Nick Saban issues message to Alabama fans traveling to Indianapolis

Nick Saban made headlines arriving in Indianapolis for his fashion sense on the runway but had more serious matters to attend to with the national championship game just a few days away. However, while talking to the media at the airport, he did stop to discuss the importance of Alabama fans to the process.

Many Alabama fans have flooded the streets of Indianapolis, drawing a thank you from Nick Saban for their commitment and support.

“I think it’s always important that you have great support,” said Saban. “We’ve always had great support at the University of Alabama. Our fans have been great. They travel wherever we go. They’ve got great energy and enthusiasm and lots of passions, and obviously, that kind of support and enthusiasm will be helpful to our players in the game – and much appreciated.”

While Nick Saban might notice fans on the street or in the stadium, Alabama supporters have become a group of online trend setters too.

Alabama fans unite on Twitter

The karate gi emoji likely got very little use in the state of Alabama before Crimson Tide wide receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III started the “Crimson Crane” celebration this season. However, over the past 24 hours it has become a de facto “Gump Twitter” verification mark, allowing die-hard Alabama fans to separate themselves ahead of the national championship game.

With a lot of fan talk, here is a breakdown of some key terms. First, the “Crimson Crane” celebration mimics a scene from the movie Karate Kid, with each player listing one foot off the ground with his hands lifted out. Secondly, the term “Gump Twitter” is a self-given title for die-hard Alabama fans, who pulled the term from the Alabama football scene in Tom Hanks’ classic Forrest Gump.

Now that the background is out of the way, here is an explanation from the Alabama graduate who started the movement.

“It was more of just a way to show support for the championship coming up,” Adam Weil told BamaCentral’s Tony Tsoukalas. “Just a way for all Alabama fans to recognize how many fellow fans there are out there and identify themselves.”

The movement started like a wildfire once he jumped on social media, posting, “If you have (the gi emoji) after your Twitter name it means you’re verified on Gump Twitter.”

In the world of social media, verification has become the ultimate objective. Whether as a public figure, information source or celebrity, a blue checkmark and follow from @verified can mean that you arrived.