Auburn Tigers
From SAS Wiki
The Auburn Tigers are the team name for Auburn University, located in Auburn, Alabama right next to the Georgia border in east-central Alabama. The name of the town, "Auburn," and the nickname "Tigers" both come from Oliver Goldsmith's poem, "The Deserted Village," published in May 1770, "Sweet Auburn! Loveliest village of the plain (line 1)... where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey (line 355)". The Auburn Tigers are generally known for their football team and eternal little brother syndrome. They are a part of the Southeastern Conference.
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Traditions/History
Aubie
Auburn's mascot is Aubie. Aubie is a costumed tiger that has been Auburn's mascot since 1979. Aubie first appeared as a cartoon tiger drawn by Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel on Auburn's gameday football program on October 3, 1959. He appeared on most Auburn program covers from the late 50's until the mid-'70s. His first live appearance was at the 1979 Southeastern Conference basketball tournament. He helped lead first-year coach Sonny Smith to an upset victory over Vanderbilt. He then returned the following day for the longest game in SEC basketball tournament history against Georgia. That game went 4 overtimes and ended in an Auburn victory.
Aubie has national championships for the #1 College Mascot during the following years: 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2003
Nova
War Eagle VII, nicknamed "Nova," is Auburn's current Golden Eagle. War Eagle VI, nicknamed "Tiger," was officially retired at halftime of the 2006 Auburn-Georgia game. During the past few years, Tiger and Nova have awed anyone visiting Jordan-Hare stadium for a football game as they flew around the stadium during pregame before diving down to the center of the field. While Tiger's flying days are over due to health concerns, she still remains a huge symbol for Auburn. A bald eagle named Spirit shares flying duties with Nova at football games while Tiger enjoys retirement- she is 26, which is rather old for a captive eagle.
Nova and Tiger's role is to help promote wildlife conservation as a part of the conservation education efforts of Auburn's Raptor Center, where she is housed by permission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal agency responsible for protecting fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Tiger was rescued in the mid-1980s by the Fish and Wildlife Service from an illegal breeding operation in Missouri. Nova was born at the Montgomery Zoo and was transferred to Auburn when he was 6 months old.
Tiger's most memorable flight came at the 2002 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Toomer's Corner
Do you want to see the biggest waste of toilet paper in the nation? Come visit Toomer's Corner after any significant (or any football) victory. Toomer's Corner is located at the corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue. Students and fans roll Toomer's corner after any victory. While the first rolling isn't known, it is thought to have begun in 1961 or 1962.
Toomer's Corner is also good if you want some great fresh squeezed lemonade. The drugstore on the corner serves fresh squeezed lemonade to people who don't mind paying a little more or sitting inside a tiny little store with some overpriced items while they drink it.
Auburn's Rivals
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Georgia Bulldogs
- LSU Tigers
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Interracial Marriage
- Expectations
- Extra Chromosomes
Auburn Football
Auburn's football team played their first game in 1892 against the Georgia Bulldogs. This game set up the South's Oldest Rivalry. Auburn's home games are played in Jordan-Hare Stadium which seats 87,451 people.
Auburn has won at least half the number of national championships that Alabama actually has, but only gets credit for one half of one in 1957. Auburn fans claim a conspiracy by anyone that gets more or less respect than them. Auburn has also won 6 SEC titles in the years 1957, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 2004. Since 1980, Auburn has averaged over 8 wins a season and appeared in 17 bowl games. They've also been on NCAA probation at least 100 times.
Auburn has had two Heisman Trophy winners, Bo Jackson and Pat Sullivan.
Auburn Basketball
Is something that people don't go to unless the team is playing Alabama or ranked in the top 15. The Auburn University basketball team currently plays in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum but will play in 2011 at Auburn Arena, a new facility that Coach Jeff Lebo could have played in, but he was so bad that even Auburn (who really doesn't care about basketball) couldn't stand him anymore. Auburn's new coach is Tony Barbee.
Remember this quote from Charles Barkley-
"As long as I was leading the SEC in rebounds, I knew I didn't have to worry about passing classes at Auburn."
Auburn Swimming and Diving
Auburn's swimming and diving teams have risen to national prominence. Auburn alum and head coach David Marsh led the Auburn men's swimming and diving team to the national championship in 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2005. He coached the women's team to national championships in 2003 and 2004. Since taking over in 1990, Marsh has guided the Tigers to 10 SEC Championships (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005). Marsh recently announced that he will be leaving Auburn to take a position coaching the US Olympic swim teams.
Auburn's Swimming and Diving team compete in the James E. Martin Aquatics Center. The Oct. 7, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated rated the pool third fastest pool in the country. During the course of the two championship events in 2003, a total of 12 SEC records were established while seven new NCAA records were set during the women's championships.
