Two years ago, it was the Auburn Nephilim being unfurled from atop Jordan-Hare Stadium (Bo Knows Homage). Now the coaches whose names are attached to the place are getting the larger-than-life treatment—Shug Jordan, Cliff Hare (we count Hare—as a life coach), and—don’t forget the field—Pat Dye.
From what we can tell so far, artistic tribute is also being paid Auburn’s undefeated seasons (at least the ones everyone know about)—the 1957 national champions get the shot of the helmets-off jubilation in the season-opening winner over Tennessee in the Knoxville mud, “1993” gets a shot of James Bostic’s fourth quarter touchdown dash that sealed the glorious deal on that year’s Iron Bowl.
We’re assuming Courtney Taylor’s touch’n’kneeldown gets the nod for “2004,” but can’t imagine who might have landed “2010”—our intrepid photographer, Brian Brown, didn’t see them.
But he did manage to spot—still on the ground, a half-unpacked, underneath a “better not” crane—a “Cam Newton”…
… because, by God, a statue is simply not enough.
UPDATE: We have Cam…
UPDATE THE SECOND: A better shot (again by Mr. Brown) of the Blessed Individual… and you know him, you love him… Bo Jackson:
UPDATE FOREVER: We now have video. Because we know you really wanted—nay, needed—video. But it does provide for a little context, and certainly some almost-gameday collegiate atmosphere. Yes, the lilting lullaby you hear in the background is coming from the AUMB flautists, who were last night on the student center greenspace priming their piccolos with the theme from Rocky for the national championship celebrating medley we told you about yesterday.
Oh, and the cinder block pit is the last of the Heisman statue pedestals.
UPDATE FOREVER, PART II: Fear not, Sully fans—Pat has arrived [via @mesmith2013]:
Also told that artwork on either side of the Jumbotron is possibly in the process of being replaced.
UPDATE FOREVER INFINITY [via @LaurnSmith]: Looks like Outland Trophy winners have to share the same sign:
NO MORE UPDATES… JUST GO HERE FOR AN ENTIRELY NEW POST WITH ALL THE REST. GOODNIGHT, SWEET POST.
Photos by Brian Brown, h/t Mike S. First Newton photo by @KathrynCrosby.
…
Keep Reading:
* Auburn Engineering Students flew a Mechanical Eagle around the practice facility Wednesday morning
* Erotic Auburn Beer Stein
* Shug Jordan dug the heck out of houndstooth
* War Eagle Moment from space scheduled for October 25
* “War Eagle” carved into face of the Spinx
* Fans equate Iron Bowl losses with the end of the world—now confirmed by science!
* Auburn is the question, Cam the answer on Jeopardy!
* Derek Jeter’s guardian angel spotted—and he’s an Auburn fan
* Vintage Ernest P. Worrell Auburn / Mello Yello commercial
* Auburn fan shot dead in Alabama fan rap video
2010 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPj68CApLlY
I was never a fan of the murals. I thought the original ones looked somewhat cheesy. But these I like very much.
Jordan Hare Dye – sounds like a hair product…
no love for Sully?
I would imagine that more of them are getting changed out tomorrow or soon, and that Sullivan will get one as well. We will see. The tint of the new black & white murals is noticeably different from the “older” murals to the right, which makes me think they might change them all out..?
Does AU realize that Hare never actually coached the football team?
I guess they thought “Coaches” had a better ring than “People the Stadium & Field Are Named For” but perhaps you could lobby for them to change it. haha
PLEASE
Don’t leave out the Dynamic Duo, Sullivan and Beasley. They were a wonderful part of Auburn history! They were the absolute best!!
I have thought the current murals were a little faded looking. Glad they are getting new ones, but hope they are updating the ones already there.
Can hardly wait for 9/3. I am ready for some Auburn football!
The “life coach” rationalization is humorous. On a serious note, I wish they would fix that. We could just have the pictures of those three. Any Auburn person with sufficient training (indoctrination) would recognize them. To me, it cheapens Professor/Dean Hare’s place in Auburn history to call him a coach. He wasn’t a coach. He was player as a student. But he made his lifetime mark on Auburn as a faculty member (including as a member of the collegiate athletics cmte. in its early iteration). Whether intended or not, slapping him on the stadium as a “coach” again gives rise to the idea — not entirely unfounded — that the institution places too great an emphasis on athletics. Let’s celebrate the fact that our stadium bears the name of a longtime professor and dean. After all, Auburn is a university first, is it not?
Anyone see if they had a picture of me up there anywhere? Like maybe in the background in one of the crowd shots? I’m 6’3” and have brown hair. Let me know.