[RollTideFan] Tradition? What tradition?
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/ html_standard.xsl?/base/news/10058193113309.xml Tradition? What tradition? 11/15/01 MIKE BOLTON News staff writer For multitudes of football fans in this state, Alabama-Auburn week will always conjure memories of Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan going toe-to-toe on crisp fall afternoons at Legion Field. But while fans might be convinced such battles will never be forgotten, some players who will take the field Saturday in Auburn have little or no concept of the past. None of the players on the Auburn University team was born when Jordan roamed the sidelines for his final season in 1975. In fact, most had yet to be born when Jordan died on July 17, 1980. The younger players on the University of Alabama squad were not born when Bryant coached his final game in 1982. None was older than 4 when Bryant died six months later. It's been great not only playing against Auburn, but also to learn about the rivalry, said Andrew Zow, the senior quarterback who came off the bench to lead Alabama to victory over Mississippi State last week. Being from Florida, I really don't know much about the history. I still don't know much about Bear Bryant. In Auburn, memorabilia from the well-loved Jordan is common in the athletic complex. Still, Auburn's current players know little about the man who coached the Tigers for 25 years and led them to their only national championship. He must have been a pretty good guy and a good coach because I do know they named a stadium after him, Auburn junior tight end Lorenzo Diamond said. That's about all I know about him. I know about rolling Toomer's Corner and the eagle flying around the stadium, but that's about all I know about Auburn tradition. I go out and play football. I don't worry about tradition. Even Auburn junior offensive lineman Ryan Hockett, a distant relative of Jordan, knows little about him. Wasn't he like one of the most winning coaches around here or something? Hockett asked. I know he's like a legend around here. His picture is all around here. I've seen him mentioned in a couple books. Senior kicker Neal Thomas is one of many Crimson Tide players who know little of Bryant. I've looked into the history a little bit since I've been here, but I really don't know much about it except for the past few years, Thomas said. I don't really have much knowledge of Bear Bryant other than what I've read. Santonio Beard, an Alabama sophomore, admits his knowledge of the rivalry is shallow. About all I know is that Alabama owns the all-time series, he said. Of course, Alabama owns the all-time series against most teams. I do know that 1999 was the last time Auburn lost in Jordan-Hare. I don't go back much farther than that. Auburn tries to teach its players about tradition by bringing in former players and coaches, but head coach Tommy Tuberville admits it's lost on some. Like most kids today, they are more interested in the present and the future than the past, Tuberville said. Auburn athletic director David Housel said it's natural that players from both schools lack a grasp of the past. It's just part of the never-ending march of time, said. You've got to remember that it was 15 years ago that Lawyer Tillman ran the reverse in the Auburn-Alabama game and 16 years ago that Van Tiffin kicked the field goal. It was 30 years ago that Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy. More time has elapsed since Bo Jackson won the Heisman than the period between the time when Pat won it and Bo won it. It's hard for many of us to believe, but Carnell Williams probably doesn't know how he fits into the Auburn running back tradition. For him, Bo Jackson is a historical figure. It's the same thing for Coach Jordan and Coach Bryant. Auburn punter Damon Duval says he has seen Jackson around practice a few times, but doesn't remember him playing. Sorry, Duval said. I wasn't born until 1980. I was a baby when Bo Jackson played. Asked about several landmark games in the Alabama-Auburn series, such as the 1972 contest when Auburn blocked two punts and an extra point to win 17-16, Auburn center Ben Nowland appeared a little embarrassed. Hey man, I grew up in Florida. GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. To unsubscribe from this list just send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a BLANK subject line and the single word UNSUBSCRIBE (without the quotes) in the body or visit http://www.RollTideFan.net
Re: [RollTideFan] Tradition? What tradition?
aubies have got to try to grasp for straws somewhere; they have to believe they have a tradition ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/15/01 09:41AM http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/ html_standard.xsl?/base/news/10058193113309.xml Tradition? What tradition? 11/15/01 MIKE BOLTON News staff writer For multitudes of football fans in this state, Alabama-Auburn week will always conjure memories of Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan going toe-to-toe on crisp fall afternoons at Legion Field. But while fans might be convinced such battles will never be forgotten, some players who will take the field Saturday in Auburn have little or no concept of the past. None of the players on the Auburn University team was born when Jordan roamed the sidelines for his final season in 1975. In fact, most had yet to be born when Jordan died on July 17, 1980. The younger players on the University of Alabama squad were not born when Bryant coached his final game in 1982. None was older than 4 when Bryant died six months later. It's been great not only playing against Auburn, but also to learn about the rivalry, said Andrew Zow, the senior quarterback who came off the bench to lead Alabama to victory over Mississippi State last week. Being from Florida, I really don't know much about the history. I still don't know much about Bear Bryant. In Auburn, memorabilia from the well-loved Jordan is common in the athletic complex. Still, Auburn's current players know little about the man who coached the Tigers for 25 years and led them to their only national championship. He must have been a pretty good guy and a good coach because I do know they named a stadium after him, Auburn junior tight end Lorenzo Diamond said. That's about all I know about him. I know about rolling Toomer's Corner and the eagle flying around the stadium, but that's about all I know about Auburn tradition. I go out and play football. I don't worry about tradition. Even Auburn junior offensive lineman Ryan Hockett, a distant relative of Jordan, knows little about him. Wasn't he like one of the most winning coaches around here or something? Hockett asked. I know he's like a legend around here. His picture is all around here. I've seen him mentioned in a couple books. Senior kicker Neal Thomas is one of many Crimson Tide players who know little of Bryant. I've looked into the history a little bit since I've been here, but I really don't know much about it except for the past few years, Thomas said. I don't really have much knowledge of Bear Bryant other than what I've read. Santonio Beard, an Alabama sophomore, admits his knowledge of the rivalry is shallow. About all I know is that Alabama owns the all-time series, he said. Of course, Alabama owns the all-time series against most teams. I do know that 1999 was the last time Auburn lost in Jordan-Hare. I don't go back much farther than that. Auburn tries to teach its players about tradition by bringing in former players and coaches, but head coach Tommy Tuberville admits it's lost on some. Like most kids today, they are more interested in the present and the future than the past, Tuberville said. Auburn athletic director David Housel said it's natural that players from both schools lack a grasp of the past. It's just part of the never-ending march of time, said. You've got to remember that it was 15 years ago that Lawyer Tillman ran the reverse in the Auburn-Alabama game and 16 years ago that Van Tiffin kicked the field goal. It was 30 years ago that Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy. More time has elapsed since Bo Jackson won the Heisman than the period between the time when Pat won it and Bo won it. It's hard for many of us to believe, but Carnell Williams probably doesn't know how he fits into the Auburn running back tradition. For him, Bo Jackson is a historical figure. It's the same thing for Coach Jordan and Coach Bryant. Auburn punter Damon Duval says he has seen Jackson around practice a few times, but doesn't remember him playing. Sorry, Duval said. I wasn't born until 1980. I was a baby when Bo Jackson played. Asked about several landmark games in the Alabama-Auburn series, such as the 1972 contest when Auburn blocked two punts and an extra point to win 17-16, Auburn center Ben Nowland appeared a little embarrassed. Hey man, I grew up in Florida. GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. To unsubscribe from this list just send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a BLANK subject line and the single word UNSUBSCRIBE (without the quotes) in the body or visit http://www.RollTideFan.net To unsubscribe from this list just send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a BLANK subject line and the single word UNSUBSCRIBE (without the quotes) in the body
