For some people, "Roll Tide" is just the rally cry for Alabama athletics but to those who love and live it each day, it means so much more.

In Alabama, we use "Roll Tide" as a greeting or to tell someone goodbye. It can also be used as a tension breaker or used at random when there's a noticeable lull in a conversation. "Roll Tide" is a part of our lifestyle and culture and for some, it's a part of our daily vocabulary.

Dictionary.com explains,

The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabama—or ‘Bama as it’s often abbreviated—football team. ‘Bama fans yell Roll Tide to encourage the team … not that they need encouraging because they’re pretty good at winning. The phrase is sometimes elongated by folks in Birmingham to “roll tide, roll.”

But Roll Tide is not limited to the gridiron, nor is it only meant as a rallying cry. Fans sometimes say “roll tide” or use the social media hashtag “#RollTide” to refer to carrying on, as a greeting to other fans, or as a means of showing excitement over something, be it related to ‘Bama athletics or to their own life.

One of the definitions on UrbanDictionary.com says,

A sentence enhancer, or a sentence in its own. Can be used as a greeting, departure, or to smooth rough ties between people and shut others up. It's a movement. Usually followed by a fist in the air.

I don't usually shake my fist when I say it but you get the point. "Roll Tide," can literally be used in any situation. Weddings, funerals, birthdays, or even just as a way of saying, "hello," or "goodbye."

A few years back, this commercial was airing on ESPN and I think it sums Roll Tide up best.

I'll just end here by saying, "Roll Tide!"

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