1. Dynastic College Football Teams
Every national championship game since 2009 has had a contender from the state of Alabama—the University of Alabama three times and Auburn University two times. And with the way things are going, one of those schools will likely be representing the state again in the near future.
2. That One Day Each November That Everyone Talks About All Year Long
It's called the Iron Bowl. When Auburn and Alabama face off each November, the entire state shuts down. The winner gets bragging rights until the next year and fans and reporters can't stop talking and writing about it all through the off-season.
3. Two Slices Of White Bread, Pulled Pork Slathered In Sauce, And A Couple Of Sides Served On A Paper Plate
'Nuff said.
4. Golden Flake Potato Chips And A Co'Cola
Ever since Bear Bryant appeared on statewide TV every Sunday afternoon with a bowl of Golden Flake potato chips and a bottle of Coke while giving game highlights these two items have gone together like peanut butter and chocolate in Alabama.
5. Dropping The “G” And Fixin’ Things
Fixin' doesn't only mean somebody is fixing something. It can also mean they're getting ready to do something, like "I'm fixin' to go to the store." It can also have a food-related meaning, as in "the barbecue and all the fixins are over there."
6. Saying "Y'all"
What do y'all say? The words you and all? How silly. Make life easier on yourself already.
Y'all is a perfectly normal and decent contraction said by those from all walks of life, in trailer parks, mansions and the halls of academia in Alabama.
7. Silky Sugar Sand Beaches And Sparkling Emerald Waters
Alabama has its own short stretch of Gulf coast, and then there are the beaches of the Florida Panhandle right next door. "Dr. Beach" himself has called the beaches along the coast here the best in America.
8. Finding Great Deals On Other Peoples Lost Luggage
Ever wonder what the airlines do with all that lost luggage they're stuck with? They unload it in Alabama, in Scottsboro to be precise, at the Unclaimed Baggage Center. This massive retail facility is where all the lost and unclaimed baggage goes to find a new home.
9. Yard Sales And Flea Markets
Every August the World's Longest Yard Sale takes place over a long weekend in Alabama. The yard sale stretches from Fort Payne all the way to Kentucky. But at all times of year you won't have trouble finding giant yard sales and flea markets anywhere in the state.
10. The Glory Of Lake Life
Alabamans love to head to state's many lakes for just a day or a weekend on the water. It's all about sitting on the dock, going water skiing, jet skiing, and then sitting on the screened-in porch of the lake house in the evening as the sun sets through the trees.
11. The Debate Over The Best Barbecue and Barbecue Sauce
Do you put white barbecue sauce (invented in Alabama) on anything but chicken? Prefer pulled pork or chopped pork? Tomato-based or vinegar-based sauce? Burnt ends or no? Barbecue is like religion in Alabama, and, as such, there are a lot of different houses of worship for smoked meats.
12. Tornado Drilling Like A Boss
Growing up in Alabama means growing up with the threat of tornadoes and tornado drills at school and at home. Any Alabama kid knows exactly where to go and what to do when a tornado is spotted, and the difference between a watch and a warning.
13. The Muscle Shoals Sound
Muscle Shoals is home to legendary recording studios where many soul and rock hits were cut. And the backing band for many of the hits were the Swampers, a group of Muscle Shoals session players. Lynyrd Skynyrd praised the Swampers in their hit "Sweet Home Alabama."
14. Talladega Days And Nights
College football may reign in Alabama, but NASCAR racing gives it a run for its money a couple of times a year at the world-famous Talladega Superspeedway.
15. Real Life Friday Night Lights
Thanks in part to the success of the MTV reality series "Two-A-Days" that documented the Hoover High School Buccaneers, people now know Friday night lights can be just as big a deal as Saturday afternoon college ball.
16. Bagging A Deer
If people are clinging to their guns in the Heart of Dixie, it's because they can't wait for hunting season. This typically means deer hunting, but turkey hunting is also common. In L.A. (that's Lower Alabama), you can even hunt for alligators in late summer.
17. A Certain Song With Outdated Lyrics That Everyone Knows By Heart
"Sweet Home Alabama" isn't the official state song of Alabama, but it might as well be. Never mind the fact that the song was written in response to events of the 1960s and '70s, it's still a catchy ditty that everyone sings over and over at Alabama football games, inserting "Roll Tide Roll" at opportune moments.
18. Fried [Insert Vegetable Of Choice Here]
Of course, fried green tomatoes are one of Alabama's most famous dishes. Skillet fried okra is another popular dish, so is fried squash. But people here will bread and fry most anything.
19. The Last Great American Roadhouse And Beach Bar
The Flora-Bama Lounge is a deck bar on the beach right at the Alabama-Florida state line. It's been in business since 1964 and is often touted as the best watering hole in the country. It's been celebrated in song by artists such as Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett.
20. Peanuts And The Peanut Festival
Alabamans can't get enough peanuts, mainly because it's one of the top peanut producing states in the nation. Roasted peanuts, boiled peanuts and, yes, even fried peanuts are all staple products at roadside produce stands.
Dothan, in the heart of peanut country, is home to the National Peanut Festival each fall.
21. The SEC Network
Say "SEC" in other parts of the country and people may think you're talking about the Securities and Exchange Commission. But in Alabama it means Southeastern Conference.
The TV network has only been in existence since the summer of 2014 but has already made it on the list of things Alabamans can't live without.
22. Tailgating Like It’s Their Job
If Alabamans couldn't hang out in the parking lot of a stadium or racetrack before and after a football game or NASCAR event while cooking out and drinking beer, a piece of their soul might be lost.
23. Hanging Out At The Hangout
It's only been in existence for a few years, but the Hangout Music Fest each May has quickly become one of the premier music festivals in the country. It takes place right on the beach in Gulf Shores and features performances by the top rock acts of the day.
24. All Of The Church Socials
In both rural and urban Alabama, church is the center of social life for many. Even for some people who may not go to church that much, church socials and potluck dinners are a big deal.
25. The Space Program
Alabama is extremely proud of the role it played in helping to land men on the moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And it played a big role. Huntsville is home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, where the rockets for the Apollo program were developed.
26. Sweet Tea
While Alabama doesn't have an official state beverage, unofficially it does: sweet tea. If you were to take sweet tea out of all the meat-n-threes, barbecue joints, buffet lines and cafes in Alabama, you'd have a revolt on your hands.
27. Saying "Ma'am" And "Sir"
It's not just polite kids who say "sir" and "ma'am" here. Adults say it too. Older adults will even say it to younger adults, so it's not all about respect for your elders. It's all about respect, period.
28. Grits As A Staple Food For Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner
The one thing you can't fry in Alabama is grits, unless it's a grit patty or a grit cake or something. Otherwise, this simple, delightful dish of ground corn kernels is boiled and can be spiced and seasoned most any way you like and served for any meal. Shrimp and cheese are the most common added ingredients beyond breakfast.
Featured image source: Blue Angels VIP
What’s something in Alabama you can’t live without? Tell us in the comments below! 
