A War in Dixie: Alabama V. Auburn

by Ivan Maisel, Kelly Whiteside

Each year, on a Saturday in November, emotions run high as the entire state of Alabama comes to a halt. Stores close. Bars open. Families, friends, and couples who on any other day of the year are civil to one another become enemies. Young men strap on their equipment to partake in the annual frenzy that they will not experience again in their lives, whether or not they go on to play professionally. And a victory gives them and their fans bragging rights for a year. Short of a national championship, to win the state's own Super Bowl -- ultimately dubbed the Iron Bowl -- may well be their greatest accomplishment. Above all, the very future of the football programs themselves hinge on which team wins.With remarkable access to both schools, A War in Dixie reveals the passions and the pressures that have made the Alabama Crimson Tide-Auburn Tigers rivalry the most feverish in the nation. Both head coaches -- Tom Tuberville and Mike DuBose, in his last game at Alabama's helm -- open their doors to meetings, practices, film study, team meals, and every other activity as they prepare for the Iron Bowl. From the coaches' first meeting at seven A.M. to lights out, hour by hour, day by day, we see what the athletes and staffs endure in order to win. Looming over the proceedings are the long shadows of Paul "Bear" Bryant, whose Crimson Tide dominated the Tigers during his reign by winning nineteen of twenty-five contests, and Ralph "Shug" Jordan, who went head to head against the Bear for almost his entire career. And then there are the Ken Stabler's 47-yard touchdown run through mud in a driving rainstorm for a 7-3 victory, Van Tiffin's 52-yard field goal as time expired, and David Langner's two blocked punt returns for touchdowns that led to Auburn's shocking upset in what became known as the "Punt, Bama, Punt" game. Featuring a foreword by Ken Stabler, a former Crimson Tide All-American, A War in Dixie is hard-hitting proof of a hit of local This isn't life or death, it's more it's Alabama-Auburn football!

Genres: Sports

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the 2000 Iron Bowl and a day by day recapping of the week before game. The rivalry is analyzed and the history shared fairly equally from both perspectives. It is unfortunate that this Iron Bowl was profiled as it was one of the weakest. An interesting read, yet the reader never feels fully invested in any of the characters.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was bearable because it was written in a year that Auburn won the Iron Bowl. If it was written in, say, 2012, I would have been quick to lay the book down. I remember the 2000 game, and I was only 10 years old. The fact that I remember Ben Leard, who was only a mediocre QB, is a testament to the importance of that game and every Iron Bowl.

When compared to the Alabama team in the same year, Auburn appeared very put together. It was not a good time for Alabama in Coach Mike DuBose's final year with the team. DuBose, at least, came off sounding like a good guy in how he handled his firing.

The book was only okay. War Eagle!

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of the game week and game day of the 2000 Auburn at Alabama game. This was not an ordinary Auburn/Alabama game because it was the first played at Alabama's campus in 100 years, and Alabama was 3-7 coming in with a lameduck coach. The behind-the-scenes journalism of coaching preparation was pretty unique here, so kudos to that. However, the pacing was quite slow, especially for a 240 page book.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

War Eagle! Auburn people are just better.

[Lisa]

A War in Dixie: Alabama V. Auburn by Ivan Maisel (2001)