There he is. Former President Donald Trump Saturday insisted his former secretary of state was not taking a dig at him when Mike Pompeo warned conservatives against following 'celebrity leaders'. Billy told her not to worry about Coach. Twenty-four? To Bryant's right are his daughters Stella Gray and Anna Laurie. ", They'd known each other for more than 20 years by then. Stewart. Susie is in and out of the room, doing laundry, listening to gospel music. "His life is as concealed as Coach Bryant's life. They have three daughters: Stella Gray Bryant Sykes, Mae Martin Bryant Murray, and Anna Laurie Bryant McKibbens, all graduates of The University of Alabama, and three grandchildren. I'd drive him. The origins of the Lexington Herald-Leader can be traced back over 130 years to the Lexington Daily Press. He's following me. The Birmingham News. Hilburn's mother was Mae Martin Bryant, and Paul Murray's mother is Mae Martin Murray, the daughter of Paul "Bear" Bryant Jr. and, like Mary Harmon Hilburn, the granddaughter of Paul "Bear" Bryant Sr. and Mary Harmon Bryant. A number of people wore T-shirts that said 'It Took a Giant to Replace the Bear,' referring to former New York Giants Coach Ray Perkins, whom Bryant selected to succeed him at Alabama last month. S Try 100. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Only the sound of one woman sobbing broke the stillness. A decade ago, speaking of efforts by UAB to decrease its athletics department deficit, Bryant offered: "You can put any spin you want on it, but if you aren't selling tickets, the money isn't there.". Because of the overflow crowd, the service also was piped into the nearby First Baptist Church, which seated 1,300, and the Presbyterian Church, which accommodates 600. The lights are low, and the house sits in cool darkness. usie Varner answers the door. ", T He remembers his mother,. ear Bryant surrounded himself with people he could trust, and he trusted nobody more than Billy Varner, a tough, barrel-chested African-American. Supporters of UAB football insist that the now-scrapped football program played an important role in helping the university attract students and build campus life. According to Social Security records, since 1959 there have been 1,403 Bryants born in Alabama -- so many that it piqued the curiosity of the Bear's original namesake, Paul William "Bear" Bryant Jr. After a lifetime of hearing "I was named for your daddy," it was Junior who approached the museum that honors his father with the idea of compiling a database of those whose names do the same. 2/28/2023 6:52 PM PT. "Yes, sir, we've got Paul and Bryant covered right there in one house.". He's following me. Here we are updating just estimated networth of Paul William Bryant Jr. salary, income and assets. Knowles and Varner cleaned out the real version of this office after Coach died. He dropped him off at night. He is chairman emeritus of the Civil War Preservation Trust, a Washington, D.C. -. * This list only holds up to 10 photographs. These ties received national press attention when the board of trustees made the shocking decision to kill UAB football. "Bryant." Barra wrote the best biography of Bryant, "The Last Coach," and even in his book, there is a Paul-sized hole at the center of the narrative. Watts has said he, not University of Alabama System trustees made the decision to shut the football program down. A few weeks ago, as Linda Knowles took the elevator up to the fourth-floor office where she works for the Alabama faculty senate, a car with a houndstooth paint job drove past her building on Paul W. Bryant Drive, past Bryant-Denny Stadium, past the Paul W. Bryant Museum, which is filled with what can only be called relics, then past the Bryant Conference Center. And no one knew Coach Bryant better than Billy. TideIllustrated - Paul Bryant Jr.: A legacy of his own - Rivals.com Lexington (Ky.) -- History -- 20th century. Paul Bryant Jr - Bhamwiki Bear Bryant funeral - al.com Paul W. Bryant, Jr. - The Alabama Business Hall of Fame Many of the members of Bryant's last team held their faces in tense grimaces, obviously fighting back tears, at the graveside. He is survived by his wife Sylvia Mohamed-Bryant, parents Paul Dean Bryant Sr.. At the end, when Bryant was sicker than anyone knew, Billy heard the private coughs. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/C5wakg73d7. His eyes get wide, bulging, like they do when he's confused. "This is Alabama football. She sits down and tells the story her husband can no longer tell. The Bear, the rough-faced legend on the video board, was predestined to be great. ", As Chase Bryant's father nodded proudly, another teen, Bryant Wilson, shouted "Same! The sound gets louder. I didn't do either of those. Sometimes they didn't. Age: 68 Birthplace: Birmingham Education: Graduated in 1966 with a degree in finance from the University of Alabama Family: Wife, Cherry; three daughters and three grandchildren Career: President of Greene Group Inc., a privately-held holding company; chairman of Bryant Bank; president pro tempore of the UA board of trustees; chairman emeritus of the Civil War Preservation Trust, a national historic battlefield preservation organization, Tommy Deas Executive Sports Editor | The Tuscaloosa News. He saw him cry. For many years, Bryant has been accused of running the Alabama board of trustees like a family business, "holding secret meetings, shrugging off public records requests, ignoring or sidestepping the law. Susie can tell you what she saw, but that's it. He forms his right hand into a pistol and Susie laughs, but then he starts to get lost again. Bryant is Chairman Emeritus and the longest-serving member of the organizations Board of Trustees. "We hear about people really almost exclusively through word of mouth," explained Ken Gaddy, director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum, located in the heart of the University of Alabama's campus. The Birmingham News, Bear Bryant funeral at First Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa, AL. The newspapers had a combined Sunday edition, but their editorial policies remained quite different. Barra found himself attacked for describing one bender at the 21 Club in New York City. Hundreds of others gathered silently outside the Methodist church to wave goodbye when Bryant's body was loaded into a hearse for the trip to Elmwood Cemetery. Paul W. Bryant Jr. sat down recently for a rare interview, giving insight into his involvement with UA athletics - both real and rumored - as well as a revealing glimpse into his personality, his background and the school's growth during his time on the board of trustees. ", Overhearing this exchange was yet another teenager, Bryant Denny Turner, whose parents dared to go even a step further and give their son the name of the legendary Alabama football coach and the name of the arena where the Bear did his homework, Denny Stadium. ", Paul 'Bear' Bryant's name persists in Alabama fans, Inside the big-money battle that could decide the ACC's future. He led efforts to upgrade and expand the football stadium which bears his dad's name. "There's not much really you can talk about Billy," Rutledge said. another $13 mil or so, in fact, which now . Football The Birmingham News, By Steve Gates - Fans watch Bear Bryant's funeral procession from the Woodstock overpass on I-59. ph, Casket of Alabama coach Paul Bear Bryant at the Elwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Ala. Friday Jan. 28, 1983. What was 'Bear' Bryant's retirement plan? It involved the Red Sox and Knowles cries every time. John C. Wyatt Lexington Herald-Leader photographs, https://lhlphotoarchive.org/ark:/16417/th71m0q2fr6vl, This item is 1 of 3716 items in the series ". The Birmingham News. At home, she keeps the microcassette of the last letter he dictated, the day before he died. Gaps open between the words, and sentences turn staccato. That's just Alabama.". The extended family includes about a. Early life and family background. And he did! Kobe Bryant's Widow Vanessa Bryant Settles Crash Photos Lawsuit at Alabama Booster Paul Bryant Jr. Has Ties to Insurance Fraud Scheme Susie is short, 77, with gray hair and a walker she pushes around. That's been scrubbed for posterity. Obviously, I had an advantage in that I had met a lot of business people through my parents when I was in high school and college, in the state and out of state. Bear Bryant looks down from four or five different places. Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Smart backs UGA culture after fatal crash, arrests, Kelly inks contract extension at UCLA through '27, Top QB prospect Levis eager to unleash 'cannon', Smith-Njigba feels 100% after injury-marred '22. "It's my daddy's middle name!" He earned his degree in finance from The University of Alabama in 1966. Paul Bryant has stepped up for this project like he . SUFFOLK - Paul Bryant Jr., 67, retired employee of Perry Lumber Co., died Saturday, Dec. 14, 1996. He's an honorary assistant coach for the 1975 season. "Coach Bryant used to be the coach at Alabama," he says. I wasn't really seeking it, he said. Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Las Vegas prepared to give A's 'better opportunity', Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, Curry, Iguodala probable to return vs. Lakers, Sources: Suns hiring Pistons' Bartelstein as CEO, Mbappe breaks PSG's all-time scoring record, Bruins stroll past Kane, Rangers, win 10th in row, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Inside the long-awaited return of Jon Jones and his quest for heavyweight glory, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? You start thinking about what you could have been doing. His voice is deep and trails off when he's unsure. I always thought about that. For nearly 44 years the collection was cared for by John C. Wyatt (1928-2005), who became a Lexington Leader photographer in 1946, was the chief photographer for many years, and retired from the Lexington Herald-Leader in 1990. Bear Bryant Wife And Family - Mixedarticle Paul never forgot the middle-class kids pointing and laughing at his mother. Varner told even him no. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Bryant is a family man: He has been married to his wife, Cherry, since 1966, and they have three daughters all UA graduates and three grandchildren. Given that fact, it was not a surprise that phone calls to his office were not returned. But while the younger Bryant never coached, he has used his personal fortune to support UA to the tune of millions of dollars in donations -- $20 million to the UA football program alone during his time as a trustee. "I said, 'Why would you name him after the greatest coach of all time when he could be named after the two greatest coaches of all time? A crowd of 5,000 -- many dressed as though for an Alabama football game -- watched in eerie silence as the grim-faced young pallbearers carried Bryant's flower-blanketed casket to the grave. During an extensive interview a year ago with the Tuscaloosa News and executive sports editor Tommy Deas, Bryant talked about what Bama football meant to the university. Thirty years after Bear Bryant's final season, the man who knew him Next fall, another great-grandson, Paul William Bryant Tyson, will be on Nick Saban's roster as a freshman quarterback. (File Photo/ The Huntsville TImes) The Huntsville Times. Coach Pat Dye talks with unknown person. coverage of "Bear" Bryant's service. At the request of Bryant's wife, Mary Harmon Bryant, the motorcade passed Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide's home field, and drove within sight of Legion Field in Birmingham, scene of many of his greatest victories. "What is?" "Oh, it goes so much deeper than that," Hilburn said, rolling her eyes and grinning. To his right is the famous painting "315" that shows Bryant on the sideline as he breaks the all-time wins record, and down the wall from that is a pencil-and-ink drawing of Bryant as a young man. As Billy's memory fades, that knowledge disappears with it, widening the gulf between truth and imagination. You miss a lot of things you shouldn't miss.". Wilson's father added his own nod of approval, replying loudly, though muffled by a bite of hot dog, "Rollf Tfide! Photo by Dave Dieter HVT, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The patrolman understood and backed off. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? "I just don't know what's going to happen to him," Varner said. He can be almost painfully shy in public and has an intent dislike of seeing himself on television or having his photo made. View the profiles of people named Paul Bryant Jr. Join Facebook to connect with Paul Bryant Jr. and others you may know. He established the General J.C.C. Welcome to the 23rd annual Paul W. Bryant Namesake Reunion, where the only requirement to attend is that you or a member of your immediate family is willingly and lovingly -- sometimes strategically -- named for the coach known as "Bear." Mrs. Bryant was dressed in a simple black dress and veil. This year's reunion was the first to feature a carnival theme, complete with cotton candy, county-fair-style games and -- wait for it -- a teddy-bear-building station. Sure did. Historic buildings -- Kentucky -- Lexington. The price for memories is regret, and somewhere in the middle of all this, Billy considers how he spent his life. Selected for Beta Gamma Sigma, he received the Financial Executives Institute of America Award for the outstanding student in commerce and business administration as well as the Alabama Bankers Association Award for the outstanding student in banking and finance. His voice loses its pitch and clarity, sort of like he's got a mouth full of pea gravel. Bryant said that he never made the remarks and that the entire article was fabricated. I'm not much better than other people, but the timing might have been good on some things.. He spends a long minute staring at the remote control, trying to figure out how to turn up the volume. (AP Photo), Press Photo Mel Allen At Bear Bryant Funeral In Birmingham, Mel Allen - Birmingham - Bear Bryant Funeral. Paul Bryant, Jr., who traveled with his former K-9 partner Azeem to Ground Zero to search for missing persons shortly after the attacks of . This isn't a celebration. She laughs some, with only a little bitterness, about what was gained, what was spent and what remains. A half-hour or more has passed. Michael S. Serrill, John Helyar, Anthony Effinger, Paul Bryant Jr.: A legacy of his own; by Tommy Deas, tidesports.com accessed September 5, 2014, Last edited on 15 December 2022, at 18:09, Paul Bryant Jr: His famous father casts a long shadow, one seemingly comfortable to the son, Alabama Football Dominance Powered by Greyhound Fortune. Close friend Jimmy Hinton died a year ago; former assistant and confidant Clem Gryska died last month. Growing up, everyone called Bear Jr. "Papa," except for Hilburn, who called Papa's daddy "Papa" while everyone else called him "Grandpapa." He focuses on the shot from the Liberty Bowl. "I never did hear about him dying.". Regularly, he refuses to believe that his old boss isn't at home waiting for a ride. I didn't use it but one time. The house--a classic Tudor-style--was owned by Harmon's family. Yes, Bear died, but He is risen. Somebody comes up to do something to Coach Bryant, they're gonna have to get me first. Paul Bryant Jr.'s bank is the tie that binds UA trustees. It grows smaller all the time. Assistant Alabama Coach Kent Johnston said 'The family picked them. Over the years, various accounts have given him different titles, but essentially, he was a fixer. $1 Million - $5 Million. Bryant entered Druid City Hospital in Tuscaloosa on January 25, 1983, after feeling chest discomfort. He co-authored two books about American football in 2013. Sometimes Bryant visits. Bryant said he was urged by the UA alumni association, ex-presidents of the school, members of the A-Club (made up of former UA athletic letter winners) and alumni to seek the seat on the board. Bryant bought seafood dinners for everyone there, and Billy cracked later, "It was like you were handing out loaves and fishes." [2] He serves as its chairman.[6]. "It's crazy. omething remarkable happens when Billy figures out where the den is located -- at first, he stood in the living room confused while Susie called his name over and over -- and inches down the hall, through the kitchen where Coach sat one time for supper, into a room decorated with photographs of Bear Bryant. There is certainly regret in Bryant's choice of devotional. They reached the end together, sitting in a 14th-floor suite of the Memphis Holiday Inn. "Then," he added, "I'll do the same with Paul.". TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - Maybe Winston Churchill comes closest to summing up Paul Bryant Jr. "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia," said Churchill in a 1939 radio address talking about what role the then USSR might play in World War II. "[1] He is worth "hundreds of millions of dollars. University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center. re: Help me understand the power of Paul Bryant, Jr. Posted on 12/2/14 at 9:47 pm to weagle99. Kobe Bryant Announces Fourth Daughter on the Way with Wife Vanessa In January, the retired basketball star, 40, rung in the new year with a special announcement featuring a gold, sparkling . [1][2], Bryant graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a degree in Commerce in 1966. As she talks, there's a noise down the hall, a rattle of movement and the thump-thump of a cane on the floor. In a brief graveside service, the crowd recited the 23rd Psalm and the Lord's Prayer and then Bryant's family left, with the mourners straggling behind and the simple pine casket still beside the grave. He drove him to Birmingham one year before Christmas because Bryant got a letter from a sick girl and he wanted to surprise her. Alabama-They began gathering in the early morning fog at Elmwood Cemetery today. Former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath -- Bryant's most famous player -- former Oklahoma Coach Bud Wilkinson and Georgia Coach Vince Dooley were among those at the graveside, bathed in bright sunshine. It's certainly not too serious of a process by any stretch, but we really want to know people's stories and give them a chance to share those stories.". For all his business success, Bryant said in the interview that as a young man he had wanted to follow his father into coaching. Bryant's son, Paul Bryant Jr., remembers his father's birthday more than the anniversary of his death, but for most Alabama fans, everything changed "the day Bear Bryant died." I'd travel with him to the games. "So little coming out of it. Buy what you want, he told her, not what you need. Any William needs to be prepared to really make his or her case to be included, but many have successfully done so. Roll Tide!" (AP Photo/Joe Holloway Jr.), College football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, wearing black coat, observes his team Alabama Crimson Tide after they defeated Illinois 21-15 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tenn., on Dec. 30, 1982. We went to the dressing room. Tobacco industry -- Kentucky -- Lexington. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. One grandmother introduced her preschool-aged grandson, Hayden Bryant Kennedy, this way: "If I'd had my way, he'd be Nicholas Bryant Kennedy." [3][7] He also served on the boards of trustees of the Alabama Heritage Foundation and the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia. Paul Bryant's dedicated service and leadership have been invaluable to the board of trustees and to the University of Alabama System, Witt said. They wanted husky ones.' Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Bryant served as the chairman of the Civil War Trust. Bryant did play high school basketball in Tuscaloosa, but in interviews he has said he was part of a great team and played only sparingly. I walked in front of him. The Bear wore houndstooth. He laughs and claps his hands. He only serves on one committee, but he does carry some influence with other board members. Connelly's C-USA preview, part 2: Which returning teams could rule new-look league? [1] He got his bartender a badge and a gun. The university had been spending about $20 million a year on football and the years ahead would only see that number grow and Watts pulled the plug causing a firestorm of protests from players and fans. "I keep trying to call that the Indian Hills football team. Paul, who rode in a mule-drawn cart from Moro Bottom, Ark., and in the back of Billy Varner's crimson Buick LeSabre, struggled, season after season. So why change the dog's name? (AP Photo), Press Photo Woody Hayes At Bear Bryant Funeral, Woody Hayes - Bear Bryant Funeral. "Coach Bryant isn't dead," he'll say. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- There is a scene in the 1985 comedy "Spies Like Us" in which Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd, posing as doctors, enter a tent full of actual doctors. Place kicker Peter Kim is at top right. From 2000 to 2015, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System. Bryant moved on to other business interests, keeping a close-knit group of partners in late attorney and civic leader Sam Phelps and his son, Scott, along with veterinarian Wayne May. He said he had to rest. Four years later, Billy was bartending at the Tuscaloosa Country Club. "No kidding, it's my daughter's first name, too!" Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. When Paul took his grandson fishing, Billy came along. Bryant Jr.,today, is perhaps as close as we get to someone who seemingly fits the meaning of Churchill's quote: something or someone that is immensely puzzling to figure out or extraordinarily complex to fully understand, often relying on hyperbole and occasionally sarcasm to describe. [2] Bryant is also the President of Greene County Greyhound Park. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). [1] He was described by The Birmingham News as "among the most private of men, largely a mystery to many."[1]. It's difficult to understand if you're not from here, but when football isn't doing well it kind of hurts, the whole state is kind of in a funk. Throughout his time on the board, he was a member of the Physical Properties Committee including nine years as chairman, during which more than 360 physical properties projects were completed with a total value exceeding $2 billion. Who makes up the University of Alabama Board of Trustees? Kobe Bryant Family Settles Photo Lawsuit For $28.5 Million You get a job out there you would have made $50 more a month. The local paper interviewed him, and Billy cried. Alabama Media Group, University of Alabama head football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant is lifted onto the shoulders of his players after Alabama defeated Illinois 21-15 in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday night, Dec. 30, 1982. To shoot him, they had to get me first.". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If I'd changed jobs, I would have been making $50 more a month. Everyone gifted with some version of Coach's moniker wears a nametag, so as to keep them all straight. Thereafter, he has been chairman of the Crimson Tide Foundation since its inception. A story last year from Bloomberg News, mostly about his extensive business dealings, shows a man who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, a fortune gained through a variety of businesses and investments spanning dog and horse racing, the insurance industry, cement making, catfish farming and banking. My dad wanted to set me on the right path as soon as I was born! It was a hand-me-down. "I know I've made this journey," he told a reporter just before his final season. Lexington (Ky.) -- Politics and government. They hoped that through him they might better understand the coach. [3], Bryant founded the People's Bank in the late 1960s,[1] and later sold it. The pictures on the wall hold him. Bryant also has a keen interest in the Civil War, and serves as chairman emeritus of the Civil War Preservation Trust, a national historic battlefield preservation organization. He looks back at the Liberty Bowl photograph. He collapsed once from nervous exhaustion, chain-smoked cigarettes, ripped the filters off ones he bummed, passed out on couches, checked into alcohol rehab. The extended family includes about a dozen hunting dogs, who are kept at Bryant's farm in Greene County. This urge to protect, probably born from seeing the Saturday Evening Post erroneously accuse the coach of fixing a game, is also erasing something. Acknowledged by the National Park Service and leading conservationists as the foremost American heritage land preservation organization, the Civil War Trust is known to be the largest and most effective non-profit devoted to the preservation of Americas battlegrounds. In his late 20s, Bryant helped organize Peoples Bank of Tuscaloosa, which was merged into AmSouth in the early 1980s, with AmSouth later merging with Regions Bank. Always, Coach Bryant, just like Mary Wilkes or Sarah Catherine: Coachbryant. Jack Rutledge asked carefully. Bryant, who won 323 games in his 38 seasons -- more than any other college coach -- died Wednesday of a heart attack only 28 days after retiring. Varner never felt comfortable enough to strike up conversations with Bryant, but he could poke at the Legend of The Bear. That's where he met Alabama's new football coach, and when Varner took the same job at the Indian Hills Country Club, where Bryant lived off the third fairway, they became close. All he has to show for two decades of service are his memories, and even those often hang just out of reach. It was perhaps the most oddly attired gathering of mourners the cemetery had ever seen. "It's exactly like that," Hilburn added. Bryant coached the Tide for 25 years, from 1958 to 1982. Arrangements by Crocker Funeral Home. A lot of them we've got don't hunt because they're older. "My name is Chase Bryant Duncan," said a teenager, proudly pointing to his nametag as he stood in the food line on the lawn of the Paul W. Bryant Museum with his family. If you've been in that, you get looked at close so it helps to do OK in one regulated business you get another one, he said. A 1966 UA graduate who earned a degree in commerce, Bryant started People's Bank while still in his 20's. Paul Bryant Jr. Profiles | Facebook Paul W. Bryant is dying for the second time, and one day, in the not-so-distant future, only The Bear will remain. Others cried openly. He'll dress in the middle of the night and try to leave, his pajamas rolled up in his hand. Take a look inside former Bear Bryant home up for sale Bryant's net worth is not public knowledge, but he has amassed enough wealth to donate tens of millions of dollars to the UA. "Well, we don't hardly know the details," he said finally. "He's young all the time here," Billy says. "[12] In 2001. a committee of trustees met in secret, just one day after a court barred Auburn's board of trustees from doing the same thing. "But we have a registration process. Collectively, it saved 41,000 acres of battlefield land in over 120 states during Bryants board tenure. "Too many football games," he says. Paul W. Bryant, Jr. is the son of the late Paul W. Bryant and Mary Harmon Black Bryant. "Because my wife's favorite movie is 'Sweet Home Alabama' and what's-his-name [Josh Lucas], his hound dog was named Bryant for Coach Bryant and our dog looked just like the dog from the movie. They are retired ones that mostly just get loving, pets.. His clarity comes and goes. You want a window into Bear Bryant's power in the state of Alabama?