Met Sly Croom Today

[Kevin4Bama]

I was shopping at Bel Air Mall in Mobile with my wife and son today. My wife was in a store selecting some items, so I took my son and sat on a bench outside the store. As we were sitting there, I noticed a familiar face walking towards me. My son noticed me staring and asked who it was. I told him that it was Sylvester Croom who used to play for Bama and was most recently coach of the MSU Bulldogs. My son, not being shy, went and asked him if he used to play for Alabama. He said, "Yeah, I used to." I met him and talked a minute.

After he walked away, I was thinking, "Man, I should have gotten a picture." A little later, we saw him again and asked him if he minded getting a picture with my son. He was very nice and I know a lot of posters here haven't forgiven him for some of his remarks after being snubbed for the position here. He couldn't have been nicer to me or my 7 year old. I wished him luck in his new job with the Rams.

 

[LrgK9]

If he'd have had a decent QB - he'd still be coaching at MSU.
Super nice guy.

 

[Kevin4Bama]

If he'd have had a decent QB - he'd still be coaching at MSU.
Super nice guy.

I agree. He never had much to work with at MSU. I would like to see him succeed somewhere as a head coach. Just not in the SEC.

 

[crimson mo]

If he'd have had a decent QB - he'd still be coaching at MSU.
Super nice guy.

Mmmmmmmm maybe a decent coaching staff, decent o line, decent receivers, decent fan support along with not worrying about what Alabama is doing and not letting your best coach leave(Because you gave the offensive coordinator a big raise after he had the 112th ranked offense in major college football and offered his Defensive coordinator a small raise after he had the #26th ranked defense in major college football.)for South Carolina by way of Arkansas.
Guess I mean Decent decisions.

 

[VolFan1]

Nice story. Always fun to hear things like this.

 

[TommyMac]

It's hard for me to think badly of Sly for being bitter over being passed over for Shula, but he should have exercised better judgment than to take the MSU job. :eek2:

 

[2003TIDE]

Mmmmmmmm maybe a decent coaching staff, decent o line, decent receivers, decent fan support along with not worrying about what Alabama is doing and not letting your best coach leave(Because you gave the offensive coordinator a big raise after he had the 112th ranked offense in major college football and offered his Defensive coordinator a small raise after he had the #26th ranked defense in major college football.)for South Carolina by way of Arkansas.
Guess I mean Decent decisions.

You forgot decent facilities.

 

[dayhiker]

Guys, the horse is dead. Let's leave his coaching and Bama issues alone and let it remain a thread about a guy and his son meeting a former Bama player and SEC coach in the mall.

Thanks for sharing the photo Kevin

 

[lafella]

That's pretty cool and something your son will remember for a long time as well.

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

That is excellent. Having met one of Coach Bryant's Boys is a great day. Thanks for sharing that. Happy Mothers day.

 

[Bama63]

I'm glad your son got the photo with Coach Croom. Whatever else anybody thinks about him, Coach Bryant thought the world of him, and that's enough for me.

RTR

 

[Kevin4Bama]

Guys, the horse is dead. Let's leave his coaching and Bama issues alone and let it remain a thread about a guy and his son meeting a former Bama player and SEC coach in the mall.

Thanks for sharing the photo Kevin

Thank you DH. I, too, find it hard to hold ill will towards him. He was a great player for us and a pretty good position coach for us as well.

 

[TommyMac]

I'm glad your son got the photo with Coach Croom. Whatever else anybody thinks about him, Coach Bryant thought the world of him, and that's enough for me.

RTR

Me too, but I bet Coach Bryant would have something to say to him about that butt-ugly orange shirt. :wink:

 

[dayhiker]

Thank you DH. I, too, find it hard to hold ill will towards him. He was a great player for us and a pretty good position coach for us as well.

I felt that if someone wants to disect him, yet again, that this thread wasn't the place for it.

 

[dayhiker]

Me too, but I bet Coach Bryant would have something to say to him about that butt-ugly orange shirt. :wink:

My son had an orange shirt on yesterday. As we walked by a good friend who is an Aubie, he said, "My what a fabulous orange shirt." I hadn't even noticed what color my sons shirt was until then. I replied, "His mamma did that to him."

 

[TiderinMiss]

It's hard for me to think badly of Sly for being bitter over being passed over for Shula, but he should have exercised better judgment than to take the MSU job. :eek2:

I agree. I think Dan Mullen's going to regret it, too.

 

[Jazzman]

Leaving all the political opinions out of it, Coach Croom is and always will be a well-respected man in my book. He was a great player among great players for Alabama. He was good enough to coach under Coach Bryant. Whether you agree with all of his statements or not, he is a straight-shooter. This was a good story and will be a good memory for a young boy.

 

[rizolltizide]

Leaving all the political opinions out of it, Coach Croom is and always will be a well-respected man in my book. He was a great player among great players for Alabama. He was good enough to coach under Coach Bryant. Whether you agree with all of his statements or not, he is a straight-shooter. This was a good story and will be a good memory for a young boy.

Agreed. Water under the bridge.

I'm still a Sly fan. Great story.

 

[BamaScooter16]

Lets not forget that Coach Croom did Bama the biggest favor he could have done when he beat us at home in 2006. That game was the final nail in Shula's proverbial coffin, thus opening the way for Coach Saban to step in.

All in all, I wish Croom well and will be glad to support him as long as he doesn't become the head coach at another SEC school, unless its Vanderbilt.

 

[DWAL]

I always thought Sly was a great guy. He was a very good motivator but he remained loyal to some who were not up to the job. I wish him the best, I will always respect him:BigA: