Auburn’s oaks cleared for toilet paper rolls

Auburn Trees Poisoned

(AP / The Ledger-Enquirer)

Their leaves are mottled and brown, and their canopies are smaller but the poisoned live oaks at Auburn University’s Toomer’s Corner are strong enough to withstand being rolled with toilet paper this fall during football victory celebrations, school officials say.

The 131-year-old trees’ future, however, remains uncertain, as is the fate of a University of Alabama fan who has been charged with attacking them with a powerful herbicide after the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide in 2010. The poisoning was not discovered until early 2011.

The Associated Press reports that the oak trees were trimmed this summer for the start of fall classes and football season.

The Tigers face LSU in their first SEC home opener at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 22. Auburn faces Alabama Nov. 24 – in Tuscaloosa. (Auburn faces the Georgia Bulldogs in Auburn on Nov. 10).

“While long-term decisions about the trees have not been made, fans are still welcome to gather at the corner this fall and continue the tradition of rolling the trees with toilet paper,” Auburn said in a statement obtained by the AP.

Harvey Updyke faces an Oct. 1 trial. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect on charges of criminal mischief and desecrating a venerable object. His attorneys want the trial moved from Auburn because of extensive pretrial coverage.

70 comments Add your comment

Enough with the trees

August 9th, 2012
9:23 pm

WOW, dude, do you really think high school kids looking at schools are reading comments from an AJC article? LOL, I think you really do. You better hope not because this Javon Robinson thing is getting ready to hit all the news media. But dont worry, you all can just do another story on the “dying trees”. Enjoy!!!!!

obamataxesagain

August 9th, 2012
9:23 pm

If Auburn is so bad why are 4 of the top five Ga. players in the state going to AUBURN?

Wow

August 9th, 2012
9:31 pm

Hey, “enough”, it was a hypothetical. I was just asking people to look back at the asinine comments that were being made from all sides. Kinda sad.

Also interesting that you’re believing the stories published in the Alabama student newspaper quoting an internet source named “Tennstud” who said he has second-hand accounts of some stuff that may have happened. That is literally what the story says. I’m not losing any sleep over it.

Mike

August 9th, 2012
9:31 pm

It’s a shame Auburn fans TP’d their trees and destroyed their campus when they could have been like UGA fans and treated their campus with some respect on game day.

http://www.ajc.com/news/uga-news-conference-to-140510.html

Enough with the trees

August 9th, 2012
9:35 pm

Well as bad as BAMA fans hate TENNSTUD—-Remember Albert Means, you have to admit he does have some connections. So you just go ahead and dream your little sweet dreams. War DAMN Eagle little buddy.

Mike

August 9th, 2012
9:43 pm

Enough, I don’t keep up with recruiting.

What are you talking about?

Wow

August 9th, 2012
9:52 pm

Not sure I’m the one who’s dreaming here, “little buddy.” My emotions don’t rise and fall with the hopes of a rival school having purported issues with the NCAA. I received a degree from my alma mater that has played a role in my career success. It just so happens that we’re only two years removed from a national championship in football.

Keep dreaming your little dreams and hoping against hope that the internet garbage you read may one day be true. And maybe you should look in the mirror and wonder why the downfall of a rival would bring you more joy than the success of your own team.

Nick Fairley

August 9th, 2012
10:19 pm

Guys, seriously, it’s an article about trees.

I don’t think you’d see an Auburn fan on here raving about how another UGA ## died from health issues related to inbreeding.

Just take a deep breath and look at the picture of the trees and all that is right with the pageantry of college football.. .

http://elyriact.smugmug.com/Journalism/National-Championship-Game/BCSChampionshipFootballctnewsc/1153764800_YwQuu-L.jpg

Jimmychipwwood

August 9th, 2012
10:46 pm

Wow sounds like a lot of butthurt ugay fans in here. Kiss the ring leghumpers

Auburn Sux!

August 9th, 2012
11:07 pm

obamataxesagain…I give up. Why are the 5 GA players going to AU? Could it be that they could not get into UGA? That is the typical answer as to why kids from ATL go to the back up plan of AU, and their parent’s have to scruff up the $ for out of state.

Nick Fairley

August 9th, 2012
11:36 pm

me an scam wint ta awburn fur a yar an learrnt to spel and du stuf lik pla futbal. Thay payed us gud an thru toilet paper in tries when we wond. Wur eeggless or taters or what evr awburn is.

Georgia Schools

August 9th, 2012
11:37 pm

I live in Forsyth county and have some of the best ranked schools in the state. I was pretty happy, till I found out Georgia ranks so low nationally.

Oh well.

I guess the grade inflation masks a lot of things.

Georgia Schools

August 9th, 2012
11:48 pm

Outside of Emory, GT, Mercer and SCAD, I don’t put much stock into Georgia having good Universities or top performing students. Especially with what I’ve seen going to Athens, no offense, but travel around the country and what you see here in Georgia is overrated students unable to match their GPAs. A sign of HOPE sponsored grade inflation.

You guys can be very proud of your football teams, but, wake me up when Georgia beats a team that finishes in the top 5, or top 10, or maybe top 15 team. Or Top 25? How long has that been? And after watching that Boise State game last year live, seriously, I think the SEC is top heavy.

No wait, lopsided. The SEC is lopsided. One rivalry in the western division has produced the last 3 national champions. The National Championship game was between two western division teams. The top 3 teams in the league were from the west, meaning, half the west is better than all of the east.

The east side is nonexistent and inconsequential. A doormat. Which is why I think Missouri in its first year wins the SEC East if they get past the quiet leader of the east, South Carolina. Ouch.

Which is why I think players leave Georgia to play outside of the state.

Tdawg

August 10th, 2012
12:10 am

Heck ole Harvey was just trying to put those poor old tree’s out of their misery. Shoot if they hadn’t died of old age that joke of a football would have surely killed them.

Dawgnlex is a complete tool

August 10th, 2012
11:01 am

@The Factor is just another BITTER LOSER UGA fan. Do the world a favor and burn your computer.

Auburn Sux!

August 10th, 2012
1:03 pm

Georgia Schools …you were denieed admission, eh? LOSER!

Too Bad

August 10th, 2012
3:23 pm

Auburn still blows. Nobody cares about that NC you loosers bought. You get so angry when someone talks trash to you because your whole lives you have been ATTEMPTING to not be the little brother in your own state. (How does that NC look with “ALABAMA” on either side of it in the record book?) Don’t worry though. When your fans empy out halfway through the 3rd QT this year in Auburn, I’m sure Jarvis Jones will look up at your NC flag and “respect” it. Fools…

Auburn Alumni

August 10th, 2012
4:58 pm

I lerned to reed at Auburn U. I luv that scool!

Enough with the trees

August 10th, 2012
6:04 pm

Hey wow
How are you today?
Hope you are paying attention to message boards
Howbis that Memphis situation with Jovon Robinson coming?
Not going to say I told you so.
Oh what the he’ll, TOLD YOU SO
BWWWWAAAAAAAHHH

Mark Richt should get a lifetime contract

August 13th, 2012
10:15 am

rolling the trees is gay! that was cool in 5th grade.