1972… it was a time of miracles and vinyl and little vinyl miracles like the song Punt, Bama, Punt, a time when double entendres knew their place*, and that place was not on incredible tribute albums to legendary coaches like Shug (which we’ll explore more fully in the coming weeks / months, and which technically [...]

It changes so much—I’d rather beat Texas, I’d rather beat Notre Dame, cow college, little cow college, little cow college down the road—it’s natural to wonder if it’s just some urban legend Didn’t them Auburn students sacrifice a goat and streak through Toomer’s Corner when Bear Bryant died kinda thing, or like that apocryphal this [...]

Shug smoked like a chimney. So it’s only natural that Shug would order matches by the box. And it’s only natural that in a season like 1972, he’d order (exactly 40 years ago today) them personalized. But not just with a “War Eagle” or even a “War Damn Eagle”—with “War Damn Eagle Shug.” Yep, even [...]

Letters: AU Archives Related: Beano Cook’s letter to Shug. … Keep Reading: * Lee Corso’s letter to Shug * Shug writes to Spiro Agnew * Cam Newton starts his own clothing line * Cam Newton and LEGO Cam Newton on cover of Sports Illustrated Kids * Auburn hoodies featured prominently in Korean teen fashion line [...]

10-6 over Tennessee in Birmingham. It was huge, Amazin even. The Vols were No. 4 and three touchdown favorites and had All-American linebackers and the nation’s longest winning streak and a great dual-threat-ish black quarterback named Condredge Holloway, one of the first black quarterback Auburn’s defense faced, which may or may not have had something [...]

In 1972, Shug’s typewriter burned ribbon with “best wishes” and “deep appreciation” to Auburn fans for their “real nice” letters. Best wishes. Deep appreciation. Real nice letter. Best wishes. Deep appreciation. Real nice letter. But you don’t send a form letter to a newborn named Tiger Feld, by God—you send him a scholarship AND your [...]

The wire services were apparently hell-bent on making sure folks associated Shug Jordan with tobacco. Here’s another great shot of Shug the smoker from 1972. (You can go here and scroll down for another great shot. It’s huge. And he’s with that stuffed tiger.) Think the cigs affected his health? THINK AGAIN. Related: Secondhand Shug. [...]

In the summer of 1972, The Plainsman asked Auburn students about their sex lives and their drug habits and their church attendance and their thoughts on abortion and who they wanted to see they wanted to see on the presidential ballot and all other stuff.

Beano Cook, the longtime Beano Cook of College Football, died Wednesday. He was 81. In 2003, Beano declared Auburn-Alabama as college football’s most bitter rivalry: “It makes the Middle East look like a tea party.” Ten years earlier, when unseen, unheard, undefeated Auburn was struggling to enter the national championship conversation, Beano was one of [...]

For years I’ve had these photos of Shug and Bear waiting on someone to arrive at the Birmingham airport. A dude walks by. It looks like Agnew. Is it? The date: January 1972. The other day, confirmation: An April 1972 letter from Shug thanking the Veep for the cufflinks, and for the nice visit, all [...]