Alabama Crimson Tide football is tradition rich with a number of great coaches over the years, and has churned out out some of the most elite athletes that college football has ever seen, but not one compared to the most legendary coach of all time, Paul Bear Bryant .
The Legendary Figure in Alabama Football, Paul "Bear" Bryant
The first person that you most likely think of when you hear something about Alabama football, it is likely you think of Bear Bryant. At one point, Bear Bryant was the winningest coach in college football ever. This legendary coach served the Crimson for 25 years. In this period of time, Brian was phenomenal with six national championships and 13 SEC conference championships.
As as college head coach, Bear Bryant had several college head coaching jobs such as the University of Maryland, University of Kentucky, and Texas A&M University before he ultimately had the opportunity to return to his alma mater, Alabama. So moved was Bear, that he famously was quoted as saying, "Mama called. And when Mama calls, you just have to come runnin'."
It was a change of atmosphere when Bryant came back to Tuscaloosa. In 1958, Bear became head coach of Bama, and started leading it to its former Rose Bowl-style glory but attained even higher heights. Establishing renowned players like Pat Trammell, Joe Namath,Big John Hannah, Snake Stabler, Lee Roy Jordan, Billy Neighbors, Johnny Musso, Bob Baumhower, and many others.
Overall, Bear Bryant was a dazzling motivator and knew how to get his football players to do what he needed them to accomplish. Florida A&M coach, Jake Gaither said of Bear Bryant, "He can take his'n and beat you'n, and he can take your'n and beat his'n." The motivation wasn't just on the field, the inspiration passed into the world as well by the quality he instilled in his players like big John Croyle, who started the faith-based Christian Big Oak Ranch for troubled boys and girls in Springville, Alabama.
The last year that he coached Alabama, 1982, was a down year for Alabama and Bear couldn't see himself coaching Alabama into mediocrity. He constantly said that if he stop coaching that he "wouldn't last a week." In actuality, he didn't last a great deal longer than that, only 37 days. On January 26, 1983, Bryant died of a heart attack at age 69 and many mourned his death. Public officials estimated that between a half-million to a million people were lined all along the 53 mile stretch from Tuscaloosa to the burial ground in Birmingham that was blocks from Legion Field.
Bear's Legacy
Bear's legacy lives in the players that are now growing older and the fans that evoke his championship spirit. Not only that... He helped break segregation in the South's football universe, and in doing so, turned the state around from racism to magnificence. Not only that, he changed the world to a better place. Roll Tide! - 16890
The Legendary Figure in Alabama Football, Paul "Bear" Bryant
The first person that you most likely think of when you hear something about Alabama football, it is likely you think of Bear Bryant. At one point, Bear Bryant was the winningest coach in college football ever. This legendary coach served the Crimson for 25 years. In this period of time, Brian was phenomenal with six national championships and 13 SEC conference championships.
As as college head coach, Bear Bryant had several college head coaching jobs such as the University of Maryland, University of Kentucky, and Texas A&M University before he ultimately had the opportunity to return to his alma mater, Alabama. So moved was Bear, that he famously was quoted as saying, "Mama called. And when Mama calls, you just have to come runnin'."
It was a change of atmosphere when Bryant came back to Tuscaloosa. In 1958, Bear became head coach of Bama, and started leading it to its former Rose Bowl-style glory but attained even higher heights. Establishing renowned players like Pat Trammell, Joe Namath,Big John Hannah, Snake Stabler, Lee Roy Jordan, Billy Neighbors, Johnny Musso, Bob Baumhower, and many others.
Overall, Bear Bryant was a dazzling motivator and knew how to get his football players to do what he needed them to accomplish. Florida A&M coach, Jake Gaither said of Bear Bryant, "He can take his'n and beat you'n, and he can take your'n and beat his'n." The motivation wasn't just on the field, the inspiration passed into the world as well by the quality he instilled in his players like big John Croyle, who started the faith-based Christian Big Oak Ranch for troubled boys and girls in Springville, Alabama.
The last year that he coached Alabama, 1982, was a down year for Alabama and Bear couldn't see himself coaching Alabama into mediocrity. He constantly said that if he stop coaching that he "wouldn't last a week." In actuality, he didn't last a great deal longer than that, only 37 days. On January 26, 1983, Bryant died of a heart attack at age 69 and many mourned his death. Public officials estimated that between a half-million to a million people were lined all along the 53 mile stretch from Tuscaloosa to the burial ground in Birmingham that was blocks from Legion Field.
Bear's Legacy
Bear's legacy lives in the players that are now growing older and the fans that evoke his championship spirit. Not only that... He helped break segregation in the South's football universe, and in doing so, turned the state around from racism to magnificence. Not only that, he changed the world to a better place. Roll Tide! - 16890
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