(By Mark Langford of The Recruiting Eagle.)
Amidst all the coverage of the poisoning of the Toomer's Corner oaks in Auburn, I came across a website story with the headline: "Does Auburn Have the the Most Obnoxious and Delusional Fans in the SEC?"
I didn't bother to open up the story and read it because I was so outraged at such a headline in the wake of such a dastardly and vile act perpetrated against Auburn University by an avowed University of Alabama fan.
How could anyone write such a story after one one "Al from Dadeville" robbed the Auburn Family of a decades-long tradition that will never be replaced in any our lifetimes?
There's been much written in recent days about how the rivalry between Auburn and Alabama has gotten out of hand.
Yes, we'll concede there are fans on both sides that go to the extreme in harassing and baiting each other.
We've noted that a lot of Alabama fans want to equate the act of over planting by an Auburn fan of rye grass near Byrant-Denny Stadium to grow out to 28-27 to the poisoning of the Toomer oaks. Well, of course, that's absurd on its face.
The fact is that the suspect in this case, Harvey Updyke, is not unlike a lot of sidewalk Alabama fans. He simply could not abide the fact that Auburn came back from a 24-0 deficit in Tuscaloosa in November to beat his beloved Crimson Tide, 28-27, and then went on to win the national championship. It apparently drove him over the top.
But back to all the commentators who are questioning the rivalry. One thing to keep in mind -- as long as Alabama is on top in this state, everything seems to run smoothly. But when the roles are reversed, the poison -- literally -- flows in one direction -- west to east.
When Nick Saban put a 36-0 beat-down on Auburn in 2008, succeeded in the process in helping chase off the coach that had beaten the Tide six straight years and then won a national championship, everything was right in the state of Alabama.
For Tide fans, it appeared like a return to the dominance of the 1970s, especially with Auburn's controversial hiring of Gene Chizik from Iowa State.
But things changed when Chizik took on Saban in recruiting and on the field and served notice that things weren't going to be quite as easy as Alabama fans, such as Al in Dadeville and his redneck pals, had envisioned.
And after Auburn nearly derailed Alabama's title run in 2009, brought in a top-five recruiting class in 2010, the Bama venom began flowing.
Nowhere is it more evident than on al.com, which combines The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and the Mobile Press-Register.
All you have to do is go to the boards of al.com anytime any story about Auburn is posted and see how quickly Alabama fans weigh in with nasty rejoinders.
The Press-Register a few years ago did a statewide poll asking how many people identified themselves as Auburn or Alabama fans. Not surprisingly, about 60 percent said they were Bama fans.
The key difference between Auburn and Alabama fans in this state is that the vast, vast majority of Auburn fans have some connection to the university. Either they are a graduate, attended or they had a relative who graduated or attended. Not so much for the University of Alabama, which picked up most of its dirt road or sidewalk "alums" during the Bear Byrant era.
Al in Dadeville is obviously one of those. At age 62, he apparently still clings to the belief that Alabama should have its boot on Auburn's throat, despite the fact that the Tigers have a 17-13 record against the Tide over the past 30 years.
So, it appears Auburn University's cherished Toomer's oaks will likely die, at the hands of a cowardly Tide fan who is not unlike the legions of his type who follow Alabama.
While Al in Dadeville may destroy the Toomer's oaks, he will never destroy the Auburn spirit.
His actions bring to mind the Dr. Seuss book, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
If you recall the story, the Grinch tried to stop Christmas from coming in Who-ville by stealing all the presents and the tree on Christmas Eve night.
But it didn't stop Christmas at all. Even without the presents, "Somehow or other, it came just the same!"
And that's the way it will be at Auburn University. Killing the Toomer's oaks won't kill the Auburn spirit, and it won't stop future celebrations at Toomer's Corner.
Al in Dadeville has only made the Auburn Spirit stronger.
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