Anniversary of the death of Paul W. Bryant

[MDM4AU 332]

Today is the 23rd anniversary of the death of Paul W. Bryant.

And...there were quite a few bammers calling in to WJOX in near meltdown mode because the Bamaham News had such a lack of reverence to print a paper today without mentioning the Bahr!

I really thought one guy was going to burst into tears! These people claimed he was the most influential person ever in the state. One basically claimed that if you are going to cover the death of MLK Jr. every year you should cover the death of Bryant. One claimed he did "more for this state than anyone in history!"

I almost ran off the road when I realized... these rejects are serious!

[WarTiger 3,910]

:nopity: :yawn: :yawn:

[BigSammyK 171]

That violin is entirely way too big.

[WarTiger 3,910]

That violin is entirely way too big.

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[quietfan 233]

Well, it's a HUGE LONG SHOT, but maybe, just maybe, the sooner we let it drop, the sooner they'll let it drop.

On the other hand, the longer they stay focused on the past, the less they'll focus on the present and future, and the better that is for us. So here's to many more anniversaries to ancient heroes...

[...and honestly, I grant them their heritage the same way I grant France it's reverance for Napoleon or Rome its reverance for Julius Caesar: Bryant, Napoleon, Caesar--great history, worthy of remembrance, victors in their domain (with questionable ethics), but what does it matter now? As victorious as those three were, when France or Italy conquers Europe, I'll worry about Paul Bryant. Otherwise, proud but ancient history...bygones]

[AUloggerhead 2,241]

I remember that day. I was living in Mobile at the time and my first thought was, "Day-yum ... I wish he was alive so he could witness AU kicking his school's ass one more time." {Swear to God} (AU was the last team to beat him just 2 months earlier.) WDE

[WarEagle_57 0]

Who is Paul W. Bryant? Was he as good as Franchonie?

[quietfan 233]

Who is Paul W. Bryant? Was he as good as Franchonie?

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I'm not quite sure--I don't really follow Texas A&M's coaching history...

[AUChizad 0]

All I know about him is that he's dead.

Kind of like Bill & Ted's understanding of Napoleon.

[DKW 86 7,431]

9) We will leave those that have passed on before us alone. If it is out of respect for family, friends or just common decency, we will refrain from slams below the belt. We here at AUNation are above that. Our Rival posters here are above it as well, or will be gone. If you want to talk ill of Bear, Shug, etc. Go to another board, there you can join in on the local slamfest. You get a free place to express yourself as you want to be heard. Your voice will be protected as much as the next person. We have several forums here and we encourage civil Rivals to join in.

[Erik81 0]

HE'S DEAD??????!!!!!!!!

man I had no idea

[JxnTider 0]

9) We will leave those that have passed on before us alone. If it is out of respect for family, friends or just common decency, we will refrain from slams below the belt. We here at AUNation are above that. Our Rival posters here are above it as well, or will be gone. If you want to talk ill of Bear, Shug, etc. Go to another board, there you can join in on the local slamfest. You get a free place to express yourself as you want to be heard. Your voice will be protected as much as the next person. We have several forums here and we encourage civil Rivals to join in.

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thanks David... very classy on your part. We Bama fans appreciate it, especially in these circumstances. Thanks for the site again!

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

JxnTider......I must apologize for some of my "brethren." Just goes to show that we have our share of people who somehow forgot the lessons their Mother surely taught them.

[ECEstudentUA 9]

Its kinda wrong to make fun of people that remember someones death. Yes, he wasnt George Washington or anything........but still......its still not right. Thats like saying you shouldnt remember any person that was a high figure in society, or for that matter anyone. It might get taken a little far, but thats the way it is. Im sure when Coach Dye passes away, it will be the same way for AU fans.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

JMHO, but I think the mods should just send this thread to the black hole.

[Erik81 0]

Its kinda wrong to make fun of people that remember someones death. Yes, he wasnt George Washington or anything........but still......its still not right. Thats like saying you shouldnt remember any person that was a high figure in society, or for that matter anyone. It might get taken a little far, but thats the way it is. Im sure when Coach Dye passes away, it will be the same way for AU fans.

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It's not that you shouldn't remember but after a couple of decades the emotion caused from his actual death should start to fade.

For example if someone told me a joke involving JFK getting shot I would have no problem with it because it happened so long ago-people all the time on TV make fun of the possible man on the grassy knoll and it's not deemed classless.

I was three years old when Coach Bryant died, now I am almost 26. There has to be a time when you let him go. The fact that so many bama fans attach so much of what bama does today to how the Bear would have done it is not really discourging us from making fun of it either.

[ECEstudentUA 9]

Its kinda wrong to make fun of people that remember someones death. Yes, he wasnt George Washington or anything........but still......its still not right. Thats like saying you shouldnt remember any person that was a high figure in society, or for that matter anyone. It might get taken a little far, but thats the way it is. Im sure when Coach Dye passes away, it will be the same way for AU fans.

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It's not that you shouldn't remember but after a couple of decades the emotion caused from his actual death should start to fade.

For example if someone told me a joke involving JFK getting shot I would have no problem with it because it happened so long ago-people all the time on TV make fun of the possible man on the grassy knoll and it's not deemed classless.

I was three years old when Coach Bryant died, now I am almost 26. There has to be a time when you let him go. The fact that so many bama fans attach so much of what bama does today to how the Bear would have done it is not really discourging us from making fun of it either.

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I agree, thats why i said that it gets taken a little to far. But yea, all in all.....it should just be a good memory, not a hurtful sob.

"The fact that so many bama fans attach so much of what bama does today to how the Bear would have done it is not really discourging us from making fun of it either." <-------that is something ill agree with too, quite a few compair apples to oranges in that idea.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

quite a few compair apples to oranges in that idea.

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Don't mention the O word again. Last warning.

[Grider 1]

quite a few compair apples to oranges in that idea.

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Don't mention the O word again. Last warning.

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[LegalEagle 22]

Well, I hate to rain on the parade here, but it really isn't good form to speak poorly of the dead. He has family, friends and fans who deserve to remember him without seeing/hearing the chant of insults from others who pride themselves as being a notch (or two) above the Bammerites. Let it go. Let them remember and mourn in peace.

[MDM4AU 332]

I just want to go on record as saying I was in no way trying to disrespect Bryant. My post was about the people calling in to radio show and truly pi@@ed off because the paper didn't do a thesis on Bear Bryant. Some people actually claimed he was as important a figure in history as Martin Luther King Jr.

Here is a clip from today's Bamaham News:

Two days ago, several callers to a local sports radio show ranged from irate to nearly in tears that the anniversary of Bryant's death seemed to be passing with hardly a mention in the local media.

"No man in the history of Alabama has done more for this state than Coach Bryant," was essentially what those who were offended said.

One even went so far as to complain that this newspaper annually produces stories to remember Martin Luther King (on the national holiday honoring the memory of the leader of the civil rights movement and Nobel prize winner) and yet failed to do the same for Bryant.

I hope no one thought I was poking fun at PWB or disrespecting him. My flames were solely for the nut-job callers and whiners.

[AUloggerhead 2,241]

I object to the Bear's deification in the state's media, too. It's unseemly and borders on blasphemy. He was a football coach, but he was also a man -- one with many faults (like we all have.) Many of his fans will naturally choose to gloss over his foibles & remember only his achievements on the football field, and that's OK. That's to be expected I guess.

But that fact doesn't change my mind when it comes to wanting to whip his school's ass one more time every year. Fear the thumb. WDE

[GalensGhost 0]

Okay. We get it. He's dead!

Bama fans revere him. They believe statues should be erected in his honor. They believe stadiums, roads, high schools (wth his that? a high school?), buildings, conference centers and myriad other things should be named after him. For Bama fans the anniversary of his death is a traumatic date -- as it should be, since it marks the end of the Alabama they believe still exists. But as much as they wish it to be, Bryant is not Jesus. He did not rise from the dead and his spirit does not hover over the football program like a guardian angel. If it does, he's got a better sense of humor than I would have imagined. Either that or he's pissed about something.

Auburn fans, for the most part, do not revere him. They could care less what is named after him. For Auburn fans, the anniversary of his death is not really a date of tragedy and sadness, any more than the deaths of George Burns, Jack Benny or Bob Hope are. The great Bryant had been rendered mortal by Bo Jackson and Pat Dye. His reign had ended, and even had he lived, a new day was breaking. Bryant and Alabama were -- and remain -- basically irrelevant.

This thread has reached its logical conclusion. Nothing further to be gained by continuing it. Nothing to see, move along.

Note: If someone with authority feels this thread has been ended in haste, feel free to open it up again.