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re: Was Bear Bryant a racist?
Posted on 3/8/09 at 6:43 am to TigerPaul
Posted on 3/8/09 at 6:43 am to TigerPaul
I think the Bear gets a lot of undue shots taken at him. Nothing anyone can say about him will take away the fact that he is one of the if not the greatest college football coach of all time. So all you haters can STFU. I also like that even though he slaughtered us, he seemed to have respect for our program.
1
Posted on 3/8/09 at 7:02 am to Froman
Sad as it is to say I was only familiar with his winning and coaching legacy and knew nothing else about the man, but had always heard jokes about him being racist but that was mostly from Auburn and LSu fans 
. Watching Breaking the Huddle was really eye opening.
. Watching Breaking the Huddle was really eye opening.This post was edited on 3/8/09 at 10:22 am
Posted on 3/8/09 at 7:30 am to usc6158
quote:Folks appear to have breezed by this response. It's worth reading again.
Search about the 1970 game between Bama and USC. Bryant invited USC, an integrated team, to play in birmingham knowing that it would help push along his effort to get the Alabama administration to let him integrate the team.
Bryant had already recruited Wilber Jackson (his first AA player) and was catching hell for it. When he made that decision, he had a talk with John MacKay and they set up a home and home. USC had long ago integrated (?1920's). SC came to B'ham and Sam Cunningham (Randall's older brother) ran all over the Tide in front of a packed house. In essence Bryant presented a still racist state with the proposition "integrate or lose". Alabama may not have gotten the Selma marches, but they got Bryant's message loud and clear. Alabama's classes from that point forward were recruited based on talent, not color.
As an aside, in one of the most effective coaching moments of his career, Bryant took his Bama team into LosAngeles for the next year's opener and stunned heavily favored USC with a wishbone attack he'd put in place in 2 weeks prior to the game.
This post was edited on 3/9/09 at 7:54 am
Posted on 3/8/09 at 8:20 am to NC_Tigah
Bear a racist no way.Bear was smart he knew the blacks could help him many NC'S and they did... 
Posted on 3/8/09 at 8:36 am to Durrell
Coach bryant was racist no he had character lots of it too.Uh Uh I'm shocked
Posted on 3/8/09 at 9:24 am to TigerPaul
quote:
Was he a racist? Smart money says... probably not any more than every other white male in the South during integration.
+1
Posted on 3/8/09 at 10:18 am to Dinkle Dawg
quote:
Coach bryant was racist no he had character lots of it too.Uh Uh I'm shocked
did ya'll learn about punctuation in Mississippi?
Posted on 3/8/09 at 12:41 pm to usc6158
Amazing that a So. Cal Posts on this subject. I have been a Bama Fan for over 40 Years...I know I'm a Geezer..but this ole boy remembers when Bama had no African-American Players. What Changed? The story goes when your team came to play us at Legion Field One Year; You guys had this big Full Back..I Think it was "Sam The Bam" Cunningham or Charles White. Anyway You guys Horse-Collared us using the "Student Body Right" inside the Red Zone and either Sam or Charles White would dive over the top and score. This got Coach Bryant's attention..and the next year our First African-American player...Johnny Davis was our Fullback. So we can Thank USC for The Wakeup call!
Posted on 3/8/09 at 12:56 pm to RlTde2
Whooops! My Bad Don't think it was Johnny Davis..Someone tell me? Wilbur Jackson comes to Mind..
Posted on 3/8/09 at 12:58 pm to RlTde2
Wilbur Jackson was the first black Alabama player, but was a freshman at the time and couldn't play. Integration was going to happen, but the SC-Bama game just sped the process of full integration way up
Posted on 3/8/09 at 1:05 pm to supadave3
i was making fun of croom dip shite
Posted on 3/8/09 at 1:11 pm to Dinkle Dawg
Unless you lived in those times you can't judge the Bear 40 years later. Totally unfair
Posted on 3/8/09 at 2:50 pm to JEAUXBLEAUX
The Bear was an alcoholic, and he loved the ladies... but as far as I know, he never treated a black player any different than a white player.
Posted on 3/8/09 at 2:52 pm to RGCjr01
Posted on 3/8/09 at 2:53 pm to Kige Ramsey
Kige, everyone knows Rupp was an a-hole racist so no need to be involved in this thread
Posted on 3/8/09 at 2:55 pm to Kige Ramsey
quote:He once made the quote that "We don't have any black or white players,we just have footabll players." Hell no he was no racist....
Was Bear Bryant a racist
Posted on 3/8/09 at 3:32 pm to RGCjr01
(no message)
This post was edited on 1/29/21 at 5:42 pm
Posted on 3/8/09 at 3:35 pm to BamaInHsv
Unfortunately the same cant be said about your current administration. Those good ole boys are a racist as you can be. Ex. Croom
Posted on 3/8/09 at 3:47 pm to DarthTiger
bear and alabama took their sweet time integrating... prejudice? definitely... racist? it depends
know this... bear could have led integration in the SEC and south - he didn't - his teams of 1960s lost at least one national championship because the tide was all white - undefeated and uncrowned - cannot recall the year
who out there enjoyed 'the express?' they portray royal and his longhorns as racists... I am certain ernie davis suffered extra shots but any standout running back is bound to get some extracurricular activity - great movie
as anyone heard the story that parseghian at notre dame quit following a halftime locker room race riot during the fabled southern cal comeback? apparently a white player shouted something about shutting down anthony davis in the first half referencing the color of his skin and the parental marital status... and it was on like donkey kong
know this... bear could have led integration in the SEC and south - he didn't - his teams of 1960s lost at least one national championship because the tide was all white - undefeated and uncrowned - cannot recall the year
who out there enjoyed 'the express?' they portray royal and his longhorns as racists... I am certain ernie davis suffered extra shots but any standout running back is bound to get some extracurricular activity - great movie
as anyone heard the story that parseghian at notre dame quit following a halftime locker room race riot during the fabled southern cal comeback? apparently a white player shouted something about shutting down anthony davis in the first half referencing the color of his skin and the parental marital status... and it was on like donkey kong
Posted on 3/8/09 at 3:52 pm to usc6158
quote:
Bear Bryant was one of the most important figures in integrating southern football
Thank You, and USC was the other most important figure in integrating Southern football.
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