Auburn is a special place. Live here for any extended length of time and it's easy to forget just how special.
As kitschy as the University-sponsored commercials can be, Auburn truly is a family.
And it's not just Auburn students or alumni recognizing this.
Opposing fans of SEC and non-SEC schools have taken notice.
Numerous letters, such as the ones on the opposite page, have been written to The Plainsman for years, praising Auburn--the friendliness of the fans, the austere architecture, the small-town feel and everything else which makes Auburn, Auburn.
The Daily Gamecock, South Carolina's student newspaper, even wrote an editorial encouraging South Carolina students and fans to be more like Auburn's.
"Thank you, Auburn. You set the standard for what SEC football should be. If we have to lose, we'll lose there every time. From what we saw, you gave us the best of the South and the best college football has to offer." (Read it in its entirety on the opposite page.)
These types of testimonials, more than any commercial about the Auburn Creed or "War Eagle" moments, explain the rare oasis of class and character that is Auburn.
Auburn students and alumni are not alone in believing in Auburn and loving it.
There is an exception beyond even occasional outlier situations involving angry and intoxicated Auburn faithful, of course.
We don't love everyone here at Auburn.
Auburn isn't some sort of pseudo-utopian community banging bongos and smoking peace pipes. We do have enemies.
Well, mainly just an enemy, singular--the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
We have no love for those pee-brained, Bear-worshipping, Walmart-trophy-viewing, obstinate redneck buffoons with which we share this state.
And the feeling is mutual.
Taking a rational view, there is little difference between Auburn and Alabama fandom.
Trace the history of any fan ,and you'll see how arbitrary the decision of Tigers or Tide is.
Perhaps Auburn is picked because of family or friend ties.
Perhaps Alabama is picked because of peer pressure or bandwagon appeal. (Bias acknowledged and recognized. Suck it, Alabama.)
These decisions are rarely, if ever, based on rational, logical decision-making.
Which is fine, because sports aren't rational, and they shouldn't be.
Rational thought would destroy the ability to vilify sports enemies.
With rational thought, your neighbor or friend or uncle would cease to be a foolish and mildly evil Alabama fan.
Instead, they would just be some obnoxious, crimson-clad person yelling non sequitur "Roll Tides" at innocent bystanders.
Sports need irrational thought to survive. Otherwise, it's just some dudes (or ladies) running around chasing balls.
Rivalries and ribald hate are the reason sports are what they are.
Prime example: SEC football.
Poor-sport.com has realized the power of hate in sports. The site, whose logo is a cartoon character kicking another cartoon character in the crotch region, will fly a plane trailing a "(Nickname or school name) Sucks!" over and around the stadium of a rival team.
To get a hateful flyover, fans of rival teams must register on the site and assign points (purchased on site, $10 = 25 points) to a certain team on a certain date.
As of now, Alabama has 3,364 points toward an Iron Bowl flyover, which is third behind Oklahoma during the Red River Rivalry and Ohio State during the Ohio State-Michigan game.
An "Alabama Sucks!" flyover requires 5,000 points.
This is your chance, reader, Auburn fan, irrational-hater of all things crimson and white.
Give all of Bryant-Denny the proverbial middle finger.
Momentarily set aside the Auburn ideals of class and character. Let the hate flow through you.
Remind Alabama fans how much they suck.
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