All Auburn All Orange

War Eagle to the Great Auburn Nation! My name is John Needham and these are my commentaries! In 2006, I wrote a sports commentary for the week of the LSU Game. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had in writing it!

"Wear your Orange," exclaimed Coach Tuberville to the Auburn Nation at the end of the weekly television show, the Auburn Football Review in September 2000. Tuberville had just beaten the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford for the very first time since becoming Auburn's head football coach and now the real test awaited, LSU. The Auburn Family responded as a sea of orange greeted the Tiger Nation as Auburn entered the nationally televised game against LSU with an eight-game home SEC losing streak on its back. Auburn had not won a conference game since its victory over Alabama in the 1997 Iron Bowl. By the time the night was over, that streak would be erased and the Auburn Family would have a new sense of identity in movement that would soon be called "All Auburn, All Orange."

As we all know, Auburn has three primary school colors: blue, orange and white but never before that September night in 2000 had one of the three colors been emphasized at Auburn or as heavily marketed. "Tommy likes the fans to present a united show of support and orange is a distinguishing color. He did something similar at Ole Miss," said Jeremy Roberts of Auburn's Media Relations Department. In fact, Jeremy says if you view photos of the stadium during game days before year 2000 you will see a noticeable difference to the ones afterward. Today, the phase "All Auburn, All Orange" is the Athletic Department's way to designate a high priority sport event, home game or national televised game and for the fans to come properly dressed in orange to show their support of Auburn athletics.

As a child growing up in Huntsville, AL, my memories recall more emphasis on blue than orange. I don't recall any effort on Auburn's administration to promote blue as a show of support, except in spirit cheers "Lets Go Big Blue, Lets Go." For the most part The ONLY thing I knew was that the good guys wore burnt orange and navy ...excuse me ...I forgot ...orange and blue and the bad guys wore crimson and white. The Burnt orange and blue thing versus orange and blue will be a subject for another commentary.

At this time there are currently two theories about how Auburn's school colors came about. According to Dr. Dale Coleman, Associate Professor of Animal Sciences at Auburn, Miss Marie Allen Glenn, or "Miss Allie", as she was called, of Auburn, AL is responsible choosing Auburn's school colors. Miss Allie was Auburn's third Treasurer and Glenn Avenue in Auburn is named after her family. Marie Glenn Hall in the Quad Dorms is named for her. Dr. Coleman credits Miss Allie for convincing Dean Petrie to use the colors of his Alma Mater, the University of Virginia, as Auburn's school colors for the first football game against Georgia in 1892. This information comes from an Auburn graduate's testimony in the alumni magazine from the late 1940's.

The second theory is from Karl Steagall, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Montgomery and it is ONLY a theory. David Housel discusses this theory in his commentary in the 2000 LSU Auburn game program. Pastor Karl suggests the origins of Auburn's school colors came from a man named O.R. Blue. As we also know (or might not) Auburn University came about as a result of a church fight (and it was a nasty one according to conference records) among the Methodists in Alabama where to place the new church college. Pasture O.R. Blue brokered the deal that allowed the establishment of what we know today as Auburn University. The other Methodists or "The Greensboro" faction got their school also. It was known as Southern University, which eventually moved to Birmingham and became Birmingham Southern. The original campus in Greensboro had an old building that looked like an English castle. It was built in the 1850's. The President's Mansion is still standing along with a couple of Fraternity Houses which are all private residences. Unfortunately, a tornado destroyed the castle in 1973. It has since been remodeled and used as a private school known as Southern Academy. All of the old brick were used to construct a new facility that is still in operation. To honor O.R., Auburn new leaders decided to pick O.R. Blue's name - ORange and Blue -to come up with the Auburn's colors.

Which theory do I believe? Based on the evidence, Dr. Coleman's theory seems to make the most sense but regardless of all the theories there is one fact. On Saturday, I'll be "Wearing my Orange", to BEAT LSU.

There is no smoking gun but there is plenty of circumstantial evidence that point to the origins of Auburn University's school colors. The "Orange and Blue" has a very long and storied history but it is a history that is not unique to Auburn University. Thanks to Dr. Dale Coleman at Auburn University, this reporter found out the history of Auburn's "Orange and Blue" has brotherly ties to the University of Virginia and "grandfatherly roots" or should I say "Oars" to the Grosvenor Rowing Club in Chester, England.

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It broadcasted on Tiger Talk, the Auburn radio newtork and in the newspapers. Auburn fans were asked to "Make the Orange, Blue" versus Tennessee by wearing Auburn blue to Jordan-Hare Stadium when the Tigers faced Tennessee in a nationally televised contest on CBS. Initiated by the Auburn student body, the idea is a one-week breakaway from the "All Auburn, All Orange" program. "This is an opportunity for the Auburn family to reaffirm our unity and support," said Lauren Hayes, Auburn University Student Government Association president. "We've accomplished that through the 'All Auburn, All Orange' program and we're reemphasizing that this weekend with a change of color. We look forward to a sea of blue at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday."

Was the campaign affective? On talk radio, many fans didn't think so. The game was broadcasted on before a national television audience on CBS and you really couldn't tell the difference.

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