Bear Bryant

Paul William Bear Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25year tenure as Alabamas head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982, he held the record for most wins as head coach in collegiate football history with 323 wins. The Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, Paul W. Bryant Drive, and BryantDenny Stadium are all named in his honor at the University of Alabama. He was also known for his trademark black and white houndstooth hat, deep voice, casually leaning up against the goal post during pregame warmups, and frequently holding his rolledup game plan while on the sidelines smoking a cigarette. Before arriving at Alabama, Bryant was head football coach at the University of Maryland, the University of Kentucky, and Texas AampM University.

Paul Bryant was the 11th ofchildren who were born to Wilson Monroe and Ida Kilgore Bryant in Moro Bottom, Cleveland County, Arkansas.6 His nickname stemmed from his having agreed to wrestle a captive bear during a carnival promotion when he wasyears old. His mother wanted him to be a minister, but Bryant told her Coaching is a lot like preaching. When the Fellowship of Christian Athletes attempted to start a chapter at the University of Alabama during the 1960s, Bryant initially opposed it because he feared that devoutly religious players would lose their aggressiveness, but eventually changed his mind and actively donated money to the FCA, apparently inspired by three elitelevel linebackers at Baylor University who went on to become Baptist preachers.

Source: Wikipedia