Major Ogilvie
Paul Ott Carruth
Bobby Humphrey
Jon Hand
Cornelius Bennett
Derrick Thomas
Jay Barker
Shawn Alexander
Mark Ingram
Paul Ott Carruth
Bobby Humphrey
Jon Hand
Cornelius Bennett
Derrick Thomas
Jay Barker
Shawn Alexander
Mark Ingram
I came from Mobile up to B'ham when I was 17 to watch the Vandy game, Musso had graduated the year before, and the first thing I did when I got my game program was see who was wearing #22. Some guy named Billingsley. I thought 'man I hope he's as good as Johnny was'.I totally and wholeheartedly agree with you about Johnny Musso. I was lucky enough to be of driving age so a couple of my buddies and I would drive from Decatur to Bham on Saturdays and buy tickets from scalpers , I saw Johnny play 3 times live. I have never seen a Bama player since give it 150% like he did. It may have been seeing the tear away jersey flapping in the wind when he broke a long one or his dives into the endzone. It seems that Bryant coached teams played above the competition most of the time.
I always look to see whos wearing #22 because to me it will always belong to Johnny Musso.
Krauss had an interception return for a TD in that game. Then on kick coverage he went down and literally destroyed the UCLA kick returner. It was absolutely ferocious. I always felt that game set the tone for what would be accomplished later with those 77, 78, and 79 teams.My first memories of Bama football by listening on the radio and watching on TV, was at the end of the 1976 season and the Liberty Bowl against UCLA. I was full bore Crimson Tide fan from that point on. Some of may favorites in that time frame were Major Ogilvie, Tony Nathan, Jeff Rutledge, Barry Krauss, Rich Wingo, Don McNeal, Steadman Shealy, Marty Lyons, Ozzie Newsome, & Johnny Davis. I loved those late 70's teams.
I was at that game. Holy cow, was it cold! Good thing we had a lot to jump up and cheer about to keep the blood flowing.My first memories of Bama football by listening on the radio and watching on TV, was at the end of the 1976 season and the Liberty Bowl against UCLA. I was full bore Crimson Tide fan from that point on. Some of may favorites in that time frame were Major Ogilvie, Tony Nathan, Jeff Rutledge, Barry Krauss, Rich Wingo, Don McNeal, Steadman Shealy, Marty Lyons, Ozzie Newsome, & Johnny Davis. I loved those late 70's teams.
Well described. I remember watching a hand full of big games on Sunday morning being reviewed by Jim McKay (I think) and the ND review with Lindsay Nelson and Leonoards Losers on the radio. This is when you only got to see one game a week and before ESPN highlights. Good times.When I was a kid in the 60's, all we had was radio. But every Saturday morning that Bama was playing, I swear, there was a magic in the air.
You could just feel it.
John Forney would come on with the pregame show and Coach Bryant would do his pregame interview.
This would be about ten or 11 a.m.
It seemed like the sun was always shining, the breeze was always blowing, and you just knew something good was about to happen.
I think that's what made Coach Bryant so great. No matter how tough things were in Bama at the time, you could always count on Bama football making everything allright.
There's nothing like it and there never will be, in my lifetime.
Roll Tide Roll.
sip
Speaking of Johnny Davis. I just ran into him in Fort Lauderdale a couple of weeks ago. He saw my hat, said Roll Tide and the rest was history (at least an hour's worth). He has SO many stories. Hope to see my friend Johnny again in Tuscaloosa. Roll Tide!A lot of guys already mentioned are favorites of mine also. One I haven't saw mentioned is Wayne Wheeler. When I was a kid throwing the football around on a Sunday afternoon, there was always a argument over who would be Wayne Wheeler. Enjoyed watching Siran Stacey also. He came through our area about a year ago and spoke to kids at our local high school. One last one from Seventies, big Johnny Davis. I don't know if he was ever tackled for loss in college.
Sip, don`t think anybody could sum up those days any better. There truly was magic in the air that the "youngsters" on the board will never know. The smell of burning fall leaves and John Forney on the air.... man oh man!When I was a kid in the 60's, all we had was radio. But every Saturday morning that Bama was playing, I swear, there was a magic in the air.
You could just feel it.
John Forney would come on with the pregame show and Coach Bryant would do his pregame interview.
This would be about ten or 11 a.m.
It seemed like the sun was always shining, the breeze was always blowing, and you just knew something good was about to happen.
I think that's what made Coach Bryant so great. No matter how tough things were in Bama at the time, you could always count on Bama football making everything allright.
There's nothing like it and there never will be, in my lifetime.
Roll Tide Roll.
sip
Thanks so much for the compliment Tideflyer. It's not a "poke" against the "youngsters here, but you're right. If you didn't live in that era, you just can't imagine.Sip, don`t think anybody could sum up those days any better. There truly was magic in the air that the "youngsters" on the board will never know. The smell of burning fall leaves and John Forney on the air.... man oh man!
Oh you need to mention Doug Layton the color commentator. Yes I think the youngsters will have their own ESPN moments as we had radio and the Bear Bryant Show on Sundays at 4pm. God I miss those miss spent days of youth. Not really... It doesnt get any better than those old memories , and the present new memories.Sip, don`t think anybody could sum up those days any better. There truly was magic in the air that the "youngsters" on the board will never know. The smell of burning fall leaves and John Forney on the air.... man oh man!
I definitely like this post Steve!My absolute earliest recollection of my earliest favorite Bama Player's is a tie between Mike Shula & Vann Tiffin, cause both of them, were both involved in a couple of the greatest wins in the history of Bama Football..I hate it that it didn't work for Shula as our HC, but, that takes nothing away from Mike Shula the player & what he accomplished at Bama as our QB..Shula was "Stone Cold" when the chips were down, and i looked like we has no chance of winning, Shula stayed calm & was a "Field General", leading Bama to victory, by snatching a sure loss, with a couple of those historical come from behind wins..
Mike Shula & Vann Tiffin both gets my vote & I barely barely remember watching them..That's my earliest recollection of Bama Football..Here's a link talking about them both..CLICK ME
Nobody could paint such a verbal picture as John Forney...He and Doug Layton will always be the masters, growing up listening to them was something that I still relish...Eli & Phil are absolutely top notch and I'm glad that we have them, but my memories of Forney & Layton are absolutely magical.Sip, don`t think anybody could sum up those days any better. There truly was magic in the air that the "youngsters" on the board will never know. The smell of burning fall leaves and John Forney on the air.... man oh man!