By David Knox
Area residents have a rooting interest in Sunday night’s Miss America pageant. And that particular contestant hasn’t been shy about showing her allegiance, either.
Miss Alabama Chandler Champion, a Leeds resident, University of Alabama student and former Miss Trussville, created something of a stir by showing off a houndstooth gown and matching shoes for a pre-pageant parade. And during rehearsals for the pageant, she wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “Roll Tide” on it as well.
Champion, 20, won the Miss Alabama crown in while competing as Miss Leeds Area. She previously competed in Miss Alabama pageants as Miss Center Point as well as Miss Trussville, no doubt demonstrating a resiliency and commitment to the “process” that Alabama football coach Nick Saban would appreciate.
But the dress -– made by Ann Northington, it features a black top with a houndstooth sash and bottom, with “Roll Tide” printed down the front and the 2012 Alabama BCS National Championship logo on the back — has brought her nationwide attention already, especially from online sports bloggers.
One example comes from Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports’ “Eye on College Football” blog:
“If you’re one of the millions of Eye on College Football readers who wish we had more Miss America coverage here, well, you are going to love this post.
“This year’s Miss Alabama, who is named Chandler Champion (seriously, that’s her name. The state of Alabama literally breeds Champions), had
“That’s, um, well, that’s uh…ROLL TIDE!
“Seriously, I may be wrong here, but I’m starting to think the Tide are just a little too important to the fine people of Alabama.”
Chandler, a junior majoring in dance and broadcast journalism at Alabama, is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. She’s actually not the only UA student competing in Atlantic City, N.J. Haley Williams, a junior from Saline, Mich., a public relations major with minors in philosophy and art history, is Miss Michigan.