quote:
With that said, I refuse to believe that Bear recruited players because of his own opinions on race or because he was trying to be some sort of role model for other SEC programs despite whatever mythos he has at Bama.

Like I said in a post above, I think that the right thing and the self-interest thing happened to arrive at around the same moment, and Bryant took advantage of it.

I don't think he did it purely out of the good of his heart, but I also think he saw it as a good thing and was happy for reasons other than winning games that Alabama was able to move forward. Ex-players, coaches and others who talk about his feelings then confirm that fact.

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His whole song and dance of how he "tried really hard for a long time but no one at Bama let him" is what we call revisionist history. He started coming out with that crap late in his career to preserve his legacy once he figured out the cultural winds were blowing hard in the other direction.

Eh, I think he did try. Obviously he didn't make it his #1 goal, but I think, again, according to those around him (players, coaches, etc), it was something that he wanted to accomplish. Does he deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for thinking it was time to integrate? No, but I don't think it is fair to act like everything he did was purely for self gain. Like I said, two separate things intersected.

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Maybe I went too far outright calling him racist

Maybe? Yea, more than maybe.

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Posted by cardboardboxer

Member since Apr 2012

34353 posts

Posted on 1/26/16 at 10:52 am to Cheeky Fellow

quote:
Ex-players, coaches and others who talk about his feelings then confirm that fact.

Aka people caught up in the mythos. Show me proof he was recruiting black players at Kentucky (aka NOT a source from someone connected to Bama) and I will change my tune.

quote:
Obviously he didn't make it his #1 goal, but I think, again, according to those around him (players, coaches, etc), it was something that he wanted to accomplish.

Because...wait for it...he wanted his team to be the best at FOOTBALL and it was made clear elsewhere that the only way to do that was an inclusive team.

Which is fine, he was a football coach. I don't expect Nick Saban to lead the charge on gay rights. With that said, if some current Bama player decades later is discovered to be gay I WILL call bullshite if Nick tries to pretend he knew all along and he wanted to help the cause "way back when." That would be revisionist history.

quote:
Maybe? Yea, more than maybe.

Fine, I went to far. I apologize.

Hell to me that wasn't even the most controversial thing I posted. The fact that none of yall dispute my point that his success hinged on him being a control freak a-hole who would be considered abusive in the modern era is very telling.

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