed by the NCAA, but also a long-running tradition in Alabama's athletic programs.
Of course, the unsportsmanlike nature of the "Rammer Jammer" chant makes it something of a sore point for fans and teams who have it directed at them. Even Alabama fans are split on whether the cheer is just another tradition performed in good fun, or something that flies in the face of sportsmanship.
Regardless of how long the debate goes on, the "Rammer Jammer" chant has found a seemingly permanent home at Alabama, from Bryant-Denny Stadium to Coleman Coliseum to softball games, gymnastics meets and more — whatever sport is being played on that particular day in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Here's one such example, when Alabama secured the regular-season championship against Auburn at home on March 1:
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Among Alabama's many athletic traditions, the "Rammer Jammer" chant is among the newer entries, dating back to the early 1980s. Its usage has changed over the years — and was even suspended, temporarily — before making a comeback in the mid-2000s.
Here's everything you need to know about the cheer, including its history, usage and background:
'Rammer Jammer' lyrics
The "Rammer Jammer" mentioned in the chant — which also serves as the cheer's song — references the university's humor and literary magazine of the same name, which published from 1924 through 1956.
The "Yellowhammer" mentioned in the cheer could be in reference to the state's nickname — the Yellowhammer State — which in turn derives from the Alabama state bird, the Yellowhammer. It could also reference Confederate soldiers from Alabama in the Civil War, who were occasionally referred to as Yellowhammers.
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Apart from that, the lyrics for "Rammer Jammer" change depending on the team Alabama has beaten. In most instances, fans will use the nickname of the opposing team (Bulldogs, Tigers, etc.) before cheering, "We just beat the hell out of you! Rammer Jammer Yellowhammer, give 'em hell Alabama!"
It typically is played two times, though it can be extended depending on the game or situation. For example, Alabama played the cheer six times when beating Auburn in 2008, accounting for the six straight seasons the Tigers had beaten the Crimson Tide in football.
Another variation is if Alabama has beaten Tennessee. The cheer won't say "Volunteers," but the shortened version, "Vols," to fit in the cadence of the chant. Another example is when Alabama plays Auburn; fans use the team's name, not its nickname, when blaring the chant.
Here's an example Alabama would use after defeating Auburn:
Hey Auburn!/
Hey Auburn!/
Hey Auburn!/
We just beat the hell out of you!/
Rammer Jammer/
Yellowhammer/
Give 'em hell Alabama!
Hey Auburn!/
Hey Auburn!/
Hey Auburn!/
We just beat the hell out of you!/
Rammer Jammer/
Yellowhammer/
Give 'em hell Alabama!
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The history of the 'Rammer Jammer' chant
Though details regarding the chant's origin and creator vary depending on the source, most historians agree "Rammer Jammer" was created and popularized by former Million Dollar Band director Dr. James Ferguson, who conducted the band from 1971 through 1983.
It's widely believed Ferguson adapted Ole Miss' "Hotty Toddy" chant — whose usage dates back to the 1920s — to create the "Rammer Jammer" chant sometime in the 1980s. Ferguson was the Ole Miss band director from 1966 through 1971, when he left to take the same position at Alabama.
Earlier uses of the cheer saw it played both before and during athletic events, with cheers played at these times changing the lyrics to, "We're going to beat the hell out of you." That practice was later discontinued, with the cheer only being played following a Crimson Tide victory.
It's uncertain when "Rammer Jammer" became a fixture at Alabama football games, with The Tuscaloosa News dating it back to 1980 and AL.com dating it two years later, in 1982. Regardless, it would have been used under College Football Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, whose last season coaching was in 1982.
AL.com — citing a since-deleted Tuscaloosa News article — tabs former Alabama cheerleading sponsor Kathleen Cramer as the originator of the chant. The Tuscaloosa News, quoting Cramer, reported Alabama cheerleaders created the cheer on a bus ride back from Mississippi State "in about 1982."
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Cramer told the News the cadence and chant were based on Ole Miss' "Hotty Toddy" cheer, with specific elements changed to suit Alabama, which would explain the inception of the "Rammer Jammer" and "Yellowhammer" aspects of the cheer.
"It was patterned after that," Cramer said. "We wanted to incorporate old cheers, as well as things particular to this state. And it was immediately popular."
While that may be the case, it wasn't always so: The cheer has been banned on at least two occasions by former Alabama athletic directors who felt it crossed the line of good-natured fun.
Former Alabama quarterback Steve Sloan briefly held the position of his alma mater's athletic director from 1987 through 1989, banning "Rammer Jammer" during his time there. The cheer came back into use following his exit from the program, only for his successor Cecil “Hootie" Ingram to ban it in 1994 following an NCAA report that called for a crackdown on fighting.
It wasn't until 2005, when the Alabama Student Government Association put it to a vote, that the cheer was reinstated with a 98 percent vote in favor.
It has since remained an often-used fixture at Alabama athletics events — much to the chagrin of its opponents.