Auburn after Bear Bryant's death: Setting the record straightPublished: Sunday, June 12, 2011, 6:05 AM Updated: Sunday, June 12, 2011, 7:32 AM By Evan Woodbery/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times A copy of the Jan. 27. 1983, edition of the Opelika-Auburn News.AUBURN, Alabama -- When "Al from Dadeville" called the Paul Finebaum show to brag about poisoning the famed oak trees at Toomer's Corner, he seemed most upset by a bit of lore that has persisted for years. He said he was motivated to act because Auburn fans celebrated the death of legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant when he died suddenly in 1983 by "rolling" Toomer's Corner with toilet paper. Authorities later arrested 62-year-old Harvey Updyke, who has acknowledged being "Al from Dadeville" but denied poisoning the trees. Updyke's arrest focused greater attention on the history of Toomer's Corner, which has been used as a place to celebrate everything from football victories to presidential elections. But as a place to celebrate Bryant's death? It simply didn't happen, according to those who should know. "I'm not aware of any celebrations whatsoever," said retired Auburn athletic director and historian David Housel. "I never heard any single individual see anything like that. I think that's an urban myth." 'When word reached Auburn, the War Eagles mourned'The War Eagle Reader, a popular Auburn blog, combed through microfiche of old Alabama newspapers, compiling just about every contemporary media account of Bryant's death. A huge crowd celebrates at Auburn's Toomers Corner following the Tigers' last-second national championship victory in Glendale, Arizona. (The Associated Press/Dave Martin)Not only was there no indication of any public celebration in Auburn -- let alone rolling Toomer's Corner -- most of the reports focused on the grief and respect coming from Bryant's rivals. "When word reached Auburn, the War Eagles mourned," was the headline in the Birmingham News the next day. The story was filled with quotes from Auburn coaches and players expressing shock. "Like all great men, he may be gone, but the things he taught us all will last forever," said then-Auburn coach Pat Dye, who was also a former Bryant assistant at Alabama. The Opelika-Auburn News front-page headline read: "Praise, Tears Come for Bear." A subhead read: "Auburn Players Feel the Loss of Great Coach." Bear Bryant's death cast a shadow over all of Alabama, even Auburn. (file photo)The Plainsman, Auburn's student newspaper, came out the morning after Bryant's death and only had time to rush a photo of Bryant onto the front page. But there was no reference to any celebration in subsequent issues, according to War Eagle Reader. "The lack of anything in The Plainsman is the most telling," the Reader wrote. "Letters to the editor during this era were beyond nit-picky. Alumni and townsfolk regularly took Auburn students to task for the tiniest offense to civility and class: too much cussing at games, not cheering loudly enough at games, poor behavior at concerts, you name it." But nothing about celebrating Bryant's death. Even so, myths can be persistent. Among the true believers, absence of evidence can even be seen as proof. "There's an old saying -- it certainly didn't originate with me -- that 'lies and misconception go around the world 3 times before truth and perspective get their boots on,'" Housel said. "I think that's what we're dealing with. Especially when you say something that people want to hear. "If Alabama people want to think that Auburn people are bad and terrible, you get this urban myth out there and they say, 'Uh huh, I told you so.' The myth's not true. The same thing's true if Auburn people want to think Alabama people are bad and terrible -- some urban myth comes up about their fan base. With the talk radio and the Internet, I think the urban myth spread is a lot bigger."
I was at Auburn when he died. It didn't happen.
You old sumbitch.
LIAR!!!
I was in Germany-Did not happen there either.
However, you DID raise a glass in toast didn't you?
I was half a year old...didn't happen there either.
God damn brewery! You know that brewery makes 10,000 bottles of beer a day. I drink 45 of them, and I'm the asshole!
It's $10 for a BJ, $12 for an HJ, $15 for a ZJ.
I was in Kindergarten. I can tell you that we celebrated with cookies and kool-aid followed by the ceremonial victory nap.
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