Steeler Superbowl Ring, Rocky Bleier and Bama's Lost Championship

My father loved Alabama.

He was also a very emotional man.

That can often be an explosive combination and in Dad’s case it was TNT.

Dad was the man who never used profanity, except when a second field goal was blocked or a Notre Dame quarterback passed on third down out of his own end zone. He PASSED on third down!

Even though I wasn’t around when Joe Namath ran a quarterback sneak against Texas, I have been very well informed about how Broadway Joe with his bag o’ ball bearin’ knees crossed that goal line on fourth down and that “this was another time we got robbed”!

I could follow along with Dad every time a call went against Bama with the “they don’t make those guys wear those stripes for nothing” line that somehow lost its comic edge many hundreds of spouts ago. Remarkably, they became brilliant and skilled observationists when the opposite occurred.

I’m pretty sure that everyone has someone like this. I look back and laugh about it now, especially when I break another remote and curse at the Zebra’s when they throw the yellow flag, slapping Bama for “the call that can be called on every play, holding” while the Tide is winning or losing.

I hate holding!

Well unless..uhm well you know.

Dad passed away 4 years ago on Sunday morning, Fathers Day oddly enough. When my son called me from Gulf Shores last night to talk about the NCAA news, or lack of, I told him how much I miss being able to call my dad when things like this come up. Don’t get me wrong, I love having my son to call and say everything that I’ve said a thousand times, but until you lose your dad, you just won’t understand. I hope you never understand.

While I was talking to Zack (my son) I remembered something that I hadn’t thought of for years. One of the many things my dad would argue passionately about every chance he got was that Alabama was robbed of a national championship in 1966 by the media because of their love for Notre Dame and the stigma of racism that the team carried.

For the record, Bama won the 1964 and 65 national championships and was undefeated in 1966. Coach Bryant said “I thought you stayed on top til someone knocked you off” and Dad agreed.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?