Why is an Elephant the "Mascot" for the University of Alabama?

Wow... an oxymoron. Jeez... I don't know if I can spell that. I find it ironic that a moron would be discussing oxymoron's. Anyway, The poster above is partially correct. It goes back to the 30's. Bama's team was huge and sportswriters began referring to them as the Red Elephants. It did stick however, it was not officially acknowledged by the University until 1971, I believe. A vote by the students decided that Big Al was the official mascot in the late 70's.

first answer is half right....someone saw the big guys on the team come on the field and said they were big as elephants and just as mean...the "Crimson Tide" came from a radio announcer calling the game and said when the players took the field it looked like a "Crimson Tide". Both just stuck and the rest is history.

the legend is that back in the olden days some old guy was sitting by the players entrance when the players ran onto the field and said they sounded like a herd of elephants and somehow that stuck. i find that incredibly dumb but thats the story that bama fans tell me. and why is it that troy is the university in alabama that knows who their mascot is.

Silly question. The intellects of the school wanted a sea creature to go with the Crimson Tide. Oh yeah, intellectual is a oxymoron with Alabama.