<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>; <html><head><title>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory | Alabama Football - The Crimson Tide's "bear" Bryant</title></head><body><h3>Alabama Football - The Crimson Tide's "bear" Bryant</h3><br /><br />By: <br /><br /><p>If you're a fan of college football, you have no doubt heard of the "Bear" - the now-legendary Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, who spent a full twenty-five years patrolling the sidelines of every Alabama game. Some would say that coaching at Alabama would be one of the easiest tasks in the sport, given the program's status as an elite power in the NCAAS. With a total of 13 NCAA titles, a host of conference titles, and more bowl appearances than you can shake a stick at, Alabama football has seemingly always been about winning. Paul Bryant was an important part of that history, as he was responsible for leading the teams that acquired six of those titles while also breaking the Alabama color barrier. Perhaps more than any other coach in Alabama history, the Bear left his own distinct impression on the program.<br /> <br /> The Bear turns it around<br /> <br /> Bryant's entrance into the Alabama program after leaving his old job at Texas A and M came on the heels of one of Alabama's rare losing streaks. Though the team had suffered through a series of season with losing records, the Bear was determined to turn it around quickly, and did. His first season culminated in a five win record, with four games lost and one that resulted in a tie. The new coach brought with him a disciplined coaching style that inspired his players to elevate their game to meet the challenges provided by every opponent. It didn't take long for the Bear to once again have the Crimson Tide knocking on the door of another national championship. The fourth season of Bryant's leadership resulted in a major bowl game victory ad the first of what would be Bryant's six national championships with the team. From that point onward, the Alabama teams that Bear coached were consistently dominant; during a six year period from 1961 through 1966 the Alabama program compiled sixty wins. During that same time frame they lost only five contests. That stretch included 4 conference championships, 3 recognized national titles, and two undefeated seasons. Alabama was in bowl games at the end of each of those six campaigns.<br /> <br /> The next decade<br /> <br /> The next decade belonged to the Tide. Bryant's teams took the SEC championship eight of those ten years, and won another three national titles as well. That same period also saw another first for the Alabama team, and it came about during a rematch of the Tide's loss to USC in 1970. During the next year's game between the two schools, Bryant made the fateful decision to allow African American player John Mitchell to start for his team. Though Alabama won the game by a touchdown, it is better known for being the first instance of a black player starting an Alabama game.<br /> <br /> The end of Bryant's career came after more than two decades as Alabama's coach, and was - fittingly, some would say - a victory for his Tide in the Liberty Bowl game of 1982. Bryant left the sport with a total of 323 wins, which was at the time the most ever recorded by a college coach. His 25 total seasons with the Tide still represent the gold standard for college football coaching, and many are the coaches who have since claimed the Bear as their inspiration. Bryant passed away in 1983, a mere month after coaching his final game.</p> <br /><br /><b>Author Resource:-></b> Freddie Brister is a big fan of Football check out his: <a href=http://www.sportsfantreasures.com/georgia_tech.htm>Georgia Tech Watch</a> or his <a href=http://www.sportsfantreasures.com/georgia.htm>Georgia Watch</a><br /><br /><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/'>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory</a><br /></body></html>
