"There's nuts on both sides," he says. "I guess I'm one of 'em."

May 30, 2011 9:17 AM

The life and times of Harvey Updyke: [espn.com] Harvey Updyke talks about life, death and the trees at Toomer's Corner. "Harvey Updyke walks into the famous catfish place down in the swamp, takes off his crimson houndstooth baseball cap and asks, right off the bat, if I know where he could get some cheap tickets to next year's Alabama-Ole Miss game. Provided, he makes sure to point out later, he's not in prison."
posted by Fizz (13 comments total)

"I mean, I know it's not healthy. I've been knowing that a long time. I have a daughter 33 years old named Crimson Tyde."

Wow.... just.... wow.
posted by The Giant Squid at 9:45 AM on May 30, 2011

Those trees were there when the Statue of Liberty was erected. How did he imagine he'd get off with a $600 fine?
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:56 AM on May 30, 2011

Those trees were there when the Statue of Liberty was erected. How did he imagine he'd get off with a $600 fine?

Probably the same crazy nonsense that went through Grant Hadwin's head .
posted by Fizz at 10:05 AM on May 30, 2011

Single link post is a Duplicate somewhat.
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:10 AM on May 30, 2011

Single link post is a Duplicate somewhat.

The story is there but the point of view and focus of this interview is different.
posted by Fizz at 10:11 AM on May 30, 2011

Single link post is a Duplicate somewhat.

You could have just said Previously and been done with it.
posted by dw at 11:01 AM on May 30, 2011

I grew up in Auburn but don't give a damn about football. It made me incredibly sad to hear about the trees for reasons I can't quite describe. Wayne Flint, as much an expert on Alabama state history as anyone, grossly stereotypes 75% of the state when he talks about "pickup-truck alumni", but I think he's dead-on.

Like I said, I usually couldn't care less, until something that I grew up around and took for granted as a permanent fixture for most of my life comes crashing down (literally) because a rivalry over a GAME.

Sociopath.
posted by supercres at 11:07 AM on May 30, 2011

Wayne Flint, as much an expert on Alabama state history as anyone, grossly stereotypes 75% of the state when he talks about "pickup-truck alumni", but I think he's dead-on.

Oh how I know and understand that.

Last winter, I bought a pickup truck with a giant LSU sticker across the back glass.


My wife and I have 3 degrees from LSU between us, and I've never even been to a home game.

The guy selling it to me? Never set foot in a classroom.
posted by The Giant Squid at 11:16 AM on May 30, 2011 [2 favorites]

The guy selling it to me? Never set foot in a classroom.

It's about tribalism, not higher education. Folks to be part of a tribe, so as they can say they's better than the other guys in other tribes. As the centrifugal forces of modernity scatter folks outward and apart, threatening to leave them atomized and alone, they cling tighter to whatever center, whatever community they can find.

This shithead never had no Daddy, no center, so he did the equivalent of self-medicating and made on up, and as his life paled further into insignificance, his career as an authority over, his ties to any real community broken when he moved to Alabama to be closer to his soi disant tribe, he tried for a Hail Mary pass, to do what he thought would make him a hero to his team, his tribe.

And ironically, he ends rightly ostracized by his fellow fans, repudiated by his cop buddies, even more alone and washed up, with only his paranoid fantasies left.

And the poor piece of crap even looks like Ratko Mladić. That same heavy face of the enforcer, that same "martyred" expression, the same Daddy issues.
posted by orthogonality at 12:09 PM on May 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's about tribalism, not higher education.

For the first time, I feel like I can finally link to granfalloon.
posted by The Giant Squid at 12:38 PM on May 30, 2011

This guy is a retired Texas state trooper. That means he should be familiar with how the legal system works . I don't understand why in the world he's talking to reporters before his trial begins.
posted by rdr at 5:12 PM on May 30, 2011

And the poor piece of crap even looks like Ratko Mladić.

I didn't know Godwin had a Serbian cousin.

This guy is a retired Texas state trooper. That means he should be familiar with how the legal system works . I don't understand why in the world he's talking to reporters before his trial begins.

You seem to equate "state trooper" with "smart." This is a guy who went on a statewide radio network to gloat about what he did. It's clear to me that while his head may not want him to get convicted, his mouth sure does.
posted by dw at 6:27 PM on May 30, 2011

They've got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues
posted by not_on_display at 10:37 PM on May 30, 2011