Taking Down Toomer's Trees Only Latest Insanity in Alabama-Auburn Rivalry

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, General CFB Insanity

There are rivalries in every sport, always have been. The Athenian Greeks had no particular love for the chaps from Sparta -- much like the Ann Arborian Wolverines like to tell the Spartans from East Lansing they are No. 1 using the alternate finger.

Army-Navy. Yankees-Red-Sox. Packers-Bears. Celtics-Lakers. U.S-C.C.C.P. Nicklaus-Palmer/Trevino/Floyd/Player/Watson.

None of those, thankfully, involved the killing of trees. Until now, anyway.

In one of the strangest twists to what has already been a historic rivalry, Auburn University announced Wednesday that the centuries-old live oaks at Toomer's Corner -- which have been a focal point for years of celebrations by happy Auburn fans armed with toilet paper rolls -- have been poisoned and are likely to die.

Yes, someone -- and the list of possible suspects is both long and can be narrowed to anyone who primarily wears crimson -- spiked the dirt around Auburn's two prized trees with a pesticide known as Spike 80DF.

This is like a Yankee fanatic burning down the Citgo sign after a big Red Sox win. Or Army sinking a destroyer because Navy's wishbone went nuts on the Black Knights. Or toppling a Communist nation to rub in the fact you upset them on the Winter Olympic hockey ice.

Why, you ask, am I pointing the finger squarely at a fan/some fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide? Well, there is good reason for that ...

On Jan. 27, a caller to the nationally syndicated Paul Finebaum Radio Network who called himself "Al From Dadeville" admitted to it.

For real.

Xavier Boog Damon Bradshaw Goat Breker Sven Breugelmans Larry Brooks