Tech/Bama Rivalry

knoxjacket

knoxjacket

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I was wondering if some of the more experienced posters on this board could share some stories about the rivalry that existed between Alabama back in the day and how Bobby Dodd and Bear Bryant got along.

I always enjoy reading the good ole day posts.

By the way this was prompted by reading this article (link) and the story it tells about Dodd accusing Bryant of sending assistants dressed up as priests to recruit a Catholic player. :laugher:
 
Alabama leads all time series 28 wins, 21 losses 3 ties. Dodd beat Bryant 7 times and Bryant beat Dodd 10 times ( I believe).

One of the great victories in Tech history was in the 1962 Alabama game. Tech won 7 to 6 at Grant Field and knocked Alabama and Joe Namath out of the number one spot and a National Championship.

In a game a few years later (1964 I think) an Alabama player, Darwin Holt took a cheap shot and forearmed a Tech player, Chick Granning while he was attempting to make a fair catch. This broke Granning's jaw and knocked out several of his teeth. Put him in the hospital for several days. Holt nor Bryant nor Alabama ever apologized. Dodd never forgave Bryant for that incident and some feel it played a big part in Dodd's decision to leave the SEC.

I would say up until that point Dodd and Bryant had a healthy dislike but an appreciation for each other. I know Bryant referred to Dodd as the "Old Gray Fox" because he was always tough to beat and often beat his opponents through superior coaching even when he had inferior talent.

There are many more stories but those are the two that have stayed at the forefront of my mind.

Go Jackets!
 
A bitter rivalry that has somewhat waxed with time. TECH fans hated Bama worse than UGAg for quite a while. The Darwin Holt incident not withstanding. The Atlanta papers were beserk. Ask Furman Bisher if you want an account. TECH and Bama refused to play each other for years. Really bad blood had a lot to do with TECH leaving the SEC, of which TECH was a founding member, and was predicated by Bear Bryant stabbing Coach Dodd in the back. Bear Bryant was a drunken sot. Bobby Dodd was the best football coach in the SEC. Bryant did everything he could by hook or crook to win and Coach Dodd never faltered in his commitments to his principles which eventually led to his pulling TECH out of the conference that he helped found. The finest TECH man that ever lived.
Ancient history now but still relevant.
 
This broke Granning's jaw and knocked out several of his teeth. Put him in the hospital for several days. Holt nor Bryant nor Alabama ever apologized.
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Story I heard was that Holt went to visit Granning in the hospital to make sure he was okay, but that his hospital visit was downplayed by the Tech contingent. I don't have a good source, though, just word of mouth from an old timer.
 
In their Fight song, "Yea Alabama" I think the line "send the yellow jackets to a watery grave" should say all that's necessary about the rivalry that once was.
Only other team mentioned are the bulldogs, whoever they are.
 
We won in 84 but lost to them in 82 and 83 after beating them on the road in 81 for our only win of the year, one of the greatest upsets of all time.
 
Jerry the Jacket said:
Alabama leads all time series 28 wins, 21 losses 3 ties. Dodd beat Bryant 7 times and Bryant beat Dodd 10 times ( I believe).

One of the great victories in Tech history was in the 1962 Alabama game. Tech won 7 to 6 at Grant Field and knocked Alabama and Joe Namath out of the number one spot and a National Championship.

In a game a few years later (1964 I think) an Alabama player, Darwin Holt took a cheap shot and forearmed a Tech player, Chick Granning while he was attempting to make a fair catch. This broke Granning's jaw and knocked out several of his teeth. Put him in the hospital for several days. Holt nor Bryant nor Alabama ever apologized. Dodd never forgave Bryant for that incident and some feel it played a big part in Dodd's decision to leave the SEC.

I would say up until that point Dodd and Bryant had a healthy dislike but an appreciation for each other. I know Bryant referred to Dodd as the "Old Gray Fox" because he was always tough to beat and often beat his opponents through superior coaching even when he had inferior talent.

There are many more stories but those are the two that have stayed at the forefront of my mind.

Go Jackets!
Click to expand...
Jerry the Jacket's story is correct but the year was 1961 for the infamous Darwin Holt incident. Bryant tried to downplay it but the video I have seen makes it clear that the hit was illegal, vicious, and utterly uncalled for. The Tech team doctor at the time called it the worst facial injury he had ever seen in athletics. I was 8 years old at the time of the 1962 game at Grant Field and saw Don Toner intercept Joe Namath's pass in the end zone. My mother nearly got into a fight with a drunk Alabama fan sitting in front of us who was deliberately spilling his drink on my pants. My cousin was on leave from the Marines at the time and was a guest with my family at the game. He grabbed that guy and very nearly put his lights out right then and there. Great times
 
The Holt cheap shot took place in 61 at Legion Field.

Bryant did not like Dodd's coaching philosophy, yet at the same time gave him credit for being one of the best game day coaches ever.

I think Bryant showed an extreme lack of courage after the 61 game. He said he was going to punish Holt, but would not do so because of the way the papers were attacking him. Well, either you think a S/A needs punishment or you don't. It should not matter what some fishwrapper prints.

Bryant did stab us in the back (well, we really did that to ourselves) when leaving the SEC, but later he did try to help get us back in.
 
Edit:

You beat me to it Artesian.

Somehow my Dad was able to get tickets to the 62 game. We sat, basically, above the press box eventhough they were called upper west.

My God. Lothridge, Toner, Guthrie, Martin, McNames. What a group we had. And they had namath, l r jordon.

My second best game day with my Dad. Was first until 91 Citrus.
 
texstinger said:
Bryant did stab us in the back (well, we really did that to ourselves) when leaving the SEC, but later he did try to help get us back in.
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Why didn't we ever get back in the SEC? BTW I didnt know we had such a heated rivalry with Bama back in the day and as a young Tech fan im sure am enjoying these stories.

Lets go kick some BAMA ASS! ROLL TECH ROLL!!!
 
Bear Bryant didn't try to help us back in the SEC. He said he'd help but then did nothing. Bobby Dodd was a saint and #1 in the SEC, but he blew it. He had the south's #1 media source in his hands, he could have tried so much harder to end the SEC's policies. Instead he quit and walked away.

I want to believe that deep down he knew that the SEC was about cheating and that nothing he did would matter. I think in his book he talks about not being able to compete with those major universities and it just always sounded to me that he just didn't want to play dirty.
 
texstinger said:
The Holt cheap shot took place in 61 at Legion Field.

Bryant did not like Dodd's coaching philosophy, yet at the same time gave him credit for being one of the best game day coaches ever.

I think Bryant showed an extreme lack of courage after the 61 game. He said he was going to punish Holt, but would not do so because of the way the papers were attacking him. Well, either you think a S/A needs punishment or you don't. It should not matter what some fishwrapper prints.

Bryant did stab us in the back (well, we really did that to ourselves) when leaving the SEC, but later he did try to help get us back in.
Click to expand...
What were the differences between the two coaching styles? The only thing I've heard about the way Dodd coached was that he was crafty, but never any details. What kind of offense did we run back in the Dodd days?
 
midatlantech said:
Bear Bryant didn't try to help us back in the SEC. He said he'd help but then did nothing. Bobby Dodd was a saint and #1 in the SEC, but he blew it. He had the south's #1 media source in his hands, he could have tried so much harder to end the SEC's policies. Instead he quit and walked away..
Click to expand...

Dodd and Bryant reconciled in the '70's and Bryant lobbied to get Tech back in the SEC. But, UGa said they would take their ball and go home if Tech came back. So, Bama and UT were the only votes we got. We then accepted the offer to join the ACC.
 
knoxjacket said:
What were the differences between the two coaching styles? The only thing I've heard about the way Dodd coached was that he was crafty, but never any details. What kind of offense did we run back in the Dodd days?
Click to expand...

Dodd coached like Chan, except with good luck instead of terrible luck. (or maybe disciplined play instead of undisciplined play?)

We won a lot of games 7 to 6 under Dodd. I've read in several places that Dodd used to have the QB punt on 3rd down when nobody expected it, if he didn't think he was going to get the first.
 
I must declare BS on your . . .

. . . comment that Dodd coached a lot like Chan. Chan could not hold Dodd's jock strap.

Go Jackets!
 
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