Jan. 26, 1983 was one of those days I will always remember. I know he wasn't the President of the US or the Pope or anyone who changed history. But Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was a legend in Alabama and in all of college football. He retired from Alabama and coached his last football game at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis a few weeks earlier. I guess he wasn't suppose to enjoy retirement. He died on that date. I know there are a lot of rednecks in Alabama who idolize THE BEAR. There are a lot of fans who never attended the University of Alabama. It's really a small state school compared to others. In fact it is smaller than Auburn and UAB. I loved coach Bryant because I actually knew him. I'm not going to pretend he was a friend of the family, but he attended my church growing up. He wasn't there very often, but his wife was there every week sitting with our pastor's wife. Whenever coach Bryant entered the church I stood in awe of the man. He had a John Wayne type presence. His voice was deep. He was friendly and actually took time to acknowledge me. My dream was to play football @ the U of A. But coach Bryant wasn't looking for a slow white cornerback. He was a generous man and even gave some support money to my dad's ministry. He accepted Christ the year before he died when Steadman Shealy (former Bama National Championship QB) led him to Christ. Steadman, Jeff Rutledge and Keith Pugh all attended our church and had a spiritual impact on the Bear. Coach Bryant loved people. You could knock on his door and he would talk with you. My aunt went to High School with him in Arkansas. She came to visit us and she said she was going to call Paul. I told her she was crazy, he would never talk with her. Two hours later she got off the phone. That was the kind of man he was. A month before he died my grandfather went by his office and Coach Bryant gave my Grandpa (from Ohio even) an autographed pictured with the date. I'll bet it's worth some money. It hangs in my office today. Call me a redneck or whatever, but I remember where I was when I heard Coach Bryant died. I was @ Samford University in the cafeteria. I remember being moved. Not because of football, but because the kind of man he was. He loved people and he took time for a young boy like me. I will always love THE BEAR and will cherish my memories of seeing him @ church and leaning on the goal-post at Bryant-Denny Statium!