The simple act of going to the game does not make one a die-hard fan as compared to the unfortunate souls that were unable to attend. There are a lot of people that have other obligations during the big game but that doesn’t mean that they don’t care any less about the outcome or the score.

Some people work in the food industry and are responsible for making sure all hungry fans are satisfied. That pepperoni pizza that you ordered during the second quarter isn’t going to magically make itself and apparate to your home. Someone had to make your order and someone else had to deliver it.

Other people work hard to ensure the customer satisfaction of all fans while they are in town. Each new game brings a different group of fans to cheer on their team; as a result, they are only in town once a year or once every couple of years depending on the team lineup. These workers help ensure these customers have a good time during their miniature vacation even if some of their demands may seem unreasonable at the time. (No, ma’am, we do not serve guacamole and I promise, you did not buy it from us this time last year either.)

From police officers working security to maintain crowd control over 100,000+ visitors, to the UPS man delivering a package to car salesman working to make another commission to a new parent comforting a screaming baby, fans come in all shapes and sizes. If you walk into a business or restaurant the first question is, “What’s the score?” or “Who's winning?” The only people who are desperately trying to hear the play by plays via the radio in between jobs to keep up with what is going on in the game.

Through all of these trials and tribulations, it brings people together more than the congested seating of Bryant-Denny. Don’t get me wrong, being in the stands and watching the game in person is a unique and special experience; however, it takes a special kind of fan to not attend the game and go about the business as usual.