If you’re a fan of college football, you have no doubt heard of the “Bear” – the now-legendary Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, who spent a full twenty-five years patrolling the sidelines of every Alabama game. Some would say that coaching at Alabama would be one of the easiest tasks in the sport, given the program’s status as an elite power in the NCAAS. With a total of 13 NCAA titles, a host of conference titles, and more bowl appearances than you can shake a stick at, Alabama football has seemingly always been about winning. Paul Bryant was an important part of that history, as he was responsible for leading the teams that acquired six of those titles while also breaking the Alabama color barrier. Perhaps more than any other coach in Alabama history, the Bear left his own distinct impression on the program.

Almost immediate success

When the Bear was hired to coach the Alabama team, the program had just experienced what was for them a period of mediocrity. Four losing seasons in a row had made ‘Bama fans and alumni restless, and the Bear’s hiring – he left a position at Texas A&M – was thought to be a breath of fresh air. The losing halted immediately, as Bryant’s first season resulted in the team winning one more game than they lost. His style of leadership seemed to have the players on the team immediately thinking “victory” and the new attitude played out in winning style whenever they took the field. Three seasons later, the true fruits of the Bryant scheme began to appear on the Alabama tree as the team won the national championship, announcing to the world that Alabama football was back with a vengeance! That was the beginning of one of the most dominant periods in team history, as the Crimson Tide would go on to win a total of 60 games during a six year span in the early 1960s, losing only five times in that same period. That run of victories netted a total of six bowl games, four SEC championships, and three national crowns.

The Crimson Tide Seventies

Every year in the 1970s but two belonged to the Crimson Tide. The SEC was, without a doubt, theirs to do with as they will, and they dominated it in style. That dominance resulted in yet another three national titles, completing Bryant’s six-pack of crowns. For students of ‘Bama history, however, the 1970s are also known for one of Bryant’s bravest decisions. Before a game between Alabama and USC in 1971, the Coach decided to permit John Mitchell to start the game for the Crimson Tide. This was the first instance of any black football player starting in an Alabama Crimson Tide uniform – and it was the event that effectively broke Alabama’s color barrier.

After the team’s 1982 victory in the Liberty Bowl, Bryant called it a career. His retirement came after 323 victories – a record for coaches at the time. Sadly, the Bear’s time on Earth ended shortly thereafter, as he passed away within a month after walking away from the game. His legacy, however, remains alive to this day, as coaches both far and wide draw inspiration from his legendary career.

Author Bio: Freddie Brister is a big fan of the NFL. Check out his Alabama Crimson Tide Watch or his New York Yankees Bedding or his Chicago Cubs Bedding

Category: Sports
Keywords: Alabama Crimson Tide