AU-UA Rivalry is Serious Business

If I did not live in Alabama this story would surprise me, but it doesn’t,

Former Auburn cheerleader Christopher Bailey said “War Eagle” one time too many.

Bailey, who became a University of Alabama cheerleader after transfering this year, gave the Auburn cheer on national television Saturday night while wearing the uniform of the Crimson Tide — and promptly got booted off the UA cheerleading squad.

Bailey, 23, was cut after Tide athletic officials received e-mail complaints concerning the interview Bailey did on ESPN during the televised Iron Bowl. A cheerleader for Auburn for three years, Bailey said he still has strong feelings for Auburn and during the interview with ESPN’s Adrian Karsten he complied with her request to say “War Eagle” and “Roll Tide.”

The decision was made at a meeting Monday between UA athletic director Mal Moore, cheerleading coordinator Debbie Greenwell and Bailey.

As a first-year member of the cheerleading unit, Bailey would not have been eligible to travel to Hawaii for Saturday’s Alabama football game against the Rainbow Warriors. But now he will not be allowed to cheer for Tide athletics during the spring semester either.

This may sound like a silly story, but this situation has really cost this guy a great deal. He will lose a partial scholarship and the opportunity to pursue his ambition to compete in national cheerleading competitions.

At the same time, someone who was the head cheerleader at Auburn should know his audience much better than this. The reaction was immediate and vocal and the action that followed was just as immediate.

UPDATE: Steven files this story under Alabama Politics as well.

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