Why does bama wear houndstooth

The university has fought to assert its rights with the houndstooth design when used in conjunction with certain words, elephants or phrases. The fight has played out in two lawsuits this year -- even though none of Alabama's trademarks, service marks, trade names, designs, logos, seals and symbols include a houndstooth pattern.

Last month, U. Magistrate Judge T. GameDawg claimed Original Houndstooth infringed on its trademark issued in of an elephant with a houndstooth pattern. Original Houndstooth countered that it had a license from Alabama since to sell clothing with a similar symbol. In dismissing GameDawg's case, Putnam noted that Alabama in had opposed the approval of another trademark using an elephant and houndstooth pattern to a company known as The Tuscs LLC.

Alabama contended that it had several elephant trademarks and that the houndstooth pattern "has long been associated with the University and its former football coach, Paul Bryant. The U. However, Putnam also noted Alabama did not oppose GameDawg's original trademark application or its later registration. Not until this year, two months after GameDawg filed its lawsuit against Original Houndstooth, did Alabama ask the trademark office to cancel GameDawg's trademark. That case is still pending. In addition to wearing a replica houndstooth hat to games, many fans have made the black-and-white checkerboard design as part of their year-around wardrobe, including shirts, jackets, scarves, skirts, coats, purses, gloves, shoes, belts and even pants.

Home Alabama Crimson Tide History. Read More. Crimson Tide Roll Call: November 12, All Things Bama. By Christopher Walsh. This hat was a houndstooth hat that was designed specifically for the museum and is now on exhibit there. By this point you are probably wondering what size hat Coach Bryant wore. Over the years many famous fans have worn the pattern. These two wore matching houndstooth hats to the Alabama games and cheered on the Crimson Tide.

In the houndstooth symbol became more than a football symbol though. It became the symbol of hope and solidarity after a tornado devastated Tuscaloosa.

Houndstooth began to appear all over the state and beyond to support the recovery and remember the losses. Car magnets, T-shirts, stickers, ribbons, and more all bore the famous houndstooth pattern. Many companies have tried to use the Hounstooth pattern for their logo but the University Of Alabama has been pretty stringent on its uses. Lawsuits have arisen from the denial of use for the logo. Cases have swung both for and against the University.

No matter what the law says though, the pattern will forever be more a part in Alabama football than anything else it is used for. Alabama houndstooth symbolizes one of the best teams in football history but it also the marker of one the best coaches, and men, in football history. Each and every athlete that has played under the name Crimson Tide is also represented by this pattern. It has also been the sign of solidarity between a community of people including players, fans, coaches and students that is strong, determined, and caring.

The houndstooth pattern and hat are the stories of past but they are not to stay that way. Current fans are expected to pass on the history of houndstooth to their kids just as the past generation has done for them.