The Alabama yellowhammer. To some, it’s a bird. To most, it’s a drink. To all, it’s a part of the Rammer Jammer, the song that sings Crimson Tide victory.
Sometimes, though, it’s just a yellow hammer.
But this yellow hammer belongs to Nacho Alabamo, the Alabama superfan and game day personality who has amassed over two dozen legendary Alabama signatures on his trademark tool.
“It’s probably the best thing that I’ve done, because even when you can’t see me, you can see the hammer,” Nacho Alabamo said.
Since getting its first signature from former Alabama and current New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams a couple years ago, the hammer has been signed by everyone from players to media personalities.
His favorites, though, go “hand in hand.”
At the Mississippi State game in Starkville two years ago, Nacho looked to his right and saw Terry Saban, better known as “Miss Terry” for her role on her husband’s football team. As she came over to sign the hammer, Nacho told her that he was hoping for her husband’s signature next.
“Don’t you worry, honey, we’re going to get that for you,” she said.
Sure enough, Alabama football head coach Nick Saban’s signature currently graces the top of the hammer after a successful Fan Day outing. However, in order to put it at the top next to Miss Terry’s, Nacho had to cover up another signature.
“Paul [Finebaum] has been talking some trash about Alabama these past couple years,” he said. “I didn’t feel he deserved such prime real estate on the hammer.”
Nacho Alabamo said that although he covered up Finebaum’s signature with the same yellow duct tape that is used on the rest of the hammer, he’s planning on having the signature back on there in the future.
“When I get Paul Finebaum’s signature again, I’m going to get him to sign it on the ‘no rat poison’ side,” he said. “I think that’s where those guys need to be.”
The hosts of “SEC Nation,” including Roman Harper, are some of the other signatures on the hammer; all are on the “no rat poison” side.
The hammer, which also has sides that read “Roll Tide,” “Give ’em Hell Alabama!” and “Rammer Jammer,” consists of yoga mat foam, PVC pipe and yellow duct tape. Nacho Alabamo said he originally got the idea when he dressed up as Fat Thor for Comic Con and made “Stormbreaker,” the hero’s legendary weapon.
The prop was a huge hit, and he knew he needed something similar to complete his superfan getup since before the hammer, he’d just “walk around and point” on game days.
“I got to thinking about it: ‘Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer,’” Nacho Alabamo said. “I knew yellowhammer was a bird, but I could just make a big, yellow hammer.”
Since the creation of the hammer, the superfan decided that he wanted to get as many signatures as possible. Right now, former softball player Montana Fouts and former football players C.J. Mosley and Jordan Battle have all contributed to the hammer.
Kicker Will Reichard is the only current football player who has his signature on the hammer. Nacho met Reichard and several other players at Fan Day last year.
“I told him [Reichard], ‘Man, I am so happy you came back for one more year. You’re the only person I’m going to ask for a signature,’” Nacho said. “I wanted to go around and meet all the players. When you have that opportunity, you take advantage of it. The cool thing was most of them knew who I was.”
While the superfan loves asking for as many signatures as he can, he said he does it only when the opportunity presents itself, and a lot of times taking a picture takes priority over asking for a signature, especially in the case of meeting former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
Nacho Alabamo waited nearly an hour and a half for Young at SEC media days after the quarterback promised to return. Nacho didn’t think he would, but sure enough, Young came back and headed straight for the superfan.
“I never even thought about asking him to sign the hammer for me. I just thought it was so cool he came back and got the picture with me,” he said.
Although the hammer has 26 signatures, there’s still plenty of room for more, and Nacho already knows whose he wants next.
“I would love to get Joe Namath’s signature,” Nacho said. “That would be huge. I had the opportunity since he walked right past me at the Texas game on ‘College GameDay’ … but he was in a hurry to get up the stage. That would be my ultimate goal.”
