Random Encounter w/ Coach Perkins

banjeaux

All-American
Jun 6, 2007
2,131
1
0
Slidell, Louisiana
So, I'm sitting in a coffee shop in H'burg this a.m. (along with all the other hipster wannabes ;) ), and in walks Ray Perkins & his Mrs. As one who knew who he was on the 1966 team when I was a kid, and when he played in the NFL, and when he coached the Giants, and--of course--when he succeeded Coach Bryant @ UA--I had to battle my groupie tendencies mightily. Luckily, they left after only a short stay. Thus, I didn't do any embarrassing fawning. My oh-so-tattered mancards are still intact. :biggrin2:

Note: he is now HC of a jr. college team nearby.

Further note: anyone else tired of off-season type posts--like, say, this one--already? :biggrin:
exiledNms, how can someone living in Hattiesburg, capital of the Hospitality State, flunk Hospitality 101? Just do as the hired help does at Waffle House or as the did regulars in the old sitcom Cheers, i.e., say, "Hello Coach. Roll Bobcats! ;)

One can do something similar anytime a celebrity walks in the door, or as you head to rest room, or as you leave. Coach Perkins was at a public place, in the area he grew up. It ain't like you'd be interrupting foreplay. Bet he'd just smile. If he want to talk further, he'll let you know. Lots of folks know who he is in that neck of the Pinebelt woods. Ain't nothing groupie 'bout that, is it? Next time, we expect a better report. :biggrin:

BTW, one of my sons is a Jones grad, as is a step-daughter. I highly recommend JCJC for academics and total experience at a bargain deal. My son got an academic full ride. He was impressed. Link to JCJC football: http://www.jcjcathletics.com/football/coach.php


 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,734
9,918
187
I recently read Keith Dunnavant's book about the 1966 team and gained a new perspective on him. He almost died from injuries he suffered at practice but was able to make it back. He was also a bit older (I think) than the other players and that made him a bit of a loner and could explain his personalty issues.

I am too young to remember his playing days, not a fan of his when he coached here. He won, but I agree he was a jerk to take the money and run.

On the plus side, he did not get us on probation, did not pass out drunk in a strip club and did not date his secretary.
 

jabcmb

All-American
Feb 1, 2006
2,792
318
107
Birmingham, AL
I recently read Keith Dunnavant's book about the 1966 team and gained a new perspective on him. He almost died from injuries he suffered at practice but was able to make it back. He was also a bit older (I think) than the other players and that made him a bit of a loner and could explain his personalty issues.

I am too young to remember his playing days, not a fan of his when he coached here. He won, but I agree he was a jerk to take the money and run.

On the plus side, he did not get us on probation, did not pass out drunk in a strip club and did not date his secretary.
Whenever someone mentions Perkins I always think of his awkwardness on his weekly radio show while at Alabama.
As an example, a caller would ask Perkins why Alabama ran a certain play or some other fairly tame question and Perkins would answer "Are you a coach?" Dead air for a second or two and then a meek "no." Point being that it seemed Perkins took every question about his decisions as a direct challenge.
 

Al A Bama

Hall of Fame
Jun 24, 2011
6,658
934
132
He was a great receiver for us and the Colts. He was my choice to succeed Bear (confession: I also thought Fran was the right choice - oh well...). I thought he was a good coach with the Giants and TOUGH enough to succeed Bear. Yeah tough all right. He makes CNS seem like Dale Carnegie. If he was a good coach at the college level I guess I'll never know. I view him now as a jerk and a mercenary for the way he took the money and left us. When I read something about his opinions about us, the program, coaches, etc., it falls on my deaf ears. I'll always remember him fondly as a player; as someone who put Bama first, not so much. Jackie Sherrill without the probation? Jackie would've crawled to T-town on his hands and knees. Yeah, he would've probably gotten us on probation, but he would've been more loyal to Bama and Bear.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Didn't he have platinum placed in his skull after an injury? Seems like I recall a newspaper article by Benny Marshall or someone in the 1960's regarding that.

He probably had to make sure he did not play golf while lightning was near by.
 

BigBama76

Suspended
Oct 26, 2011
1,002
0
0
Atlanta, GA
Didn't he have platinum placed in his skull after an injury? Seems like I recall a newspaper article by Benny Marshall or someone in the 1960's regarding that.
He probably had to make sure he did not play golf while lightning was near by.
I don't know any details about his injury but I remember it being brought up during his playing days that he had a metal plate in his head.
 

JPT4Bama

Hall of Fame
Aug 21, 2006
5,793
0
0
Hoover, AL
So, I'm sitting in a coffee shop in H'burg this a.m. (along with all the other hipster wannabes ;) ), and in walks Ray Perkins & his Mrs. As one who knew who he was on the 1966 team when I was a kid, and when he played in the NFL, and when he coached the Giants, and--of course--when he succeeded Coach Bryant @ UA--I had to battle my groupie tendencies mightily. Luckily, they left after only a short stay. Thus, I didn't do any embarrassing fawning. My oh-so-tattered mancards are still intact. :biggrin2:


Note: he is now HC of a jr. college team nearby.

Further note: anyone else tired of off-season type posts--like, say, this one--already? :biggrin:

Blew it dude. :D

You should have spoken and scored the autograph. He is a living link to the greatest college football coach in history. It would not have been groupie like at all. IMO :BigA:

I have many regrets of not getting some cool autographs when I had the chance. Oh well..
 

Ole Man Dan

Hall of Fame
Apr 21, 2008
8,982
3,421
187
Gadsden, Al.
I met Coach Perkins several times. I really like him. He had the misfortune of following Coach Bryant, and was scorned for removing the tower. Coach Perkins was tagged as 'Perk the Jerk'
by the press. Imagine having a coach at odds with the press.
Ray was ahead of his time. He wanted to develop an Alabama team that played
Pro type ball. Sound familiar?
 
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oskie

All-SEC
Jan 28, 2005
1,493
947
132
... exiled, i have to say that my chance encounter with him was a very positive experience, unlike some of the other posts above

... back in the early 80's, i was part of the entertainment one evening for a company function, seems like it was coca-cola bottling, on the coast of alabama - point clear, maybe

... anyway, as i came off stage, someone came up to me and told me someone wanted to meet me - i was then introduced to ray perkins, who i had no idea was even there

... he was very cordial to and complimentary of me, but what impressed me most was that he made the effort to seek me out - and i am definitely not someone that he would have known or should have known :)

... and being the BAMA goober that i am, i told him that i remembered him most from the mid 60's when he and dennis homan were catching everything thrown their way

... it was just a nice couple of minutes that made a lasting impression on me

.. and exile, btw, i was living in hattiesburg at the time :)

... just my two :D
 

Crimson Speed

All-American
Oct 2, 2005
4,751
266
102
The Shoals, North West Alabama
Yes, Ray and Dennis Holman were amazing to watch on the mid sixties Bama teams. I do recall that Ray had a metal plate in his head from an injury; could be the answer for his rather strange personality. He did a decent job as head coach at Alabama, but everybody I knew at the time thought he was doomed because he had the task of following the great one.
 

PaulD

All-SEC
Dec 29, 2006
1,996
1,917
187
68
near Perry, Georgia, United States
A story my in-laws told me some years back. When he was a student, Perkins was a member of my father-in-law's National Guard unit in Northport. One day in the 80's, my mother-in-law was at The Landing in Tuscaloosa (long gone, I think) and as she was coming out, Coach Perkins was coming in. He stopped and remembered her from the '60s and asked about my father-in-law and was very pleasant.
 

selmaborntidefan

TideFans Legend
Mar 31, 2000
36,432
29,735
287
54
From a 1983 SI

Ray Perkins is busy clearing up some misconceptions. For one, there's no metal plate in his head. The three holes are there all right, but no metal plate. And none of the holes in his head is the one he presumably had to have to take the job at Alabama as Bear Bryant's successor. Perkins thinks it's funny you should remember. The holes don't even show.
 

BamaRevT

1st Team
Apr 10, 2002
729
0
135
67
Fayetteville, Tn.
Back in the eighties, I had the chance to go to the Capstone when he was coach and interview him about Coach Bryant. I was a student at Samford University taking a speech class. Well naturally as a Bama fan I did the speech on coach Bryant. I called his office to set up an appointment to come and interview him. He called me back and we set up a time for me to come. The day came and I drove from Birmingham to the University. His office was in Coleman at that time. You got to understand, I was an ol' country boy from Toney, Alabama sitting in the Head coaches office Of the University Of Alabama fixing to interview the head coach which was Coach Perkins ! This was a high light of my life that I'll always treasure. He was busy, but he took time out of his schedule to let me talk to him and ask him questions of Coach Bryant for my speech I would prepare for. He gave me a coaches shirt, autographed pictures, and invited me to come to the practices. I did that maybe once or so. I was able to stand next to a giant one day. The name of the player slips my mind, but he was huge, tall and played on defence. Maybe some of you can help me remember who he was. If I could hear his name I know I would recall it. Coach Perkins may not have been the best coach we ever had, but I will always be thankful for the opportunity I had to sit in a major college football coaches office at the Greatest University ever; The University Of Alabama! ROll TIDE !!
 
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Florida Tom

All-American
Aug 15, 2011
4,449
0
0
Tampa, FL
I'm not one to bash former coaches all I will say is for Ray Perkins to be a Nice Guy, it was an amazing transformation. I guess people can change but this would be a biggie.

I got to know him very well in Tampa & to be associated with him was an embarrassment many times.
 

deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
12,998
1,194
287
55
Gadsden, AL
I've never met him, but from what I've seen of recent interviews and on TV, Ray seems to have mellowed out quite a bit with age. Didn't he divorce and then remarry a much younger woman and even have another child by her? If so, that might explain a lot of it.
 

Mamacalled

Hall of Fame
Dec 4, 2000
6,786
22
157
58
Pelham, Al
I've never met him, but from what I've seen of recent interviews and on TV, Ray seems to have mellowed out quite a bit with age. Didn't he divorce and then remarry a much younger woman and even have another child by her? If so, that might explain a lot of it.
He did marry a much younger woman. Some thought that she was marrying him for money because she is very attractive and younger. Truth is, she is from the Del Champs family and has probably more money than he. See my post earlier as to how I know.
 

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