Auburn Fans Target Bama Recruit's Family

The recruiting wars in the state of Alabama have always been been heated, but since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, it has turned up to bodacious levels, especially for Auburn fans.

Saban has 'stolen' several players from Auburn over years, including running back TJ Yeldon, offensive lineman Cyrus Kouandjio, and now the latest in Rashaan Evans. .

As we reported last week, Evans was supposed to be a guaranteed get for Auburn because he goes to high school in Auburn and both his parents are Auburn grads. But when he chose rival Alabama, all hell literally has broken loose.

Reports are that some Auburn fans are targeting Evans and his family since he had the 'nerve' to choose the Crimson Tide. According to an Auburn message board, they plan to attack the Evans family business.

Here is just a snippet of what's being said:

Looks like the Corner Market (full address disclosed) is owned by R&C Enterprises LLC. The property was sold at the 2012 Lee County tax sale for back taxes. On June 30, 2013, the property was redeemed by R&C. R&C has not paid its 2013 taxes of (full amount disclosed). Also, looks like they owe various 2013 personal property taxes for their home (full amount disclosed) and for other property located in Lee County (all outside the City of Auburn). Tax info for Alan & Chenavis Evans and R&C Enterprises LLC all online.

“This is the Evans household (primary residence) (full address of where this family lives disclosed), which is not in the Auburn City Limits, it’s in Lochapoka. All the Evans children attend Auburn City Schools illegally by trying to own property in the city limits but yet not reside there. Bottom line is they don’t live in Auburn. They don’t pay taxes in Auburn and appropriately don’t pay taxes on anything. And if you want to dig a little further go look up the amount of liens on this property at the courthouse. Wow!

“Looks like they are in serious debt and Rashaan did what was best for his family.”

Wow!

Yes, people, these things do happen in the state of Alabama. Your team doesn't win the Iron Bowl, the other team's trees get poisoned. Your team doesn't get the top player in the state, fans of the other school plot to destroy you.

As for Evans, he has has been "shocked" by all the negativity.

“It’s just crazy right now. What’s getting crazy is people are going to the board at my school trying to get me in trouble,” Evans told Andrew Bone of Tidesports. “They are telling my teachers I am a bad kid and all this stuff. It’s just bad right now.

“Social media has definitely been the worst. People on Instagram are telling me how they hope I tear my ACL in game one. They will laugh when I do. They are saying my family is horrible and how they didn’t raise me right. It’s just crazy.”

All this because the kid picked a school that best suited his talents.

The harassment has gotten so bad, that now Evans' father Alan has spoken out on AL.com about the way he and his family are being treated.

"It's kind of disturbing to know that it's such a thin line between love and hate," Alan said. "A couple weeks ago before he made his decision, Auburn was handing him the keys to the kingdom when they thought he was a lock. Now they want to crucify Rashaan and his family because he wanted to do what he thought was best for him and his future."

Evans said he was aware of what the Auburn message boards have said about him and his son and was hurt. Evans played at Auburn back in the 1980's which is why many thought it was guaranteed his son would follow in his footsteps.

"I understand that people in this state take football very seriously and that's part of what makes it exciting, but when you start trying to hurt other people because of this game, you need to take a step back and think about what's going on," said Evans.

"I guess the thing I would ask most of the people writing these hurtful things is how would you feel if this were your child? Why do you feel the need to heap all this negativity onto a young man who is just beginning his life? I think if people asked themselves those questions, they might think twice before writing some of these things they've written. You can do a lot of harm with the words you put out there and I hope people think about that."

The one silver lining that the Evans have found is the support of the University of Alabama and their fans.

"I'm so glad that where thousands of Auburn fans have thrown my family away and ridiculed and scandalized our name, called us everything but a child of God, thousands of Alabama fans have embraced us and welcomed us to the Capstone," he said.

"They have called us and let us know personally that they stand behind Rashaan and his family and awaiting his arrival to the University of Alabama."

What's funny is this is not going to make the kid change his mind and pick Auburn now. He's signed the papers, and it's too late. If anything, it's just going to motivate him more to beat the hell out of them when Alabama faces Auburn this year in Tuscaloosa.

As if Alabama needs more motivation for this year's game.