Thirty years ago, I worked for a company whose #1 guy had played o-line for Paul Brown at Massillon (Ohio) HS before WWII. He said that 35+ years later, when he lived in Cincinnati, he’d stop by the Bengals offices to pick up his season tickets and (the real reason) visit with his old coach. He still called him “Coach Brown” and referred to him as “the only man who can call me by my [somewhat effeminate] middle name and get away with it.”

Some few men simply earn that kind of respect.

Johnny said you can tell a fake ‘Bama player as they refer to Bryant as Bear.

Those guys have a tremendous amount of respect for him and that respect was earned.

You’re right, cometkazie, I’ve never heard his former players call him anything except Coach Bryant. Only fans call him Bear. But if you want to hear something funny–I refer to him as “Bear” in posts and when telling stories. But in my head, he’s always “Coach Bryant.” Same with Chuck Noll. I may refer to him as Noll when writing, but in my head, he is always “Coach Noll,” whereas I think more casually about Cowher and Tomlin.

My kids don’t call my professor “teacher” or “professor”. Unless you are very closely connected to Paul Bryant, you wouldn’t call him coach. I’m sure his children call him Dad, too.

A good friend of mine in Baton Rouge played at ‘Bama finishing I think in 1970. He tells me that no one who played for Coach Bryant would refer to him as anything but “Coach Bryant,” not The Bear, Bear Bryant, Coach Bear, etc.

It seems to me this respect doesn’t filter down to the fans. I am curious why this hasn’t happened, or has it and I am unaware of it.

I’m sure my fellow SEC fans know where I am coming from with this and know I root for The Tide when they aren’t playing LSU.

BTW, the three most famous persons I have spoken to are Coach Bryant, Robert Frost, and Glenn Gould.

These people are OBSESSED with Alabama and this Crimson Tide fan loves it. Why you may ask? These jealous trolls come along with having a program as successful as Bama’s. So while they are annoying, the fact that they are always here is actually a good thing because it means Bama’s on top. So next time you read one of their envy driven obsessive rants, keep in mind that it’s just another day in the life of being the champs.

Lift your large, stretch marked, pasty, flabby belly off of your knees, move away from your 1989 McIntosh, and drink a nice, tall, warm glass of shut the heck up!

I am so jealous!! Keith Butler!!! You know Johnny Mitchell has been with the Steelers forever, too.

My first NFL rooting allegiance is always the Steelers and it’s not in our best interest for the 49ers to win But it soooo helps that Ozzie Newsome is the Ravens’ GM and they have Mt. Cody and Courtney Upshaw! Plus, I respect them as our toughest rivals. It’s like Bama and LSU have been the last few years.

I have no idea who Deb is. She and I have disagreed on these boards, as we have differing views, at times. With that said, every time I see anything about Alabama or Deb, your loud obnoxious mouth is not far behind. I would suggest that you get a life, and stop trying to live vicariously through others. And for goodness sake…..keep it above board, and at least attempt to be classy.

To this post, can you imagine a young guy coming into a program such as AwBarn….where their HC is unproven and has no ties to the NFL? The HC’s wife is arguably certifiable! The program has been in disarray, and is under ANOTHER NCAA investigation. What is there to gain in Opelika for this young man? Alabama has huge upside, and develops good players into great ones……great ones into stars!

Roll Tide!

Thanks for making my case that you’re a guy. In addition to the many other sexist comments you’ve made, one thing a woman would never say is that another woman is going on a “PMS attack.” That is soooo guy LOL

Have no idea why you are pretending to be a woman, Tootsie. But then … I have no idea why you are doing any of this weird stuff.

How cool to have been there when Bear was coaching! We’ll never know what team katty-dude supports–if he even supports a team. I come to the football blogs to back my team and comment on the sport in general. I never rant bitterness at other teams–even our rivals. So people whose sole purpose is to spew hate at other fans and their teams don’t compute for me. That’s why fans of my team’s rivals told him to get lost when he was raving at me on PFT. You don’t have to act like a jackass just to support your football team. But I guess when you are a jackass, it’s impossible to act any other way

Now this diehard Steelers fan is about to go cheer for the Ravens just like I cheer for SEC teams.

ranting and raving about how educated she is. How well versed she is. Blah Blah Blah
Heard it soooooooooooooooooo many times.

First, hate to burst your bubble, but Southerners and Rednecks are not synonymous. While I’m very proud of the fact that my dad came from the cotton fields, I was born and raised in Central Florida without a red neck in sight.

Second, apparently you aren’t well-versed in geography because Missouri is the plains–flatlands. So it’s unlikely anyone would say I attended college in “hillbilly country.”

Third, although I’ve been blessed to have a good education, a scholar is someone who at minimum has a Phd. I am not close to being a scholar. Then again, I’m not underappreciated, either. I’ve been very successful.

But thanks for your feedback. Writers always appreciate generating interest–even from critics.

Are you going to scream “Oh yea, well my dad can beat up your dad”?

So sad.

I’ve read some interesting posts on CFT…but Deb is the biggest loser…she or IT has the under-appreciated scholar syndrome…must be the combination of being raised as a redneck and then supposedly attending college..albeit in hillbilly country…she or IT is a joke…