Published February 22, 2011 - 12:32pm
NEW: Discuss this topic in the Google+ community for SEC fans.
I’ve purposely stayed away from this subject since it first broke, because sometimes when you write in an emotional moment, you tend to say things that are better left unsaid. The one thing that I have noticed since the crime was discovered is the difference in the true sportsmen, and the people who have no life outside of their sport. This isn’t isolated to one fanbase, or one school. You can see it clear as day in the week since this broke. There are genuine people on both sides who have come together in a sense of camaraderie, and those who have talked and posted about it as if it’s some triumph on the field of play. You have made yourselves readily identifiable by your actions and comments this past week.
Before anyone thinks I’m here to belittle the Alabama faithful, you’re absolutely wrong. Auburn people may not have poisoned a tradition, but they did some pretty stupid things. My son was the first person to show me the picture of the Bear Bryant statue with the Cam Newton jersey on it. I told him at the time that this picture was in very poor taste, and was also very stupid. Anyone who understands a rivalry game KNOWS you don’t give the other team locker room fodder. You know the coaches had one of those pictures in every locker in the Alabama dressing room at Bryant-Denny Stadium before the Iron Bowl, and Alabama came out and played like a team on fire in the first half.
I’m not going to get into the money thrown at Cam Newton before the Iron Bowl. In honesty, that’s always been part of the game. I can remember when opposing teams used to wave pizza boxes at Charles Barkley when he was at Auburn. Allowing “Take the Money and Run”, and “Son of a Preacher Man” to play over the Bryant-Denny Stadium was a bit over the top, though.
One other thing that has taken off like the Cam Newton rumors is the internet rumblings repeating the claims of “Al from Dadeville” that Auburn students rolled Toomer’s Corner when Bear Bryant passed away in 1983. Paul Finebaum was a writer for the Birmingham Post-Herald in 1983, and he stated emphatically to “Al” that it never happened… that he would have known about it or read about it if it had. There has now been an exhaustive search done, and no newspaper, radio or television station has a record of any such story. There is no one old enough to remember Bear Bryant’s death, that can remember this supposed incident. So, can we stop fanning the flames with that falsehood?
However, as an Auburn fan, I’ll be the first to admit that we have sometimes laughed a little too hard at things that were in very bad taste. I’ve seen pictures of a skeleton dressed like the Bear at Auburn-Alabama games, with signs saying, “Shake the Bear’s hand. $5″. If we’re ever going to make a better rivalry out of the Iron Bowl, it’s going to take both sides looking inward, instead of both sides pointing fingers outward. I’ve seen a lot of that over the past few days; Alabama people putting together drives to help try and save the trees, and Auburn people who are accepting this help with an open heart, instead of plotting their revenge. It’s times like this that give me hope that we can all get past this, and learn from it.
Trees or no trees, there will be celebrations on Toomer’s Corner. They didn’t start rolling the trees until the 1970s. Before that they rolled the power lines around the intersection. Putting the power lines underground didn’t stop the tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner, and if the trees die off, the Auburn family will still find something to roll, even if the University has to create something for them. The trees may die, but as long as there is the Auburn spirit, the tradition will carry on.
Well said! War Eagle!
I understand where you are coming from about everyone getting up in arms about this as soon as they heard. That, NOBODY, can help. Everyone’s passion for AU is different. I get why you wanted to take your time and not join in the banter, right away. But there is one thing I would like to say, re: your blog, no fan is ANY better than the next. I, really didn’t watch football until I got married and he was such a fan, I remember him crying after a loss, and I thought, omg it’s just a game. But now 17 years later, I understand that passion, as I have it, too and damn proud of AU this year and every year. My point is, you cannot come out NOW with a statement like that, making other fans feel as if their anger about this stupid and irreversible act did not simply make them angry. Even if it did only start in the 70′s, that was something of tradition and PRIDE done after EVERY GAME. When you made the statement that you were not here to belittle the Alabama faithful, actually what you did was belittle the Auburn faithful.
I appriciate your time and thought going into your statement, as I hope people will do mine, but you are making it sound like you are Gene Chizik, himself. I’ll say it again, No fan is better than the next. We are not here to judge one another, but appreciate each other and the fact that we ALL share the same thing WAR EAGLE PRIDE ~ ALL IN. Family is what Auburn is about, Tradition is what Auburn is about, and for an Alabama fan to even think he could come to Auburn and do such a horrible thing, is just beyond what you can imagine someone doing. So when we, AU fans, want to get online and give out thoughts about it, another AU fan, like you, should back it ALL THE WAY not sit back and watch things unfold and then tell everyone how to act or re-act.
From one AU fan to another, WAR DAMN EAGLE.
This message is for AU fan by Marriage,
I understand your point of view, but, I think you misunderstood the context of the entire blog. As a die hard Auburn fan who grew up in an Bama household, I know the rivalry too well. The point that he was trying to make is that people on both sides have stirred the pot and made things worse. Sure, Auburn fans haven’t done something this wrong, per say, but, they have done their fair share of disrespectful things. The Oaks at Toomer’s Corner are centerpieces of Auburn history, and the actions of that ONE individual do not reflect the attitude of the whole Bama fanbase. We, as Auburn fans, family, and supporters, should embrace the fact that Bama fans, rivalry or not, have come to the aid and support of the Auburn community and have publicly denounced the actions of this individual. The author, is merely pointing out the fact that we helped to bring it to this point, by continuing to throw wood on the the fire. He is trying to urge people to keep the rivalry in control and don’t make things worse thean they have already become. He also points out the fact that, with or without the Oaks, our family is strong and will continue our traditions. We will not yield, nor will we let this horrible act break our pride
Your reply made me cry!!! As did Johnny’s. I am so proud of all fans of both Auburn (War Dam Eagle) and Alabama (Roll Tide) who have pulled together in this to help. Sure there will be fans on both sides who will continue to rag each other come football season, but I think this tone the fans have set will be remember always. Not that an idiot did what he did, but that fans came together for one cause!
That I LOVE Auburn does not mean that i HATE ‘Bama or Georgia or Florida.
I LOVE Auburn because I loved the experience of being a student there (’80 – ’83) and was treated with kindness and consideration by staff and fellow students alike.
Whether we know it or not, we have a tremendous reputation: two examples. My former boss is a USC graduate and returned from the USC v. Auburn game a few years back with nothing but praise for Auburn. Said he was treated graciously by fans and students a like. A couple years back I was down for the K State game and I welcomed one of their purple-shirted fans to Auburn. You’d have thought that I’d spoken in tongues. He said that he’d never been so welcomed at an away game. Well, that is the way we roll.
I agree that regardless of the trees, the tradition of generosity and love for the school with trump any stupidity of any fan. Don’t get me wrong, I will miss the trees. But, we will find another way to celebrate our wins and 130 year from now our great-great-great grandchildren will have their own tradition.
War Damn Eagle.
TJ Class of ’83
Great article.
100% gamecock fan, but since half of my family are Auburn fans I find it hard to read this and not show some respect.
You’re a classy bunch, Auburn fans. That goes for Bama fans as well. EXCEPT Harvey Updyke.
Thank god all of our schools are in this wonderful conference we call the SEC. I couldn’t live in a world without Southeastern conference football.
I was a student at Auburn when Bear died, and Toomer’s was not rolled. The general thought at the time was that Bear died because he wasn’t coaching anymore. Nice article.
I thought all this happened after the Iron Bowl. The jersey taped on the Coach Bryant statue was after the Iron Bowl. I don’t think that there were any pictures of that taped up in the locker room prior to the game. Other than that, a good article.
David