Evening star., 1955-10-26
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ), ..4ue.. ,r4pp
The Bear of the Southwest

IN THE GATHERING DUSK Of q September afternoon in
1854 couple of Texans shooting the breeze at the
entrance of Notre Danes stadium in South Bend
paul Bryant he must have been nuts hard to 60
to College Station" surmised newspaperman Texas AM
hasn't got football team and It's guess they won't ever
have one"
The other Texan the familiar Dick Todd Of Redskins
fame, grnned at his companion you don't know Paul
Bryant" said Todd, who scouting Notre Dame for
Southern Methodist He at Maryland and saw his
And he used to sit in George Mashas private box at
every Redskin game and Mr. Marshall he didn't invite him
for Just plain or company.
T" give Bryant two years at AM replied the neWsman
Hell have beilyful BY that time
Give him nve years" Todd retorted, aand Ann VIII
have real football team Look know that LIT o. boy
Bryant"
TODD WAS UNDERTAKING Bear Bryant The big,
drawing Arkansas boy didn't win last in the
Southwest Conference His record 06 But those who
knew him best certain that temporary condition
The Agges scored SO points and had l2 scored against
them. They didn't even play to a draw.
Where Todd was undertaking Bryant thinking that
needed five years put Texas AIM perennial doormat
the Southwest Conference its feet In their college
days at Alabama, playing opposite ends Don Huson got
more publicity But that doesn't that Bryant hasn't
put lot Of ground his feet then later and
Maybe you don't realize where the Agges today
Eleventh the Associated Press poll all They've just
straight and pretty good teams have been victmzed too
Just Louisiana State, Houston Nebraska, Texas Christian
and Baylor.
THEY BEAT BAYLOR last week. 1877 which was practi-
cay the BY which Maryland won over the Bears
When II Saturday George Sauer who hates to
lose went all out for Texas AIM
"rd have to compare them with Maryland" he said
"They know everything and they do everything I've got
good squad, but It wasn't enough"
This is not to suggest that Bear Bryant has come on
unbrused In one short year-from tal-enders to
champshes met adversely face TO face You don't create
good football teams of the clear blue and Bear knows 1t
weH-better IN fact. than most
When he left Kentucky the big guy knew that he had to
find football players look at the squad he inherited
enough TO tell him 1t would do That "a Bryant
right, too
BUT THE BIowIus at Texas AaM knew what they
were getting They getting the young man who had
the audaity to pile practically his entire North Carolina
Prehight School team into and ship them to College
Park, Md, shortly after WI Day And who'd nd them
another squad like 1t.
At Maryland things hadn't gone too well Curley Byrd
had quit coaching and Clark shaughnessy and Doc Spears
weren't winning and Bryant seemed-and was-the answer
big winner was required and the Bear was the man.
This the beginning Of the regime at Maryland, which
had been unaccustomed to anything like No. ranking
Bryant set up for the Maryands and then, when
became ISSUE he left and Jim Tatum took charge luckily
Bryant moved to Kentucky, which kind Of conference
doorma too Bryant did job at Kentucky much like the
he did at Maryland there difference Of opinion
between Bryant and Adoph Rupp the basketball coach and
the Bear to Probably he could have faced
It out successfully with Rupp but Bryant didn't figure
was worthwhile
sv
NOW YOU DON'T MAKE big teams overnight or during
year. especially in the Southwest Conference without
running into trouble Even Bryant with his genius learned
this much Because Of obvious practices the Agges have
been placed on probation by the NCAA for year.
All OF which means that while Bryants A&sM guys may
be the best in the entire Southwest they participate
In the Cotton Bowl any other But this calculated
risk few years ago the University Of Miami also going
big time invited and got similar NCAA reprimand It lasts
only year and meanwhile, you're in business.
That's what Bryant k-in business The Bears got .
bigleagus team, which expected Of him. and he's got
NcAA suspension also probably expected About the only
way Bryant fooled people coming up with regular
guard, and good one, who has only one arm.
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