Where does the rivalry end?

The Iron Bowl.

Auburn and Alabama.

Three years. Three championships. Two tragedies (and a dying tree).

So where does the rivalry end and human nature take over?

In the south, football is a way of life, and nothing comes before it.

However, there is one thing that is more important than football, and that is life itself.

When human lives are lost, rivalries can and should be put aside.

April 27, 2011. The Tuscaloosa tornado.

June 10, 2012. The Auburn shooting.

Yes, these events are drastically different.

One was an uncontrollable event, and the other was a senseless act of violence.

The shooting happened recently and no conviction has been made, but Desmonte Leonard did turn himself in and is charged with three counts of capital murder.

The tragedy in Tuscaloosa cost countless people their lives, but shook the entire state.

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik and several Auburn football players traveled to help clear debris in the aftermath of the storm.

The shooting cost three people their lives, and Leonard, if convicted, won't have much of a life left either.

There is no comparing the two situations. Both had an impact on the football programs at their respective universities though.

I threw in the Toomer's Oaks situation, but it's totally different. Though it was almost another instance where the rivalry ceased, for some fans at least.

There were Alabama fans who were deeply saddened that an act like this happened against such an iconic emblem in Auburn history.

But that's nothing compared to losing lives.

Yes, the Toomer's trees are a part of the Auburn heritage that cannot be replaced, but human lives are worth far more than trees covered in toilet paper.

The rivalry is still as strong as ever.

People have pulled together during times of tragedy, but come fall all that will change.

It'll be right back to War Eagle and RTR.