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Iron Bowl rivalry has special meaning for Alabama players

When Ryan Anderson was younger, Alabama was losing.

For six straight years from 2002-07, Auburn beat the Crimson Tide every time in the annual rivalry game called the Iron Bowl.

Naturally as an Alabama native and fan, the outside linebacker didn’t like it.

“Yeah, I kicked one dude,” Anderson said without an ounce of regret. “I was like in fifth grade. When I was growing up, you know I always pulled for Alabama in the Iron Bowl, and my cousin (Wallace Gilberry), he played here. Just going to school, the other kids were holding up their thumb for six in a row, all that stuff.