It’s getting harder to “remember Dunkirk” after David Housel’s speech at the final rolling of the Toomer’s Oaks, which is fast becoming his most memorable, at least if our search term analytics are any indication (they usually are). A day hasn’t passed since that it’s-OK-to-call-it-epic day that someone hasn’t come to TWER searching for a transcript for the thing.
As CEO of GAUKER Media, I say give the readers what they want.
Ladies and gentlemen, David Housel:
You have heard it said that nothing will be the same here at Auburn after these trees come down. Well I say to you there’s more to Auburn than two oak trees, revered and sturdy as they are. These oaks trees are but an outward , invisible symbol of what’s in the Auburn heart.
You’ve also hear it said that today is a day of mourning. But I say to you that this is a day of celebration and remembrance, a time to celebrate all the good times we’ve shared here in the years past. Great victories, even graduations, engagements—the whole of the Auburn experience, and remembrance of the people we have shared those times with.
And now, and perhaps most importantly, you have heard the naysayers, the prophets of doom, gloom, destruction, and despair, as they have written Auburn off, as they have written you off. But I say to them as I say to you—they don’t know Auburn. They don’t know Auburn soul, down deep where we live, where have have our being… orange and blue and fearless and true. And they don’t know the resiliency of Auburn and Auburn people. As William Faulkner said of mankind, I say of Auburn. I decline to accept the end of Auburn. Auburn will not merely endure, Auburn will prevail.
A writer named John Dryden a long time ago said, “I am wounded, but I am still here. Let me lie down by the side of the road and I will rise again and fight you again.” And that’s what Auburn will do. We will rise again. We will fight again. We will win again. And we will prevail again. And time and time and time again, we will gather right here on this hallowed ground at Toomer’s Corner, and celebrate the experiences of our life and the experiences of Auburn. Owning much to the past, our greater debt is ever to the future. The future is ours, ladies and gentlemen. The future is Auburn’s. Let’s go get it. Let’s go take it, let’s prevail and bring it here to Toomer’s Corner.
If you want to hear (most of) it while watching the oaks being rolled in slow-mo, go here.
More on the the Toomer’s Oaks: That tree in the old picture of Toomer’s Corner is not one of the Toomer’s Oaks / Toomer’s Corner rollings didn’t start with Punt, Bama, Punt, says History / Did Auburn students celebrate Bear Bryant’s death by rolling Toomer’s Corner?
…
Keep Reading:
* Auburn grad pays tribute to Toomer’s Oaks with giant back tattoo
* Auburn’s 70s Super Fan
* Selena Roberts, Auburn student journalist
* Apple CEO Tim Cook huge Auburn fan even in high school
* Shug Jordan’s houndstooth hat is prized possession of former Auburn coed who caught it after ’69 Iron Bowl, claims it predates Bear’s
* That time David Housel punked the SEC with fake recruits
Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Want to advertise?
Leave a Reply