Suspect arrested in Auburn U. tree poisoning
Why would anyone kill century-old live oak trees over a football game? It's inexplicable, but somebody apparently has done just that.
The famous pair of live oaks at Toomer's Corner, on the Auburn University campus, have been dealt an almost-certainly lethal dose of herbicide in what appears to have been an act of sports rage.
The oak trees are a landmark on the Auburn campus, where students go to heave toilet paper rolls over the branches to celebrate sports victories.
Late last month, someone called a nationally syndicated radio talk show host in Birmingham to boast he had dosed the trees with a powerful herbicide. "Al from Dadeville" signed off, saying "Roll Damn Tide," an apparent reference to the University of Alabama "Crimson Tide."
Auburn narrowly defeated Alabama in the 2010 Iron Bowl, the traditional rivalry game between the two schools.
News media in Alabama are reporting an arrest in the case. Here's more.
And here's a live web cam trained on the doomed trees.
Now, back to the weather.
(AP PHOTO: Dave Martin, December 2010)
Comments
This is the biggest load of bull i have ever read. If i was onthe jury i would find him not guilty on general principle.
Then again im not supprized to see such journalistic filth on a MSM site, you guys suck.
Posted by: BS | February 17, 2011 11:57 AM
What a load of crap. The nuts at Awbern roll the freakin' trees every time they get drunk (And, yes, even the very day the news broke about the herbicide!) - see your own photo! And, then, the toilet paper is removed with high pressure water from hoses. To top it off, Awbern is an AG school and they have allowed the area surrounding the trees to be paved and their own "experts in residence" have said the trees are dying from the years of mistreatment. If the trees were so damned sacred, why weren't they given better treatment?
This reminds me of the parent who allows their children to run wild in the streets without supervision and then gets all teary-eyed when something bad happens to then. The parent didn't care enough beforehand to act responsibly but they damn sure can shed some big tears when the SHTF . . . And, so can the nitwits in Awbern!
Do some research - Like:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WNDF1uAI2w0J:auburnturf.blogspot.com/2011/01/toomers-oaks-are-finebaum-just-toilet.html+http://auburnturf.blogspot.com/2011/01/toomers-oaks-are-finebaum-just-toilet.html&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com
If that cached link disappears like the original post has, then:
http://crimsoncornerblog.com/2011/02/how-many-times-can-the-toomers-tree-die.html
Posted by: Al's Buddy | February 17, 2011 2:16 PM
. . . and precisely what "general principle" would lead you, BS, to find the accused not guilty of poisoning these old oak trees? Perhaps you share his twisted idea of justice. I also fail to see the "load of bull" and "journalistic filth" that you see in this story. I wish you all the best in your mental health treatment and I hope the person who poisoned these trees gets the help he needs as well.
Posted by: BB | February 17, 2011 2:55 PM
I don't what saddens me more. The actual news in the article or some of the so-called intelligent postings of some others.
I myself, do hope the person who did this is tried according to our justice system and found guilty. Doesn't sound he is remorseful about his activities. There is no justification possible for this type of activity.
Posted by: Capt Jack | February 17, 2011 3:28 PM
I'm just relieved it wasn't a Duck.
Posted by: SarahKK | February 17, 2011 6:34 PM
Do some research? Al's Buddy - consider your source, pal. "Crimson Corner" blog? Yeah, that's journalistic reliability right there, sports fans. Checked the leaves for photosynthetic activity... in the winter. OK.
How do you idiots think these trees lived for 130 years? Accident? They've been rolling those oaks since the 60's - that's fifty of those 130 years - but you rocket scientists all obviously know better than anyone else.
Fine, you don't like Auburn (that's the correct spelling, by the way). Relate to me how not liking a school has, in any way, bearing on poisoning the landscaping with an EPA-regulated herbicide.
Sports fans, take heed: It's clowns like these guys that make you all look like abject fools.
Posted by: Earl | February 18, 2011 1:12 AM
I'm originally from the state of Indiana, and a fan of Indiana University (ALL sports, not just football, or basketball, or baseball, or wrestling, or swimming, etc). That almost automatically makes me an 'anti-fan' of Pur-who? University. Let's just say that saying I dislike P-U is understating it a whole lot.
Even so, my dislike of P-U does NOT mean I would be in favor of damaging or destroying property, such as a century-old tree, on the campus of P-U (with one exception - that being the trophy case in which P-U stashes the Old Oaken Bucket whenever they steal it from IU. The glass in the trophy case can be replaced, the mature trees can not.).
Posted by: Mike | February 18, 2011 1:32 AM
BS - you'd fit right in on the crapstone report.
Posted by: scottbbfm | February 18, 2011 4:15 PM