130 yr old Oak Trees at Toomer's Corner (Auburn) Poisoned By 'Bama Fan

[Bliz]

:mad:

The oak trees at Auburn University’s historic Toomer’s Corner were covered in toilet paper as fans celebrated the school’s BSC Championship title.

Now those 130-year old trees may be on their deathbed because of an herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, the university said Wednesday. Spike 80DF commonly is used to kill trees, the university said. This time it was “deliberately applied in lethal amounts to the soil” around the Toomer’s Corner live oaks, according to a statement.

“There is little chance to save the trees,” the university said.

The buzz about the treasured oak trees started Jan. 27 when someone called The Paul Finebaum Show, a nationally syndicated radio show based in Birmingham, and claimed to have applied the herbicide, the university said.

"The weekend after the Iron Bowl, I went to Auburn, Ala., because I live 30 miles away, and I poisoned the Toomer's trees," the caller said, according to the Associated Press. The caller said he had attended the Iron Bowl.

Calling himself "Al from Dadeville," he said he used Spike 80DF, also known as tebuthiuron, and the trees "definitely will die."

...

The university took soil samples the following day and sent them to a laboratory to be tested.


more at the link

http://www.ajc.com/sports/radio-show-caller-said-841586.html

[redskinss]

theres pranks and then theres this. i think this guy went way too far

[Dan T.]

Jail time.

..In a cell built with planks from the oak trees he killed.

[Bang]

Hmm.
Maybe if "Al from Dadeville" suddenly found his house on fire he'd think twice about being such an over-the-top *******.

~Bang

[Homercles82]

Hmm.
Maybe if "Al from Dadeville" suddenly found his house on fire he'd think twice about being such an over-the-top *******.

~Bang

I think a house fire is over the top, but spraying his whole yard down with the same herbicide would be fairgame.

[Forehead]

If you read the article, the caller claims he's getting back at Auburn for something that happened 28 years ago. That's ridiculous. He better have called that show from a payphone or a disposable cell.

[FinalBeast]

If you read the article, the caller claims he's getting back at Auburn for something that happened 28 years ago. That's ridiculous. He better have called that show from a payphone or a disposable cell.
Yes this was a factor, but the main reason was because of what happened at the Iron Bowl this year. Auburn fans taped a Cam Newton jersey on a statue of coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and used a chemical to kill a section of grass in front of Bryant-Denny Stadium to show the score of the game.

[Forehead]

I'm surprised these things aren't better defended. At Penn State, they have a limestone statue of a mountain lion in one of the gardens. I've heard that students will camp out near it the night before games. I'd guess there would be a pretty serious fight if opposing fans tried to get near it.

I'm really surprised a statue of Paul Bryant isn't defended as well, especially in such a football crazy area. But let's be honest, putting a jersey on a statue is one thing. Killing grass is another, but it will grow back. But taking out oak trees that are 130 years old? Those are a lot harder to replace.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I think a house fire is over the top, but spraying his whole yard down with the same herbicide would be fairgame.

Yeah a lawn = 130 old oak trees that are a campus icon.

Sorry...actually no I'm not, but whoever did this is a colossal ass.

[FinalBeast]

I'm surprised these things aren't better defended. At Penn State, they have a limestone statue of a mountain lion in one of the gardens. I've heard that students will camp out near it the night before games. I'd guess there would be a pretty serious fight if opposing fans tried to get near it.

I'm really surprised a statue of Paul Bryant isn't defended as well, especially in such a football crazy area. But let's be honest, putting a jersey on a statue is one thing. Killing grass is another, but it will grow back. But taking out oak trees that are 130 years old? Those are a lot harder to replace.
Exactly. I am an Alabama student/fan living in Tuscaloosa and even though I hate Auburn as much as I do Dallas, these acts were atrocious and I do not consider "Al from Dadeville" a true Alabama fan.

[jnhay]

Someone's been arrested.
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=14048891

[Spartacus87]

I'm really surprised a statue of Paul Bryant isn't defended as well, especially in such a football crazy area. But let's be honest, putting a jersey on a statue is one thing. Killing grass is another, but it will grow back. But taking out oak trees that are 130 years old? Those are a lot harder to replace.
Alabama has put 24/7 security by their stadium and their Bryant statue.

This is a picture of the trees from the 1850s:
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8137/18601296.png

[AsburySkinsFan]

Someone's been arrested.
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=14048891

LOL He used his real name and town on the call in show!!! LOL :ols: :rotflmao:
Stupid is as stupid does.

[FinalBeast]

Here is part of the podcast where the guy admitted to poisoning the trees.
http://podcasting.fia.net/6960/4653781.mp3

Here is the guys mugshot.
http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg610/scaled.php?tn=0&server=610&filename=k86ua.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

[AsburySkinsFan]

Here is part of the podcast where the guy admitted to poisoning the trees.
http://podcasting.fia.net/6960/4653781.mp3

Here is the guys mugshot.


"You think I care", he sure as heck better not plead "not guilty", actually I'd love if he did so the jury could throw the book at him instead of him cutting a deal with the prosecutor. But, then my guess is that if any prosecutor cuts a deal with him that will have repercussions all its own.

---------- Post added February-17th-2011 at 11:31 AM ----------

Here's what he faces:
http://www.criminalpropertydamage.com/alabama/
Anyone know which Criminal Mischief charge they're hitting him with? My guess is 1st degree, as 130 year old oak trees have to be expensive.


1st Degree Criminal Mischief Laws & Penalties
Criminal mischief in the first degree is committed when you damage property with intent to do so by explosion or by causing more than $2,500 in damage.
This serious property offense is a Class C felony punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines.

2nd Degree Criminal Mischief – Laws & Penalties
Criminal mischief in the second degree is committed when you damage property with the intent to do so and cause damage valued at between $500 and $2,500.
2nd degree criminal mischief is a Class A misdemeanor which is punishable by up to 1 year in prison and up to $6,000 in fines.

3rd Degree Criminal Mischief – Laws & Penalties
Criminal mischief in the 3rd degree happens when you intend to damage property and you do damage property where the value of the damage is less than $500.
Third degree criminal mischief is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and $3,000 in fines.

*edit
Feds are on the scene regarding environmental damage....this guy's trouble is just beginning.
http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/2/17/1999031/harvey-updyke-arrested-toomers-corner-poisoning

[Bang]

Damn, I thought it was a kid.
The fact that it's a middle aged man makes it even worse. This guy should clearly know better, no 'moment of immaturity" that happens in our early 20s came over him.

Throw the biggest book they can find at him. Hard.

~Bang

[Rypien 91]

What a loser. It's just a game, damn. He deserves everything that comes his way. I don't mind pranks, but this WAY over the line.

[doctorshockalu]

"Sorry officer, I didn't know I couldn't do that."

[pjfootballer]

If he goes to jail, part of his sentence should be that he has to wear Auburn colors for his penitentary uniform.

[Pick6]

Pranks are all part of the fun, but this is a crime not a prank. They need to charge him with everything they can and not let him plead down.

[Toe Jam]

"He poisoned some trees. LET'S KILL HIM! YEAH!"

I think jail time is a bit much. Make him do some community service or something. Maybe get him to plant new trees.

[mojo]

130 years.....ended by a complete loser because my team didnt score as many points as your team. He definitely deserves some jail time followed A LOT of community service hours working on the Auburn campus if possible.

[thebluefood]

Damn, I thought it was a kid.
The fact that it's a middle aged man makes it even worse. This guy should clearly know better, no 'moment of immaturity" that happens in our early 20s came over him.

Throw the biggest book they can find at him. Hard.

~Bang

Honestly, you'd think a grown man would have better things to do than poisoning trees.

Just a complete loser. That's all there is to say about him.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

"He poisoned some trees. LET'S KILL HIM! YEAH!"

I think jail time is a bit much. Make him do some community service or something. Maybe get him to plant new trees.

Don't get me wrong...what he did was bad, but I'm surprised it took until the second page to see a post like yours. I don't get the ridiculous outcry. It was wrong, immature, etc., but all he did was kill some trees. He didn't kill an animal or a person. I know they are old and date back over a century, but I still think the outrage in this thread doesn't fit the crime.

[RocketCitySkins]

Pranks are all part of the fun, but this is a crime not a prank. They need to charge him with everything they can and not let him plead down.

Hopefully the penitentary where he lands will make all the prisoners wear Orange jumpsuits. He'll be surrounded by orange all day, every day.

[Bang]

Say, let's go poison all the Cherry trees around the tidal basin.
After all, they're only trees. I should only get a ticket for killing all of them. **** anyone who thought they were pretty and made a nice symbol of peace between nations.

Hey, let's go kill us some Joshua trees! They're old, probably tired of living anyway.
How about some sequoias? Watching them wither should be good for a few laughs.

Those trees represent more than some wood and leaves.
They're only trees in the way the Liberty Bell is only iron.
Who cares if anyone melts it down?

This guy should be in jail, and Auburn University ought to sue his ass so that his great great grandson is still paying it off in a hundred years.

~Bang

[Mooney]

I don't get the ridiculous outcry. It was wrong, immature, etc., but all he did was kill some trees. He didn't kill an animal or a person. I know they are old and date back over a century, but I still think the outrage in this thread doesn't fit the crime.



Disagree 100%......but to each his own.

[RocketCitySkins]

Don't get me wrong...what he did was bad, but I'm surprised it took until the second page to see a post like yours. I don't get the ridiculous outcry. It was wrong, immature, etc., but all he did was kill some trees. He didn't kill an animal or a person. I know they are old and date back over a century, but I still think the outrage in this thread doesn't fit the crime.

For an Auburn fan like myself destroying a part of our tradition would be enough for me to want him in jail but there is more to it than that. Considering the high dosage he used there is a chance the herbicide can seep into the town's water supply. There is going to be more damage than just those oaks due to rain washing the herbicide several blocks in any direction. There is a huge park next to these oaks. Lots of birds and squirrels that could die from this. According to an Auburn horticultural professor it will not be safe to plant more trees for 3 to 5 years and the cost of repairing the soil and removing any leftover herbicide will an enormous expense for the school. .

[Spartacus87]

Damn, I thought it was a kid.
The fact that it's a middle aged man makes it even worse. This guy should clearly know better, no 'moment of immaturity" that happens in our early 20s came over him.

~Bang

Honestly, you'd think a grown man would have better things to do than poisoning trees.

Just a complete loser. That's all there is to say about him.
College football in the South. It's that simple.

Now, not every college football fan in the South is deranged enough to destroy legendary campus symbols. But I think some people in this thread are underestimating how seriously the region takes these games and these rivalries.

If anyone ever wants a glimpse into it, they should check out the Finebaum show one day to hear the calls that come in.

One guy a couple weeks ago called in from the ER while he was literally in the middle of a heart attack.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Say, let's go poison all the Cherry trees around the tidal basin.
After all, they're only trees. I should only get a ticket for killing all of them. **** anyone who thought they were pretty and made a nice symbol of peace between nations.

Hey, let's go kill us some Joshua trees! They're old, probably tired of living anyway.
How about some sequoias? Watching them wither should be good for a few laughs.

Those trees represent more than some wood and leaves.
They're only trees in the way the Liberty Bell is only iron.
Who cares if anyone melts it down?

This guy should be in jail, and Auburn University ought to sue his ass so that his great great grandson is still paying it off in a hundred years.

~Bang

Entertaining...but no one said it was not a big deal or not wrong...just that the outrage didn't seem to fit the crime.

[thebluefood]

Say, let's go poison all the Cherry trees around the tidal basin.
After all, they're only trees. I should only get a ticket for killing all of them. **** anyone who thought they were pretty and made a nice symbol of peace between nations.

Hey, let's go kill us some Joshua trees! They're old, probably tired of living anyway.
How about some sequoias? Watching them wither should be good for a few laughs.

Those trees represent more than some wood and leaves.
They're only trees in the way the Liberty Bell is only iron.
Who cares if anyone melts it down?

This guy should be in jail, and Auburn University ought to sue his ass so that his great great grandson is still paying it off in a hundred years.

~Bang

Silly, Bang! Don't you know anything? History is BORING! Objects like those are just that and have absolutely no cultural value of any kind.

As a matter of fact, that dumbass redneck did the university a favor! Now, there's room for a new Starbucks.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

For an Auburn fan like myself destroying a part of our tradition would be enough for me to want him in jail but there is more to it than that. Considering the high dosage he used there is a chance the herbicide can seep into the town's water supply. There is going to be more damage than just those oaks due to rain washing the herbicide several blocks in any direction. There is a huge park next to these oaks. Lots of birds and squirrels that could die from this. According to an Auburn horticultural professor it will not be safe to plant more trees for 3 to 5 years and the cost of repairing the soil and removing any leftover herbicide will an enormous expense for the school. .

Thank you...instead of just implying that I hated trees and sided with the suspect, you gave a very good response. I didn't take any of that into account when I made my comments, but those are all very good points that should be weighed. Thanks again!

[ACW]

Well geeze 'Bama, Auburn wouldn't've BEEN in the title game if your players hadn't been paid off to lose.

[addicted]

That's ****ed up. I'd like to throw those fools who did that in a bath of that pesticide for this.

[Spartacus87]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/02/17/toomers-corner/index.html?eref=twitter_feed


They rolled Toomer's Corner on Wednesday, but not in celebration.

People in Auburn hurled toilet paper over the branches of the majestic live oaks at the corner of College and Magnolia because they don't know how much longer they'll be able to toss TP at the trees. The next time the Tigers notch a major football win, the century-old trees might be dead.
Last week, a lab at Mississippi State confirmed that someone poisoned the soil around the trees months ago using an herbicide called Spike 80DF. There is a suspect, but we'll get to Al from Dadeville later.

First, it needs to be established that this is a serious crime. A lot of people got their kicks Wednesday poking fun at Alabamans and their college football obsession, but the actions of one wackadoo shouldn't taint an entire state. Besides, this isn't a laughing matter. A sick person committed a sick crime.

If the trees die -- and the horticultural experts on Auburn's campus seem to think it will take a miracle to save them -- then the crime was a murder in the sense that living things perished. But only the greenest among us would go that far. In reality, the culprit committed robbery.
By killing the trees, he stole all the memories that would have been made under their branches.

Though the exact date isn't known, the tradition of rolling Toomer's Corner after a big Auburn win dates back to either 1962 or 1963. For almost 50 years, Auburn students have run, Charmin in hand, to commemorate what they probably will later consider some of the greatest times in their lives. A student who rolled Toomer's in the 1960s might have sent a child to Auburn in the 1980s. That child may have sent a child of his own to Auburn a few years ago. For three generations, rolling Toomer's meant something in a state where college football victories mean everything.

The next generation won't have that connection to the past. Even if the school brought in new trees, it wouldn't be the same. A tradition, like an oak, has to grow from the earth. It needs years to take root.

This shameful act should enrage anyone who loves college football. It shouldn't matter what you think of Auburn. This has nothing to do with Cam Newton or any of the suspicion surrounding Auburn's 2010 national title run. This has everything to do with a deranged person stealing joy from people who are guilty of nothing but loving their school.

You don't have to be an Auburn grad to have a Toomer's story. I have one.

I first learned of the tradition from my mom. She graduated from Alabama, but unlike some of her more fervent classmates, she only disliked Auburn one day a year. Like any good Southern woman, she loved college football. But she loved the traditions even more. She was the one who first explained to me that when Auburn scored an important victory, Tigers fans would run to Toomer's and toss TP while shouting "War Damn Eagle!" Growing up in a house where every fall Saturday was treated like a holy day, I made sure to put "See Toomer's get rolled" on my own personal bucket list.

I got my chance in 2006 when I covered Auburn's win against eventual national champion Florida for The Tampa Tribune. By the time I filed my story and drove past the corner, toiled paper dripped from the trees. I had to look hard to find even a speck of leaf under the tissue.
But that isn't what I remember most about that trip.

That Thursday, my wife and I attended my grandfather's funeral in Abbeville, S.C. Back in Florida, my mom struggled through the final months of her battle with lung cancer. There was no hope of recovery. Pleasant days were few and far between that fall.

That Friday dawned cool, sunny and glorious. My wife and I parked on College Street and walked to Toomer's Drugs, the old soda fountain that gives the corner its name. We bought two fresh-squeezed lemonades. Then we walked around Auburn's campus. For an hour, we smiled and laughed and talked about anything but death. We wound our way back to the campus side of Toomer's Corner, where I explained the tradition to my wife just as my mom had explained it to me. Scraps of TP still clung to the trees from the last celebration. If I'd had a roll of Quilted Northern, I would have tossed it as a thank-you for a moment of sunshine in a year of darkness.
I always think about that day when I think of Toomer's Corner. I thought of that day when I called up the Toomer's Corner Webcam on Wednesday night.

As I watched for longer than I probably should have, I kept telling myself that they're only trees. Still, I found myself trying in vain to swallow a lump in my throat. As I watched the TP wave in the evening breeze, I wondered how many of those magical days the trees have left.

[Bang]

Entertaining...but no one said it was not a big deal or not wrong...just that the outrage didn't seem to fit the crime.
(First, it wasn't anything personal towards you or Toe Jam, TD. I like and respect both of you guys. We'll disagree on this one, but I hope you didn't take my post personally.)

My post was to illustrate the weight of the crime. I think the outrage over it is perfectly fine. People should be outraged over it. There's simply no excuse for it.
They are more than "just trees".

I do think the guy deserves some jail time. He did more than kill trees. He also destroyed part of an historic area in which they played a large part in it's overall aesthetic and tradition of the university.
Trees aren't cheap. Trees that size and age definitely have a dollar value, and considering how many he has likely killed, his property damage bill is certainly high enough to warrant jail time. The fact that they're irreplacable, part of tradition for who knows how many people going back over a century adds to the severity of the crime.
That's why I mentioned the cherry trees around the tidal basin. They are way more than just trees, no?

And the fact that he's the age he is pisses me off so much that I'd want to put him in jail for just being such an immature ass.

I'd be much more forgiving if this was some 21 yr old college student who screwed up. But this guy has no excuse I could find acceptable. Then to call a radio show and brag about it? Throw the book at this clown.

Just my two cents.

~Bang

[TD_washingtonredskins]

No, that makes sense. Believe me, if dollar amount of the destruction is consistent with jail time, that's fine. I'm not someone who hates trees or anything...it just seemed that people were saying that he should be thrown in jail no matter what. Anyway, I see everyone's point.

[Spartacus87]

Well geeze 'Bama, Auburn wouldn't've BEEN in the title game if your players hadn't been paid off to lose.
ACW trollin' hard.

[BeachSkin]

Well geeze 'Bama, Auburn wouldn't've BEEN in the title game if your players hadn't been paid off to lose.

LOL okay.

[The Tris]

If anyone ever wants a glimpse into it, they should check out the Finebaum show one day to hear the calls that come in.

I'm not sure if some people on here are ready for PAWL and TAMMMY.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Don't get me wrong...what he did was bad, but I'm surprised it took until the second page to see a post like yours. I don't get the ridiculous outcry. It was wrong, immature, etc., but all he did was kill some trees. He didn't kill an animal or a person. I know they are old and date back over a century, but I still think the outrage in this thread doesn't fit the crime.

We're also talking about university icons, destruction of property is just that destruction of someone else's property and believe it or not there are laws that are in place to punish people who destroy the property of others. He gets what he deserves.

[Dan T.]

As to the source of the outrage, Bang nailed it with both of his threads. (Except check your use of the word "levity" I think you wanted "severity" there).


Well said brother.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

(First, it wasn't anything personal towards you or Toe Jam, TD. I like and respect both of you guys. We'll disagree on this one, but I hope you didn't take my post personally.)

~Bang

The feeling is certainly mutual. Believe me, I cringe when I see that I fall on the opposite side of the fence of posters like you. But in this case, I'm coming around. I was commenting more on my perception of the outrage. It seemed that we talk about some serious things relating to the NFL (sexual assault, drunk driving, etc.) very matter-of-factly so this just came as a bit of a shock. Don't get me wrong, as someone who loves history myself, I wasn't attempting to minimize the severity of what he did.

[Bang]

Levity,, means funny, but doesn't it also denote weight?

Thanks for the proofread Dan.. I hate sounding as stupid as I look :silly:

~Bang

[Dan T.]

Levity,, means funny, but doesn't it also denote weight?

Thanks for the proofread Dan.. I hate sounding as stupid as I look :silly:

~Bang

I think it also means light in weight -- just like 80% of my posts.

[aREDSKIN]

http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/Scitech/397/224/Updyke.JPG
Updyke.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/17/auburn-university-says-oak-trees-poisoned-historic-site/

[FanboyOf91]

Besides jailtime, he deserves a lifetime ban from attending Auburn and Alabama football games.

[skinsphan]

The eagles should sign this guy

[DCchillin89]

I'm just scared for him now that Auburn fans know his name and address. People take football quite seriously down there (understatement) and the retribution is gonna be a *****.

[CoolUsernameHere]

I'm an Auburn student. I'm trying to make the best of this situation. It's really tough. Some of my fondest memories involve standing around that tree, chanting and celebrating. I was up pretty late last night thinking about it, so I ended up writing a facebook note to my Auburn Family about it. Here's what I wrote:


It's after 3:00 AM, and I haven't been able to sleep. I’ve been trying to ignore it. But now that I have nothing else to think about, I’m getting fired up.

The beautiful oak tree at Toomer's Corner was poisoned, likely won't be saved, and may end up bringing some other trees down with it.

I can live with the tree dying. I can't live with it being killed- and being killed over sports. A beautiful specimen of the Earth was destroyed-- because of sports. The tree wasn’t killed over something that mattered. It was killed because of a game, which is meant to be fun.

I'm mad. I'm sad. Some my fondest memories include being at Toomer's Corner.

I just don't want people to stop going to Toomer's Corner to celebrate. We can NOT stop going to Toomer's.

If I know my Auburn family, we won't stop. We'll make do without the tree.

I think we would roll a stump, if we had to.



If anything, I would like my Auburn Family to take comfort in the following things:

1) Everyone heard the tree had been killed, so they just went and rolled it. The Auburn spirit is not afraid.

2) We're a research university with top-notch forestry and horticulture programs. Surely something can be done to put some beautiful natural scenery back to the Corner.

3) The guy who killed the tree probably celebrated tonight by kicking back in his double-wide with a Bud Light, receiving oral pleasure from his third cousin, who decided to take her teeth out to "make things interesting." Then maybe they put on their Sunday best and went to Golden Corral. Perhaps they treated themselves to some of the self-serve chocolate ice cream with sprinkles. What better way to celebrate the highlight of your life than eating self-serve ice cream with sprinkles?

[China]

This is a picture of the trees from the 1850s:

The 1850's would be 160 years ago. The trees are only 130 years old. I'm guessing these trees pictured from the 1850s are different from the ones poisoned.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

The 1850's would be 160 years ago. The trees are only 130 years old. I'm guessing these trees pictured from the 1850s are different from the ones poisoned.

Or maybe the picture is from more recently than the 1850s.

[daveakl]

Or maybe the picture is from more recently than the 1850s.

Or maybe the picture is from 1850 and the tree's are older then 130 years.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Or maybe the picture is from 1850 and the tree's are older then 130 years.

So many variables and possibilities.

[Burgold]

Someone's been arrested.
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=14048891

Good. Hopefully, they got the right guy.

I remember the first time I went to Muir Woods. Trees can be majestic. As an artist and just a person this is just a horrible act esp. because of its juvenile petty motives.

[Reic]

I say they erect a life size statue of the tree. Good luck poisoning that.

[SKINS@THEGOALLINE]

Updyke's ex-wife confirms his kids are named Crimson & Bear. :insane:

[The Tris]

Updyke's ex-wife confirms his kids are named Crimson & Bear. :insane:

Yeah, out there, but I guarantee there are some people on here with kids named after Redskins players. Guarantee.

[RocketCitySkins]

Or maybe the picture is from 1850 and the tree's are older then 130 years.

Same picture was on an Auburn board and several posters said the picture was taken in 1899.

[Spartacus87]

The 1850's would be 160 years ago. The trees are only 130 years old. I'm guessing these trees pictured from the 1850s are different from the ones poisoned.

Or maybe the picture is from more recently than the 1850s.

Or maybe the picture is from 1850 and the tree's are older then 130 years.
Who really knows.

This website: http://www.aotourism.com/postcards/frmPostcardDetail.aspx?POS_ID=5

Says it's from 1856, marking Toomer's Corner, or the corner of campus by the original town drugstore.

Either way, these trees were really freaking old.

[Teller]

Y'know, as much as I hate the Cowboys, or the Penguins, or WVU, I'd never do anything to permanently deface anything that was important to the fans of any of those teams. And IMO, anyone who would is a complete and utter *******.

Rivalries are great. Without them, sports would be pretty ho hum. But there are limits. And this guy destroyed them. Literally.

[Backpack3r]

This is just classless

[JetSkins]

After seeing a picture of the guy i'm not surprised at all

[China]

Either way, these trees were really freaking old.

I wouldn't say "really freaking old." 130 years is old for a human, but not for an oak tree. Oak trees can live to be 300-800 years old depending on the species.

[ACW]

Football
http://www.wildernessvagabonds.com/zp/uploaded/Serious-Business.jpg
Eff 'Bama, Eff the Auburn whatevertheycallthemselves, Eff the $EC.

[Spartacus87]

I wouldn't say "really freaking old." 130 years is old for a human, but not for an oak tree. Oak trees can live to be 300-800 years old depending on the species.
Ok...let's start over.

Whether that website is wrong and the picture of the tree is only from 110 years ago or 160 years ago, it doesn't really matter.

You're right, they're not exactly redwoods in tree age.

However, the main point is: those trees are fairly old from a human's perspective. As iconic symbols on a college campus, that several generations of people in that community have built tradition around. That was really all I meant by any of this.

I hope we can move past this part now :)


Football

Eff 'Bama, Eff the Auburn whatevertheycallthemselves, Eff the $EC.
ACW.

Grow up.

Not everything has to be about your BCS obsession.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Eff 'Bama, Eff the Auburn whatevertheycallthemselves, Eff the $EC.

Go away, stop posting. I'm completely and totally serious. You are trolling, get a life.

-----------------


I know how serious people take their football in the south. I have family who lives in the south and holy crap is it ridiculous how much they love their college football but honestly this guy is just a piece of ****.

Because we're newer to the college football scene, Tech doesn't have anything similar to this but damn would I be pissed were I an Auburn fan.

Hope this guy gets what he deserves and then some, like Bang said there isn't really a way to put a price on something like this. Its not like he walked into the woods, found a random old tree and killed it.

[Bubble Screen]

Updyke's ex-wife confirms his kids are named Crimson & Bear. :insane:

He also has a dog named Bama.

[ACW]

Seriously though, why DO they take it so seriously? I mean geeze, rivalries are fine, but I don't think any 'Skins or Cowboys fan (or even Bears or Packers fan) would to something like this.

[Gator Bait]

Seriously though, why DO they take it so seriously? I mean geeze, rivalries are fine, but I don't think any 'Skins or Cowboys fan (or even Bears or Packers fan) would to something like this.

You haven't met enough fans then. It is more on the lines of every team having their share of stupid people as fans. I don't think this has a thing to do with rivalry or even fan obsession....this guy is an idiot. Lock his ass up before he does something else that causes even more fall out.

one a side note: Redskins-Dallas and Packers-Bears rivalries don't touch SEC college football rivalries....it is a whole different ball game down there. Auburn/Alabama football has to be a top 5 rivalry in any sport....I'd put it up there with Ohio State/Michigan and Duke/UNC. The only pro rivalry that touches these college rivalries in my opinion would the Yankees/Redsox

Regardless of rivalries though, nothing like **** should ever happen...pretty sad for Auburn and I'm sure lots of Bama fans are embarrassed this guy claims their school.

[Bliz]

Because we're newer to the college football scene, Tech doesn't have anything similar to this but damn would I be pissed were I an Auburn fan.


The Auburn fans I know, it's more like they're heartbroken. You get a lot of legacies at a school like that. A buddy of mine and his wife met at Auburn and have both rolled that tree. Both of them had parents who went to Auburn who also rolled it. And if their daughter decided to go to Auburn, they figured one day she would roll it to. My buddy's wife was literally on the verge of tears.


Seriously though, why DO they take it so seriously? I mean geeze, rivalries are fine, but I don't think any 'Skins or Cowboys fan (or even Bears or Packers fan) would to something like this.

Have you read stories on this site about Eagles fans defacing cars, beating up Chief Zee, etc.? This guy was like the worst Eagles fan you could imagine. He is not representative of most SEC or 'Bama fans. He is not even representative of most hardcord 'Bama fans. He's a fringe lunatic.

[edgun88]

you would think the person that did this was a 20 year old kid...but a 62 year old man???? CMON!!!! Have some respect!

[Bang]

I heard part of his radio call ..
The host asks if killing trees like this is illegal..
The guy responds "You think I care? Roll Damn TIDE."

Definitely throw the biggest book they can find at him.

~Bang

[ACW]

Geeze, some people take a GAME way too seriously :doh:

[KAOSkins]

At least they have someone to blame and it will only ratchet up the rivalry some. It's a really sad thing but not as embarrassing as the 30% of the landscaping (in the millions) that died on the campus of my alma mater (New Mexico State), the state land grant Agricultural college, where the landscape architects planted all kinds of species that died in the three frozen days we had two weeks ago. I lost an oleander and a rosemary plant but I'm not an Ag guy. They really should have know better.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

The Auburn fans I know, it's more like they're heartbroken. You get a lot of legacies at a school like that. A buddy of mine and his wife met at Auburn and have both rolled that tree. Both of them had parents who went to Auburn who also rolled it. And if their daughter decided to go to Auburn, they figured one day she would roll it to. My buddy's wife was literally on the verge of tears.


Yeah, I understand that.

I guess I meant more I'd be pissed at the guy who did it and sad that the trees are (most likely) going to die.

[Dan T.]

If the trees do indeed die, I'll bet Auburn University does something positive from it, like build something cool out of the oak wood from the trees. Or they could make mementos of some kind from the wood and sell them as a fundraiser. Something like that...

[Henry]

In case anyone is interested, Free Harvey Updike Shirts (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Are-you-an-Alabama-fan-Get-your-Free-Harvey-Updyke-shirt-2350.html) are already available.

[Major Harris]

Y'know, as much as I hate the Cowboys, or the Penguins, or WVU, I'd never do anything to permanently deface anything that was important to the fans of any of those teams. And IMO, anyone who would is a complete and utter *******.

Rivalries are great. Without them, sports would be pretty ho hum. But there are limits. And this guy destroyed them. Literally.

bull****.

you don't hate wvu. you envy them.

[CoolUsernameHere]

The Auburn fans I know, it's more like they're heartbroken. You get a lot of legacies at a school like that. A buddy of mine and his wife met at Auburn and have both rolled that tree. Both of them had parents who went to Auburn who also rolled it. And if their daughter decided to go to Auburn, they figured one day she would roll it to. My buddy's wife was literally on the verge of tears.

My parents are Auburn grads, as is my sister. My mom and sister both cried. I didn't see my dad cry, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Auburn spirit runs very deep in my family's veins. We're pretty devastated. It hurts, but we're hoping something good will come out of it. They can kill that tree, but they can't kill the sense of pride I have for my school. My girlfriend and I walked to the Corner Wednesday night and rolled it one last time. Tons of people were there, doing our usual sports cheers and taking pictures. A few people put some flowers at the base of the tree. It was a pretty sight, actually. I was planning on taking my own kids there to celebrate Auburn games some day... maybe they won't get to roll that same tree, but I hope they'll get to roll something.
The good news is that the U of Alabama has started a fund in honor of Toomer's Corner. They don't know exactly what it will go towards. Maybe the erection of some kind of statue or monument or something. In a way this whole thing has made everyone in this state realize how ridiculous we are about football.
No matter what happens, I believe in Auburn and love it.

[Bubble Screen]

Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but I don't really get all this sadness. I mean, they were trees. Not like someone poisoned UGA's dog bowl or something. And before anyone says I'm being incondsiderate or whatnot, I think what the guy did was incredibly stupid. And if he got a year in prison I wouldn't mind.

[CoolUsernameHere]

Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but I don't really get all this sadness. I mean, they were trees. Not like someone poisoned UGA's dog bowl or something. And before anyone says I'm being incondsiderate or whatnot, I think what the guy did was incredibly stupid. And if he got a year in prison I wouldn't mind.
I don't really expect anyone who hasn't experienced being at Toomer's Corner after a game to understand. It's really something special, especially to those who have grown up around Auburn. It really doesn't sound like anything too saddening on the surface- heck it even sounds kind of silly. But Toomer's Corner and those oak trees mean so much to the Auburn family. You always remember going to Toomer's after a big Iron Bowl game, or after a big game against Georgia or LSU. People gather at Toomer's Corner even after away games and celebrate. Additionally our school takes a lot of pride in its outdoor appearance, so to have potentially several trees killed by poisoning hurts pretty badly anyway. Toomer's Corner, and the northern part of campus in general is absolutely gorgeous. In between classes sometimes I take a walk that way, just to look at it.

[Mr. S]

Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but I don't really get all this sadness. I mean, they were trees. Not like someone poisoned UGA's dog bowl or something. And before anyone says I'm being incondsiderate or whatnot, I think what the guy did was incredibly stupid. And if he got a year in prison I wouldn't mind.

In basic value/perspective, you are right in the sense society would probably view the loss of a tree less than the less of a dog or any animal. But in terms of attached value, those trees are just as much a mascot for Auburn as UGA, the bull from Texas, Smokey for Tennessee, or any other animal mascot. Think of other college traditions and think what would happen if that were taken away. Cut down some statues at some stadiums, remove or destroy some iconic landmark on campuses, etc.... It's all the attached value placed on the item or building, something you could think would never go down.

I don't believe he should be convicted of anything worse than what the laws of Alabama require, but I would have no problem if he does have to serve that full potential sentence.

[HailGreen28]

In case anyone is interested, Free Harvey Updike Shirts (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Are-you-an-Alabama-fan-Get-your-Free-Harvey-Updyke-shirt-2350.html) are already available.Wow. Stay classy, Alabama. :doh:

[ixcuincle]

http://twitter.com/finebaum/statuses/60804613481304064


Harvey Updyke attacked after hearing in Auburn, currently in emergency room for head injury- according to attorney Glennon Threat.

"That guy killed our trees, let's maim and injure him severely"

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

bull****.

you don't hate wvu. you envy them.

Can you imagine if someone defaced the indoor/outdoor carpeting at the MountainLair?

[Teller]

bull****.

you don't hate wvu. you envy them.

No, sir. I can tell you with certainty that I didn't misspeak. :)

[Thiebear]

They cut trees down all the time that age in axmen.
it is criminal defamation and he should owe quite a lot.