Did anyone see this:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/16/ala...ex.html?hpt=C2
This is terrible, that'd be like a Duke/NC State student killing the oak that UNC was allegedly founded under (and all the clones of this tree that they have spread through out their campus). As mentioned in the article the trees will more than likely die. I just hope UMd doesn't get any ideas re: our Duke Gardens, something like this is right up their alley.
Personally, I hesitate to condemn the entire fan-base due purely to the classless actions of one rabid fan. That said, it is definitely a tragedy for a university to lose one of its traditions and symbols. I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if someone damaged the facade of the chapel or Cameron or anything like that.
Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?
Not meaning to condemn the entire fan base. Was speaking directly to the classlessness that I experienced at the football game and how it correlates to this action. Not all Alabama fans are bad, just like all Maryland fans and unc fans aren't bad and all Duke fans aren't good. But there are certainly a segment in any fan base that is an embarrassment and this guy fits the bill.
Last year, immediately before Alabama played at Wade, several Tide fans – one especially – were very gracious in various DBR threads. While this idiot’s actions are awful and reprehensible, I cannot condemn all Alabama fans, any more than I could criticize all Crazies because a week (or so) ago someone in Cameron had the poor judgment and awful sportsmanship to use a laser pointer (immediately thrown out, which is entirely appropriate).
sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that all bama fans condoned this, there's always one in every group that makes the fan base cringe and hang their heads
Agreed. I ventured over to the Alabama RV lot before the football game in September and talked to a few groups, all of whom were very gracious and were interested to talk to some Duke students.
This was a really stupid thing for the one Bama fan to do, and hopefully the two schools can come together to solve the problem.
I spent a lot of time with Alabama fans prior to our game this year, and to a person found them to be very nice and bright fans. Several even went out of their way to try (both before and after the game) to point out what we did well or what they were worried about, which is kind given the absolute mauling they threw down on us. Very nice things to say about our campus and the students they encountered.
One idiot does not a fan base make. but whoever did this should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
(PS. One of the posters here was "banjeaux" from the RollTide board -- very respectful poster IIRC).
Apparently they have arrested the guy already:
http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011...r-and-crimson/
Allegedly, the guy has kids named "Bear" and "Crimson"... classy.
This has nothing to do with class. It's sick and criminal.
Glad the guy was caught. I hope they make an example of him.
This guy seems to be a Grade A idiot. He called in a local sports radio show saying he did it.
Perhaps it is unfair to judge the entire Bama fanbase by the actions of one moron, but it is fair to judge the entire fanbase by the fanbase's reaction to the incident. Are they uniformly critical of the act, or is there an undercurrent of approval? Do they step up to do what they can to make up for the damage?
Case in point: Maryland. Perhaps it is unfair to judge them for the actios of a few, but it is entirely fair to judge them lacking in class for failing to take significant action to curtail such actions - unless choosing to become irrelevant in ACC basketball is the plan to tone down hooliganistic fans.
There is no "perhaps" about it. It is totally unfair to judge Bama fans because of the actions of ne idiot. People are people, and the large majority of Alabama fans will join the rest of us in condemning such a heinous act.
I wouldn't be surprised if U of Alabama did make some official gesture toward Auburn concerning the event. But to suggest that Alabama HAS to respond in a certain way to be considered good human neighbors or some such thing is misguided at best.
Man, if your Mom made you wear that color when you were a baby, and you're still wearing it, it's time to grow up!
I agree with you that Alabama Having to respond a certain way might be misguided but I think it should be done and could go a long way in helping them seperate themselves from this idiot.
I know if a Duke fan did something this stupid Richard Broadhead, K, or Cutcliffe, whoever the coach, would be denouncing it and offering support, not that they necessarily felt like they had to but because it is just the right thing to do. I hope Alabama does say/ do something even if it isn't publicly.
I agree with those who say you can't judge an entire fan base by a single person or incident. Although it does get harder to ignore when the single incidents add up, but I digress.
It's unfair because it's fans in general these days. Heck it's people in general these days. This article seemed to hit on that. I'm sure there will be those that disagree, that's going too far, but I have to agree with it. Sad state we live in.
http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-foo...n-21st-century
Agreed, it would be nice for the university to respond in some way. But it is a bit different from the Maryland situation. This guy is 62 years old, according to the news story--he isn't a current student or affiliated with the university, and he may not ever have attended Alabama (that isn't reported in the news stories). So I don't think the university has the same kind of responsibility to deal with this behavior that Maryland does when its students riot after games or when fans (students or not) who are attending games on the Maryland campus throw things at people or otherwise behave boorishly.