Greg McElroy lists 'Callin' Baton Rouge' on list of top college football traditions

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy found himself in a strange situation when he was praising LSU for having one of the best traditions in college football. No, it’s not Neck, it’s Callin’ Baton Rouge.

McElroy explained his love for this tradition during his show, Always College Football.

“Callin’ Baton Rouge in Tiger Stadium,” McElroy said. “And when you hear over the PA, you hear, ‘The sun has set in the western sky. It is now nighttime in Death Valley,’ and then all of a sudden, duh duh duh duh duh duh nah. It’s one of the coolest things you’ll ever possibly find.”

Despite struggling with the tune itself, McElroy’s heart was in the right place. Still, he may want to spend a dime on singing lessons.

“And then they back it up. Like one thing after duh duh duh, everything about an LSU home game is in the mix, but Callin’ Baton Rouge comes in at number 10 because I love Garth Brooks and I think that it’s just one of the coolest things because the entire stadium is singing it at the top of their lungs. It’s phenomenal.”

As McElroy pointed out, Callin’ Baton Rouge was made famous by the legendary Garth Brooks. However, it was written by Dennis Linde. Since Brooks recorded it, the song became a tradition at LSU football games.

It might be hard for an Alabama quarterback to send his love down to Baton Rouge, but in this case, McElroy knew what he needed to do.

Greg McElroy on his favorite Alabama tradition

Even though Greg McElroy may have shown some love to LSU, his thought are always going to be with Alabama. So, he had to make sure to send some love to Tuscaloosa too, sharing that his favorite tradition there is singing Sweet Home Alabama.

“Obviously, look, I’m a ‘Bama guy, shouldn’t really surprise you. But after they get done announcing the starting lineups there’s a brief pause. Just a brief pause, maybe a two-second pause, then [guitar sounds of Sweet Home Alabama], then every single person in the stands with their pom-poms going up like crazy and singing Sweet Home Alabama, roll Tide roll, where the skies are so blue. All the other things that having the chorus go along with it is phenomenal,” McElroy said.

“Now other people might say Dixieland Delight with Alabama, other people might say Ramma Jamma with Alabama. Both are terrific. They’re awesome. I think they’re terrific traditions, but to me when Lynyrd Skynyrd Sweet Home Alabama comes over the PA right before a big game after the starting lineups are announced, that means it’s go time, man. Let’s get it going and ramp it up a little bit.”