Cody Jones and I are in Hoover, Ala. for the SEC baseball tournament. After a long drive yesterday, I knew I was in Alabama after I saw a guy with a mullet haircut as soon as we went to eat.

This part of the state is beautiful, and the weather today was no exception.

The only drawback on the day so far is that the Gators lost the opening game of the tournament to Arkansas 8-5 after committing four errors that led to seven unearned runs and being held to four hits. If not for the nine walks allowed by Arkansas, it could have been worse.

This is a great sports venue. The AA Birmingham Barons go on a road trip at this time each year so that the tournament can be held. Fans from all across the SEC are always on hand. I’m always impressed with how many fans come from Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, MSU and Mississippi.

My favorite part is hearing all of the cheers for each school. Just because they don’t have the support of 80,000 people at a football game, they aren’t afraid to belt out their cheers.

The funniest cheer is, of course, Hotty Toddy.

“Are you ready?
Hell yeah! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we, Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
OLE MISS BY DAMN!”

Just picture about a hundred people screaming that and doing a silly dance. It’s very amusing.

The Arkansas fans have their own cheer where they “call the hogs.” It’s quite impressive when there are 40,000 people doing it at the Georgia Dome or 70,000 fans at a game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

“Woooooooooo, Pig ! Sooie!
Woooooooooo, Pig ! Sooie!
Woooooooooo, Pig ! Sooie!
Razorbacks!!”

However… 16 fans calling the hogs at Hoover’s Regions Park just looks goofy.