Bama Facebook Page Asks Fans To Honor Bear Bryant Today Instead Of 9/11, Comments Get UGLY
12 years ago

Legendary Alabama football coach Paul William Bryant, better known as “Bear” Bryant, would have turned 100 years old today. The man isn’t arguably the greatest head coach in college football history — he is the greatest head coach in college football history. The University of Alabama is as rich in football history and tradition as the TFM Intern is incompetent, but even among their vast trove of lore and success, the Bear stands above all as their most esteemed icon.

When I attended the ’09 National Championship game at the Rose Bowl between Texas and Alabama, I was shocked at all the houndstooth attire I saw. Many fedoras were even sprinkled throughout the crowd (my seats were in the heart of the Bama section – it was unpleasant). It was all because of the Bear, the last man that could brazenly pull off a fedora.

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He deserves to be honored today — on his centennial. Unfortunately for the Bear, though, he shares his birthday with perhaps the darkest day in United States history — the terrorist attacks of 9/11. And while every other soundly-minded American pulls out their red, white and blue today to honor and remember those fallen on that day back in 2001, the Alabama Athletics Facebook page is asking its followers to support the Bear.

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You can guess what comes next: mass hysteria and ugly remarks via the comment section. The comments are 318 deep to this point, ranging anywhere from “RIP Bear! Roll by God Tide!” to “You have go to be fucking kidding me!” I’m paraphrasing.

Here’s one of the more tame comments, from an Auburn fan no less:

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This Mark fella seems like a real gentleman. Others in there, not so much.

[via Facebook]

Image via Indian River Mag

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  2. Fratextra

    So this is just another time for Bama fans to say “Roll Damn Tide” -Harvey Updyke Jr.

    No Excuses, Never Forget! 9/11/01 God Bless AMERICA!

    12 years ago at 2:08 pm
  3. JohnFratYatesSommers

    From the comments on facebook:

    “You people are idiots. You complain about this conflicting with the horrors of 9/11 yet none of your profile pictures have anything to do with 9/11”

    Don’t you just love facebook profile picture activists?

    12 years ago at 2:16 pm
  5. William Fratner

    I fail to see the problem with what ‘bama did. Yes it’s the anniversary of 9/11, but that doesn’t change everything that came before or after it. It’s a wound that needs to be remembered, but also needs to heal. Going about normal life is exactly what the sheet-head fuckers don’t want, so if some athletics department wants to go about their business while honoring one of their own, then by all means they should do exactly that.

    12 years ago at 2:24 pm
    1. Ron_Bourbondy

      I get where you’re coming from, but I think most people would agree this was a dumbass move on bama’s part.

      12 years ago at 9:25 pm
  7. Kotton

    So just because his death is on the same day as the awful tragedy that occurred 12 years ago, Alabama fans aren’t allowed to honor his death in a simple Facebook profile picture change?

    Find something else to complain about people.

    12 years ago at 2:49 pm
  8. RisingFratstarOfTX

    So what, you aren’t going to put up any of the more uncivilized comments? Who are you afraid of, Dorn?

    12 years ago at 6:58 pm
  9. CapstoneRager

    I’m confused as to the hysteria. Umm, maybe I missed something but where in that post did it say anything about honoring Coach Bryant ABOVE the victims of 9/11? At no point were the victims of 9/11 disrespected or their deaths downplayed. I really think this reaction is pretty typical of American society nowadays, which is to sit around and whine and try to figure out who is doing us wrong. The average person is a sheep who just follows the herd and looks for stuff to bitch about.

    12 years ago at 8:15 pm