Saying goodbye to BEMC
Hey everyone. The final men's game in the history of Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum will be held this evening. The women? They might make the Women's NIT ... crazy as it may seem.Still, it's been a memorable 42-year run for a coliseum that cost roughly $6 million in 1967.
If that's not enough for you, here's a (remarkably unattractive) timeline that hits many of the concrete monster's high points. She surely wasn't pretty. She did get the job done for a long time on a relatively meager investment.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
7:25 AM
121 Comments:
Good article, Jay.
THKYOU
delayed BEMC substance!
farewell!
I will not miss The Beav. At all.
i'm sure JG. she ain't pretty. as a Health Promotion major nearly half my classes were there. plus the 2 years i was a trainer i spent a lot of time there.
it's hard to imagine that just 10 years ago students had to get there 1-2 hours early to get a good seat. and yes, i was one of those students. the 'Cliff Dwellers' were a fun bunch of folks. well, during my time anyways.
Jay G,
You planning on attending the baseball doubleheader in the cold?
I saw games in the barn and I saw games in the Beav. It seems like another small piece of Auburn history has come to an end. I don't know when I will see a game in the new facility but I hope to be able to as soon as possible. I am so sorry that the names of Joel Eaves and Jeff Beard will not be attached with the new coliseum. They were two great men who did wonderful things for Auburn sports. Farewell to a great old lady.
Is it true if Auburn wins against both Miss. State and Alabama this week, Auburn's men will win the SEC West in basketball?
i never got to go inside the barn. my 1st game/weekend as an Auburn student was the weekend she burnt to the ground. 1996 vs LSU.
It really was hot in there when I graduated.
Good luck and a hardy War Eagle to the baseball and basketball teams today.
No. Not true.
MSU is 9-5. Auburn is 5-9. Can't catch 'em.
Regarding previous comment, hot inside Beard-Eaves, not the Barn.
I remember going to a couple of lectures in the Barn, but I never saw a game there.
BEMC had no redeeming qualities.
Goodbye.
It was definitely hot inside the barn when AU played LSU in '96.
Thanks. I hadn't had time to look up records and I figured one of you knew the answer.
I won't lie, I'll miss the place.
i've always unaffectionately referred to BEMC as "the dump". that was fitting considering the bball team laid a log there frequently for all to see. it's pretty bad when chris porter is your highlight of the last 20 years. they should have taken some of the old seating and moved it to the visitors' section of the new arena. that would give any opposing fans back problems after a few trips and they would quit coming and give AU a better home court advantage. they should raffle off the chance to be the one who drops the match or swings the wrecking ball to bring it down for good. i'm sure hoping the bball will be up to the level of the new arena in a few years.
the finale at the dump is brought to you by u-haul. u-haul, supporting your ex-coach since your fired him. and now the latest member of the u-haul family, jeff lebo!!
ehyou, did you know that the creators of phineas & ferb are from mobile, al? they supposedly based the show off of their life experiences and people they knew growing up here. if you are one of the creators, then you already knew this useless info.
I wonder if student ticket sales will still be manual and only cost 2 dollars with those with ID?
I love Phineas & Ferb (probably more than my 3 y/o F4*). I didn't know that trivia but did see that Dan Povenmire directed an episode of Family Guy I saw recently.
Why are the handicapped parking spaces at Walgreens always further away from the entrance than the non-handicapped spaces? How is that legal?
maybe we are the ones who are truly handicapped.
Didn't know that Chip, but that's very cool.
I'm disenchanted with most TV, but this one I love. I watch it even when the kids aren't around.
I finally saw an episode of the Office I hadn't ever seen. It's one of the ones in season 3 when Jim is working at the Stamford branch. Anyway, the part that made me laugh out loud for about 2 whole minutes was when Jim faxes Dwight on his letterhead from "Future Dwight" about the coffee being poisoned.
I wish moments like that happened in a real office.
When we traveled to San Diego last summer, I realized that the rest of the world doesn't have a pharmacy on every corner. I found that odd.
Yes, I know I'm describing southern California as if it's another country. So what?
Apparently they're just healthier folks.
Late to the party on the the previous discussion on Troop'c comments. HAven't finished reading.
In case it wasn't answered later re: "catch the tunnel."
Tunnel is the tunnel screen, curling underneath with a built-in rub off of another blocker. Catch the ball, then try not to get your head taken off by a safety or OLB.
Wake - don't do this
King of Pop,
HC parking can be influenced by the location of the HC ramp.
I'm always very careful when I clean my loaded firearms.
My boys' favorite show is Phineus & Ferb. When I watched it for the first time with them, I laughed my @$$ off
ehyou/commish - is it wrong to think Vanessa Doofenshmirtz is kinda hot? If it is, well...
...then I don't wanna be right.
Norm, it's not wrong for us to admire her attributes. But she's one of the (many) reasons why I question whether 7 yr old boys should be watching that show. Go ahead, call me a prude. I can handle it.
Prude. Do you wistfully pine for the days when all women were drawn like Olive Oyl?
She's not bad, she's just drawn that way.
I like old Looney Toons cartoons. Replace the poop jokes and sex stuff with nonstop violence. That's my philosophy!
I wish all cartoon women were drawn like Jessica Rabbit. That's some good old school cartoonage.
My all-time fav non-stop violence was the kind doled out but the bird onto the ignorant canine.
(That's roadrunner and coyote)
Now look, would I turn on this gas if my friend Rocky was in there?
Great articles, Jay. I enjoyed them, plus I learned something. It took until the 1980s for Auburn to discover wood. Pretty incredible.
Actually, had gym class in the barn....am I that old?
Also I loved the wooden seats in the Beav...guess I'm the only one.
Jay, I lived in Calif for 4 years...it is another country!
Duck Season!
Rabbit Season!
Duck Season!
Rabbit Season!
Rabbit Season!
Duck Season!
Rabbit Season!
Now I said it's duck season! Shoot!
(BANG!)
You're despicable.
Shoot him now, shoot him now.
No, wait 'til you get home.
I'm still trying to figure out where Pismo Beach is.
You have to turn left at Albuquerque to get to Pismo Beach.
Senate E-bingo legislation faces key procedure bill in the next 15 minutes.
To move forward with the bill, a three-fifths majority of those who present and voting must vote yes.
To pass, it must have 21 affirmative votes.
Jet, we're talking cartoons. Which one is this you're referring to?
Hard for me to believe BEMC is that old. I watched all my basketball in the Barn, had PE classes there. Didn't get around to seeing a game at BEMC until the early 80's. All things must come to and end and so fairwell to the old lady.
The Alabama Senate, Norm. My favorite was when the presiding officer peed in a jug. Hilarity ensued.
Yes, I'm sure you remember that episode well.
wait, what?
The procedure vote does not gain the necessary three-fifths vote.
ignorant canine!
Jet,
I still haven't gotten over that "hilarious" event. I saw the said presiding officer at a restaurant recently, and that's what came to mind. He will forever be tied to that decision.
So how'd that vote go, Jet?
Seanzie, it's my firm belief that Christina Hendricks has been given to us as Jessica Rabbit, incarnate.
You might, rabbit, you might.
I realize that response is an hour late, but I'm just now catching up on the posts.
ScoCho - any response is appreciated.
Jay with the construction 80%-90% completed what are you impressions of the new arena? How will it rank among other college venues?
weagle251 ... Christina Hendricks. Wow.
The procedural vote to allow the issue to come to the floor got 19 of 34 votes ... it needed 60 percent. Didn't get there.
jet...
What does that mean? I can't keep up with what's currently legal and what's not.
I am sure that the folks from down here in Dothan are foaming at the mouth over this crap.
I prefer drug stores on every corner over nail salons on every corner a la Baton Rouge.
I think that means the Filibuster continues, ehyou.
Indeed, Jet. Indeed.
Nikki Cox of Unhappily Ever After used to be an equally talented young lady.
before
after
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I will have to look up said Jessica Rabbit incarnate.
I saw Bill Murray on Letterman a couple nights ago. Shaffer played the lounge Star Wars to introduce him. That got me wondering and sure enough,
there he is.
Is bingo currently legal in AL or not?
Ehyou ... it means status quo ... the locations with the machines that have voluntarily closed down to avoid the raids will stay closed.
Legislatively, until the budgets are passed every bill must have a procedural vote that requires the 60 percent vote. It serves as a great way to weed out controversial stuff that bogs down the process. It also makes it easier to kill bills. I won't make a value judgment on either.
They didn't get to 60 percent, the bill couldn't be debated.
Back when I used to go to Boy Scout camp in the late 70's and early 80's, if you left something down in the swimming area, you had to sing in front of the whole dining hall to get back whatever it was you had lost. This one nerdy kid used to lose stuff on purpose so he could sing in front of everybody. About the 3rd or 4th time he did this, our entire troop mobilized, carried him out of the dining hall, and threw him in the lake. His selection that day? The Bill Murray version of "Star Wars".
I don't remember all of his other song choices, but I'm pretty sure he sang "Jolene" by Dolly Parton the day before that, so he definitely had the lake toss coming.
Scott Choc, I don't remember the lake tossing of the nerd, but I wish I did.
Count Chocula ...
Just go ahead and say it was J-Z. It has to be. The scouting, the fixation with show tunes.
Jet beat me to it. Stupid con-calls.
IV, I'm pretty sure that was '79 or '80. We got in a bit of trouble for that one, but not as much as we did the time in later years when we messed up the waterproofing on about 10 or 15 tents right before we got hit with 2 solid days of pouring rain. I think about half the troop (including my brother) ended up sleeping in the quartermaster's shack. You might remember that one better.
I see where the former mayor of Bham won over 500 jackpots totaling over 1.2 million in a 3 year period. Says he doesn't recall winning that much but also says he lost it all back. He stated he gambled big and lost big. He actually put that stuff on his tax return.
On several occasions he won like 5-10 jackpots in one day.
Unfortunately, J-Z was not the performer. I actually wasn't in the same troop as J-Z, but we were sometimes at camp at the same time. He was usually responsible for any explosions or out-of-control fires at camp. He is also possibly responsible for the demise of his whole troop. I know it folded while he was part of it.
ehyou: what happened to Nikki Cox's lips?? Did she mix it up with an air compressor???
Larry Langford is a piece of s**t.
Count Chocula ...
There's a pattern here. My fraternity had a charter when I left active membership. J-Z was a younger member. Today, the charter is no longer in force.
Please, Jay G, take care before he kills HABOTN.
I like how his wiki page starts: "Larry Langford is the disgraced former mayor..."
Sensi, agreed! I can't stand that guy.
Where is this Barn of which you speak? I never even heard of it. They must have torn it down before my time.
I graduated in there and that's really the best memory I have of BEMC.
So, when they tear down BEMC, what is going to be done with the empty space it leaves behind?
Parking, a deck I believe.
busy day
There were some fun games in the 80's with Barkley, Person, etc.
BEASLEY!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
I've been shamed yet again.
Luv, the Barn burned down in '96 during the LSU game.
THT- Sorry, Couldn't resist playing your role today. Been lurking all day.
I am staying with my Auburn student bro-in-law this weekend to escape a 'Princess Party' at my house. I, of course, am obligated to show the young folks how it's done.
I envision Animal House meets Old School with a little Revenge of the Nerds thrown in.
I loved the Barn. It was also Pete Maravich's favorite away game, or so I read somewhere once upon a time.
Eddie - keep on lurking. I'm back to work.
My first trip to Beard-Eaves Coliseum was on Dec. 8, 1973 when Auburn played Virginia Tech. My father took took me over, and we met my older brother who was a senior at the time.
Va. Tech had won the NIT the previous year (when it was still a big thing to win the NIT), and its coach was ex-UT coach Don DeVoe. His top assistant was Sonny Smith.
Auburn's starting five (as I recall) was: Pepto Bolden, Gary Redding, Bob Bond, Mike Christian and Eddie Johnson. Pepto led the SEC in rebounding and Eddie in scoring -- both as freshmen.
We came from behind to win, 76-74. That was a long season, but the next year we went 18-8, 12-6 in the league and undefeated at home. That was a fun year.
It reminds me of listening to games with my dad downstairs in my bedroom. We'd listen on a clock radio we had to turn the right way to catch the AM signal. I'd shoot Nerf baskets through whole game. We'd listen to Gary Sanders call the action from places like Alligator Alley, the Stokely Athletic Center, and Memorial Coliseum in Lexington.
I'm driving up after work and I'm gonna watch a game in the old dump one more time with my son.
I and a friend will be going to BEMC for the festivities. My best memories are the 1999 season, seeing Shaq play, and I believe the guys name was Ronnie Battle?, dunk all over Robert Horry. I think it snowed that night also, got "stranded" due to an inch or so of snow.
Jet, your post got me all fired up. enjoy the dump....one more time.
I have fond memories of heckling opposing coaches at BEMC. When I was a freshman, there were some good targets:
UA - Wimp Sanderson
UK - Joe B. Hall
UF - Norm Sloan
UT - Don DeVoe
VU - C.M. Newton
UGA - Hugh Durham
LSU - Dale Brown
and a couple of forgettable ones:
OM - Lee Hunt
MS - Bob Boyd
Of course, we had Sonny Smith, which was a lot of fun.
STEP.
STEP.
STEP.
STEP.
STEP.
STEP.
SIT DOWN.....YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!
ahhhh, what it is to be a carefree college student!
looks like all of the fun stuff occurred before I got to school.
My two best memories are graduation and "The Dunk" by Chris Porter.
Best memories of the Beav:
1) Graduation
2) Porter's dunk
3) Dale Brown having to move the team out to the paint during time-outs during a game featuring Shaq and Chris Jackson (pre Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf name change). The noise from the AU student section caused the benches to be moved to the opposite side of the stadium the following year.
And yes... stadium = coliseum in the last comment (yes, I miss football).
I forgot about the Reggie Sharpe shot to beat the walmartians. That was a great game too.
Yeah, that was pretty awesome.
Beating Ark. when they had Corey Beck and singing "Loser" by Beck late in the game.
I'll bet the "soy un perdedor" part or whatever it was sounded like a jumbled mess.
Norm, I will do my best not to be the idiot who shoots himself. I never quite understand how this happens.
Anytime I see "while cleaning his weapon" I wonder if there isn't more there then we are being told.
Dropping in to say hello to all the Hotties. I'm not sorry to see the end of the BEMC. Great article JGT.
I think we just repeated "I'm a loser baby, so why don'tcha kill me." It didn't last long. Those were the only words I knew anyway.
Off to the loveliest village!
War Eagle!
A big WAR EAGLE to everyone who is making it to the game tonight. I hope you have a great time and send BEMC off with a win!
Luv,
I remember going to gymnastics meets in the barn. It was the Student Act building when I was there.
I don't have very many memories at BEMC. I only went to five games there - two men's games and three women's games. The best game was last year when the Lady Tigers played the Lady Vols.
But, everytime I was there, I would think about all the history in that building. But, like Digger said, all things must come to an end.
Who designed BEMC anyway?
Call me crazy!
I remember every one of the concerts on that list during my era because I went to them.... even saw ole Ted Kennedy....he was awful.
But somewhere between Sept of 1970 and May of 1974 I went to a concert at the Auburn Memorial Coliseum and saw The Fifth Dimension.
The reason I remember it so distinctly was because it was the first time I had ever been to a concert in the round. The Age of Aquarius was their big number with planets and stars going all over the place. Anybody remember? Maybe they opened for somebody!!!!
I also went to a concert and saw Billy Preston. That was the most entertaining concert I went to in my four years at AU. That man could play the organ and he was into us. Had it rocking!!!!! It was actually a free concert for students on a Thursday I think.
Why are they not on the list?????
Why can I remember 35-40 years ago and I can not remember yesterday?????
I'll bet there are more they missed. I'm gonna be forced to pull out the old scrapbooks!!!
What was I smoking....am I crazy or what??????
I hope in 40 years we aren't prayer for the end of the new arena. Hopefully this time around Auburn will make the necessary upgrades along the way to keep it up to date.
I hope in 40 years we aren't prayer for the end of the new arena. Hopefully this time around Auburn will make the necessary upgrades along the way to keep it up to date.
My first trip to BEMC was in 1992. We drove over from Tuscaloosa to watch my old high school win the state basketball championship.
I look forward to the new arena.
FSJ you are an odd man. If they opened a new basketball arena in T-town, I would hope that it was a casualty in the impending sink hole incident.
Haven't seen much of you around. BBQ season?
My bad!!
Since I am old as dirt I missed the word "partial" in the lists of concerts, etc.
By the way Jay G. it was a great article, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Took me down memory lane a bit. It is pretty sad that not one outstanding basketball event happened during my stay at AU but I did go to the NCAA Wrestling Championship in 1971, mainly because I was dating one of the Auburn wrestlers at the time. Real wrestling is ausome. Even the tiny guys are super strong.
Digger you will appreciate this!!!! The football team was housed at Sewell Hall. The wrestlers were housed at none other than Mag Hall and it was a royal dump even in the 70's.
Come on ehyou.....not true on the "no redeeming qualities" comment. A lot of us walked that stage to get our diplomas from Auburn. That redeemed me of four years of blood, sweat, and tears. Oh... and I had just a tad of fun along the way.
I still occasionally have a nightmare that I missed a final and they chased me down to take back that diploma, Serioiusly!
Francis Aihe!
Live chat is UPZ.
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