Was Bill Curry fired, or did he "resign"?

[Whirleybird]

*CM deserves a place in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for hiring Curry.


*One thing that is seldom mentioned with respect to Curry is there were discipline problems along with decreasing graduation rates among the football program. I remember hearing Baumhower talk about it a few years ago...saying, even though he knew first hand of the problems he still supported Curry as he would any head coach at Alabama.

Isn't it interesting that Curry was Joab Thomas' choice? After Joab made this decision (Bobby Bowden and numerous others wanted the job) he received a death threat. I had a brother-in-law that worked at the University at the time (I know, there goes any credibility) and he had a meeting with Joab on the day of the threat. He said Joab was visibly distracted and a little pale. Later that day he heard on the radio about the threat to Joab. While I'm talking about relatives, my sister had Shula as one of her students in the school of business.

A final thought. Does anyone else remember Curry on the sidelines in that crimson sweater and that stern look with his jaw juted out? I always had to chuckle and told the wife, "He's trying to look like Bear".

 

[TerryP]

Isn't it interesting that Curry was Joab Thomas' choice? After Joab made this decision (Bobby Bowden and numerous others wanted the job) he received a death threat. I had a brother-in-law that worked at the University at the time (I know, there goes any credibility) and he had a meeting with Joab on the day of the threat. He said Joab was visibly distracted and a little pale. Later that day he heard on the radio about the threat to Joab. While I'm talking about relatives, my sister had Shula as one of her students in the school of business.

A final thought. Does anyone else remember Curry on the sidelines in that crimson sweater and that stern look with his jaw juted out? I always had to chuckle and told the wife, "He's trying to look like Bear".

Curry received that type of warning also. They went to the point of stationing security outside the SID office, Athletic building, checking ID's from the media, etc. for the pressor one Saturday when Curry and Steve Sloan were officially announced.

Lee Roy Jordan and Billy Neighbors were quite vocal about not liking the Thomas decision (the process he went through when he hired Curry...selection committee, number of people interviewed,etc)...I'd imagine Earle can share some stories about Billy and his thoughts at the time.

 

[bamabryan]

When Curry was at Georgia Tech, he was tutored by former coach Bobby Dodd. They reviewed the games and Dodd mentored Curry on how to be a better game day coach.

I don't follow you. Just because he was tutored by Bobby Dodd does not make him a good X's and O's coach. There is no need to even mention him being a great one or even above average for that matter.

I think Bill Curry was and is a fine person and I think we was a pretty good recruiter, but he lacked in the area of X's and O's.

I don't think most people outside of Green Bay and Baltimore would know who Bill Curry is now had he not coached at Alabama. He certainly didn't have a great football mind by any stretch of the imagination.

I wasn't impressed with his coaching ability when he was at Alabama. Through the years I've heard what some of his former players have said about him and from what I've read and heard, they didn't think that highly of him as a coach either.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Curry,,,

TBF. was paranoid. Incoming hurricanes, FBI for mystery threats at AU AG, ghostly bricks. Does a pattern start to form for anyone? Has it ever occurred to him that, perhaps, not that many people care about him - particularly not the weather gods?

 

[CapstoneTider]

I do give him credit for bringing in Homer Smith, and letting him do his thing. The '89 offense was the best I've seen on a Bama team to this day. The next year, with almost the same personnel, we had trouble scoring points after leading the conference in scoring the previous year.

One of Stallings first years, we went through the worst rash of injuries I have ever seen at Bama. We lost an important player, especially on offense, every game until about half way through the season, and this directly led to us switching back to grass the next year. Wasn't this Stallings first year? And who was the receiver we lost early in the year? He reminded me a lot of Joey Jones, thinking Richardson but can't remember. Anyway, it's hard to blame Stallings staff on offensive woes during that first year. I actually enjoyed the Power running game during our streak as much as the 89 offense. We were more consistant during those years and kept the defense rested.

Speaking of Sloan, his step son was enrolled at Bama while I was there in the early 90's and this dude was bad news. He ended up passing out one night and setting his apartment on fire, very near the whole building. He sat next to me in a class but dropped out. He was a severe stoner.

 

[jthomas666]

I was still on campus at the time. Curry was generally liked by the student body--they arranged a number of rallys to convince him to stay.

While I thought that the grand-high muckity-mucks behind the scenes never really accepted Curry, he could have made it work if he wanted to. But the bottom line is that his head coaching strengths were primarily as a PR guy. He presented a good image, and I'm sure that he made a good impression the the home.

He was also fortunate enough to surround himself with good assistants, particularly OC Homer Smith and DC Don Lindsey (I never thought he got enough credit for his work). He was also the beneficiary of a few stellar recruiting classes from Perkins.

But as has been noted, he just wasn't a particularly good coach, and after a couple of years it was probably beginning to show. While I never really got mad at Curry for leaving, I did resent the WAY he left. The second he got on the plane to Kentucky, he was finished at Alabama, and everyone knew it. Yet he strung out everyone for a week or two, saying that he was weighing his options. He was probably just drinking in the last few dregs of adulation before taking his leave.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I probably...

had fewer problems with him than a lot of my age bracket. He always seemed to me to be posing for the best cameral angle, and I knew some things going on at the grassroots level in the team that indicated to me that he really had his head in the clouds. His departure, however, left a lasting bad taste - the brick fairy tale, fear for his life, all that BS...

 

[bamabryan]

And who was the receiver we lost early in the year? He reminded me a lot of Joey Jones, thinking Richardson but can't remember.

Craig Sanderson is the receiver you are thinking of.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

His relationship...

with Hootie was lousy, and I don't really blame him for taking another offer and leaving. His future with Ingram wasn't bright. However, I do have a problem with some of the "window dressing" he chose to drape his departure with...

 

[KanBama]

I don't think the brick through the window ever actually happened, but it's one of those things that still gets told as truth.

When the legend becomes more popular than the truth, print the legend.

 

[TerryP]

When the legend becomes more popular than the truth, print the legend.

I do wonder how the story will read by most in 20 years when the subject of fRan or Pappy comes up...

 

[buzzincuzzin]

Give Curry credit. In his role as commentator over the years he has repeatedly stated he just did not understand the magnitude of being THE HEAD COACH in Alabama. Admits he didn't "get it" until years later. When interviewed about Dubose, Price, Fran , and such he always points out the chair behind that desk is much different than any other in football. I agree with him that Coach Shula understood what he was getting into and knows it's not for everybody. If you like being held accountable 24-7-365+overtime, it must be a heck of a job.

 

[GrayTide]

My first impression of Curry was favorable until I saw some of the names on his first staff and I realized we were in trouble (quite a few retreads from Jim Carlen's staff at USC). He did eventually improve the quality of his staff over his 3 years but by then I think his fate was sealed. This goes back to what I have said in previous posts, Curry and even Steve Sloan, one of CPB's favorites were doomed from the start by the GOB network. 1988-1989 he goes 19-3 (2 losses to AU) and then is headed to Kentucky. Curry was smart enough to realize that his time at Alabama was limited and jumped ship to avoid the inevitable firing if he lost to AU again. His tenure will remain an enigma, he won but there was always an undercurrent swirling that he was only temporary until a better candidate with ties to Alabama could be found.

 

[CapstoneTider]

Craig Sanderson is the receiver you are thinking of.

Thanks...He was fun to watch.

 

[imauafan]

One thing I noticed when Stallings arrived was that we became a much more physical team, especially on defense. One of the reasons we lost to Auburn 4 straight years is because of being soft. I still remember Stacy Danley and James Joseph running over our defense. By the end of the game we would be physically worn out. I blame Curry and Lindsey for that. Plus, how many times did our DB's get burned because they never looked back for the ball? (e.g. John Mangum against Michigan was one of many examples) The one great move that Curry made was hiring Homer Smith and allowing him to run the offense. If he could have hired Bill Oliver to run the defense, Curry might have coached at Bama for a long time. For those that said that Curry was a great recruiter, that is not true. I believe that perception remains because we won a NC 3 years after he left and some folks have given credit to "Curry's recruits" for that which is baloney. A few of the guys were signed by Curry (Teague, Lassic, and Eric Curry) but the nucleus of that team was made up of guys that were signed by Stallings (Langham, Palmer, etc.). To be such a great recruiter, when Stallings arrived we were in desparate need of QB's so he out of necessity signed 3 right away, Jay Barker, Steven Christoper, and Jason Jack. Thankfully out of that group Barker turned out to be pretty good.

 

[BAMAOLDGUY]

Somebody in the know give me an answer...

Was a brick thrown through CBC's office window?

Was anything thrown through CBC's office window?

 

[redwood11]

Curry left because he wanted to

The Good:

*3-0 against Tennesee
*3-0 against Penn State
*10-2 final season, Sugar Bowl berth

Theses are very noteworthy accomplishments.

The Bad:

*0-3 against the barn
*Left us hanging for 2 weeks, during prime recruiting period. (Maybe a little knife in the gut on the way out?)

Incidentally, one of his players commented, at the time, that Perkins would drive his big Lincoln to any and all recruits house, go in and have dinner. In contrast, he claimed there were some neighborhoods CBC was reluctant to go to, which affected recruiting.

I heard CBC interviewed after he left, and he said 95% of Bama fans supported him. Read into that what you will.

 

[TiderMan]

Re: His relationship...

with Hootie was lousy, and I don't really blame him for taking another offer and leaving. His future with Ingram wasn't bright. However, I do have a problem with some of the "window dressing" he chose to drape his departure with...

Curry was doomed from the moment that the University hired Hootie before the 89 season. I was at the Memphis St. game to start the season and they announced Hootie to the crowd at Legion Field. I turned to my friend and said Hootie will have him run off before long. I am not saying that Hootie actually ran him off but I do not think he made Curry feel very comfortbale. Hootie was old school and probably still could not believe the administration had hired this former Ga. Tech/Bobby Dodd disciple to be the head coach.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

BOG...

You might get part of the answer by going outside and seeing if you can throw a brick up to the second floor. IF you can, then ask yourself, "was that hard enough to go through a quarter-inch tempered glass window?"

 

[bamablood6]

I was in school then too. 85-90! I had numerous player friends and I can tell you the discipline left when Coach Perkins left for Tampa. Curry did not have any discipline worth a damn, but tried to fake it during some games. I know for a fact there was a drug/alcohol problem with a few(larger number than I care to admit) players, grade problems and a few other negative things I will not include. One of his players "borrowed" my car and did not return it himself after a night "partying"! And Coach Curry knew about it!!! There were numerous occasions that big things happened and guess what---nothing happened. The players knew they could get away with almost anything. The GPA was horrible for the team average, but Curry could not get these players in line as he really did not try and he had little respect. The players did not respect Curry Like they did Perkins. One night I was on the strip with some OL during the Perkins years and they just had to be back before curfew and didnt want to get into the Perkins Doghouse---that was the discussion all night long. Some of the same guys during the Curry Years stayed out later than me(and I stayed out late) and didnt care as "it dont matter, no one gets into any trouble anyway". Also most of these players I knew felt they could not talk to Coach Curry, but it was the total opposite with Coach Perk. Perk seemed like a Jerk to the people that didnt matter on the outside but he was a players coach, but Curry was far from it. He didnt get respect from his players. Also Curry could not recruit A QB for anything. Ray Stanton was his lone QB signee I believe in his tenure and he NEVER played a down. And my player friends also told me the brick incident back then was not all truthful. Perkins(and his staff) was one of the best player evaluators I have seen but Curry was not a good evaluator. The best thing Curry Did was hire Homer Smith and let him run the offense. The second best thing he did was leave for Kentucky.