Auburn vs. Bama War

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Good article by Jay Coulter. How sweet it is to see Auburn firing back at the bammers for change. Could it be that the bama web of lies will be undone by a tailor?

.2011/7/25/2291503/officially-at-war-auburn-and-alabama-inch-closer

[Tigermike 3,426]

Hey PT got a better link than that?

[Justin5 20]

Does this work?

[stoic-one 1,557]

Lets try the home page for that site:

My link

[Justin5 20]

This is very odd.

[stoic-one 1,557]

This is very odd.

Understatement.

At any rate, it's on the Track Em Tigers site...

[Tigermike 3,426]

.

Something is wrong with the "linker".

[ShocksMyBrain 9,419]

What kind of super secret website have you guys stumbled upon?

[tgr4lfe 220]

What kind of super secret website have you guys stumbled upon?

The kind you can't see or get to............

[tony-da-tiger 0]

linky dinky

nope

but good read anyway

[jared52 4,356]

Wow, the REC has hacked AUF, what a day!

Hmmm... someone doesn't want links to Track 'em Tigers. Other links work.

[GreenEyedGirl 6]

Officially at War? Auburn and Alabama Inch Closer

by Jay Coulter on Jul 25, 2011 10:47 AM CDT in Football

53 comments

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Allegations of wrongdoing have now shifted from Auburn to Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

Allegations of wrongdoing have now shifted from Auburn to Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

It's finally happened. So much for Toomer's for Tuscaloosa and Alabama fans lining up to donate money to help the Auburn trees. Who were we kidding? The actions of the past seven days have destroyed any good will from those gestures. The day that many sane Auburn and Alabama fans feared has arrived.

The two largest universities in Alabama are at war. They've been battling each other for more than 100 years, but now things have changed. These are no longer skirmishes; we've crossed the threshold to near full-on combat. Radicals from both sides are no longer interested in dominating the other; they want each other wiped from the map.

The latest salvo came on Wednesday when noted oddsmaker and Alabama graduate Danny Sheridan blew into Birmingham for SEC Media Days and shouted from Red Mountain that his "sources at the NCAA" told him they have identified the "bag man" in the Cam Newton case; and if so, Auburn would likely have its national championship vacated and Newton would lose his Heisman Trophy.

As one writer here said, the bigger story is that an oddsmaker has a relationship with an NCAA investigator. But low and behold, 24 hours later, Sheridan's story unraveled faster than the Alabama defense in the second half of the Iron Bowl.

To borrow a term from Roger Clemmons, Sheridan misspoke. On second thought he didn't have a source at the NCAA, but rather had a friend who had a source. At least that was his story a day after he dropped this bomb at the opening of the conference's biggest annual event.

Are you kidding me?

Sheridan told a local radio show that he'd come to town to say hello to some of his friends. Yeah, pull my right leg and it plays jingle bells. Since when did the SEC begin issuing press credentials to oddsmakers?

Unfortunately, despite the questionable motives of the newsmaker, the damage to Auburn was done. It became the story of Media Days and shows just how far some in the Tuscaloosa circle will go to bring down Auburn.

Writer and radio host, Clay Travis wrote last week that Alabama fans are contributing to the lengthy NCAA investigation into Newton...

"The NCAA's ten-month investigation is further complicated by the continuing fount of allegations, many untrue, levied by Alabama fans in the state. These allegations have thrust ordinary citizens into the forefront of the rumor machine. One such individual, Thomas Buckelew, a tailor at Buckelew's Clothing for Men in Montgomery, Alabama, finds himself buffeted by allegations that he provided high-priced suits to Cam Newton at reduced costs. The very suits, you guessed it, that Newton wore at the Heisman ceremony.

According to sources, Newton's suits, ties included, cost in excess of $4,000 each. NCAA investigator Jackie Thurnes was informed of this allegation, and the NCAA has spent time investigating its validity...

In a state as football crazed as Alabama, with fans as passionate as Alabama and Auburn, how in the world do you determine what allegations have any merit and which do not? Particularly since we're talking about a state where, in the wake of the poisioning of the Toomer's Trees, truth is often stranger than any fiction."

How Did Things Go So Bad So Fast?

State writers and historians have warned for years that the Auburn-Alabama rivalry could reach apocalyptic levels if left unchecked. The success of both programs in recent years has raised the stakes. Simply put, Alabama people never believed Auburn could win another national title. Last year's title knocked the breath out a still recovering Alabama program.

In the span of two years, the state has witnessed Alabama claim a national title; win its first Heisman Trophy; begin the following season as consensus preseason number one and then watch Auburn steal its thunder with yet another Heisman winner and a national championship at year's end.

Star-divide

Game on!

Despite being one of the great traditions in all of college football, Alabama people never dreamed it would be playing second fiddle to Auburn a little more than 25 years following the death of Paul Bryant. For Alabama extremists, it’s something that simply can’t be tolerated.

Since Bryant’s final season in 1982, Auburn is 17-12 against Alabama, including a six game winning streak from 2002-07. In that span, Auburn has claimed six SEC titles to Alabama’s four. Probation cost Auburn another title in 1993 when Terry Bowden’s first team went 11-0. Since 1982, Auburn has gone undefeated three times, more than any other school in the SEC.

The arrival of Nick Saban and his $4 million salary was supposed to change things and it did – for a while. Then came the unlikely duo of Gene Chizik and Jay Jacobs. Together, they have turned the state on its head and again put the Auburn program back on top in Alabama.

Is Alabama Big Enough For Two Successful Programs?

For years, Auburn’s M.O. has been to take its three-star athletes and beat your five-star players. Chizik disregarded that philosophy from Day One. He and Saban are now widely considered the two best college recruiters in the game. They not only battle in-state, but now take their recruiting war nationally.

With millions of dollars in revenue hinging on the whims of 18 year-old kids, this rivalry is no longer about orange and blue or crimson and white; it’s about green – and lots of it. While both coaches preach calm and restraint, below the surface, the fighting has never been worse.

Noted Auburn writer and senior editor of Auburn Undercover, Phillip Marshall has also taken note in recent days of the change in the rivalry.

In a weekend blog entry, Marshall wrote...

"It is my heart-felt opinion that we have come to a college football crisis in the state of Alabama. If it’s not someway, somehow brought under control, this might be remembered as the last great era of college football in a state where it means so much.

I’m not talking about using words like Barners and Bammers. I don’t have any problem with a fan wearing a "I hate Auburn (or Alabama)" t-shirt. Those kinds of things are harmless and have always been part of the rivalry. This crisis isn’t about any of those things. It’s about very real efforts to destroy the other side.

For months, there has been a widespread message board campaign to convince the world that Auburn’s national championship is tainted at best, temporary at worst. It certainly has been successful in convincing a lot of people who don’t know better. Now we are starting to see signs of retaliation from the Auburn side. No one cares who gets hurt, as long as he wears the colors of the other team.

Word is that the NCAA has received an unprecedented number of emails, faxes, etc., from Alabama fans claiming Auburn is dirty. Like-minded Auburn fans aren’t going to take it lying down, so now they’re doing all they can to fight back."

Auburn Fans Forced To Fight Back

Marshall’s points are well taken. Auburn’s elevated standing in the college football world is at the center of this ground war. From the poisoning of Toomer’s Corner to the almost daily accusations of wrong doing on Auburn’s part, there’s no doubting the origins of this orchestrated attack on the Tiger football program.

At the same time, Auburn fans have not been sitting idly by – and they shouldn’t in these troubled times. Over the weekend, photos of Alabama running back Trent Richardson signing jerseys with tags still on them at a local store have quickly found their way into the hands of NCAA officials. Was the store selling those autographed jerseys? It certainly appears that way.

In an era of message boards, cell phone cameras, Twitter and Facebook; both sides are working day and night to keep the other in check.

How Does This All End?

Despite the tornado relief help, money donated for new trees and alumni flag football games between the schools, this rivalry is in serious trouble. There is strong distrust among alumni from both sides. Both have tasted success recently and want more of it.

Auburn people feel a need to respond to the allegations leveled against them by Alabama fans. And while it would be politically correct for me to sit here and say Auburn should exercise restraint in dealing with Alabama, the truth is, it simply can’t in this environment.

Auburn must protect itself and that means keeping Alabama in check. It’s hard to imagine this having a happy ending. The events of last week means things are likely to get much worse before they get better.

It’s hard to envision a winner on either side.

www.trackemtigers.com

[AU alum 2]

This is bothering me. Probably no one else. The so-called tailor, James Buckalew, is the owner of Buckalews, where Cam supposedly got his suit. Not just a tailor, although I'm sure he has done his fair share.

[banditmwp 713]

Since Bryant’s final season in 1982, Auburn is 17-12 against Alabama, including a six game winning streak from 2002-07. In that span, Auburn has claimed six SEC titles to Alabama’s four. Probation cost Auburn another title in 1993 when Terry Bowden’s first team went 11-0. Since 1982, Auburn has gone undefeated three times, more than any other school in the SEC.

The arrival of Nick Saban and his $4 million salary was supposed to change things and it did – for a while. Then came the unlikely duo of Gene Chizik and Jay Jacobs. Together, they have turned the state on its head and again put the Auburn program back on top in Alabama.

Glad this got in there

[WarEagleDG 6]

Allegations of wrongdoing have now shifted from Auburn to Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

What did I miss here?

[AuburnKnight 0]

Allegations of wrongdoing have now shifted from Auburn to Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

What did I miss here?

He signed some stuff and a store sold it, I hear the proceeds were to pay for Nick Sabens contract.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,419]

Allegations of wrongdoing have now shifted from Auburn to Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

What did I miss here?

Check the rivals forum on this website.

[Lurking Tiger 62]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling.

[nanatiger 3]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling.

Clarification: The Crimson sky is falling. Finally.

[AURaptor 1,137]

This is bothering me. Probably no one else. The so-called tailor, James Buckalew, is the owner of Buckalews, where Cam supposedly got his suit. Not just a tailor, although I'm sure he has done his fair share.

So, you're upset not at the alleged impropriety ( which is extremely unlikely to have taken place, given ...well, all Cam and AU had gone through ) but that he owner is being referred to as a mere 'tailor' ?

As for the story, I was immediately caught by this ...

It's finally happened. So much for Toomer's for Tuscaloosa and Alabama fans lining up to donate money to help the Auburn trees. Who were we kidding? The actions of the past seven days have destroyed any good will from those gestures. The day that many sane Auburn and Alabama fans feared has arrived.

The actions of the past 7 days ? It had nothing to do w/ the fact that Updyke has been utterly unrepentant, and actually trying to goad Auburn fans into attacking him, while Alabama fans continues to support him, his actions and bemoan the fact that UAT is getting bad press from the coverage of the attack at Toomer's, and NOT for what he did.

Then there's the I HATE Auburn guy, as well as the antics of the pathological liar and audio tape faker, Scott Moore....

I cringe at any one even trying to HINT that what's going on here is simply the college version of the Hatfields and McCoy's.

The crazy is going almost entirely in 1 direction, and it's not even close.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

This is bothering me. Probably no one else. The so-called tailor, James Buckalew, is the owner of Buckalews, where Cam supposedly got his suit. Not just a tailor, although I'm sure he has done his fair share.

Cam and Fairley got theirs in Montgomery. Does Buckalew have a store there too?

[Mikey 16,781]

This is bothering me. Probably no one else. The so-called tailor, James Buckalew, is the owner of Buckalews, where Cam supposedly got his suit. Not just a tailor, although I'm sure he has done his fair share.

For years, the Downtown Athletic Club, the outfit that sponsors the Heisman trophy, has paid for the suits worn by athletes that are invited to the ceremony in New York. This has the blessing of the NCAA. I don't know why the NCAA even bothered to check this out, if in fact they did.

The only times this rivalry gets ugly is when Auburn is on top, which has been more often than not in the 100+ years it's been going on. Bryant's 25 years at UAT is the only era in which bammer has led the series. Auburn led before Bryant got there and leads after Bryant quit coaching there. You'd think the bamzos would be used to being inferior by now.

[RunInRed 16,994]

That site is beyond weird when it comes to transposing links but here it is...

http://sbn.to/ogw5vh (more than one way to skin a cat )

[quietfan 233]

This is bothering me. Probably no one else. The so-called tailor, James Buckalew, is the owner of Buckalews, where Cam supposedly got his suit. Not just a tailor, although I'm sure he has done his fair share.

Cam and Fairley got theirs in Montgomery. Does Buckalew have a store there too?

With the mix up on the links, you must have missed this in Coulter's article:

One such individual, Thomas Buckelew, a tailor at Buckelew's Clothing for Men in Montgomery, Alabama, finds himself buffeted by allegations that he provided high-priced suits to Cam Newton at reduced costs. The very suits, you guessed it, that Newton wore at the Heisman ceremony.

For years, the Downtown Athletic Club, the outfit that sponsors the Heisman trophy, has paid for the suits worn by athletes that are invited to the ceremony in New York. This has the blessing of the NCAA. I don't know why the NCAA even bothered to check this out, if in fact they did.

I have heard that from other friends as well, but never seen any official link or statement...anybody got one?--would settle it easily if we can find one.

- - - - - - - - - -

Now--just my personal opinion (and not labeling EVERY Bama fan in the world because I also know some good, decent Bama fans that I treasure as friends), but:

IF there is a war, it seems to me that most of the hate comes from the crimson side.

I don't know any Auburn fans personally that let their entire life revolve around Auburn football--they love and support Tiger football whether we win or lose, but they also love and talk about every other aspect of Auburn University. They also love their families, their jobs, their lives outside of football. They greet other Auburn fans with "War Eagle" but they don't spew it rivals or others in arrogance or conceit.

"Roll Tide" (at least in my experience) is something I hear Tide fans yell at non-Bama folk, almost as an insult or to antagonize. Seems like for so many Bama fans, Tide football is their WHOLE life. I hardly ever hear them speak with pride about any other aspect of the Capstone. It's almost as if, no matter how much their life sucks or is wonderful--whether they lost their job, had their trailer burn, got a promotion, had a child graduate from high school, or whatever--their #1 priority and raison d’être is Tide football. "Roll Tide", "Got 13?", or "That's how Bear did it!" becomes their standard response to everything. When one's entire life revolves around one team, it's easy to stray into the sort of obsession that might lead one to kill trees or spread hateful unsubstantiated lies.

I'm not saying there aren't a few Auburn fans that live ONLY for Auburn football, but I've never met one personally. I'm not saying there aren't Auburn fans who name their children after coaches or players, or tattoo the image of a dead coach across their entire backside, or draw a gun on their son after a loss, but I've only heard of such from the Bama side. And I'm not saying all Bama fans are so obsessed, because I've met some who aren't. But in general, it seems to me that living/breathing/finding one's meaning in life solely from a football team is more of a Bammer trait. And it's from such obsession that hatred and ugliness grow.

In the end, it's only a game, folks!

[soapbox over--again, just my opinion. I'm sure some of our Bama buddies on AUF disagree--I respect their right to do so.]

[docforau 0]

It's not the fact that Bammers are obsessed with the Turd football team, but that they are obsessed with Auburn - the university, the fans, the teams - I don't think they go one day without trying to find something (or make up something) to try and make Auburn look bad. I am a convert from Texas to the Auburn family because I married a wonderful Auburn alum 11 years ago. The Auburn Creed, Coach CGC and his Christian ethics and attitude, and the other Auburn fans have taught me to love Auburn University and in return I support our teams. I love the fact that AUC members discuss our team 80/20 to talking about Alabama, while BOL is 90/10 just talking about Auburn. Bammers are have OCD when it comes to us and our team. We are a family and I'm ALL IN! :cheer: