That was on a billboard coming into town my Freshman year!!!
"Only a Giant Coach could fill the Bear's shoes"
"Only a Giant Coach could fill the Bear's shoes"
My memory of all that is fuzzy. I was not living in Alabama at the time & that was before the internet, but IIRC UA had a president (Joab Thomas) that was flexing some muscle by bringing in Sloan & Curry. At least that is the slant some of my old T-town contacts had on the situation.If true, who supposedly decided that Alabama should get away from being a 'football school', this the hiring of Curry?
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That's what Pat Dye has said for years...trust but verify...Didn't Pat Dye say that Bryant wanted him to take the Bama job when he retired? If I recall Dye once said that Bryant told him not to take the Auburn job because he wanted him to replace him at Bama. Could have just been Pat Dye drunk talk....
That was on a billboard coming into town my Freshman year!!!
Bowden came and thought it was just basically to be offered the job. He walked into a room full of folks - Joab had assembled about 12 people, including a current student, former QB Walter Lewis, and others to be a "progressive and diverse" panel. Bowden was interviewed by the group, getting all sorts of questions, even the infamous "Would you have problems playing a black quarterback?" from Lewis. Bowden exited the room in bad humor and disappointment, went back to Tallahassee and withdrew his name.I'll throw this little tidbit in about Bowden, while his name is up at the moment. I've heard that at one point, Coach Bowden had his name in for the job after CPB retired, but was told by the committee that he had to do the job interview process like every other applicant. His feeling was that his record should by-pass any need for a standard interview process. As a result, he got his feelings hurt and removed his name. (Frankly I hope this was not true and just some story put out there.)
Earle has essentially said exactly what you're saying - and taken Bowden's side (If I'm not mistaken).Bowden came and thought it was just basically to be offered the job. He walked into a room full of folks - Joab had assembled about 12 people, including a current student, former QB Walter Lewis, and others to be a "progressive and diverse" panel. Bowden was interviewed by the group, getting all sorts of questions, even the infamous "Would you have problems playing a black quarterback?" from Lewis. Bowden exited the room in bad humor and disappointment, went back to Tallahassee and withdrew his name.
And we ended up with a schmuck, farse, phony in Curry
And amazingly 3-0 vs Penn State, but he was not amn Alabama quality CoachThe whole Perkins/Curry/Bowden thing is water under the bridge now. I wasn't a fan of Curry, but he didn't get us on probation or sleep with his secretary. He was also 3-0 against Tennessee.
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You're correct, Red Drew was the head coach at Bama at that time.If I remember the story Coach Bowden told a my church, he was encouraged to transfer because Bryant thought he couldn't play at Alabama.
I may be wrong, but Coach Bryant was not at Alabama when Bowden was a freshman and then transferred to Howard.
And 0-3 against auburn.The whole Perkins/Curry/Bowden thing is water under the bridge now. I wasn't a fan of Curry, but he didn't get us on probation or sleep with his secretary. He was also 3-0 against Tennessee.
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True dat.And 0-3 against auburn.
Pretty much accurate from both sides of this -- a couple Bowden sons are friends so I got his side straight from them. He said that with his record he did not interview...thought the job was to be offered. However, they did agree to offer but when word got out before he could tell his president at FSU, he withdrew his name.Bowden came and thought it was just basically to be offered the job. He walked into a room full of folks - Joab had assembled about 12 people, including a current student, former QB Walter Lewis, and others to be a "progressive and diverse" panel. Bowden was interviewed by the group, getting all sorts of questions, even the infamous "Would you have problems playing a black quarterback?" from Lewis. Bowden exited the room in bad humor and disappointment, went back to Tallahassee and withdrew his name.
And we ended up with a schmuck, farse, phony in Curry
I think the answer is "both."Was the Bowden deal after Perkins or Curry?
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