The Beginning Of The End: Toomer's Oaks Coming Down

((HT: Alabamas13.com/WVTM))

And the Loveliest Village will continue to remember Harvey Updyke for what is going on this morning...
Crews are beginning the removal of the Oaks at Toomer's Corner...
Evidence Below...
WVTM-TV: News, Weather, and Sports for Birmingham, AL

Security was hanging out around the trees all night so there would be no last-minute rolling to hamper the removal that started this morning...

The limb removal is today while the trunks will remain until the end of football season when the university and city of Auburn will start the renovation project at the Corner. The crew is trying to make as few cuts on the trees as possible since the limbs are being turned into mementos of some sort...

The Auburn community is seeing this as a sad day and nothing more... short of disgusting fanaticism that caused an act that never should have gone down in the first place...

More when we know more...

Toomer's Oaks: A Week Before The End

Admittedly, I have had inside information on this the whole time... but, at the same time, I understand what all this means...

It starts with a phone call...
((HT: Paul Finebaum Radio Network))


And ends with either an Irish wake or a funeral- depending on your perspective... and there are those on the Plains that probably feel both and will feel both after the Auburn spring football game next Saturday...

It is being presented (saying "promoted" doesn't feel entirely appropriate) as "One Last Roll" where you can buy officially wrapped toilet paper and other memorabilia. The proceeds are going to a fund that support the Auburn University Alumni Scholarship fund and the Auburn Downtown

Merchants for various activities.

It's reverence and understanding that a rivalry has its fringe elements that will always hate (and I

Toomer's Corner From The Drugstore

use that word in its most literal form)- for whatever illogical reason. And, in talking with TBH, she was at a profound loss trying to come up with the proper words to describe the act that Harvey Updyke perpetrated on 150-year old oaks that are just as much a part of the fabric of her university as Nova, Momma Goldberg's, Guthrie's, Beard-Eaves, Sportsman's Park, Shug Jordan, Pat Dye, the three Heisman winners, and "Punt, Bama, Punt."

She tried to use unconscionable, unfathomable, evil, and sociopathic. But most sociopaths feel theirs is a level of superior intelligence over the people they have exerted some kind of control.

And, in some other peoples view, it takes a real man to take out his unfounded frustrations in a rivalry on trees. The reason that Updyke pleaded out was that the trial would still be going on at the date of the spring game- and it would be even more of a firestorm if every act was going on simultaneously than instead of getting out of the way as Updyke's attorney did.

The Never To Yield Foundation has been getting inundated with angry Auburn fans once they found out that the four-letter is coming to cover the last roll. They're not there for the spring game... just the rolling of the oaks. All of the supporters would like to treat the lucky crew they send with the same amount of respect they feel they got in the latest Selena Roberts/Shaun Assael stories.

So, what are the folks at NYT saying in return: take the high road...

Rolling the trees for the final time on April 20 is about Auburn and Auburn alone. It’s not about Harvey Updyke and his insufficient justice. It’s not about the latest shot fired in a rivalry. It’s not about sycophantic radio callers or braying hosts who encourage them. It’s not about Selena Roberts or ESPN or any of the other media minions.

That Saturday is about the Auburn Family and honoring our cherished traditions.  It’s a chance for us to say farewell to the trees which meant so much to generations of Auburn fans and to celebrate our future together.  Ever to conquer. Never to yield.

It’s about us.  Don’t let anyone or anything detract from that.

Be gracious to ESPN reporters.  Show them what Auburn hospitality is all about, even though we all may feel slighted by the attacks we’ve suffered.

So, we'll see if that ends up the case... I still think that some drunken clown will treat the reporter (my guess, Tom Rinaldi, so he can incorporate children, puppies, and crying- sometimes all at once in his post-rolling opus) much like some Rutgers kid did John Barr and his videographer...

((HT: ESPN))


But for what Updyke did, in not only crossing the line of being an Alabama fanatic but pole vaulting way-the-hell over it, he soured part of the history of the Ess-E-Cee.

Each school has it's own traditions...

If Georgia had found UGA murdered by a Florida fan, if someone had chased after Smokey in Knoxville and ended his life, poisoned Mike The Tiger's food at LSU... that's about as close as the Auburn community feels what went down. And it something that can't be erased, taken back, or made good in any way... ever...

And while the Oaks were rolled for 76 years, generations of fans in the conference will have no idea about the history of the trees- except for the ending... a brutal, disgusting, classless act that has a bit of irony now...

The irony of Toomer's Oaks- still blooming

Because of all the horticultural steroids and treatment the Oaks have been given, they still bloom even as they are dying.

So, there are those who look at the trees and feel that moment of "Hey, wait... look at that... maybe..."

And, then, the wake-up call that it's time for them to go.

All the history of celebrating countless important victories for the school- regardless of sport- will have to be partied about in an entirely different manner to be determined, agreed to, endorsed, and participated in with all the zeal of the past with a gaping hole to fill both on a four-way stop in the heart of downtown and in the hearts of thousands of alums and fans across the southeast.

TBH admits that the next time she goes to the corner it will be weird since the Oaks will be removed and something else will be in their place- probably, a plaque, a monument, or another inanimate object that's non-Spike80DF-able...

And I get it... completely... she and her family (blood or otherwise) have regaled me of countless stories about rolling trees and I have seen, in my time, the watering of the TP so the trees can be trees again.

Will fandom and fanaticism turn a corner because of the removal...???
Doubt it...

But you'd like to think someone might think a few times before doing something as astronomically stupid as dropping a pesticide deep enough into the ground to have people concerned about the water table...

Here's to Auburn celebrating like the Whos on Christmas morning on the 20th... and everyone else being respectful... even if it is just for one day...

DEVELOPING: Updyke Takes Plea Deal

((HT: WSFA-TV))

A month before the Auburn University spring game and the last time that the community will be able to roll Toomer's Oaks before their removal, Harvey Updyke has taken a plea deal in the poisoning of the trees with Spike 80-DF.

As a result, Updyke will be sentenced to three years in jail- entering a plea of guilty to Criminal Damage to an Agriculture Facility, a class C felony, but he should remain in jail for a period at least six months.

After his release, Updyke will be under supervised probation for five years, he will be required to stick to a 7PM curfew, and he can't attend any college sporting event. He is also banned from going to anything "Auburn"- not that they would let him into anything in the first place...

He is also under a media gag order...
And that will be interesting as to whether or not he'll stick to that one...

Restitution costs have not yet been determined, Lee County (AL) District Attorney Robbie Treese said at a press conference. But he added that whatever the cost is, it will be doubled under the Alabama Farm Animal, Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act.

Kinda like an anti-trust case...

"We have a significant number of violent felonies awaiting trial in Lee County," DA Treese said, "and I could not in good conscience justify financing a three week trial merely to arrive at no better a resolution."

Here's the phone call that started it all...
((HT: PFRN))


Here's the latest from Montgomery...
((HT: WSFA-TV))
WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

More when we know more...

DEVELOPING: Updyke Bond Revoked

((HT: OANow.com/Taylor))

At his bond hearing this morning in Opelika, Alabama Circuit Judge Jacob A. Walker III revoked Harvey Updyke’s bond due to an outstanding arrest warrant in Louisiana (pictured right, thanks WTVM-TV)

District attorneys asked for the bond to be revoked on an incident that happened in Hammond, Louisiana back in September with a Lowe's store employee over the lawn mower that Updyke wanted to return. He was charged with assault after being initially charged with "making terroristic threats." Updyke, also apparently, failed to appear for a court appearance in November for the charge.

Here was the report from the lawnmower incident...
((HT: ESPN))


Updyke will remain in the Lee County (AL) Detention Facility until his trial starts on April 8 or until a motion for his release is granted. Updyke is charged with in the Toomer's poisoning case:

Two counts of first-degree criminal mischief,
Two counts of desecrating a venerated object and,
Two counts of unlawful damage, vandalism or theft of property from a farm animal or crop facility

The defense for Updyke also is asking for a change of venue for jury pool selection and court administration...

None of that is a surprise to the HQ...

DEVELOPING: Toomer's Oaks To Be Removed After A-Day

The Tree Preservation Society at Auburn University now sees no opportunity for the oaks at Toomer's Corner (pictured right, thanks Auburn University) to survive...

While no date for their removal has been set, the school is going to celebrate their treasure one more time in the spring...

Circle April 20 on your calendars for A-Day and the subsequent celebration...

"The Oaks at Toomer’s Corner have been a part of Auburn tradition for generations,” said FOSG Debbie Shaw, Auburn University vice president for alumni affairs and executive director of the Auburn Alumni Association in the standard release. “Their removal will in no way diminish the Auburn Spirit, which has grown even stronger during these past two years.”

And, then, the new ideas are coming forward to see how Auburn fans and supporters will be able to do their school spirit-rolling after the oaks are gone. The university and city of Auburn will create structures at Toomer's Corner for rolling...

"The architects are combining their expertise and experience with the terrific input from the Auburn Family to come up with a future plan that we will all be proud of,” said Dan King, assistant vice president for Auburn University Facilities Management.

“We want people to be upbeat about the future of this area,” Shaw said. “Rolling the corner is a uniquely Auburn tradition, and whether we roll trees or other structures, the camaraderie and sense of togetherness is part of what makes Auburn a special place.”

One final roll on 4:20, huh...???
Nicely done- even if it's not in Colorado...

And, for those of you who are wondering about the legal system in the state of Alabam, the trial of Harvey Updyke is set to start at April 8... and, whaddya wanna bet there's another continuance before hand...???

Toomer's Oaks Catch On Fire (UPDATED)

As if everything else at the Corner was bad enough...

Apparently, early this morning toilet paper that was hanging from the Oaks caught on fire... and a picture taken by the Associated Press reporter John Zenor showed damage was pretty bad and the base of the tree seems to be "scorched..." according to a Monday article in the War Eagle Reader...

The Auburn Fire Department quickly put the blaze out, and the extent of any damage is unknown at present... not that they haven't been damaged enough or anything like that...(picture right, thanks Alessio Summerfield/Auburn Plainsman)

In the interim, here's video of a family having their kid roll the oaks from yesterday's Alabama A&M win- since it's probably the last time anyone will do it for a while (and before they're removed)

Obviously, this video was taken before 3:20AM local time...


Monday Update: Auburn police are reviewing video to determine the cause...

The University put out an official statement on their Oaks update page...

The Oaks at Toomer's Corner were damaged by fire early Sunday morning. Members of the Trees Task Force examined the trees Monday morning and found significant damage to both oaks and to several plants adjacent to the plaza. The Trees Task Force will post an update about the fire damage next week. The Auburn Police Division is investigating the incident.

According to WTVM-TV in Columbus, Captain Tom Stofer says the Auburn Police Department investigation is still in the early stages; "There weren't a whole lot of people downtown at that time," he says, "which will make our job a little bit easier in reviewing the video."