Here's the Tarheel info from the UNC site: What is a Tar Heel? The University not only uses the nickname "Tar Heels," but the entire state does as well. One version of the nickname's origin has the name first being applied to North Carolinians during the Civil War. One record talks of a battle in Virginia, where their supporting column retreated, but North Carolina troops fought alone. The victorious troops were asked in a condescending tone by some Virginians, who had retreated, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" The response came quickly: "No, not a bit; old Jeff's bought it all up." The Virginians asked: "Is that so? What is he going to do with it?" The reply: "He is going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." http://www.unc.edu/about/traditions.html
It baffles me as to why LSU fans get such a bug up their butt about this "Tigers" issue. It's a common nickname. Different schools chose the name for different reasons. LSU named it after a group of Louisiana soldiers from the Civil War known as the "Fighting Tigers". Auburn took it from an Oliver Goldsmith poem titled The Deserted Village where it says, "Sweet Auburn, loveliest village on the plain...where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey." Clemson, on it's official site gives this history for their nickname choice: That doesn't even include Princeton, which was probably known as the Tigers before any of us. As far as who most people nationwide would associate with "Tigers" as far as college sports goes, that would depend on when you asked it. Right after Clemson won the NC in 1981, I bet they would have been the winner of that poll. Ask toward the mid to late 80s after Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley went through Auburn, and we probably do. Pick a time when LSU was on top of the world and maybe it's you guys. The point is, that's a meaningless way of determining who rightfully can be called "Tigers".
LOL! No kidding. It's no different over at AUNation.net. People have been arguing about stupid stuff for weeks. I'm seriously jacked up...I found out yesterday that we got tickets to the AU-USC game on Saturday. I cannot wait! I know you guys feel the same way, although your season opener isn't a marquee game. You still just want to see your guys flying around making plays. Here's to us both being undefeated when we clash in Baton Rouge!
"Here's to us both being undefeated when we clash in Baton Rouge!" No doubt! If so it will be one of the biggest games of the year in college football. I can only travel to one game this year and that will be the game. I can't wait!
Southlink, didn't Clemson get waxed in a bowl game against Texas Tech last year? I think the dogs will be alright.
.... Auburn does seem to generate the longest threads around here. But now I believe we have more visitors from Auburn than other schools. Alabama fans visit also but after Fran left last year some of them disappeared for awhile.
This mascot/nickname is sooooo funny. I know it is confusing to people in Auburn's case. No one mentioned because few are old enough to remember but Auburn used to have a Tiger too. They kept it at the Birmingham zoo and brought it out in a cage for the games. In those days War Eagle was just a war cry like Roll Tide or Geaux Tigers. For several reasons, primarily cost, keeping up the tiger and hauling it to the games was abandoned. That's when we got the eagle and it kind of became a second mascot. I too wish we just had one so it's not so confusing. We aren't alone however as some have pointed out. Alabama's mascot is the Red Elephant (ever seen one of those?). The Cimson Tide is kind of a nickname that a B'ham sportwriter coined and Roll Tide followed that. Georgia Tech is the Yellow Jackets so what do they do with that/ Similiar to Auburn, they go to their fight song"i'm a wrambling wreck from GT .........." and they have an old Model T painted gold and black that they drive out on the field. What is Oklahoma....the Sooners? What's a sooner? I guess the opposite of a later (LOL). Anyway they use a covered wago to pep everybody up. The bottomline is that a lot of schools besides Auburn have things screwed up. Be thankful you guys have it a little clearer. Now is that a Tiger or a Bengal Tiger, or what? Just kidding.
