Question: Is Calling Coach Bryant "The Bear" OK with Everyone?

[92tide]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

i was raised referring to him as bear bryant and just bear. i learned that from my grandad who lived in tuscaloosa all of his 102 years and could in his last year still pick up a 1925 team photo he kept in his dresser drawer and tell you the name and a little bit about each player on the team.

 

[Bamaro]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I guess that the situation determined how he felt about it. He probably didn't mind to much when SI & Time did it

Interesting also that neither picture was with a houndstooth hat.

 

[Rollingtide66]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

We all respected Coach Bryant. You cannot say anything negative about him, because he was like a " Daddy" to his players, and like a great teacher to the players and fans. One of my best memories of him was the Jan 1, 1979 Sugar Bowl- National Championship Game in the Super Dome. We played Penn State with Joe Pa and beat them 14-7. " Goal Line Stand Game".

Before the game started, Penn State had their band perform first. Then came the Million Dollar Band..Then Joe Pa and The Nittany Lions ran on the field...and their fans clapped and hollered, but not even half the noise and thunder we Bama Fans gave our team and Coach Bryant Noise they probably could hear one state away in Mississippi.!! He would not wear his Houstooth Fedora hat inside a building. Old Time respect of values then. I was up on the Lodge Level about the 30 yard line, and the Alabama Fans were totally into this game. The Noise level was a 9+ on a scale from 1 to 10. When Bama stopped the RB for Penn State on 4th and inches, It felt like an earthquake in there...Roll Tide!!

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[TommyMac]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

It's pretty simple to me, he was the epitome of a coach and as such he deserves to be called that. It's a title and shows respect, I feel sorry for those that think that's asking too much because no one ever deserved that title more than him.

 

[BamaMoon]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

Coach Bryant died the day before I turned 13 years old. My aunt, who is a huge Bama fan, gave me a copy of all the major news papers, including the News and Post Herald for my birthday. It was kinda bittersweet as a gift!

I never personally met Coach Bryant, but like millions I admired him and respected him. I called him "the Bear" growing up and I can tell you that I never heard anybody use the term disrespectfully. To me the name was a testament to his toughness...wrestling a live bear...playing with a broken bone...expecting others to give their best effort!

I understand the unspoken policy of the board, but I can tell you that the name "Bear Bryant" never meant anything but the very best when used in my company!

He'll always be "Coach Paul Bear Bryant" to me!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I've heard his son called Bear Junior, he probably hates that as well.




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He's usually referred to as "PBJ."

 

[Alasippi]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I've always called him Coach Bryant simply because I think coaches should be called "Coach".
My Dad was a coach. I have a great deal of respect for them.
It's not a huge deal to me when Coach B. is called "Bear" because most people I know who call him that do so with great affection.
Still, I never really thought about it much, but I honestly don't think I've ever called him anything but Coach Bryant.
sip

 

[BigBama76]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I'm sure I've used the term "Bear" when referring to Coach Bryant at some time in the past but I usually try to stick with Coach Bryant out of respect. I know the announcers before and during games used "Bear" a lot but it would usually be something like Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. I'm almost positive I've heard Kieth Jackson call him out that way.

Update: I listened to a youtube interview Kieth Jackson did and at the end he called him Paul William "Bear" Bryant.

 

[alabama mike1]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

It's always been Coach Bryant to me, never dreamed of calling someone older than me by their first name or a nickname. My daddy at 81 would not allow that then or now. I learned pretty quick not to answer a question from my parents with what either. It was sir or ma'am or Mr. or Mrs.

 

[BamaRevT]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I really wished that I would have tried to meet Coach Bryant. I have met other coaches, and that truly was a treat for an ol' country boy as myself. I can't really remember for sure the game we were at, but I saw him walk off the field in our direction. Probably as close as I ever was to this "Legend Of A Man and Coach !

 

[I hate fat phil]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

Being lucky enough to be raised in a family that had a few players play for Coach Bryant, I was taught at a very young age to refer to him as Coach Bryant. As I got older i came to realize it was a respect thing and have tried to instill that in people that I hear call him "The Bear".

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I really wished that I would have tried to meet Coach Bryant. I have met other coaches, and that truly was a treat for an ol' country boy as myself. I can't really remember for sure the game we were at, but I saw him walk off the field in our direction. Probably as close as I ever was to this "Legend Of A Man and Coach !

He and I crossed paths daily for years and spoke, but I also never got the nerve up to go past that...

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I've got a former music instructor who is a Facebook friend. I wish him happy birthday every year.

I still - and I haven't had a class from him for 25 years - he's Dr. Harris. Period. If I'm asked to do his funeral, he will still be Dr Harris to me.

Some of us were taught to respect others and you call them "Mr" unless told otherwise (or whatever title they have). It's still ma'am to me, mostly because my father would have beat me senseless if I had called my mother anything else when summoned.

I feel the same way with Coach Bryant. You'll notice NONE of his players ever calls him anything else. Not from any school he where he coached. My goodness, even the stubborn and classless Pat Dye calls him Coach Bryant.

I'm a little less bothered on our current coach, mostly because I called him something else when he coached the opposition and those habits die hard. But as hard as it may be for some to believe here - even predecessors to Saban whom we don't particularly recall fondly were called "coach" when they held the title here, too.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I've got a former music instructor who is a Facebook friend. I wish him happy birthday every year.

I still - and I haven't had a class from him for 25 years - he's Dr. Harris. Period. If I'm asked to do his funeral, he will still be Dr Harris to me.

Some of us were taught to respect others and you call them "Mr" unless told otherwise (or whatever title they have). It's still ma'am to me, mostly because my father would have beat me senseless if I had called my mother anything else when summoned.

I feel the same way with Coach Bryant. You'll notice NONE of his players ever calls him anything else. Not from any school he where he coached. My goodness, even the stubborn and classless Pat Dye calls him Coach Bryant.

I'm a little less bothered on our current coach, mostly because I called him something else when he coached the opposition and those habits die hard. But as hard as it may be for some to believe here - even predecessors to Saban whom we don't particularly recall fondly were called "coach" when they held the title here, too.

One interesting difference I've noticed in the LSU and Bama fan bases is that, when he was coach at LSU, on their BBs, he was universally referred to as "Nick." Once he became our coach, we referred to him, variously, as Coach Saban, Saban, and CNS. On the LSU BBs, they still referred to him as "Nick," or unprintable names. Just an interesting difference...

 

[Crimson1967]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

To me it is weird to call someone by their first name when talking about a public figure. So I would never call him Nick. The only exception on here for me is Wimp.

Just a personal pet peeve, but I hate the shorthand method of CNS. I have seen posts talking about several coaches all with CXX. Just spell out his name. I hate having to think on here. Too much work.


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[hamntn]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

NO!

 

[Bazza]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

To me it is weird to call someone by their first name when talking about a public figure. So I would never call him Nick. The only exception on here for me is Wimp.

Just a personal pet peeve, but I hate the shorthand method of CNS. I have seen posts talking about several coaches all with CXX. Just spell out his name. I hate having to think on here. Too much work.


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I always spell the whole name out too but have to admit just using the initials is a faster way to post - I had never seen that until I came here.

 

[okbama]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

Always Coach or Coach Bryant. To this day I would still call my High coaches as Coach.

 

[okbama]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I meant High school coaches

 

[Tideflyer]

Re: Is Calling Coach Bryant 'The Bear" ok with Everyone?

I usually use "Coach Bryant" out of respect. Calling him "Bear" is like calling your father by his first name instead of calling him "Dad". Just how I see it, anyway. It's a respect, reverence type thing.

This, especially for us "old timers"