In this paper, on this page, I have strongly advocated the unification of the student body, several times. Over and over again, I have claimed that an active student body on a quest for the best of our school and state is so very important to our future.

So far this year I have been impressed and proud, but not surprised considering the fine people we have here at the Capstone, seeing the path our student body has taken. Events like the one we saw on Sunday at the Quad show that we are growing closer as a community.

We can see it from places that we haven’t before. Our SGA president is moving the finances of our student government out of the dark and is calling for unity across campus.

I am going to ask my peers again to join together again, on somewhat of a lighter note, but maybe not in this state and area of the country. As everyone knows, the best rivalry in college football will add a chapter to its storied history in just eight days.

The Iron Bowl always means a little something extra. The last two years, national championship aspirations have been on the line for our Crimson Tide. This year, the same hopes will be on the table for our rival, the Auburn Tigers.

We haven’t seen the regular season of college football end quite like this one. This season has brought us not one, but two non-automatic BCS qualifiers in the balance for a trip to Glendale. Widespread accusations are being held against the lone Heisman frontrunner.

With all of the energy this season and its developments have brought, let’s remember who we really are and what we stand for. We know we don’t stand for attacking people who have put their reputations on the line, reporting stories that they believe lead to truth, just doing their jobs.

And yes, these reporters should pay the consequences if they accused with no cause. We are going to wait for due process to bring justice either way.

Our football players show their class on the field, helping the opponent up after each play. This is contrary to the actions you see after the play by our rival. You don’t see the men wearing crimson and white spearing quarterbacks like fish. Our players don’t brag about body slamming others in WWE fashion.

We follow the advice of our legendary head coach, “knock ‘em down, pick ‘em back up and run back to the huddle.” Our players are not stars on YouTube for targeting the knees of other football players.

We don’t sing about how great it is to be part of our institution while an injured opposing player is lying on the field. We just cancel our celebratory cheer, the Rammer Jammer, respecting the passing of a former member of our foe.

On Nov. 26, let’s rise to the occasion. Let’s make Bryant-Denny what it should be – the toughest place to play in college football. We can remember our values and class while doing this. Our players deserve the best we can provide as fans.

Let’s believe in them, especially when they face the nation’s finest. Remember last time we faced the best team in the land, with a seemingly unstoppable signal-caller?

Let’s show our class and hospitality to Auburn and their following when they make the quest to Tuscaloosa. We can fully support our team while doing this.

My father has a framed sports section from one of the Birmingham newspapers on Jan.2, 1993. “1-derland” was the title of the page, as the claiming of Alabama’s 12th national championship was chronicled. Paul Finebaum had a column in this paper on that day, titled “Tradition topples the Trash.”

Finebaum spoke of Alabama and its tradition, overcoming the “trash” of Miami’s football program, which had been most pomp and arrogant before the Sugar Bowl game.

Being a member of the Alabama community, let’s overcome the classlessness and trash that has contaminated our beloved sport. A fine balance of pride, enthusiasm and class, which is in the heart of every Crimson Tide fan, should be present on the Friday of the Iron Bowl.

Paul “Bear” Bryant once said, “just show your class.” That’s basically all we need to know as Alabama fans going into the week of the Iron Bowl.