The cigar celebration: Explaining Alabama-Tennessee’s greatest tradition

Every year on the third Saturday in October, Alabama plays Tennessee. And when it’s over, one team gets to enjoy a victory cigar.

In 1961, Alabama athletic trainer Jim Goostree passed out cigars after the No. 5 Crimson Tide put a hurting on Tennessee, 34-3. At the time, it had been a few years since the Tide had beaten the Volunteers, so Goostree passed around cigars to celebrate the achievement. Little did anyone know that a tradition would be born in one of the south’s preeminent college football rivalries.

But that hasn’t happened lately. Nick Saban says he doesn’t smoke, but since he’s gotten to Tuscaloosa in 2007, his players have been in a position to do so every year, much to his initial chigrin.

When Nick Saban got to Alabama, he tried to keep tobacco out of the locker room because it’s an NCAA violation, but that didn’t last long. The celebration continued behind closed doors but has since become a popular image to share across social media. It’s common to see pictures of the players enjoying a cigar after the game.

But Saban’s apparently come around with the tradition.

“I know it’s something that a lot of people really enjoy,” Saban said after Bama’s 2013 win over Tennessee. “It’s not a tradition I started. It’s a tradition that was here that the players have continued. I think it’s something they have fun with. I’m happy that they do. Not really something that I’m interested in.”

The NCAA bylaws say this:

The use of tobacco products is prohibited by all game personnel (e.g., coaches, trainers, managers and game officials) in all sports during practice and competition. Uniform penalties (as determined by the applicable rules-making committees and sports committees with rules-making responsibilities) shall be established for such use

It’s technically a secondary violation that Alabama reports every year as an impermissible benefit. It’s also against Alabama’s school policy because the campus is tobacco free. But rules are made to be broken, and when the Tide get the job done against the Vols, it’s as good a time as any to look the other way and light up.

Fans can often be spotted lighting up in their seats in the stands. A Birmingham cigar shop owner said sales jump 30 percent or more during game week with both fanbases hoping they can secure the win and enjoy a smoke.

That’s thanks to a former Vols coach now on Bama’s staff — former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones, who was fired last fall, has since joined Alabama’s staff as an analyst.

“We kind of joke with him about the whole situation,” Tide running back Josh Jacobs told reporters leading up to the game. ”He’s never, you know what I’m saying, smoked a cigar before. We’re trying to make that a goal of his.”

The rivalry is a historically lopsided one, with one team controlling it for years at a time. Alabama’s looking for 12 in a row — Bama’s a 28.5-point favorite heading into Saturday. And with a Tennessee team that just ended the program’s 11-game SEC losing streak, it’s not looking like the Vols can test the Alabama machine much at all.

And against Tennessee, that machine is fueled by smoke.