Customer Reviews

Turnaround: Bear Bryant's First Year at Alabama

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As far as turnarounds are concerned, Alabama Crimson Tide fans have seen their fair share. Last season, they witnessed the Tide as they dropped miserably to 1-1 after a September loss to underdog Louisiana Tech. By New Year's Day, the Tide, now 10-2, had won the SEC championship, was ranked in the top five nationally and was preparing to face Michigan in the Orange Bowl. This season, the Tide fell to 1-3 before defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tide fans are hoping for a successful turnaround in 2000 similar to last season's about-face. Many Alabama fans, however, are in the dark about the great turnaround of 1958. That was the season Paul "Bear" Bryant took over at the helm of Alabama football, rejuvenating and breathing new life into not a single season, but an entire program. Tom Stoddard, a 1960 graduate of the University of Alabama, gives a detailed and straightforward account of Bryant's first season as head football coach at the Capstone in his book, Turnaround. In the three seasons prior to the magical 1958 season, the Crimson Tide had managed only four victories. Intense efforts by Alabama boosters and administration to put an end to the demise of a once proud and highly successful football program led to the resignation of then head coach J.B. "Ears" Whitworth. Enter the self-proclaimed "momma's boy" from Arkansas, "Bear" Bryant. With vivid and highly descriptive recollections from Bryant's former players, coaches and acquaintances, Turnaround depicts in behind-the-scenes fashion how Bryant took a group of young men who had become all too familiar with defeat and turned them into winners, and three seasons later, national champions. Any Crimson Tide football fan would fall in love immediately with this book. I certainly did.

I have most likely read almost every book that has been written about the legendery college football coach. With the possible exception of "Bear", (which was an autobiography written by John Underwood) this is the best book ever written on Paul "Bear" Bryant. It was meticulously researched and led the reader on a journey throughout the year of 1958 (Bryant's first year at Alabama) which laid the foundation for a football dynasty during the 1960s and 1970s. While books like "The Junction Boys" might be more entertaining (but not always factual), "Turnaround" does not suffer the numerous embellishment problems that "Junction" did. Tom Stoddard deserves a great deal of recognition for this work. It is a must for the serious student of Bryant.

The book provides some remarkable insight into Coach Bryant's methods and thoughts. I heard stories that I have never heard and I consider myself a big fan. The problem was the boring play by play of the games and the constant roster updates. If you are a Bama fan buy it. If not it would be of little interest.

This book is worthwhile for any hard-core fan of the Crimson Tide. But if you are not there would be little here to interest you.

Another reviewer highly recommended "The Junction Boys", a story of the nightmarish ten days that Bear Bryant ran his first Texas A&M team through. I agree that book was more interesting and more focused. "Turnaround", regrettably, does not have the same appeal and sense of being there that "The Junction Boys" did. True, Bear Bryant was not the sweetest coach in the world in 1958, but after what he put his first Aggie team through I could not be awed with what his first Crimson Tide team went through. Bear's first Aggie team appeared to have had it tougher -- which is why he considered that to be his favorite team in spite of the fact that was his only losing team (1-9) in his entire career.

There were a couple of interesting items about the book though. First, J. B. "Ears" Whitworth preceded the Bear to Tuscaloosa and won only four games in three years. I do not remember anything about "Ears" as I was too young and growing up in Alabama I never heard many references to those dark days in Crimson Tide history. About the only reference to those days was that a quarterback who was hurt much of the time while at Alabama later went on to a somewhat more successful career in the NFL -- some guy named Bart Starr. The book did devote the first chapter to the problems swirling around the Alabama football program during "Ears" less than successful three years.

The second item of interest is the description of the practice sessions. Bear later mellowed considerably -- especially in the 1970s and when he was 15 - 20 years older and more experienced. But he ran the program in a very controlled manner, attention to detail, well organized, mission oriented, stressing a strong conditioning program, never a wasted moment on the practice field, well motivated, and stressing academics. I have read several descriptions of the current coach, Dennis Franchione, and although Coach Franchione was not a deciple of the Bear, he runs things in a very similar manner. There are differences of course in that there are different rules and water breaks are no longer considered a sign of weakness. But the basic ideas remain the same. I hope Coach Franchione has similar success.

Wonderful reading and so true. I knew most of the players and have heard a lot of the stories first hand because I was there when the Bear came to Bama. Also good to know where the players were when the book was written and what professions they are in. Roll Tide Roll!

Stoddard is a proven commodity after this one. I found it very revealing. I almost liked it as much as "A Tailgater's Guide To SEC Football" by Dr. Chris Warner. I highly recommend it.

This book is worthwhile for any hard-core fan of the Crimson Tide. But if you are not there would be little here to interest you.

Another reviewer highly recommended "The Junction Boys", a story of the nightmarish ten days that Bear Bryant ran his first Texas A&M team through. I agree that book was more interesting and more focused. "Turnaround", regrettably, does not have the same appeal and sense of being there that "The Junction Boys" did. True, Bear Bryant was not the sweetest coach in the world in 1958, but after what he put his first Aggie team through I could not be awed with what his first Crimson Tide team went through. Bear's first Aggie team appeared to have had it tougher -- which is why he considered that to be his favorite team in spite of the fact that was his only losing team (1-9) in his entire career.

There were a couple of interesting items about the book though. First, J. B. "Ears" Whitworth preceded the Bear to Tuscaloosa and won only four games in three years. I do not remember anything about "Ears" as I was too young and growing up in Alabama I never heard many references to those dark days in Crimson Tide history. About the only reference to those days was that a quarterback who was hurt much of the time while at Alabama later went on to a somewhat more successful career in the NFL -- some guy named Bart Starr. The book did devote the first chapter to the problems swirling around the Alabama football program during "Ears" less than successful three years.

The second item of interest is the description of the practice sessions. Bear later mellowed considerably -- especially in the 1970s and when he was 15 - 20 years older and more experienced. But he ran the program in a very controlled manner, attention to detail, well organized, mission oriented, stressing a strong conditioning program, never a wasted moment on the practice field, well motivated, and stressing academics. I have read several descriptions of the current coach, Dennis Franchione, and although Coach Franchione was not a deciple of the Bear, he runs things in a very similar manner. There are differences of course in that there are different rules and water breaks are no longer considered a sign of weakness. But the basic ideas remain the same. I hope Coach Franchione has similar success.

I have not yet read Mr. Stoddards book "Turnaround". However, I have just purchased this book for my dad because he played for Coach Bryant. As a son of a former player of Coach Bryant, I must say that any book about Coach Bryant will always be a special book to me and my family and especially to my Dad. My Dad has always and will always "look up" to Coach Bryant. Even though Coach Bryant was not successful in the beginning at the University of Alabama, I am quiet sure this book is great because it will illustrate his "NEVER QUIT" attitude, which is a philosophy that my Dad has lived with throughout his life.

The Junction Boys is one of the best sports books I've ever read. It goes into great detail about Paul Bryant's first year at Texas A&M. This book is a cheap ripoff. It doesn't give much detail into anything. Each game is covered in about two or three pages, and there's nothing memorable. As a Tide fan, I took the bait and bought this book, don't bother.