Schwaaz,

As an LSU fan, I, like MOST LSU fans, admired and had great respect for Coach Bryant. Bear Bryant and Bama were the face of southern football from the 60's to the late 70's. I, like MOST LSU fans, pulled for Bama when they played schools outside the South.

But, the "obsession," as you call it, is really just a manifestation of the collective view of fans of other schools who are fascinated by Bama fans' idolization of a man who has been dead for 27 years.

Yes, he did great things for Bama. And, for southern football.

He was no civil rights pioneer but he saw the need to get black players, which broke down crazy racial barriers in our part of the country. I've seen interviews where his former players, white and black, choked up when speaking about him.

He was a special person.

But, he's passed away.

When he was alive he put his pants on one leg at a time.

When he woke up on the morning, his hair was mussed up and his breath would choke a fly (like everybody else's).

Bama has done fine since then, especially with coach Stallings (another great man and coach) and coach Saban (a great coach).

To hear a Bama fan describe other teams' fans as "obsessive" for noting most Bama fan's God-like reverence for Coach Bryant is amusing.

The "obsession," dear Schwaaz, is Bama's.

With that said, and from a person born in Texas and raised in Louisiana, "ROLL TIDE! BEAT TEXAS! REPRESENT THE SEC WELL!"