Remembering Fran or How I miss hating him.

Al A Bama

Hall of Fame
Jun 24, 2011
6,658
934
132
This is the only image I need to reflect my feelings towards fRan - with cacophonous laughter in the background:

I thoroughly enjoyed watching that game. However, I'm still irritated at Oklahoma for nor scoring at least 100 points!

Can't you just hear that nasal twang in your nightmares?
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,194
462
crimsonaudio.net
I'm thankful he left when he did - he should never have been hired. Had he been more successful and had he stuck around, there's virtually zero chance we would have enjoyed the last eight seasons like awe have.

IOW, let it go. At least he completely flamed out at A&M and not here.
 

danb

All-SEC
Dec 4, 2011
1,088
6
0
Hazel Green, AL
I'm thankful he left when he did - he should never have been hired. Had he been more successful and had he stuck around, there's virtually zero chance we would have enjoyed the last eight seasons like awe have.

IOW, let it go. At least he completely flamed out at A&M and not here.
I agree 100%. At the time I was infuriated that he left in the middle of the night without even talking to his players. In hindsight, it couldn't have been a better blessing!

I LOL now thinking back to all the aTm fans dogging us about how "we stole Coach Bryant from them, so they are returning the favor"......(even though C Bryant made it known he was returning to his alma mater, because "mama called", and fran snuck out like a weasel in the night)...I ask them now, "How'd that work out for you?"

It is truly amazing at the chain of events that happened that seemed like almost disaster, that led us back to the Glory Years we are enjoying now!
 

MN-Tide

1st Team
Jan 2, 2007
465
0
35
Minneapolis, MN
I still remember the conversations I had with my wife. She's not big into college sports, but tries to follow along. Back when Fran was at A&M, she would get A&M and Texas confused, and ask, "Which one is the one we hate?" "And why do we hate them again?" The 77-0 game is when I finally let it go. After that I just didn't care about him any longer.
 

Relayer

Hall of Fame
Mar 25, 2001
7,096
1,294
287
I never think of Fran until someone posts about him. Then, just like that, he's instantly forgotten, again.
 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,737
9,919
187
The 77-0 meme is the best.

I was living in Knoxville during the Fran era, so getting in depth info prior to the internet message board explosion a bit difficult. So I didn't follow the situation as closely as others and never had the hate others did. Whatever anger I had about his departure has long since faded.

He did have a good record and did not get us on probation or sleep with his secretary. And had he not left when he did, we don't have who we have now.

Like Fran did the rope, we should just let it go.

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TideMan09

Hall of Fame
Jan 17, 2009
12,189
1,167
187
Anniston, Alabama
fRan had a good thing going at Bama despite what the sanctions brought to Bama Football..His style of offense was perfect to ride out the sanctions with as long as the QB stated healthy or we had decent backups behind him..But..Nooooo he tucked tail & ran to Aggieville..In the end it worked out a helluva lot better for Bama than it did for Coach fRan..So thanks for being the spineless human you turned out to be..
 

BamaInMo1

All-American
Oct 27, 2006
2,012
481
102
53
Cumming, GA
The Sooners fans doing an Alabama cheer in the last parts of that game was utterly priceless. When that happened he looked like he could have curled up under a rock and died.
I really didn't have a problem with him leaving. It was his leaving without addressing the team. I don't hate him but I'll dang sure never have an ounce of respect for him.
 

Redwood Forrest

Hall of Fame
Sep 19, 2003
11,042
907
237
76
Boaz, AL USA
Fran was a decent, well no, wrong word. Fran was a good HC. Not great, just good. If I ranked him on my opinion and not his record he would be a terrible HC. All time record: 213-135-2 .611 at seven schools, Texas St twice.
 

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,232
6,265
187
Inverness, AL
Fran was a decent, well no, wrong word. Fran was a good HC. Not great, just good. If I ranked him on my opinion and not his record he would be a terrible HC. All time record: 213-135-2 .611 at seven schools, Texas St twice.
I believe many of those wins came at Pittsburgh State.

Edit: I just looked it up. He was 53-6 at Pitt St. Take that out and his record is 156-129, not bad but not sure good either.
 
Last edited:

owenfieldreams

Big-12 All American
Sep 8, 2002
1,710
23
47
galveston tx. usa
delpapabud.com
When the OU student section started chanting "Roll Tide Roll" pretty much coincided with that sideline shot and score graphics. It would have been 100- 0 but Stoops had the refs run the clock w/o stopping a we ran between the tackles every down.
 

Vinny

Hall of Fame
Sep 27, 2001
8,243
213
187
55
Rockaway, NJ
Taken at 666 Fifth Ave December 2001 in NYC. I'm on the left and my friend Ben now 92 on the right.



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Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,737
9,919
187
I believe many of those wins came at Pittsburgh State.

Edit: I just looked it up. He was 53-6 at Pitt St. Take that out and his record is 156-129, not bad but not sure good either.
Better than Perkins, Curry or Stallings.


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