Colin “Big C” MacGuire, a Greenville native, is arguably the biggest Crimson Tide fan you’ll find in the Bama Nation. MacGuire, the son of Nina and the late Buster MacGuire, is a former manager for the Tide under coach Bear Bryant, an expert on all things pertaining to Alabama football and hosts his own local sports radio show at WGYV. He’s also a member of the Greenville Lions Club, following in his dad Buster’s footsteps.

What are your best memories of your school days growing up in Greenville? Gosh. I’d have to say 5th grade at what’s Greenville Middle School now. I did really good that year and I had a lot of fun. Back, then I wanted to be an L&N railroad engineer; I was fascinated by trains. Used to watch them going by back behind the school.

My favorite year when I was going to Fort Dale would have to be my senior year. A lot of good things happened that year . . . I remember the headmistress Lillian Morgan talked to me during 1st period study hall one day. She said, “You’re not going to get by this year if you don’t straighten up. You’re going to get a certificate of attendance instead of a diploma.” Well, she got my attention. Suddenly, my future was looking pretty negative.

That made me study and I got good grades. I also scored a touchdown playing football that year (smiles). Everything just went right that year, you know?

What set you on the road to becoming a major Alabama football fan? October 4, 1969 is what pushed me over the edge. I was in 6th grade and just beginning to get interested in football. I’d been a big Civil War buff before that. Well, on that date Alabama and Ole Miss were playing on TV. Our babysitter didn’t like football; she wanted to watch “Arabesque” with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. I hate that movie to this day. We got to switch over during commercial breaks . . . the commentators said it was one of the most exciting games ever televised. And it pushed me over. Harry Poole gave Mama four football digests for different schools. I read them all, but I wore out the one for Alabama.

Do you have tailgate food favorites? Dips, I love dips. Rotel cheese dip! I’m not picky on the chips, but I do like the Fritos scoops and the other kind that are like little bowls.

You have a radio show on WGYV. Talk a little about that. I started my show on August 29, 2005, the date Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. So that was memorable in more ways than one. I’ve had some really interesting guests-Richard Williamson and Vince Dooley-I got those fellas by knowing the people who know the people. I’m working on getting Archie Manning. If that works out, that will be my best guest ever-no offense to the other guys. I also have my own website, www.gradingcollegefootball.com to try to take the bias and emotion out of ranking teams.

You have so many stories and states in your head. Do you ever think about writing your memoirs? (Laughs) Oh, let’s just say I might do that one day.

Best Alabama team in your lifetime? This past year’s team just might be the best. I have a bias towards 1979 because I was the manager on that one. In 1992, they played and beat ten teams that went on to play bowl games. But last year, well, unbeaten, National Champions, a Heisman Trophy winner . . . everything that could go right, did go right.

Favorite movies? TV shows? “Gone with the Wind.” It’s not a true story but there was a lot of historical accuracy. Don’t usually like musicals, but “The Sound of Music,” which is based on a true story. And “Forrest Gump,” because of the Alabama connection, really all the historical connections he has. I don’t like a lot of the current TV shows, except for “Wheel of Fortune.” There’s some skill and luck involved there. I loved shows like “Beverly Hillbillies,” “Andy Griffith,” “Gilligan’s Island” and “Mr. Ed.”

If money were no object and you could travel anywhere in the world on a vacation, where would you go? Tahiti. Something about that area just fascinates me. It’s so pretty for one thing.

Which did you prefer: filming a scene for “Big Fish” and being in a Vanity Fair photo spread, or appearing on a Swedish reality show? Well, my part in the movie ended up on the cutting room floor, even though I did get in the magazine. But the Swedish show was a lot of fun. There were some interesting folks who came to town for that!

Interviewed by Angie Long