Question For The Coach Bryant Era Fans (About Moving Jobs)

selmaborntidefan

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I only caught the very tail end of the Coach Bryant era, although even that was pretty glorious. But having read just one too many articles about the annual CNS rumors, I have a question for those who remember most or even all of it:

Were there ever rumors about Coach Bryant leaving for somewhere else - and was it a common thing?

From numerous biographies, I DO know that CPB seriously considered moving to the Miami Dolphins to become their inaugural head coach back in the mid-1960s; even Bryant admitted that. But was there ever a period of time where there were annual rumors ("this year he's going to the Steelers, Bears, or Michigan State" or whatever)?

I realize it's not a precise parallel. Bryant played here, Saban did not. Bryant was not on tape making a bold declaration about his intentions, Saban is. But even in the day it's not like Bryant spent very long at his jobs. He was at Maryland for one year, Kentucky for eight, and then aTm for four. So it would make sense that around 1965 or so - right after winning three national titles in five years - he would be a much sought after coach.

But did that ever happen? Anyone?
 

Crimson1967

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Well, he had reasons for job hopping other than for money or to move up the ladder. He had some dispute with the president of the University of Maryland concerning control of the team and quit. He was at Kentucky for eight years and left because he didn't like playing second fiddle to Rupp. I think he interviewed for the Bama job when they hired Whitworth. Anyway, he left Kentucky due to basketball and went to Texas A&M and then left there when "Mamma called".
 

Im_on_dsp

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I only caught the very tail end of the Coach Bryant era, although even that was pretty glorious. But having read just one too many articles about the annual CNS rumors, I have a question for those who remember most or even all of it:

Were there ever rumors about Coach Bryant leaving for somewhere else - and was it a common thing?

From numerous biographies, I DO know that CPB seriously considered moving to the Miami Dolphins to become their inaugural head coach back in the mid-1960s; even Bryant admitted that. But was there ever a period of time where there were annual rumors ("this year he's going to the Steelers, Bears, or Michigan State" or whatever)?

I realize it's not a precise parallel. Bryant played here, Saban did not. Bryant was not on tape making a bold declaration about his intentions, Saban is. But even in the day it's not like Bryant spent very long at his jobs. He was at Maryland for one year, Kentucky for eight, and then aTm for four. So it would make sense that around 1965 or so - right after winning three national titles in five years - he would be a much sought after coach.

But did that ever happen? Anyone?
It was the Tampa Bay Bucs, not the Dolphins and it was because Hugh Culverhouse, the original owner of the Bucs was a personal friend. Also, at the time, Bama was in a lull, having had several lackluster years in a row (anyone else remember the Scott Hunter years?). Other than that I don't remember any other rumors.
 

westide

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When Bear was older there were rumors every year during the height of recruiting that he was going to retire.
 

banjeaux

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Were there ever rumors about Coach Bryant leaving for somewhere else - and was it a common thing?

From numerous biographies, I DO know that CPB seriously considered moving to the Miami Dolphins to become their inaugural head coach back in the mid-1960s; even Bryant admitted that.
Coach Bryant was at home in Tuscaloosa. IMO, Mary Harmon had the deciding vote. "Mama called" may have been Mrs. Bryant saying, "Take me back to Alabama."
 

selmaborntidefan

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It was the Tampa Bay Bucs, not the Dolphins and it was because Hugh Culverhouse, the original owner of the Bucs was a personal friend. Also, at the time, Bama was in a lull, having had several lackluster years in a row (anyone else remember the Scott Hunter years?). Other than that I don't remember any other rumors.
I respectfully disagree - although I'm guessing it's possible he was in line for both.

Tampa's franchise didn't exist until the mid-1970s, and I don't think we can say the Tide had several lackluster years in a row in the 1970s. We did around the time of Hunter, dropping off 1967-70.


I don't claim to know, but I could swear he was in the running for the Dolphins job the first two times it was open (but I wasn't here, so....).
 

uaintn

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Yes, there were various rumors about him going to the pros, late 60s and early 70s. There were also rumored runs for governor, that would have obviously ended his coaching career. From sometime in the early 70s there was the annual rumor about how Coach Bryant would retire before the incoming class ever finished. I do not recall ever hearing anything about possible moves to other college programs, though.
 

Crimson1967

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Coach Bryant was at home in Tuscaloosa. IMO, Mary Harmon had the deciding vote. "Mama called" may have been Mrs. Bryant saying, "Take me back to Alabama."
Hopefully Mama is telling Saban to stay here for a long time.
 

TrueGritnPluck

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It was the Dolphins, and Coach Bryant did not have to address these issues yearly - it was a different time and different media
 

TIDE-HSV

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It was the Dolphins, and Coach Bryant did not have to address these issues yearly - it was a different time and different media
I agree with this. There were a couple of times, but it wasn't an every-year, ESPN grasping for a story line, type of thing that it is with Saban. Bryant could have received offers every year - and probably did - but we just didn't know about it...
 

1958againbear

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It was the Dolphins, and Coach Bryant did not have to address these issues yearly - it was a different time and different media
Yes the Dolphins. He was offered but when he refused Don Shula got the job. There may have been something later with Tampa Bay. He was good friends with Culverhouse and recommended that he go get John McKay at USC, another good friend. Bear was quite the celebrity by the late 60s, hobnobbing with Wellington Mara of the NY Giants and others (he probably had a chance at that job at some point). This period coincided with our late 60s downturn and there was some real disgruntlement that he was spending too much time being a celebrity and not enough time with Alabama football. Once he made his mind up to stay at Bama and turn down Joe Robbie and the Dolphins, then he rededicated himself to Bama football, decided we couldn't win with a wide open drop back passing game at that time, went to see Darrell Royal at Texas during the summer, and secretly installed the wishbone during fall camp. Our first game we upset preseason #1 USC in LA (one of Bear's great upsets and the year after Sam the Bam Cunningham). Bama was back and the rest is history, unfortunately including the OB loss to Nebraska. But we did whip the undefeated boogs and Sullivan-Beasley along the way 31-7 (hmmm...seems like that would be a good score over ND in the BCS).


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GP for Bama

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Yesterday in the Tuscaloosa News in their "50 years ago today" column they said that Coach Bryant shot down the rumors that he was leaving Alabama.
That would have been 1962....so, the more things change the more they remain the same.
 

CullmanTide

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Coach Bryant had to deal with other coaches telling recruits and their parents he was going to retire throughout the 70's. They used age against him and that will happen with Coach Saban more often the longer he stays.
 

1958againbear

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Coach Bryant had to deal with other coaches telling recruits and their parents he was going to retire throughout the 70's. They used age against him and that will happen with Coach Saban more often the longer he stays.
I'm sure that Dye never used this tactic against us when he took over for the boogs during Bear's last two years. Yeah, right.

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CrimsonPaul

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The story going around about Coach Bryant and Miami, as he was also the AD the only way he would take the Miami job was that he could talk Royal or McKay into taking the Alabama job. He couldn't so he didn't go.
 

1958againbear

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The story going around about Coach Bryant and Miami, as he was also the AD the only way he would take the Miami job was that he could talk Royal or McKay into taking the Alabama job. He couldn't so he didn't go.
Yes I do remember this being part of it. He wouldn't leave without someone of his stature taking over; hence Royal or McKay who happened also to be his good friends.

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Crimson1967

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Never heard that part. Would have been interesting to see how that worked out.

Sad to say, I doubt Bryant would have done any better than McKay in Tampa. His health was declining in the late 1970s and losing may have made his drinking even worse.
 

selmaborntidefan

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I came across this today called "The Bear: The Life and Times of Paul 'Bear' Bryant."

http://books.google.com/books?id=LT...=onepage&q=bear bryant miami dolphins&f=false

It tells (starting on page 161, check if you have a free preview) that Bryant was talking in a bar in New Orleans days before the 1980 Sugar Bowl and going over what happened. Bryant says the Atlanta Falcons wanted him in 1966, and he told them he wasn't staying in any town with Furman Bisher. He then went on to observe that he packed a lunch every time he went to Atlanta just to keep from spending money in their local economy. He also says he was offered a chance to "buy into" the Jets, but the Jets told him to invest his money in the Miami Dolphins.

Bryant then says that in 1969 he had a serious offer from Joe Robbie - so serious the contract was already drawn up and CPB conferred with Joe Namath for information on each of the Dolphins players. Bryant then says the school President (Mathews) was all behind him going, but wanted him to find a better replacement for himself - which meant he had to stay at Alabama. It's sort of a joke but also serious, and Bryant then goes on to say that the Dolphins did all right with Shula at the helm.


(Some of you might be interested in his follow-up comments that he foresees the 1980 team as being talented but undisicplined).
 

4Q Basket Case

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I grew up in Tuscaloosa, lived there for a lot of the glory years --1959 to 1985, with a couple of hiatuses -- and am told on good authority that he actually accepted the Dolphins job, then backed out for reasons cited above.

I remember lots of rumors about a lot of stuff, mainly having to do with political office. But little or nothing about leaving for another college or pro job.

A few possible reasons for that are:
1. No Internet, and only three major television outlets. For all practical purposes, talk radio didn't exist. Hard to conceive now, but there just wasn't as much information out there.

2. Because there weren't as many outlets, there weren't as many braying voices trying to attract a part of an audience with an increasingly short attention span. So incendiary stories with shaky bases just didn't happen nearly so much (Furman Bisher / SEP exception noted).

3. Again, hard to imagine now, but journalists of that day really truly didn't write everything they knew. They respected a professional relationship, and didn't betray confidences. I'm sure Bryant had offers that never made it into the public sphere.

4. The money wasn't as great, even allowing for inflation. So there wasn't as much incentive to leave. Your financial position just wouldn't be all that stinkin' much better.

5. It was more about the wins and losses, and the chance to win championships. And where do you have a better hence to win championships than Tuscaloosa?

In short, it was just a different day and time, with different ways and ethics around the dissemination of sensitive information.
 
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