Why would anyone kill century-old live oak trees over a football game? It's inexplicable, but somebody apparently has done just that.
The oak trees are a landmark on the Auburn campus, where students go to heave toilet paper rolls over the branches to celebrate sports victories.
Late last month, someone called a nationally syndicated radio talk show host in Birmingham to boast he had dosed the trees with a powerful herbicide. "Al from Dadeville" signed off, saying "Roll Damn Tide," an apparent reference to the University of Alabama "Crimson Tide."
Auburn narrowly defeated Alabama in the 2010 Iron Bowl, the traditional rivalry game between the two schools.
News media in Alabama are reporting an arrest in the case. Here's more.
And here's a live web cam trained on the doomed trees.
Now, back to the weather.
(AP PHOTO: Dave Martin, December 2010)