Toomer's...

First, a little bit about Toomer's Corner:

The intersection of Magnolia and College streets in Auburn, which marks the transition from downtown Auburn to the university campus, is known as Toomer's Corner. It is named after Toomer's Drugs, a small store on the corner that has been an Auburn landmark for over 100 years.

Hanging over the corner are two massive old-growth oak trees, and whenever there is cause for celebration in the Auburn community, the trees are festooned with toilet paper. Also known as "rolling the corner" or "rolling Toomer's," this tradition is said to have begun when Toomer's Drugs had the only telegraph in the city. During away football games, when employees of the local drug store received news of a win, they would throw the ticker tape from the telegraph into the oak trees to signal a win to the public. Traditionally only used as a way to celebrate football victories, in recent years it has become a way to celebrate anything good that happens concerning Auburn. The Student Government Association worked with the City of Auburn to bring pep rallies on the plains back to Toomer's Corner during football season.
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Well, I am sure by now most of you have heard the awful news about the

Poisoning of the Oaks at Toomer's Corner. 

If not, click the link and read all about it.

This is very sad and frustrating for a parent who sipped lemonade with her children under those trees last fall...and took her daughter to celebrate after the game for the first time last season.

I know it may seem silly to some to go throw toilet paper in a tree but it is more than that to us. It is a tradition.

I, for one, am all about rivalries. It is half of what makes college football in The South so fun. It is obvious now that with Alabama's National Championship title last year and now ours this year the rivalry is at its highest in history.

Hateful people have come out of the woodworks (on both sides of the ball) and I am not sure that we don't need to take a little break from the Iron Bowl for a few years to cool things off. I just pray that some twisted Auburn fan (face it guys, every school has em') does NOT retaliate against Alabama with some act of equal insanity.

Now, I will leave you with some photos of the oaks, before and after a win.

The Oaks, without evidence of a win.

This one was taken after the National Championship win, during an ice storm.