I agree with you —→ There is something special about being part of the Auburn family. It’s a special place with special people. “I believe in Auburn and love it!”

My story, abbreviated: Started when my grandfather was assigned to teach ROTC at AU a long time ago. It was a brief stint but they were there long enough for my dad to fall in love with the place…so me & my 3 brothers were raised with a love for the school & the football team. All 3 of us graduated from AU and I still have hopes to return there one day with my family. (Did you know Auburn ranks in the top 5 places to raise a young family and start a small business?) So I too became an Auburn man b/c of it being passed down to me…but I’d like to think that if that were not the case I’d still be smart enough to choose wisely and see the vast difference between AU and the school on the other side of the state. :)
I love everything Auburn men & women stand for. It truly is a family and Saturday afternoons in the fall are absolutely incredible. And perhaps above all, I’m most thankful for my Auburn roots because it’s the place God chose to show His plan for my life. I met some incredible Christian college students there who discipled me and helped steer me from trouble.
War Eagle! Proud to be an Auburn Tiger for life.

My fondness of that wonderful place grows with each one of these I read. Keep ’em coming.

WAR EAGLE!

…..One of the most common threads you hear in answer to this question in the state of Alabama is "my family." That’s true regardless of which side you pull for. There is a third answer possible, of course. When someone says "neither," when asked whether they pull for Alabama or Auburn, the usual reaction is that the whole room wonders "what the heck is wrong with you?"

…..Growing up, I was that guy. I really didn’t have the attention span to watch the game till I was 12 or 13. Take me to a game, and I was one of the kids running around under the bleachers or throwing things off the back of the stadium. My passions in the 1960s ranged from Batman to Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea to Star Trek. That, and pilfering extra desserts from the cupboard! I was an absolute sugar addict! A handful of sneaked Oreos and I was good to run for an entire afternoon.

…..It might surprise a lot of people that my father is an Alabama grad, who finished with a dental degree at what is now UAB. Most of my extended family (of previous generations, at least) were Bama loyalists. This ranged from Alabama degrees, to those that went to Bama and didn’t finish, to those who might or might not have gotten a high school diploma. They just about all pulled for Bama with tenacity of pit bulls.

…..My mother caused quite a scandal back in the early 1950s when she wanted to go to Auburn. My grandfather (A University of Chicago grad, but life-long Crimson fan) wanted her at the Capstone, of course. My mother followed her high school friends to Auburn, but after a year and a half, and a few too many War Eagles in the house, she was yanked home to Birmingham Southern. That Tiger fever had stuck with her for good, though!

…..Believe it or not, the Iron Bowl wasn’t a yelling match in our house. Our parents would watch it, cheer for their side, but they refrained from ragging on each other. It was tense, though. The worst thing a kid like me could do was come into the room and jabber over the TV or radio. I probably spent most of my early Iron Bowls banished to the back yard!

…..You’ve probably heard this sentiment before from many others, but I became interested in football due to the legend of Sullivan and Beasley. I’d be quiet and watch when the Shug Jordan show came on Sunday afternoon. My parents watched both coaches shows. Some of that grainy footage was just amazing. "You are so right, Carl!" I wanted to learn how to catch a ball like Terry Beasley did, over the shoulder, limboing under an imaginary wire two feet above the ground! Being a kid pretending to be a player doesn’t make you a fan, though.

…..My extended family of Bama fans really got me started down the path to Auburn. Both of my folks are big proponents of winning with humility, and losing with grace. Sad to say, others outside our immediate household had no respect for that at all. Every year after the Iron Bowl (we lost just about all of them before Sully and Beasley), the phone would ring off the hook "Rowlllll TAHD!" someone would yell when you picked it up. My mother taught me to answer the phone at an early age, so I caught a fair amount of that. My reaction started with indifference, and that progressed to irritation when I realized family members were doing it just to be a butthole to my mother. Towards my teenaged years, I’d give back a surly greeting, such as "I wonder who’d act like such a redneck on the phone?"

…..I guess what tipped me over the edge to Auburn was seeing folks’ reactions to Auburn’s wins in 1969, 1970, and 1972. My mother had usually congratulated the "Roll Tiders" on the phone, told them their team played a good game, etc. When Auburn finally won the 1969 game, all the family could talk about was how un-classy Auburn was for running in that fake punt late. In 1970, it was Auburn "cheating" to pull out the 33-28 win. There really wasn’t a Bama explanation for Auburn blocked-punt win in 1972, just total rage in my extended family. There was vandalism, drunken fights, ruined family gatherings, and so on. Honestly, it was ugly on both sides, but in my mind the Bama folks started it. I swore to never be a part of a fan base like that. That’s why it just kills me when I see anyone in Orange and Blue acting like a jackass to another team’s fans. Win or lose, congratulate them on how their team played, and wish ‘em well on the way home. That’s the Auburn way! These days, of course, I do realize that there are both types of fans at every school. Yes, there are classy Bama fans out there. I had to look no farther than my dad to see that. I like to think he’s part of the silent majority who went to school in Tuscaloosa.

…..Luckily, the principals involved our family Iron Bowl feuding finally agreed to just not discuss football at family gatherings. It’s remained a good policy. I don’t think I was the only sibling affected by those events of the 1960s and 1970s. All three of my dad’s sons ended up at Auburn! War Eagle!

Fall 2009, my wife and 2 of our kids attended the Auburn – West Virginia game. My daughter was a high school senior from metro Atlanta attending the game. During this time, she was choosing between Georgia Tech, Georgia and Auburn for college in the fall of 2010.
One may recall that the game was the infamous rain game. The start was delayed at least an hour due to lightning and torrential rain. The wet weather did not dampen her spirit.
Before the game, my daughter noticed all the families were tailgating with an emphasis on family fun compared to another flagship university in Georgia. We arrived early in our seats. While I was on the concourse, the heavens opened. My daughter was still in the stands with a brother & her mother. She experienced the enthusiasm of the Auburn student body. While the heaviest rains preceding an Auburn home game in many years, the student body remained put in the stands and stood and sang throughout with such songs as “Who’ll Stop the Rain”. She described it as “Amazing!”.
Once the the game started, the atmosphere was electric thoughout the game.
A come behind victory followed with a celebration at Toomer’s Corner afterwards.
Her orange Auburn rain poncho was a wreck but her spirits were high.
This fall, my daughter will perform as a proud member of the Auburn University Marching Band.

Yes Auburn is different. Folks on the outside often smirk at calling ourselves a family. But a truism about how special & different Auburn is … " From the outside looking in, one can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, one can’t explain it. "

My short story : When I grew up in the 50’s in Columbus, Ga. Auburn played Georgia in Columbus every year. That’s the way it had been since 1920. Even to a child it was evident that the Auburn – Ga. week was a special time of year. I remember that everywhere you went, it was the talk of the town. It didn’t matter if it was church, the work place, or the playground. There was anticipation & excitement in the air. People dressed in orange and blue or red & black. The majority of my teachers had attended Auburn, probably since the school was only about 28 miles away. So I saw a lot of orange & blue.

However, In 1958 the major contributing factor was due to an incredible act of kindness from my little league football coach ( who was a Ga. fan). He invited me to attend " the game " with him. What an unbelieveable experience for a kid that was almost 10 years old.

I got to see players from the National Championship team that I had only heard adults talk about. Stars like Lloyd Nix and Tommy Lorino. Auburn beat the dogs 21 – 6 in the last game ever played in Columbus and along with their win a 10 yr old Auburn fan was born. The deal was only further sealed in my first game at Cliff Hare stadium in 1960 when I watched Auburn defeat UT Chattanooga 10 – 0.

Like a lot of other kids here in the south, my pick of schools had a lot to do with my dad. He was originally from Lewistown, PA. and of course, rooted for Penn State. In the Late 70’s, PSU and Bama got a pretty good rivalry going, and after Alabama Beat Penn State, My uncle Randy called my dad to rub it in. My dad was obviously not happy.
 “Daddy,” I asked, “do Alabama people hate Pennsylvania people the most?”
“No son,” he replied. “They hate Auburn people the most.”
“Then that’s who I like.”

So it took a Bama fan being a jackass to make up my mind for me. It’s kind of ironic, actually. My Paw-paw was a huge Bama fan, and I thought that he hung the moon. If not for my uncle, I might have gone the other way.

Thanks, Randy.

While early in junior high school I was asked “who are you for?” Having moved recently to Alabama I really didn’t know a lot about the rivalry. When I said Auburn most of the Bama kids started laughing.
That was my first taste of the rivalry.
Second was the “Punt Bama Punt” game. Riding in the cab of a big rented truck hauling cinder blocks, and helping an Alabama fan build a wall for his lake home, I was treated differently after that game. Like I was a leper!
That was my second taste of the rivalry, and what it means to people.
Then I went to Auburn with the Wetumpka High land judging team. Oh my! I fell in love with Auburn and have never looked back.

WAR EAGLE!

All really awesome reads.

I have no real reason to like Auburn. Neither of my parents went there and I am still a teenager trying to get through 21st century high school. I also don’t have a story that set my love of the team into play. When I started watching football in the third or fourth grade, it was mainly Florida, Florida State, and Jaguar games. My love for the Jags stuck instantly, the Gators and Noles, not so much. My family on both sides are either die hard Gators or Noles, mainly just because they live near the school. But around fifth or sixth grade, I saw a team on T.V that I began to like, and would make a point to find what games they were playing in. By 7th grade, Auburn was my team.

Here in Jacksonville, Auburn fans don’t roam my school with regularity. There are maybe three other than myself total, the rest being Gator fans, bandwagon Gator fans, Seminole fans, and Bulldogs. I’ll still pull for the occasional Oregon against USC, or South Florida against any northern school, but Auburn is my loyal game on Saturday, no matter the opponent.

I hope to attend Auburn someday, so I can really call myself an Auburn Man

I think I speak for everyone when I say we are pulling for you to end up on campus when your high school days are over. War Eagle and thanks for sharing!

Born in Lubbock Texas…grew up a military brat all over. Settled at Camp Lejeune NC for last 2 years of high school. Sights set on an NROTC scholarship. As I researched NROTC programs the 2 standouts were aTm and Auburn. Well being from Lubbock aTm was not an option. I applied and was accepted without seing the campus. Meanwhile I was informed I was only an alternate for a scholarship. Went to work as a Police Dispatcher at teh age of 18, and college plans went on hold. halfway through the summer was notified someone dropped and I was in. In a very short amount of time Dad and I drove down, scouted campus, found a place to live (Omega Tau Sigma house) and got signed up. Scared to death of failing I didn’t really partake of the college life the first quarter. But with the help of the OTS (graduate Vet frat) teaching me how to study AND party, I quickly became a part of my environment. The walk to the stadium on gamedays was always incredible! Never a stranger…never made it to the stadium without beer, barbeque and whatever else was being consumed and imbibed being offered and partaken of. Not just the Loveliest city on the Plains but the Friendliest! Watched Bo play. Georgia firehose game. Also worked at Foy Union…worked the projectors for free movies…had a blast! Since I have run in to Auburn family members across the world…a vibrant WDE never…I mean NEVER fails to introduce me to another member of my extended family. My son has yet to see the Plains but he can sing our fight song verbatim with me every time we score! I have adopted the team of my younger siblings in the Red Raiders but when the two wind up meeting on the field I am and will always be an Auburn Man!!!

My father grew up in Brewton, Alabama in the 70’s and 80’s. My paw paw had been all bama all bear bryant. My dad got tired of it early on so he started pulling against bama but didnt really have a team.But my dads best friend was a huge auburn fan and they would always watch the games when my dad was over there so naturally he started pulling for auburn. course this got under my paw paws skin so things got heated which only caused my dad to really get into it. My aunt took my paw paws side so my dad was a 1 man army in the family and he became a huge auburn man. My mom was simliar. my unlce was about 3 years older than her and all threw her childhood she heard bammer this and bammer that. She picked auburn just to get on his nerves. When i was born i had no choice, my dad brought me home in an auburn outfit and my first stuffed animal was an Aubie. Even after my parents split i alternate watching games with them. over the years my mom has really go into it, espically after to taking me to some games for my b-day( all i ever askd for) So for me being an Auburn man was just natural and as ive grown ive fallen in love with what it is and what it means.It really is special.