Tommy Deas
TideSports.com Editor
While others remember the goal-line stand, Bradley recalls the play that set it up, when UA's Don McNeal came out of nowhere to make a tackle on second-and-goal from the 6-yard line, stopping Scott Fitzkee from making it into the end zone. Penn State failed to score on two runs up the middle from less than a yard out in the storied stand at the goal line.
"I still can't figure out how McNeal came out of man-to-man coverage," Bradley said. "What made him come off his guy and get our guy? If Fitzkee would have just fallen down, we score a touchdown, we're right in it."
Bradley remembers a lot about that game.
"We never could get out of the hole the whole first half, I do remember that," he said. "I think the first play of the game we pick up 9 yards and they call the back-side tackle for holding. Think we were getting a little Southern hospitality down there?
"One thing about that game, I was just reading about it, that's a big thing in Alabama history, the tackle, the goal-line stand, but I have to laugh: I think the Alabama guys said the same thing as our guys, that was one of the hardest-hitting games I've ever witnessed in my life."
Bradley remembers Alabama's rivalry with Penn State as competitive, but respectful and friendly. The rivalry grew over a 10-year home-and-home series that ended in 1990.
"It was fun to play them," he said. "The players - I don't think they do this anymore at bowl games - but they would all get together so you'd go out with the Alabama kids, meet up and get to know each other and tell stories about coach and stuff.
"It was fun to go down there, you'd play them in Birmingham and you'd play them in Tuscaloosa."
Bradley also recalls a story the late Paterno, his coach and longtime boss at Penn State, told about the late Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, Alabama's legendary coach.
"He'd never call him 'Bear,' it was always Paul or Coach Bryant, one or the other," Bradley said of Paterno. "He said he got a call from Coach Bryant and (Bryant) asked him if he could get the state police to shut down Route 322 from Harrisburg when he was coming to State College (for a game at Penn State), and Joe said, 'I don't think I can do that.'
"Coach Bryant's answer was, 'Why, coach? I could do it down here.' Just a little history there."
Bradley played and coached against Bryant's teams, and later coached against UA teams coached by Ray Perkins, Bill Curry and Gene Stallings. In 2010 and '11, Penn State played against Alabama squads coached by Nick Saban.
"I know Nick well," Bradley said. "I've seen him, know his coaching career pretty well. I know he came from down here in West Virginia and went to Kent State, not everyone knows that.
"I think he's interesting because Nick, by trade, is a defensive coach. I know he coaches the secondary all the time."
Whoever the coach, Bradley sees commonality in the Alabama teams he has faced.
"To me it's the great tradition," he said. "The way they play the game, they come to play, it's always a good game. The sportsmanship's good on both sides, you don't see cheap shots, it's always hard-nosed football.
"I know people will look at me funny if I use the term 'old school,' but they're still doing things the old ways. Nick has a philosophy, the Alabama program has a philosophy and I think Coach Bryant instilled that and it's still carried on today."
TideSports.com Editor
While others remember the goal-line stand, Bradley recalls the play that set it up, when UA's Don McNeal came out of nowhere to make a tackle on second-and-goal from the 6-yard line, stopping Scott Fitzkee from making it into the end zone. Penn State failed to score on two runs up the middle from less than a yard out in the storied stand at the goal line.
"I still can't figure out how McNeal came out of man-to-man coverage," Bradley said. "What made him come off his guy and get our guy? If Fitzkee would have just fallen down, we score a touchdown, we're right in it."
Bradley remembers a lot about that game.
"We never could get out of the hole the whole first half, I do remember that," he said. "I think the first play of the game we pick up 9 yards and they call the back-side tackle for holding. Think we were getting a little Southern hospitality down there?
"One thing about that game, I was just reading about it, that's a big thing in Alabama history, the tackle, the goal-line stand, but I have to laugh: I think the Alabama guys said the same thing as our guys, that was one of the hardest-hitting games I've ever witnessed in my life."
Bradley remembers Alabama's rivalry with Penn State as competitive, but respectful and friendly. The rivalry grew over a 10-year home-and-home series that ended in 1990.
"It was fun to play them," he said. "The players - I don't think they do this anymore at bowl games - but they would all get together so you'd go out with the Alabama kids, meet up and get to know each other and tell stories about coach and stuff.
"It was fun to go down there, you'd play them in Birmingham and you'd play them in Tuscaloosa."
Bradley also recalls a story the late Paterno, his coach and longtime boss at Penn State, told about the late Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, Alabama's legendary coach.
"He'd never call him 'Bear,' it was always Paul or Coach Bryant, one or the other," Bradley said of Paterno. "He said he got a call from Coach Bryant and (Bryant) asked him if he could get the state police to shut down Route 322 from Harrisburg when he was coming to State College (for a game at Penn State), and Joe said, 'I don't think I can do that.'
"Coach Bryant's answer was, 'Why, coach? I could do it down here.' Just a little history there."
Bradley played and coached against Bryant's teams, and later coached against UA teams coached by Ray Perkins, Bill Curry and Gene Stallings. In 2010 and '11, Penn State played against Alabama squads coached by Nick Saban.
"I know Nick well," Bradley said. "I've seen him, know his coaching career pretty well. I know he came from down here in West Virginia and went to Kent State, not everyone knows that.
"I think he's interesting because Nick, by trade, is a defensive coach. I know he coaches the secondary all the time."
Whoever the coach, Bradley sees commonality in the Alabama teams he has faced.
"To me it's the great tradition," he said. "The way they play the game, they come to play, it's always a good game. The sportsmanship's good on both sides, you don't see cheap shots, it's always hard-nosed football.
"I know people will look at me funny if I use the term 'old school,' but they're still doing things the old ways. Nick has a philosophy, the Alabama program has a philosophy and I think Coach Bryant instilled that and it's still carried on today."
