In the early 1900s, a drug store owner named Mr. Toomer used to litter the oak tree in front of his store with paper to let the locals know the Auburn football team won their road game. That tradition grew into Auburn folks throwing toliet tissue in the tree after winning EVERY game. I know.........I know.......sounds stupid......but every team and fanbase has a stupid tradition. I believe those traditions should be respected regardless whether people think it's stupid or not. That's what makes college football and other sports so great.
Last November, the number one ranked Auburn Tigers came back from a 24-0 deficit to beat my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide, their biggest rival. Auburn fans rolled Toomer's Corner for days celebrating the victory and the chance to play for the BCS National title.
(thoughts of that game is LITERALLY making me want to throw up again)
I'M SERIOUS!
Ok, I'm back..........
A few days later, some mentally disturbed idiot poisoned the tree at Toomer's Corner. A couple of months later he had the audacity to call into a sports radio show and brag about it. I was listening to the show as the guy called in and told the host (Paul Finebaum) exactly what he used to poison the tree. He also gave his name and told people where he lived. Like many others, I thought this fool was just crying sour grapes over the Alabama lost. Turns out he was telling the truth. The tree is now dying and the man who called the show has been arrested and is now facing time behind bars.
Only in the football crazed state of Alabama will something like this happen. YES, we take our football serious, but this isn't a representation of all SEC fans, Alabama fans or the people in the great state of Alabama. But it is a representation of the deep rooted hatred of the greatest rivalry is sports.
Sadly, I wonder how many strange fruits have hung from those same trees...
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