Anniversary of Coach Bryant's Passing

[Patently Bama]

Tomorrow (Friday, January 26) is the 21st anniversary of Coach Bryant's death.

I want to commemerate the day by simply saying, "Thank you Coach Bryant for everything you did for the fans, the players, and the university. You are not forgotten. Rest in peace."

 

[Alanbama27]

That about sums it up PT! Ditto!

 

[80UoAGrad]

Never has and never will be another like him. If you haven't read The Last Coach by Allan Berra (sp?) please do. It is the best book on Coach Bryant's life. May he rest in peace. :BigA:

 

[TexasBama]

Tomorrow (Friday, January 26) is the 21st anniversary of Coach Bryant's death.

24th anniversary

 

[BamaJama17]

RIP Coach Bryant. RTR!!!

 

[Tide Tales]

Thanks for the reminder. Last year a co-worker had the newspapers from 1983 and brought them in for me to read. (I lived in California & got a 10-second report.) I can unreservedly say that only in Alabama was the loss recorded. I recall folks diplomatically asking me why would folks line the highway for a funeral procession of a coach? Was it a 'local tradition'?
Naw, I replied. We only do that for The Greatest - and I'm not talking about Ali, although he was a great boxer.

80UoAGrad: Allen Barra did indeed write the best book I've ever read about CPB. I quote him frequently and am sure some think I'm an agent pushing for another sale, but it is just an extremely well written book. I reread it often (on my 3rd read now) and absolutely love his descriptions of some of the old games Bama played. The stats @ the end are awesome, aren't they?:BigA:

 

[jrock44]

A little twist to this post..... do you remember where you were when you heard the news? I remember it like it was yesterday. Was in the back seat of mom's car on the way home from school (5th grade). Cried like a baby tried to hide it from mom. Sad day.

Rest in peace Coach.

RTR

 

[CrImSoNtIdE!]

A little twist to this post..... do you remember where you were when you heard the news? I remember it like it was yesterday. Was in the back seat of mom's car on the way home from school (5th grade). Cried like a baby tried to hide it from mom. Sad day.

Rest in peace Coach.

RTR

I wasn't quite born yet; but I have heard enough about The Bear in my lifetime, to know that he was the absolute greatest coach there ever was. I am sad to say I wasn't one of the lucky millions who had the priviledge to watch him coach, but I do respect his legacy that will forever live on! Rest in Peace

 

[BamaMoon]

Remember that day like it was yesterday.

 

[Wild_Tide_Child]

24th anniversary

Thanks for the Clarification. I knew I wasn't 13 when he passed because I was in third or fourth grade. I remember walking out of school getting in the car and my mom was balling. I asked her, "what was the matter?" She told us that Bear had passed then me and my sister started crying too. Sad day!

 

[CoastalBamaFan]

I was sitting at the dinner table with my folks wondering why my dad was being so quite when they broke the news to me. The one thing that sticks out in my head was seeing all the flowers from other schools, especially the blue Kentucky K and the Notre Dame ND at his grave site. RIP Coach, we're still trying to live up to the standard you set!

 

[drfrankfree]

I came home from school 5th grade and saw it on the news. I cried like a baby in my room so my mom wouldnt notice. She thought it was silly to cry over a football coach. She's from Tennessee.

 

[AquaBear]

As a high school coach, I learned more from him in books about him than from anywhere else. I owe a great deal to him....they'll never be another one like him.

Rest in Peace Coach....

 

[BamaJoker]

A little twist to this post..... do you remember where you were when you heard the news? I remember it like it was yesterday. Was in the back seat of mom's car on the way home from school (5th grade). Cried like a baby tried to hide it from mom. Sad day.

Rest in peace Coach.

RTR

Yes. Unfortunately, I was just putting on my letterman jacket (football) in HS when one of the assistant coaches came by and told everyone. No one moved or breathed for what seemed like 15 minutes...

 

[TommyMac]

Thanks for the Clarification. I knew I wasn't 13 when he passed because I was in third or fourth grade. I remember walking out of school getting in the car and my mom was balling. I asked her, "what was the matter?" She told us that Bear had passed then me and my sister started crying too. Sad day!

Errr, you might want to correct that to "my mom was baWling." :biggrin:

 

[lafella]

I can't recall exactly where I was when I was told I was nine at the time , but I hated Auburn more than ever for the longest time as a kid I though for sure that lost had killed the Bear. ( kids what can ya say). I remember attending the funeral vaguely.

I definitely was impacted by it growing up he had been around my grandfather alot so he was The Greatest Coach ever and someone we'd never see around my Grandparents anymore. Think maybe this was the first personal loss that I came to realise just what death was.

Doesn't seem that long ago though does it.

Rest in Peace Coach Bryant. Thanks for everything past and present.

 

[IBUY]

I was a Sports Anchor for our college Newcast at the University of Montevallo. My eyes got moist and my voice cracked during the report.

A man with a tremendous gift of influencing others, thank you Coach Bryant for using that gift to touch lives in such a positive way.

 

[SavannahDare]

I was fourteen when Coach died. I came home and found my mom (a UA alum), in tears. She told me and I remember thinking that she had to be mistaken. Then I saw it for myself on the evening news and felt like the world would never be quite the same again.

Coach, thanks for giving a little girl tons of great football memories through the 70's. Rest in peace and know that your influence is still very much alive and continues to set the standard.

RTR

 

[BamaEdge]

i remeber like it was yesterday
i was in the 8th grade
he went in the hosp on tuesday nite of chest pains
when i was getting on the bus to go home on the 26th i 1st heard it
he died at 1:30p of massive heart attack
i cried like a baby that nite even if i have never met him before in my life
my dad worked at coca cola in tuscaloosa
he and one of his co workers took some great pics of the funeral going out side the church

 

[wishbonesooner]

I was waiting to pick up my daughter at her dance class. I remember thinking he'd just retired, didn't even get to enjoy his retirement.
What does it say when a Sooner fan can remember where he was when the Bama coach died?
God Bless the Bear.