Traditions

[djsimp]

He has many leather bound books. He's a division manager. He drives a dodge stratus. People are scared of him.

Then he brushes his hair a hundred times with this. Not just a brush, but a Verticoli. Hand made in Italy, they carve it out of illegal whale bone. They only make eleven of them a year. This one cost him twelve thousand dollars, or thirty million lira. Perfectly balanced, low drag, minimal torque. Hey, help yourself to the mane and tail all you want, but don't even look at the Verticoli because he will knock your block off. No exaggeration, he could not love a human baby as much as he loves this brush.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

He has many leather bound books. He's a division manager. He drives a dodge stratus. People are scared of him.

My house smells of rich mahogany.

[AUTiger1]

You are one old fart.

Word!

I have long but distinguished list of government contractors on my resume.

Not near as distinguished as the one I work for.   

[dallaswareagle]

I suckle at the government tit too.

I get two checks once a month from that tit.

[AUChizad]

Back to tl;dr posts about Auburn tradition.

You know, I was recently thinking about this too.

The Tiger Walk being our thing is a pretty huge deal. Almost every football team, even Bama, copied our tradition. But the "often imitated, never duplicated" cliche is very very true. The others are usually a Tom Albetar tailored slow casual straight-faced stroll past the fans. Most of the players have headphones on and could care less the fans are right there. At Auburn it's straight up exhilarating. Every player high-fives every fan in reach hand as they bounce up and down with excitement.

That's a tradition.

Toomer's corner. That's the epitome of tradition.

The eagle flight. While young, that's one of the best traditions in college football.

Someone touched on this, but the "War Eagle" saying. Amazing that no matter how long you live rival fans will say "Why are y'all the War Eagles and the Tigers? Which one is it?", often even genuinely inquiring. I think they intentionally refuse to learn. But at other schools I think it carries a slightly different translation. At other schools it can be a substitution for "Fuck You". I can't describe how many times I had a wild-eyed "Tiger Bait" screamed at me. I can't recall ever even saying "War Eagle" to anyone who isn't an Auburn fan. It's a greeting for us. It's our "Aloha" or "Shalom". A secret handshake that's not so secret regionally in Alabama. It's not used as a synonym for "We just" or "We're about to" "beat your ass".

Foy's 844-4244 hotline could even be considered a tradition. The pre-cursor to Siri. Hell, the precursor to Google, or even the Internet in general.

Shakers. This is not unique to Auburn, as I know Bama does it too. No idea who started it, but I imagine it's more of a "we're some of the few teams that still do this en mass" thing. This was also brought to my attention last weekend by shit-talking corndogs. I got "Nice pom-pom fag!" at least four times because of the shaker sticking out of my pants pocket.

Not only does every Auburn fan know the fight song. They also know Bodda-Getta, Track 'Em, Two Bits, It's Great To Be An Auburn Tiger, Waaaaaaaar Eagle, Hey!, and the Auburn spell-out (apparently the song that accompanies it is called "The Horse" - new fun fact). Most people only have one or two of these if they're lucky. I remember Oregon fans being in awe of all of ours because they just held their hands in an O shape and yelled "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh".

[JR4AU]

Back to tl;dr posts about Auburn tradition.

You know, I was recently thinking about this too.

The Tiger Walk being our thing is a pretty huge deal. Almost every football team, even Bama, copied our tradition. But the "often imitated, never duplicated" cliche is very very true. The others are usually a Tom Albetar tailored slow casual straight-faced stroll past the fans. Most of the players have headphones on and could care less the fans are right there. At Auburn it's straight up exhilarating. Every player high-fives every fan in reach's hand as they bounce up and down with excitement.

That's a tradition.

Toomer's corner. That's the epitome of tradition.

The eagle flight. While young, that's one of the best traditions in college football.

Someone touched on this, but the "War Eagle" saying. Amazing that no matter how long you live rival fans will say "Why are y'all the War Eagles and the Tigers? Which one is it?", often even genuinely inquiring. I think they intentionally refuse to learn. But at other schools I think it carries a slightly different translation. At other schools it can be a substitution for "Fuck You". I can't describe how many times I had a wild-eyed "Tiger Bait" screamed at me. I can't recall ever even saying "War Eagle" to anyone who isn't an Auburn fan. It's a greeting for us. It's our "Aloha" or "Shalom". A secret handshake that's not so secret regionally in Alabama. It's not used as a synonym for "We just" or "We're about to" "beat your ass".

Foy's 844-4244 hotline could even be considered a tradition. The pre-cursor to Siri. Hell, the precursor to Google, or even the Internet in general.

Shakers. This is not unique to Auburn, as I know Bama does it too. No idea who started it, but I imagine it's more of a "we're some of the few teams that still do this en mass" thing. This was also brought to my attention last weekend by shit-talking corndogs. I got "Nice pom-pom fag!" at least four times because of the shaker sticking out of my pants pocket.

Not only does every Auburn fan know the fight song. They also know Bodda-Getta, Track 'Em, Two Bits, It's Great To Be An Auburn Tiger, Waaaaaaaar Eagle, Hey!, and the Auburn spell-out (apparently the song that accompanies it is called "The Horse" - new fun fact). Most people only have one or two of these if they're lucky. I remember Oregon fans being in awe of all of theirs because they just held their hands in an O shape and yelled "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh".

Until "The Opening Drive" started, I never heard a bammer use "Roll Tide" as a polite greeting the way we use War Eagle.  They do now, but it sounds contrived.  Sounds especially ham-handed when one calls in and says "RTR Jay".   

[Snaggletiger]

Game day this past Saturday, I was in teh Publix picking up a few supplies.  People had their colors on and one guy passes these other two guys standing near me. They give a War Eagle to each other.  The third guy, who is obviously not from around here (Think Fenway Pahk and Nomah Gahshapahra) asks, "What is that?  Why do Auburn fans all say that to each other?  War Eagle?"

The guy starts laughing and says it's a greeting.  You wouldn't understand.

[Tiger Wench]

You wouldn't understand.

That is pretty much the only explanation to give to anyone who sneers in our direction.  Either they get it or they don't.  If they do, War Eagle.  If they don't, thank God.

[djsimp]

I can't help but think about the Auburn commercials that use to run with the passing strangers giving the "War Eagle". I think those do a pretty good job without really saying much at all.

[GH2001]

Game day this past Saturday, I was in teh Publix picking up a few supplies.  People had their colors on and one guy passes these other two guys standing near me. They give a War Eagle to each other.  The third guy, who is obviously not from around here (Think Fenway Pahk and Nomah Gahshapahra) asks, "What is that?  Why do Auburn fans all say that to each other?  War Eagle?"

The guy starts laughing and says it's a greeting.  You wouldn't understand.

Did you pahk tha cahh at hahvahhd yahhd?

[Snaggletiger]

I admit that my ventures to other stadiums have been few and far between.  The SEC venues I've never hit are UK, Vandy, Arky, Ole Miss and MSU  I've been to BDS but never to a game there.  For those who have been, is The Grove everything you hear about or is it overrated?  The whole mystique of Death Valley was highly overrated in my opinion.  I recall one 4th quarter in a tighht game down there, at a point when the crowd was supposed to be raising hell.....and I thought how fucking lame is this? 

Now the lady next to me got knocked the fuck out by a whiskey bottle thrown from the deck above us.  That was about the most intimidating thing about that place.

[ssgaufan]

I admit that my ventures to other stadiums have been few and far between.  The SEC venues I've never hit are UK, Vandy, Arky, Ole Miss and MSU  I've been to BDS but never to a game there.  For those who have been, is The Grove everything you hear about or is it overrated?  The whole mystique of Death Valley was highly overrated in my opinion.  I recall one 4th quarter in a tighht game down there, at a point when the crowd was supposed to be raising hell.....and I thought how fucking lame is this? 

Now the lady next to me got knocked the fuck out by a whiskey bottle thrown from the deck above us.  That was about the most intimidating thing about that place.

I'd be willing to bet that that whiskey bottle was meant for you.

[Saniflush]

I'd be willing to bet that that whiskey bottle was meant for you.

and probably was soaked in urine.

[GH2001]

I've been to BDS but never to a game there. 

Did RWS hijack your X account again?

[Saniflush]

Did RWS hijack your X account again?

BOOM!

[Snaggletiger]

Did RWS hijack your X account again?

snippity SNAP!!!

[GH2001]

Snag, Bammer has plenty of traditions. 13/12 shirts from Wal Marks with fresh off the shelf crease, Rammer Jammer Alabammer, and those 2 old farts at the games who always have the Tide box with shit paper on top. Those fuckers aren't dead yet?

They are full of tradition.

[AUChizad]

I admit that my ventures to other stadiums have been few and far between.  The SEC venues I've never hit are UK, Vandy, Arky, Ole Miss and MSU  I've been to BDS but never to a game there.  For those who have been, is The Grove everything you hear about or is it overrated?  The whole mystique of Death Valley was highly overrated in my opinion.  I recall one 4th quarter in a tighht game down there, at a point when the crowd was supposed to be raising hell.....and I thought how fucking lame is this? 

Now the lady next to me got knocked the fuck out by a whiskey bottle thrown from the deck above us.  That was about the most intimidating thing about that place.

The first time I went to Death Valley, I remember thinking it was overrated. But A I was plastered for the night game, and B) I was sitting in the nosebleeds.

I had premium seats for this last game directly behind the band, and holy shit on earth was it loud. When Auburn had the ball, especially on 3rd downs, I literally could hear myself if I screamed.

The grove is pretty impressive, but I would say slightly overrated. It's just that all of their tailgating's right there in one concentrated area. It's like the amphitheater at Auburn or the quad at Bama, or by the basketball arena at LSU, etc., but bigger and without satellite tailgates.

[Kaos]

In regard to the original topic, somebody once wrote this:

It’s understandable that an Alabama fan wouldn’t comprehend the significance of the trees. Rolling Toomer’s Corner is a tradition, and for all its boasts, Alabama simply has no tradition.

You hear that rattling noise? It’s the Alabama fanbase getting up in arms. They’ll tell you they have tradition out the wazoo, but the fact is they simply don’t.

Ask an Alabama fan about their tradition. The first thing they will say, and this is guaranteed, is, “Thirteen national championships.”

That’s not tradition. That’s a number. It’s a statistic—and it’s a fraudulent statistic at that.  The only people in the universe who accept 13 as a legitimate number are those who wear crimson. To the rest of the college football universe it’s a joke.

When Bama fans proudly wear shirts or hats with 13 on them, they do so unaware that everyone else is laughing at them. If college football were the movie Dinner for Schmucks, Bama fans wearing 13 gear would be the unwitting schmucks.

Well, what about Bear Bryant, they’d say? Not a tradition. A man. A man is not a tradition no matter how you much you deify him.

Okay, but we got Denny Chimes, the Bama fan would protest. Sorry. Denny Chimes is not a tradition. It’s a building. More specifically a clock tower—an ugly and useless one at that. A drab tower of bricks is not a tradition.

Fine, but we got Big Al, the typical Tide fan would sputter. Sorry, wrong again. Big Al is not a tradition; it’s a mascot. Interestingly enough, Big Al came into existence after Auburn debuted its mascot Aubie and after Bama fans mocked it, saying they didn’t need a costume roaming the sidelines. Funny how that works.
 
Angry now, the typical Alabama fan will bring up the Walk of Champions. Now we’re getting somewhere. The Tide football team walks through a gathering of fans on its way into the stadium for home games. That qualifies. It also qualifies as a complete and total imitation of what Auburn pioneered with its historic Tiger Walk. Is it really tradition when you first mock and then sheepishly and shamelessly copy a tradition that belongs to your chief rival?

Well, we are winners, the average Tide fan would claim smugly. That’s our tradition. Nothing but winners. Winning in and of itself cannot be a tradition, but suppose you consider it such. Really? Since 2000, Alabama is 43rd in the country in winning percentage. The Tide ranks behind Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU in the SEC—and behind Southern Miss. Guess those Golden Eagles are nothing but winners too.

Take it back 30 years, and Alabama ranks 18th in winning percentage. Supposed “little brother” Auburn? The Tigers are 11th. Auburn’s won eight of the last 11 meetings against the Tide. Who’s the little brother? Nothing but winners? Only in your minds.

That’s really the difference between the two fanbases. Alabama fans are wrapped up in numbers and statistics (even bogus ones) and the deification of historical figures. For most, the football team is the cornerstone of their existence and the source of their self-worth.

For Auburn fans, it’s much bigger than that. No doubt football is important, but it’s not the alpha and omega of the love for the school. Auburn fans love the spirit of Auburn and what it represents.

At Auburn, traditions are important. The Tiger Walk, the eagle circling the field during pre-game and rolling Toomer's Corner are each in their own way just as important as the games themselves.

[wreckingball]

Alabama - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Alabama_traditions

Auburn- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn_University_traditions

Arkansas - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Arkansas#Traditions

Florida- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Gators#Marching_band.2C_cheerleading_and_fan_traditions

Georgia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Bulldogs_football#Traditions

LSU- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSU_Tigers_football#Traditions

Ole Miss-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grove_(Ole_Miss)

Mississippi State- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_State_Bulldogs#Traditions

South Carolina- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Gamecocks_football#Gamecock_Traditions

Tennessee- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Volunteers_football#Traditions

Vanderbilt - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_Commodores#Traditions_and_rivalries

Kentucky- http://bit.ly/9XcDAU