What player and/or coach do you first think of when you hear a school's name?

[john4psu]

What player and/or coach do you first think of when you hear the following schools?

For example, for me when I hear or read the word Boston College, Doug Flutie instantly comes to mind.

I'll list the schools first so as to hopefully not influence your thinking. Limit each to 1 or 2. First thoughts.

Alabama
Florida State
Georgia
Michigan
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
USC
and
Penn State

For me:

Alabama - Bear Bryant
Florida State - Bobby Bowden
Georgia - Herschel Walker
Michigan - Bo Schembechler
Nebraska - Tom Osborne
Notre Dame - Ara Parseghian, Joe Theismann
Ohio State - Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin
Oklahoma - Barry Switzer, Billy Sims
Tennessee - Philip Fulmer, Peyton Manning
Texas - Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams
USC - John McKay, O.J. Simpson
and
Penn State - Joseph Vincent Paterno

What struck me is how for me personally, my answers were indicative of early and lasting impressions from my youth as opposed to players/coaches of today.

Yours?

 

[Class of 67]

What player and/or coach do you first think of when you hear the following schools?

For example, for me when I hear or read the word Boston College, Doug Flutie instantly comes to mind.

I'll list the schools first so as to hopefully not influence your thinking. Limit each to 1 or 2. First thoughts.

Alabama
Florida State
Georgia
Michigan
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
USC
and
Penn State

For me:

Alabama - Bear Bryant
Florida State - Bobby Bowden
Georgia - Herschel Walker
Michigan - Bo Schembechler
Nebraska - Tom Osborne
Notre Dame - Ara Parseghian, Joe Theismann
Ohio State - Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin
Oklahoma - Barry Switzer, Billy Sims
Tennessee - Philip Fulmer, Peyton Manning
Texas - Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams
USC - John McKay, O.J. Simpson
and
Penn State - Joseph Vincent Paterno

What struck me is how for me personally, my answers were indicative of early and lasting impressions from my youth as opposed to players/coaches of today.

Yours?

Alabama Bear Bryant
Florida State Bobby Bowden
Georgia Hershel Walker
Michigan
Nebraska Osborne
Notre Dame Knute Rockne
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
USC OJ
and
Penn State JoePa

 

[21Guns]

I don't think of people, I think of emotion, philosphy, history, or culture. It's bigger than people.

Alabama: The deep south, a governor on the steps, no black players until the early 70''s.

USC: Wealth, privledge, arrogance.

Notre Dame: Glorification of image, religion, old movie reels.

Florida State: Cheating, paying players, kids who cannot read or write playing football.

Michigan: History, a great University, pompous distinction, history of winning, at any cost.

Ohio State: The ULTIMATE Win at all costs school. More fans who are not alumni than anyone not named "USC". Pro franchise in a state with a history of losers in the real pro game.

Oklahoma: A kind of oasis in the midwest that draws from the cities in it's circumference. Players who don't attend classes either, a horribly disrespectful cultural tradition of basically a Juco level college curriculum.

Penn State: A beloved, and enormous alumni fan base. An odd, unusual school in terms of location and rurality, compared to nearly all others. The Northeast corridor, great tradition and great history. Loved by it's fans, hated by some however, due to it's secrecy and history of how it's run.

Clemson: The "new" philosophy in how to win: Recruit in the south, almost exclusively, schedule cleverly, never play road games you can't lose, and run sketchy under the table type schemes to bring kids in.

LSU: A great history, great fans, deep south, but now, burdened by it's location in one of the worst crime states in America.

Texas: Now rebounding into a top 20 program, due to a new coach, did not have as far to go, to get there, as Penn State, which is why they are back so soon.

Michigan State: Comes and goes almost diametrically in opposition to how Michigan is doing. If Michigan is up, Michigan State is nearly always going to be down. You will see this dynamic in operation as early as this year.

 

[fairgambit]

When I think of Notre Dame I think of Rockne, even though he was way before my time. Texas for me is Darrell Royal.

 

[21Guns]

When I think of Notre Dame I think of Rockne, even though he was way before my time. Texas for me is Darrell Royal.

Texas is 1969 and Chris Schenkel's NON STOP glorification during that game. Even had Nixon never done what he did, has anyone even rewatched the broadcast of that game? Schenkel must have mentioned the "championship" winner of that game, 40 or 50 times in 3 and a half hours.

 

[Option Bob]

Alabama - Bryant
Fla State - Bowden
Georgia - Herschel
Nebraska - Osborne
Michigan - I never ever think about Michigan; if I did, it would likely be Dick Honig
Notre Dame - Rockne and Ara P
Ohio State - Woody
Oklahoma - Jack Mildren
Tennessee - Bobby Majors
Texas -- Darrell Royal, Earl Campbell
USC - OJ, John McKay
and
Penn State - JoePa, Mike Reid, and hundreds of others

 

[CF LION]

Alabama - Joe Namath
Florida State - Free Shoes
Georgia - Peaches
Nebraska - 1994
Michigan - Under achieving players that the Steelers draft
Notre Dame - Rudy
Ohio State - Walmart
Oklahoma - Covered Wagons
Tennessee - Jack Daniels
Texas - Bevo
USC - Cheerleaders and sweaters
Penn State - No place I'd rather be on a fall Saturday

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Alabama - Bear
Florida State - Bobby (and wide left/right)
Georgia - Hershel
Michigan - ugly €%#-ing helmets
Nebraska - Dr. Tom
Notre Dame - Rockne, TD Jesus
Ohio State - wife-beaters
Oklahoma - schooner & underachieving
Tennessee - Rocky Top, checkerboard end zone, and Peyton
Texas - Bevo and Nixon
USC - OJ
and
Penn State - JVP, black shoes, WE ARE...

 

[Sviatoslav]

First person that leaps to mind with each school.

Alabama - Bear Bryant
Florida State - Peter Tom Willis (never trust a guy with three first names)
Georgia - Herschel Walker
Michigan - Tate Forcier
Nebraska - Lawrence Phillips
Notre Dame - Rocket Ismael
Ohio State - Woody Hayes
Oklahoma - Keith Jackson
Tennessee - Peyton
Texas - Vince Young
USC - Marcus Allen
and
Penn State - JoePA

 

[crm114psu]

All are great programs with deep traditions and significant history.

Alabama - most successful program in cfb, best coach in modern history (Bryant) and currently (Saban). King of the blue bloods. Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Ken Stabler

Florida State - Most consecutive top 5 finishes, Bowden, Biletnikoff

Georgia - wlocp, Vince Dooley, Walker

Michigan - all time wins, Schembechler, Gerald Ford

Nebraska - Osborne

Notre Dame - 2nd only to bama, Rockne, Dave Casper

Ohio State - Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin

Oklahoma - Barry Switzer, The Boz

Tennessee - Majors, Manning

Texas - Royal, Campbell

USC - McKay, OJ

Penn State - Paterno, Harris

 

[Phil's Rug]

Alabama~ Bear Bryant
Florida State~ Bobby Bowden Wide Right
Georgia~ Gregg Garrity Herschel
Michigan~ Ann Arbor is a whore
Nebraska~ Tom Osborne
Notre Dame~ Tim Brown
Ohio State~ Woody Hayes
Oklahoma~ Billy Sims
Tennessee~ Checkerboard endzone
Texas~ The Tyler Rose Earl Campbell
USC~ Marcus Allen
Penn State~ JoePa

 

[LafayetteBear]

I don't think of people, I think of emotion, philosphy, history, or culture. It's bigger than people.

Alabama: The deep south, a governor on the steps, no black players until the early 70''s.

USC: Wealth, privledge, arrogance.

Notre Dame: Glorification of image, religion, old movie reels.

Florida State: Cheating, paying players, kids who cannot read or write playing football.

Michigan: History, a great University, pompous distinction, history of winning, at any cost.

Ohio State: The ULTIMATE Win at all costs school. More fans who are not alumni than anyone not named "USC". Pro franchise in a state with a history of losers in the real pro game.

Oklahoma: A kind of oasis in the midwest that draws from the cities in it's circumference. Players who don't attend classes either, a horribly disrespectful cultural tradition of basically a Juco level college curriculum.

Penn State: A beloved, and enormous alumni fan base. An odd, unusual school in terms of location and rurality, compared to nearly all others. The Northeast corridor, great tradition and great history. Loved by it's fans, hated by some however, due to it's secrecy and history of how it's run.

Clemson: The "new" philosophy in how to win: Recruit in the south, almost exclusively, schedule cleverly, never play road games you can't lose, and run sketchy under the table type schemes to bring kids in.

LSU: A great history, great fans, deep south, but now, burdened by it's location in one of the worst crime states in America.

Texas: Now rebounding into a top 20 program, due to a new coach, did not have as far to go, to get there, as Penn State, which is why they are back so soon.

Michigan State: Comes and goes almost diametrically in opposition to how Michigan is doing. If Michigan is up, Michigan State is nearly always going to be down. You will see this dynamic in operation as early as this year.

Guns: I was struck by the fact that, rather than naming people, you gave your quick impression of each school, and that (with the exception of Texas and Michigan State) it was uniformly negative.

Not picking on you (many others here would probably have the same negative impressions), but consider that this is human nature, and probably helps explain why alums of so many other schools (unless they have family members who are affiliated with PSU) are so willing to swallow a false and negative narrative.

 

[21Guns]

Guns: I was struck by the fact that, rather than naming people, you gave your quick impression of each school, and that (with the exception of Texas and Michigan State) it was uniformly negative.

Not picking on you (many others here would probably have the same negative impressions), but consider that this is human nature, and probably helps explain why alums of so many other schools (unless they have family members who are affiliated with PSU) are so willing to swallow a false and negative narrative.

Well, I COULD have given my positive thoughts on those schools also, but as far as Ohio State and USC go, I HAVE nothing positive to report.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Well, I COULD have given my positive thoughts on those schools also, but as far as Ohio State and USC go, I HAVE nothing positive to report.

LOL, I get it.

 

[21Guns]

LOL, I get it.

Will Ferrell went to SC....I love his work, THERE YA GO.

Wait, he was a freaking groundling, damn almost had it.

 

[MoonOverMyHammy]

Michigan - Tom Harmon

 

[doofis]

Kent State - Jack Lambert, James Harrison (Linebacker U), Josh Cribbs, Julian Edelman, Joe Walsh, Devo, Chrissie Hynde and other players, Michael Keaton, Lou Holtz, Nick Saban, Gary Pinkel, anthropologist Owen Lovejoy, liquid crystal and junk.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Michigan - Tom Harmon

Old School. But he DID win the Heisman.

 

[doofis]

Miami - Jim Kelly (lived in the dorm next door to me). Hey - do yinz remember the Miami-PSU game from 1981? My Dad in Lancaster wouldn't even take my call from the Orange Bowl.

 

[kgilbert78]

Old School. But he DID win the Heisman.

And his son is one of the biggest TV stars in the business (as well as a former D1 QB).

 

[kgilbert78]

Ok--if you want some fun, name famous *fictional* characters from each (that played football).

Alabama: Forrest Gump
tOSU: Johnny Utah

 

[royboy]

Alabama - Joe Namath
Florida State - Free Shoes
Georgia - Peaches
Nebraska - 1994
Michigan - Under achieving players that the Steelers draft
Notre Dame - Rudy
Ohio State - Walmart
Oklahoma - Covered Wagons
Tennessee - Jack Daniels
Texas - Bevo
USC - Cheerleaders and sweaters
Penn State - No place I'd rather be on a fall Saturday

liked your post, so I'll eliminate any consideration of a penalty flag.

 

[psuro]

What player and/or coach do you first think of when you hear the following schools?

For example, for me when I hear or read the word Boston College, Doug Flutie instantly comes to mind.

I'll list the schools first so as to hopefully not influence your thinking. Limit each to 1 or 2. First thoughts.

Alabama
Florida State
Georgia
Michigan
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
USC
and
Penn State

For me:

Alabama - Bear Bryant
Florida State - Bobby Bowden
Georgia - Herschel Walker
Michigan - Bo Schembechler
Nebraska - Tom Osborne
Notre Dame - Ara Parseghian, Joe Theismann
Ohio State - Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin
Oklahoma - Barry Switzer, Billy Sims
Tennessee - Philip Fulmer, Peyton Manning
Texas - Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams
USC - John McKay, O.J. Simpson
and
Penn State - Joseph Vincent Paterno

What struck me is how for me personally, my answers were indicative of early and lasting impressions from my youth as opposed to players/coaches of today.

Yours?

Bama - Bryant
F$U- Bowden
Georgia - Vince Dooley
Michigan - Bo
Nebraska - Mike Rozier
Notre Dame - Vagas Ferguson
Ohio State - Woody
OU - Sims
Tennessee - Phil Fulmer
Texas - Earl Campbell
USC - John McKay
Penn State - Joe

Nothing too earth shattering here.